If there were no religion, absolutely no indoctrination as children,
how many would believe in a supreme being, intelligent energy, a continuing existence,
after the human body ceases?
.
Since the afterlife is a product of the indoctrination, I would venture that the majority would not.
How many would feel the connection to others, to the universe?
.
What does that have to do with religious indoctrination? One certainly does not need a god or religion to feel 'at one'. I would argue that, on the contrary, indoctrination is divisive and not unifying.
Lennon couldn't have said it better:
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
What does that have to do with religious indoctrination? One certainly does not need a god or religion to feel 'at one'. I would argue that, on the contrary, indoctrination is divisive and not unifying.
Lennon couldn't have said it better:
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Ahhh! (A Perfect Circle did a gorgeous cover of this)
And, to add...
"I don't believe in Beatles
I just believe in me"
Like I said earlier - me...us...nature
(pandora - many choose not to believe or simply DON'T believe - and there's the rub...typically, I've found it's about choice; one's own path, and not inability or stubbornness or blindness)
(pandora - many choose not to believe or simply DON'T believe - and there's the rub...typically, I've found it's about choice; one's own path, and not inability or stubbornness or blindness)
Exactly. Not a 'closed, cold heart' but maybe one open to, and accepting of, the tangible world (and also spiritual in a different way) around us.
im just very curious. im fascinated by psychology and so i find belief in God/s extremely interesting. what makes one person believe in God and the next person to not believe? is their belief the result of some trauma or the result of life long indoctrination or perhaps evolution revelation? if it was the result of trauma what was it that made them turn to God and not just sort through it logically? is it illogical to even turn to God?or do some think for them it was the only logical step? tho i have many many questions and always have had, once i came to the conclusion that for me the existence of God was not a truth for me my atheism didnt waver. and that is my truth.
I would say often non-belief is due to trauma. Being indoctrinated as a child, rebelling,
having family issues with that rebellion that carry into adulthood. People turn to atheism
because they do not connect nor feel the presence of God.
I use the word God for lack of a better word.
If there were no religion, absolutely no indoctrination as children,
how many would believe in a supreme being, intelligent energy, a continuing existence,
after the human body ceases?
How many would feel the connection to others, to the universe?
This is what is logical, what is common sense to believe.
Energy continues, there is no time and yes revelation, evolution it the key to
connecting. So is being open to the idea we are more than we appear,
being open to believe.
I would say that there is probably no pattern as far as trauma and Atheism goes.
Just want to remind you that just because people are Atheists it doesn't necessarily mean they don't believe in some kind of continuing existence (I have no idea why some assume that this and God must go hand in hand), nor does it mean they lack that sense of connection to others or the universe. You don't need a belief in any God for those things, and you don't lose those things if you convert to Atheism ... I don't know why people turn to Atheism generally, but from my own experience, I can say that coming to the strong belief that God does not exist did not diminish my sense of connection to others or the universe at all. On the contrary. I feel that it actually expanded my sense of connection with nature and the universe, and made me feel quite liberated. I found the belief in God and its concept to act as a barrier to certain connections and possibilities, and no, I'm not talking about it in the restricted terms of organized religion (for me, organized religion is pretty much a human abomination, but that and the concept of God in and of itself are separate issues. By God I mean any kind of intelligent power or purposeful force in the world/universe. That is the most basic concept of God possible to still be talking about God IMO).
I understand why you talk about indoctrination and how without ever hearing of the concept of God, would we still feel that connection, and I think that Atheism actually proves that this is indeed the case.... Which kind of make the idea of God seem very pointless, actually. :think:
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
cate, I respect your views and your curiosity (rather than derision).
The old adage "there are no atheists in foxholes" is something my dad said many times to me. When he was in WWII, he on more than one occasion experienced this with his fellow fighters. Fear does things to people, albeit differently.
I'll even admit that when Danny went in for his second lung surgery and I was alone in the waiting room for hours, I was thinking "if there IS a god, please look after him and have him come through this OK".
Beliefs (and non-beliefs) for some, I think, just evolve over time and experiences. Like Cosmo said, no problem with anyone believing as they do. Just do it peacefully.
...
To me... faith, hope and belief (including Religious belief) is a good thing and a positive human characteristic.
The problems arise when those traits are presented as a universal truth. The reason why it becomes a problem is because univeral truth applies to everyone.
