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Ask a forty something Atheist

TheFriendlyAtheist

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Just so you know, this thread probably won't last long. I created one just like and the mods shut it down because they thought it would provoke a debate in the wrong place. Nevermind that it was posted in the discussion and debate forum and that it wasn't meant as a debate thread.
 
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Spikey

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I've never bought into religion at any point in my life, as I've got older I've become interested in why people do buy into it and why some believe so strongly that they can love God more than their families, it's a very alien concept to me.
I think the internet has helped to open a lot of peoples eyes.
 
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Spikey

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I only wanted people to ask me about my life, ah well.
 
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Halbhh

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Ok.

What do you think of: "Love your neighbor as yourself" ?
 
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TheFriendlyAtheist

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I only wanted people to ask me about my life, ah well.
Same here... Hopefully this thread doesn't meet the same fate. These can be very productive exchanges for all involved.
 
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RaymondG

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Do you feel that believing in God and afterlife I'd the same as believing in no God and no afterlife? Basically, believe and find out if you see right after death?

What if there was a way to God whether there is a God and know whether there is life outside the body.....Would you be interested in that?
 
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Sarah G van G

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I quite clearly said 'Many of the atheists I know or follow on social media'' not all atheists. I was (clearly to me) still referring to those friends when I talked about a dog eat dog reality.

I am glad for you that you are happy, dearest. It is fantastic that you do not suffer from morbid sentiments. It is lovely that you have been married for 48 years. I am sure that your wife is a very happy and lucky woman to have such a positive husband, content with the things money cannot buy. As Spikey started a thread inviting us to ask anything I figured he had a fairly thick skin and wasn't going to be easily offended. I had of course forgotten that other atheists might read my question and become offended. I am sorry that I caused you to become upset.
 
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Halbhh

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A nice concept, but rarely practical.
That's close to exactly what I thought.

But finally I decided to test it, and went and met both next door neighbors, total strangers, and treating them as if they were friends to love.

The results were surprisingly wonderful, and I actually gained a lot of unexpected benefits, including meeting through one of them soon one of the best friends in my life.

I think you should personally try out what Jesus of Nazareth said to do, instead of only having a theoretical hypothesis about what He said.

Test, objectively, and find out. Treat total stranger neighbors with the same love you have for a friend and see what happens.

If you dare to test your hypothesis.
 
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Spikey

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If I knew 100% there was an eternal afterlife it wouldn't appeal to me anyway, it would be torturous to endure in my opinion, eternity is a very very very long time.
I prefer the though of my non existence after my death, just my personal preference.
 
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Motherofkittens

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I know this wasn't directed at me, but I'd like to also answer. I think most people in unprogressive countries (for example, the Congo, the USA, Saudi Arabia, etc,) feel depressed, anxious, get easily addicted to things and so on, regardless of what they believe or don't believe. It is because of the general horrible society most people endure in these types of places.

I was born and raised a Christian to missionary parents. I was home schooled, read the whole Bible many times, I had to memorize a lot it, we were always praying and on our "spiritual guard" and all that. I understand for some people some religious beliefs can be comforting. And that is fine, so long as they know it really is just a belief. I wouldn't want to take anyone's comfort away if it helped them and didn't harm anyone else.

However, I care deeply about what is reality or as close as we can get to it. So I cannot accept anything as "real" or "truth" without good evidence for it. But I'm actually happier, at immense peace and more fulfilled and hopeful, than I ever was when I believed I had Jesus and the holy ghost within me. Although what one feels is not a good way to determine what is true and what is not. I have no belief in deities because no one can show they actually exist. If that happens, then I will accept whichever god and/or god's are shown to exist. Real easy.

While on a few occasions I am sad there is no perfect afterlife with our loved ones to be rewarded to us (although if you actually read holy books the afterlife talked about in them isn't very great). I am thrilled no one is going to be enterally tortured, punished with a possible ending to it, or in whichever way some writings say they will suffer. We can make heaven on Earth. That is what I try to do. We definitely have here and now.
 
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ToBeLoved

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Ok, so I have another question.

Do aetheists think that all the people who pray and says that God answers their prayers in whatever way (not audibly) think we are just bonkers and praying to air?

Because billions of people of all types of belief in a God, it seems to me is incredulous
 
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