Open Minded Agnostic Atheist

[CrusaderFrank]

I am totally open to the idea that god is real I just don’t believe any religions are real. I like debating with theists who agree religions are man made up. I agree the universe and this planet are amazing. And it seems like it’s too perfect and there has to be some higher power. But we know so little still. Maybe there are other universes? Maybe there was is or will be life around every star eventually. Maybe not as advance as us but maybe more. And maybe the spirit lives on forever after you die. Just seems like wishful thinking to me. But I hope so. These are unknowable things.

So far I see no evidence of god and I don’t believe one exists. Everything can be explained scientifically. What can’t, may never be known. Those gaps aren’t god.

This is one of the best posts on religion I've ever seen!

The big questions: Who am I? Why an I here? How did I get here? Is there more to life than arguing politics at USMB?

 

[sealybobo]

I am totally open to the idea that god is real I just don’t believe any religions are real. I like debating with theists who agree religions are man made up. I agree the universe and this planet are amazing. And it seems like it’s too perfect and there has to be some higher power. But we know so little still. Maybe there are other universes? Maybe there was is or will be life around every star eventually. Maybe not as advance as us but maybe more. And maybe the spirit lives on forever after you die. Just seems like wishful thinking to me. But I hope so. These are unknowable things.

So far I see no evidence of god and I don’t believe one exists. Everything can be explained scientifically. What can’t, may never be known. Those gaps aren’t god.

Many of us are simply willing to admit that we don't know.

It's strange - I guess humans have an innate need for order and answers, so it's natural for us to want to (a) figure out The Big Question, and/or (2) attach ourselves to a religion so that the question is answered.

Me, I doubt I'll know The Answer during my lifetime, and I've pretty much come to terms with that.

Exactly. We can admit we don’t know and so do some theists. I call bs on any religion claiming to be the one true religion.

Then someone just told me god is going to ask me why I didn’t pick one to bring me closer to him. So now any religion is better than no religion at all?

 

[occupied]

Community
Consolation
Control

These are the social purposes of religion. We all get the social club aspect and the control aspect but the consolation aspect is probably the most powerful. For many the fear of death and the thought of their loved ones no longer existing in any meaningful form is intolerable. Never forget that when you attack someone's faith you are often attacking the only thing that helps them live with the fact they will die one day.

 

[Mac1958]

I am totally open to the idea that god is real I just don’t believe any religions are real. I like debating with theists who agree religions are man made up. I agree the universe and this planet are amazing. And it seems like it’s too perfect and there has to be some higher power. But we know so little still. Maybe there are other universes? Maybe there was is or will be life around every star eventually. Maybe not as advance as us but maybe more. And maybe the spirit lives on forever after you die. Just seems like wishful thinking to me. But I hope so. These are unknowable things.

So far I see no evidence of god and I don’t believe one exists. Everything can be explained scientifically. What can’t, may never be known. Those gaps aren’t god.

Many of us are simply willing to admit that we don't know.

It's strange - I guess humans have an innate need for order and answers, so it's natural for us to want to (a) figure out The Big Question, and/or (2) attach ourselves to a religion so that the question is answered.

Me, I doubt I'll know The Answer during my lifetime, and I've pretty much come to terms with that.

Exactly. We can admit we don’t know and so do some theists. I call bs on any religion claiming to be the one true religion.

Then someone just told me god is going to ask me why I didn’t pick one to bring me closer to him. So now any religion is better than no religion at all?

Well, religion provides some good things: Answers, strength, guidance, comfort.

Obviously the problem is the way it's weaponized, often literally. And distorted and mutated and everything else.

 

[sealybobo]

I am totally open to the idea that god is real I just don’t believe any religions are real. I like debating with theists who agree religions are man made up. I agree the universe and this planet are amazing. And it seems like it’s too perfect and there has to be some higher power. But we know so little still. Maybe there are other universes? Maybe there was is or will be life around every star eventually. Maybe not as advance as us but maybe more. And maybe the spirit lives on forever after you die. Just seems like wishful thinking to me. But I hope so. These are unknowable things.

So far I see no evidence of god and I don’t believe one exists. Everything can be explained scientifically. What can’t, may never be known. Those gaps aren’t god.