So, everytime i hear anyone say they know, for a fact, that God exists... I know what it is.... religion. Religion is what proclaims belief as truth... whether it is the Catholic Church of Rome or one individual, it is the same thing. Faith is personal... belief is personal. My beliefs are personal and I only apply them to myself... i accept belief of others as their own and let them be. Just don't try to tell me that what you believe is the truth. It may be your truth... not anyone else's.
When someone says to me, 'You think too much'... I say, 'Yes, i do... because i am not stupid enough to blindly accept what you say is the truth'.
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
Ahhh! (A Perfect Circle did a gorgeous cover of this)
And, to add...
"I don't believe in Beatles
I just believe in me"
Like I said earlier - me...us...nature
(pandora - many choose not to believe or simply DON'T believe - and there's the rub...typically, I've found it's about choice; one's own path, and not inability or stubbornness or blindness)
...
If there was no religion... we would have to pin everything we do on ourselves. No more blaming Satan... no more credit given to God. We would have to rely on ourselves to do what is right.
Even without religion... and the concept of God... we would still possess out spirit... our love... our hate... our thoughts... because those are all parts of our humanity.
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
Faith is personal... belief is personal. My beliefs are personal and I only apply them to myself... i accept belief of others as their own and let them be. Just don't try to tell me that what you believe is the truth. It may be your truth... not anyone else's.
If there were no religion, absolutely no indoctrination as children,
how many would believe in a supreme being, intelligent energy, a continuing existence,
after the human body ceases?
.
Since the afterlife is a product of the indoctrination, I would venture that the majority would not.
How many would feel the connection to others, to the universe?
.
What does that have to do with religious indoctrination? One certainly does not need a god or religion to feel 'at one'. I would argue that, on the contrary, indoctrination is divisive and not unifying.
Lennon couldn't have said it better:
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
I would agree indoctrination is not unifying at all
What does that have to do with religious indoctrination? One certainly does not need a god or religion to feel 'at one'. I would argue that, on the contrary, indoctrination is divisive and not unifying.
Lennon couldn't have said it better:
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Ahhh! (A Perfect Circle did a gorgeous cover of this)
And, to add...
"I don't believe in Beatles
I just believe in me"
Like I said earlier - me...us...nature
(pandora - many choose not to believe or simply DON'T believe - and there's the rub...typically, I've found it's about choice; one's own path, and not inability or stubbornness or blindness)
Of course our life, our path is all about choices... what ever lead you to believe I do not
find this to be true? I speak of this often.
This as individual as each of us are.
Where does choice come from?
How do we choose?
Through my young life, being denied religion, helped me to view others
and how it effected them and their choices. As I grew and educated myself
on religion I found many of my peers turning away from God or their prescribed
teachings because of indoctrination, because of disappointment in what was expected
from religion /God.
Many are unable to even differentiate between God and religion,
as we see here on the forum. They are not one in the same, far from it.
But many can not understand this as never experiencing anything but God in religion.
Others like myself see no religion in God or the path that leads us from here.
It is common sense to know and feel this presence and the energy within us that
continues. So of course one does not need religion to feel one with the universe
or our supreme being.
I often hear the fear, disappointment, failure of God,
this from the child within the adult. I hear it here, I hear it from my past,
I hear it in my everyday life, we hear it in the world.
The failure lies within the individual though not within God.
Ahhh! (A Perfect Circle did a gorgeous cover of this)
And, to add...
"I don't believe in Beatles
I just believe in me"
Like I said earlier - me...us...nature
(pandora - many choose not to believe or simply DON'T believe - and there's the rub...typically, I've found it's about choice; one's own path, and not inability or stubbornness or blindness)
...
If there was no religion... we would have to pin everything we do on ourselves. No more blaming Satan... no more credit given to God. We would have to rely on ourselves to do what is right.
Even without religion... and the concept of God... we would still possess out spirit... our love... our hate... our thoughts... because those are all parts of our humanity.
I believe in God and never blame anyone but myself. I do not need God to make me do right.
I understand as there is the power of good there is also that of evil and hate.
My belief ... It is not dying, it is leaving this world,
and in this world is God.
But of course I explain this to you in particular because you feel I try to not except
your beliefs... that is not true. Your beliefs are typical to me, I accept they are right for you.
I explain this to you so you can finally understand how some know God here in this world.
That it will not take leaving here before we know.
So now you can practice what you preach and accept someone else's truth, accept it is right for them.
[
I would say that there is probably no pattern as far as trauma and Atheism goes.
