Atheists/agnostics, why did you become atheist/agnostic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe I am ‘losing my religion’ as we speak.
I have been an active Methodist all of my life; I married a Catholic guy who goes through all the motions but doesn’t actually have deep faith. I realized we keep up the pretense for our children (kind of like the Santa analogy above) because my Methodist church provides a convenient way to help us reaffirm the values we want to instill in our children.

I want to live like Jesus... I just don’t think any religion has any (provable) truth deeper than old earthly creation stories that morphed into stories of divinity.
This has been a mix of influence of my anthropological education background / having children / burying loved ones / not feeling stronger faith as I age, but the opposite. Shouldn’t faith strengthen as we invest in it? I’ve given it 42 years.

I am struggling with this, though. It’s tough to let go or something after a lifetime of trying.

Maybe you can let go without entierely giving it up. For instance, keep the favorite music without the unbelievable words, the good moral teachings, without the supernatural frills, the holidays without the beliefs.

Also, it might help to think of it as a change, not a loss. I think the idea of loss comes from the religious idea of losing eternal life- something that we never actually had. Or the idea that non-believers are sad, empty people with no morals, headed for a hell that in reality, does not exist, anymore than heaven does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want a separate category- I don't care about religion to the degree that I don't care what the difference between agnostic and atheist is, I just never want to hear about religion. It's not like I've been traumatized or anything. It is ridiculous how much time, space and energy Star Wars and religion command in the world. What a waste.

Apatheist

Thank you! It makes me so happy that somebody came up with a name for that. Although it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^Many people view it as a spectrum.

Many people believe in God. Doesn't mean it's real. No way of proving it, because god is outside of nature -- supernatural

Huh? So you are comparing the spectrum view of atheism/agnosticism to a belief in god because neither can be proven or disproven? Do you realize that a non-spectrum view of agnosticism/atheism can't be "proven" either? These are just useful ways of framing and conceptualizing abstract concepts, not anything supernatural. Regardless, you're way off the thread's topic and not achieving anything useful of even remotely interesting.

+1

The problem with any religion forum is that it tends to attract people that need to think in very simple black/white terms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want a separate category- I don't care about religion to the degree that I don't care what the difference between agnostic and atheist is, I just never want to hear about religion. It's not like I've been traumatized or anything. It is ridiculous how much time, space and energy Star Wars and religion command in the world. What a waste.

Apatheist

Thank you! It makes me so happy that somebody came up with a name for that. Although it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

I'm right there with you both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^Many people view it as a spectrum.

Many people believe in God. Doesn't mean it's real. No way of proving it, because god is outside of nature -- supernatural

Huh? So you are comparing the spectrum view of atheism/agnosticism to a belief in god because neither can be proven or disproven? Do you realize that a non-spectrum view of agnosticism/atheism can't be "proven" either? These are just useful ways of framing and conceptualizing abstract concepts, not anything supernatural. Regardless, you're way off the thread's topic and not achieving anything useful of even remotely interesting.

Yes, -- it's a way of thinking about it, and its usefulness will likely wane when fewer people are taught as children to believe things that seem very unlikely as they get older - like Santa coming down the chimney to deliver toys to children all over the world.

Define your various uses of the word "it." Are you referring to the spectrum view atheism/agnosticism? Do you even know anything about it? You're very dogmatic and yet not making coherent arguments.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrum_of_theistic_probability

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want a separate category- I don't care about religion to the degree that I don't care what the difference between agnostic and atheist is, I just never want to hear about religion. It's not like I've been traumatized or anything. It is ridiculous how much time, space and energy Star Wars and religion command in the world. What a waste.

Apatheist

Thank you! It makes me so happy that somebody came up with a name for that. Although it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

I'm right there with you both.

AP a THEE ist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^Many people view it as a spectrum.

