Ask Me Anything 2.0!

[Debater Slayer]

How much of your worldview do you have to keep to yourself living in Egypt?

With the vast majority of people, almost all of the significant aspects of it. Even sharing my lack of belief in free will would be taboo considering that it would be conspicuously against a core belief in the two main religions in Egypt (Islam and Christianity). And of course, support for LGBT rights is also a major taboo, although both that and support for gender equality have been gaining more traction in the last several years. The internet has undoubtedly played a part in this due to the increasing exposure to information and other cultures.

I have made a smaller social circle with whom I can freely be myself. It's still hard for us in the larger society, but that usually serves as a strong incentive to form bonds and stick together more closely, if anything.

I can share my love for cats quite freely with everyone, though. I guess that's something!

 

[Debater Slayer]

Would you consider adopting a hypoallergenic kitty?

Top Hypoallergenic Cats for Allergy Sufferers

Yes, and I've looked for Siberian cats here. I haven't found any, though, and I would also need to be able to return the cat to the original owner in case I was still allergic. I've read that some people still have an allergic reaction to hypoallergenic breeds.

 

[Debater Slayer]

@Debater Slayer , what do you think of atheist religions and organizations like Religion of Humanity, the Sunday Assembly, Buddhism and various "left-handed" religious organizations? Now that you are not anti-religious, is it possible that you could adopt a secular, but religious worldview such as those?

I don't know anything about Religion of Humanity or the Sunday Assembly, but I don't align with secular humanism, so they wouldn't work for me if they leaned that way.

I would adopt a secularly religious worldview if I saw a reason to, but I don't see any upside to doing so that I couldn't already have without following a religion.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I have 3 questions, i hope that's ok

Of course! That's why this thread exists.

If you could travel to any year in a time, what year would you it be and why?

Would I be able to travel back or not? That would completely change the answer.

If I could travel back to 2023, I'd probably travel to the Triassic or the Jurassic period to see the flora and fauna.

If I couldn't travel back, I'd just go back to 2022, because I really wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life anywhere but the present.

Have you ever been in love?

Yes, twice, but it didn't lead to a relationship.

What's your proudest accomplishment?

In no particular order:

• graduating university after changing majors two years into my first one.
• surviving conscription. (It genuinely tested my will to live.)
• surviving my last two years in Saudi Arabia. I had become irreligious (a capital crime there) and had no support whatsoever aside from online friends.

 

[Wildswanderer]

I believe we make our own purpose and meaning. Objectively, our own existence has neither.

How do you have a subjective purpose? That seems self contradictory to me.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

...but I don't see any upside to doing so that I couldn't already have without following a religion.

I must admit, I find it odd that as an admin of forum called Religious Forums you are decisively non-religious. But then again, there's a lot of members here who are completely non-religious and don't belong to any religious organization and don't believe in God either. Some of the forums most prominent members, like @Evangelicalhumanist , @ChristineM and @Revoltingest are among the top people who post here and have absolutely no religious affiliation.

I find that interesting.

 

[Debater Slayer]

How do you have a subjective purpose? That seems self contradictory to me.

The way I see it, any purpose that we pursue in accordance with our values, goals, and priorities is subjective, even if it is inspired by a religion or worldview that assumes said purpose is objective or ordained by a higher power. The universe itself doesn't care what we do, nor does it have a built-in plan for us. I see no problem with that.

 

[Revoltingest]

I must admit, I find it odd that as an admin of forum called Religious Forums you are decisively non-religious. But then again, there's a lot of members here who are completely non-religious and don't belong to any religious organization and don't believe in God either. Some of the forums most prominent members, like @Evangelicalhumanist , @ChristineM and @Revoltingest are among the top people who post here and have absolutely no religious affiliation.

I find that interesting.

Usually, I'm called the "noisiest", "most virulent", or "biggest loser".
But "prominent"? Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Consider that atheism itself is uninteresting.
But religion vs atheism is fascinating.
Except for Buddhism...those guys have too
little conflict with us. So they're boring.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I must admit, I find it odd that as an admin of forum called Religious Forums you are decisively non-religious. But then again, there's a lot of members here who are completely non-religious and don't belong to any religious organization and don't believe in God either. Some of the forums most prominent members, like @Evangelicalhumanist , @ChristineM and @Revoltingest are among the top people who post here and have absolutely no religious affiliation.

