Who doesn't believe in religion? - SuperiorMuscle.com

**Shibby** · #1 02-07-08, 06:41 AM

I know we have a few different religious beliefs on the board, but it has become more noticeable to me that there are quite a few non-believers. Do you classify yourself as anything? I at one time said I was agnostic, but that doesn't completely fit either. So these days I just don't say I'm anything. I have a guy I work with that wasn't exposed to religion growing up. He thinks it's weird how non-believers try to put themselves in some sort of group. He compared religious people to people who had religion but chose to believe something else, too how gays generally will be open about being gay but straights just assume everyone is straight and don't think about it.

**FitnessBrat** · #2 02-07-08, 06:53 AM

That's actually a very smart way of thinking by him - I like that. As for me - I am not anything. I wasn't brought up religious, and I have mixed opinions of organized religion, God, the Bible, etc.

rado · #3 02-07-08, 08:11 AM

I was brought up Catholic and still am today...My kids will be the same.

SonofBone · #4 02-07-08, 08:15 AM

Solstice is probably cringing at the thought of me answering this question...lol, but I don't worship or praise anything. My beliefs are out of this world...literally.

The_Grinder · #5 02-07-08, 08:28 AM

I was brought up episcopalian and fairly religious. I do believe in god. I do believe in heaven and hell. But I'd be lying if I said my faith hasn't dwindled the past few years. I haven't really told that to anyone but there really isn't much point lying about it. But the one thing I do believe is that this life isn't for nothing. I just cant bring myself to believe that all life is just a random accident. I have always felt like there was a higher power at work and I hope I can have full faith in whatever that power is by the time I die.

Solstice106 · #6 02-07-08, 08:40 AM

I used to be quite religious. In fact I used to make my parents drive me to chuch on Sat, Sun and Wed when I was in Jr. High school because I wanted to go and they did not go. Experiences I had there at church and also through my education and training have pushed me in the other direction. I am not religious at all now. I believe in connections between people, and in energy, and in the power of a good attitude. So I'd say I am somewhat spiritual, but not religious.

rado · #7 02-07-08, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solstice106

I believe in connections between people, and in energy, and in the power of a good attitude. So I'd say I am somewhat spiritual, but not religious.

You sound exactly like my wife does

She's the same...My wife's parents are Pentecostals and was raised that way up until she was about 17yrs old or so...Now she's just like stated above...But very open to everything...We both go to a Catholic & Pentecostal churches.

***THE BOUNCER*** · #8 02-07-08, 09:41 AM

i believe in science.

but then again, i would like to believe that i will see family members and pets again that have died in the past and that kind of goes against science.

goliath · #9 02-07-08, 09:58 AM

i don't believe in a deity of any kind. not only do i not believe in religion, but i am a very outspoken critic of organized religion and i think fundamentalists of any kind are very gullible and generally stupid.

***THE BOUNCER*** · #10 02-07-08, 09:59 AM

Goliath outspoken? really? lol.

One thing I don't do is put down others for what they believe in. You can believe in anything you want and I totally respect that. Just don't try to push that stuff on me.

rado · #11 02-07-08, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE BOUNCER

Goliath outspoken? really? lol.

One thing I don't do is put down others for what they believe in. You can believe in anything you want and I totally respect that. Just don't try to push that stuff on me.

Agreed...

goliath · #12 02-07-08, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE BOUNCER

Goliath outspoken? really? lol.

One thing I don't do is put down others for what they believe in. You can believe in anything you want and I totally respect that. Just don't try to push that stuff on me.

i have no problem with people who believe in god. hey, if it helps get you through the day, go for it. but people who believe that the stories in the bible are accurate depictions of real events. well...that's just stupid and gullible and they need to stop trying to legislate their stupidity.

mindstar · #13 02-07-08, 10:43 AM

i'm an athiest. it's an unpopular position in today's world, but I can find no convincing argument for the existence of God.

Not only that, but I personally feel that religion is ultimately a destructive force in our world. That is by no means to say that I believe all religious people are bad or anything like that, but merely that the institution, on the whole, contributes more to suffering than joy. This is another controversial belief and one that frequently arouses the ire of the religious people in my life and it is not meant with offence. I state it as a dispassionate fact or as close as one can come to such a thing.

