LordReed:


Are you a student or do you work?

I'm neither. Just graduated ( I suppose) after writing my final exams last month. And no. This is not quite the usual. I do not feel this way because I just graduated and I'm scared of what the future holds neither do I feel this way because I'm having a difficult time finding my bearing neither is it because things are difficult for me personally in many aspects of life despite my concerted efforts to improve myself and change things for the better and stuffs like that no. Far from it. On the contrary, I feel this way because I do not really have the profound desire, zeal nor willpower to make efforts, take steps, make strides giant or little to improve myself. I do not seem to have to have a real passion, dream nor aspiration. I've felt this way all my life but was never really aware of it (ignorance truly is bliss) until just recently, about two months ago to be precise. My level of self awareness has been very low. As a matter of fact, for a twenty-seven year old, I can say I have the countenance, charisma and poise of a teenager, a young one at that. Due to my very shy and quiet nature, people of course from a distance tend to assume the opposite about me.

francis247:
I'm neither. Just graduated ( I suppose) after writing my final exams last month. And no. This is not quite the usual. I do not feel this way because I just graduated and I'm scared of what the future holds neither do I feel this way because I'm having a difficult time finding my bearing neither is it because things are difficult for me personally in many aspects of life despite my concerted efforts to improve myself and change things for the better and stuffs like that no. Far from it. On the contrary, I feel this way because I do not really have the profound desire, zeal nor willpower to make efforts, take steps, make strides giant or little to improve myself. I do not seem to have to have a real passion, dream nor aspiration. I've felt this way all my life but was never really aware of it (ignorance truly is bliss) until just recently, about two months ago to be precise. My level of self awareness has been very low. As a matter of fact, for a twenty-seven year old, I can say I have the countenance, charisma and poise of a teenager, a young one at that. Due to my very shy and quiet nature, people of course from a distance tend to assume the opposite about me.

I didn't ask the question because I felt you were speaking as a matter of situational experience but rather I wanted to know how to address you.

You answer provides some clarity and I appreciate you making the effort.

Your "predicament" is both the problem and the solution. The problem, a lack of drive towards any meaningful achievement as defined by the society around you, presents you with a unique opportunity to live life free of such burdens. You have no obligations to conform to society's notions of success thus you are free to use your time and energies in any way you deem fit. Of course by necessity you have to learn to support yourself but your satisfaction levels are entirely up to you. I would argue that you would even be more productive than many of the people you see rushing about invested in the rat race. You are ideologically separate from that grind and thus can use your energies to all the things you want. And I think it doesn't matter what those are, even if it is to sit down and day dream, its your satisfaction that matters.

For people like me who want a little more adventure in our lives, we go out and get a wife, have kids, travel, speak up and argue, eat exotic food, drive fast, laugh and dance, all because it is what I want not what society or anybody is trying to force down my throat. If tomorrow I want none of these things, I will get up and leave them.

Don't ever feel you need to conform to any of society's pressures (that goes without saying your survival is contingent on some of those rules, those you can't ignore), go ahead and be you. Embrace your life and live it your way.

francis247:

Again you hit the nail on the head here.

Depression and life are like two similar sides of a magnet. They repel against one another.

Yeah! I don't know the extent to which you experience the depression but it may help to consider the following....

Be careful of what you come into contact with. Especially with Food. Certain things you may eat or ingest will make the depression worse. Try to avoid Alcohol and any other drugs. But watch yourself carefully: Are there things that you eat that shortly afterwards the hopeless feelings become worse?
What about people? Are there people whose company you share and shortly afterwards you feel yourself very depressed?
Avoid these foods and these people. It could be music too.

Perhaps it'll help to keep a diary.

Also there are certain herbs that are known to alleviate depression. I don't know where you are. Are you in Nigeria or in Europe? If you are in Europe then I would advice you to research where you can get herbs like Damiana, or St. John's Worts.

1. St. John’s wort

St. John’s wort is a plant that’s native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. Europeans commonly take St. John’s wort as a way to treat depression, but the FDA hasn’t approved the herb to treat this condition.

