Is No Religion the New Religion?

[AdamRaja]

Why not? I am not religious but religion is a very interesting and important topic to me. Religion has been part of human culture for at least thousands, possibly tens of thousands of years...I think it deserves to be discussed and debated - don't you?

if you do that's all that matters.

 

[ChristineM]

I am actually quiet surprised after joining here on RF. The site in majority seems to be non-religious people. Is this the case in the world today? Not suggesting that it is good or bad.. but simply am curious to know if people you interact with on the daily claim a religion or not?

Curious.. Why come to a religious site if you are not religious?
I respect anyone that is here to open minds and spread love but why just get on here to make fun of what people believe.. I just don't understand

I know the last 20 years atheism has increased by over 20%..
Of course an easy argument for them would be people are finally waking up.
However, from my side it also fulfills prophecies because in the end times more people will be away from God and living strictly for materialism.

I wish people would dig deeper within instead of running away.
These books were meant to teach and help people who were animals.
I think some might think of God as a bearded guy in the sky and call it quits.

If people of no religion are teaming up spreading their word to religious people what is the difference?
Next there will be atheist instead of Jehovahs Witness knocking on doors.

Is no religion the new religion in todays hip modern culture?


View attachment 25128

Depends where you live. In much of northern europe religion is on its way out. Southern europe it is declining but not so fast. The USA has a high religious population but is in slow decline. I understand religion os strong in latin americaI. In russia religion has increased rapidly over the last 25 years.
In any muslim countries religion (islam) is a must.

There are many good reasons for "running away" and those people, by and large do not "team up" to spread the word however they will offer counters when religion attempts to spread their word.

And absolutely not will atheist take on the intrusive tactics of JWs.

And its not a point of "hip modern culture" it is a point of waking up and smelling the lack of proof.

You seem to be under a lot of misconceptions regarding atheism, i cannot speak for all but if you would like to lean a little from this atheists point of view i will willingly respond to your questions if you PM me.

 

[Jumi]

I'd like to point out that anti-religion and no-religion aren't the same thing. There are folks without religion that are theists or atheists that aren't against religion as such.

 

[AdamRaja]

Depends where you live. In much of northern europe religion is on its way out. Southern europe it is declining but not so fast. The USA has a high religious population but is in slow decline. I understand religion os strong in latin americaI. In russia religion has increased rapidly over the last 25 years.
In any muslim countries religion (islam) is a must.

There are many good reasons for "running away" and those people, by and large do not "team up" to spread the word however they will offer counters when religion attempts to spread their word.

And absolutely not will atheist take on the intrusive tactics of JWs.

And its not a point of "hip modern culture" it is a point of waking up and smelling the lack of proof.

You seem to be under a lot of misconceptions regarding atheism, i cannot speak for all but if you would like to lean a little from this atheists point of view i will willingly respond to your questions if you PM me.

Like I said in OP most atheist will say its because people are waking up but in my eyes its people straying away.

I used to be atheist actually. Not saying I couldn't learn from atheist on here.. just saying I have been down that rabbit hole.

Thanks for the response!

 

[AdamRaja]

I'd like to point out that anti-religion and no-religion aren't the same thing. There are folks without religion that are theists or atheists that aren't against religion as such.

Very true. Excellent point.

 

[ChristineM]

Like I said in OP most atheist will say its because people are waking up but in my eyes its people straying away.

I used to be atheist actually. Not saying I couldn't learn from atheist on here.. just saying I have been down that rabbit hole.

Thanks for the response!

Why are they staying away? Because they are waking up.

 

[columbus]

I am actually quiet surprised after joining here on RF. The site in majority seems to be non-religious people. Is this the case in the world today? Not suggesting that it is good or bad.. but simply am curious to know if people you interact with on the daily claim a religion or not?

My understanding is that RF has expanded rather beyond what the owner originally planned.

Rex envisioned a forum for people of different religious beliefs to discuss their different views. He intended it to be a level playing field, not slanted in favor of any particular religious beliefs. That's very unusual in internet forums. I have been a member of many and I have never seen one that wasn't pretty biased in favor of some religious worldview or another, whether Christian or atheist or whatever.

In the real world, most places are similarly biased. Where I live, southern Indiana, Christianity is overwhelmingly dominant. There is virtually nowhere I can have these sorts of conversations except here on RF. Christians confidently expect to dominate and frankly, get angry when their unsupported assertions are questioned.

The level playing field of RF is attractive to those of us not part of the dominant religion, and uncomfortable for most people who are. I believe that is why non-religious folks are so over represented among the RF participants.
Tom

 

[Thief]

I am actually quiet surprised after joining here on RF. The site in majority seems to be non-religious people. Is this the case in the world today? Not suggesting that it is good or bad.. but simply am curious to know if people you interact with on the daily claim a religion or not?

