The Pixel Monk Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 I am an agnostic atheist. I have never seen any valid evidence for any divine being that is supposed to exist, and I am fairly certain that we can rule out at least a few of them, no? However, as there is no way to know about every last one of them and the very concept of a divine being can be considered to be so open....one cannot say they do not exist absolutely without it becoming an intellectually dishonest position. An emphatic "no" to all of them is as astounding a claim as saying that one absolutely knows a particular one exists. I more or less find the question a useless one when it comes down to it. I do think it is better mentally to not have overbearing, outdated, and immoral belief systems hanging over one telling one who is better than who though. It also seems arrogance of the grandest scale to think any being so far "above" humanity would find what we did in the least bit meaningful. Does the average person find meaning in what ants do? The universe just is, and we'll likely not figure out a grand, "Why?" So why worry? The universe is beautiful, and it works (if just barely). We're here. Let's have a good time learning and living while we can. ^_^ I confess, I like the notion of the multiverse, and I am especially enamored with the idea of a cyclical universe (even if it is apparently being shown to be less likely). But they mean that there is always more. That things go on and on. They change, they grow, they die. But all that is goes on and somewhere the stars will always shine. Me? I don't need to keep going. But it gives me no small amount of pleasure to think of stars dancing through the skies like fireflies for all eternity. But hey, that's just me. So...yes, to restate my point and provide my answers, the question is meaningless to how I live. I voted both "no" and "probably not" in light of the lack of evidence and how the universe works seeming to give every indication of what one would expect without the common notions of divine beings running around. Link to post Share on other sites
GraverNikooru Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 I definitely have that same bias. I grew up in a very black and white, "this is fact and everything else is false and we KNOW this" environment, so now I'm very bothered by the idea of...not really knowing. That and it's so deeply ingrained into my brain I can't quite not believe, just as I can't fully believe. :P It's very confusing. Yep yep yep - I'm definitely experiencing that right now. My whole life has been taught a certain way. Its hard. I just find myself between fully not believing and just straight up believing. As I said, I can't put my finger on it but somethimg has always been quite funky about Christianity. But when I try to turn away from it, I can't. I agree, its left me quite confused also. Yes, I'd definitely say so. It's much more likely that you would believe in a god, or be open to the possibility, if you were raised religiously. I think it's very hard for someone who grew up with religion to see how unlikely it looks from the outside. Yeah and see, logically I see how unlikely/unrealistic it seems. I can fully understand why people choose not to believe. But something weird happens when I try to place myself in that category. I'm a thinker and a "fair judge" on most things and it bugs me to come to the conclusion that I might be particularly blind when talking about religion. But it is what it is, there's really no way to change it. Honestly, I just avoid talking/thinking about it all together. I'm deep, but this is something I can't quite grasp yet. Link to post Share on other sites
Snadows Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 no, I don't. religion is... no, I think I'll just shut up now... :) Link to post Share on other sites
Astrobot Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 I don´t care if he/she/it exists or not. People may believe whatever they want as long as they don't bother me with fundamentalistic views. Link to post Share on other sites
mad_scientist Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I'm a religious atheist (CoR). Although I think we need a definition of a god for this. Link to post Share on other sites
bromance Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I'm an atheist who was raised as a fundamental Christian. While I do think there could be some form of a "life force," I see no reason to worship it, and I don't believe in it most of the time. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest member25959 Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Nope. Link to post Share on other sites
ily Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I voted "probably". I'm Jewish and our concept of God has always seemed very vague to me. While I'm not an atheist, I can understand their beliefs. I wouldn't say all my beliefs are perfectly consistent with my religion. I think that if there is a higher power, everyone is worshiping the same thing(s) anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
Sally Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I voted "probably". I'm Jewish and our concept of God has always seemed very vague to me. Yay for the vagueness! Link to post Share on other sites
Nameless123 Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I voted "no". There're actually few things I'm more sure about than that there isn't any kind of god. Link to post Share on other sites
Qutenkuddly Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I believe in the existence of the Divine. Of course, I also believe I am part of the Divine, as I believe we all are. However, how I conceive of the Divine has shown some mutability over the years. Link to post Share on other sites
SquirrelCat Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I would have to go with "No" or "Probably not". It pretty much depends on what mood I'm in when you ask, and during weak moments I have a tendancy to want to believe in something... I'm a little embarrassed to admit it but I do believe in some folklore creatures, mainly because I feel like they could exist; they're bound to nature, unlike "God"... I believe in the supernatural, but not in "God". I guess you could say I believe that Nature is a deity... Link to post Share on other sites
Olivier Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I voted "no". There're actually few things I'm more sure about than that there isn't any kind of god. This. Link to post Share on other sites
ChristianK Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I do believe that there is a god, because for me it seems more far fetched and inexplicable. I have talked with many people about it, also it isn't that I am unaware. That has come up a bit and I am more aware than they are, I have read Darwin's works and taken courses on Christianity vs. Evolution. To me there is too much evidence towards christianity than evolution. Link to post Share on other sites
sitdownstandup Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Atheist here. I feel a sort of magnetic attraction for religious myths though, whatever religion they may come from. They're like fantasy stories. This is me I confess, I like the notion of the multiverse, and I am especially enamored with the idea of a cyclical universe (even if it is apparently being shown to be less likely). But they mean that there is always more. That things go on and on. They change, they grow, they die. But all that is goes on and somewhere the stars will always shine. Me? I don't need to keep going. But it gives me no small amount of pleasure to think of stars dancing through the skies like fireflies for all eternity. But hey, that's just me. I'm not trying to trivialize what you're expressing, but the description of your views is quite romantic. I like that :) Link to post Share on other sites
