Im not trying to start a flame,i am just curious as to wheather the actions from the church,etc have affected your views on things..

Good idea for a thread.  I'm not an athiest

As far as my religion, I'm not sure what you'd define me as.  I believe in the possibility of a God, but just as strongly, I believe in the possibility of their being no God.  There are times when I find it utterly inconcievable that this world all came about due to the chance, pomp and circumstance and definition of Science.  On the same hand, I also find it infeasible that a loving God who is said to be abudant and strong, exist in a world so corrupt and overran with indecencies that it's not even funny.

I'm not a Christian, and that I know for sure. 

I've found myself one to live my life not in fear of a Hell, nor in hope of a Heaven.  Not controlled or obligated to the unknown, but rather in full appreciation of life itself, by impacting and influencing others in a positive maner around me, while at the same time, sticking up for myself and others against any who would do us harm.

I vote for someone, or rather I put my trust in someone based on their morals, values, ethics and overall character.  Some get their nature based on their background which involves religion.  Other's don't.

I've had run in's with Christians, and I've had run in's with athiest, as well as many of many different beliefs.  Some of the best people I've ever known are Christians, and some of the worst people I've ever known are christians.

Don't recognize people by the group they belong to, recognize them for who they are. 

I'm not an atheist...I'm a Doubting Thomas.

Is there a prayer for anxiety?

I'm not an atheist; I'm an agnostic.  No trouble from any church except for a few glassy-eyed funnymentalist nutjobs!
:D

I've had run in's with Christians, and I've had run in's with athiest, as well as many of many different beliefs.  Some of the best people I've ever known are Christians, and some of the worst people I've ever known are christians.

Don't recognize people by the group they belong to, recognize them for who they are. 


Karma for this.  I'm a Christian, and I would agree with that--certain Christians are practically the worst people I've ever met, and others are just so beautiful inside and such forgiving people.  It's all about the individual I say.

My cousin (who's also Christian) married an Athiest and I would never shove my beliefs onto him, I would only talk about religion if he wanted to.

Don't recognize people by the group they belong to, recognize them for who they are. 


Karma for this.

I'm not sure what I am.  I was raised Catholic, fell out with that religion, studied others, and now I'm just of the belief that there is a higher power and, sometimes?  It is good to talk to him/her/it/whatever.  It makes me feel peaceful.

Karma for this.  I'm a Christian, and I would agree with that--certain Christians are practically the worst people I've ever met, and others are just so beautiful inside and such forgiving people.  It's all about the individual I say.

My cousin (who's also Christian) married an Athiest and I would never shove my beliefs onto him, I would only talk about religion if he wanted to.



I am also a Christian..and I totally agree with you Audrey. :)

"If you know that I am an unbeliever, then you know me better than I do myself. I may be an unbeliever, but I am an unbeliever who has a nostalgia for a belief." --P.P. Pasolini (1966)

I was raised Methodist, but the actions of the Catholic Church throughout history certainly haven't encouraged me to join at least Catholicism anytime soon.

I was raised Methodist, but the actions of the Catholic Church throughout history certainly haven't encouraged me to join at least Catholicism anytime soon.

Don't you mean Protestantism?  Anyway, the actions of the Catholic church are always bothersome.  Anybody challenges the Patriarchy, he's dead meat!  My dad was sent off to Catholic boarding school pre-Vatican II.  The man never lived it down.  Those monks threw sackcloth and ashes over him every morning and every night for seven years and the damage could not be undone.

:o

:), just trying to give my two cents worth is all.  Glad to know someone appreciates it, ;)

Don't you mean Protestantism?  Anyway, the actions of the Catholic church are always bothersome.  Anybody challenges the Patriarchy, he's dead meat!  My dad was sent off to Catholic boarding school pre-Vatican II.  The man never lived it down.  Those monks threw sackcloth and ashes over him every morning and every night for seven years and the damage could not be undone.

:o


Oh yeah, my grandma used to tell us horror stories about her days at Catholic school.  The beatings, the prayers, the nuns just being generally scary.  Same goes for my grandfather, but he was raised Protestant (or Wesleyan?  I'm not sure and I can't really ask him cause he's dead).  He used to tell us the story of being forced to change hands.  See, he WAS left handed, but because they believed that was the devil's work, they forced him to learn to write with his right hand.  The result, of course, was that he was never able to write very well with either hand.  I thank God that I was never forced into such a position and neither was my mother (we're both southpaws).  My handwriting still sucks, though. ;D

By the way, I still have my grandmother's Catechism book from the 30s.  It's a trip to look at and see what the prayers of the day were and how long you had to pray, etc.

