Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Yes, we are not old. You are even younger than me, by 5 months.
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What Is Your Religion or Worldview?
- Thread starter SalixIncendium
- Start date
timothy1027
Technology Advocate! :-)
I am a 63-year-old former "born again" Christian (Holy Roller).
I was born in 1959 & raised on Long Island, 40 miles from New York City. My parents were not religious. I was raised without any religion. My mother was an alcoholic. My father died from a heart attack when I was 12 years old.
In 1974, when I was 14, my best friend’s mother convinced me to enlist in some introductory religious training at a local Presbyterian Church. I was then baptized Christian.
In 1982 I became a "born again" Christian (Holy Roller). I then married another holy roller (Elisse) and had 2 kids.
In 1991 I was separated from Elisse after she got drunk with my alcoholic mother and the 2 ganged up on me one night with unprovoked harsh ridicule and criticism. Elisse was also an alcoholic (like my mother). We divorced in 1994.
In 1996 I started working 12-Step programs after destroying several motor vehicles while driving drunk. "The God of my understanding" enabled me to start thinking "outside the box" of Christianity. My "Higher Power" then helped me to adopt a life WITHOUT drug & alcohol use. I've been in recovery from addiction since 1996.
In 2017 after MANY negative experiences with NA "sponsors," I switched from 12-Step (spiritual) to SMART (secular) recovery programs and continued my recovery from addiction.
In 2022 I started exploring an "agnostic" worldview after many months of study, contemplation, TikTok and Facebook participation.
I was born in 1959 & raised on Long Island, 40 miles from New York City. My parents were not religious. I was raised without any religion. My mother was an alcoholic. My father died from a heart attack when I was 12 years old.
In 1974, when I was 14, my best friend’s mother convinced me to enlist in some introductory religious training at a local Presbyterian Church. I was then baptized Christian.
In 1982 I became a "born again" Christian (Holy Roller). I then married another holy roller (Elisse) and had 2 kids.
In 1991 I was separated from Elisse after she got drunk with my alcoholic mother and the 2 ganged up on me one night with unprovoked harsh ridicule and criticism. Elisse was also an alcoholic (like my mother). We divorced in 1994.
In 1996 I started working 12-Step programs after destroying several motor vehicles while driving drunk. "The God of my understanding" enabled me to start thinking "outside the box" of Christianity. My "Higher Power" then helped me to adopt a life WITHOUT drug & alcohol use. I've been in recovery from addiction since 1996.
In 2017 after MANY negative experiences with NA "sponsors," I switched from 12-Step (spiritual) to SMART (secular) recovery programs and continued my recovery from addiction.
In 2022 I started exploring an "agnostic" worldview after many months of study, contemplation, TikTok and Facebook participation.
YoursTrue
Faith-confidence in what we hope for (Hebrews 11)
Wow is all I can say right now, thanks for sharing.
timothy1027
Technology Advocate! :-)
| I am a 63-year-old former "born again" Christian (Holy Roller). I have recently concluded that the Bible is an ancient book of mythology that is manipulative, contains gas lighting and was written by anonymous writers. MUCH of Scripture appears to be anonymous writers simply trying to rationalize their beliefs, which were NOT founded on any verifiable evidence. The Bible is NOT an accurate history book. It is a carefully amalgamated book of truth and fiction. It is loaded with contradictions, convoluted ambiguity, manipulations, gaslighting, superstitions & fictions. Many thousands of people worldwide seem to agree with me on this. My statement is based on the past 63 years of critical thinking, education, exploration, and experience with religion including Bible studies, sermons, prayer, Peter Parker debates (streamed live on TikTok since October 2022) & the late comedian/philosopher George Carlin. |
YoursTrue
Faith-confidence in what we hope for (Hebrews 11)
Poor George had real problems, drugs, addictions.
