Might they have purpose

[ChristineES]

Response to the OP:

I never found my spiritual life to be limiting in any way. (I also don't think I am less intelligent in general than atheists but that is another subject). I spent time as an agnostic in my teens and found out later that is what was limiting me. (my view as a Christian seems to be different than other Christians and I do know that). I can still study things and learn from them but I find I learn spiritual things when spiritual and other things when I am walking among people.

You said that you used to feel that religions were limiting and now you see differently. I found that only religious people realize that. I don't know if your experience has caused you to grasp religion (you didn't say). But what you talked about sounds similar to what I learned when I first started to believe in God (but long before I actually grasped religion).

Welcome to the RF.

 

[MEMNOCK]

arh, but i think we have a different interpratation of the post. he gives us intelligence, but says we are limited. the implication is that we are limited by our lack of belief. whereas i believe it is the opposite. many atheists do not arrive at their "beliefs" without already having some personnal experience of God and belief. therefore it is not us that are limited, but those that can not see outside the box of belief.
think we should dispense with this conversation as we will not agree, and i hate that - being so stubborn in my attachment to my paradims

Sorry on the delayed response. Actually I have a few friends that consider themselves atheist. I am not saying by any means that they are bad people. What I am saying is that some people are so caught up in the physical senses that they close their being off to the senses beyond those. I don't mean that atheist are all the way at the bottom. I mean its hard to get worse than a narrow minded fundamentalist who can't understand anything outside of a book. What I was trying to say is that it is sad that for someone who can think for themselves, like atheist, to get stuck in the all or nothing concept. I recommend for atheist to study theology, philosophy, physics, and mathematics if you want to see glimpses of Gods existence. Not the abramic god who is so popular in today’s society, but the true Universal God.

 

[logician]

. I recommend for atheist to study theology, philosophy, physics, and mathematics if you want to see glimpses of Gods existence.

Studied them all, sorry, the universe needs no god.

 

[MEMNOCK]

see a coralation maybe between intelligence and believers in religion?....i dont know, not something i would normally have stated, but since you feel ok about being offensive to atheists, i dont feel i should be kind to believers then.
we all intitled to are opinions but never to be rude to others. here i actually find the Atheists tend to be less personnal than the believers....that surely shows signs of being higher up the evolutionary ladder



(p.s to all believers, i am not dissing your faith. just certain peole that feel they have the right to call us atheists)

I mean no offense, just stating my opinion. I am not offended by your opinions. The only thing I was trying to state is that I feel it is sad when someone becomes and athiest. They are no different from the fundamental types. Just the opposite side of the coin. A fundamental will refuse to believe in something other than what they are told from a book, where as athiest refuse to believe anything. No difference in the greater existance. If you are truely happy as an athiest then that is your purpose and I am happy for you,

 

[MEMNOCK]

Studied them all, sorry, the universe needs no god.

You are absolutely right, because the Universe is God...

 

[Darkness]

Religion gives purpose and comfort to those who would otherwise be less fulfilled without it. It is a positive force in the world so long as it does not foster hatred and promotes love and tolerance.