Taking St. John’s wort has been linked with increasing the amount of serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a feel-good chemical in the brain that people with depression are often low in. Several antidepressants work by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain.

https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/herbs-supplements#st-johns-wort

Damiana

A blissful and versatile herb, Damiana is one of the most popular herbs due to it’s immediate relaxing, gentle, sense enhancing effects.

Damiana is one of the best herbs for the mood, the nervous system and the reproductive system! It has a calming, euphoric effect and is a gentle and effective aphrodisiac.

It is extremely relaxing, producing almost immediate feelings of well-being. In it’s native home of Mexico, Damiana was traditionally used as a tonic for worn out nerves and depression. Damiana is a such a beautiful and effective herb, whether smoked, taken as a tincture, or brewed into a tea.

http://harmonyherbals.net/blog/how-to-use-damiana-for-natural-mental-health-herbal-highs-and-healthy-sex-drive/

Maybe if you're in nigeria but you know someone in the Uk then you can ask them to buy these herbs for you. They are available at any Holland and Barretts store.

I'm sure there will be equivalent herbs in Nigeria but I'm just not familiar with Nigerian herbs and flora. Perhaps you can do some research into it.

budaatum:

You are allowing yourself to be limited by you environment and circumstances, and its making you feel despondent - though, your "I do not sadly feel" presents a contraction. Do you really believe you do not "have what it takes to acquire a further sense of purpose beyond that which fulfilling the desires of my parents to procreate gives as well as that which being a member of the society offers"? Well, that's ok. It's not as if you can have fully explored the "sense of purpose which being a member of the society offers". I'll give you an anecdote.

Some long while ago, when I felt like you did, I was in a library one day when I heard the words "buda, I am the lord thy god", which isn't so strange since I was amongst what could best be described as gods to me, except I wasn't in the fashion of hearing voices apart from that of the shower head.

Somewhile later, I moved house, and not finding anywhere for my books, I shipped them all to my home in Nigeria. Then I visited the library in the Orolu Kingdom and found I had more books in storage than the entire kingdom had, so I gave my books to the library. Then I collected more books from my friends and sent them to the library, which started me on a purpose of caring for the library of the Orolu Kindom that has spanned some 15 years.

My point here is, widden your society.


Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is the term for a syndrome that may comprise a novel and distinct attention disorder from ADHD. Symptoms of it include dreaminess, mental fogginess, hypoactivity, sluggishness, staring frequently, inconsistent alertness and a slow working speed.

Look at all those amazing skills! Dreaminess, the ability to move ones mind out of ones physical environment. Mental fogginess, the ability to not get stuck on the little you know. Hypoactivity, energy. Sluggishness, tortoise like, slow and steady, and not like the hare. Staring frequently, as in observing, likely with the mind as opposed to the eyes alone. Inconsistent alertness, able to relax one's mind. Slow working speed, as in, not a russian!

And the point here is widen your amazing skills!

You can more than hope, francis247! With all those skills, you can rest assured that your possibilities would widen in time.

I see you'd rather see the glass as half full rather than as half empty. For someone like me, I wish it were that simple. All the same, thanks for the concern. Ciao!

francis247:
I see you'd rather see the glass as half full rather than as half empty. For someone like me, I wish it were that simple. All the same, thanks for the concern. Ciao!

It isn't simple, francis. And I'm not gonna tell you it gets easier either. It doesn't. You just get better at handleing it whether it's half full or even empty.

I'm going to address that long post of your's later. You need to be shown the other side of your coin, so don't "Ciao" me. I'm going nowhere, yet.

francis247:
I see you'd rather see the glass as half full rather than as half empty.
For someone like me, I wish it were that simple.
All the same, thanks for the concern. Ciao!

budaatum:
It isn't simple, francis. And I'm not gonna tell you it gets easier either.
It doesn't. You just get better at handleing it whether it's half full or even empty.

