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Paris
05-27-2007, 10:08 AM
None of the poll options really apply to me. I'm an atheist who was raised Methodist, but never really believed even when I was a child. I just went along because it made my parents happy. I practice meditation and have a spiritual bent, can acknowledge the supernatural while not believing in a supreme being.

I see supernatural events as just not being explained by humans yet. Sort of like ancient people thought disease was caused by demons or evil spirits or a witch who cast a curse upon a person, when really it was just a case of influenza. Ditto with things we call supernatural today, like what is referred to as ghosts, etc.

Although I am an atheist, I do have some beliefs. I'm open to the idea of an afterlife. I'm not disturbed by the thought of no afterlife, either. There's is absolutely nothing we can do about the reality of the situation, so either way, I'm cool. I believe that thought-power is real. I believe that some people can remote-view. I believe in space aliens (the universe is way too vast and complex for me to feel comfortable with being the only living things in that vastness, or the only living sentient beings). I also believe that space aliens visit earth, and ancient people called them Angels.

So, basically, my thinking is not based in only verifiable facts, but I'm certainly not at all religious. My biggest problem with most religions is that if any of the famous profits were to show up today in any city on the planet and start saying things like "God told me to do so-and-so, and sent me an Angel as confirmation of his wishes" that person would be labeled as schizophrenic and placed on drugs for having hallucinations.

So, because it is possible that at least some religious texts, that are deemed "the word of God", are likely the ravings of a schizophrenic (albeit an intelligent and charismatic, one) and not a direct message from a supreme being, I can't just sign on as a believer of any religious text. How do I tell the difference between "The Truth" and the fabrications of someone's mental illness?

madmaxine
05-27-2007, 10:22 AM
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Great post Paris.


My current belief system is a result of life experience, self-education and science. I never felt science invalidated God, I just thought some people were too uneducated to understand that God uses science as a tool. But that's just my opinion.

& I've also has a very, ummm, interesting life. I'll leave it at that.

virgoamm
05-27-2007, 10:24 AM
Certified agnostic here. I was raised Catholic-although my parents rarely ever went to church. I began to question the existence of God when I was about 14.

It took me a while pondering things before I decided that agnostic was the best term to describe me.

So far, nothing has shown me beyond a shadow of a doubt that a God does indeed exist, and I'm not going to wholeheartedly believe in something that I don't know for certain.

That being said though, I like to keep an open mind. Maybe there are just things out there that are beyond my ability to comprehend or understand.

Our entire existence and the intricacies of nature and how it functions just fascinates me and I often wonder how it all came to be. Just staring into a starry sky for example and thinking about the universe we live in and how insignificent we are in comparison.

Paris
05-27-2007, 10:25 AM
If it weren't for the lack of holidays, I might consider being an atheist.

I'm an atheist and I celebrate holidays all the time. I have more Christmas lights than anyone else on my block! I celebrate Memorial day, Independence day, New Years, Labor Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Thanksgiving, Halloween and the birthdays of family and friends. Every holiday I mentioned was a secular one aside from Christmas.

I know you meant this post as a joke, but really, the traditional celebration of holiday's are usually not all about the "party" but more about prayerful meditations and fastings. Some people experience spiritual ecstasy through those kind of celebrations. I usually just keep glancing at my watch wondering how long until brunch;D.

Paris
05-27-2007, 10:29 AM
I've forgotten who it was that said "People who want to talk to you about their religion seldom wish to hear about yours."

Dave Barry. I love that guy. He is very quotable.

Madcap
05-27-2007, 10:36 AM
If it weren't for the lack of holidays, I might consider being an atheist.

Yeah because Santa Clause is soo religious.

virgoamm
05-27-2007, 10:38 AM
Threadjack and also...Shameless Plug: This has been mentioned several times, but if you're someone with a good sense of humor, pleasepleaseplease check out "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" by Christopher Moore. So very funny.

^^^I read that last summer. Me likes. ;D Have you ever read Tom Robbins???

MrChristopher
05-27-2007, 10:44 AM
^^Of course!

virgoamm
05-27-2007, 10:46 AM
AHHHHH! A fellow Robbins fan!!!! My fave is Fierce Invalids. Best book evar. People of zee whorl, relax..;)

*End threadjack*

Zabrina
05-27-2007, 10:53 AM
I'm an atheist, I don't believe in any afterlife because there is no (tangible, scientific) evidence for one. I celebrate holidays, if I feel like it. 'Christmas' predates christianity anyways. I have no problem celebrating a winter solstice tradition no matter who they name it after these days. Same with other pagan-based holidays like easter. They are fun traditions, and represent nothing supernatural to me.

MishaBliss
05-28-2007, 11:14 PM
I used to be a brainwashed little catholic schoolgirl, though now I have a great distain for all institunalised religion...as the story goes...

"Religion is the great avoidance of religiousness"....Osho (this pretty much somes up my opinion on it all)

Then there is rock 'n' roll }:D :D }:D

I celebrate holidays as they're an excuse to party ;)

Roulette
05-28-2007, 11:20 PM
^^^ haha if I needed an excuse to party I think I'd have to say I clebrate everyday as potentially the last day of my life... when I'm not in school that is.

MishaBliss
05-28-2007, 11:23 PM
^^^
Move to Australia...that's what we do best ;)

Lena
05-28-2007, 11:45 PM
I'm just your run of the mill kitchen witch. I don't know if that qualifies as religious, more spiritual?

miabella
05-28-2007, 11:52 PM
drawing lines in the dirt between religious and spiritual is a whole nother problem with this entire thread....

Roulette
05-29-2007, 10:35 AM
sorry, I don't know why I didn't think of putting in a "I am not religious per se but I am spiritual" Doh:banghead:

mollyzmoon
05-29-2007, 11:19 AM
I'm just your run of the mill kitchen witch. I don't know if that qualifies as religious, more spiritual?

I think this stuff is appealing to me, if only because all the witchcraft tinctures and herbal advice I've ever been given has certainly been (empirically) as effective as prescribed junk.