I was raised catholic, but went to public schools.  AS a teen I gave up religion for lent  ;).  I consider myself agnostic.

I was raised catholic, but went to public schools.  AS a teen I gave up religion for lent  ;).  I consider myself agnostic.


Mr. Carlos (sorry if that's not what you want to be addressed by)

  What exactly do you mean  by agnostic?  Is that where you believe in the possibility of a God and also the possibility of their being no God? Or pehaps their being many Gods?  I'm not real keen on the definition of the term, so if you would, thank you.

Mr. Carlos (sorry if that's not what you want to be addressed by)

   What exactly do you mean  by agnostic?  Is that where you believe in the possibility of a God and also the possibility of their being no God? Or pehaps their being many Gods?  I'm not real keen on the definition of the term, so if you would, thank you.


I have no idea if there is or isn't a god, or many gods.  There is no proof either way, and frankly, I have better things to spend my time thinking about.  So if there is a god, I don't bother him/her, and he/she leaves me alone too.

As a child I wasn't raised as anything.  It was my Nana ( dad's mother)  who would say grace. I don't remember much, but I knew she loved me to death. I couldn't have been more then 4.  Then I had my brain tumor at 7 and my dad was afraid he would loose me and prayed for me.  Then my dad had me pray a I know I'm a sinner type prayer.  That's when I felt a difference.  I just call myself a believer.   

Church can be a way of finding God, but I think it happens more often through circumstances.         

I was brought up in a bi-religious household: Jewish & Episcopal. I was baptized/confirmed in the Episcopal Church. I became a born-again Pagan. 

I believe in a Goddess and some people may call her by another name: Mother Nature. I see proof of her all around in the trees, flowers, and even in the passing of the seasons. Unfortunately, man is destroying her.  :\'( :\'( :\'( 

I also believe in free will. The Goddess gave us minds to THINK! Unfortunately, many people don't think and become like sheep-following what someone else says they should do even if they KNOW in their hearts and their minds that it is wrong.

"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"




Cat

Karma for this.  I'm a Christian, and I would agree with that--certain Christians are practically the worst people I've ever met, and others are just so beautiful inside and such forgiving people.  It's all about the individual I say.

My cousin (who's also Christian) married an Athiest and I would never shove my beliefs onto him, I would only talk about religion if he wanted to.


Karma

I am Christian and my mom and sister are both athiest.  I will answer questions if asked, but wouldn't dream of pushing it on them.  I don't get why people don't see that pushing religion, or non as I have had done to me, tends to push people away not bring them closer.

Karma

I am Christian and my mom and sister are both athiest.  I will answer questions if asked, but wouldn't dream of pushing it on them.  I don't get why people don't see that pushing religion, or non as I have had done to me, tends to push people away not bring them closer.



Unfortunately, some people think they HAVE to because of this Bible passage: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost"- Matthew 28:19.



Cat

Oh yeah, my grandma used to tell us horror stories about her days at Catholic school.  The beatings, the prayers, the nuns just being generally scary.  Same goes for my grandfather, but he was raised Protestant (or Wesleyan?  I'm not sure and I can't really ask him cause he's dead).  He used to tell us the story of being forced to change hands.  See, he WAS left handed, but because they believed that was the devil's work, they forced him to learn to write with his right hand.  The result, of course, was that he was never able to write very well with either hand.  I thank God that I was never forced into such a position and neither was my mother (we're both southpaws).  My handwriting still sucks, though. ;D

By the way, I still have my grandmother's Catechism book from the 30s.  It's a trip to look at and see what the prayers of the day were and how long you had to pray, etc.
My aunt was also forced to write with her right hand instead of her left, that was at a Roman Catholic school. My mother was Catholic, she too has horror stories and is consiquently as lapsed as it is possible to be. ;D

I'm a Christian by choice, my parents left it up to us to decide. I too live with an athiest.

Interestingly when we first started going out he was very into Black Metal and had two inverted crosses which at the time I didn't know he had. He wore one one night when we went out and took it off before he went to sleep that night. The next morning it was on the side where he left it but snapped in half. When he hunted out the other one in his guitar case it was also snapped in half! Very strange.

My aunt was also forced to write with her right hand instead of her left, that was at a Roman Catholic school. My mother was Catholic, she too has horror stories and is consiquently as lapsed as it is possible to be. ;D




That was not a Catholic school thing-my grandmother (who was Jewish and never went to Catholic school) was also forced to write with her right hand.


Cat

I believe in the possibility of a God, but just as strongly, I believe in the possibility of their being no God.


Good definition of agnostic.  I know - I used to be one.

