Any atheists here who were once believers?

@Jan Ardena
@ wynn

Have you noticed that Too many Americans weren't, aren't or ever will be true believers in anything?

"Sheople" let other "sheople" do their thinking and believing for them.

Evidently by not thinking or actually believing in anything, a "sheople" can never be wrong.

Ergo..."sheople" are always right...never make mistakes...and never have to commit or admit to...anything!
 
Jan Ardena said:
Darwinian evoultion acts as a barrier to theism.
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Only in the sense that rational thought acts as a barrier to superstition. And just as the rationalist believes from time to time that the fates conspire against him to delay traffic precisely when he has somewhere to be, tens of millions of theists also believe that evolution is a real process that we owe our existence to.
 
If God exists, I wonder if he is "happy" that there are so many people fighting over him...debating about him...trying to prove his existence...chastising others for not having blind obedience to him...defending him...marketing him..."selling" him...going door to door for him...judging non believers on behalf of him?

I wonder.

If God exists...this omniscient and omnipresent being who created the universe, which I'm open to the idea of, the above "behaviors" he will not require. The behaviors of mankind to "support and defend" theism have nothing to do with a god. It has more to do with mankind's obsession with self and competition. Believers often think they are doing the work of God when behaving in such ways, but why would an all knowing being that created the universe and its inhabitants require humans to trample over one another trying to teach non believers about his ...love?

If God exists, he is about Love. And he will manifest himself to ppl in a personal way. And if one follows God, and believes him to be about love, then the behaviors they exhibit to get others to follow him...should be an illustration of that. If God exists, he isn't a possession to hoard.

I've come to the conclusion that atheism gets a bad rap by theists because atheism has nothing to prove.

I sit in wonder. :/
 
wegs said:
If God exists, I wonder if he is "happy" that there are so many people fighting over him......

I sit in wonder. :/
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Or a god could have created us to watch us have conflict and suffer for his amusement. Or a good god could have turned things over to an evil caretaker just to see what happens (like with Job). Or he's so transcendent that he is indifferent to pain, our petty squabbles mean nothing to it.
 
Believers often think they are doing the work of God when behaving in such ways, but why would an all knowing being that created the universe and its inhabitants require humans to trample over one another trying to teach non believers about his ...love?
Click to expand...

There's something inherently schismatic and ego-inflating about believing you have THE truth about everything and that you are supported by God himself in this matter. That you know the secret of obtaining eternal life and that everyone else is a lost pathetic fool in need of your special saving knowledge. That kind of thinking inherently leads to conflict, condemnation, judging, demonization and eventually damnation of those who disagree with you. Religion swells people with a certain grandiosity and pompousness that is not natural for the human psyche. That's why I had to get away from it. It was jacking me up with delusions of grandeur and a messiah complex that cut me off from an authentic and real compassion for my fellowman as an equal. There's a tremendous liberation in the mere act of admitting yourself "I don't know, and I don't HAVE to know."
 
spidergoat said:
Or a god could have created us to watch us have conflict and suffer for his amusement. Or a good god could have turned things over to an evil caretaker just to see what happens (like with Job). Or he's so transcendent that he is indifferent to pain, our petty squabbles mean nothing to it.
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I have tears in my eyes reading this....but, in agreement.
 
Magical Realist said:
There's something inherently schismatic and ego-inflating about believing you have THE truth about everything and that you are supported by God himself in this matter. That you know the secret of obtaining eternal life and that everyone else is a lost pathetic fool in need of your special saving knowledge. That kind of thinking inherently leads to conflict, condemnation, judging, demonization and eventually damnation of those who disagree with you. Religion swells people with a certain grandiosity and pompousness that is not natural for the human psyche. That's why I had to get away from it. It was jacking me up with delusions of grandeur and a messiah complex that cut me off from an authentic and real compassion for my fellowman as an equal. There's a tremendous liberation in the mere act of admitting yourself "I don't know, and I don't HAVE to know."
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Yessss!! That's it!

I don't know if God exists ...I'm open to it if he does...but, I don't need to know, anymore. And if he exists, he doesn't need me to tell the world that he exists.

Awesome post!
 
wegs said:
If God exists, I wonder if he is "happy" that there are so many people fighting over him...debating about him...trying to prove his existence...chastising others for not having blind obedience to him...defending him...marketing him..."selling" him...going door to door for him...judging non believers on behalf of him?

I wonder.

