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So you're an atheist. Now what?

Windwalker

Veteran Member
Premium Member
I admire atheism. I see it an important awakening from the world of mythic reality. But now what? So there's no literal Guy in the Sky. How do you process this? What does this mean to you? Where do you go with this?
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
One of those questions that make me go hmmm....
I admire atheism. I see it an important awakening from the world of mythic reality. But now what? So there's no literal Guy in the Sky. How do you process this? What does this mean to you? Where do you go with this?

I don't know. I never believed in a guy in the sky. I never heard of the word atheist, as in all the definitions of it, until I came on RF. So, basically, I was an "in-the-closest" atheist.

Where do I get it from? If Christianity wasn't a negative influence in our society, my environment both local and immediate (not exaggerating), and the idea-view of Christianity wasn't a one-sided battle, then I probably never have thought about religion to begin with.

Without religion and influence of Christianity, I'd still be writing, reading a lot, learning, and keeping myself healthy during my medical crisis. I'd probably be doing what every other person does: be human.

What does it mean to me? If I were in a positive religious environment with people who are considered over my spiritual well being from my point of view, I'd probably not have become Christian and just accept who I am as a "Religious Gypsy"....and live religious truths without needing to claim one.

Atheism has nothing to do with god. So, it's kind of hard to answer how not believing in god means when god doesn't exist to begin with.

Can you see the logic of the question, though? Asking someone who has no money, what does he feel about the money he believes he doesn't have in his hand?
 
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George-ananda

Advaita Vedanta, Theosophy, Spiritualism
Premium Member
I admire atheism. I see it an important awakening from the world of mythic reality. But now what? So there's no literal Guy in the Sky. How do you process this? What does this mean to you? Where do you go with this?
I've always thought the bigger question was not about theism or atheism but 'are we just matter or do we have an eternal soul/spirit?' or 'what is consciousness'. Why does it matter to me if there is a 'Guy n the Sky' as you called it as it doesn't effect my life either way.
 

Windwalker

Veteran Member
Premium Member
I've always thought the bigger question was not about theism or atheism but 'are we just matter or do we have an eternal soul/spirit?' or 'what is consciousness'. Why does it matter to me if there is a 'Guy n the Sky' as you called it as it doesn't effect my life either way.
You must have at some point concluded it was not the "guy in the sky" God if you looked at the question of theism and atheism, as you stated?
 

ADigitalArtist

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
It leads me to not have a theism based outlook on the world and universe at large. I don't look to deific sources for purpose, goals, self-actualization, governing, aid or advice. I have other views and value judgements about those attributes, as well as views on things like souls and spirits, but those views aren't as a result or related to my atheism. Rather, they're related to my views on materialism, meta ethics and other facets of my personal values and philosophies.
 

George-ananda

Advaita Vedanta, Theosophy, Spiritualism
Premium Member
You must have at some point concluded it was not the "guy in the sky" God if you looked at the question of theism and atheism, as you stated?

Right, as a non-dualist (God and creation are not-two), the separate 'Guy in the Sky' is not what I believe. But I may be missing the gist of what you were getting at with your comment??

I would say non-dualism is the next stage after dualism (guy in the sky). Notice non-dualism is kind of a double negative term for singularity. I think it is because non-dualism is the stage after dualism which is the normal progression of thought.
 
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Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I admire atheism. I see it an important awakening from the world of mythic reality. But now what? So there's no literal Guy in the Sky. How do you process this? What does this mean to you? Where do you go with this?
Got to this point. Things clearly work. No real concerns.
 

Laika

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
An entire shift of worldview? Kind of hard to imagine it has no impact.

Atheism (as the rejection of god) has taken me through materialism, nihilism, existential agnst, social darwinism (man is a purely physical being and an animal without a soul), marxism, etc. Its quite a big empty space left to discover.

(Edit: this is NOT most atheists experience on RF.)
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
(...) now what? So there's no literal Guy in the Sky. How do you process this? What does this mean to you? Where do you go with this?
To me, the logical next step is to attempt to understand theism. Not only the concept, but also its appeal, its consequences and its social significance.

Why do people use deity concepts in the first place? How did the concept attain such significance in so much of human motivation? How best to handle the waste of effort, misplacement of hope and plain confusion that it brings with it? How best to fix those hurdles and attain mutual understanding and constructive effort?


An entire shift of worldview? Kind of hard to imagine it has no impact.

Where does that take you? How do you build a new structure with this freedom?

Far as I remember, the shift was from assuming that everyone spoke of "God" in a fable-like way to realizing that such was not the case. I don't think I was ever not an atheist.

The realization was quite troubling. It destroyed much of my faith in humanity and brought with it a terrible duty of warding myself from the bad judgement and effective insanity of others. It made me feel quite alone, and I guess it still does.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
What have you come up with so far in your understanding?
In a nutshell:

Theism can only have a clear meaning at the strictly personal level.

Quite often it is a poisonous crutch, far less often it is an inclination of personal style that can be handled in a healthy way.

In any case, it is an entirely unsuitable idea to serve as the basis of a whole interpersonal ideology or even of a personal philosophy.

Theism simply lacks the necessary substance to sustain so much weight, and the anxiety that such a realization causes motivates many believers into moral corruption and various forms of functional insanity. The best remedy against that danger is to warn people in advance not to bet too heavily in such a dubious concept.

Is that understanding fair and balanced, or filtered only through prism of criticism?
Why do you think there is any meaningful difference between those two choices?

For your information, I will not be guilt-shamed into protecting the reputation of theism. I have long overgrown the mindset that would make me vulnerable to such efforts.

The key realization may have been that of how harmful belief in a deity tends to be. I have no way of deluding myself into a stance of feeling a duty to protect such a belief.
 
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