Curious.. Why come to a religious site if you are not religious?
I respect anyone that is here to open minds and spread love but why just get on here to make fun of what people believe.. I just don't understand

I know the last 20 years atheism has increased by over 20%..
Of course an easy argument for them would be people are finally waking up.
However, from my side it also fulfills prophecies because in the end times more people will be away from God and living strictly for materialism.

I wish people would dig deeper within instead of running away.
These books were meant to teach and help people who were animals.
I think some might think of God as a bearded guy in the sky and call it quits.

If people of no religion are teaming up spreading their word to religious people what is the difference?
Next there will be atheist instead of Jehovahs Witness knocking on doors.

Is no religion the new religion in todays hip modern culture?


View attachment 25128

ok ...I have no religion
I follow no one
no one follows me

no dogmatic list of beliefs
no ritual
no litany of prayer
no rug for your knee
no beads for your hand

but I have belief

and I suspect .....the practice of religion
is a disappointment before God and heaven

 

[AdamRaja]

Why are they staying away? Because they are waking up.[

My understanding is that RF has expanded rather beyond what the owner originally planned.

Rex envisioned a forum for people of different religious beliefs to discuss their different views. He intended it to be a level playing field, not slanted in favor of any particular religious beliefs. That's very unusual in internet forums. I have been a member of many and I have never seen one that wasn't pretty biased in favor of some religious worldview or another, whether Christian or atheist or whatever.

In the real world, most places are similarly biased. Where I live, southern Indiana, Christianity is overwhelmingly dominant. There is virtually nowhere I can have these sorts of conversations except here on RF. Christians confidently expect to dominate and frankly, get angry when their unsupported assertions are questioned.

The level playing field of RF is attractive to those of us not part of the dominant religion, and uncomfortable for most people who are. I believe that is why non-religious folks are so over represented among the RF participants.
Tom

Right on, Tom. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[AdamRaja]

ok ...I have no religion
I follow no one
no one follows me

no dogmatic list of beliefs
no ritual
no litany of prayer
no rug for your knee
no beads for your hand

but I have belief

and I suspect .....the practice of religion
is a disappointment before God and heaven

Interesting. I like that. Very cool.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I am actually quiet surprised after joining here on RF. The site in majority seems to be non-religious people. Is this the case in the world today? Not suggesting that it is good or bad.. but simply am curious to know if people you interact with on the daily claim a religion or not?

Curious.. Why come to a religious site if you are not religious?
I respect anyone that is here to open minds and spread love but why just get on here to make fun of what people believe.. I just don't understand

In a similar vein, why come to a site about climate change unless you're in favour of climate change?

Religion is a significant social phenomenon. You don't need to be religious to recognize that religion has had - and continues to have - huge impacts on the world. It pays to understand it better.

I also listen to podcasts about revolutions and wars, but I don't want to live through any of those, either.

I know the last 20 years atheism has increased by over 20%..
Of course an easy argument for them would be people are finally waking up.
However, from my side it also fulfills prophecies because in the end times more people will be away from God and living strictly for materialism.

I wish people would dig deeper within instead of running away.
These books were meant to teach and help people who were animals.
I think some might think of God as a bearded guy in the sky and call it quits.

What makes you think they haven't dug deeper?

If people of no religion are teaming up spreading their word to religious people what is the difference?
Next there will be atheist instead of Jehovahs Witness knocking on doors.

Is no religion the new religion in todays hip modern culture?

I've noticed a trend among many religious people; let me know if it's happening here:

It seems to me that many religious people can't relate to someone who doesn't approach things from a non-religious paradigm. They value their god above all else, so whatever a person values the most is their "god." They draw meaning and purpose from their religion, so any source of meaning or purpose for someone else is their "religion." They're passionate about their religion, so someone else's passion is their "religion."

At some point, these analogies break down. Just because two things serve similar purposes in some ways doesn't mean that they're the same. It might help someone who's unfamiliar with cars to think of it as a "modern horse" in the sense that they both get you around, but if he asks "how do you geld a Corolla?" he's gone too far with the metaphor.

Short version: just because you use religion to accomplish something doesn't mean that any way that someone accomplishes the same task is "religious" or that it comes with the same baggage as religion.

 

[AdamRaja]

In a similar vein, why come to a site about climate change unless you're in favour of climate change?

Religion is a significant social phenomenon. You don't need to be religious to recognize that religion has had - and continues to have - huge impacts on the world. It pays to understand it better.

I also listen to podcasts about revolutions and wars, but I don't want to live through any of those, either.