This is one of the best posts on religion I've ever seen!

The big questions: Who am I? Why an I here? How did I get here? Is there more to life than arguing politics at USMB?

I come to usmb because I enjoy it. I haven’t been on as much because I have a boat and it’s summertime. Plus sales are down because of corona so I don’t fuck around during the day like I did when things were good.

I truly love you guys even you conservatives. God bless you if he exists.

 

[Lysistrata]

I am totally open to the idea that god is real I just don’t believe any religions are real. I like debating with theists who agree religions are man made up. I agree the universe and this planet are amazing. And it seems like it’s too perfect and there has to be some higher power. But we know so little still. Maybe there are other universes? Maybe there was is or will be life around every star eventually. Maybe not as advance as us but maybe more. And maybe the spirit lives on forever after you die. Just seems like wishful thinking to me. But I hope so. These are unknowable things.

So far I see no evidence of god and I don’t believe one exists. Everything can be explained scientifically. What can’t, may never be known. Those gaps aren’t god.

I was raised Christian and I do believe that there is a Supreme Being above all of us and I believe in the teachings delivered in the Sermon on the Mount. They are universal. But the public antics of people proclaiming that they are "Christians" over this past few years, like frainkie graham and family research council, etc., have forced me to rethink what a belief in Jesus means. These people have tried so hard to destroy the Christian faith.

Remember that I am a human being first. So are all of the rest of you.

As for the video of George Floyd: I see murder.

 

[sealybobo]

I am totally open to the idea that god is real I just don’t believe any religions are real. I like debating with theists who agree religions are man made up. I agree the universe and this planet are amazing. And it seems like it’s too perfect and there has to be some higher power. But we know so little still. Maybe there are other universes? Maybe there was is or will be life around every star eventually. Maybe not as advance as us but maybe more. And maybe the spirit lives on forever after you die. Just seems like wishful thinking to me. But I hope so. These are unknowable things.

So far I see no evidence of god and I don’t believe one exists. Everything can be explained scientifically. What can’t, may never be known. Those gaps aren’t god.

Many of us are simply willing to admit that we don't know.

It's strange - I guess humans have an innate need for order and answers, so it's natural for us to want to (a) figure out The Big Question, and/or (2) attach ourselves to a religion so that the question is answered.

Me, I doubt I'll know The Answer during my lifetime, and I've pretty much come to terms with that.

Exactly. We can admit we don’t know and so do some theists. I call bs on any religion claiming to be the one true religion.

Then someone just told me god is going to ask me why I didn’t pick one to bring me closer to him. So now any religion is better than no religion at all?

Well, religion provides some good things: Answers, strength, guidance, comfort.

Obviously the problem is the way it's weaponized, often literally. And distorted and mutated and everything else.

Cant argue with you there. My brother is religious and I’m happy it brings him that comfort and happiness. And he doesn’t push it on me.

But i also see the priest in his church has weaponized it. Wasn’t that way when I was growing up. Now he has an entire congregation voting for (fill in the blank)

 

[sealybobo]

Athiest.

The first thing I will ask god when I see him is which religion was right.

As far as I heard the god of god is god - so he is perhaps not objective.

I think his answer will be none of them.

In fact this is what god told Joseph Smith in 1800.

Hmm ... I do not trust in Joseph Smith.

Told him to start a new one. True story.

I never heard god told anyone to start a new religion. The Christian religion for example started because of Jesus and was not made from Jesus. Buddha for example also not founded a new religion. He asked - whatever kind of spiritual being I do not know - whether he should teach, what he had found out. And the answer of the river and the bowl, which he had used for a visible sign, was "yes".

You never heard about what god told Joseph Smith in 1800? Dude, look into it.

 

[sealybobo]

I am totally open to the idea that god is real I just don’t believe any religions are real. I like debating with theists who agree religions are man made up. I agree the universe and this planet are amazing. And it seems like it’s too perfect and there has to be some higher power. But we know so little still. Maybe there are other universes? Maybe there was is or will be life around every star eventually. Maybe not as advance as us but maybe more. And maybe the spirit lives on forever after you die. Just seems like wishful thinking to me. But I hope so. These are unknowable things.

