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

[OldWiseGuy]

That link points out the gap between the rich and the poor has widen; it doesn't do much of comparing the living conditions of the poor today vs the poor of years ago. That link address nothing that we are talking about

I don't think the slums of yesteryear compare in any way to the urban slums of todays densely populated third world countries. Billions live in squalor and the trend is increasing dramatically. With it will come further declines in health, and happiness.

 

[Ken-1122]

I don't think the slums of yesteryear compare in any way to the urban slums of todays densely populated third world countries. Billions live in squalor and the trend is increasing dramatically. With it will come further declines in health, and happiness.

I wasn't really talking about other countries, I was talking about the USA. I know little about the gap between the rich and poor, or other financial issues in other countries, but when I look at the news, I don't see people across the globe starving to death with bloated bellies to the extent it used to happen years ago.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I wasn't really talking about other countries, I was talking about the USA. I know little about the gap between the rich and poor, or other financial issues in other countries, but when I look at the news, I don't see people across the globe starving to death with bloated bellies to the extent it used to happen years ago.

We do seem to bounce back and forth between the U.S. and the world.

 

[Holoman]

I can remember when I was an atheist, I just avoided thinking about the subject of God at all. I wanted to live my life how I wanted, not have some rule book that I had to adhere by. Honestly, the thought of there being a God scared me, and I was dragged kicking and screaming into Christianity when life threw so much at me that I couldn't avoid the God question after all.

As an atheist, I wanted convincing that there was a God, 100% certainty. At some point I realised that there was never going to be certainty, and that my own atheism had no certainty either. That fear I'd been avoiding for years I finally confronted. I made my choice to explore Christianity, and the more I learnt, the more it made sense. I had no ahha moment where I thought, wow I can now feel the presence of God, more that I came to realise he'd been with me all along, guiding me.

 

[Eudaimonist]

I can remember when I was an atheist, I just avoided thinking about the subject of God at all. I wanted to live my life how I wanted, not have some rule book that I had to adhere by.

Wow, I can't relate to that at all. I've always wanted to know how one ought to live, not simply to act on personal whims.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Freodin]

I can remember when I was an atheist, I just avoided thinking about the subject of God at all. I wanted to live my life how I wanted, not have some rule book that I had to adhere by. Honestly, the thought of there being a God scared me, and I was dragged kicking and screaming into Christianity when life threw so much at me that I couldn't avoid the God question after all.

As an atheist, I wanted convincing that there was a God, 100% certainty. At some point I realised that there was never going to be certainty, and that my own atheism had no certainty either. That fear I'd been avoiding for years I finally confronted. I made my choice to explore Christianity, and the more I learnt, the more it made sense. I had no ahha moment where I thought, wow I can now feel the presence of God, more that I came to realise he'd been with me all along, guiding me.

Like Mark, I cannot relate to that at all.

I find it rather interesting that my own atheism is so very different from yours. One would think that a simple disbelief could not be so different, but it is obvious that different people have different reasons and results for and from not doing/believing something.

I can only hope that those who think that there is only one kind of atheist, and it is the Holoman-type, can realize that they are mistaken.

 

[Freodin]

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

I can understand that some formerly religious people might feel "liberated" by accepting an atheistic worldview.
I have never been a believer. So it is basically "just where life landed" me. Religious belief is just one of the things that are not "me". Like going clubbing, or mountain-climbing, or composing songs.
That doesn't mean I am not free and happy in this life. But it comes from the things I do, not the things I don't do.

But who knows: had I been indoctrinated into a lifestyle of having to go clubbing on a high mountain singing self-composed songs... I might feel happy and free that I don't must do these things.

 

[Jack Slatts]

But I'm also afraid of death.

I'm sorry to intrude, but this statement fascinated me. Why are you afraid of death? As a Christian doesn't it lead to your entrance to heaven?

Death holds no fear for me. I've lived my life, have watched my daughters grow up, and feel very very lucky to be born into such a wealthy land. I give my tripadvisor.com rating for this life as 5/5, it was a heck of a ride, and I have no complaints.

 

[Holoman]

I'm sorry to intrude, but this statement fascinated me. Why are you afraid of death? As a Christian doesn't it lead to your entrance to heaven?

Death holds no fear for me. I've lived my life, have watched my daughters grow up, and feel very very lucky to be born into such a wealthy land. I give my tripadvisor.com rating for this life as 5/5, it was a heck of a ride, and I have no complaints.

It's interesting that you don't fear death and have lived a happy life. Is it something that came with age or have you always been like that?

I used to have a great fear of death, it was a step into the unknown. Then my life turned to a living hell and I no longer feared death as I realised life can be worse.

 

[Ken-1122]

I don't think the slums of yesteryear compare in any way to the urban slums of todays densely populated third world countries. Billions live in squalor and the trend is increasing dramatically. With it will come further declines in health, and happiness.

I don't think anything today can compare to the poor of years ago when a simple drought would lead to the starvation of thousands, disease outbreaks would lead to the death of thousands, no indoor plumbing, welfare, free medical service, and the average age a person was expected to live was mid thirties to early forties. Todays poor are rich compared to the poor of the past

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I don't think anything today can compare to the poor of years ago when a simple drought would lead to the starvation of thousands, disease outbreaks would lead to the death of thousands, no indoor plumbing, welfare, free medical service, and the average age a person was expected to live was mid thirties to early forties. Todays poor are rich compared to the poor of the past

I'm talking about millions, in our time, not thousands.

https://www.worldvision.org/hunger-news-stories/east-africa-hunger-famine-facts

 

[ubicaritas]

I don't think anything today can compare to the poor of years ago when a simple drought would lead to the starvation of thousands, disease outbreaks would lead to the death of thousands, no indoor plumbing, welfare, free medical service, and the average age a person was expected to live was mid thirties to early forties. Todays poor are rich compared to the poor of the past

Some parts of the US now have lower life expectancies than third world countries. The UN considers parts of Alabama worse than many poor African countries.

 

[Jack Slatts]

It's interesting that you don't fear death and have lived a happy life. Is it something that came with age or have you always been like that?

I used to have a great fear of death, it was a step into the unknown. Then my life turned to a living hell and I no longer feared death as I realised life can be worse.

I think it came with age, at one time I was afraid of death, but I no longer am, it was a gradual transition.

 

[Dan1988]

Some parts of the US now have lower life expectancies than third world countries. The UN considers parts of Alabama worse than many poor African countries.

I saw a TV documentary on the homeless in the US. They said that there's around half a million homeless, it came as a surprise to learn that the richest country in the world would have so many homeless.

Most of them would be victims of unscrupulous money lenders. They gave home loans to people who they knew couldn't afford to service the mortgage. Those greedy money lenders just prove that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

 

[Ken-1122]

I'm talking about millions, in our time, not thousands.

https://www.worldvision.org/hunger-news-stories/east-africa-hunger-famine-facts

I have no doubt there are still people starving today; I'm just saying the problem of starvation was worse 100 years ago. Do you agree with that?

 

[Ken-1122]

Some parts of the US now have lower life expectancies than third world countries. The UN considers parts of Alabama worse than many poor African countries.

What does this have to do with anything that I said?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I have no doubt there are still people starving today; I'm just saying the problem of starvation was worse 100 years ago. Do you agree with that?

I'd have to do some reading on that.