I am bemused that people would talk so much about religion, mostly Christianity, on here. . I’m mainly confused about the depth of biblical discussion. It’s almost as though people take the bible as gospel. . I’m here because I don’t believe in it and I’ve done my thinking some time ago. I suppose that religious discussions are from people who are less sure of a lack of a god.
We could talk about the beauty of the world. The ugly of the world.
I’m afraid that I steer clear of religious discussion. Maybe I’m wrong.
PS; I’ve edited this to reduce the criticism. Bemused probably sums up my views better anyway.
I'm a bit bemused, but since I was once a believer and intense bible study changed my mind, I'm still in the occasional bible discussion. I try to hold back and limit myself because so many of these go around in circles. Believers just do not give up. They have all sorts of nonsense to try and prove their god. The reality is that there is no proof either way. I simply deal with evidence and logic. Jesus was not raised up into the clouds and Mohammed did not fly to heaven on a winged horse.
Would you be surprised to find discussion of the meat industry on a site about veganism? Or capitalism on a communist site? Then why religion on an agnostic/atheist site such as this?
Religion is our common enemy; our shared opposition to it is what brought us all here. So of course we're going to talk about it .
So, you want to just shut up, sit back and let the theists take over and return society back to the dark ages?
Right on!!! I was going to post something along that line, but you have hit the nail on the head, no point in my posting it now, ha ha!
Agreed. I feel tired of posts about an invisible god, the Bible and Christianity.
As an atheist since age 13, that ship sailed over 50 years ago.
I chose rational thinking, not magical beliefs.
I am not an atheist. The reason is that I refuse to spend all my valuable time arguing about something so foolish as characters that come back from the dead- or any other carny tricks. I am agnostic, because I have interest in verifiable history and I wonder about what is unknown and possibly unknowable. How many "big bangs" have there been; is there one every 13 or 14 billion year, and is there some cognitive entity causing all this?
As an atheist, I am comfortable with mystery in life. Science is advancing every year.
@LiterateHiker Agreed! Something to consider: when we have "all the answers", we will be able to create ourselves from nothing--- and create another universe from nothing.
Yes, this sounds like I believe in some mystical being. Puleez forget that one.
I agree. We should be talking about how to find truth through science and philosophy not the Bible, Quran, Talmud or whatever. I think the discussions about the Bible are because it is foisted upon us by the believers.
@Bn4fE5 I rarely have posted much but I comment almost every day mostly on these subjects.
Tough crowd, eh?
A lot of people have a lot of venting to do, and this is the place in which to do it. It might seem that they are preoccupied, and maybe some are, but I bet that religion does not feature so prominently in the rest of their lives. It is just a bit amplified here.
OTOH, I do know some people who like to go out and debate religious people. I have no idea what the purpose of that is. They'll even debate about what is or isn't in the Bible. WTF, it's a book of fiction.
A part of human nature is to seek out those with whom you find common beliefs. Here on the Agnostic site one of the ways to find those people is to share experiences and find support for common beliefs. In a nation, community, or family where the accepted social expectation is to embrace religion it is a comfort to be able to express your disbelief without condemnation.
And just as you have expressed your irritation because you have resolved the issue there are those who need to be heard as they attempt to resolve their disbelief.
Thank you for contributing to the conversation and please think about assisting those who are less comfortable with their decision not to believe reach the certainly and acceptance that you have.
That's because atheists don't hedge or provaricate. We don't need a site named after us because we are comfortable in our skin and with who we are. And we do get tired of the religious talk when there are so many more important issues our there.
Having said this, I understand newbies still trying to work out their issues in their attempt to shed the detritus of religion.
Well, some people who have been living most of their lives in suffocating religious communities need this outlet, especially ones from the US. So it is good for them to have this. Some places in the US they would be one of the very few people who no longer go to church and it can be very frightening and intimidating. We need to be there for them.
Or you could stop visiting and posting in the Religion & Spirituality group. it's like going to the Nude beach and complaining about all the undressed people.
If any member doesn't wish to engage in any religious discussion, they are
not required to.
There are others who do, or have no issue with it.
If you don't want to talk about religion, don't. No one is forcing anyone else
to participate in any discussions of anything. If a topic comes up that you don't
want to talk about, scroll on.
Beyond that, no one gets to determine what will be discussed here, and what won't.
That's how it works.
It's probably because the name of this site is Agnostic.com. The word agnostic is mostly used to define someone's religious beliefs. I would assume anyone attracted to a site with a name that is about religion would be interested in their and other people's beliefs on the subject. I know I am.