Just want to remind you that just because people are Atheists it doesn't necessarily mean they don't believe in some kind of continuing existence (I have no idea why some assume that this and God must go hand in hand), nor does it mean they lack that sense of connection to others or the universe. You don't need a belief in any God for those things, and you don't lose those things if you convert to Atheism ... I don't know why people turn to Atheism generally, but from my own experience, I can say that coming to the strong belief that God does not exist did not diminish my sense of connection to others or the universe at all. On the contrary. I feel that it actually expanded my sense of connection with nature and the universe, and made me feel quite liberated. I found the belief in God and its concept to act as a barrier to certain connections and possibilities, and no, I'm not talking about it in the restricted terms of organized religion (for me, organized religion is pretty much a human abomination, but that and the concept of God in and of itself are separate issues. By God I mean any kind of intelligent power or purposeful force in the world/universe. That is the most basic concept of God possible to still be talking about God IMO).
I understand why you talk about indoctrination and how without ever hearing of the concept of God, would we still feel that connection, and I think that Atheism actually proves that this is indeed the case.... Which kind of make the idea of God seem very pointless, actually. :think:
What brought you to not believe in the existence of God?
What connections and possibilities?
Do you feel God can teach you anything? That a supreme intelligent being can teach you
on your continuing path.
Not 'ours' Pandora. Yours (and those who believe in such things). Try to understand that.
'We' do not know my opinion or 'we' would not be so off track about it.
I say ours as humans, as souls that continue on and that would be you also redrock
we don't have to agree we almost never do
doesn't mean I don't understand you though nor would I ever try to inflict my beliefs upon you,
you have your core belief and I have mine... you will need a miracle to change yours
as I did mine.
Not 'ours' Pandora. Yours (and those who believe in such things). Try to understand that.
'We' do not know my opinion or 'we' would not be so off track about it.
I say ours as humans, as souls that continue on and that would be you also redrock
we don't have to agree we almost never do
doesn't mean I don't understand you though nor would I ever try to inflict my beliefs upon you,
you have your core belief and I have mine... you will need a miracle to change yours
as I did mine.
I understood that you meant 'ours' as a huge generalisation. But again Pandora, it is 'yours' (and others who believe as you do). Do not 'inflict' this on humankind (including me) as your statement would suggest.
You seem to believe you need a catalyst to 'be at one' and to go along your path - your prerogative.
A miracle? Hmmmmm.......
Edit: Anyway... I can see where this is going and I guess I will stop here on this particular exchange. Maybe we could agree on something with you doing the same.
Not 'ours' Pandora. Yours (and those who believe in such things). Try to understand that.
'We' do not know my opinion or 'we' would not be so off track about it.
I say ours as humans, as souls that continue on and that would be you also redrock
we don't have to agree we almost never do
doesn't mean I don't understand you though nor would I ever try to inflict my beliefs upon you,
you have your core belief and I have mine... you will need a miracle to change yours
as I did mine.
I understood that you meant 'ours' as a huge generalisation. But again Pandora, it is 'yours' (and others who believe as you do). Do not 'inflict' this on humankind (including me) as your statement would suggest.
You seem to believe you need a catalyst to 'be at one' and to go along your path - your prerogative.
A miracle? Hmmmmm.......
Edit: Anyway... I can see where this is going and I guess I will stop here on this particular exchange. Maybe we could agree on something with you doing the same.
As I said I will include you but you don't have to share in my belief of course.
You see you are a big part of my belief as we all are.
Yes I know I need a catalyst... last time I checked I'm not a supreme being ... yet
I picture more of a bestest bud or tour guide though
Ditchin me again just when it's getting good?
your MO and mine is to graciously support that.
Enjoy your day and keep your eyes open for those miracles
Ahhh! (A Perfect Circle did a gorgeous cover of this)
And, to add...
"I don't believe in Beatles
I just believe in me"
Like I said earlier - me...us...nature
(pandora - many choose not to believe or simply DON'T believe - and there's the rub...typically, I've found it's about choice; one's own path, and not inability or stubbornness or blindness)
Of course our life, our path is all about choices... what ever lead you to believe I do not
find this to be true? I speak of this often.
This as individual as each of us are.
Where does choice come from?
How do we choose?
Through my young life, being denied religion, helped me to view others
and how it effected them and their choices. As I grew and educated myself
on religion I found many of my peers turning away from God or their prescribed
teachings because of indoctrination, because of disappointment in what was expected
from religion /God.
