So I want to say this, and forgive me the strangeness of it. Don’t kill yourself. Life has always been almost too hard to bear, for a lot of the people, a lot of the time. It’s awful. But it isn’t too hard to bear, it’s only almost too hard to bear. Hear me out. [...]

I’m issuing a rule. You are not allowed to kill yourself. You are going to like this, stay with me. When a person kills himself, he does wrenching damage to the community. One of the best predictors of suicide is knowing a suicide. That means that every suicide may be a delayed homicide. You have to stay. The reason I say you are going to like this is twofold. First of all, next time you are seriously considering suicide you can dismiss it quickly. Second, and this one’s a little harder to describe, if you are even a tiny bit staying alive for the sake of the community, as a favor to the rest of us, I need to make it clear to you that we are grateful that you stay. I am grateful that you stay alive.

It’s a powerful piece, read the whole thing.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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“Christians talk about how freeing Christianity is. But it’s the opposite — it’s so freeing not to be a Christian.”

Ah, I love my wife.

I’ve often heard the argument that Christians are happier than non-Christians. I’m not sure how that is quantified — I was happy as a Christian, but I’m just as happy now. Perhaps I was a little happier at the beginning of my Christian journey, but that’s normal when you get into something new that you enjoy. I get a little happier when I sit down to a good book or to a good meal, too.

So I’m not convinced Christians are in general happier than skeptics. But let’s say it’s true: does this make Christianity correct? Here is how George Bernard Shaw put it:

The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. (The God Delusion, p. 194)

I think we can all agree that the fact that something makes you happy doesn’t make it true or right. Otherwise we’d all be drunkards or drug addicts.

Also, other religions than Christianity make people happy. Does this mean all religions are true and right?

The fact is that Christianity gives people hope. It’s false hope, but some people seem to need it. And if they would be miserable believing reality — that this life is all there is, so we have to make the most of it — then I understand why they would cling to a delusion. I support the freedom of religion and believe it is their right to believe whatever they want.

Just don’t tell me I’m not happy or that I’m going to hell, and not expect me to tear your religion — and thus your false hope — apart.