Where I'm at

[Coloradomtnman]

That seems like a sad place to be.

I don't think any of the worlds religions get it right, but that doesn't mean I have to reject God because there isn't a perfect religion. I see God everyday and we talk often. I know it's hard because there was a time we didn't speak, but if you go outside and look around I bet you can see him too. Sometime I guess it takes time and a lot of reflecting but God is there and he wants you to feel his love. Give it a try sometime, what can it hurt?

Well, honestly its not as comforting as having faith in a god, an all-powerful creator who made the Universe for us, who looks out for us, and all of that. Its a more emotionally difficult place to be. But that isn't to say that there isn't beauty in it, or that there isn't good in it. There is amazing beauty and much to be happy about. And there is so much wonder at the Universe in non-belief. And there are hard times. I went through an existential crisis a few years ago. I had a logical epiphany about Life, the Universe, and Everything (not the book), that was very difficult to deal with emotionally. It lasted months (and I still feel its residual effects today), but when I got through it, life made so much more sense, I became a better person, and I realized what was truly important in life: love, service to others, laughter, freedom, and acceptance; not as I had believed before which was truth and logic. Truth and logic matter, but they mean nothing without love and they only hurt without love and laughter. The Universe isn't here for humankind. We're here because of it. Life has no meaning other than what you give it.l

Humanism is a philosophy built upon non-belief (though you can be a Christian or Muslim and be a Humanist, its just highly unlikely), and Humanism is just as if not more moral than any monotheistic religion out there and its very logical and also brings some comfort to non-believers in directing one's thinking (cause they don't have churches for us to go to on Sundays to hear someone tell us how or what to think). If non-believers want to gain some non-religious wisdom, read up on Humanism.

 

[midcan5]

"My whole religion is this: do every duty, and expect no reward for it, either here or hereafter." Bertrand Russell

I don't remember where I read it: but everyone is an atheist with one exception, their own Gawd. I usually wander away from religious threads and I love Care's questions as they touch the heart of religion. Would we care if we lived forever.

I agree with Brewerboy except I believe in nothing, not even chance as often we have no choice. But luck, hmm, that does happen sometimes. Lucky to live, lucky that this egg and this sperm equaled you. A month later it would be someone else.

Then chance reenters, as the only reason we see things as we see them is because that egg and sperm got together in this one body of these two people in this time. Viola you!

Raised strict Catholic in poverty, chance and luck always confused me, it is why from a very young age I believed nothing or maybe believed all things were arbitrary. Ah, out of 200 thousand sperm!

I know nothing comes next and life is natural, but what if something did come next, what would we do for 100 years, 1000 years, a billion years.... Would we request a transfer, 'Gawd, I had enough of this boring crap, I gotta go back and fight and curse and read and have wild sex as the days change to night and spring to summer.....Damn I miss snow and my kids and maybe another granddaughter taking my finger as we walk nowhere...'

 

[brewerboy]

I was born and raised a Methodist. I was "confirmed" in the Methodist tradition. Once I came to the age of consent, I started to question my Christian up-bringing, much to the disappointment of much of my family. I always had a lot of questions about this God person, and my pastor and youth pastor could never answer them in a way that satisfied me. I guess I figured that if these guys had spent their lives studying that damn book couldnt convince me, I couldnt really convince myself outside of actually experiencing God myself. Needless to say, I'm an atheist, so that has yet to happen. I very much doubt that it ever will. Plus, I take a look around me and wonder "What proof is there of God"...I mean, we're relying on a book written 2,000 years ago that was meant to convince goat herders, blacksmiths, and fishermen that the holy spirit impregnated a women. Seriously.

I dont believe in luck. Its just as much a mental crutch as belief in God. To me, its foolish to think that theres some force that decides "Hey Brewer, todays your day! Enjoy!"

I think belief in Karma is another load of bullshit. To think that theres some cosmic scale of justice that balances ones good and bad deeds, and essentially deals out circumstances in ones life is just as foolish as a belief in God. When I hear people say "I hope Karma comes back and bites you in the ass!" or something of the sort, I laugh in their faces. Its utterly retarded.

Heres what I DO believe in: CHANCE. Its a mathematics. Plain and simple. If I put one single bullet in a revolver and spin the chambers then point it at my head, theres a 1 in 6 chance that I'm gonna blow my brains out. We can all see the consequences or rewards of taking chances.

If anyone has ever read "For Whom the Bell Tolls" I guess I agree with Robert Jordans outlook on life. We're human beings interacting with human beings. We put ourselves in situations/circumstances and maybe said circumstances will work out for us, maybe they wont. Again, its chance. It all comes down the individual and the choices they make.

I also believe in coincidence to a degree. Its coincidence that I may run into an old buddy I've been wondering about. Its coincidence that I run into my bitch of an ex with my new hottie.

Chance, coincidence, and myself. Thats all I believe in.

There is no God, no Heaven, no Hell. No Pearly Gates guarded by Saint Peter and no boat-man waiting to take me across the river on my way to hell.

We die, we're put into the ground in one way or another, and thats it.

Thats where I'm at.

That seems like a sad place to be.

I don't think any of the worlds religions get it right, but that doesn't mean I have to reject God because there isn't a perfect religion. I see God everyday and we talk often. I know it's hard because there was a time we didn't speak, but if you go outside and look around I bet you can see him too. Sometime I guess it takes time and a lot of reflecting but God is there and he wants you to feel his love. Give it a try sometime, what can it hurt?

What you may call sad, I call empowering.
I'm not sitting around wondering "What would Jesus do?" and all that other crap...dictating my life off of a book.

No disrespect, but I find it sad that so many people cant just open their eyes to a world around them and see that there is no evidence whatsoever of a God, and learn to rely on themselves and those they are close to.

Again, I see belief in God as a giant mental crutch.

 

[brewerboy]

ok, I was just wondering.... if the situation were dire, if some sort of instinct would bring you to pray....that's all....

Care

I hear ya.

Again, I'll be a born again Christian when God or an angel comes to me and proves the existence of an afterlife.

(insert Allah or whatever suits you in the place of "God", I care not)

Romans 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Do you really think that 2,000 year old quotes from a book I find laughable (at best) is gonna change my mind on this?

 

[Tinktink]

I couldn't ever imagine that this is it. That life ends completely. How final that must be. But I can understand how that very thought would lead people to live their lives to fullest because each day counts tremendously.

Personally, I have had too many spiritual (not religious) experiences that lead me to believe it doesn't end here.

 

[Phoenix]

What you may call sad, I call empowering.
I'm not sitting around wondering "What would Jesus do?" and all that other crap...dictating my life off of a book.

No disrespect, but I find it sad that so many people cant just open their eyes to a world around them and see that there is no evidence whatsoever of a God, and learn to rely on themselves and those they are close to.

Again, I see belief in God as a giant mental crutch.

Why do you still capitalize God and Jesus? Don't you know you're supposed to create odd spellings and such to show your disdain? Get with it, slacker.


I get your point though, as I too was raised in a very religious home and in the past few years have been trying to figure out what I believe, as opposed to just what I was taught.