Many are unable to even differentiate between God and religion,
as we see here on the forum. They are not one in the same, far from it.
But many can not understand this as never experiencing anything but God in religion.
Others like myself see no religion in God or the path that leads us from here.
It is common sense to know and feel this presence and the energy within us that
continues. So of course one does not need religion to feel one with the universe
or our supreme being.
I often hear the fear, disappointment, failure of God,
this from the child within the adult. I hear it here, I hear it from my past,
I hear it in my everyday life, we hear it in the world.
The failure lies within the individual though not within God.
My comment came from earlier posts of yours – “free yourself to believe”, etc. I inferred it as one being closeminded or mentally/emotionally chained if they come to the conclusion to NOT believe…or to say they simply don’t know.
(and…”common sense to know and feel god”? C’mon now)
...
You know what a miracle would be?
If this thread did not end up in the same predictable quagmire as all the others that preceeded it.
...
I believe we have sustained a direct hit... fire suppression system engaged and ineffective... loss of all hydraulic pressure... declaring a MayDay and beginning abort cycle... engaging ejector seat... it was a pretty good thing while it lasted... ejection cycle in three.. two... one... I love you...
***BOOOOM!!!***
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
Faith is personal... belief is personal. My beliefs are personal and I only apply them to myself... i accept belief of others as their own and let them be. Just don't try to tell me that what you believe is the truth. It may be your truth... not anyone else's.
Amen to that, Cos!
Philosophers have discussed the concept of truth for centuries without reaching much of a consensus (so many different theories). What makes a 'truth' a truth? As you say, yours is yours, mine is mine. Omniscience does not exist. And that's the truth!
[
I would say that there is probably no pattern as far as trauma and Atheism goes.
Just want to remind you that just because people are Atheists it doesn't necessarily mean they don't believe in some kind of continuing existence (I have no idea why some assume that this and God must go hand in hand), nor does it mean they lack that sense of connection to others or the universe. You don't need a belief in any God for those things, and you don't lose those things if you convert to Atheism ... I don't know why people turn to Atheism generally, but from my own experience, I can say that coming to the strong belief that God does not exist did not diminish my sense of connection to others or the universe at all. On the contrary. I feel that it actually expanded my sense of connection with nature and the universe, and made me feel quite liberated. I found the belief in God and its concept to act as a barrier to certain connections and possibilities, and no, I'm not talking about it in the restricted terms of organized religion (for me, organized religion is pretty much a human abomination, but that and the concept of God in and of itself are separate issues. By God I mean any kind of intelligent power or purposeful force in the world/universe. That is the most basic concept of God possible to still be talking about God IMO).
I understand why you talk about indoctrination and how without ever hearing of the concept of God, would we still feel that connection, and I think that Atheism actually proves that this is indeed the case.... Which kind of make the idea of God seem very pointless, actually. :think:
What brought you to not believe in the existence of God?
What connections and possibilities?
Do you feel God can teach you anything? That a supreme intelligent being can teach you
on your continuing path.
I came to the belief that there was no God after exploring faith for some time as a teenager and young adult, and the more I thought about it the more nonsensical the whole concept became to me. I don't really know how better to explain it. To me, it just makes no sense at all, and I realized that God was a completely mad-made concept that has nothing to do with the real world or universe. I also simply felt connected, as you tend to put it, without the belief in God, which told me that God has nothing to do with my place in in existence.
I find that the concept of God ends possibilities of... well, everything. God is used to explain the unexplainable... and once that happens, all other possibilities or reasons or causes of the connection people feel on a emotion level to the bigger space around them are ruled out. I find that very restrictive and limiting.
No, of course I don't feel God can teach me anything, because God - a supreme intelligent being - doesn't exist. I'm not sure why you would ask me that. It's almost like you can't conceive truly not believing in it, but I don't know...
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
...
You know what a miracle would be?
If this thread did not end up in the same predictable quagmire as all the others that preceeded it.
...
I believe we have sustained a direct hit... fire suppression system engaged and ineffective... loss of all hydraulic pressure... declaring a MayDay and beginning abort cycle... engaging ejector seat... it was a pretty good thing while it lasted... ejection cycle in three.. two... one... I love you...