I'm going to address that long post of your's later. You need to be shown the other side of your coin, so don't "Ciao" me.
I'm going nowhere, yet.

francis, a "Ciao" bad attitude can literally block help, love, blessings and destiny from finding you
that can be part of the reason you don't succeed

When there seemingly is every reason see the glass as half empty and be negative about life,
think also of all the reasons to see the glass as half full and be positive about that
because afterall, at the end of the day, there is always someone who has it worse than us.

Francis, everyone you know, every nairaland poster, is fighting a battle of some sort, you know nothing about

Just when you think, it can't get worse, it can
and just when you think, it can't get any better, it can

Everything will be OK in the end francis
If its not OK, it not the end then yet.

No one belongs here on earth, more than you
so make bigger efforts at life, not bigger excuses
He that is good at making excuses, is seldom good for anything else

Life is and has always being complicated.
Many of us learn not to focus too much on the negatives.
Otherwise, we won't develop and being that life is short, soon will run out of time living.

You are not alone,
Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein to list just these two, were late bloomers, who made their mark in life.

Thank you PastorAIO and budaatum for your advices, empathy and neighbourly love to francis

budaatum:

It isn't simple, francis. And I'm not gonna tell you it gets easier either. It doesn't. You just get better at handleing it whether it's half full or even empty.

lol at "whether it's half full or half empty

budaatum:
I'm going to address that long post of your's later. You need to be shown the other side of your coin, so don't "Ciao" me. I'm going nowhere, yet.

OK. Will be waiting. Thank you.

MuttleyLaff:


francis, a "Ciao" bad attitude can literally block help, love, blessings and destiny from finding you
that can be part of the reason you don't succeed

This is part of what I'm talking about. It's always been my persona. A lifestyle of not wanting to give nor receive, not really caring, not wanting to care and not wanting to care that I don't care. My life is riddled with lethargy for everything.

MuttleyLaff:

When there seemingly is every reason see the glass as half empty and be negative about life,
think also of all the reasons to see the glass as half full and be positive about that
because afterall, at the end of the day, there is always someone who has it worse than us.

Francis, everyone you know, every nairaland poster, is fighting a battle of some sort, you know nothing about

Just when you think, it can't get worse, it can
and just when you think, it can't get any better, it can

Everything will be OK in the end francis
If its not OK, it not the end then yet.

No one belongs here on earth, more than you
so make bigger efforts at life, not bigger excuses
He that is good at making excuses, is seldom good for anything else

Life is and has always being complicated.
Many of us learn not to focus too much on the negatives.
Otherwise, we won't develop and being that life is short, soon will run out of time living.

You are not alone,
Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein to list just these two, were late bloomers, who made their mark in life.

Thank you PastorAIO and budaatum for your advices, empathy and neighbourly love to francis

Thanks for the words of encouragement.

"On a deeper level, in fact on the deepest of levels, one is not and cannot be held responsible for his situation, conditions, circumstances, thoughts,words, actions and inactions seeing as ones conception and creation is without one's prior consultation and therefore without one's choosing."

It may indeed be, "without one's prior consultation and therefore without one's choosing", but one still gets to chose what one makes of it and that's more than enough responsibility, and excitment, wouldn't you say?

francis247:
This is part of what I'm talking about.
It's always been my persona.
A lifestyle of not wanting to give nor receive, not really caring, not wanting to care and not wanting to care that I don't care.
My life is riddled with lethargy for everything.

Life is of very little value,
if it is a life in the dark, groping through ignorance and misery, says Swami

francis247:
Thanks for the words of encouragement.

I've being, everyone's being here and where you are, francis

Life, looks like a yarn, a ball of wool, so we learn to knit
We cant stop the waves of life, so we just learn to surf.
Everything is going to be OK

Do your best, is all that's expected and required of you.

MuttleyLaff:
Life is of very little value,
if it is a life in the dark, groping through ignorance and misery, says Swami



I've being, everyone's being here and where you are, francis

Life, looks like a yarn, a ball of wool, so we learn to knit
We cant stop the waves of life, so we just learn to surf.
Everything is going to be OK

Do your best, is all that's expected and required of you.

