Any atheists here who were once believers?

Balerion said:
Many do, yes. Christmas is no longer just a religious holiday, but a secular one. In fact, at least in the west, it's primarily a secular holiday.
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I bet you still believe in Santa Claus.

santa-claus-pics-0106.jpg
 
Mazulu said:
But when some of these wicked rotten people go overboard with their atheism, people like Richard Dawkins, and try to trick other people into thinking that God does not or cannot exist, I will be waiting for them.
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Dawkins never said a god cannot exist. And how is he tricking people into thinking God doesn't exist?

And what will you be waiting for them with, exactly? Metaphorical pictures in lieu of substantive arguments? Unsupported claims and appeals to magic?
 
Mazulu said:
I bet you still believe in Santa Claus.

santa-claus-pics-0106.jpg
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I believe in Santa Claus. He makes my life better. Sometimes I speak to him but at this time of year he is starting to get busy so I do most of my talking to him through Rudolph.

Do you believe? You aren't one of those wicked liars who deny Santa are you? "Rudolph, with your nose so bright won't you guide my sleigh tonight?". The message is so uplifting, it gets to me every time.

The animals don't lie and they know what's true. If he wasn't real they wouldn't be listening to him like that.
 
Mazulu said:
wegs,
I have had many spiritual and metaphysical experiences with God. But believing in God, believing in a Higher Power is still an act of faith. If being an atheist makes your life better and happier, than you have a right to live that way.

But when some of these wicked rotten people go overboard with their atheism, people like Richard Dawkins, and try to trick other people into thinking that God does not or cannot exist, I will be waiting for them.
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Yes, I hear you. If you feel at peace through some form of faith or spirituality, then who can judge you?
Letting go of spiritually and religion, no one will need to know what I follow.
If someone asks me, fine. But there's nothing to prove for me , anymore.

I was reading something the other day about "joining the atheist movement," and it surprised me that there was such a thing.
So...I guess there are ways to be active in it, if I so chose to.

I'm not interested in speaking out against religion though. I know there are some outspoken famous atheists and that's fine but not my thing.
Live and let live.
 
Yeah, but the man sure knows how to wear pantaloons, no?
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Few men can wear pantaloons as well as he can..


Magical Realist said:
Seek and ye shall find!

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You, Sir, are my guardian angel!

Although..

I don't know whether to be disturbed or turned on at this point..

And I wonder if it's berry scented bath bubbles..

Oh God..

/Has said too much.. :bawl:


Mazulu said:
But when some of these wicked rotten people go overboard with their atheism, people like Richard Dawkins, and try to trick other people into thinking that God does not or cannot exist, I will be waiting for them.
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With what?

Are you planning to smite them with your spirits?
 
wegs said:
Yes, I hear you. If you feel at peace through some form of faith or spirituality, then who can judge you?
Letting go of spiritually and religion, no one will need to know what I follow.
If someone asks me, fine. But there's nothing to prove for me , anymore.

I was reading something the other day about "joining the atheist movement," and it surprised me that there was such a thing.
So...I guess there are ways to be active in it, if I so chose to.

I'm not interested in speaking out against religion though. I know there are some outspoken famous atheists and that's fine but not my thing.
Live and let live.
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I've never quite understood that either. People quit going to church and now they are, in effect, going to another (non-religious) service on Sunday to be preached to by someone else :)

People have a right to do that if it does something for them. It does give the appearance that some people continue to need some kind of crutch. Unless it's for political reasons (to push atheism) I don't see why one would organize meetings as an atheist. It's the only non-belief that I know of that binds people together.

It would be like all the people who aren't interested in football getting together due to their common interest :)
 
Seattle said:
I've never quite understood that either. People quit going to church and now they are, in effect, going to another (non-religious) service on Sunday to be preached to by someone else :)

People have a right to do that if it does something for them. It does give the appearance that some people continue to need some kind of crutch. Unless it's for political reasons (to push atheism) I don't see why one would organize meetings as an atheist. It's the only non-belief that I know of that binds people together.

It would be like all the people who aren't interested in football getting together due to their common interest :)
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Could be political reasons but I had something else to do at the time I stumbled upon it, and didn't look into it. I'm going to a local "support" group this week for people who left their faiths and are now atheist or agnostic. I'm not sure what to expect but they do community charity work as a group.

Are you an atheist or agnostic Seattle? Just curious. :)
 
wegs said:
Could be political reasons but I had something else to do at the time I stumbled upon it, and didn't look into it. I'm going to a local "support" group this week for people who left their faiths and are now atheist or agnostic. I'm not sure what to expect but they do community charity work as a group.

Are you an atheist or agnostic Seattle? Just curious. :)
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I try not to use labels because they generally mean different things to different people. I see no evidence for the supernatural. If it's out there I'm open. I'm as open to God being real as I am to there being unicorns. I wouldn't call that being agnostic and yet if I use the label "atheist" some people will put words in my mouth and insist that I "know" that there is no God just like they "know" that there is a God.