I feel the need to add that many of my favourite people are religious and morally upright and good. My great-uncle is a priest and a great guy.

***THE BOUNCER*** · #14 02-07-08, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mindstar

I personally feel that religion is ultimately a destructive force in our world.

that is for sure. religion has been hand and hand with war from the beginning.

NewbieChris · #15 02-07-08, 11:03 AM

I was raised a God fearing Catholic. That was a little too serious for me. The idea that you had to prescribe to, and be certain about, things that are said by the Pope. In addition they have a far too strcit relationship with the scripture. I spent some time in a Presbyterian Chuch. I forget which denomination it was, but it was definitely the most liberal. That was a little too loose of a system for me. I finally ended up in an Episcopalian Church. Can't complain. I think there is a good balance between objective realization of scripture and spiritual belief.

I myself believe the bible is a book of moral tale. Whether it was handed down to man by God or not does not matter. Too many people take te book far too seriously. It is simply a guiding light. It may be dim because of time, but it is still a good rule. The idea is just to be good to the people, respectful. Treat people as you would want to be treated and such. Not a bad system. I also believe in God. However, I don't believe he is vengeful as he is in the Old Testament.

rado · #16 02-07-08, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewbieChris

I myself believe the bible is a book of moral tale. Whether it was handed down to man by God or not does not matter. Too many people take te book far too seriously. It is simply a guiding light. It may be dim because of time, but it is still a good rule. The idea is just to be good to the people, respectful. Treat people as you would want to be treated and such. Not a bad system. I also believe in God. However, I don't believe he is vengeful as he is in the Old Testament.

Exactly how I feel about it/\Well put...

NewbieChris · #17 02-07-08, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rado

Exactly how I feel about it/\Well put...

You're not Catholic then..according to the Church that is.

***THE BOUNCER*** · #18 02-07-08, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewbieChris

You're not Catholic then..according to the Church that is.

as i said many times. rado doesn't know what he thinks or believes in. lol

rado · #19 02-07-08, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewbieChris

You're not Catholic then..according to the Church that is.

By Church standards I'm not; correct...But I do read the bible a few times a week(comforting)and I enjoy the OT...I was Baptized and did my 1st communion...I go to Catholic Church, I believe in God, The Son and The Holy Spirit...I also believe we're all here for one purpose; to serve God...But you believe(not literally you)what makes you happy

rado · #20 02-07-08, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE BOUNCER

as i said many times. rado doesn't know what he thinks or believes in. lol

I believe what I WANT to believe and what makes me happy...You want to believe that you're big and strong & that makes you happy? Well good for you...But we know that's a lie

mindstar · #21 02-07-08, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewbieChris

I myself believe the bible is a book of moral tale. Whether it was handed down to man by God or not does not matter. Too many people take te book far too seriously. It is simply a guiding light. It may be dim because of time, but it is still a good rule. The idea is just to be good to the people, respectful. Treat people as you would want to be treated and such. Not a bad system. I also believe in God. However, I don't believe he is vengeful as he is in the Old Testament.

i'm not trying to be a dick here, but have you read the bible? There is some reprehensible stuff in there.

The tale of Lot is an interesting one. He offers his daughters to be raped by his village in order to spare his male guests and is rewarded by God for it. Abraham almost murders his own son, something that, if it were true, would certainly be scarring to say the least.

I don't think we need a religious book to be moral creatures. While it may help some people, there are enough contradictions in there as to make it almost irrelevant...unless you ignore the bits you don't like, in which case, how do we decide what is relevant?

SonofBone · #22 02-07-08, 02:22 PM

One thing that I find interesting is that if the Bible is so great then why does man get to pick and choose what goes in it as time goes on? I was recently watching a program on the History channel where they were talking about missing books such as the Book of Jubilee. That one discusses Christ's childhood & there was another one where the angels mated w/human's and created giants.

If we're going to have ancient stories in there, we should have all of them...not just the ones that religious leaders felt were appropriate at the time.