***BOOOOM!!!***
we were flying so well there for awhile. and now im a casualty of the crash. thanks for the goodness while it lasted.
hear my name
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
im just very curious. im fascinated by psychology and so i find belief in God/s extremely interesting. what makes one person believe in God and the next person to not believe? is their belief the result of some trauma or the result of life long indoctrination or perhaps evolution revelation? if it was the result of trauma what was it that made them turn to God and not just sort through it logically? is it illogical to even turn to God?or do some think for them it was the only logical step? tho i have many many questions and always have had, once i came to the conclusion that for me the existence of God was not a truth for me my atheism didnt waver. and that is my truth.
cate, I respect your views and your curiosity (rather than derision).
The old adage "there are no atheists in foxholes" is something my dad said many times to me. When he was in WWII, he on more than one occasion experienced this with his fellow fighters. Fear does things to people, albeit differently.
I'll even admit that when Danny went in for his second lung surgery and I was alone in the waiting room for hours, I was thinking "if there IS a god, please look after him and have him come through this OK".
Beliefs (and non-beliefs) for some, I think, just evolve over time and experiences. Like Cosmo said, no problem with anyone believing as they do. Just do it peacefully.
aah yes the old no atheist in the foxhole adage. i have known fear.. i remain an atheist.
hear my name
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,408
...
You know what a miracle would be?
If this thread did not end up in the same predictable quagmire as all the others that preceeded it.
...
I believe we have sustained a direct hit... fire suppression system engaged and ineffective... loss of all hydraulic pressure... declaring a MayDay and beginning abort cycle... engaging ejector seat... it was a pretty good thing while it lasted... ejection cycle in three.. two... one... I love you...
***BOOOOM!!!***
we were flying so well there for awhile. and now im a casualty of the crash. thanks for the goodness while it lasted.
Good evening passengers. For your convenience and comfort, we have provided plenty of soft cushions to crash on in the lounge and God's bartender will be serving up a wicked toddy shortly.
"Pretty cookies, heart squares all around, yeah!" -Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
Good evening passengers. For your convenience and comfort, we have provided plenty of soft cushions to crash on in the lounge and God's bartender will be serving up a wicked toddy shortly.
just knock me out and wake me when we land.
hear my name
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
Comments
What does that have to do with religious indoctrination? One certainly does not need a god or religion to feel 'at one'. I would argue that, on the contrary, indoctrination is divisive and not unifying.
Lennon couldn't have said it better:
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
And, to add...
"I don't believe in Beatles
I just believe in me"
Like I said earlier - me...us...nature
(pandora - many choose not to believe or simply DON'T believe - and there's the rub...typically, I've found it's about choice; one's own path, and not inability or stubbornness or blindness)
Exactly. Not a 'closed, cold heart' but maybe one open to, and accepting of, the tangible world (and also spiritual in a different way) around us.
Perhaps poor reading comprehension leads to a lot of our differences.
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
Just want to remind you that just because people are Atheists it doesn't necessarily mean they don't believe in some kind of continuing existence (I have no idea why some assume that this and God must go hand in hand), nor does it mean they lack that sense of connection to others or the universe. You don't need a belief in any God for those things, and you don't lose those things if you convert to Atheism ... I don't know why people turn to Atheism generally, but from my own experience, I can say that coming to the strong belief that God does not exist did not diminish my sense of connection to others or the universe at all. On the contrary. I feel that it actually expanded my sense of connection with nature and the universe, and made me feel quite liberated. I found the belief in God and its concept to act as a barrier to certain connections and possibilities, and no, I'm not talking about it in the restricted terms of organized religion (for me, organized religion is pretty much a human abomination, but that and the concept of God in and of itself are separate issues. By God I mean any kind of intelligent power or purposeful force in the world/universe. That is the most basic concept of God possible to still be talking about God IMO).
I understand why you talk about indoctrination and how without ever hearing of the concept of God, would we still feel that connection, and I think that Atheism actually proves that this is indeed the case.... Which kind of make the idea of God seem very pointless, actually. :think:
To me... faith, hope and belief (including Religious belief) is a good thing and a positive human characteristic.
The problems arise when those traits are presented as a universal truth. The reason why it becomes a problem is because univeral truth applies to everyone.
So, everytime i hear anyone say they know, for a fact, that God exists... I know what it is.... religion. Religion is what proclaims belief as truth... whether it is the Catholic Church of Rome or one individual, it is the same thing. Faith is personal... belief is personal. My beliefs are personal and I only apply them to myself... i accept belief of others as their own and let them be. Just don't try to tell me that what you believe is the truth. It may be your truth... not anyone else's.