So far I see no evidence of god and I don’t believe one exists. Everything can be explained scientifically. What can’t, may never be known. Those gaps aren’t god.

I was raised Christian and I do believe that there is a Supreme Being above all of us and I believe in the teachings delivered in the Sermon on the Mount. They are universal. But the public antics of people proclaiming that they are "Christians" over this past few years, like frainkie graham and family research council, etc., have forced me to rethink what a belief in Jesus means. These people have tried so hard to destroy the Christian faith.

Remember that I am a human being first. So are all of the rest of you.

As for the video of George Floyd: I see murder.

Like I said I’m open to the idea that there is a higher power aka god but you lost me at the sermon on the mount

 

[zaangalewa]

I am totally open to the idea that god is real I just don’t believe any religions are real. I like debating with theists who agree religions are man made up. I agree the universe and this planet are amazing. And it seems like it’s too perfect and there has to be some higher power. But we know so little still. Maybe there are other universes? Maybe there was is or will be life around every star eventually. Maybe not as advance as us but maybe more. And maybe the spirit lives on forever after you die. Just seems like wishful thinking to me. But I hope so. These are unknowable things.

So far I see no evidence of god and I don’t believe one exists. Everything can be explained scientifically. What can’t, may never be known. Those gaps aren’t god.

This is one of the best posts on religion I've ever seen!

The big questions: Who am I?

You are CrusaderFrank.

Why an I here? How did I get here? Is there more to life than arguing politics at USMB?

Yes - her name is ... find it out on your own.

 

[sealybobo]

I am totally open to the idea that god is real I just don’t believe any religions are real.

What are your expectations of religion?

Tell the truth. We don’t know. But we believe in a higher power and want to give thanks. And so we have something to help you when things are bad.

I would also like a community of like minded people.

 

[sealybobo]

If we go with the planet, what was our purpose?

Perhaps the question needs to be, "What is my purpose?" Then (as it has been said) that is the yeast that grows throughout.

Im 49 and have zero debt. If I can collect ss at 62 I hope to retire. Or maybe keep working as long as i still like it but my purpose is to be financially and physically and mentally as healthy as I can for as long as I can.

i live for the moments like yesterday my brother brought one of his kids out to fish on the boat. Or a few weekends ago my brother and I went up north and worked on his property.

my goal is to have as many good moments like these before I die. I don’t worry about an afterlife. I like to think people like me get in. And no religion has proven to me to be real so I don’t care what Jesus Moses Mohammad or Joseph Smith said

 

[Meriweather]

Lots of reasons I reached out to him. And none of those religions brought me closer actually they brought me further from god. Because they have impossible stories I have to accept on faith and I can’t believe them, none of them convinced me.

Maybe I’ll reply back I asked you first. Why won’t he answer my question?

Did the Greek Orthodox also have a children's catechism? One of the first question the Children's Catholic Catechism of my early childhood posed was:

Q: Why did God make me?
A: God made me to know Him, love Him, and serve Him in this world.

Nothing in there about God stepping in to serve me. For most of my childhood I was flummoxed about how I was ever going to love God when I didn't even know Him. Yet my determination never waned. By the time I was a young adult it occurred to me that the Biblical Three probably had as much trouble as I was having about loving an unknowable God. In other words, I just might be an old lady after all before I accomplished that!

The best passage in the Bible is in Kings, where it is noted that God isn't in the great and powerful things of life--in its volcanoes (both figuratively and literally), life's great storms, etc. He is in the very small, in the almost soundless and unnoticeable.

The next most powerful verse in the Bible is that those who seek God, find Him. The first verse in Kings tells us where.

Over and over again throughout my life very honest and sincere people tell me how that in a time of great need they reached out to God and He was not there for them. If God is not there in our time of need, what good is God anyway? How would you answer that?

 

[Meriweather]

very slick answer. Trying to make me feel like a bad boy. Why didn’t I just pick a religion? Because I didn’t need a lie to live my life.

So good muslims and jews and Buddhist go to heaven too? All I have to do is pick one? But doesn’t your messiah say only throgh him? Now you say it doesn’t matter?

