Hopefully you don't become obsessed con yourself...because that is the start of not caring about others.
You make being an 'unbeliever' (gasp! the horror!) sound like a terrible terrible thing. I'll let you in on a little secret...
It's not. My life is not an empty morass of sorrow and wickedness, and neither are the lives of the other atheists I know. In fact, I find that we are far happier people for it, without the fear of an unknown higher power looming over us. It's a different paradigm; you can't imagine how we live without the comforting presence of God and we can't imagine how you can believe something based on... nothing.
I can assure you, every single person I know who has renounced religion (or even decided that it shouldn't play such a large role in their lives) feels far better for it; they describe it as a release, like a great weight has lifted from them. What has lifted? Fear and guilt. Fear of what? Damnation and sinning against God. Guilt? Feeling bad for doing things that they've been told are 'against God' or just plain bad but secretly partake in.
I think the main thing you have to realise for this sort of paradigm shift is the fact that religion is a system imposed upon the world, rather then the other way around. When you can accept the fact that the world is what it is, rather than what's been created, you will be intellectually freed.
It gladdens me that you even consider the fact that we're 'making sense'; it tells me that people are capable of rational thought every now and then. Do you need religion to spread some love? Not by a long shot. Your heart and head can work together, rather than one being subordinate to the other. *gush gush gush puke*
Well look at me. You've warmed this cynic's heart, I hope you're bloody happy.
It's not. My life is not an empty morass of sorrow and wickedness, and neither are the lives of the other atheists I know. In fact, I find that we are far happier people for it, without the fear of an unknown higher power looming over us. It's a different paradigm; you can't imagine how we live without the comforting presence of God and we can't imagine how you can believe something based on... nothing.
I can assure you, every single person I know who has renounced religion (or even decided that it shouldn't play such a large role in their lives) feels far better for it; they describe it as a release, like a great weight has lifted from them. What has lifted? Fear and guilt. Fear of what? Damnation and sinning against God. Guilt? Feeling bad for doing things that they've been told are 'against God' or just plain bad but secretly partake in.
I think the main thing you have to realise for this sort of paradigm shift is the fact that religion is a system imposed upon the world, rather then the other way around. When you can accept the fact that the world is what it is, rather than what's been created, you will be intellectually freed.
It gladdens me that you even consider the fact that we're 'making sense'; it tells me that people are capable of rational thought every now and then. Do you need religion to spread some love? Not by a long shot. Your heart and head can work together, rather than one being subordinate to the other. *gush gush gush puke*
Well look at me. You've warmed this cynic's heart, I hope you're bloody happy.
Kizlevru Life is not that bad...
It's all about aptitude, and the way you want to perceive things in general.
Quote:My family has died all around me, faster than the months falling of a calendar. My financial and employment track has fallen by the wayside, I've had more bad luck than a lot of people I know, in general life's not been very kind. But I always found it in me to think of others first. Well, I know I don't have much left out of my three score and ten so I might as well make up for lost time by starting now. I will not be a label, not athiest not theist, not agnostic, not anything, but me. And in the end there will be dust to dust,, and that will be it, no heaven, no hell. Y'now perhaps John Lennon hit it on the head with the words in his song "Imagine". Well after all he was my hero.
The above statement is what motivated me to write this, don't dwell in despair, keep on trucking, life kicks, and turns, but if your aptitude is high you'll be able to get through it, no matter what you believe, i'ts only you, and you alone who must determine the next course of action.
Neither bread nor money will fall from the sky, wether you believe in god or not, so keep ya chin up man, life is all we got!.
It's all about aptitude, and the way you want to perceive things in general.
Quote:My family has died all around me, faster than the months falling of a calendar. My financial and employment track has fallen by the wayside, I've had more bad luck than a lot of people I know, in general life's not been very kind. But I always found it in me to think of others first. Well, I know I don't have much left out of my three score and ten so I might as well make up for lost time by starting now. I will not be a label, not athiest not theist, not agnostic, not anything, but me. And in the end there will be dust to dust,, and that will be it, no heaven, no hell. Y'now perhaps John Lennon hit it on the head with the words in his song "Imagine". Well after all he was my hero.
The above statement is what motivated me to write this, don't dwell in despair, keep on trucking, life kicks, and turns, but if your aptitude is high you'll be able to get through it, no matter what you believe, i'ts only you, and you alone who must determine the next course of action.
Neither bread nor money will fall from the sky, wether you believe in god or not, so keep ya chin up man, life is all we got!.
By the way
This will be my last post in a long while... I'm moving. By the grace of God I have been offered another job, and I have accepted both the grace and the job
The only way towards getting to know God is through getting to know Jesus, and that at least, is historically possible and feasible, even if you have to learn Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic because you don't trust the translators.
http://www.gospelcom.net/faithfacts/maps_m.html
This will be my last post in a long while... I'm moving. By the grace of God I have been offered another job, and I have accepted both the grace and the job
The only way towards getting to know God is through getting to know Jesus, and that at least, is historically possible and feasible, even if you have to learn Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic because you don't trust the translators.
http://www.gospelcom.net/faithfacts/maps_m.html
Thats the ticket Kiz. Reading a boring old book will definately not make you happy. Fact is we do not have more than life...its all we got so make good use of it!