'I've been, everyone has been'. My apologies sir.
Good morning sir.

francis247:
I see you'd rather see the glass as half full rather than as half empty. For someone like me, I wish it were that simple. All the same, thanks for the concern. Ciao!

I say, stop trying to judge if the glass is half full or half empty, enjoy the contents.

francis247:
There you again seeing the big picture but not seeing the bigger picture. The intellectual and psychological strength of the average Japanese and Chinese in comparison to that of the average African is not the same. These societies are filled with more persons of very sophisticated intellectual and psychological strength and prowess compared to the African society. This fact is made manifest not only in their inventions in natural and applied sciences for the material and immaterial advancement of their societies. The result of the clear mental and psychological superiority of the persons that inhabit these societies compared to that of the African society is also made manifest in their immaterial culture, arts, music, movies, language, value system, their innate ability to separate reason and rationality from emotions etc.

And you know this how? Have you studied "their immaterial culture, arts, music, movies, language, value system, their innate ability to separate reason and rationality from emotions etc", things you said were "all meaningless" ?

You say the Japanese and Chinese "manifest" an "innate ability". Shows how much you know of their historical development. What took them thousands of years to learn - their "ability to separate reason and rationality from emotions" - you call "innate" as if they were born with it which conforms with your false notion that we are products of our environment and have no say in the matter.

And half emptying your glass, their say in the matter, the method by which they propagate the "culture, arts, music, movies, language, value system", which is how they ensure everyone learns and acquires the "intellectual and psychological strength" to "separate reason and rationality from emotions"; you call "manifest", disregarding the effort involved in using teaching aids to improve their people!

francis247:

The mentally and psychologically weak (with which the African continent is filled) has the propensity to hold on to religious dogmas in other to truly live and not just survive.

Propensity? As in Africans have the inclination or natural tendency to be religious? I'm on episode 100 of The History of China on podcast. Episode 1 free download is here.

I can assure you that if anyone had a "propensity" for religion, it's the Chinese. And I doubt I need to list religious "propensities" of the Japanese.

francis247:
Attempting to take religion from the average African is like attempting to take a bone from a dog, a candy from a child. It's bound to end badly. He/she just cannot handle it.

This is a lie! Unless you, francis247, is not "average African" and "cannot handle it". Or were you not religious? Are you average now? Ignorance dims when intelligence shineth. If we can take ignorance away from you - average African francis - we can take it away from anyone we want to, and learning you to handle it is on par.

budaatum:

And you know this how? Have you studied "their immaterial culture, arts, music, movies, language, value system, their innate ability to separate reason and rationality from emotions etc", things you said were "all meaningless" ?

Yes I have. Moreover, the proof is in the pudding. Have you seen an African movie or listened to an African music lately, most of them are an insult, a huge slight on the intellect to say the very least. And it's not always as if the people in charge of the production of these works of art are so intellectually lazy to come up with something more sophisticated, something totally different from what we've been seeing over the last two decades, but they unfortunately have to consider the majority and not the minority of their audience, they just can't handle it.

budaatum:

You say the Japanese and Chinese "manifest" an "innate ability". Shows how much you know of their historical development. What took them thousands of years to learn - their "ability to separate reason and rationality from emotions" - you call "innate" as if they were born with it which conforms with your false notion that we are products of our environment and have no say in the matter.

And half emptying your glass, their say in the matter, the method by which they propagate the "culture, arts, music, movies, language, value system", which is how they ensure everyone learns and acquires the "intellectual and psychological strength" to "separate reason and rationality from emotions"; you call "manifest", disregarding the effort involved in using teaching aids to improve their people!


Propensity? As in Africans have the inclination or natural tendency to be religious? I'm on episode 100 of The History of China on podcast. Episode 1 free download is here.

I can assure you that if anyone had a "propensity" for religion, it's the Chinese. And I doubt I need to list religious "propensities" of the Japanese.


