I mean to reply to this soon, but such a thoughtful comment merits one in return. So, please consider this a placeholder for the moment. I've got to get a clearer head, collect my thoughts, and circle back. Probably see it before tomorrow or late tonight/early tomorrow. I'm happy you are here and HIVE and now liberated to the point of expressing yourself here! Don't let the DSM Define and label you! And don't let people get you down. People are imperfect and don't know the harm they can cause with their words. Often I am one of these people, but improve over time.

..Comment continued.

Thanks again for your excellent reply. You write eloquently and have complex and nuanced ideas. I found your article refreshing because I mostly have a negative view of religion in general. However, you spoke to it from a different angle, and I resonated with a lot of what you said.

I realize that times are tough these days, but I'm pretty sure suicide is one of the last things that your loved ones would want you to do. However, I can't speak too much to demonic manipulation. I'm not sure I believe in either angels or demons. I'm a bit of an agnostic who is interested in religion because they claim they are true. However, I also want no part of organized religion.

Also, just as likely that sometimes people may be out to get you, most people are good-natured, and sometimes some people unbeknownst to them may be out to help you. Kindness can boomerang. Some people are kind just because they know it's the right thing to do. It can feel pretty bad to be unkind to good people.

I'm glad that you are honest with yourself in that you can't claim to know that what you say is the truth. The truth is there are many truths, a lot of them we might not be privy to, but is there a whole truth? That's what religions do. Religions take a lot of dogma, and they pack it into a religious belief system and say: "Tada," this is the whole truth! And if only it were that simple.

I can tell that you are aware that nothing is simple, and just as you internally debate about whether procreation is a good thing. I think the same way. I wonder what point there would be to bring a child into the world right now? It seems everything is presently falling apart, but maybe it's just transforming. Perhaps the people who are radically altering society will mess up, and something better than what they had planned will happen.

I am glad that you have a billion more ideas and words to share. I love to read great topics like this post, even lengthy posts! As far as sex is concerned, I think people are multifaceted beings. Sex is pleasurable. People are generally pleasure-seeking. But it's not mutually exclusive, and some people might have sex for pleasure and to procreate.

Also, just because people can procreate, does it mean they should? What if they are irresponsible or not cut out to be good parents. In that case, their offspring could end up being an intervention that the world doesn't particularly need.

Unloving or irresponsible parenting can lead to messed-up kids. And that could result in their life choices doing more harm to the people than good. I like your idea bout children being new versions of ourselves, and that inspires a weird question. If you were thinking about having a child or clone yourself, which would you do?

Presently, I'm watching a science fiction show where this guy keeps cloning himself, and there are always three versions a younger, older, and elderly version. They rule a galactic empire. The show is called 'Foundation.'

About procreating in a world where people live forever--there are science fiction works that explore this topic. A couple that comes to mind is the first season of 'Altered Carbon' and an episode of 'Love Death & Robots' called Pop Squad.

One of them portrayed the idea that, without end, life can lose a lot of its flavor and radically alter peoples' behavior. That said, I think we'd all like to live longer, it'd be nice to have the choice. It was great to read your article. I look forward to reading your future work!