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Can you provide a label for my belief system?

Agnostic? Atheist? Freethinker? Freebeliever? I've recently come to the conclusion that it all boils down to believing if disembodied souls can exist (spirits, ghosts, gods, etc.). Since I can't come even close to explaining how a disembodied soul could exist (What is it made of?), they are an impossibility to me, and thus I don't believe they exist. Because of the non-existence of disembodied souls, there is no life after death; no spirit repositories such as heaven, hell, or purgatory; and no reincarnation of souls (Who or what created the mechanism for reincarnation, anyway? If no god, how did the rules or laws of reincarnation come to be?). Also, since gods are disembodied souls (with special powers, of course), I don't believe they exist, too.

Aspiritual? Asupernaturalist? Soul-is-brain-ist? Physics-ist? Help!

GlyndonD 7 Mar 8
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24 comments

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8

I'm gonna get drunk now.

I'm thinking that's the only answer that makes sense.

5

I'm curious. Why do you feel the need to label whatever you believe, or don't believe?

Even this website wants you to label yourself. None of those labels accurately describe my thinkings or believings. I guess it's also an efficiency thing. The label would be to help others know me. So far, nobody has come up with an acceptable label.

@GlyndonD Thank you for answering my question. Good luck finding your label.

4

I say no to the question: Are you religious? Therefore, I don't need a religious label.

So, "Irreligious" is what you suggest? That suggests I just don't believe in religions. I could still believe in mysticism. How about Amysticist?

@GlyndonD I'm suggesting no label as you appear to lack a system of beliefs. If I had to pick a religious label, nihilist would be mine as all gods are baseless and my life has the same meaning as my dog's, none that I can find.

I have my beliefs, as everyone does, but they don't include the existence of gods or spirits. "Atheist" and "agnostic" talk about the existence of gods. They don't say anything about the existence of spirits. And thus my inquiry.

how about not splitting hairs? just saying

@GlyndonD There just words. I simply don't understand the desire to label yourself for the things you don't do. We don't require labels for people who don't rape or kill.

2

Why do you need a name? my dogs don't believe.

See above.

oh, I completely understand that. I was more on about atheist, believer, devil worshipper. the key is to ask and not assume

2

I believe in ghosts, but not god. I call myself an atheist, but I'm more an agnostic, in that I believe I'll know only after I die. If there is a God, which I incredibly doubt, he's an asshole and I'd like a few words with him.

I don't think there's anything wrong with being an atheist who believes in ghosts.

And this is exactly what I'm talking about. I don't believe gods exist (therefore, I'm an atheist), and I also don't believe that souls, spirits, or ghosts exist. What label encompasses both of these disbeliefs?

2

If you lack a day to day belief in a personal interacting god, that qualifies as an atheist, regardless of which overlapping labels you might decide to add.

Do I need to add a label to my being an atheist? What would that label be which says I don't believe in souls, spirits, or ghosts? And you're sure there isn't one label that encompasses both of these labels? That's what I'm searching for.

1

I'm fine with the atheist label, simple direct and truthful.

But sufficient? Do you care if it deals with what you believe regarding life after death?

@GlyndonD As an atheist, I have no god belief. As a somewhat educated person, I know what happens to the physical human body after death. When the brain dies, consciousness dies. The end.

I think the struggle to accept that end, the human fear of no longer existing is what gives rise to supernatural beliefs.

I agree. I've posted my theory of how evolution's survival instinct morphed into human being's creation of the concept of a soul and eternal life. Humans, along with every other animal, will do anything they can to escape death, except that humans will also employ an idea as well as their legs.

1

chill

1

Given that the only reality you are in at the moment is 'here and now' 'on planet earth' - your belief system is easily explained with agnostic/atheist - given that you also ruled out life after death - no other words needed - or; wait and see what happens if you manage to transcend and reach another plane of being - then you can choose your own word.

