I got sick of being an atheist

[mikkel_the_dane]

No. You did not decide to be an atheist. At most, you decided to evaluate some claims you believed were made by atheists. Perhaps you even decided to skip church. None of that makes you an atheist. You never became an atheist. So, to state that you became an atheist is not true.

So what does non-belief or disbelief in religion requires?

 

[ecco]

Can you give some examples of atheist proselytizing or is that just another strawman you are trying to erect?

You can find plenty of examples yourself, right here on this thread. Just look for folks slandering religion, glorifying 'scientism', and worshiping "objective reality" as the fountainhead of all existential truth.

proselytizing
/ˈpräs(ə)ləˌtīziNG/
noun

1. the action of attempting to convert someone from one religion, belief, or opinion to another.
   "no amount of proselytizing was going to change their minds"

I guess you consider people disagreeing with your theistic views on an open forum to be proselytizing. RF has rules against proselytizing. I guess you should report all posts that disagree with your theistic posts.

On the other hand, you could learn the difference between someone posting comments that disagree with your theistic views and someone proselytizing.

 

[PureX]

What's your point?
At one time, most Egyptians believed their leader was an incarnation of the sun.

You have no idea what most Egyptians believed. And what they believed is irrelevant to a discussion of atheism/theism, anyway.

Of the 7 billion humans on the planet, over 75% don't believe the Christian God(s) is a God.
What's your point?

What's yours? We are discussing atheism, not Christianity.

 

[ecco]

That almost sounds like a religious Atheist to me. Were you Christian once in your life?

Define Christian.

 

[PureX]

That was my second guess, but I liked the other one better. Only ca. 7% Atheists, that's not a whole lot of people.
Now I get curious. Some religious people hope that more people become religious, would Atheists entertain such thoughts?

People are still people, so I'm sure they do.

 

[Augustus]

I'd bet there are more idealistic atheists doing good work than there are Christians doing so.

Statistically that's almost impossible

Atheists question convention.Christians take refuge in it.

Maybe religious convention, frequently they are very attached to other equally fictitious conventions instead which they take refuge in. For example, few groups are more predictable than those who label themselves as 'freethinkers'.

. Atheists think, they question -- out of moral sentiments.

They are often as credulous as any believer

Atheists are philosophical.

Many are contemptuous of philosophy as part of a highly scientistic worldview or because they simply don't care much.

Christians have the option of not thinking about these things. They can claim nominal Christianity while paying no heed to philosophical questions.

Atheists can just as easily buy into whatever ideology they find most comforting, and often do.

Generalising about the 'virtues' of atheists is about as meaningful as generalising about their 'evils'.

 

[ecco]

You have no idea what most Egyptians believed.

Sure I do. It's actually pretty common knowledge.

And what they believed is irrelevant to a discussion of atheism/theism, anyway.

Do Christians believe Shiva is God? Do you?
Do Muslims accept Jesus as God?
Like a wise man said: I just believe in one less god than you do.

You can't have theism without a belief in a specific god (or in a specific group of gods).

heath·en
/ˈhēT͟Hən/

1. a person who does not belong to a widely held religion (especially one who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim) as regarded by those who do.

To a Christian, like yourself, a Muslim or a Hindu is just as much a heathen as I am. We are all atheistic toward your God.


That's my point.

 

[ChristineM]

Well, since in this case the lack of evidence means nothing (as there is no logical expectation of there being any perceptible/discernible evidence) the atheist IS "just guessing". Even as he so vociferously accuses the theist of doing the same thing. ... And the irrational hypocrisy just flows on from there.

And i still see no evidence for god. Making the claim for god surely you have evidence??? Don't you?

Remembering you are the one throwing the slanging match based on ignorance of atheism. I simply reply in kind

I find it terribly irrational to have blind faith in something claimed as so wonderful but with no evidence.

 

[PureX]

Sure I do. It's actually pretty common knowledge.

Do Christians believe Shiva is God? Do you?
Do Muslims accept Jesus as God?
Like a wise man said: I just believe in one less god than you do.

You can't have theism without a belief in a specific god (or in a specific group of gods).

heath·en
/ˈhēT͟Hən/

1. a person who does not belong to a widely held religion (especially one who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim) as regarded by those who do.

To a Christian, like yourself, a Muslim or a Hindu is just as much a heathen as I am. We are all atheistic toward your God.


That's my point.

None of this has anything to do with the subject at hand. And you have no idea what I believe. You keep confusing religion with theism, and me with religious Christianity. You're obsessed with religion, apparently, yet claim to be an atheist, while I am not particularly interested in religion, or what anyone chooses to "believe in" about God. I am an agnostic theist.

 

[stvdv]

Define Christian.

IF you were not a Christian THEN no need to explain. Then my feeling was wrong.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

And i still see no evidence for god. Making the claim for god surely you have evidence??? Don't you?

Remembering you are the one throwing the slanging match based on ignorance of atheism. I simply reply in kind

I find it terribly irrational to have blind faith in something claimed as so wonderful but with no evidence.

Well, I will stay out of this one since I am not a theist nor do I have any evidence in favor of the God I believe in.

 

[stvdv]

People are still people, so I'm sure they do.

True. When you realize this, it gets much easier to understand people.

 

[PureX]

And i still see no evidence for god.

You don't see evidence because you refuse to accept the subjective evidence that your given. None of which can or will equate to proof, which is what you are actually demanding. So you've made certain that your sense of self-righteousness will remain intact.

Making the claim for god surely you have evidence??? Don't you?