Many people believe in God. Doesn't mean it's real. No way of proving it, because god is outside of nature -- supernatural

Huh? So you are comparing the spectrum view of atheism/agnosticism to a belief in god because neither can be proven or disproven? Do you realize that a non-spectrum view of agnosticism/atheism can't be "proven" either? These are just useful ways of framing and conceptualizing abstract concepts, not anything supernatural. Regardless, you're way off the thread's topic and not achieving anything useful of even remotely interesting.

Yes, -- it's a way of thinking about it, and its usefulness will likely wane when fewer people are taught as children to believe things that seem very unlikely as they get older - like Santa coming down the chimney to deliver toys to children all over the world.

Define your various uses of the word "it." Are you referring to the spectrum view atheism/agnosticism? Do you even know anything about it? You're very dogmatic and yet not making coherent arguments.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrum_of_theistic_probability

PP seems quite judgmental. The link is to Richard Dawkins' spectrum set forth in his book "The God Delusion." It can be useful for people coming from a religious background who are trying to sort out their changing beliefs. It seems irrelevant to people who never believed, even if taught religion as a child.

[Anonymous]

I did not get Star Wars at first either coming from a different culture. But Baby Yoda persuaded me to invest time and watch the entire sequence of Star Wars.
I’m positive there are some deep philosophical messages hidden there.
And yes I may not believe in God due to early childhood education and overly logical mindset but I do believe that cuteness and kindness will save the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^Many people view it as a spectrum.

Many people believe in God. Doesn't mean it's real. No way of proving it, because god is outside of nature -- supernatural

Interesting that fairies, goblins, etc, which are just as supernatural as God, don't get the attention or the concern that God gets. People, if they ever believed in fairies, just stop believing in them once they grow up - or long before they grow up (e.g., Santa Claus). But then, these fairies don't promise what God does -- everlasting life, favors, status, etc. And whole systems of worship have been established for God. There's nothing like that for the other supernatural beings.

Santa Claus gets a lot of attention at Christmas from little children, but God gets attention all year long, with all the religious holidays, requirements and restrictions and "Houses of Worship."

Which god are we talking about? The Christian god?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did not get Star Wars at first either coming from a different culture. But Baby Yoda persuaded me to invest time and watch the entire sequence of Star Wars.
I’m positive there are some deep philosophical messages hidden there.
And yes I may not believe in God due to early childhood education and overly logical mindset but I do believe that cuteness and kindness will save the world.

Baby Yoda FTW!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^Many people view it as a spectrum.

Many people believe in God. Doesn't mean it's real. No way of proving it, because god is outside of nature -- supernatural

Huh? So you are comparing the spectrum view of atheism/agnosticism to a belief in god because neither can be proven or disproven? Do you realize that a non-spectrum view of agnosticism/atheism can't be "proven" either? These are just useful ways of framing and conceptualizing abstract concepts, not anything supernatural. Regardless, you're way off the thread's topic and not achieving anything useful of even remotely interesting.

Yes, -- it's a way of thinking about it, and its usefulness will likely wane when fewer people are taught as children to believe things that seem very unlikely as they get older - like Santa coming down the chimney to deliver toys to children all over the world.

Define your various uses of the word "it." Are you referring to the spectrum view atheism/agnosticism? Do you even know anything about it? You're very dogmatic and yet not making coherent arguments.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrum_of_theistic_probability

PP seems quite judgmental. The link is to Richard Dawkins' spectrum set forth in his book "The God Delusion." It can be useful for people coming from a religious background who are trying to sort out their changing beliefs. It seems irrelevant to people who never believed, even if taught religion as a child.

Please start your own thread about this. You're derailing the original conversation which was actually pretty interesting.

[Anonymous]

For those of you, what do you think happens when you die?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you, what do you think happens when you die?

Start your own thread.

[Anonymous]

Because I can think logically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you, what do you think happens when you die?

Typically your body will get cremated or buried. So back to carbon in one form or another.

I’ve asked for my ashes to be spread in a special place for my family so they can think of me if/when they go there in the future.