The Atheist path; a path of liberation or of necessity?

[Landon Caeli]

As someone who respects atheists and enjoys befriending them, I was just curious to hear some peoples personal views on how they feel about their atheism.

...Do you feel liberated, free and happy in it?

...Or do you basically feel like it's just where life landed you?

Thanks for sharing your story,
Landon

 

[bhsmte]

As someone who respects atheists and enjoys befriending them, I was just curious to hear some peoples personal views on how they feel about their atheism.

...Do you feel liberated, free and happy in it?

...Or do you basically feel like it's just where life landed you?

Thanks for sharing your story,
Landon

As a former Christian and now atheist, the best way I can explain it is this; I feel at peace with myself, because I know I am also, being honest with myself.

 

[Desires Light]

As someone who respects atheists and enjoys befriending them, I was just curious to hear some peoples personal views on how they feel about their atheism.

...Do you feel liberated, free and happy in it?

...Or do you basically feel like it's just where life landed you?

Thanks for sharing your story,
Landon

Atheist's only exist because of Christian's & their actions.

Romans 2:24
24As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

 

[Landon Caeli]

As a former Christian and now atheist, the best way I can explain it is this; I feel at peace with myself, because I know I am also, being honest with myself.

I can respect that. Thanks for sharing.

 

[essentialsaltes]

It was kind of a shock to realize I didn't believe in the locally popular god. It was almost scary. It's not something anyone ever talked about (back when I was a kid in ye olden days).

I considered that I had no better reason to believe in it than the Hindus do in their gods or the adherents of any other religion one could name.

I felt it was an important matter worth studying, so I did. And in the end, I wound up where I started. I don't have any reason to believe in any gods.

Now I feel... philosophically content. Happy in the sense that I think my beliefs are in close harmony with reality, which is to say True.

But as many people have noted, there isn't much to atheism. It's like not believing in Bigfoot. It doesn't grant you any powers or make your life any better.

 

[Landon Caeli]

It was kind of a shock to realize I didn't believe in the locally popular god. It was almost scary. It's not something anyone ever talked about (back when I was a kid in ye olden days).

I considered that I had no better reason to believe in it than the Hindus do in their gods or the adherents of any other religion one could name.

I felt it was an important matter worth studying, so I did. And in the end, I wound up where I started. I don't have any reason to believe in any gods.

Now I feel... philosophically content. Happy in the sense that I think my beliefs are in close harmony with reality, which is to say True.

But as many people have noted, there isn't much to atheism. It's like not believing in Bigfoot. It doesn't grant you any powers or make your life any better.

...So it's not like you ever wish you could be a believer then right? Because you're satistied with your atheism... Right?

 

[essentialsaltes]

...So it's not like you ever wish you could be a believer then right? Because you're satistied with your atheism... Right?

I wish to be convinced of the truth by evidence. I don't have any particular wish to be either a theist or an atheist.

 

[Landon Caeli]

I wish to be convinced of the truth by evidence. I don't have any particular wish to be either a theist or an atheist.

Nice response.

I don't think I could follow that path, personally, because there would be a huge lack of community in my life. Especially if I were of a globalist mindset because in that case, I would have no community at all. Not even God.

...I would feel alone.

 

[Landon Caeli]

...Surely Atheists, as individuals, must have some sort of alternative community?

 

[Goonie]

...Surely Atheists, as individuals, must have some sort of alternative community?

We’d tell you but then we’d have to......

 

[essentialsaltes]

...Surely Atheists, as individuals, must have some sort of alternative community?

Well, atheists are people, and people have communities. I don't have a faith community, but I have a neighborhood, interests, hobbies, friends... Everybody does.

 

[Tanj]

I'd rather be a believer. I find the idea of death being a void like finality to be pretty sad and depressing.

 

[Occams Barber]

As someone who respects atheists and enjoys befriending them, I was just curious to hear some peoples personal views on how they feel about their atheism.

...Do you feel liberated, free and happy in it?

...Or do you basically feel like it's just where life landed you?

Thanks for sharing your story,
Landon

As far back as I can recall I've never seen a reason to believe in gods. There has never been an 'ahaa' moment where I crossed from belief to unbelief. After years of reading justifications for religious belief I am still surprised how people, in a modern educated society, can hold on to belief. I can't imagine what it's like to believe in a God.

Only 50% of Australians identify as Christian and a very few of them attend church regularly. I rarely encounter openly religious people and religion is something I rarely think about on a day to day basis. For me, a visit to CF can sometimes be a bit like stepping back in time.
OB

 

[Chinchilla]

I'd rather be a believer. I find the idea of death being a void like finality to be pretty sad and depressing.

Why are you depressed over that ? According to your world view if im correct you did not exist before you were born and you won't after you die it's like going to sleep but never waking up . Sadness is caused by atoms reacting in your brain , you eat something which give you different reaction in your brain like ice cream and you don't feel sad.

Or do you think that you have some soul/spirit/conciousness which is not part of your body and is not physicall ?

 

[Landon Caeli]

I'd rather be a believer. I find the idea of death being a void like finality to be pretty sad and depressing.

Me too.

 

[essentialsaltes]

I'd rather be a believer. I find the idea of death being a void like finality to be pretty sad and depressing.

Well, what you're saying is you'd rather that there be a nice place to go after death.

But believing doesn't make one appear.

 

[Tanj]

Well, what you're saying is you'd rather that there be a nice place to go after death.

But believing doesn't make one appear.

Never said it did.

Why are you depressed over that ? According to your world view if im correct you did not exist before you were born and you won't after you die it's like going to sleep but never waking up . Sadness is caused by atoms reacting in your brain , you eat something which give you different reaction in your brain like ice cream and you don't feel sad.

So what? How does the source of "sadness" in anyway mitigate that I feel sad about something? You think that because death frightens me I can fix that by eating an icecream...somehow because I am an atheist?

You are making no sense whatsoever...unless eating icecream works for you, in which case you and I are not alike.

Or do you think that you have some soul/spirit/conciousness which is not part of your body and is not physicall ?

Do explain how that could even be a possibility when I described death as a final void.

 

[Landon Caeli]

Never said it did.



So what? How does the source of "sadness" in anyway mitigate that I feel sad about something? You think that because death frightens me I can fix that by eating an icecream...somehow because I am an atheist?

You are making no sense whatsoever...unless eating icecream works for you, in which case you and I are not alike.



Do explain how that could even be a possibility when I described death as a final void.

At least you have your wife Tanj. I have one too, and even though we see things differently sometimes, we have each other to rely on in this world... But I'm also afraid of death.

...So even without hope in God, there is still that relationship.

 

[Landon Caeli]

Well, what you're saying is you'd rather that there be a nice place to go after death.

But believing doesn't make one appear.

I'm willing to bet you have a really good relationship with your significant other, to be so fearless of death.

Good for you, essentialsaltes. You're a lucky guy.

 

[Ken-1122]

As someone who respects atheists and enjoys befriending them, I was just curious to hear some peoples personal views on how they feel about their atheism.

...Do you feel liberated, free and happy in it?

...Or do you basically feel like it's just where life landed you?

Thanks for sharing your story,
Landon

Atheism is such a small part of who I am, most people who know me probably think I am christian, deist, or some type of a believer because I don’t discuss religion with them. Its not like I keep it hidden, it’s just that few people bring up the subject of religion, and unless someone else brings it up, it won’t be discussed.

Ken