I went through a period when I was younger that I didn't care about religion at all. At that time, I would never have even noticed a place like this. I'm speaking for myself of course, but that's my take on it.
Agnosticism is a religion like "off" is a tv channel.
@Grahame you're missing my point. Lots of people are atheists, but people who aren't interested in religion subscribe to sites about fishing, or knitting, or dog breeds etc. not where that title of the site concerns religion. I'm a woodworker and I belong to a woodworker forum, religion is never discussed there. I joined this one because I also enjoy reading about different beliefs and opinions about religion.
@Grahame So what is to be explained? How many "Big Bangs" have there been- and what caused any of them? Another question: "the universe is immense", compared to what? Maybe the question should be: how 'small' is the universe.
So god-dude created the "flat-known-world, and those twinkly things in the sky, in seven days". Ya, well I'm in for a good laugh too, but getting back to reality, creating answers, where none are available, is the avocation of fools.
If we could communicate with a flea on an elephant, it would tell us an elephant goes on forever.
I don't like many of the governments in the world but I still talk about them. Being with like minded people means you will discuss the topic you share in common.
As you likely suspected, you're not alone. As with any discussion forum where people from all kinds of background are free to participate, you suffer and wade through the gruel to obtain the meat.
I have seen very few if any discussions about religion on here. I have tried promoting more discussion about helping widows and orphans and avoiding worldly corruption but people are not much into discussing the topic or promoting more activism in helping widows and orphans while avoiding worldly corruption.
I do enjoy the discussions because sometimes points are made that I have not thought of. I have fun exchanging ideas on how to communicate with people who have found themselves in the cults and are dead set on converting " godless heathens" like myself. Quite often I find comments here that are very helpful when confronted by "true believers"
@Grahame IF you were to actually compare history (???) as per the bible to REAL recorded History you would find that this 'historical diary' is about as accurate as would a completely blind man be in find his glasses in a darken room so he could read a newspaper.
E.g. A few hundred years ago, Bishop James Usher correlated the ages of the biblical Patriarchs ( added them all together) and calculated the age of the Earth, at his time, to 4,004 years old and was 'created' approx. at nightfall approx. BEFORE Sunday, October 23rd in the year 4,004 B.C.
Ergo and according to Usher, the Earth is now a little over 6,023 years old, which sciences have since proven to absolutely ridiculous BULLSHIT.
That IS the accuracy of this 'historical diary that people believe to be the 'gospel' truth.
As long as you don't mind if you get called out for posting things others have already thought about.
Like this subject, for instance. I really wish people that either didn't need to leave a religion or did so a long time ago would stop complaining about people who are going through that proccess and discussing all the things wrong with/didn't like about/this is how religion is horrible, would just stop complaining about those going through that process.
For some this is the only safe space they have to explore, vent, and freely express thier actual feelings on the subject.
There are many christian trolls who are the culprits, and many "spiritualists" who want to sell their bullshit but few buy it, don't be bemused, be pissed at these idiots and call their bs strongly, perhaps in this way they will stop and leave.
Plus there are plenty of self-righteous atheists who don't seem to understand while some agnostics don't know if there is a god, they do have "spiritual" feelings they like to express.
These atheist creeps SHOULD respect those feelings as clearly non-religious but possibly, genuinely coming from a sincere and heartfelt place.
But some don't.
Unfortunate.
Actually they are talking against it. Remaining silent in the face of evil is a sin
Glad evil and sin still exist. There’s hope for me yet!
Religion must be challenged when it makes claims a god is real.
Most times here the reference to religion refers to Christianity. Big difference
Take a look at this video that I made recently. This is why I am concerned about theism. I don't think you will have the same opinion when you have finished it.
This is an awesome video, a very open and compelling talk about religion. I was a little stunned by the comment about the mental institute, but that is probably because I have a very positive view on psychology, having read a great deal of Freud and similar writings . . . . It is likely that the negative experience you had there is the result of the oppressive view our whole nation has . . . there is social pressure placed on even psychologists to avoid any form of criticism of religion or condemning of religion . . . part of that is in place because religion is a form of control used by the government, and crossing the government can have career-related consequences. I am not sure if you have a negative view of psychology, but if you do, I would be compelled to ask you to reconsider that a bit, maybe learn some more about it, but from the perspective of the early years of the development of psychology, before all the religious bastards polluted it. The level of logic used by Freud in particular, is astounding to me, and when I hear people criticizing Freud, I ask them how much they have actually read from Freud . . . .
