james: hello?

Rabbi Shlomo: hi

james: i lost my religion

james: ive been through so many bad things this past few years that now i don't believe there is a G-d

james: what do you say about this?

Rabbi Shlomo: I am sorry to hear of your trials and tribulations

Rabbi Shlomo: but i have one question for you

Rabbi Shlomo: now that you don't believe in g-d, has your life become easier? more meaningful?

james: what is the question?

james: my life feels completely meaningless

Rabbi Shlomo: so what have you gained by dismissing g-d?

Rabbi Shlomo: I mean correct me if i am wrong - but when someone believes in G-d one has hope beyond the pain, light beyond the darkness, meaning beyond the trial. But how does one cope with trials and hardhsip when those trials and hardhsips are completely pointless, random, and destructive>?

james: i think that i feel a lot more sane without belief in g-d

Rabbi Shlomo: so you feel more sane now that your life is meaningless?

james: in a sense, yes

Rabbi Shlomo: interesting

Rabbi Shlomo: can you explain for me the above two things: what I asked about coping with pain without the knowledge of G-d, and how life is more sane when it is meaningless

james: plus, the chasid rabbi i wasw seeing did not help me and neither did the people attending the Temple

james: how does one cope with pain more by believeing in G-d?

Rabbi Shlomo: well, if there is a G-d, there is a reason for hte pain

Rabbi Shlomo: and reasonless pain is more painful than pain with meaning

Rabbi Shlomo: for example someone who has their heart cut open for heart surgery is willing to take hte pain because he knows there is a good reason

Rabbi Shlomo: but no one wants to just be stabbed in the heart randomly

james: i guess you have  a point there

james: I will hav eto think about all this some more

Rabbi Shlomo: I'd be happy to chat again after you give it some thought

james: thanks. i'll be in touch

Rabbi Shlomo: Shalom and be well!