Who doesn't believe in religion?

[alwaysgrowing]

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.

I agree with organized religion being detrimental to life. Why do people need a group to lead their thinking? Each and every one os us are unique, and thus should be individual. Think for ourselves. Question why we do things, question authority.

And organized religion has done some good, but what about all the horrors. From the crusades, to the jihads, zealots are eternally striking down others who don't agree, or are different.

I beleive, that the only power, is knowing and understanding yourself. Once you have that power, nothing can stand in your way. Unless you become subservient to a group. Being a rebel, be an individual.

[goliath]

here is my issue with many religions. Many religions believe that this life, and how you live it, will decide what happens when this life expires.

So basically, the whole point of life is to audition for a part in a future play, that you don't even know what it is. That bothers me.

Live for today. The past is lost forever, and the future you may never see. Focus on what you have, focus on now.

That is just my humble opinion

christianity is basically a death cult. the central theme to christianity is death. life is not to be lived or enjoyed, it is a penance to be paid in which the reward is eternal life in the kingdom of heaven. but in order to have the ultimate goal realized, you must first die. church, praying, being holy, etc...it's all about preparation for death. the idol of this religion is a poor guy strapped to a cross, bleeding from every orifice! :dunno:

boy...sounds fun! sign me up.

[Bouncer]

i agree. it's a fairy tail - unfortunately.

yea, and thats really what i was asking about. its just a sad thought that things i love so much will never be seen again after this life. that bothers me. human emotion is almost a cruel thing.

[goliath]

yea, and thats really what i was asking about. its just a sad thought that things i love so much will never be seen again after this life. that bothers me. human emotion is almost a cruel thing.

it is very sad. i wish that i could believe - i really do. it would make death much easier for me to cope with. i have a very hard time with it...

but instead, i choose to celebrate life and cherish those i love while they are here. never take them for granted, tell them every day that i love them...i choose to live instead of spend my short life preparing for a death which will bring me nothing.

[alwaysgrowing]

christianity is basically a death cult. the central theme to christianity is death. life is not to be lived or enjoyed, it is a penance to be paid in which the reward is eternal life in the kingdom of heaven. but in order to have the ultimate goal realized, you must first die. church, praying, being holy, etc...it's all about preparation for death. the idol of this religion is a poor guy strapped to a cross, bleeding from every orifice! :dunno:

boy...sounds fun! sign me up.

The after life has been a huge part of religion for along time. The egyptians buried their elite with worldly goods to be brought to the next life. Including servants at times.

I prefer to believe as death in the way of Marcus Aurelius. When I die, one of two things happens. Either there is something out there, and i'll see it. Or more likely, I'll be free from all pain and desire this world brings.

[NewbieChris]

one more thing, then i'm off to bed.

newbiechris:
i just want to point out that you traveled the exact same pattern of debate as every intelligent person i debate this topic with. since my objective is not to corner you and cause you to question your own beliefs - i won't press the issue. but notice that you never tried to disprove the reasoning that i use to arrive at my conclusion. instead, you assume that i view science as an absolute and begin to poke holes in an argument which i never made.

No, I picked Dark Matter as an example because I just finished reading a book about it and it was on my mind as an 'illogical' truth. Something that we know exists, but is illogical. Its very similar to the God I believe in. If I know he exists, but logic cannot provide proof, that doesn't mean I am wrong. That is all I was saying. We don't live in a logic based world. The Universe has many illogical elements.

I'm sure this debate could go on forever.

I never understood this statement being directed towards those of us who once had religion in our life and now don't. If anything we are more open minded to see and accept something outside the box. A guy at work has told me that if I read the bible I would see things differently. I said I have read parts. He tells me I need to read the whole thing and if I did it would change my life. Obviously there is something inherently unbelievable about the book if it takes that much saturation to start believing it. If someone shows me any one science experiment one time, I believe in all the science behind it. I can do, you can do it. So why is that so hard to accept within religion? Who's not being open minded?

Who is to say, that because you have experienced both realms that you are unbiased? Haven't you ever read about homosexual Mormons? They have experienced both sides of the situation...and they certainly don't seem unbiased to me. To offer an objective opinion on something is very difficult for any human.

[goliath]

how do you know god exists?

[NewbieChris]

i agree. it's a fairy tail - unfortunately.

Perfect example of biased nature. You can't prove that. Use logic, science, etc. You can't prove it doesn't happen. Its fine to say, "I don't believe." but when you label it as a fairy tale, you might as well be calling everyone who has a deep belief in it stupid.

[goliath]

Perfect example of biased nature. You can't prove that. Use logic, science, etc. You can't prove it doesn't happen. Its fine to say, "I don't believe." but when you label it as a fairy tale, you might as well be calling everyone who has a deep belief in it stupid.

stupid, no....delusional, yes. ;)

and why not, it's very similar in nature to hundreds of story's which have been labeled fairy tails?

[NewbieChris]

how do you know god exists?

I don't. That is why it is called faith.

--

Also, please don't confuse me with someone like George Bush. I have faith in God and religion for many reasons. That does not, however, mean I discount science or progress for it. I believe faith is a malleable aspect of life. I believe God has one expectation of us, and that is community. The idea of being kind to your neighbor. Being good to the people around you. Generally having good will and not being a dick. Like I said earlier. I don't take the book as an absolute truth. Rather a tale to remind us of community. Things as old as the Bible date to society.

[goliath]

I don't. That is why it is called faith.

--

Also, please don't confuse me with someone like George Bush. I have faith in God and religion for many reasons. That does not, however, mean I discount science or progress for it. I believe faith is a malleable aspect of life. I believe God has one expectation of us, and that is community. The idea of being kind to your neighbor. Being good to the people around you. Generally having good will and not being a dick. Like I said earlier. I don't take the book as an absolute truth. Rather a tale to remind us of community. Things as old as the Bible date to society.

so it is a tale then? where did you read about this notion of heaven? on a bar napkin?

[NewbieChris]

stupid, no....delusional, yes. ;)

and why not, it's very similar in nature to hundreds of story's which have been labeled fairy tails?

Its different in the sense the the community around you does not label it as such. That is why society makes religion what it is. Its not just a tale because society does not want it to be. Its different because it is someones faith. Its different because its not respectful of that faith and belief system.

You and your deviant behavior.

[goliath]

Its different in the sense the the community around you does not label it as such. That is why society makes religion what it is. Its not just a tale because society does not want it to be. Its different because it is someones faith. Its different because its not respectful of that faith and belief system.

You and your deviant behavior.

so if enough people believe in something then it must be true?

[NewbieChris]

so it is a tale then? where did you read about this notion of heaven? on a bar napkin?

Oh, I completely believe the Bible is not divinely inspired. I believe it was written for the purpose above. That doesn't mean though, that I can't believe some of the books still have moral absolutes in them

I believe in organized religion, because I see it as something other than that. I see it as community. The sense that we live together.

And, I don't remember giving you a definition of what I think Heaven is...so no. I was not found on a napkin.

[Bouncer]

now the argument is starting to get less intelligent and is starting to go around in circles. this is the problem. these arguments never really end or come to a conclusion. the only thing we can do is worry about ourselves and what we believe in and not worry about what others believe.