What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Believing in God

I see certain virtues on the rise like frugalness, humanity, wholesomeness, but then there are others I see on a decline like gravity, dutifulness, prudence, self-control, and not being petty (there is another word for this but I forgot). Any thoughts on the matter? Am I just biased and not seeing the whole picture?

I feel like people are really petty in general and growing drug use and obesity problems demonstrate a lack of self control. Whenever I broach the subject with people I find that many people do not think of morality in terms of a list of virtues to abide by. That isn't saying they are not virtuous, they just don't think about morality that way. I historically haven't either, but I find it easier when I have something concrete to refer to when I'm thinking about decisions or how best to accomplish a task.

I was raised a catholic, and the most prevalent feelings I got out of that was paranoia and fear. They teach you there's an omnipresent, omniscient, all-powerful being judging your every thought 24/7, for all your life. He's personally interested in you, he says he loves you dearly, but for some reason he won't speak to you at all. Only his priests know his will.

You can fool people, but you can't fool this being, and worst of all, you are already in his debt since before you were born. Displease him and being skinned alive by a drug cartel would feel merciful compared to your eternity in hell.

Fortunately, it was common sense, knowledge and the numerous contradictions, rather than fear, that opened my eyes out of religion. It took me years to cope with the sequels of indoctrination, but I'm happier and more serene as an atheist now.

In my book, religions that demand conversion are thinly-veiled attempts at brainwashing. Religions like Buddhism I find more benign.

Edit: went and read it anyway, and despite the clickbait title, I agree with the subtitle: "it's like going off a drug."

But everyone will decide for themselves what they think is a good enough reason.

Ps: do you know what an insomniac, agnostic, dyslexic does? Gazes up at the stars, wondering: "Is there ... a dog?" (I hope that's not disrespectful, including to anyone who suffers dyslexia--I have enough oddities that you are welcome to laugh at, but this isn't laughing at dyslexics at all---I don't want to be disrespectful, to anyone. But it really made me laugh, what an odd feeling that would be...)

[EDIT: slight changes for clarity.]

They both think that non-judgmentalism is a virtue. (So should a Christian - "Judge not, lest you also be judged".) They both do judge things that they consider overtly wrong, though. Some Christians consider certain sexual practices wrong; some atheists consider less than full acceptance of gay marriage to be wrong (and judge people for it).

They both think that self-restraint is a virtue. Some Christians think that in terms of not sleeping with everyone you're attracted to; some atheists think that in terms of consuming less to lower your carbon footprint.

The atheists are still thinking in terms of virtues, and of morals, even if they don't use those words. They even think that some of the same things are virtues. They just think they should be lived out in dramatically different ways.

In terms of your "either you: 1) 2) 3)" there is the fourth possibility that the question isn't very meaningful, and you forgot that one.

Also, some scientist and mathematics and computer programmers are religious, but some aren't, and as long as it doesn't interfere with your work, it is OK.