psychoslice
Veteran Member
many people like atheist are worried about religion and where it could go, if there is no one keeping an eye on religion, I would hate to see where it would lead.
-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Why are Atheists on Religiousforums?
- Thread starter Servant_of_the_One1
- Start date
outhouse
Atheistically
Some of humanities largest enemies are fanaticism and fundamentalism. It is sad that education and knowledge are literally retarded by ancient mythology followers refuse to study.
When people can not add up 1 + 1 and get 2 as an answer because their particular book states 37. Its just sad as hell.
psychoslice
Veteran Member
Your right, it sure is.
outhouse
Atheistically
What is sad is most educated theist agree whole hearted as well to. They understand it is not just an atheist fight to begin with.
It is humanities fight against ignorance, theist and atheist included.
psychoslice
Veteran Member
That's it, both parties need to grow up.
outhouse
Atheistically
I don't follow. How is fighting ignorance being tied to growing up?
Ignorance is the enemy of all.
psychoslice
Veteran Member
Yes and both parties can be ignorant of the other.
knowledge of opposing views; getting used to the idea that other people can sincerely believe something that is quite alien to me and learning tolerance; the self-confidence to express my own views; a respect for people whom I disagree with; the intellectual challenge on having to give proof for my own ideas and to improve my own understanding.
ratikala
Istha gosthi
namaskaram
how can one assert the insugnificance of that which we are a part of ???
how can one assert the insugnificance of that which we are a part of ???
It's the same person (if you couldn't tell from his posts). He must've forgotten his password or something.
Rick O'Shez
Irishman bouncing off walls
They are rather easy to annoy.
I find the psychology of belief fascinating though.
Rick O'Shez
Irishman bouncing off walls
Quite so. Theists don't have a monopoly on spirituality.
Humans, being human, commit the same cognitive errors, logical or illogical reasoning no matter what the topic of discussion. Consequently, a religious forum serves just as well as any other forum for someone interested in learning how people think in practice.
There is definitely assumptions going on here, but it's not my own. I don't assume the divine at all. I have very direct and immediate experience of what can for all rights, intents and purposes be called the divine, in that it is the experience of the Absolute - give it whatever name you wish. There is no speculation going on, any more speculations than realizing fire is hot to the touch when you put your hand into the flame itself. But the assumptions are laid out clearly in your post I responded to that, "Religion is one of the most offensive and backward thinking ideologies there is."
Perhaps your individual experience as a fundamentalist preacher applies to the entirety of the world's religions? You have more advanced knowledge of interior states of consciousness than Tibetan Buddhists do? You have higher understanding of ethical principles than the Dalai Lama? You have greater insight than the Upanishads and the Vedas? Do you know what those are? I could break down all your assumptions quite easily, including the ones you doubtlessly have about me.
Shouting in all-caps is not a great way to engage in it. I believe the way forward begins first with an open mind, not biases. Open discussion follows after that.
"Just how certain my knowledge is", is exactly the problem. I will bet you with great confidence that you probably spoke exactly the same way when you were a preacher behind the pulpit. Didn't you? "I am certain in my heart that Jesus Christ is Lord! I know my redeemer liveth!". Now you are "certain" atheism is true, certain in your knowing.
There's a wonderful story I want to share how a friend of mine of many years since Bible College days said to me over lunch one day, having now seen the light as an atheist, "I'm so glad I know the truth now!" I paused, and even though I self-identified as atheist at that time like him, realized the irony of his comment. I responded saying, "I remember you saying those exact same words when we were in Bible College together". He looked at me puzzled and replied, "Yeah, but the difference is now I really DO know the truth".
I hear that same story here. It's really the flip-side of the exact same coin, not a different currency at all. This sort of atheistic certainty of knowledge could rightly be called quite simply as "Christianity without God". So you may wish to take your own advice about making assumptions. We can become blind to our own assumptions in such certitudes of "knowing" the truth.
In the famous words of the great and wise Yoda, "So certain, are you?".
What do you know of nondual schools of thought? Anything?I could speak at some length about that which you might call the "supernatural", which is really nothing other than the nature of reality that is beyond your simple assumptions in the certitude of your knowledge. As you actually gain knowledge, this world, here and now, opens in marvelously luminous ways that you perhaps are at best standing at the door of possibility of realizing, but which will never happen when we start with our cups already full, certain in our knowledge, as you boast. Assumptions are galore, indeed.
Don't get me wrong, I think breaking free from religious dogma and a myth-as-fact belief system is a positive step forward. But it's just a foot at the door we can't pass when we are so certain in our knowledge in a declaration of, "Now I really DO know the truth!".
I would say that's a pretty unsophisticated belief about God. I would and do reject that as well. Does that define God to you? Do you assume in your beliefs it does to everyone else? And then from that assumption feel a need to enlighten others away from what you believe they believe? Is it a new mission to save the world from it's "wicked, wicked ways"?
You see, I'm simply trying to provoke you to realize the world of religion is not all you assume it to be coming from your own personal experience in one very small segment of it. There certainly is that which you've seen and experience, without doubt, and I think it's good you've been able to take one preliminary step to move beyond it. Don't assume you now "really DO know the truth" in the certitude of your knowledge, as you say.
Last edited:
Rick O'Shez
Irishman bouncing off walls
One might also ask why theists are on RF. My guess is you'd get quite a range of answers to that question too.
Rick O'Shez
Irishman bouncing off walls
Higher states of consciousness in Buddhism don't rest on the assumption of God, so it's not really a useful comparison.
Rick O'Shez
Irishman bouncing off walls
Some atheists are "religious", they just don't believe in God.
Rick O'Shez
Irishman bouncing off walls
Good point. Some of them know quite a lot about theism!