Does this qualify as a religious way of thinking?

[CasBee]

Hey guys,

my question might be a little weird. I hope I'm posting in the right sub forum.

For years now I've been convinced that everything happens for a reason. I believe that things are meant to be the way they are and that things will happen if they are supposed to. I believe that everything will work out in the end and that we don't actually have to worry. I believe in fate. I think that your life and everything in and about it is predestined yet I also think you gotta pick up on those little hints given along the way, meaning you might have to work for some things. I also believe that there's the occasional lesson learnt, which is also meant to happen and predestined. That basically covers the "Everything happens for a reason" way of thinking, I guess.

I also constantly tell myself "Count Your Blessings", which is just me trying to be thankful for what I have and avoiding becoming self righteous or anything like that. I'm sure you know what I mean.

Despite all this - I still have a hard time accepting that there's an actual God or power of any sort that plans all of this for us. I mean, yes, I just talked about the way I think and handle things yet it doesn't necessarily mean that that fate I believe in has been put together by an actual force or anything. Yet several people I've told about how I think told me I can't be an Atheist then.

So my question would be:

Do you guys think the way I go through life, the way I think and handle any situation, is a sign of my possibly being less of an Atheist? Does it qualify as a religious way of thinking?

 

[Gjallarhorn]

You're an optimist. Obviously you can't be an atheist if you see the positive side of life.

I hope I don't have to point out the sarcasm.

 

[Sunstone]

I guess it would depend on what you mean by "religion". But there is no universally accepted definition of religion.

Perhaps it should be noted, however, that belief in god is not necessary to religion.

 

[Jainarayan]

CasBee...

I don't believe in pre-destination or fate. I believe there are no accidents, however. Events are part of a chain that is unfathomable, i.e. karma, which is intricate beyond comprehension. I do not believe in a God who controls our lives. I believe in a God who created the universe for His and our sport, but lets it play out as it will.

You sound more like a deist... one who believes in a God or power that sets things in motion and lets it run, like winding up a clock and leaving it to run, but not an atheist.

 

[E. Nato Difficile]

It sounds more superstitious than religious.

I have no problem taking things as they come and trying to learn lessons from what happens to us in life. But that's vastly different than thinking that everything is part of some vague, incomprehensible plan. I guess we all look at the seemingly random events in our indifferent universe and want to be told that everything is for the best. But at a certain point we should admit that maybe it looks the way it does because it's truly random.

-Nato

 

[sojourner]

Hey guys,

my question might be a little weird. I hope I'm posting in the right sub forum.

For years now I've been convinced that everything happens for a reason. I believe that things are meant to be the way they are and that things will happen if they are supposed to. I believe that everything will work out in the end and that we don't actually have to worry. I believe in fate. I think that your life and everything in and about it is predestined yet I also think you gotta pick up on those little hints given along the way, meaning you might have to work for some things. I also believe that there's the occasional lesson learnt, which is also meant to happen and predestined. That basically covers the "Everything happens for a reason" way of thinking, I guess.

I also constantly tell myself "Count Your Blessings", which is just me trying to be thankful for what I have and avoiding becoming self righteous or anything like that. I'm sure you know what I mean.

Despite all this - I still have a hard time accepting that there's an actual God or power of any sort that plans all of this for us. I mean, yes, I just talked about the way I think and handle things yet it doesn't necessarily mean that that fate I believe in has been put together by an actual force or anything. Yet several people I've told about how I think told me I can't be an Atheist then.

So my question would be:

Do you guys think the way I go through life, the way I think and handle any situation, is a sign of my possibly being less of an Atheist? Does it qualify as a religious way of thinking?

Take counsel from your avatar: "We can't all and some don't. That's just How It Is."

 

[CasBee]

Lol nope, never with me. I'm very sarcastic myself.

 

[CasBee]

I like all of you guys' responses... thank you.

What about the fact that I do believe in souls? Is that also part of what each of you has suggested?

 

[Reptillian]

The question of importance to whether or not you're an athiest is: Do you believe in gods? Is fate or the soul a part of the definition of god? I don't think that it is. In the ancient greco-roman religion, even the gods of Olympus feared The Fates. Fate, if it exists, likely governs gods and men.