What makes you think they haven't dug deeper?


I've noticed a trend among many religious people; let me know if it's happening here:

It seems to me that many religious people can't relate to someone who doesn't approach things from a non-religious paradigm. They value their god above all else, so whatever a person values the most is their "god." They draw meaning and purpose from their religion, so any source of meaning or purpose for someone else is their "religion." They're passionate about their religion, so someone else's passion is their "religion."

At some point, these analogies break down. Just because two things serve similar purposes in some ways doesn't mean that they're the same. It might help someone who's unfamiliar with cars to think of it as a "modern horse" in the sense that they both get you around, but if he asks "how do you geld a Corolla?" he's gone too far with the metaphor.

Short version: just because you use religion to accomplish something doesn't mean that any way that someone accomplishes the same task is "religious" or that it comes with the same baggage as religion.

Ok, thanks for the response.!

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Ok, thanks for the response.!

You don't feel like answering my questions?

 

[AdamRaja]

You don't feel like answering my questions?

Struggling to keep up with all the responses as is. New to this and getting it all figured out. Forgive me if I have overlooked you I don't mean to offend or disrespect.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

Curious.. Why come to a religious site if you are not religious?

Religion needs kept in check.

I respect anyone that is here to open minds and spread love but why just get on here to make fun of what people believe.. I just don't understand

So many believers and theists of all stripes see what atheists do as "making fun" when they debate - regardless how the debate is going, or how professional anyone in it is being. And I readily admit that some atheists do "make fun" - so do some theists! But a lot of times what I end up seeing is that an atheist will make an extremely strong point by being only slightly sarcastic, or glib - not trying to "make fun," but as a way of making the point quick and pithy - and some onlookers may laugh. But theists will always see it as "making fun" because their positions are almost always the more tenuous - the more ridiculous - the more foolish - the harder to defend. It really can't be helped when you confidently state things that depart from experienced reality - which (like it or not) is something theists must do if they are to explain even the most fundamental aspects of their position to anyone.

If people of no religion are teaming up spreading their word to religious people what is the difference?
Next there will be atheist instead of Jehovahs Witness knocking on doors.

This is simply false. Atheists are not "united." Sure, there are groups - but what we're talking about when we say "atheism" is one attribute of a person. One. On the political spectrum, racially, ethnically, etc. atheists can be anyone, or anything. on any given belief other than that one lack of belief in god, atheists can hold any position. We have no doctrine to pass around or try to get people to follow. We reject the belief in your god and everyone else's. That's all.

 

[AdamRaja]

Religion needs kept in check.

Glad you are here to keep all us losers in check. We wouldn't make it without you.
You have single handily saved humanity.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

Glad you are here to keep all us losers in check. We wouldn't make it without you.
You have single handily saved humanity.

You're welcome, obviously.

But in all seriousness - do you honestly think that religions do not keep other religions in check? Of course they do. This has been going on for millennia. I never said atheists were the sole providers of fact-checking and religious-monopoly busting. So I, as an atheist, throw my hat in the ring to defend the freedom of religion or non-religion. So what? You'd rather I didn't, is that it? Tough cookies friend. You can't stop me.

 

[AdamRaja]

You're welcome, obviously.

But in all seriousness - do you honestly think that religions do not keep other religions in check? Of course they do. This has been going on for millennia. I never said atheists were the sole providers of fact-checking and religious-monopoly busting.

Fair enough! I do agree.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

I am actually quiet surprised after joining here on RF. The site in majority seems to be non-religious people. Is this the case in the world today? Not suggesting that it is good or bad.. but simply am curious to know if people you interact with on the daily claim a religion or not?

Curious.. Why come to a religious site if you are not religious?
I respect anyone that is here to open minds and spread love but why just get on here to make fun of what people believe.. I just don't understand

I know the last 20 years atheism has increased by over 20%..
Of course an easy argument for them would be people are finally waking up.
However, from my side it also fulfills prophecies because in the end times more people will be away from God and living strictly for materialism.

I wish people would dig deeper within instead of running away.
These books were meant to teach and help people who were animals.
I think some might think of God as a bearded guy in the sky and call it quits.

If people of no religion are teaming up spreading their word to religious people what is the difference?
Next there will be atheist instead of Jehovahs Witness knocking on doors.

Is no religion the new religion in todays hip modern culture?


View attachment 25128

Well, keep in mind....most Christian religions haven't really set a sterling example, either, in following Jesus' command to love others.

Especially during national conflicts!

 

[AdamRaja]

Well, keep in mind....most Christian religions haven't really set a sterling example, either, in following Jesus' command to love others.

Especially during national conflicts!

Oh really?