Another atheist/agnostic willing to answer questions

[rpeg]

Ask me any question but limit it to one at a time. I will answer to the best of my ability. In some instances I will not be able to answer however it will either be because I am unfamiliar with the subject, lack time to answer or it may be unanswerable. However my ignorance does not mean answer doesn't exist or may never exist.

I believe it's critical that some audiences have a better of understanding of atheism and agnosticism as it seems there are many unwarranted assumptions out there.

 

[MetanoiaHeart]

This is the Exploring Christianity forum. I think what you're looking for is the "Exploring Atheism/Agnosticism" forum.

 

[rpeg]

This is the Exploring Christianity forum. I think what you're looking for is the "Exploring Atheism/Agnosticism" forum.

Fair enough. I have explored Christianity for a number of years to certain degrees. Just out of curiosity, have you explored atheism and agnosticism? If you're interested, I can point you towards a proper forum on the subject.

 

[MetanoiaHeart]

I have indeed explored atheism and agnostism. I've only been a Christian since last year.

 

[rpeg]

I have indeed explored atheism and agnostism. I've only been a Christian since last year.

We're getting off the point of my OP but if you don't mind, tell me about your experience while you were an atheist and/or agnostic? How long would you say you held that position?

 

[MetanoiaHeart]

We're getting off the point of my OP but if you don't mind, tell me about your experience while you were an atheist and/or agnostic? How long would you say you held that position?

I don't mind. My mother is an atheist and my father is agnostic, so I've always had that influence my whole life. (I also went to a Methodist church sometimes with my grandparents, but that honestly did not do much for me, especially as a teenager.) As an adult, I never believed in God - the Christian God - until February of last year. So that's a long time, no? I explored a lot of religions and non religions and had periods where I was into paganism/new age stuff (but found that to be a lot of hooey, honestly), Buddhism for a while, and I also spent periods of embracing strong atheism. I've read a lot of atheist material online, which really puffed up my pride. I'm still working on that.

The main thing that characterized those years was that I felt strongly that the Christian God was not real, or if He was real then He definitely did not deserve to be worshiped. I hated my perception of that God, no exaggeration, and that hatred was strongest when I was an atheist.

This quote from Fr. Seraphim Rose, which I read for the first time only recently, sums up quite well my experience as an atheist:

Atheism, true ‘existential’ atheism, burning with hatred of a seemingly unjust or unmerciful God is a spiritual state; it is a real attempt to grapple with the true God Whose ways are so inexplicable even to the most believing of men, and it has more than once been known to end in a blinding vision of Him Whom the real atheist truly seeks. It is Christ Who works in these souls.

 

[rpeg]

I don't mind. My mother is an atheist and my father is agnostic, so I've always had that influence my whole life. (I also went to a Methodist church sometimes with my grandparents, but that honestly did not do much for me, especially as a teenager.) As an adult, I never believed in God - the Christian God - until February of last year. So that's a long time, no? I explored a lot of religions and non religions and had periods where I was into paganism/new age stuff (but found that to be a lot of hooey, honestly), Buddhism for a while, and I also spent periods of embracing strong atheism. I've read a lot of atheist material online, which really puffed up my pride. I'm still working on that.

The main thing that characterized those years was that I felt strongly that the Christian God was not real, or if He was real then He definitely did not deserve to be worshiped. I hated my perception of that God, no exaggeration, and that hatred was strongest when I was an atheist.

This quote from Fr. Seraphim Rose, which I read for the first time only recently, sums up quite well my experience as an atheist:

Atheism, true ‘existential’ atheism, burning with hatred of a seemingly unjust or unmerciful God is a spiritual state; it is a real attempt to grapple with the true God Whose ways are so inexplicable even to the most believing of men, and it has more than once been known to end in a blinding vision of Him Whom the real atheist truly seeks. It is Christ Who works in these souls.

The experience you describe sounds like "strong atheism" for the most part. How much do you know about agnosticism and irreligion? I agree that that quote poses and fascinating idea about some atheists.

I appreciate how that quote spells out the obvious "quality" of claimed gods, "ways are so inexplicable even to the most believing of men". I sense that this is where agnosticism comes into play - an inability to claim that one actually knows. Why did you become a Christian?

 

[MetanoiaHeart]

The experience you describe sounds like "strong atheism" for the most part. How much do you know about agnosticism and irreligion? I agree that that quote poses and fascinating idea about some atheists.

I appreciate how that quote spells out the obvious "quality" of claimed gods, "ways are so inexplicable even to the most believing of men". I sense that this is where agnosticism comes into play - an inability to claim that one actually knows. Why did you become a Christian?

