What do you believe and why?

[inslumnational (deleted)]

Okay, first of all, let me revel in the fact that I have the first non-admin post on the atheist boards... Woo!

So anyway, we're all atheists or agnostics here, but I'm hungry for a little more information. How exactly do you describe your beliefs; what are your reasons for thinking whatever you think about God, religion, spirituality, etc.

I'm kind of repeating my profile here, but my way of thinking goes like this:

When I look at the universe through reasonable eyes, treating everything as potential evidence, I see a natural system. When i read religious texts, I see myths clearly created by humans. Ultimately, from what might be termed a scientific perspective, I see no evidence pointing towards the existence of the supernatural, including the existence of a deity.

But then, as a reasonable man, I know that i don't know everything, and I also know that any observation I make is likely to be faulty; there's no way of knowing whether your observations are in any way representative of the 'true' reality, if indeed one exists.

Therefore, I am not closed off to the notion that God exists (Agnostic) but I don't have any faith in his existence, I don't believe in God, and to be honest, I much prefer an existence without such a deity (Atheist).

As for religion... I don't want to get into too much depth here, especially since this post has been dragging on for quite a while, so let's just say I like my religion like I like my government: As small and decentralised as possible. I really don't care for organised religion. Also worth mentioning that, while I generally try to remain tolerant of all beliefs, I generally consider any form of fundamentalism to be highly idiotic. Believing in God is one thing, but taking religious texts as wholly literal doesn't seem like the workings of a rational mind to me. But then, of course, other cultures are likely to see it differently.

[dirkaroni (deleted)]

WWW.Godisimaginary.com pretty much sums it up. As to why, well because it's all true; however biased. Not for the faint of heart!

[adipocere_PREV (deleted)]

I don't have any beliefs. I'm a skeptic. I'm not going to just believe something without any proof or evidence to back it up. However, I don't know enough to say there isn't a god/supreme being/deity. So, I'm agnostic.

[voiderest (deleted)]

I am atheist in the sense I lack a belief in all gods. I am agnostic in the sense I cant prove a negative. I am “anti-theistâ€? in the sense some gods cant logically exist.

I treat ideas of religion like everything else and it doesn't seem to stand up.

"The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason." - Poor Richard's Almanack, 1758

[neteret (deleted)]

I'm an atheist of the old school; it's not that I don't believe in God, it's that I do not think there is a God in which to believe! I am also of the opinion that "Belief is the end of all knowledge." I forget which philosopher said that (Proust??) but it is a quote.

This, of course, includes even so-call 'scientific' theories that can't be proven such as origin of the Earth, origin of life on Earth, origin of the Universe, etc.

I am content to wonder and not know, to see inexplicable happenings/results and not care how they came about. I don't need an imaginary friend to take care of me (if I'm good enough, can please it enough, follow the vague directives closely enough) Nor do I need a threat to make me respect my fellow humans on all levels. I'd like to think there's existence after corporeal death on earth and if there is, I'd be most curious about it. If not, oh well.

Athiesm, for me, is simply a way of life. I admire believers, wish I could do that, but from where I am, I just can't get there. I've read the Bible several times, looking for whatever it is people rail on about and just don't see it. The Torah is interesting but, again, don't get it. Haven't found an English translation of the Koran, yet but from what I hear Muslims going on about, I'm not thinking I've missed anything. Ancient religions, Paganism, Buddhim, any of the American Indian and the modern versions of the Mayaztec are all a wash of silly stuff to me. Good on the folk who follow and believe, but it just doesn't make sense to me.

Neteret means goddess in the language of ancient Egypt. Yes, I'm aware of the irony.

[turtle3]

I'm new here, so stick with me. What I do or do not believe in comes from a collection of experiences and observations throughout my life. I consider myself a "survivor" of a HORRIBLE religious group's effort of conversion process, when I was a young teenager. It was not an easy time. As an adult (I'm 30 now), I have had the chance to do some observational "church hopping." My Atheist opinions are somewhat new to me now, however have always been with me - simply it is the expression and verbalization of these opinions that is new. I have witnessed so much pain, judgment, fear, persecution and hatred through different religious followings. My absence from them has put me closer to a feeling of heaven - than any other religious group. Any other survivors out there?

[lordboogar]

I'm a recovering Adventist that realized the B.S. behind what I had been raised on for nearly a decade while traveling over seas.

I don't know that it would be quite correct to term my self a true old-school atheist as it's hard to drop old habits.

Were a deity to reveal itself as the true "lord and creator" of everything, I would probably still disbelieve in it, due to negligence... an atheist in a world where god(s) did in-fact exist.

[trekgirl (deleted)]

turtle3 wrote: ...I consider myself a "survivor" of a HORRIBLE religious group's effort of conversion process, when I was a young teenager...


turtle3--

"Congratulations" isn't quite the right expression in this case, but I'm happy to hear you were able to extricate yourself from that horrible situation.

I'm one of those "default" atheists--even though I was baptized and confirmed Catholic, made to attend Catholic elementary school, and remained an active member of a church youth group through high school, I never did believe a word of it. Religion was nonexistent at home--my family didn't talk about god or religion, and we didn't pray or go to church (except for baptisms, funerals, weddings, and xmas).

During school religion classes, I assumed that all the stories were metaphorical (even though I didn't know what a metaphor was at such a young age), and that everyone else thought so, too--so I never really questioned anything, because I thought we were all on the same page. It wasn't until I was in high school that I learned that Catholics believed in things like a literal resurrection and literal consuming of Jesus's blood and flesh. I was dumbfounded--I couldn't believe that anyone would believe that suff! That's when I really started to think about my beliefs (or non-beliefs, as it would turn out). For a long time, I was of the opinion that religion was inherently good--or at least religious people were. Couldn't have been more wrong! By age 22, I was "out" as an atheist.

