Do you ever get the feeling there could be a higher power?

[Treks]

G'day

I was discussing a/theism with a friend of mine recently, who is an atheist. He admitted he sometimes 'feels' there could be a higher power, and/or wants there to be a 'greater purpose' in life, but then he does a reality check and moves on. He can understand how other people pursue those feelings, though.

I was surprised to hear he had those feelings sometimes.

Do other atheists experience the same?

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Not me, no. Not in the least sense. But I've come across some who've expressed that type of sentiment. To be honest, it's usually pretty vague and limited in terms of specifics.

Can't recall an atheist ever saying to me they wish the doctrines of the RCC were 100% on the money for example.

 

[LuisDantas]

G'day

I was discussing a/theism with a friend of mine recently, who is an atheist. He admitted he sometimes 'feels' there could be a higher power, and/or wants there to be a 'greater purpose' in life, but then he does a reality check and moves on. He can understand how other people pursue those feelings, though.

I was surprised to hear he had those feelings sometimes.

Do other atheists experience the same?

Can't say that I do. Unless you consider such mental states as I sincerely consider all-out fantasies, many of them involving superheroes. Or if you are including the wish that society were better organized and more daring in some senses.

 

[Revoltingest]

Never once had the feeling of a higher power.

 

[Orbit]

As an atheist, yes I've had doubts as to whether there is an intelligence behind the universe. But I've never had a doubt that Biblegod doesn't exist.

 

[Koldo]

G'day

I was discussing a/theism with a friend of mine recently, who is an atheist. He admitted he sometimes 'feels' there could be a higher power, and/or wants there to be a 'greater purpose' in life, but then he does a reality check and moves on. He can understand how other people pursue those feelings, though.

I was surprised to hear he had those feelings sometimes.

Do other atheists experience the same?

It is quite the opposite with me. I don't feel that there could be a higher power. I think there can/could be a higher power.

 

[apophenia]

huh

I really am a freak

if only I could sit with you and tell you what actually happened

you can tell when someone is lying, if you can smell the pheromones. lies have a smell, taste, touch, sound and appearance - unless you want to go with them ... and they become undetectable

forum posts don't give you the pheromones etc you need to assess a report properly

 

[Twilight Hue]

No. Any sense or feeling of a higher power like a controlling deity had been effectively debunked and the matter laid to rest. I do suspect a far "higher" universe, but not one brought about by any type of "power" like imaginary gods or spirits and such.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I think as a general rule, those who suspect that there might be a "higher" power would tend to consider themselves agnostics rather than atheists. I would suspect that there are some atheists who might speculate or fantasize about possible higher powers, but reject such propositions (such as a couple of the earlier posters), while agnostics would be those such as myself who remain undecided about the existence of said higher powers.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I suppose it all comes about through facing complexity and the ability to understand the nuances involved.

We encounter things we don't fully understand while not always considering a point where the wonderment begins and connecting it with our capacity and capability to digest it all.

I think it becomes essential to discern our limitations in face of complexity so as not to become fantastical about it all.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

G'day

I was discussing a/theism with a friend of mine recently, who is an atheist. He admitted he sometimes 'feels' there could be a higher power, and/or wants there to be a 'greater purpose' in life, but then he does a reality check and moves on. He can understand how other people pursue those feelings, though.

I was surprised to hear he had those feelings sometimes.

Do other atheists experience the same?

Nothing like that, but I do get a weird feeling about musical instruments... as if smashing one is destroying something inherently sacred. I have this innate feeling that an instrument takes on something from the people who play it to give it a sort of rudimentary "soul".

This is the only thing I've been able to find that even hints at a soul, but I recognize it as a quirk of my brain. Also, since it doesn't correspond with any religion I've ever heard of, I wouldn't take it as support for religion even if I thought there was something to it.

 

[gsa]

Basically my view. But it is nothing like the gods with personality or powers attributed to YHWH, Allah, Zeus or Odin. Perhaps like Brahman.

 

[Treks]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Apparently I misunderstood my friend, who says he never said what I said he said. O.O

He said he can understand how people feel the need for there to be a higher power. Which really isn't what I heard him say the first time *narrow eyes*

 

[Sapiens]

I once felt the need for a higher power. I pulled out the 289 V-8 with a 4 barrel carb and replaced it with a blueprinted, ported, relieved, 302 with 4 dual throat side draft Webbers on Potvin crossover manifolds. My need was answered.

 

[The Neo Nerd]

I was that person so i think i should clarify.

There has been times of total wonder when looking at the vastness of the universe or the amazingness of life and think "surely there has to be something behind this". But i also realise the fallaciousness of this thinking. Just because we do not understand how something came to be does not mean there is some higher power behind it, but that my knowledge is limited.

I also suffer from depression and have once of twice (when i have been at my lowest) wished for there to be some kind of overarching order to the universe to make my suffering "mean something". But i realise that wishful thinking does not make something real.

Basically what i was trying to express to Treks in my own fumbling way, was that i can understand the urge to believe in some kind of higher power. I have not just rejected the idea of theism/deism out of hand, i just understand it is more a foible of the human psyche than a competent argument for the existence of some kind of higher power.

@Treks

 

[Rick O'Shez]

I have not just rejected the idea of theism/deism out of hand, i just understand it is more a foible of the human psyche than a competent argument for the existence of some kind of higher power.

Yes, that how it looks to me, a product of need and wishful thinking. Mind you the universe does still feel like a very mysterious place.

 

[Banjankri]

Do other atheists experience the same?

This is a moment when you stop being an atheist, while not becoming a theist.

 

[apophenia]

Does 'a higher power' necessarily mean the classic theistic notions ?

If so, the OP is asking if I believe in a second-hand idea of god.

From the classic materialist perspective, consciousness is an emergent property. An extraordinary property, compared to the non-experience of matter.

If this is true, then on what basis can anyone claim that no other properties could 'emerge' ?

 

[apophenia]

Compare lifeless matter to Jimi Hendrix.

Imagine another 'emergent property' which compares to passionate sentience like Jimi compares to dust.

Or can we say that nothing else could possibly 'emerge' which could be analogous to that comparison ?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Nothing like that, but I do get a weird feeling about musical instruments... as if smashing one is destroying something inherently sacred. I have this innate feeling that an instrument takes on something from the people who play it to give it a sort of rudimentary "soul".

This is the only thing I've been able to find that even hints at a soul, but I recognize it as a quirk of my brain. Also, since it doesn't correspond with any religion I've ever heard of, I wouldn't take it as support for religion even if I thought there was something to it.

I would suggest that the feelings you describe is something that many animists would understand and say, "Well, of COURSE!" However, animism is not a religion. Animism, despite what you may have learned before, is best thought of as treating what we westerners classify as nonhumans (including other living things, as well as sometimes what we consider inanimate things) as persons, worthy of respect and deference, just as we hope others would treat us. Doesn't always happen that way, but the feelings you describe certainly sound like the feelings of an animist.

Not that that makes you an animist--feelings of animism may be inherent in being human, as they have been identified in young children.