My father is the epitome of an agnostic, and there have definitely been times when I knew that I simply did not know and even embraced the not knowing. I just found the entire concept to be so deeply, profoundly unsatisfying that I could not rest there and continued to search until I found what I was looking for.

So why Christianity? Well, I can tell you what happened, but I can't explain it. Basically, one day I admitted to myself that all of my searching for meaning in my life had yielded squat, and I started to question my hatred for Christianity. I admitted to myself that I might not know everything about the religion, and that I might be unfairly judging it without really understanding it. So one day, as an experiment, I decided to "try on" being a Christian, and I started praying to God. I asked Him to make me understand and lead me to the Truth. I kept praying and reading about Christianity, and a couple of months later it just HIT me. OF COURSE God had to become a human being. That's the only way! And then it became a matter of figuring out which Christian denomination is correct....and that eventually led me to Eastern Orthodoxy. Then I went to my first Divine Liturgy, and yep, that's it. Home.

Okay, enough about me!

 

[bling]

How would it make you feel if the Christian God made Himself unquestionably known to you? Would that be a plus or a minus? Would it change your life?

 

[rpeg]

How would it make you feel if the Christian God made Himself unquestionably known to you? Would that be a plus or a minus? Would it change your life?

It would be a profound experience as I'm very interested in learning about such things. I would consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to potentially understand more. However I can not comment on the other parts of your question because I don't know if the experience would be "good" or "bad" or in what way it would change me. It would depend on said experience. Also, for the sake of argument, your word "unquestionable" is extremely important. There are many factors that would need to be at play for it to be "unquestionable".

 

[joey_downunder]

What do you think has made you personally willing to seek to understand Christianity itself?

 

[GA777]

Why would the disciples and the disciples of the disciples etc. suffer so much for their faith and for spreading it to death ? Why would people so much believe in Jesus that they were ready to die for their faith?and the disciples too? Nobody would set himself as a martyr because of a lie.So what's your opinion about this?

 

[GA777]

+have you ever tried to pray for Jesus from your heart, and ask him to prove you his existance from your heart?

 

[rpeg]

What do you think has made you personally willing to seek to understand Christianity itself?

I am interested in religion as a phenomenon and culture for intellectual reasons. I also want to better understand the subject of Christianity because it impacts my society, nation and environment.

 

[rpeg]

+have you ever tried to pray for Jesus from your heart, and ask him to prove you his existance from your heart?

Yes.

 

[rpeg]

Why would the disciples and the disciples of the disciples etc. suffer so much for their faith and for spreading it to death ? Why would people so much believe in Jesus that they were ready to die for their faith?and the disciples too? Nobody would set himself as a martyr because of a lie.So what's your opinion about this?

First of all, you close your question with a broad assertion, "Nobody would set himself as a martyr because of a lie."

It sounds as though you've already made a decision on the answer so why are you asking me? If you want my opinion, then don't make unwarranted assertions you can not prove.

 

[joey_downunder]

I am interested in religion as a phenomenon and culture for intellectual reasons. I also want to better understand the subject of Christianity because it impacts my society, nation and environment.

Yes religion certainly affects society and culture. You can see some major differences between Christian and non-christian countries regarding women's rights to education.

When did you start to get interested in learning more about Christianity?

 

[rpeg]

Why would the disciples and the disciples of the disciples etc. suffer so much for their faith and for spreading it to death ? Why would people so much believe in Jesus that they were ready to die for their faith?and the disciples too? Nobody would set himself as a martyr because of a lie.So what's your opinion about this?

Also, I don't mean to twist your words around but regarding your comment that "Nobody would set himself as a martyr because of a lie." My response: 911.

 

[maizer]

Also, I don't mean to twist your words around but regarding your comment that "Nobody would set himself as a martyr because of a lie." My response: 911.

With all due respect, I believe there is a difference between knife wielding men trying to kill as much people as they can out of hatred, and someone who is spreading the news of peace and joy and salvation dieing under torture, and forgiving even their own tormentors.

 

[rpeg]

Yes religion certainly affects society and culture. You can see some major differences between Christian and non-christian countries regarding women's rights to education.

When did you start to get interested in learning more about Christianity?

I grew up around an implicit Christian environment. Went to Sunday school... a few times. Church on Sunday, sometimes. Etc. So my interest was initially out of curiosity "What are these people talking about?" Then as a teenager I just reflected for hours on the matter of god: how, what, why, where and should it matter to me? Through that I reflected on the implications of the bible. So, my heavy reflection started in the mid-90s.