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Where are you on the bridge? What are YOU doing there?

For many years I have thought of agnosticism as a bridge - a metaphor for the means of completing the journey from the delusions of religion to the safe uplands of secular freethinking.

Are you?

A) someone who has found that there may be a way out the stranglehold of religion and tentatively tries just a few steps to ‘test out’ the strength of the bridge.
B) someone who is firmly on the bridge and is quite happy to stay there for ever and has given up testing because it “seems fine at the moment”.
C) Someone who has crossed the bridge , seen the benefits of freethinking and is willing to go back over it to help as many people as possible cross over.

I make no apologies for using metaphors because that is the method the prophets have used quite successfully and certain people can only think in this way.

The only answer I really want is “Is the metaphor useful? ”

Mcflewster 8 Sep 13
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22 comments

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For many years I havent given it any thought unless someone has brought it up religion or irreligion or any other kind of spirituality doesnt enter my head and thats the way I really want to be.

In a way you are in an ideal state as far as agnosticism is concerned and we should look to a future where everyone feels like that. We have potentially a lot of troubled people before that happens though. Do you see the establishment of this website as a step along the bridge? A guide to the future? Metaphores were such a large part of establishing religion . Do you think that they will playa large part in getting rid of religious thought?

@Mcflewster I really don't know and I really don't mind what people choose to think as long as they stay somehow engaged with everything that isn't about religious thought as well. I actually don't mind engaging with people who know I am atheist who talk about their belief, because there isnt much common ground for us to play on so we end up just having a normal conversation - I don't meet many proseletysers; maybe because I was born in London (a pretty godless place post-war) None of my extended family have a god and I now live in Northern Ireland which is also careful about conversations that might lead to a bit of heat - where I live is by the sea and the glens of antrim so people are in beautiful forests mountains sea and countryside - they go to church or chapel but no big deal they don't talk about it.

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I have never needed a bridge. Always had my feet firmly on terra ferma.

Except when bungee jumping. 😉

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I'm at C but doing this is difficult.

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I'm crossing the bridge right now and seeing all the benefits of freethinking. Someday I hope to go back bring others out of the darkness of religious bs. I hope us non believers out number the religious fool some day.

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I have always been atheist as my parents were before me; and my grandmother; the others but going though the first world war would be enough to make you sceptical to say the least.

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When I saw the title of this topic I thought it was about Scientology. 😀

1

Atheist: there is no imaginary, invisible, all powerful critter, fucking with us on this planet.

Agnostic: it is not possible to KNOW how the universe was created

Any other positions are stupid.

Your definition of atheism is a subset of the definition used within the context of contemporary discourse, which is effectively the non-acceptance of god claims. This subset is often labeled as hard / strong / positive / gnostic atheism.

3

I think the metaphore works. Even though the words themselves (agnostic and atheist) are really referencing two different things. I can see agnosticism as a path, or bridge in your metaphore, to atheism. I think that's how it worked for me. From my previous religious point of view, atheist seemed too definitive at that time. Agnostic just seemed to acknowledge that I didn't have all the answers. And it seemed more palatable. Once I felt comfortable saying I was agnostic, I could view religion with an open mind and investigate the idea more freely. The more I learned, the easier it became for me to embrace atheism.

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C.

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I'm on a different bridge now--at the helm of the ship of my own mind, where religion has no place. As my avatar proclaimed: "My own mind is my own church," and "The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion."

0

I'm an agnostic and have no problems with being there. I don't believe in a deity or traditional religion, but I feel there's so much about life we don't know, that's beyond our comprehension, and I relish the mystery.

1

Over thinking perhaps? I just do not believe after I learned about Santa Claus. That was it for me.

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I was never a theist.
I wasn't brought up in a religious household, so There was never any bridge.

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I am definitely C - I have firmly crossed the bridge and am happy on this side, but also willing to meet some folks halfway when they tentatively put a foot on the bridge and need a helping hand crossing over, or just want some company enjoying the view, from a point of looking at both sides. I do think the term "agnostic" is a helpful bridge word, between believers and atheists.

1

If the metaphor is useful to you, that's all that matters.

I'm an atheist. If asked, I have no problem explaining my position.
While I detest religion and truly wish people weren't insisting on being
delusional, it's not my job to bring anyone to logic and reason.
I've learned you can't anyway. They've got to come to those realizations
on their own.

I'm also an anti-theist want truly want all belief in gods and religion to stop.
It's harmful for believer and non-believer alike.

0

maybe to some. not to me. there was no bridge for me. i wasn't religious but i believed in a personal god. it wasn't an important part of my life but he was just sort of there to listen to me (not listen and grant favors, just listen). then i realized that was a fantasy. as i've said elsewhere, it wasn't traumatic. it was just a realization. there's no god... oh, okay. i didn't even think to mention it to my parents, who likely wouldn't have cared. you think there's no god? oh, okay. so i didn't have to crawl from point a to point b. i was never at any of those points lol

g

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No i hate metaphors

They were particularly effective in getting people INTO religion [e.g. an Angel is a metaphor for a non existent best friend] . So do you not think that they could help people OUT of religion?

@Mcflewster that is like saying to get over my cyanide poisoning i should go snort more

@skepticaljerk This was just a suggestion about how people get to have ridiculous beliefs. I was not suggesting that you did anything. QUITE POSSIBLY metaphors will not help quite a few people leave religion.

@Mcflewster but there is the problem because most people joining are tricked or fooled into thinking a god is logical with metaphors do want to essentially tricked them again

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I don’t find it useful personally. I’ve never crossed the bridge, never been on it, never seen it.

1

I was always wandering around in the uplands and curiously watched the people running around in circles on the other side. Did I come by this bridge? Maybe, but I don't remember the thought of exploring it ever crossing my mind. I'm fine where I am.

Dietl Level 7 Sep 13, 2018

Some are rocketed over by enlightened parents but you could try walking back over the bridge to rescue others . I was confirmed for example -it may not apply to you - but I often think "Why did I let that happen to me?

I think they can hear me very well on the other side. I'll try to encourage them, but they have to be willing to seek the bridge for themselves.

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I crossed that bridge over 55 years ago and have never regretted it.

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I don't bother to argue or even talk to people about Christianity. I just defriend, block and/or ignore them.

Pity. As long as you treat people as not stupid , you can do a lot to alter people's thinking and it just going to be hard graft to get where we want to be

@Mcflewster People who believe something without facts, won't change their minds because of facts. It's an exercise in futility to argue with them. But, hey, do whatever you want, LOL!

2

To me it seems I can only teach by example it's difficult to talk reason to someone who is unreasonable.

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