This is a lie! Unless you, francis247, is not "average African" and "cannot handle it". Or were you not religious? Are you average now? Ignorance dims when intelligence shineth. If we can take ignorance away from you - average African francis - we can take it away from anyone we want to, and learning you to to handle it is on par.

Before the West started buying slaves from Africa, they were doing so from Asia, particularly the western part of the continent. When their people began to die like flies as a result of the trade, majority of them rose up and resisted against the practice which led the Whites to beam their search light on a different part of the world, on people of a different race and they found Africa. Despite Africans dying like flies in the course of the trade, they barely rose up against it until a certain group of persons from the same west rose against it and fought for the termination of the trade. Colonialism and neocolonialism was and is still being vehemently resisted by the Asians. Today parts of the continent are also resisting western religion along with the menace that it brings. But in this part of the world, majority of the people are addicted to mental laziness. Most deride knowledge, research and scientific investigation more than they desire it, wanting to be led than lead. Most Africans are addicted to antediluvian ideas and beliefs, they're stuck on boot loop. It is no wonder the so called religious leaders, the pulpit bandits practically use their brains to mop the floor week in week out. It's sickening to say the very least. Majority of Africans are afraid, afraid of the yet to be known (which they'll never know as long as they continue to distance themselves from knowledge by shying away from research and study), the irrelevant and the unnecessary. The journey of a thousand years begins with a step. The average will rather sit around and look or simply move around in circles rather take a bold and brand new step every now and then. Look around you and the businesses ventured into by most Africans. Majority of Africans are mere distributors of partially of fully manufactured goods and services. We say the West and now the Asians have made Africa a dumping ground, but most of us have aided and abated their activities by our inactions more than our actions. This is the hard and saddening truth. It's not an insult but a statement of fact. Intellectually, Africans are weakest all major races worldwide. The proof is in the pudding. Given the mineral and natural resources this continent has, it should be the greatest in the world, religion or no religion, differences or no differences. They should be running to us and not the other way around. This world is what we made it. It's mainly about the people and less about the resources they were given, it's mainly about the workman and less about his tool. The average Westerner can dedicate his entire life to his carrier, searching for the cure to one disease or the other, trying to come up with one invention or the other, make breakthrough in a scientific project or advance a field of study that has been initiated. But to the average African, if one does not get married and have children, then that person has not lived. It takes great depth in intellectual strength and bravery to be not only completely open minded to the reception of new ideas, beliefs and and practices but also to go in search of them, whereas it takes just a little bit of physical strength to move in circles and reject changes, new ideas, beliefs and values all the while holding on to antiquity.

Good. I expected you to say you had, despite calling it meaningless. So tell, why think reason and behave like the "African, afraid of the yet to be known", "addicted to antediluvian ideas and beliefs, stuck on boot loop", allowing "religious leaders, the pulpit bandits, practically use your brains to mop the floor week in week out", when you have knowledge of a superior alternative? Why has all your study not given you a Japanese mind, or a Chinese mind? Are you afraid of what you now know? Still allowing your brain to mop the floor? Or just addicted to antediluvian ideas and beliefs that you are a product of your environment and can't do anything about it?

Have you just not accepted all you have learnt into your life perhaps and think where you are, limits your mind to working like an "average or majority African mind" ?

Yes, by the way, I am aware of African movies though I hardly ever watch them. Afterall, as a person thinketh, so a person is, and what one fills one's mind with is how one thinketh. I see no reason to fill my mind with junk culture, arts, music, movies, language, value system, when there's superior nutrients (C.f. buda from the east), to fill my mind and develop the "ability to separate reason and rationality from emotions etc". Not that I'm agreeing that all African culture is junk, having this week sent money for a week long Oro ritual in the Orolu Kingdom. Thieves are disturbing us there, and the fear of being caught by Oro keeps them off the streets at night, especially as the Oro is said to be an excuse to capture people to sacrifice, or so we tell them. And you'd find the junk version in Japanese and Chinese culture, and even people from those places who think and reason like your "average or majority African"!