I am a 63-year-old former "born again" Christian (Holy Roller). I have recently concluded that the Bible is an ancient book of mythology that is manipulative, contains gas lighting and was written by anonymous writers. MUCH of Scripture appears to be anonymous writers simply trying to rationalize their beliefs, which were NOT founded on any verifiable evidence. The Bible is NOT an accurate history book. It is a carefully amalgamated book of truth and fiction. It is loaded with contradictions, convoluted ambiguity, manipulations, gaslighting, superstitions & fictions. Many thousands of people worldwide seem to agree with me on this. My statement is based on the past 63 years of critical thinking, education, exploration, and experience with religion including Bible studies, sermons, prayer, Peter Parker debates (streamed live on TikTok since October 2022) & the late comedian/philosopher George Carlin.
timothy1027
Technology Advocate! :-)
Carlin was a very well liked comedian/philosopher. He was so effective, he has several dedicated fan groups on the Internet AFTER his death!
YoursTrue
Faith-confidence in what we hope for (Hebrews 11)
Poor George had a lot of mental problems, also drugs.
I am a 63-year-old former "born again" Christian (Holy Roller). I have recently concluded that the Bible is an ancient book of mythology that is manipulative, contains gas lighting and was written by anonymous writers. MUCH of Scripture appears to be anonymous writers simply trying to rationalize their beliefs, which were NOT founded on any verifiable evidence. The Bible is NOT an accurate history book. It is a carefully amalgamated book of truth and fiction. It is loaded with contradictions, convoluted ambiguity, manipulations, gaslighting, superstitions & fictions. Many thousands of people worldwide seem to agree with me on this. My statement is based on the past 63 years of critical thinking, education, exploration, and experience with religion including Bible studies, sermons, prayer, Peter Parker debates (streamed live on TikTok since October 2022) & the late comedian/philosopher George Carlin.
YoursTrue
Faith-confidence in what we hope for (Hebrews 11)
That's fine. He still had a lot of drug problems.Carlin was a very well liked comedian/philosopher. He was so effective, he has several dedicated fan groups on the Internet AFTER his death!
timothy1027
Technology Advocate! :-)
You seem to be stating the obvious. If he didn't have experience with drug use and religion, he would not have been able to make philisophical speeches on these subjects that got NATIONAL ATTENTION.
timothy1027
Technology Advocate! :-)
| In over 4,423 years of religious scriptures (since 2,400 BCE), nobody has ever provided any evidence that Gods exists. Therefore, it is impossible for anyone to claim any of God's attributes (e.g., all-good, all-powerful, all-knowing, wise, perfect, jealous, loving) or what God wants, thinks, did, said, etc. etc. etc. God has chosen to remain anonymous & mysterious over the millennia. I don't make the rules, I just play the game (live a productive life). |
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
Well, in short religion has a limit. For someone like me as a postmodern Western relativist, religion is cultural and psychological behaviour and social construct.
And in Western history we got with the old Greeks the idea to use reason instead of faith. Now we have been at it for over 2000+ years now to figure out how to explain the world as such using reason. And the result is in. Just as faith has a limit, reason has a limit.
So long story short. You can't for all human life as in the world and a part of the world, give only objective reason, logic and evidence for what makes a productive life a productive life. That has an element of first person subjectvity and in effect is a limit for even critical thinking and skepticism.
So as a religious person, I just reduce down to how I subjectively cope for my life as my life as per "productive" and use the following norm in regards to myself and other humans. As long as I cope as me without claiming objective authority over what a productive life is and I don't harm other humans, I can use religion. It is a variant of secular humanism in that I use one kind of standard for how I cope individaul as it makes sense to me and accept relatvism for other humans doing so.
YoursTrue
Faith-confidence in what we hope for (Hebrews 11)
I was thinking about that. Evidence. What type of evidence would you accept about God's existence?
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
None, since I can't be certain that it is not Satan tricking me.
YoursTrue
Faith-confidence in what we hope for (Hebrews 11)
Ah...ty. but let's be honest, if you're not sure, you might believe there's an unseen force (person) that is powerful and could perhaps make a person believe he is God?
timothy1027
Technology Advocate! :-)
I would be happy with a single subatomic particle of evidence!
YoursTrue
Faith-confidence in what we hope for (Hebrews 11)
What would it do, talk to you? Enter your brain? There are some pretty intelligent people on this website, but I must agree that it becomes personal. So let's just say that IF there is a God in the possible hypotheses, it could be up to Him to reach you.I would be happy with a single subatomic particle of evidence!