Getting off of that train of thought, let me say that I had a not-so-much religious issue as I grew up, but one with constant physical / verbal abuse, you can read my take on it on my website if you are interested here [sites.google.com] What really pisses my family off is the fact that I have made this public . . . . and I personally told them to pretty much fuck off, because I got tired of the ones with Stockholm syndrome, defending the molester, the fucking racists, and the religio-nazis . . . . which pretty much accounted for every person in the family . . . I have not heard from any of them for about 9 years, and it does not break my heart. For me, I have found that the greatest taboo for those who abuse you is putting it all out in public . . . the LAST thing they ever want is to be exposed for is all the fucked up shit that they have done . . .
Interesting to hear a story of such as your childhood. I might could say God almost killed me and really tried. It could very well be a blessing you were not attacked nor ever heard from god.
There are things that I can relate in ways. I grew up going to pentacostal church every time doors opened. Did the speaking in tongues at an early age, 8-9 maybe. Mother had me go to a Christian church school grades 3-5.
What did you call it, religiosity where that it was such an overwhelming thing that you got into the God stuff?
I had my phases growing up, starting high school I carried my bible with me to every class with my other books. I think it might of been towards the end of my freshman year that during one of my regular private 'prayer closet" personal bible study sessions I had an open vision. During these times I experienced a few "words of knowledge " as mentioned in biblical text like as if psychic knowledge e.s.p. The pastor of the church I went to, being "full gospeI" couldn't explain or tell me anything about interpretation of the open vision.
By my 10th grade years end I was more so what Christian's would call "back sliden ". It is not that I didn't stop my "believing", just didn't do so much at all of my personal prayer biblical study but just at worse used tobacco, alcohol, and didn't oppose looking at those naked pictures which is considered taboo by most christianity standards.
Into some college, then married a new age zodiac horror scope psychic psycho wife to produce 2 children then divorced.
Around the time of my separation and divorce in my early 20s, I had several dreams that were very much unlike most any I have ever had. Very rememorable, vivid dreams. The dreams being at different times did not seem to be connected in any way.
I got into Law enforcement, in part, because of some stuff that was done as an attack by the legal system on my mothers daycare When I used to pray when I was 15 I thought I was praying in spiritual warfare against these attacks on my mothers daycare by the family protection services and the Masonic lodge secret religion racist devil worshipper governmental officials.
In my late 20s a series of events brought me out of law enforcement but in connection to what I had prayed when I was 15 and it had appearance of my prayers being answered and I had this sort of prayer and spiritual awakening that I hadn't done since my freshman high school time.
At the climax of legal and once again re awakened prayer and fasting (included with one 40 day fast), the dreams that were so vividly rememberable started comming to pass. From one dream of seeing a man, I met the man in person and he called himself by 4 titles: alpha and omega, grim reaper, son of Lucifer and nameless-faceless one.
I basically survived the failed legal battles even after the Masonic lodge secret religion racist devil worshipper governmental officials were throwing me in jail telling inmates to beat me up.
After the dreams comming to pass and the failure for what I had believed in Jesus to bring about justice to the Masonic lodge secret religion racist devil worshippers I did further deeper research and it would appear in biblical text, Jewish writtings and Egyptian text that Jesus is Angelic lord of host Lucifer the devil leading christianity and Masonic lodge secret religion racist devil worshippers and he attacked and very much tried killing me.
@Archeus_Lore, @Word Psychology is a VERY important field. It is very young and in the United Sates at least it needs to grow in the area of religion rather than ignoring it. That is not to say all in the field do so only that hyper religiousosity is not recognized and it needs to be take into account that religion can be a group delusion that is taught. Thank You for sharing!
@Archeus_Lore, @Word Wow! what a story! I am glad things are better for you!
@DavidLaDeau study Adolph Hitler psychology and biblical text connection schizophrenia and 1000 years reign from biblical text. It could not exactly be proven that Adolph was demon posessed by "the good Sheppard " bringing the sheep, the jews Jesus's sheep to slaughter. Why didn't Adolph not have such a thing against oriental people? If Adolph Hitler would have gone after oriental or African then it would not seem to be that he was demon possessed by the good Sheppard slaughtering the sheep.
"Here" - I steer clear also. It's almost as though Those who bring up the topics... and still unsure of themselves... are still wrestling with it.