Indeed, "It takes great depth in intellectual strength and bravery to be not only completely open minded to the reception of new ideas, beliefs and and practices but also to go in search of them". The only thing you are saying in this thread of yours is that you might not have such strength, and bravery, afterall. And we are going to give you some, whether you want it or not!

francis247:
Yes I have. Moreover, the proof is in the pudding. Have you seen an African movie or listened to an African music lately, most of them are an insult, a huge slight on the intellect to say the very least. And it's not always as if the people in charge of the production of these works of art are so intellectually lazy to come up with something more sophisticated, something totally different from what we've been seeing over the last two decades, but they unfortunately have to consider the majority and not the minority of their audience, they just can't handle it.


Before the West started buying slaves from Africa, they were doing so from Asia, particularly the western part of the continent. When their people began to die like flies as a result of the trade, majority of them rose up and resisted against the practice which led the Whites to beam their search light on a different part of the world, on people of a different race and they found Africa. Despite Africans dying like flies in the course of the trade, they barely rose up against it until a certain group of persons from the same west rose against it and fought for the termination of the trade. Colonialism and neocolonialism was and is still being vehemently resisted by the Asians. Today parts of the continent are also resisting western religion along with the menace that it brings. But in this part of the world, majority of the people are addicted to mental laziness. Most deride knowledge, research and scientific investigation more than they desire it, wanting to be led than lead. Most Africans are addicted to antediluvian ideas and beliefs, they're stuck on boot loop. It is no wonder the so called religious leaders, the pulpit bandits practically use their brains to mop the floor week in week out. It's sickening to say the very least. Majority of Africans are afraid, afraid of the yet to be known (which they'll never know as long as they continue to distance themselves from knowledge by shying away from research and study), the irrelevant and the unnecessary. The journey of a thousand years begins with a step. The average will rather sit around and look or simply move around in circles rather take a bold and brand new step every now and then. Look around you and the businesses ventured into by most Africans. Majority of Africans are mere distributors of partially of fully manufactured goods and services. We say the West and now the Asians have made Africa a dumping ground, but most of us have aided and abated their activities by our inactions more than our actions. This is the hard and saddening truth. It's not an insult but a statement of fact. Intellectually, Africans are weakest all major races worldwide. The proof is in the pudding. Given the mineral and natural resources this continent has, it should be the greatest in the world, religion or no religion, differences or no differences. They should be running to us and not the other way around. This world is what we made it. It's mainly about the people and less about the resources they were given, it's mainly about the workman and less about his tool. The average Westerner can dedicate his entire life to his carrier, searching for the cure to one disease or the other, trying to come up with one invention or the other, make breakthrough in a scientific project or advance a field of study that has been initiated. But to the average African, if one does not get married and have children, then that person has not lived. It takes great depth in intellectual strength and bravery to be not only completely open minded to the reception of new ideas, beliefs and and practices but also to go in search of them, whereas it takes just a little bit of physical strength to move in circles and reject changes, new ideas, beliefs and values all the while holding on to antiquity.

budaatum:
Good. I expected you to say you had, despite calling it meaningless. So tell, why think reason and behave like the "African, afraid of the yet to be known", "addicted to antediluvian ideas and beliefs, stuck on boot loop", allowing "religious leaders, the pulpit bandits, practically use your brains to mop the floor week in week out", when you have knowledge of a superior alternative? Why has all your study not given you a Japanese mind, or a Chinese mind? Are you afraid of what you now know? Still allowing your brain to mop the floor? Or just addicted to antediluvian ideas and beliefs that you are a product of your environment and can't do anything about it?

Have you just not accepted all you have learnt into your life perhaps and think where you are, limits your mind to working like an "average or majority African mind" ?