You misunderstand. I have zero interest in making anyone feel like a bad boy. My greatly loved grandfather was an atheist, as is my uncle, my husband, my inlaws. I have been around good, honest, sincere, atheists all my life. And I have good reason to believe my atheist grandfather is, in fact, existing happily in the next life.

Second Jesus said he was the Way. Jesus went a certain Way, one of love of God and love of one's fellow man. Many religions follow that Way. Buddhism may not teach a belief in God, but they certainly teach reaching and striving for goodness and love--and Love and Goodness is the very definition of God.

The better question is why let religion turn someone away from God? Why let religion knock anyone away from striving to live in the Way of love and goodness?

 

[Meriweather]

my goal is to have as many good moments like these before I die. I don’t worry about an afterlife. I like to think people like me get in. And no religion has proven to me to be real so I don’t care what Jesus Moses Mohammad or Joseph Smith said

Precisely. Religion is not about the afterlife, and those Christian denominations that have their roots in Judaism remember this. Religion is about learning how to live this life in service to what is loving and good.

My first experience of Joseph Smith was when I was fourteen years old, a Catholic school kid who was completely unknowing of what a Mormon was or the Mormon faith. One day I say this book called the Book of Mormon on the public library table. Curious, I flipped through it, reading quite a few passages. I set it aside thinking, "That sounds like it was written by a 14-year-old boy!" Years later when a member of the LDS church was telling me about how her Church was founded, she seemed quite affronted when she told me Joseph Smith was 14 when he wrote the Book of Mormon. I couldn't help it. I burst out giggling, but she didn't get the joke.

As far as Moses, Jesus, and any other Biblical character for that matter: I don't believe every word written in the Bible had me in mind. On the other hand, there is also a great deal of good advice, very appropriate and very useful in my life. I do pay great attention to those.

 

[sealybobo]

Lots of reasons I reached out to him. And none of those religions brought me closer actually they brought me further from god. Because they have impossible stories I have to accept on faith and I can’t believe them, none of them convinced me.

Maybe I’ll reply back I asked you first. Why won’t he answer my question?

Did the Greek Orthodox also have a children's catechism? One of the first question the Children's Catholic Catechism of my early childhood posed was:

Q: Why did God make me?
A: God made me to know Him, love Him, and serve Him in this world.

Nothing in there about God stepping in to serve me. For most of my childhood I was flummoxed about how I was ever going to love God when I didn't even know Him. Yet my determination never waned. By the time I was a young adult it occurred to me that the Biblical Three probably had as much trouble as I was having about loving an unknowable God. In other words, I just might be an old lady after all before I accomplished that!

The best passage in the Bible is in Kings, where it is noted that God isn't in the great and powerful things of life--in its volcanoes (both figuratively and literally), life's great storms, etc. He is in the very small, in the almost soundless and unnoticeable.

The next most powerful verse in the Bible is that those who seek God, find Him. The first verse in Kings tells us where.

Over and over again throughout my life very honest and sincere people tell me how that in a time of great need they reached out to God and He was not there for them. If God is not there in our time of need, what good is God anyway? How would you answer that?

1. You just proved a point I make about how the Bible says everything. So much it even contradicts itself at times. I thought god was everywhere and in everything. Now you say there’s a verse that says gods only in the little things.

2. I seeked god and didn’t find one.

3. I reached out to god to get a job once. Clearly I was a believer then. God had nothing to do with getting that job. In fact, that job sucked. Which led to another sucky job. Which led to this great job I have now.

i deny god exists. so he clearly has nothing to do with my current happiness and success. Why would he reward me?

i would tell those people to stop praying to a god who doesn’t exist. At least not a god that steps in and ends suffering or solves problems.

I would tell those people god had nothing to do with their suffering just like god had nothing to do with my happiness.

im happy for the people who reach out to god and that makes them feel better. But if they reached out and suddenly things got better there is no connection. Do you watch Rick and Morty? They do an episode on this.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

I am totally open to the idea that god is real I just don’t believe any religions are real. I like debating with theists who agree religions are man made up. I agree the universe and this planet are amazing. And it seems like it’s too perfect and there has to be some higher power. But we know so little still. Maybe there are other universes? Maybe there was is or will be life around every star eventually. Maybe not as advance as us but maybe more. And maybe the spirit lives on forever after you die. Just seems like wishful thinking to me. But I hope so. These are unknowable things.