 

[PolyHedral]

Do you guys think the way I go through life, the way I think and handle any situation, is a sign of my possibly being less of an Atheist? Does it qualify as a religious way of thinking?

There isn't such a thing as "less of an atheist;" you either believe in god or you don't.

I like all of you guys' responses... thank you.

What about the fact that I do believe in souls? Is that also part of what each of you has suggested?

This isn't religious per se, since there's no organisation. However, it is what's usually called "magical" thinking. Unless you've come up with an argument I've never seen before, both souls and "everything happening for a reason" are wrong ideas that appeal to you, as opposed to conclusions reached to explain evidence. They are as dangerous as religion in that regard.

For instance, if everything happens for a reason, there's no need to change anything. This is a spectacularly bad move for everyone not currently experiencing utopia. (i.e. everyone )

 

[Viker]

Hey guys,

my question might be a little weird. I hope I'm posting in the right sub forum.

For years now I've been convinced that everything happens for a reason. I believe that things are meant to be the way they are and that things will happen if they are supposed to. I believe that everything will work out in the end and that we don't actually have to worry. I believe in fate. I think that your life and everything in and about it is predestined yet I also think you gotta pick up on those little hints given along the way, meaning you might have to work for some things. I also believe that there's the occasional lesson learnt, which is also meant to happen and predestined. That basically covers the "Everything happens for a reason" way of thinking, I guess.

I also constantly tell myself "Count Your Blessings", which is just me trying to be thankful for what I have and avoiding becoming self righteous or anything like that. I'm sure you know what I mean.

Despite all this - I still have a hard time accepting that there's an actual God or power of any sort that plans all of this for us. I mean, yes, I just talked about the way I think and handle things yet it doesn't necessarily mean that that fate I believe in has been put together by an actual force or anything. Yet several people I've told about how I think told me I can't be an Atheist then.

So my question would be:

Do you guys think the way I go through life, the way I think and handle any situation, is a sign of my possibly being less of an Atheist? Does it qualify as a religious way of thinking?

It's not entirely religious or not religious at all by itself. I don't understand why you couldn't be atheist and still think this way.

 

[CasBee]

That's the thing I wanted to know... everyone's been trying to convince me that I must not be an Atheist then... only because I think this way. Thank you for being on "my side" haha.

 

[vepurusg]

What about the fact that I do believe in souls? Is that also part of what each of you has suggested?

A naturalist can not believe in any of the supernatural concepts you mentioned (if you believe they are supernatural). In that case, you are not a naturalist- but there's no problem with your being an atheist.

Most atheists believe in luck, ghosts, and any number of usually non-naturalistic beliefs (a large part of the population of China fits this bill, for example).

Only very few atheists (and even fewer theists) are naturalists- Most atheists on the internet, however, and all of the most popular vocal atheist personalities, are naturalists- so it's easy to mix up the two.



By one definition of atheism (the most modern and progressive), atheists can believe in absolutely anything with the exception of "gods".
The problem with that definition, is that the definition of "gods" is extremely poor.

Look into Ignosticism (which is gaining ground as people come to understand how poorly defined deity is) a bit to get a grasp on the mess that is the concept of deity.

More classically, an atheist was somebody who usually believed in the existence of the being in question but typically refused to worship that being as a "god". That is, they "had no gods"- wherein a "god" is not so much a category of being as a title of that which is being worshiped.

Early Jews were henotheistic- they had only one god, but they understood that others existed.
Christians have denigrated the old gods (which they still believed existed) as demons- just refusing them the title and worship of gods.

In that sense, if you worship something as your god- it is your god- and then you are a theist.
If you don't worship it, you deny it godhood from your perspective (even if you believe these beings, such as Zues, YHWH, Shiva, Thor, etc. exist), and you are an atheist.


You can believe in ghosts, fate, luck, karma, and even in the beings that are YHWH, Zues, etc. and still be an atheist- as long as you don't accept any of them as your gods and worship them accordingly.


