Anyone non-religious here? Please be nice!

[CityChicker]

I have wondered that too, Deb. I really don't see it being that contradictory to the Genesis account (or rather, I can see how someone could accept both evolution and Christianity). It is really hard for me sometimes to respect the willful ignorance. The only scientists that don't accept evolution are conservative Christians and literally they are one in a million that don't (maybe a small exaggeration, but you all get the point). It frustrates me to no end because I see how much it is holding this country back in science. In the classroom, sometimes it has frustrated me to tears, especially when I have had a couple instructors at my current school that wouldn't put their foot down and teach/explain to people why they were not understanding what evolution even is.

It is one of those things where people constantly say things that prove that they don't even comprehend evolution on the most basic level. The people that should know better though really stun me. I remember reading something from a person recently that supposedly teaches science. The person said they are not bothered by evolution because they know the definition of a theory! Now, at what point is a person (that should know better) so blinded that they could say something like that? Anyone that has an even cursory understanding of the scientific method would know what a ludicrous and almost downright bizarre thing that is to say. If that person really teaches science, they have to know better and realize that they are being deliberately deceptive. It is truly frightening.

 

[silverbird]

I am finding this thread very interesting. Thanks to all for sharing! I am not finding myself in a similar situation though, to many of you, I find the people I discuss spirituality with, whether they be religious or not, to be very open to sharing of ideas. It seems there are so many paths up the mountain....

 

[deb1]

I had a wonderful tenth grade biology teacher who taught us about evolution way back in the eighties.

He wrote on the board a list of reasons why science could not include a person's religious believes. Religion is based on belief. Science has to be based on observable facts. Pure science is not supposed to have any biases so the scientists has to be open to being proved wrong. Of course, he gave other reasons but the point is that no one protested his lecture after that.

He also told us that we could make up our own mind about evolution but that believing in evolution didn't take away a person's faith in God

 

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
Mainly because I have to cope only with working out my own beliefs and don't have to cope also with the headache of someone bellowing in my ear about his beliefs and insisting that I accept them without question. Also, I can talk to anyone I please about anything at all without wondering whether I shall be reported to the holy thought police.

 

[deb1]

Quote:
I wonder if it is the region of the country that you are from. Sometimes, I think that I would like to move but I like many things about being a southerner.

 

[Organics North]

I personally think northern states can be more tolerant to diversity and a bit more open to discussion. Like the west coast...But more reserved. (I really do not like to generalize though.)

Deb1 question:
"What about being nonreligious are you grateful for?"

FREEDOM from fear and oppression.. No one snooping around in my own personal psychological business.

ON

 

[silverbird]

Quote:
I wonder if it is the region of the country that you are from. Sometimes, I think that I would like to move but I like many things about being a southerner.

It could be a region thing, although I must say when we moved up here about 12 years ago, I thought I'd landed in the dark ages. Practicing Reiki was apparently quite threatening....that voodoo stuff you know!!! Now it seems almost mainstream--yay! I guess with people coming in knowing that I practice, there is already some level of selection that has taken place....those who are accepting of it will come in, others..well not so much! The ones who are accepting tend to probably have open minds about other spirituality as well. I like to think that we attract what we put out there, so if I'm open minded then that's what I get back!

 

[Kismet]

Quote:
Not only are you talking to yourself, but this forum doesn't really exist. You are just staring at a blank screen imagining us all.

(cue Twilight music)

Uhmmmm.... cue Mysterious Stranger...... (Mark Twain? tell me I'm not the only one here who's read that?)

Yes! I loved it! I read it in high school, and it explained so much for me, although I never shared my thoughts with anyone. I should reread it now as an adult to see if it affects me in the same way.

I am very impressed with the tolerance, the intellectual depth, the wit, and the great spiritedness of the contributors to this thread. It has been a wonderful conversation to be a part of, if even on the periphery.

On swear words: My mother always reminded me (the way mothers do), whenever I let out an inappropriate word, that people who swore had limited vocabularies. I should strive to use words with Latin and Greek derivations, and not those ugly, short, four letter Anglo-Saxon words. And you will note, most swear words are of Anglo Saxon roots, and only four letters long.

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
Ditto!

 

[curliet]

When I see the things that organised religion is so closed minded about reminds me of the days when the earth was flat.