Hi everyone,
So...my family had to put our dog down about 36 hours ago. We'd had her for 10 years, since she was a pup, and we all really miss her. It's just been a very difficult couple of days around here...we all feel absolutely horrible.
Anyway, the grief in itself is not the point of this thread.
I consider myself an atheist. I believe in science, and I have difficulty believing in what cannot be scientifically understood. I have no
reason to believe in a deity or an afterlife. To me, if something cannot be scientifically tested, it shouldn't be taken on faith. I say this not to offend anyone, but to explain my views as they are now. I hope you all know that I absolutely respect you and your beliefs no matter what.
All of that said, with my dog passing away, I find that I very much
wish I was more religious or spiritual and believed in something beyond the life that we know. Because right now, my beliefs tell me that my dog has just ceased to exist...there is nothing, there is emptiness. And I
want reason to believe that there is more to it than that...that she is in a beautiful place where everything is fine and she will never suffer again.
I just...don't know how to reconcile my belief in science and what we can understand with more spiritual ideas that require faith. I want advice on how people do that reconciliation, and on how I can start exploring different religions and spiritual traditions and ideas. I ordered a New International Version Bible and plan to start reading it (if nothing else, I want to learn about it from an intellectual perspective, and have wanted to for a while...just so I understand more). Any suggestions or words of wisdom would be appreciated.
to all of you