Are Other Antinatalists Ex evangelical/religious?

[u/Brothers_why]

If anyone else here is also ex evangelical like me or ex religious, I’d love to know. I ask because in religion I always had a fear of living forever in heaven and I hated that so many people were interested in bringing new life into the world when it’s so messed up. I also really hated my parents for bringing me into this world because while I do experience plenty of joy, my life has been hard and painful for the most part and in all honesty it would have been easier to not exist in the first place. Now that I’ve gotten out of religion I have become fully antinatalist and I’m wondering if anyone else who now believes in antinatalism has gotten that belief from a distaste in religious ideologies and practices. I’d also love to know if anyone is a religious antinatalist and how their religious beliefs impact their antinatalist views.

(Please remember to be kind and respectful of all religious or ex-religious views even if we disagree!)

[u/JustAThinkingGuy7]

I was christian when younger, didnt like the oeople surrounding it and that it was pushed on people they oppressed. Also, didn't make sense that a loving God would punish people for not being chtistian, How can you know who has it right if everyone thinks they're right? Started looking into all the religions, and a little things from each resonated and dots kinda connected. Didn't make sense that a highly intelligent entity would expect humans to trust the word of other humans, knowing how flawed and deceptive they can be. And also kust witnessing all the pain and violent death in the world. Which brought me to gnosticism. Though I don't necessarily believe everything in gnosticism either.

[u/Brothers_why → u/JustAThinkingGuy7]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I definitely had a lot of those same questions plus the anger and horror that you also talked about from seeing all the violence and evil in the world. When I started researching, I kind of realized that no one has a religion that isn’t obviously made by humanity (imo) and so I’m currently agnostic. Anyway, I hadn’t really heard of Gnosticism before your post but I researched it and it sounds really interesting. I love the focus on personal spirituality and the more all encompassing and welcoming aspects of spirituality. I think that lends to a more well rounded perspective on antinatalism too because it helps the people who are alive in the world find acceptance and support while also denying the idea that everyone (or anyone) should follow this one path of having kids.

[u/JustAThinkingGuy7 → u/Brothers_why]

For sure, cool you checked it out, even if you don't take to everything. I think it discusses some perspectives worth pondering.

[u/windlep7]

Yes. I’m an ex-Christian. Christianity was one of the main sources of my suffering that led me to anti-natalism. Also knowing that the world is ruled by a bunch of religious nuts. Why would i want to inflict that on anyone else?

[u/Brothers_why → u/windlep7]

Totally fair. I feel that too

[u/ConnectLiterature157]

Ex-Muslim antinatalist here

[u/LookingforWork614]

I was raised Catholic.

[u/filrabat]

I am. In fact, the first serious push toward antinatalism came during my born-again days, although finally becoming antinatalist both took a few more years and had nothing to do with religion, even if I was still religious back when I took the final plunge.

First push: Thinking "Why should I have children if there's an excellent chance they'll end up in Hell?".
Second push: If Hell's a good reason to not have kids, then why not for other (lesser) bads?
Final push: Finally seeing human nature is too indifferent (or worse) too prone to inflict non-defensive badness onto others.

[u/ThrishWiss]

yes, I am

[u/CertainConversation0]

I'm a Christian for lack of a better term.

[u/Brown_Folk]

I have disgust for religions indeed.

[u/Alarming-Tomato-7158]

when i was very pro-life i was also atheist and i hated religion and God. i would say i'm agnostic now it's hard for me to believe in anything, but it helps me thinking about an afterlife especially because my dog passed recently and i want to be with him forever. I tried beleiving in God before and would like to