I'm currently a devoted Christian.  I made that decision around age 29; until that time I was agnostic.

I was brought up in a bi-religious household: Jewish & Episcopal. I was baptized/confirmed in the Episcopal Church. I became a born-again Pagan.   

I believe in a Goddess and some people may call her by another name: Mother Nature. I see proof of her all around in the trees, flowers, and even in the passing of the seasons. Unfortunately, man is destroying her.  :\'( :\'( :\'( 

I also believe in free will. The Goddess gave us minds to THINK! Unfortunately, many people don't think and become like sheep-following what someone else says they should do even if they KNOW in their hearts and their minds that it is wrong.

"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"




Cat


Isn't another name for godess Gaia?

Isn't another name for godess Gaia?



Yes. Here is a list of many of her names:

Aphrodite - Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty
Artemis - Greek Goddess of Hunting and Vegetation
Athena - Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War
Ceres - Roman Goddess of Agriculture
Demeter - Greek Goddess of Agriculture
Devi - Hindu Goddess of Existence
Diana - Roman Goddess of Hunting
Durga - Hindu Goddess that Destroys Demons
Gaia - Greek Goddess as Mother Earth
Ha Hai-i Wuhti - Hopi Divine Mother
Hecate - Greek Goddess of Magic
Ishtar - Babylonian Goddess of War
Isis - Egyptian Goddess
Juno - Roman Goddess of Women
Kali - Hindu Goddess of Liberation
Kuan Yin - Buddhist Goddess of Compassion
Lakshmi - Hindu Goddess of Prosperity
Minerva - Roman Goddess of Arts
Mother Mary - Christian Goddess of Compassion
Persephone - Greek Goddess of the Underworld
Sarasvati - Hindu Goddess of Knowledge and Arts
Shakti - Hindu Goddess of Primal Energy
Tara - Tibetan Goddess of Compassion
Venus - Roman Goddess of Love and Beauty



Cat

I am a Secular Humanist.  I've been called an atheist, however I am not.  I do believe in a supreme being, I just think don't think mankind can or should describe it.

Im not trying to start a flame,i am just curious as to whether the actions from the church,etc have affected your views on things..



Yes and no. I didn't go to church much as a kid (except for a summer of going to a Catholic Sunday school for my grandma - it was pretty cool actually), so it didn't affect me either way then. As a teen, I got my first real dislike for religion. Not one but 5 families in the neighborhood at that time (4 of which had children my sister's age) were varying degrees of religious wacko. Then there were the ever present Saturday morning sleep disturbers, also known as Mormons. There were other families in the neighborhood, with kids our age, that were religious, but they never made an issue out of it or tried to force it down our throats. Back then I guess I considered myself non-denominational, and as a kid I prayed.

Over the years, especially the last few, I've grown to be atheist/anti-theist*. There are several reasons for this - I've already covered most of them on other past threads here.

Like many here have written, it's best to know a person for who they are and not by a group. It's hard to do at times...

Back to churches, occasionally I watch televised sermons on TV when the mood strikes. I've seen enough to know that is not what I want or can follow. One sermon a month ago... well, as much as money was discussed (far more so than God, Jesus or the Bible), I think their denomination was "$100 bills".

*I do not discount the possibility (however remote) of *a* creator of some type, however I do reject most gods that I know of as described by their religious texts and/or the actions of their more, um, "dedicated" followers.

Final note: AA is a religion (more a cult really) despite what they say. Aside from blowing sheesh up, they are as crazy as any fundies out there.

Ant

Oh yeah, my grandma used to tell us horror stories about her days at Catholic school.  The beatings, the prayers, the nuns just being generally scary.  Same goes for my grandfather, but he was raised Protestant (or Wesleyan?  I'm not sure and I can't really ask him cause he's dead).  He used to tell us the story of being forced to change hands.  See, he WAS left handed, but because they believed that was the devil's work, they forced him to learn to write with his right hand.  The result, of course, was that he was never able to write very well with either hand.  I thank God that I was never forced into such a position and neither was my mother (we're both southpaws).  My handwriting still sucks, though. ;D

By the way, I still have my grandmother's Catechism book from the 30s.  It's a trip to look at and see what the prayers of the day were and how long you had to pray, etc.