Their "knowledge" is based on pretending to know what they can't know. My position is based on having no evidence. If science were to show using the scientific method (for example) that before the Big Bang there was some supernatural force and show it with the same kind of evidence as exists for evolution (100 years of not being able to falsify evolution) then that would change my mind.

To me, it's ridiculous to have to justify why I'm not religious (no evidence) when no one would ever ask me why I didn't believe in anything else for which there was no evidence. That doesn't happen regarding any other subject because (to quote Jan) it's just common sense :)
 
Seattle said:
I try not to use labels because they generally mean different things to different people. I see no evidence for the supernatural. If it's out there I'm open. I'm as open to God being real as I am to there being unicorns. I wouldn't call that being agnostic and yet if I use the label "atheist" some people will put words in my mouth and insist that I "know" that there is no God just like they "know" that there is a God.

Their "knowledge" is based on pretending to know what they can't know. My position is based on having no evidence. If science were to show using the scientific method (for example) that before the Big Bang there was some supernatural force and show it with the same kind of evidence as exists for evolution (100 years of not being able to falsify evolution) then that would change my mind.

To me, it's ridiculous to have to justify why I'm not religious (no evidence) when no one would even ask my why I didn't believe in anything else for which there was no evidence. That doesn't happen regarding any other subject because (to quote Jan) it's just common sense :)
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Fair enough. I like how you say this. I don't know if there is a god but I don't have to know and it's a relief in some respects to just accept that about myself. Christianity shaped who I was for a long time so it has been a gradual process for me of getting familiar with who I really am and not who I was as defined by the religion I once followed. I think that's been the more challenging part for me. And not praying anymore. I may take up some form of meditative yoga as I do miss the contemplative part of faith.

You have a keen insight to things, Seattle.
 
wegs said:
Fair enough. I like how you say this. I don't know if there is a god but I don't have to know and it's a relief in some respects to just accept that about myself. Christianity shaped who I was for a long time so it has been a gradual process for me of getting familiar with who I really am and not who I was as defined by the religion I once followed. I think that's been the more challenging part for me. And not praying anymore. I may take up some form of meditative yoga as I do miss the contemplative part of faith.

You have a keen insight to things, Seattle.
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I can see how it would be an adjustment. I think you'll realize that all of the good aspects that you associated with faith are still there for you without the mumbo-jumbo :) You can still be contemplative, think good thoughts, help others, etc.

I used to volunteer on Sunday afternoons at our local aquarium, talking to the visitors. If you volunteer on Sundays at a soup kitchen (or whatever) I'm sure you will get more out of it than you did sitting in church being told that you were a sinner and needed forgiveness :)
 
wegs said:
Aw, that's great that you did that.

On the topic of sin, mercy and forgiveness. I never understood why man's relationship to God was to always be asking for forgiveness and his mercy. In theory, it can be humbling. But ...you are right. Church sermons were typically about how unworthy mankind is and how Jesus paid a price for its sin. And repentance and such. Again, it can instill humility but more often than not, it can elicit fear and feelings of unworthiness. If a god exists...why does he view his own creation as unworthy?

Forgive me...this strictly Christian doctrine I'm speaking of. I know not all faiths certainly approach it this way.

I'm also over simplifying. Christianity has its beauty too ...
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The funny thing is the beauty of it...as you say humility, non-judgmental (that's for God) :) , walk a mile in your brother's shoes, etc. Those are all good things. However that's never the focus of many churches it seems to me. It's always about "them vs us", the sinners, those immoral people, etc.

The Jesus giving his life thing is funny (to me). God is the father, son and holy ghost. So he waits 13 billions years or so after he creates the universe to "create" man. Even on Earth he waits 4 billion years or so. Even after man appears he waits at least 100,000 years before he sends Jesus down (which is himself) to die for "our" sins (the man that he "created"). So he kills himself to save us?

Really, you couldn't write a crazier sitcom on TV than that particular story.

The Jesus as a hippy with peace and love for everyone is a great story. It's funny that the 60's with the hippies of that era weren't especially embraced by the church :)
 
Seattle said:
The funny thing is the beauty of it...as you say humility, non-judgmental (that's for God) :) , walk a mile in your brother's shoes, etc. Those are all good things. However that's never the focus of many churches it seems to me. It's always about "them vs us", the sinners, those immoral people, etc.

The Jesus giving his life thing is funny (to me). God is the father, son and holy ghost. So he waits 13 billions years or so after he creates the universe to "create" man. Even on Earth he waits 4 billion years or so. Even after man appears he waits at least 100,000 years before he sends Jesus down (which is himself) to die for "our" sins (the man that he "created"). So he kills himself to save us?

Really, you couldn't write a crazier sitcom on TV than that particular story.

The Jesus as a hippy with peace and love for everyone is a great story. It's funny that the 60's with the hippies of that era weren't especially embraced by the church :)
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How is it that I delete posts and they show back up? :D lol
I guess i just don't want to talk about it, anymore. It's in my past now.

Thanks for listening and chatting.
 
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