When someone says to me, 'You think too much'... I say, 'Yes, i do... because i am not stupid enough to blindly accept what you say is the truth'.
Hail, Hail!!!
If there was no religion... we would have to pin everything we do on ourselves. No more blaming Satan... no more credit given to God. We would have to rely on ourselves to do what is right.
Even without religion... and the concept of God... we would still possess out spirit... our love... our hate... our thoughts... because those are all parts of our humanity.
Hail, Hail!!!
find this to be true? I speak of this often.
This as individual as each of us are.
Where does choice come from?
How do we choose?
Through my young life, being denied religion, helped me to view others
and how it effected them and their choices. As I grew and educated myself
on religion I found many of my peers turning away from God or their prescribed
teachings because of indoctrination, because of disappointment in what was expected
from religion /God.
Many are unable to even differentiate between God and religion,
as we see here on the forum. They are not one in the same, far from it.
But many can not understand this as never experiencing anything but God in religion.
Others like myself see no religion in God or the path that leads us from here.
It is common sense to know and feel this presence and the energy within us that
continues. So of course one does not need religion to feel one with the universe
or our supreme being.
I often hear the fear, disappointment, failure of God,
this from the child within the adult. I hear it here, I hear it from my past,
I hear it in my everyday life, we hear it in the world.
The failure lies within the individual though not within God.
Our?
Failure of the individual?
I understand as there is the power of good there is also that of evil and hate.
My belief ... It is not dying, it is leaving this world,
and in this world is God.
But of course I explain this to you in particular because you feel I try to not except
your beliefs... that is not true. Your beliefs are typical to me, I accept they are right for you.
I explain this to you so you can finally understand how some know God here in this world.
That it will not take leaving here before we know.
So now you can practice what you preach and accept someone else's truth,
accept it is right for them.
yes ours
yes
of course this is not your opinion we know your opinion and we know mine
know and know
'We' do not know my opinion or 'we' would not be so off track about it.
What connections and possibilities?
Do you feel God can teach you anything? That a supreme intelligent being can teach you
on your continuing path.
Can you clarify this statement.
Did you mean to say:
'No, god is a necessity on our continuing path...'
or
'God is not a necessity on our continuing path...' (ie we do not need a god to 'help us along'...)
we don't have to agree we almost never do
doesn't mean I don't understand you though nor would I ever try to inflict my beliefs upon you,
you have your core belief and I have mine... you will need a miracle to change yours
as I did mine.
I understood that you meant 'ours' as a huge generalisation. But again Pandora, it is 'yours' (and others who believe as you do). Do not 'inflict' this on humankind (including me) as your statement would suggest.
You seem to believe you need a catalyst to 'be at one' and to go along your path - your prerogative.
A miracle? Hmmmmm.......
Edit: Anyway... I can see where this is going and I guess I will stop here on this particular exchange. Maybe we could agree on something with you doing the same.
You see you are a big part of my belief as we all are.
Yes I know I need a catalyst... last time I checked I'm not a supreme being ... yet
I picture more of a bestest bud or tour guide though
Ditchin me again just when it's getting good?
your MO and mine is to graciously support that.
Enjoy your day and keep your eyes open for those miracles
(and…”common sense to know and feel god”? C’mon now)
Carry on
You know what a miracle would be?
If this thread did not end up in the same predictable quagmire as all the others that preceeded it.
...
I believe we have sustained a direct hit... fire suppression system engaged and ineffective... loss of all hydraulic pressure... declaring a MayDay and beginning abort cycle... engaging ejector seat... it was a pretty good thing while it lasted... ejection cycle in three.. two... one... I love you...
***BOOOOM!!!***
Hail, Hail!!!
I find that the concept of God ends possibilities of... well, everything. God is used to explain the unexplainable... and once that happens, all other possibilities or reasons or causes of the connection people feel on a emotion level to the bigger space around them are ruled out. I find that very restrictive and limiting.
No, of course I don't feel God can teach me anything, because God - a supreme intelligent being - doesn't exist. I'm not sure why you would ask me that. It's almost like you can't conceive truly not believing in it, but I don't know...
we were flying so well there for awhile. and now im a casualty of the crash. thanks for the goodness while it lasted.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
aah yes the old no atheist in the foxhole adage. i have known fear.. i remain an atheist.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
Good evening passengers. For your convenience and comfort, we have provided plenty of soft cushions to crash on in the lounge and God's bartender will be serving up a wicked toddy shortly.
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
just knock me out and wake me when we land.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say