So far I see no evidence of god and I don’t believe one exists. Everything can be explained scientifically. What can’t, may never be known. Those gaps aren’t god.

This is one of the best posts on religion I've ever seen!

The big questions: Who am I? Why an I here? How did I get here? Is there more to life than arguing politics at USMB?

I come to usmb because I enjoy it. I haven’t been on as much because I have a boat and it’s summertime. Plus sales are down because of corona so I don’t fuck around during the day like I did when things were good.

I truly love you guys even you conservatives. God bless you if he exists.

I grew up Roman Catholic, but I find I read Chabad almost daily. I appreciate their sense of community, brotherhood and love of fellow man.

Enjoy your journey Sealy, it's yours to discover

 

[sealybobo]

very slick answer. Trying to make me feel like a bad boy. Why didn’t I just pick a religion? Because I didn’t need a lie to live my life.

So good muslims and jews and Buddhist go to heaven too? All I have to do is pick one? But doesn’t your messiah say only throgh him? Now you say it doesn’t matter?

You misunderstand. I have zero interest in making anyone feel like a bad boy. My greatly loved grandfather was an atheist, as is my uncle, my husband, my inlaws. I have been around good, honest, sincere, atheists all my life. And I have good reason to believe my atheist grandfather is, in fact, existing happily in the next life.

Second Jesus said he was the Way. Jesus went a certain Way, one of love of God and love of one's fellow man. Many religions follow that Way. Buddhism may not teach a belief in God, but they certainly teach reaching and striving for goodness and love--and Love and Goodness is the very definition of God.

The better question is why let religion turn someone away from God? Why let religion knock anyone away from striving to live in the Way of love and goodness?

When I first rejected all religions I didn’t deny god exists. I still had a personal relationship with him. Then I realized I was talking to myself. Now I just can’t talk to god because I don’t believe he exists.

yes, if heaven exists us atheists go too. Tell me which Christian church agrees with that?

 

[zaangalewa]

Athiest.

The first thing I will ask god when I see him is which religion was right.

As far as I heard the god of god is god - so he is perhaps not objective.

I think his answer will be none of them.

In fact this is what god told Joseph Smith in 1800.

Hmm ... I do not trust in Joseph Smith.

Told him to start a new one. True story.

I never heard god told anyone to start a new religion. The Christian religion for example started because of Jesus and was not made from Jesus. Buddha for example also not founded a new religion. He asked - whatever kind of spiritual being I do not know - whether he should teach, what he had found out. And the answer of the river and the bowl, which he had used for a visible sign, was "yes".

You never heard about what god told Joseph Smith in 1800? Dude, look into it.

Not an interesting theme for me. I deleted what I said there - but was a little late.

 

[sealybobo]

my goal is to have as many good moments like these before I die. I don’t worry about an afterlife. I like to think people like me get in. And no religion has proven to me to be real so I don’t care what Jesus Moses Mohammad or Joseph Smith said

Precisely. Religion is not about the afterlife, and those Christian denominations that have their roots in Judaism remember this. Religion is about learning how to live this life in service to what is loving and good.

My first experience of Joseph Smith was when I was fourteen years old, a Catholic school kid who was completely unknowing of what a Mormon was or the Mormon faith. One day I say this book called the Book of Mormon on the public library table. Curious, I flipped through it, reading quite a few passages. I set it aside thinking, "That sounds like it was written by a 14-year-old boy!" Years later when a member of the LDS church was telling me about how her Church was founded, she seemed quite affronted when she told me Joseph Smith was 14 when he wrote the Book of Mormon. I couldn't help it. I burst out giggling, but she didn't get the joke.

As far as Moses, Jesus, and any other Biblical character for that matter: I don't believe every word written in the Bible had me in mind. On the other hand, there is also a great deal of good advice, very appropriate and very useful in my life. I do pay great attention to those.

14 back then was a man.

So you cherry pick. I don’t think you are a real Christian. But of course you think you are