Anyone non-religious here? Please be nice!

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
I am also amazed by this! It is so encouraging to see how many of us with different opinions can get together on this thread and discuss our beliefs openly and without judgement. We all, of course, have our own biases, yet we still feel comfortable sharing them with each other. I've never talked to so many people openly about their different religions without seeing folks get extremely defensive. Although this thread has made some folks turn away, I'm sure, I am pleased to see that most of us are not only quite civil but actually welcome other opinions!
I don't imagine this thread sits well with folks who are not free thinkers. It is so wonderful that we have several christians, as well as many other faiths represented on this thread that see all our viewpoints and are not threatened by them. That is a beautiful thing to witness! It shows that the folks on this thread are very secure in their beliefs and open to other's ideas as well. I feel very comfortable stating here that I believe in karma and reincarnation but am also very impressed that others can state opinions contrary to this without defensiveness.
Given what the news is full of these days I am, frankly, astounded that this discussion can take place in such a friendly atmosphere (and it stays friendly)! In other words you folks ROCK!!! I am having so much fun on this thread!

Very well put. Thank you.

Everyone is on his own spiritual path in some way or other. Mine has taken several turns and may take several more yet. I don't know whether I am any nearer to some universal truth than I was as a child and probably will never know because it is all belief and little fact. Your truth is as valid as mine or anyone else's. That's why I value the tolerance of the disparate views on this thread. I never expected to be part of such a conversation when I bought five poults and looked for a forum where I could get advice on who to care for them!

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
I am also amazed by this! It is so encouraging to see how many of us with different opinions can get together on this thread and discuss our beliefs openly and without judgement. We all, of course, have our own biases, yet we still feel comfortable sharing them with each other. I've never talked to so many people openly about their different religions without seeing folks get extremely defensive. Although this thread has made some folks turn away, I'm sure, I am pleased to see that most of us are not only quite civil but actually welcome other opinions!
I don't imagine this thread sits well with folks who are not free thinkers. It is so wonderful that we have several christians, as well as many other faiths represented on this thread that see all our viewpoints and are not threatened by them. That is a beautiful thing to witness! It shows that the folks on this thread are very secure in their beliefs and open to other's ideas as well. I feel very comfortable stating here that I believe in karma and reincarnation but am also very impressed that others can state opinions contrary to this without defensiveness.
Given what the news is full of these days I am, frankly, astounded that this discussion can take place in such a friendly atmosphere (and it stays friendly)! In other words you folks ROCK!!! I am having so much fun on this thread!

Very well put. Thank you.

Everyone is on his own spiritual path in some way or other. Mine has taken several turns and may take several more yet. I don't know whether I am any nearer to some universal truth than I was as a child and probably will never know because it is all belief and little fact. Your truth is as valid as mine or anyone else's. That's why I value the tolerance of the disparate views on this thread. I never expected to be part of such a conversation when I bought five poults and looked for a forum where I could get advice on who to care for them!

Me either!

 

[Kev]

Quote:
Well, they kind of have a point don't they? I mean the more you learn the less likely you are to hold on to a superstitious belief system. I know the church I went to discouraged me from going back to college, saying that it was very hard for people to hang onto their faith once they get too much education, and they were right! The more I learned about how the rest of the world and the people in it functioned the harder it was to keep my eyes closed to the narrow mindedness of the system I was in.

Yes I know it's a valid point too.. but isn't it very interesting? They use it an insult against atheists/non-believers.. It's like they sort of realize that if they learn, they might lose their own faith too, so their answer... shut things out themselves and put down people who don't shut out things? I just cannot understand not wanting or at least being open to learning new things, the whys or hows or being exposed to different views..!

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
Well, they kind of have a point don't they? I mean the more you learn the less likely you are to hold on to a superstitious belief system. I know the church I went to discouraged me from going back to college, saying that it was very hard for people to hang onto their faith once they get too much education, and they were right! The more I learned about how the rest of the world and the people in it functioned the harder it was to keep my eyes closed to the narrow mindedness of the system I was in.

Yes I know it's a valid point too.. but isn't it very interesting? They use it an insult against atheists/non-believers.. It's like they sort of realize that if they learn, they might lose their own faith too, so their answer... shut things out themselves and put down people who don't shut out things? I just cannot understand not wanting or at least being open to learning new things, the whys or hows or being exposed to different views..!

Yea I'm afraid I don't get it either. I mean if it's truth, it's truth right? What do you have to fear from knowledge? I have more respect for the religious leaders that accept science, etc. and mesh new knowledge with their own spritual beliefs. They know that they can continue to learn new things as well.

 

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
Yes I know it's a valid point too.. but isn't it very interesting? They use it an insult against atheists/non-believers.. It's like they sort of realize that if they learn, they might lose their own faith too, so their answer... shut things out themselves and put down people who don't shut out things? I just cannot understand not wanting or at least being open to learning new things, the whys or hows or being exposed to different views..!

Yea I'm afraid I don't get it either. I mean if it's truth, it's truth right? What do you have to fear from knowledge? I have more respect for the religious leaders that accept science, etc. and mesh new knowledge with their own spritual beliefs. They know that they can continue to learn new things as well.

Shouldn't we all try to stay open minded about everything? Even scientific theories change quite frequently. We are told about a new 'discovery' that explains the origins and development of the universe only to then hear some years later that it was only a theory and now new revelations change everything.