I find that interesting.

"Religious Forums" as a title means that the forum is dedicated to discussion and debate of religious topics. It doesn't mean that members, admins or otherwise, must all be religious.

 

[Wildswanderer]

The way I see it, any purpose that we pursue in accordance with our values, goals, and priorities is subjective, even if it is inspired by a religion or worldview that assumes said purpose is objective or ordained by a higher power. The universe itself doesn't care what we do, nor does it have a built-in plan for us. I see no problem with that.

I guess I'll never understand how this actually works for people. I have always needed a reason bigger than me.

 

[Revoltingest]

"Religious Forums" as a title means that the forum is dedicated to discussion and debate of religious topics. It doesn't mean that members, admins or otherwise, must all be religious.

And really, it is just a name.
There are many other interesting topics.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I guess I'll never understand how this actually works for people. I have always needed a reason bigger than me.

Nothing wrong with any of the above. We don't have to fully understand each other's worldviews or even like them; we just have to respect each other's freedom to live as we wish.

 

[sun rise]

I adore cats and wish I weren't allergic to them.

What about dogs?

 

[Debater Slayer]

What about dogs?

I don't like them as pets at all. Their relatively poor hygiene especially puts me off.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Nothing wrong with any of the above. We don't have to fully understand each other's worldviews or even like them; we just have to respect each other's freedom to live as we wish.

And honestly, unless what you are doing is violating someone else's ability to practice their world view autonomy, it should be okay to do whatever your world view tells you to do. Debater Slayer has just made it abundantly clear that he has no opinion on the matter.

 

[JustGeorge]

I don't like them as pets at all. Their relatively poor hygiene especially puts me off.

I had one beloved dog in my home as a child.

I had no idea what a tidy gentleman he was until I got my own dogs within the last few years...

 

[sun rise]

I don't like them as pets at all. Their relatively poor hygiene especially puts me off.

We can't all be perfect.

 

[ChristineM]

I must admit, I find it odd that as an admin of forum called Religious Forums you are decisively non-religious. But then again, there's a lot of members here who are completely non-religious and don't belong to any religious organization and don't believe in God either. Some of the forums most prominent members, like @Evangelicalhumanist , @ChristineM and @Revoltingest are among the top people who post here and have absolutely no religious affiliation.

I find that interesting.

I came to RF because the old forum i lurked in shadow banned all none north American members. I did a considerable amount of searching for somewhere new to hang my hat and RF won my adoration .
I began by trying to figure out why religion had such an effect on people, i wound up learning a lot about religion but not about why it hooks people. Now I'll only get involved in religious threads if there is something that catches my interest. I still learn from that. I spend most of time on the jokes and non religious forums.

 

[ChristineM]

I'd probably travel to the Triassic or the Jurassic period to see the flora and fauna.

That would really be interesting, just keep out of the way of allosaurus and co.

I'd just go back to 2022, because I really wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life anywhere but the present.

May your future present be just as good

Yes, twice, but it didn't lead to a relationship.

That's a shame, one day perhaps...

graduating university after changing majors two years into my first one.

Wow

surviving conscription. (It genuinely tested my will to live.)

I remember that, really hard on you, i am glad you came through it ok.

surviving my last two years in Saudi Arabia. I had become irreligious (a capital crime there) and had no support whatsoever aside from online friends.

I've been to the bible belt usa for a couple of weeks and it felt like i had a neon "ATHEIST" sign hanging around my kneck. That must have not only been difficult but so scary.

Can i ask, what religion did you leave behind?

 

[Brickjectivity]

Since you are from Egypt I am curious if it is a very hot place and if you are more resistant to heat exhaustion than Europeans? I am mostly English, Scottish and Irish; and I don't do well in heat. I can handle sunlight and can tan well, however I sweat too much and get very tired in the heat. I have found that men from Mexico seem better equipped to deal with it. What about Egyptians?