Yes, by the way, I am aware of African movies though I hardly ever watch them. Afterall, as a person thinketh, so a person is, and what one fills one's mind with is how one thinketh. I see no reason to fill my mind with junk culture, arts, music, movies, language, value system, when there's superior nutrients (C.f. buda from the east), to fill my mind and develop the "ability to separate reason and rationality from emotions etc". Not that I'm agreeing that all African culture is junk, having this week sent money for a week long Oro ritual in the Orolu Kingdom. Thieves are disturbing us there, and the fear of being caught by Oro keeps them off the streets at night, especially as the Oro is said to be an excuse to capture people to sacrifice, or so we tell them. And you'd find the junk version in Japanese and Chinese culture, and even people from those places who think and reason like your "average or majority African"!

Indeed, "It takes great depth in intellectual strength and bravery to be not only completely open minded to the reception of new ideas, beliefs and and practices but also to go in search of them". The only thing you are saying in this thread of yours is that you might not have such strength, and bravery, afterall. And we are going to give you some, whether you want it or not!

Let it be duly noted that I am an atheist. I've been one for over two years. I do not believe in the existence of God, gods, Satan, demon or any supernatural being for that matter. I believe I'm solely and single handedly responsible and accountable for my actions and inactions. I find the concept of this world being under the control of any supernatural being or beings laughable to say the least. I believe that religion was born out of nothing but fear, unnecessary and irrelevant fear of the yet to be known, an infantile explanation to certain realities of our universe. It's this unnecessary fear in most average people that is capitalized upon by most religions to propagate their doctrines. I cannot remember the last time I prayed or went to church. I stopped going to church as I could no longer hold myself from laughing my ass off as the pastor preached or whenever it was time to pray. I did not explicitly lead with the fact that I'm an atheist lest theists, rather than approach the topic and its content from a logical and rational perspective start spewing some bald-faced balderdash as usual but as you may have seen, most of them did not disappoint.

My advocacy is that fellow atheists should stop using truculence in compelling theists to see absurdity in the belief in the existence of any God or Demon and this is based on the fact that, as I earlier stated, most Africans are intellectually fragile. Most theists came to the realization that the existence of God, Satan, life after death, etc. are nothing but fallacies all on their own, when they put their belief and faith in a supposed almighty being to work but he failed beyond reasonable doubt. The process of pulling most Africans in my opinion out of the pit of their delusion and ignorance as far as religion is concerned has to be slow, tactical, methodical and steady. They have to be made to come to that realization on their own lest they keep tagging us agents of some imaginary demon. Sadly most of them are lazy when it comes to studying their religious books very well and will hardly put their so called faith in God to work. You need to pass by a church or better still, check YouTube and see what pastors are doing to most of their sheeples, especially the ladies, you need to hear the kind of so called prayer points the congregation is asked to pray. It's very heartbreaking. Most Africans are very religious one directionally minded people. I see the sad, pitiful and sometimes disdainful look on their faces as I tell them that I don't go to church, as they see me cut up in my own space, doing my thing at my own pace, in my own way and at my own time. I can't help but laugh and feel sorry for them at the same time. And no. I do not no consider my self to be just another average African. I have great strength and intellectual bravery and I am very open minded to the reception of deas and beliefs that can be reasonably and logically proven because if your belief has no proof, then what you espouse is a paragon of dishonesty.

francis247:
Let it be duly noted that I am an atheist. I've been one for over two years. I do not believe in the existence of God, gods, Satan, demon or any supernatural being for that matter. I believe I'm solely and single handedly responsible and accountable for my actions and inactions. I find the concept of this world being under the control of any supernatural being or beings laughable to say the least.

Glad to know, francis247, the atheist who laughs at the beliefs of others. Personally, "everything else created by man supposedly for the good of his specie" is not "laughable to say the least", to me.

francis247:
I believe that religion was born out of nothing but fear, unnecessary and irrelevant fear of the yet to be known, an infantile explanation to certain realities of our universe.

"Nothing but fear"? Might I suggest you read the initial post of this thread and come tell me the fear expressed therein is "Nothing"!

Odd enough, it is nothing, since it's based on a cooked up belief that the glass is half empty, and the opportunity to go fill it up with whatever you want, "meaningless"!

francis247:

It's this unnecessary fear in most average people that is capitalized upon by most religions to propagate their doctrines.