I'm going with Asupernaturalist. And that's that.

1

Nobody knows for sur

1

We are all animals i do believe, we have lost our insulating hair and we have problem solving brains and imposable thumbs! We are unique and there are many theories as to why and/or how!!

0

I don't do these 'naming' posts anything that woeks to persuade the other person to stop bothering me about a god is fine by me .

But what about life after death? That's my point that many people refuse to acknowledge. I guess they've lost their faith in the existence of a god, but still cling to a faith that they will "live" forever.

How silly that, too.

0

Seems to me that atheist is as good as any, if you really need a label.

Nope

@GlyndonD Meaning 'Nope its isn't as good as any' or 'Nope I don't need a label'?

@Coffeo yep

0

How about... none of this is real, and therefore it doesn’t matter. ??

I think, therefore I am.

0

Nature extends far beyond our planet, we only think of nature as being animals, trees, plants, lakes etc. Wikipedia says, "...Nature, in the broadest sense, is the natural, physical, or material world or universe." Let me ask you, why do you need a label, understanding all, dissecting all, compartmentalizing everything is mans weakness, not his strength imo.

I don't need one. I want one. Along with, or including, having the convenience associated with the atheist label, I want the convenience of having a label for those of us that don't believe in life after death. Comprende?

0

The whole Afterlife thing came from way back, when the human mind discovered its own mortality. We invented living on as a kind of "workaround" for our brains. One major coping mechanism, a product of mental evolution.

Agreed

0

Labels are for cans, jars and lab samples. We are what we are. I identify as Gaian, but one might also call me atheist, recovering Christian or all kinds of names

I'm happy you've found sufficient labels for yourself. I apologize for any inconvenience I've caused you in seeking mine.

@GlyndonD no inconvenience at all.
I have observed throughout the years that fixed labels, boxes and brackets cannot properly describe life's fluidity in motion. People and their faiths are of a gradient as well.

@Leafhead At a minimum, the label I'm seeking is for someone who does not believe in life after death.

0

I'm human, I am a Humanist...I want to believe in as many true things as possible and as few false things as possible. With that said logic, reason and the scientific method have produce the most consistent and reliable results.

0

Naturalism is the word you are describing.

That would be consistent, but if I call myself a naturalist, would a person then think I don't believe in gods or spirits? I don't think that would do the trick for me.

@GlyndonD Yes. You said you don't believe in gods or spirits or ghosts. That's philosophical Naturalism. Belief only in the natural world.

True, but to the layman, being a naturalist probably means I eat a lot of granola and walk around naked all the time. That's not fulfilling my objectives in finding a good label for my beliefs and lack thereof.

@GlyndonD Hence the qualifier 'philosophical', cause I knew you were gonna go there.

@GlyndonD I doubt many "laymen" will be talking to you. And if they do, they'll probably leg it sharpish.

Nice.

0

Does the world really need more labels? Do You really need to label yourself? So limiting

Labels can provide a very efficient way of conveying information. For example, I'm guessing that you came to this website because of the label "agnostic". I'm just looking for a better label than that for me and others like me.

0

Definitely not a Cartesian dualist! From there I'd just call you, well, you. A down-to-earther?

That's not specific to my disbelief in gods or spirits. It would only cause confusion to people I'm trying to describe myself to.

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As far as I know teh terms agnostic (without knowing ) or atheist (without gods) covers all of that, and is simple.

They don't address life after death.

@GlyndonD that is because it is in the realm of the unknown 'of that we cannot speak' as it is 'unknown' we don't need words for a state that is not yet proven to exist.

I want to quickly and correctly transfer the information to someone that I don't believe in gods or spirits. Labels can sometimes perform that function very well. Got a better label than "Atheist" that will fulfill my objective?

0

I don't believe in embodied souls either, we (our self awareness) are just a function of our brains.

Agreed. By "soul", I meant our consciousness/personality/being, etc..

0

Logical

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