> Religion clearly has mental health benefits, especially in terms of robustness.

The question is if this generalizes to society as a whole. For atheists it seems like living in religious communities has severe negative mental health consequences causing them to die earlier, but atheist societies tend to live longer and be happier than religious societies. So in any society it is better to be religious, but you'd rather that your peers weren't religious because their belief hurts you.

The main thing is that they create a social group that you can't be a part of. But aside from that they might also blame the worlds problems on your non-belief, pester you to start believing, they might obstruct your ability to get healthcare etc.

I grew up strongly religious, and I still believe strongly, but left the organization due to the people in it. I did have an atheist phase, but that depressed me so severely that I almost had no choice but to reconsider my belief.

Without a religious structure, life has no set purpose. Sure, you can make a purpose for yourself, but it feels empty compared to a created, beautiful universe by a benevolent being who got lonely.

As somebody that never felt they had some higher purpose I can't say that I feel any need for it. I can understand you feel like you lack something when lose a higher purpose you've had all your life, but that (for lack of better words) sound like you have developed a dependency on that purpose. What you describe is common for many people leaving religion, but it is also something that is overcome by most after (sometimes a long) time.

Personally, my values of making the world a better place for future generations while having some fun seem to do.

"never felt they had some higher purpose" ... "my values of making the world a better place for future generations". Sounds like you're now having an epiphany :)

What I ment so say was some "externally given purpose" that makes claims about being objective.

I consider my values to be more of a general goal than a purpose in itself and make no claims about them being objectively good.

You still got caught in the rhetorical trap. You have a purpose, you just had to provide it for yourself, and it goes beyond altruism.

> I did have an atheist phase, but that depressed me so severely that I almost had no choice but to reconsider my belief.

Would you say then that you think it's more important for you to feel better than to believe true things?

> Without a religious structure, life has no set purpose.

Life has the purpose that you give it, there is no need for religion or deities for it.

I feel empowered by the fact that I give my life the meaning that I want, as opposed to that purpose being imposed on me by some supernatural deity whose existence has never been demonstrated.

And you know what? Even if at some point, the existence of such a deity is demonstrated, I will still choose to give my life my own purpose.

> Would you say then that you think it's more important for you to feel better than to believe true things?

Believing in a higher power and believing untrue things aren't codependent. I believe in science, and the power of man's reason. None of that contradicts my belief in a higher power.

That belief is irrational, though, since there is no evidence that such a being exists.

> Without a religious structure, life has no set purpose. Sure, you can make a purpose for yourself, but it feels empty compared to a created, beautiful universe by a benevolent being who got lonely.

Sounds like you have simply convinced yourself about that being true, my guy

I've lived it. Maybe religious thought is addictive.

Does it? If I knew 100% there's any kind of afterlife, I'd kill myself today. Not to mention that there's some almighty butthole in the sky that does nothing to help anyone but asks for faith (also their supposed representatives ask for money), now that's depressing. Oh and v1.0 of the European shit is pretty gruesome.