There you go again, "unnecessary fear". Are you admitting that the fear op expressed is "unnecessary"?

I feel that I should capitalise upon you and propagate my own doctrines, since you have this, "unnecessary fear" already!

francis247:

I cannot remember the last time I prayed or went to church. I stopped going to church as I could no longer hold myself from laughing my ass off as the pastor preached or whenever it was time to pray. I did not explicitly lead with the fact that I'm an atheist lest theists, rather than approach the topic and its content from a logical and rational perspective start spewing some bald-faced balderdash as usual but as you may have seen, most of them did not disappoint.

When I wake up in the morning, I say "buda, ya!" And by so doing I reaffirm existence. One day, I will not say "buda, ya!" And buda will be no more! You should pray! My two cents.

As to your, "rather than approach the topic and its content from a logical and rational perspective", I guess we can only ask you to forgive us for "spewing some bald-faced balderdash as usual", and not being smart like you. Out of interest, has life got a meaning yet?

francis247:

My advocacy is that fellow atheists should stop using truculence in compelling theists to see absurdity in the belief in the existence of any God or Demon and this is based on the fact that, as I earlier stated, most Africans are intellectually fragile.

To start with, "most Africans" are not "intellectually fragile"! Quite a lot might be, but that's not most. We Africans are the most unfragile humans and are able to adapt and survive in any environment. Resilient, describes us better.

Nor is it necessarily "absurd" to believe in the existence of any God or Demon. There are quite a lot of people with such beliefs whom "absurd" would be the last word you'd describe them with!

And "truculence", "Disposed or eager to fight or engage in hostile opposition; belligerent. 2. Showing or expressing bitter opposition or hostility; aggressively defiant: a truculent speech against the new government; a truculent glance. 3. Disposed to violence; ferocious or cruel"?

We atheists do do these things I guess, but the sort of religious people you really mean do have to be kicked out of their slumber, don't you think? Besides, we often challenge them intellectually too.

francis247:
Most theists came to the realization that the existence of God, Satan, life after death, etc. are nothing but fallacies all on their own, when they put their belief and faith in a supposed almighty being to work but he failed beyond reasonable doubt. The process of pulling most Africans in my opinion out of the pit of their delusion and ignorance as far as religion is concerned has to be slow, tactical, methodical and steady. They have to be made to come to that realization on their own lest they keep tagging us agents of some imaginary demon. Sadly most of them are lazy when it comes to studying their religious books very well and will hardly put their so called faith in God to work. You need to pass by a church or better still, check YouTube and see what pastors are doing to most of their sheeples, especially the ladies, you need to hear the kind of so called prayer points the congregation is asked to pray. It's very heartbreaking. Most Africans are very religious one directionally minded people. I see the sad, pitiful and sometimes disdainful look on their faces as I tell them that I don't go to church, as they see me cut up in my own space, doing my thing at my own pace, in my own way and at my own time. I can't help but laugh and feel sorry for them at the same time.

See the above quoted? I'll put it down as your beliefs. The italics are the bits that made my nose curl to different degrees. They are not beliefs I share about Africans, on the whole.

francis247:

And no. I do not no consider my self to be just another average African. I have great strength and intellectual bravery and I am very open minded to the reception of ideas and beliefs that can be reasonably and logically proven because if your belief has no proof, then what you espouse is a paragon of dishonesty.

Now, if only you were an "Average African"!

francis247:

The process of pulling most Africans in my opinion out of the pit of their delusion and ignorance as far as religion is concerned has to be slow, tactical, methodical and steady.

This though, 100 thumbs up and include, deliberate, intelligently, purposefully and the such like for a purpose.

@francis247

Something interesting you should read: https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201812/how-introverts-can-make-it-in-extraverted-world

LordReed:
@francis247

Something interesting you should read: https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201812/how-introverts-can-make-it-in-extraverted-world

Helpful and incisive. Thanks