That's why my dad and my aunt in their Catholic boarding schools in the '50s spent a lot of time orchestrating sadistical pranks to pull on the monks and the nuns.  They had so much anger over the repression and the guilt!  For instance, one time my dad put India ink in the holy water and a bunch of the monks got black splotches all over themselves before they figured it out!  Of course, I have no way of verifying truth from embellishment.  Dad did like his tall tales!  The Catholics had prayers, rules, and rituals for every day and every activity.  Some parents still prefer Catholic schools to public for that reason--more discipline and authority dealt.  However, today's Catholic schools are softer and fuzzier than the ones our folks attended.  The thing of it is, my dad turned into a pot-smoking libertarian hippie in the '60s and vowed he would never set foot in a Catholic churc again, but he was always a Catholic at heart.  It was all etched in his consciousness.  Dad loved to argue.  He would even argue with his children; with his children he could be what he could not in the Church: Top Dog.  Like the Church, he was often illogical, but his word was STILL final!  If you defeated him with logic, he reverted back to: Because that's the way it is, now shut up and do as you're told!
;D

I have no idea if there is or isn't a god, or many gods.  There is no proof either way, and frankly, I have better things to spend my time thinking about.  So if there is a god, I don't bother him/her, and he/she leaves me alone too.


Fair enough, thank you sir.

I'm not an atheist...I'm a Doubting Thomas.

Is there a prayer for anxiety?


Here's one I found.

http://christianity.about.com/od/prayersforspecificneeds/a/stressanxiety.htm

I was brought up in a bi-religious household: Jewish & Episcopal. I was baptized/confirmed in the Episcopal Church. I became a born-again Pagan.   

I believe in a Goddess and some people may call her by another name: Mother Nature. I see proof of her all around in the trees, flowers, and even in the passing of the seasons. Unfortunately, man is destroying her.  :\'( :\'( :\'( 

I also believe in free will. The Goddess gave us minds to THINK! Unfortunately, many people don't think and become like sheep-following what someone else says they should do even if they KNOW in their hearts and their minds that it is wrong.

"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"


The Pagans used to come rolling out of Denmark every summer and beat holy hell out of my Christianized Anglo-Saxon ancestors and take their women and their stuff!

Hey, but it's cool, Danes, that was 1200 years ago!

As an agnostic looking at the social functionalism of polytheism versus monotheism, I see what aspects get emphasized of either Paganism or Christianity according to the will of the ruling elite.  In Abrahamic cultures it was "the vengeful sky god."  Our Pagan ancestors had interests in resource acquisition as we do today and they had a rudimentary class of elites (chieftens, clerics), so when it was time to go kick ass the culture focused on Thor and Odin as great warriors.  They tamped down the more holistic aspects of their culture.  Whereas Jesus said turn the other cheek, all men are brothers, and give all your wealth to the poor and come unto me, this kind of talk doesn't  fan the bonfires of hatred as does saying "Our god is red-hot, your god ain't doodley-squat!"
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/05/itschy.gif

So, a lot of what we know of Vikings, for instance, seems to come from chronicles and sagas kept by monastics and scribes as the two cultures clashed.  There may be folkways of the ancient Norse we can never know because nobody recorded it. 

Good idea for a thread.  I'm not an athiest

Strangely enough, neither am I... I'm an atheist ;)


I am a Secular Humanist.  I've been called an atheist, however I am not.  I do believe in a supreme being, I just think don't think mankind can or should describe it.

To use the jargon, that'll be the "deist" (cf "theist".. someone who believes in the personal, Judeo-christian type of god)

Re the vote, an awful lot depends on what you describe as "problems from a church", but no, that's had nothing to do with me becoming or being an atheist.  I just find the whole god-creator edifice to be overwhelmingly implausible: the world runs exactly as you'd expect it to run if there were no all-powerful, all-knowing, loving guy in the background... so inventing one means you also have to invent a whole load of implausible reasons why he's not doing anything.  It's all so very, very illogical.

Strangely enough, neither am I... I'm an atheist ;)
To use the jargon, that'll be the "deist" (cf "theist".. someone who believes in the personal, Judeo-christian type of god)

Re the vote, an awful lot depends on what you describe as "problems from a church", but no, that's had nothing to do with me becoming or being an atheist.  I just find the whole god-creator edifice to be overwhelmingly implausible: the world runs exactly as you'd expect it to run if there were no all-powerful, all-knowing, loving guy in the background... so inventing one means you also have to invent a whole load of implausible reasons why he's not doing anything.  It's all so very, very illogical.


I just think it's arrogant to not only be able to describe a "Superior Being" and have a personal relationship with it.  Coincidentally I think if you have a personal relationship with it, then it's no longer a "Superior Being" but a ordinary friend.  It can't be both.

Strangely enough, neither am I... I'm an atheist ;)
To use the jargon, that'll be the "deist" (cf "theist".. someone who believes in the personal, Judeo-christian type of god)



So, I can't spell. You got a problem with that? :P ;)

So, I can't spell. You got a problem with that? :P ;)


Don't you mean: "Do you have a problem with that?"
:P

Don't you mean: "Do you have a problem with that?"
:P


Grammar wasn't part of the deal, just typing. :P

Grammar wasn't part of the deal, just typing. :P

If you grew up with my grandmother, you would feel so compelled too!