I am an agnostic, so I make no claims about the nature or existence of God/gods. I am a theist by choice, based on the positive value I gain from engaging in faith. Not on delusions of "objective evidence" or on any falsely presumed "knowledge of God".

Remembering you are the one throwing the slanging match based on ignorance of atheism. I simply reply in kind

Well, you're not very good at it. Honestly.

I find it terribly irrational to have blind faith in something claimed as so wonderful but with no evidence.

Then why are you an atheist?

 

[PureX]

True. When you realize this, it gets much easier to understand people.

The interesting thing is that I don't believe that we humans really want to convince others to "convert" to our belief system so much as we just want to wallow in our own delusions of self-righteousness. Our egos 'own us' most of the time.

 

[ChristineM]

You don't see evidence because you refuse to accept the subjective evidence that your given. None of which can or will equate to proof, which is what you are actually demanding. So you've made certain that your sense of self-righteousness will remain intact.
I am an agnostic, so I make no claims about the nature or existence of God/gods. I am a theist by choice, based on the positive value I gain from engaging in faith. Not by delusions of "objective evidence" or by any falsely presumed "knowledge".
Well, you're not very good at it. Honestly.
Then why are you an atheist?

Subjective what? If it cannot be falsified it is not worth the paper its written on.

Your choice to believe whatever you want. However when you disrespect other people by abusing their mindset then don't be surprised if you are knocked of your silver pedestal.

And what, 3 posts and you are back to personal insults, you just dont change do you?

Why am i atheist? Funnily enough i have just started a thread charting the reason.

I got sick of being a christian

 

[stvdv]

The interesting thing is that I don't believe that we humans really want to convince others to "convert" to our belief system so much as we just want to wallow in our own delusions of self-righteousness. Our egos 'own us' most of the time.

I don't know what it exactly is. I don't want others to convert to my belief system. Maybe if I had a Master who demanded this from me then I would do the same. But I would not have chosen Him as my Master. Even at age 10 I told my mother "it's not right to say other religion is inferior", she was a Christian who could not even believe people could be happy when they were "not Christian".

I have seen quite a few of those, and they really believe this way. With most of them It did not seem like self-righteousness to me. And sure our ego "owns us" most of the time, keeping up our delusions. We need to really be vigilant to break through this ego-barrier. Life long hard work of failing and getting up again.

 

[halbhh]

Thirty children on a school bus. The bus gets into an accident. Twenty-eight children die. Two live.

People say it is a miracle from God that the two lived. I always want to ask those people, wouldn't it be a much bigger miracle if there was no bus crash at all?

The parents of the survivors thank God. I always want to ask those people, did God decide those who died were not worthy of living?

The parents of those who died comfort themselves by saying God needed some more angels in Heaven. I always want to ask those people, if God needed more angels, why didn't he just create them like he did Adam?

By definition from the source text we are referring to "God" is the one who makes 'death' just 'sleep' -- from which He awakens all, everyone -- thus this 'death' you just referred to isn't a true/final death.

So, if you use 'God' in a sentence and then suggest even indirectly or by tacit assumption that the death of this body is a final cessation of existence, then it suggests you have accidentally referred to some other idea rather than "God" in your thinking.

God is the one Who gives innocents such as children who 'die' Eternal Life.

See the difference now?

 

[ecco]

None of this has anything to do with the subject at hand.

Sure it does.

And you have no idea what I believe.

You list yourself as a Philosophical Taoist/Christian. If you don't believe in the godhood of Jesus, and you don't want to fool people, maybe you should change your designation

You keep confusing religion with theism, and me with religious Christianity.

Religion is the combined beliefs of a group of like minded theists. See, I do know the difference.

But again, if you are not a believer in Christianity, why do you list yourself as a Philosophical Taoist/Christian?

You're obsessed with religion, apparently

Why do you think I am obsessed with religion? Is it because I sometimes post in religious threads. I guess you would then also find that I must be obsessed with politics because I sometimes post in political threads.

I don't post in the atheism DIR, (mainly because practically no one does) but if I did you would say I'm obsessed with atheism.

If I recall correctly, you made many posts in a thread about oral sex. Should we infer that you are obsessed with oral sex?

...yet claim to be an atheist ...

Your point?

while I am not particularly interested in religion, or what anyone chooses to "believe in" about God.

And yet you post extensively in threads about gods and God and religion. Your actions belie your words.

I am an agnostic theist.

Hmm


ag·nos·tic
/aɡˈnästik/

1. 
   
   a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God.

the·ist
/ˈTHēist/

1. a person who believes in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe.

Did you really say I was confused? Really!

 

[Dawnofhope]

Good experience, now you "know" (have experienced). I never tried Atheism, but I experience that "with God" works perfect for me

"My soul" knows. "My conscious decisions" can be way off. Best to connect to my soul
IF I would declare "there is no God" I could easily end up "cutting the connection to my soul"
What would be left is, that I only have my mind to rely on; I would rather not follow that road

My experience was pivotal at a formative time in life. Reunion with God was heaven and reunion with self was hell! Faith enabled me to rise above the lower self and dwell in the realm of the higher self which I believe includes the soul.

Trying atheism had to be a genuine and sincere choice. I really disbelieved there was an God or gods. However its paramount to read the reality of our own lives and reevaluate if necessary.

 

[Dawnofhope]

I'll ask you the same thing I asked Cooky, How does one try atheism?

One way is to disbelieve in any god or Gods based on reason.

Here your words belie your previous assertions. Your words that you "started turning to God" indicates that you still believed there was a God.

No it doesn’t.