mad_scientist Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I do believe that there is a god, because for me it seems more far fetched and inexplicable. I have talked with many people about it, also it isn't that I am unaware. That has come up a bit and I am more aware than they are, I have read Darwin's works and taken courses on Christianity vs. Evolution. To me there is too much evidence towards christianity than evolution. You read Darwin's works? You have more patience for outdated grammar than me. I tried but then figured it wasn't worth it for a horribly out-of-date version of a theory I could study better elsewhere, although his perspective would probably have been interesting just as history. Link to post Share on other sites
Trolley Girl Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Simply put, I just worry about life as it is, and not about how everything came to be. Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewGyne Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 How could one possibly deny the existence of Cod with the evidence modern science has presented us? Link to post Share on other sites
DOPPLER Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 I'm an atheist. Link to post Share on other sites
never odd or even Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 i believe in God but i really do NOT like the church. i recognise its benefits and everything, but i just can NOT connect in one. there is like a miles mental distance between me and anyone in churches that i cant quite fathom and fundie believers tend to get on my tits for being so narrow minded and ignorant. <_< church itself is not the oldest mind control as The Great WTF said, and its certainly not the only one, but i do agree with what she is saying ^.^ in fact, the church characterises what i do not like about the human race, the pressure to conform the what is 'right''proper''good''holy' irritates me to no end and i think it greatly limits the human mind sometimes. that said, the church can do great things, and you can find MANY other places where you will get PRECISELY the same treatment, maybe even with different names and concepts (Ie which team do you support) where behaviours are dictated according to _______, so really its just human nature i rage at. not God. Link to post Share on other sites
Harkins Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 I'm in the not sure, but probably not camp when it comes to God/gods/etc. I was raised without any concept of religion because my parents were both indifferent to their respective religions by the time they had kids. I really throw a wrench into the works for people who want to believe that belief in God is something inherent. I remember the first time a friend told me they honestly believed in God, and given that I was 14 I thought they were pretty insane. My friend believing in God felt no more ridiculous to me than me believing in Santa until I was 13 did, yet she had teased me for thinking that something like that could be real. As a kid I'd once compared God/Heaven to Hogwarts when my mom asked me about it, and that Hogwarts was a really good idea and it probably made a lot of people really happy, but that I wasn't going to hold my breath for my letter just in case it never came. Link to post Share on other sites
misterquark Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I'm a pretty strong Christian. Link to post Share on other sites
cthuvianace Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 I'm agnostic, with leanings towards athiesm. I find it to be highly unlikely that there is a god, and if there is one, with everything I've been told about "him", I don't want to have anything to do with him/her/it. I do really enjoy studying religious myths though. I read the Bible like I read Tolkien's stories on the creation of Middle Earth. It's an interesting fantasy, and that's it. Link to post Share on other sites
shikixoxo Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 I'm Christian. Not super-conservative about it though. Mostly this. ^ i believe in God but i really do NOT like the church. i recognise its benefits and everything, but i just can NOT connect in one. there is like a miles mental distance between me and anyone in churches that i cant quite fathom and fundie believers tend to get on my tits for being so narrow minded and ignorant. <_< church itself is not the oldest mind control as The Great WTF said, and its certainly not the only one, but i do agree with what she is saying ^.^ in fact, the church characterises what i do not like about the human race, the pressure to conform the what is 'right''proper''good''holy' irritates me to no end and i think it greatly limits the human mind sometimes. that said, the church can do great things, and you can find MANY other places where you will get PRECISELY the same treatment, maybe even with different names and concepts (Ie which team do you support) where behaviours are dictated according to _______, so really its just human nature i rage at. not God. A bit of this. ^ I'm a pretty strong Christian. And some of this. ^ I am very strong in my beliefs, meaning I won't deny it to anyone or attempt to water it down just because I'm afraid to be seen as an 'ignorant theist' around some of the louder and ruder atheists out there. But I don't see the right to tell other people what to do. I can give my opinions, but I'm not in a place of power. I've grown to kinda distance myself from the church. I was with one for two years and found a home there but I noticed that they're very paranoid. I haven't gone in a long time and they worry about me. Oops. I didn't go to church today. I'm obviously practicing witchcraft with my gay hooker best friend right? They were very plain and didn't contradict themselves mindlessly, and you were okay to ask questions, so I liked it there, though I don't go anymore. I personally think that it takes more faith to believe that absolutely no God exists, and we're just here for no reason. I like having something to look forward to after death, and if there is nothing and I'm just reincarnated or something, I won't remember it and I won't be disappointed. Link to post Share on other sites
Wozzeck Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Atheist. Ex-"God hates fags". I would've rather put, almost certainly not, than No as one can not be 100% certain on this. But I put no. Edit to say: the comment above infuriates me but this isn't a debate section. Darn. Link to post Share on other sites
Patrick Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I'm pretty much Ignosticistic about it, which basically means "You tell me what the hell you mean by 'god' and I tell you how I feel about that". If you basically say god is "nature" or something alike I would be silly not to "believe" in nature, however if you think of the literal manifestation of the god from the Christian Bible the reverse would the case. Link to post Share on other sites
NecroPlague Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I voted yes. Seeing as I am a Muslim I believe in a God. Link to post Share on other sites
(Nightlight) Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I am agnostic. So eh. Link to post Share on other sites
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