I just think it's arrogant to not only be able to describe a "Superior Being" and have a personal relationship with it.  Coincidentally I think if you have a personal relationship with it, then it's no longer a "Superior Being" but a ordinary friend.  It can't be both.

Especially if it's the sort of "Superior Being" that says: "See that country over there?  Go and invade it.."; it's also telling that the SB who talks to a lot of zealots completely reinforces their own, usually fairly petty, prejudices.


So, I can't spell. You got a problem with that? :P ;)

Did I say I had a problem with it?

mwillett.org"]Who are the athiests?
What do athiests believe in?
Is athiesm right for me?

Have you ever wanted to know what athiesm was all about but have been too shy to ask? Have no fear. The answer is here.


Athiesm is a common spelling mistake
..a bit like a Christain, I guess.  Someone who believes in Gdo?

The dyslexic atheist thinks there's no doG. 

http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/03/crap.gif
Sorry....

The dyslexic atheist thinks there's no doG. 

http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/03/crap.gif
Sorry....

I always heard it as the insomniac agnostic dyslexic who lay awake at night wondering if there was a dog...

I always heard it as the insomniac agnostic dyslexic who lay awake at night wondering if there was a dog...


It's not as bad as:

My Karma ran over my Dogma

This was clever in 1975, perhaps, but stale ten years later, and yet I see it on bumper stickers 20 years after that!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/05/grommit.gif

It's not as bad as:

My Karma ran over my Dogma

This was clever in 1975, perhaps, but stale ten years later, and yet I see it on bumper stickers 20 years after that!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/05/grommit.gif

Sounds like it ought to be a "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" parody... sort of:

My karma ran over my dogma
My data ran out with my date
My karma ran over my dogma
I think that it's fatal, my fate

Don't you mean Protestantism?  Anyway, the actions of the Catholic church are always bothersome.  Anybody challenges the Patriarchy, he's dead meat!  My dad was sent off to Catholic boarding school pre-Vatican II.  The man never lived it down.  Those monks threw sackcloth and ashes over him every morning and every night for seven years and the damage could not be undone.

:o


Well yeah, Protestantism doesn't appeal to me either, but I mentioned Catholicism because they seem more outdated.

  No bad experiences beyond being browbeaten by my great Aunt which, come to think of it, can be pretty brutal...

Well yeah, Protestantism doesn't appeal to me either, but I mentioned Catholicism because they seem more outdated.


Catholicism is going to become even more outdated.  Pope Bennie is a theologian who relishes tradition.  By the time he's done the Latin lass will be mandatory.  Forget about women's rights cause they'll be expected to stay home and have no less than4 kids.  If he pushes his agenda as hard as I think he will, the Catholic Church may fall apart.

Im not trying to start a flame,i am just curious as to wheather the actions from the church,etc have affected your views on things..


I had no bad experiences at all with this.

Until not long ago, I was more than atheist. I was anti-theist, in the sense that I conceived theist and white light religions not only as things I didn't believe in, but also things that I should work against.

Recently, thanks to some very interesting discoveries, I no longer hold that perspective. I would describe myself as a non-theist rather than an atheist. It means almost the same but the approach is different.

Concerning the Christian Church and other religions, I don't see them as the enemy any longer, because I have come to understand that they serve a very definite purpose. A deliciously evil purpose, I might add.  ;D 

My friend Sven is the most dogmatically atheist person I know.  I'm just an agnostic, but this guy thinks religion does far more harm in the world than good.  He also insists religion is also eploited by power to control the masses.  Sometimes I agree with him, but I like to see people exercise their freedom of religion and when it was religion it did lend significant strength to all those who settled the North American continent (well, stole if from the Indians, bought it fom the French, and took it away from the Mexicans).  I still don't like Scientology because it's Frank Herbert mixed up with Ayn Rand and the have no shame about taking all your money!
:P

But if there is such a thing as Christian Terrorism, I hold televangelists responsible!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_terrorism

Religion probably does more good than harm.  Answering to a higher power, generally keeps the people from killing, stealing, raping, and pillaging.  Because they are always being watched.

Religion probably does more good than harm.   Answering to a higher power, generally keeps the people from killing, stealing, raping, and pillaging.  Because they are always being watched.

Well, what stops you from doing the killing, stealing, raping, and pillaging?  Is it an inivisible man who lives in the sky and passes judgment on you?
???