Science in the hands of politicians and other power seekers is as dangerous as religion in their hands. For example, the theories about man made global warming have been thrown into doubt by the allegations that some of the scientific research has been tampered with to produce the results that the sponsors wanted. Politicians, world NGO's and the creators of new energy buisnesses want us all to believe that we are destroying the world so that they can limit how we choose to live, tax us and sell us expensive, low output energy machines that use old energy sources in their manufacture. An eminent scientist who was involved in research claims that only 2% of CO2 is man made. The remainder is from plants and animals, termites and cows being the main culprits. He also says that there is evidence increases CO2 follow global warming rather than cause it. His research papers were changed by his sponsor organisation.

So, the science of the day is not a substitute for the religion of the day. It is just another way of seeking the truth about our origins and the world around us.

 

[lovesduckies]

Honestly, i don't know what i believe. my mom and i had this coversation after i went to a bible study session with a friend. the only reason i went is because i made a promise before i knew what the promise was. i don't like being sucked into the religion thing, my grandparents do it to me all the time! they are always trying to get me to go to church when it's not my thing. i'm sorry for those who disagree with me, but i honestly don't believe that jesus was resurected, sorry if that's spelled wrong, i am a horrible speller. i do not believe that after 3 days he had risen from the dead. some of the stories are just stories in my beliefs. sorry if i make you mad or anything, but that's what i believe. i'm not even sure i believe in a god. when i went to bible study, my friend said she talked to god and he talked back and i almost asked her if she was a schitzo, but i didn't. i also believe that most christian people are selfish as well. when i was at bible study, it was like they were just praying and chanting for their own good. and dealing with a lot of people in my past, i may not be religious, but i seem to have better morals than they do. for example, god says people are supposed to forgive. i forgive my ex boyfriend for the aweful things he did to me because i understand he was not himself and we can't just make people suffer for ever. yet, his mother can't forgive me for putting him in jail and helping him get clean, yet the woman goes to church everyday! she is what a i call a hypocrite christian. honestly, i don't mean to offend anyone at all, this is just what i believe and have experienced.

ETA: that i get looked down on by many people as well because i don't have a religion and i don't know what i believe. this also falls under my hypocrite category because god says we are to accept people for who they are.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

edited to give myself time to get some rest and see things differently in the morning.

 

[Akane]

Agnostic here. Whether god does or doesn't exist will not change how I act. I'm still going to do what I think is right and I do not want to follow any god who would require worship for a good person to be considered worthy. I only need faith in myself not divine intervention. Since I also lack proof one way or the other I've decided it doesn't matter and I don't need to beat myself up figuring out if a god or gods do or do not exist. I'll find out when I die or maybe it still won't matter and we never truly know.

By the way my mom believes in aliens instead of gods. She thinks they might have accelerated all our recent technological advances. So I really come from a nonreligious, open minded family.

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
Yea I'm afraid I don't get it either. I mean if it's truth, it's truth right? What do you have to fear from knowledge? I have more respect for the religious leaders that accept science, etc. and mesh new knowledge with their own spritual beliefs. They know that they can continue to learn new things as well.

Shouldn't we all try to stay open minded about everything? Even scientific theories change quite frequently. We are told about a new 'discovery' that explains the origins and development of the universe only to then hear some years later that it was only a theory and now new revelations change everything.

Science in the hands of politicians and other power seekers is as dangerous as religion in their hands. For example, the theories about man made global warming have been thrown into doubt by the allegations that some of the scientific research has been tampered with to produce the results that the sponsors wanted. Politicians, world NGO's and the creators of new energy buisnesses want us all to believe that we are destroying the world so that they can limit how we choose to live, tax us and sell us expensive, low output energy machines that use old energy sources in their manufacture. An eminent scientist who was involved in research claims that only 2% of CO2 is man made. The remainder is from plants and animals, termites and cows being the main culprits. He also says that there is evidence increases CO2 follow global warming rather than cause it. His research papers were changed by his sponsor organisation.

So, the science of the day is not a substitute for the religion of the day. It is just another way of seeking the truth about our origins and the world around us.

Yes, unfortunately we often don't seek out thorough knowledge in most areas! When I taught science I covered this very topic and had a few parents get mad at me for suggesting that global warming is likely a natural phenomenon. We don't like to think that we can't control every part of our planet and our arrogance in that area is well documented. Yes science is always changing and I don't know too many scientists that are comfortable with stating otherwise. I'm afraid the news media loves a small sound bite's worth of information and the topic of global warming, for one, can't be discussed adequately in a 5 second sound bite. Yes the earth is warming but as to why...
OK now we are back to the subject we discussed earlier concerning the ridiculous things we are taught by media and others who are stating "facts" when they really have a very limited understanding of the topic they are speaking on! Wouldn't this world be a wonderful place if the news we were subjected to were based on current reliable information and that as we learned new info we could clarify misconceptions honestly even if that meant taking responsibilty for relating incorrect info? I know as a teacher I've had to eat my words a few times no matter how hard I've tried to research an idea completely. But if I teach my students to think for themselves doesn't that include showing them that any of us can be wrong and that no information should be taken as absolute fact ever? Even when I am the one relating that info?
This has happened to me a couple of times, and I am thrilled when a student questions something I've said and has the brains to research it further. Fact is I can't even read straight from a textbook and be sure the info is correct, so bully for any student that catches my mistake! That child will be talking on forums like this someday and having intelligent conversations like we all are having.

 

[lovesduckies]

Quote:
i totally agree with you 100% ... but not your mom lol sorry

you are lucky. i am pressured into going to church, i have to eat all the nasty easter food or hear complaints about me not eating it when i don't even believe in the holiday, but i have to play along for my grandparents sake, which i think is ridiculas! christians are supposed to accept everyone and forgive yet my grandparents don't know how to do either..

my idea for this easter is to get COMPLETELY and UTTERLY drunk on saturday!!! i will be late for church, and wayy to sick to eat the nasty food!!!