The definition of atheist began shifting from "denying worship" to "denying existence" when Christian monotheism took over- they considered pagans to be atheists, or any heratics- and atheists were long considered worshippers of satan (yet believers in the existence of YHWH). With the more progressive eras, the belief in devil worshippers dropped off, and because in some sense only an insane person would agknowledge the existence of such a god (truly believing in its qualities) and not worship it, it became synonymous with disbelief since almost all atheists were disbelievers.


Anyway, some definitions are clear cut, but particularly during social movements like this, definitions of key words used in identifying people and their beliefs tend to be in flux. "Atheist" is very volatile as a word, and the definition is shifting and changing even as we speak.

We can speak of what atheist means in a certain time period to most people, but it's hard to say where it will settle.

There are those fighting to have it be implicit by default, to be explicit only (active disbelief), to have it refer only to the Abrahamic god, to have it refer to only that or a deistic concept which is similar in origin and existential measure but doesn't interfere... well, it's a mess.

 

[obi one]

Hey guys,

my question might be a little weird. I hope I'm posting in the right sub forum.

For years now I've been convinced that everything happens for a reason. I believe that things are meant to be the way they are and that things will happen if they are supposed to. I believe that everything will work out in the end and that we don't actually have to worry. I believe in fate. I think that your life and everything in and about it is predestined yet I also think you gotta pick up on those little hints given along the way, meaning you might have to work for some things. I also believe that there's the occasional lesson learnt, which is also meant to happen and predestined. That basically covers the "Everything happens for a reason" way of thinking, I guess.

I also constantly tell myself "Count Your Blessings", which is just me trying to be thankful for what I have and avoiding becoming self righteous or anything like that. I'm sure you know what I mean.

Despite all this - I still have a hard time accepting that there's an actual God or power of any sort that plans all of this for us. I mean, yes, I just talked about the way I think and handle things yet it doesn't necessarily mean that that fate I believe in has been put together by an actual force or anything. Yet several people I've told about how I think told me I can't be an Atheist then.

So my question would be:

Do you guys think the way I go through life, the way I think and handle any situation, is a sign of my possibly being less of an Atheist? Does it qualify as a religious way of thinking?

I am not an expert on Budhism, but my brother-in-law was a Budhist, and what you believe sure sounds like how he explained the concept of Budhism to me. An example being that if you are rowing your boat down the stream, and your child fell in the water, hey, that is fate, let the little guy learn to swim or drown trying.

As for fate, you make a lot of your own fate. Here is a good article based on the concept that you reap what you sow. An example would be that when you had an extra loaf of bread, and you gave some to someone who had no bread, then later, when you had no bread, someone would be there for you. The following link is to a much better story which is hilarious. Obama reaps what he sows

 

[CasBee]

That's kind of what I meant - I can influence the fate somewhat, I should have explained further I think. What I meant was that at times you are offered two options or something and depending on which you go with your fate kind of changes if you know what I mean and like I said you should pick up on hints and everything... it's interesting that this makes me sound like a Budhist haha I would have never expected that.

 

[CasBee]

Thank you so much, your answer is probably one of the best I got so far!

I will look into Ignosticism.

 

[CasBee]

I believe in karma myself... not all the time but every now and then I think it really shows that it must exist. Of course let's also be honest, it's comforting, knowing and hoping that people will always get what they deserve.

 

[CasBee]

I personally don't think (just by intuition) that fate or souls are part of a definition of god and that's exactly why I have been confused by all those people calling me religious for believing in those things.

 

[CasBee]

No no, there is need to change, it's just that it's already planned out/predestined. At least in my opinion. We are supposed to change at certain times and in certain ways, change is good, with everything.

 

[zenzero]

Friend CasBee,

Do you guys think the way I go through life, the way I think and handle any situation, is a sign of my possibly being less of an Atheist? Does it qualify as a religious way of thinking?

Personally everything is done religiously [atleast try to] meaning religion is a path or a way of life. The way one lives be it without thinking/believing in any God is also a way of life one lives. Living itself is following the eternal path of existence meaning being religious.:yes::yes:

Love & rgds