To me, being an atheist means I don't believe in the existence of any gods or other magical, mythical beings. I believe it's dangerous to believe in such things, especially gods, because it can and does cause real harm to people. Think about the whole "let go and let god" saying. People turn their lives over to something that doesn't exist instead of trying to solve their own problems. Massive debt? No budget needed, just pray hard enough and long enough and god will make it disappear. (And theists have such a problem with Harry Potter and all the magic that goes on--isn't it just the same? Maybe they believe only god should have control over the magic.) Sick? Just pray and you'll be healed. Missing child, buried miners? Again, pray and they'll show up, magically.

I believe that a person, religious or not, is inherently good, reasonable, and intelligent. "People," not so much. Especially where religion is concerned.

I believe we are all non-believers first, and that we end up believing what we do based on cultural factors. If children are not raised hearing about god or angels, they will not develop these ideas on their own. They have no concept of heaven or hell until we teach them about them.

[avidstargazer]

I think a lot of religion/belief systems developed because of the human need to explain and understand the world around them....for instance, when early humans could not explain lightning, they created a "god" that controlled it and then tried desperately to appease that god to prevent further manifestations. I think that is proven by the fact that the more educated you are the more likely you are to be a non-believer. But if a person feels better or stronger or more at peace because of that belief-that's fine with me....but I honestly get a little tired of Christian friends that don't know my true beliefs sending me email chain letters bashing Athiests that are trying to get god's name taken off of money and prayer taken out of the schools. I know a lot of Atheists and have never personally met one who was very concerned about whose name is on our money or who prays or doesn't pray in school. I don't want my beliefs forced on people who are not prepared or interested in the truth, just as I do not want their beliefs, rules and regulations forced on me. I live in a state where I cannot buy a bottle of wine or a six pack of beer on Sunday, so I am living by their rules. I know it does not seem like that big of an issue, but it is still a violation of 'separation of church an state' to me.

[sultryscorpio]

`Hmm, well i'm agnostic/athiest, all the definitons are a little weird, because I've heard so many definitions but anyway my views are, that I'm not a fan of religion, I think its creepy when people say things in unison, very cult-like, wait religion is cult, so scratch cult like it is a cult.
After watching the four horsemen, i continually question "what if i'm wrong", and try to approach things from different angles.
I was never into religion in the first place, I mean sure I'd go to the temple but heart wasn't in it.
For some reason I always felt an uneasiness about religion, sort of an intuitive thing. It's just to me it all seems repetitive from what I see: Do what I say, or suffer eternal torment or die horribly.
and also for one thing, most religions preach "Thou Shalt Not Kill" and "Love Thy Neighbor" then 15 chapters later, it says to kill people outside your 'immediate circle', murder the men, the women and children and its like wtf?

But aside from that, I have to give thanks to my education and the teachers who opened the door for me. If it wasn't for school, I may have still been close minded but maybe not. That's all I have to say for now

[romeoabc_PREV (deleted)]

There are three literary novels that any atheist, angnostic, and Christian that doubts his/her faith or the Christian the doubts the integrity or their fellow christians or doubts their church should read. These are Brave New World, 1984 and I'm hesitant to include Animal Farm but I will anyway just to further pound in the point about what Christainity (and all religions) are really about. Focus mainly on 1984 and Brave New World but PLEASE read Animal Farm after you read Brave New World and 1984. When I recently read 1984(for the millionth time in my life) I immediatly though of the inquisition, the witch burnings, Mcarthisim, and The War on Terror. The United States is a glorified animal farm. Every USA citizen is a cow that is getting milked by the farmer and every cow wants to control the animal farm and milk the other cows. Try reading pscyhology (NOT pseudo-psychology!). Especially read up on both types of conditioning and you could even read up on how people train animals. Peal back your skin and crack open your skull and you will find a biological machine. The self is an illusion created by a biological machine. Reality isn't a cartoon. There are rules and laws. There is no such thing as magic. Life isn't a dream. Thought can't shape reality. God doesn't exist.

"The heart will not adore what the mind doesn't exist."
-Don't remember who said this but I know that it wasn't me.

[romeoabc_PREV (deleted)]

I meant to say" The heart won't adore what the mind doesn't accept."

[romeoabc_PREV (deleted)]

Quote 17: "Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows." Part 1, Chapter 7, pg. 84 That is a VERY importan quote from this novel. An importan scene latter on in the novel revolves completly around this quote.

"War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength"
-1984

[tedv17 (deleted)]

`I am pretty much an atheist (no deity). The agnostic side of me is that anything is possible, though I really doubt there is a god. I find there is much more logic and reasoning behind atheism, and I believe people who follow religion are brainwashed by a tool used for mind control.

I have seen people who believe deeply in what the Christian bible says. I have read it to see what it is about, and there are hundreds of different lines of contradictory ideas.

I would love to go into it deeper, but it really is a long explanation.

[classicsfan]

`I find the title of this thread interesting. Defining 'belief' is an interesting. I have always tended to look at 'belief' as an expectation with no proof. Most of us use the term rather loosely, as in "I believe the sun will rise in the morning". I think that is more of a statement of trust. Past history and scientific explanations have predicted that the sun will rise every morning.

In discussions I have had with religious people (i.e. christians) they often to refer to atheist as another religion. I try to frame my words and thinking in terms of 'having trust in the scientific method' rather than believing in science.

If using the scientific method demonstrates to me that the sun will not rise in the morning, I will await the morning with skepticism.