If God exists...this omniscient and omnipresent being who created the universe, which I'm open to the idea of, the above "behaviors" he will not require. The behaviors of mankind to "support and defend" theism have nothing to do with a god. It has more to do with mankind's obsession with self and competition. Believers often think they are doing the work of God when behaving in such ways, but why would an all knowing being that created the universe and its inhabitants require humans to trample over one another trying to teach non believers about his ...love?

If God exists, he is about Love. And he will manifest himself to ppl in a personal way. And if one follows God, and believes him to be about love, then the behaviors they exhibit to get others to follow him...should be an illustration of that. If God exists, he isn't a possession to hoard.

I've come to the conclusion that atheism gets a bad rap by theists because atheism has nothing to prove.

I sit in wonder. :/
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I don't want to skite wegs but my missions for God didn't give me glory.

"Go help Scott for he is convicted of a crime he did not do." I'm not fighting other religions there but corruption in the Police Department at the highest levels.
"Now solve genesis" You've seen the ridicule I got for that.
"Open the Armenian letter" nearly lost my life 5 times in a month in LA.
 
Robittybob1 said:
I don't want to skite wegs but my missions for God didn't give me glory.

"Go help Scott for he is convicted of a crime he did not do." I'm not fighting other religions there but corruption in the Police Department at the highest levels.
"Now solve genesis" You've seen the ridicule I got for that.
"Open the Armenian letter" nearly lost my life 5 times in a month in LA.
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You can go forth and do awesome things strictly by believing in the goodness of others. Theology isn't required.
I'm free. My journey to get here has been confusing and hard and no one goes from following faith to leaving it, in a flash.
But I feel free now.

If God exists, great. But I no longer need to know.
 
wegs said:
You can go forth and do awesome things strictly by believing in the goodness of others. Theology isn't required.
I'm free. My journey to get here has been confusing and hard and no one goes from following faith to leaving it, in a flash.
But I feel free now.

If God exists, great. But I no longer need to know.
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But are you not going to listen now? "Believing in the goodness of others", will you get behind the right causes? I should be in bed!
 
....

Deleted comment. Doesn't matter.
 
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dumbest man on earth said:
@Jan Ardena
@ wynn

Have you noticed that Too many Americans weren't, aren't or ever will be true believers in anything?

"Sheople" let other "sheople" do their thinking and believing for them.

Evidently by not thinking or actually believing in anything, a "sheople" can never be wrong.

Ergo..."sheople" are always right...never make mistakes...and never have to commit or admit to...anything!
Click to expand...
hmmm, who is this ''sheople'' you speak of...hmmm?

Balerion said:
And just as the rationalist believes from time to time that the fates conspire against him to delay traffic precisely when he has somewhere to be.
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hehe...perhaps the gods are conspiring only against....you. ;)
 
wegs said:
Is this supposed to be scientific "proof" of heaven? :D
If there exists a heaven, it isn't the bible's "version," that's for sure. Have you read that? Ugh
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I don't think there is a Christian God. But I do believe there are planes and spheres of existence where souls migrate to, where they feel comfortable existing. I believe there are higher planes where beings of light dwell. Those are my beliefs.
Regarding Q: Q is just trying to get you to see things for as they really are, not how you are wondering them to be. I think spirituality can be ok if people strike a healthy balance, but often the spiritual "world" becomes more important than the tangible world. Wonderment is a beautiful thing but there's so much beauty and wonder right in the here and now. :)
I can't speak for Q, but just my guess.
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The only beauty and wonder that exists is in the eye of the beholder, in the consciousness of the observer. That is where true beauty exists.
 
spidergoat said:
Or a god could have created us to watch us have conflict and suffer for his amusement. Or a good god could have turned things over to an evil caretaker just to see what happens (like with Job). Or he's so transcendent that he is indifferent to pain, our petty squabbles mean nothing to it.
Click to expand...

Just my own personal spiritual experiences with God, they were of absolute infinite power. I have looked at the Holy Bible and watched it crackle with electrical energy like some kind of magical tome. In a way, I'm not surprised that it takes a human, a Jesus of Nazareth, to step down such infinite power and make it compatible with our human lives. Living too close to God can easily drive some humans mad. It's just too much power to conceive of.
 
wegs said:
hmmm, who is this ''sheople'' you speak of...hmmm?
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wegs, very astute of you. Like I've told you before, you seem to get it.

I could only have been describing myself, no?

As a number of Posters on this Forum have previously perceived and repeatedly pointed out, most people know what I actually mean, and what I actually think and how or what I actually am - even though I do not.
Ergo...anything I think or speak or type has to come from somewhere else.

So again, wegs, very astute of you. You may not have to "hmmm" any longer.

p. s. wegs, what "emote icon" should I have honestly used with this Post?
 
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