why do people who dont believe in god go onto forums like this.

[OmarKhayyam]

I'm here because theists among us are (as I write) diligently trying to compel me to ACT as if I believed the same mythology they do. They would control what I can read, what movies are made, what products are sold and when, would ban the sale of some products entirely. They would compel my children to learn their nonsense in public schools.

They DO all this by the use of public law.

I am here to raise a small whisper of protest against being compelled to honor the tenets of hateful medieval mythologies.:yes:

 

[Sunstone]

Since when has spirituality necessarily been about god.

 

[Yerda]

I am here to raise a small whisper of protest against being compelled to honor the tenets of hateful medieval mythologies.:yes:

What are your thoughts on pleasant medieval mythologies? Or modern ones?

 

[OmarKhayyam]

"What are your thoughts on pleasant medieval mythologies? Or modern ones?"

I am not aware of any. Perhaps you could enlighten me.

 

[rojse]

"What are your thoughts on pleasant medieval mythologies? Or modern ones?"

I am not aware of any. Perhaps you could enlighten me.

Scientology as a modern mythology.

 

[Yerda]

"What are your thoughts on pleasant medieval mythologies? Or modern ones?"

I am not aware of any. Perhaps you could enlighten me.

I recommend you chat to Storm. He/she has a few ideas that seem entirely pleasing.

 

[OmarKhayyam]

"Scientology as a modern mythology."

Aah well. . kinda . . . maybe . . . sorta . . . but not really.

To me a "mythology" is rather more than just a collection of assertions. It has to have a "mythic" quality. David Koresh and Jim Jones did NOT believe in a mythology. Neither did Joseph Smith and neither does Tom Cruise.

Velikovsky and Le Guin and Tolkien write fantasy not mythology. King Arthur is a myth but not a mythology. Robin Hood is a story, not a myth.

The body of Greek literature surrounding the Trojan War taken as whole is a mythology. Odysseus is a myth. Oedipus is a story.

Somewhat arbitrary I admit but it makes sense to me.

 

[England my lionheart]

I came here because religion has had such an impact on the world throughout history,much of it has been negative,it is an interesting topic which produces some great debating.
I also think its good for religious people to get an outside perspective of their religion.

 

[rageoftyrael]

I'm agnostic just to make this clear. Now, to be honest, i just like stimulating conversation, more than anything else. Honestly, i haven't been here a week and i've already forgotten how i even found the place. I do know this, if you look me up, you'll find i've posted at least 8 threads, and like three of them have nothing to do with religion whatsoever.

But as to the whole"it's not like they can learn more about their beliefs" well, im a guy who tends to tell people on a regular basis that to have faith is illogical. Now, if i dont even bother to find out more about their religions and beliefs, im in no position to say that, am i? If i have no idea what they believe in, how can i call it illogical?

So i come in here and learn. Basically, i come here to expand my mind by talking to other smart people. Though hilariously, after less than a week here, and all the tolerance i've seen, while i still find faith illogical, i really dont want to tell people that anymore(not really, anyway). So this place has been good for me already. I've matured by coming here. And that alone is worth a billion frubals, lol!

 

[kadzbiz]

I just came here to make trouble...

 

[rojse]

"Scientology as a modern mythology."

Aah well. . kinda . . . maybe . . . sorta . . . but not really.

To me a "mythology" is rather more than just a collection of assertions. It has to have a "mythic" quality. David Koresh and Jim Jones did NOT believe in a mythology. Neither did Joseph Smith and neither does Tom Cruise.

Velikovsky and Le Guin and Tolkien write fantasy not mythology. King Arthur is a myth but not a mythology. Robin Hood is a story, not a myth.

The body of Greek literature surrounding the Trojan War taken as whole is a mythology. Odysseus is a myth. Oedipus is a story.

Somewhat arbitrary I admit but it makes sense to me.

So, what makes a myth a myth, then? Is it the distance of time? The element of the fantastical and unbelievable? A story with a moral embedded within, or a story that works on multiple levels?

 

[England my lionheart]

I came here because religion has had such an impact on the world throughout history,much of it has been negative,it is an interesting topic which produces some great debating.
I also think its good for religious people to get an outside perspective of their religion.

Another reason i go onto this Forum is to get my head around why people like Kareem Soliman are put into prison for criticising his religion or X religion because they have now said he is an Atheist.
The other reason of course is its a great Forum

 

[jrbogie]

its not like you guys can actually find out more about your "belief" and i dont think that atheism and agnosticism is even catagorised as a religion.

you ask why people come to secular forums to discuss secularism??? hmmmmm. no, atheism is not categorized as religion. nor is agnosticism, at least by the definition that i use for religion; which is that a religion holds high a deity or god. by that definition buddhism is not a religion and i refer to it as a philosophy. but if your question is more along the lines of why do i as an agnostic bother to discuss religion with the faithful, that's simple. i feel that religious beliefs are much of what is wrong with humans. atrocities such as the crusades, the inquisition, the salem witch trials, etc., and now this jihad that we have to endure have produced despicable times in our history. of course i acknowledge that people far removed from religion, stalin comes immediatly to mind, have done dastardly deeds. but it is the idea that so much misery has been caused "in the name of god" and then excused as "god's will" that is really sour to me. so although i do not preach against religion, i do try to pass on my views of humanism which is a high moral standard without the indoctronating dogma of gods and religion that molds masses into following despots such as hitler. and to become a klansman in the kkk, one must first accept jesus as his savior and the son of god. i'll continue to attempt to convince people to give up on religion and make this world a far less dangerous place to live.

 

[OmarKhayyam]

I come to be exposed to the wealth of knowledge and dazzling intellect displayed by the theists among us.

It never fails to amaze me.