Carlita, after reading this and many other things you have posted I think you are giving the wrong impression to us by saying you don't believe in God. I think you should present your position differently.
Hmm. I can do that. Best I can do and hopefully, it wont be too long. Edit. Sorry, this Is long.
When I first came on RF, I said "God" does not give life; God IS life. I dont like using the word God, though. I dont see other faiths' source of worship as defined as "God" (upper G) only the abrahamic God.
God is seen as a being, who gives compassion, created the earth and humans, and so forth(in general). That, I do not believe.
When I experienced "God" in the Eucharist it was more of the spirit of Christ not a being. Catholics believe Christ is God; so, by their logic, I have experienced God. I do believe everyone has a spirit and Christ is no exception. I knew Him through communion, Mass, sacraments, and fellowsship. The experience of God was not Him alone (since I dont believe in Himnas a being) but through Christ (the Eucharist).
When I say God, I am refering to a being not a force (for lack of better words) or spirit that Is life.
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Taking out the word God, I will replace that 'unf' with the Mystic Law. This and the word spirit makes more sense when describing my belief in the umf that Is life in all living and Is the spirit within nature which "creates" itself. Its not an outside force (eh. Panthiesm?) but inside.
Using Mystic Law is not too comparable to "God" because it is not a spirit (which I do believe exists) and it is not a being nor force outside ourselves. It is our true nature, Who we are that makes us, us. It Is life. "Mystic" is refering to the life as a mystery/unseen/difficult to understand. "Law" is the noun its talking about. Our True nature. Our Buddhanature. Th Buddhas teachings; and we are the Dharma.
I would not say the Mystic Law is God because the word God in abrahamic faith and some other theistic and polytheistic as a force our being or so have you "outside" oneself.
In worldviews, I am an animist and pantheist. I believe that spirits are in everything and one. I also believe the Mystic Law (explained above), which is life, is in every thing and one living. Ten tai Buddhism (Which Nichiren Buddhism kind of stems from), I believe, also says the living also have the Mystic Law not just human . I agree.
I am an atheist because God (a noun for a being and spirit) who "gives" life does not exist. I honestly believe that it is a human way of adapting to the unknown. Christ is a perfect and more concrete example of this need. I dont believe a God gives life. I feel that is a human way of defining who created everything. I never asked that question before. It wasnt part of my train of thinking until I came on RF and thought of it objectively.
If God is the mystic law, I believe the Law exists in us. If God is a being or spirit outside ourselves, That, I dont believe.
EDIT: Also think of the trinity. Catholics believe Jesus is God and Holy Spirit and Father. I believe in spirits, so I experienced that. I experienced the spirit of Christ. As a result: I experienced the Father (God).
It depends on the definition and context of the word. If God means spirit and not being, yes I do believe the spirit (not him or her) exists. If God means the spirit of life (the Law) that I do believe and have experienced. As the Father in Abrahamic faith, being in many theists (mono and poly) faiths, and gods 0of hinduism (unless they are archetypes like Buddhism?) I dont believe.
Atheism is a disbelief in gods. I wouldnt consider the spirits of my grandmothers god. I do believe the spirits exist; that doesnt mean Im a theist since they are not gods.
Understand?
@wizanda
@q konn
Long story short: No I have not experienced God the being. I dont believe he or she exists. Yes, I believe the spirit of Christ. Catholics believe Christ is God. So, I experienced God, through Christ in the Eucharist.
Please dont bypass whats in the rest of my post. It took awhile to get that out.