It's interesting to see all the new atheists
It's kinda funny. I left the Southern Baptists in the 80's and the christian faith as a whole in the 90's. I was agnostic until around 2005 and atheist then anti-theist in 2007. I studied comparative religion and the Upanishads along with other sources until 2012 when I sought refuge in the Buddha and his dharma and the sangha.
My beliefs are secular of course. I ultimately feel we are all part of a universal consciousness - christian, muslim, atheist, whatever. We're all going to the same destination ... just following different paths to get there.
But along the way you start noticing people falling in behind you. Discovering the same path. The same books, the same arguments, the same questions, the same conclusions. I find it interesting to see the wide variety of people who end up here in some manner and when/how. So many different beginnings.
It IS possible to find a stopping point. A place where you feel your search has ended. I found one and hope all of you do as well. When you do make sure to help those who fall in behind. Everyone's path is a little different but we all are human and have similar leanings. I think eventually man will evolve past this need for selfishness and be more like his true self. But we have to help each other get there.
namaste
2
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
3 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.While it is an interesting journey you have described, I'm a little perplexed by two, to me, inconsistent statements. The first, antitheist in 2007, and the second that we're all, religionists and non believers alike, going to the same destination just different paths. And what is that common destination? Religionists and fellow travellers believe in some afterlife of some kind. Non religionists reject this belief. Hardly the same path either; mysticism on the one hand and reason on the other. Also, 'universal consciousness' in my view is a new age reference to God, by another term. I agree about the growing and I think global trend away from religion, with common reference to authors and books and arguments. But you don't seem very anti theist to me, if I may say so.
David1955
Level 8
Feb 10, 2019
1
I WAS anti-theist. No longer. Thought I said that above. I don't doubt that the universal consciousness sounds like some sort of god. The ancient minds personified it and called it "god".
IMO there is a common ground toward which religious and non-religious people might evolve. That common ground involves looking beyond belief in dogmatic ideas of all types both religious and materialistic—looking beyond belief itself and coming to a state of deep awe and awareness of the significance of nature in all her mystery. That common ground is transcendence or awareness of unity with reality.
@JeffMesser oh I see. Rereading, I now see that the use of the preposition "in" in 2007 meant only in that year and not "from" that year. My only follow up comment, and it's not meant critically but as advice, is that be careful not to be on that eternal religion search "kick" that some people do. "First I was this, then I became that, and after I was the other, and now I'm a ...." It's the novelty of finding a new religious "thing" But the novelty wears off. Time to find something new. "I'm on my spiritual journey..yadayadayada" I've heard all that many times. It becomes a kind of addiction. I sincerely hope that is not you.
Our history so far suggests we will destroy ourselves possibly we will poison ourselves in some environmental disaster and then when we
are extinct the earth will repair itself and live at peace. But until then .... cake ! ?
SimonCyrene
Level 7
Feb 10, 2019
2
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
Share this post
Categories
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.