- Joined
- 31 May 06
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- 1795
23 Sep 11
Originally posted by AgergOut of curiosity, and feel free to refuse to be pinned down if you don't want to be.
I didn't choose atheism - I simply haven't chosen any religions. I remain at the default state...it's wonderful, you should try it! 🙂
Would you describe yourself as an atheist?
Would you describe yourself as an agnostic?
How would you answer the questions;
"Do you believe in a/any [god/gods/deities]?"
"Does/do a/any [god/gods/deities] exist?"
Trying to make the questions as non religion specific as possible.
I am curious as I did not initially choose atheism either, although having thought about it and examined the issue
I choose to remain one.
But many people who would technically fit the label atheist, for various reasons chose not to wear it.
And I was wondering what your take was on the matter.
23 Sep 11
3 edits
Originally posted by googlefudgeIt's a fair question, essentially for as long as is important
Out of curiosity, and feel free to refuse to be pinned down if you don't want to be.
Would you describe yourself as an atheist?
Would you describe yourself as an agnostic?
How would you answer the questions;
"Do you believe in a/any [god/gods/deities]?"
"Does/do a/any [god/gods/deities] exist?"
Trying to make the questions as non religi ...[text shortened]... ious reasons chose not to wear it.
And I was wondering what your take was on the matter.
(neglecting any time prior to my early teenage days as doubts and suspicions about what had been foisted upon me as a youngster regarding \"God\", angels, heaven, hell, and so on... coalesced into a formal rejection of these concepts)
I've been an atheist. One of the things, along with wildly naive and childish properties people attach to their gods, that keeps me this way is that given I know there exist numerous competing religions (and none of them have been determined to have veracity by more than human decree and concensus) I simply cannot measure any particular religion as significantly more plausible than another. Excepting the blatantly contradictory constructs of "God" I find them all equi-implausible. I find it difficult to comprehend how mature adults well equipped with the power to reason choose to continually (and dare I say artificially) reinforce their blind faith that the words of some human written holy book were inspired by some divine entity - I doubt I ever will.
As for whether at least one (out of infinitely many that are potential) unspecified god exists I have to concede I can't prove one doesn't but then since I've seen no evidence to suppose one does I don't let this stand in my way of being skeptical.
In short, I identify myself as an atheist; but I don't so much choose this way of thinking as much as I cannot think any other way. I can no more convince my self that there may be some truth to some particular religion than I can convince myself there may be some truth in the proposition that I am the Gingerbread Man.
Dasa would call me dishonest for thinking like this ;]
- Joined
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- Moves
- 1795
23 Sep 11
4 edits
Originally posted by AgergHe has called me dishonest many times [sigh] for saying pretty much just that...
It's a fair question, essentially for as long as is important [hidden](neglecting any time prior to my early teenage days as doubts and suspicions about what had been foisted upon me as a youngster regarding \"God\", angels, heaven, hell, and so on... coalesced into a formal rejection of these concepts)[/hidden] I've been an atheist. One of the things, along w am the Gingerbread Man.
Dasa would call me dishonest for thinking like this ;]
Although never put so well.
I never really had god foisted on me
(barring I went to a C of E infants and junior schools that had a prayer at the end of most assemblies, but that was so subtle an influence that it was shrugged off about as easily as the tooth fairy and Father Christmas.... sadly. ;-) )
and likewise I have been a non-believer since any point I have
been able to think about it in any meaningful terms.
Fortunately around here that is perfectly normal, and possibly even the majority view.
I feel sorry for those for whom 'coming out' as an atheist can be as difficult and traumatic as those 'coming out' as gay
( for whom I also feel sorry )
Essentially my family is post-religious, in that it isn't an issue that is relevant at all to anything other than understanding history, culture, and world politics.
EDIT: I like these hidden annotations :-) once I figured out how to make them work... finicky tags those.
24 Sep 11
Originally posted by robbie carrobieYou're totally missing the point, robbie.
ok, ill help you out, Dasa you cad! Dasa you bounder! Dasa you fraud! If one
searches, one can see that he has been termed a serpent (thanks Suzzzzzzianne), a
troll (Zzzzzalansy the Pansy) and no doubt various other appellations.
24 Sep 11
Originally posted by robbie carrobieThe accusation was the 'trashing' of the Vedas, not the 'trashing' of Dasa.
ok, ill help you out, Dasa you cad! Dasa you bounder! Dasa you fraud! If one
searches, one can see that he has been termed a serpent (thanks Suzzzzzzianne), a
troll (Zzzzzalansy the Pansy) and no doubt various other appellations.
24 Sep 11
Originally posted by FMFaye.
...or rather, stuck to the spiritual bumper of the beholder.
Still that phrase -"choose life"-I dont like it, it bugs me.
What, someone gave you,(not you personally), a choice when you were not yet born to see if you wanted to be born or just "choose" some other bardo or death or ... I dunno
24 Sep 11
9 edits
Originally posted by karoly aczelits from the animated movie, Ice Age. Diego, Manny and Cid are taking the baby back
aye.
Still that phrase -"choose life"-I dont like it, it bugs me.
What, someone gave you,(not you personally), a choice when you were not yet born to see if you wanted to be born or just "choose" some other bardo or death or ... I dunno
to its tribe, there are two paths they can traverse, through the dark mountainous
chasms, filled with unknown terrors and uncertainty, or around the mountain. When
offered the choice of going through the unknown, Cid remarks, ' no thanks, i choose
life'. this has a fitting parallel for a Christian, why? because Christ stated, (John 4:22)
. . .you worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, because salvation
originates with the Jews'. Thus when offered the uncertainty of leaning solely upon
ones own understanding , as our atheist fiends must do of necessity, for theirs is a
purely human vision, I would rather chose what i know, the superlative example of the
Christ.