Why I am not religious and how it effects my life

[Kathleen (imported)]

I am a Buddhist who chants everyday. I do as I see best to do, and I like to afford the same privilege to all others. This is a great discussion so far because I think our real goal here is just to learn about ourselves. Sometimes we get into great trouble when we insist that everyone must be in a certain church, or believe in a certain book, or be damned.

I was raised in the Catholic church and stayed that way until I was 19. I get a big charge out of Kristoff with his shocking red habit, a cigarette, and gun. If I'd have had nuns like that, I wonder what I would be now. Ah! The power of religion. Peace and happiness to all.

[kristoff]

I am a Buddhist who chants everyday. I do as I see best to do, and I like to afford the same privilege to all others. This is a great discussion so far because I think our real goal here is just to learn about ourselves. Sometimes we get into great trouble when we insist that everyone must be in a certain church, or believe in a certain book, or be damned.

I was raised in the Catholic church and stayed that way until I was 19. I get a big charge out of Kristoff with his shocking red habit, a cigarette, and gun. If I'd have had nuns like that, I wonder what I would be now. Ah! The power of religion. Peace and happiness to all.

It ain't a gun. It is a SAWS ALL (or reciprocating saw). It is useful for commiting surgeries. I do not keep guns around; I would use them....

[Kathleen (imported)]

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[Slammr (imported)]

Well folks lets look at this in another way if you choose not to beleave their is no God and their isent then so what who cares.BUT if you are wrong then thoes who didnt trust or beleave their is a God of the universe will suffer for eternity.So as in chosing to be castrated or not you better get this right because their are no do overs.Good luck and as I always say read read read.

When I was about seventeen, living in the Bible belt of Texas and going to church every Sunday, I had begun to doubt the existence of God, any god I guess, at that time. I asked one of my friends if he believed in God and why. He said he believed in God because it was safer to believe than not believe. In other words, pretty much what you've said. He didn't want to take the chance that there was a god and end up in Hell for not believing.

It's not that easy. One can't believe, if one doesn't believe. One can pretend to believe, but that isn't the same as believing. God would have to be pretty dumb not to see past that.

So, for me, it isn't a choice. I don't believe in the god of the Bible and believing in that god, would require me to suspend rational thought -- as far as I'm concerned. You might as well be asking me to believe in the Greek or Hindu gods.

They make just as much sense to me as the Christian, Jewish, or Muslim god. Even the Jewish concept of god makes more sense than the Christian concept of god does, a god that is born on Earth, dies for Man's sins (what sins?) and requires Man to call him by name (Jesus) and to believe his is god in order not to be punished for eternity.

I wouldn't want to believe in such a god, even if I could.

[sag111 (imported)]

Well Slammer I wish you well on this because this isent a little thing we are chatting about.But I do understand you to and it seams you have made your choice.Someone wrote that it seams christians get mad if you dont beleave well I dont I feel this is your decission to make.Take care my friend

[sapient (imported)]

Well, I agree that belief is a choice one has to make - and be prepared to stand for it. I think one may sometimes face harsh and intolerant attitudes whatever one believes in. There are always intolerant people, and as far as my experience goes that has nothing to do with faith or nationality or anything like that - it's simply rude and inconsiderate people.

But I guess it can be affected by what is considered the majority view, in the society we live in. Sweden, where I live, is considered to be the most secular country of all. If you divvy up the different faiths and philosphies the plurality of people here (though not the majority) are atheists or agnostics. So whatever your faith is, it is mostly considered to be a very private matter. And there are no assumptions that you are religious, unless you declare it yourself.

Strangely enough, Sweden had a union of state and church (protestant christianity) until the year 2000 - while in USA that has always had separation of church and state in the constitution, a clear majority in the population is religious and religion takes up much more room in public life.

But even so, even if non-religious views are the plurality in my country, sometimes people who are not themselves religious, seem to take offence on behalf of religious people. Maybe this is because religious festivities and topics also make up many of the traditions in society. We have for example a debate whether schools can have assemblies in churches before summer and christmas. Many say it's time to end that old tradition, but others defend it - and it seems many draw the conclusion that the issue is pro or con religion, and therefore use "freedom of religion" as an argument for official (school) assemblies in a religious building, which to me is very strange.

We also have a current debate if the gay partnerships (we've had them since 1995) should be turned in to marriages, equal in every respect with traditional marriage. Then there is the issue whether church officials should be forced to marry gay couples or - if they are allowed to use their "theological discretion" - not doing so would constitute discrimination.

About 90% of all weddings in Sweden are performed in a church or other religious setting. That's a lot more then there are religous people getting married. But again tradition takes over when faith is lacking. Otherwise it would seem obvious to make civil weddings the only legal option, they way it already is in France, Belgium and some other countries - and let everyone celebrate whatever ceremony they like afterwards, privately.

The strangest thing to me, as an atheist, is that the Curch of Sweden (the one that used to be government sponsored) so readily lets a lot of people it knows to be "unbelievers" use them without actually believing in its tenants.

[Slammr (imported)]

Well Slammer I wish you well on this because this isent a little thing we are chatting about.But I do understand you to and it seams you have made your choice.Someone wrote that it seams christians get mad if you dont beleave well I dont I feel this is your decission to make.Take care my friend

Sag: I firmly believe that you and I can agree to disagree without any rancor on either of our parts. I realize that you're speaking from your beliefs, out of concern for others. I have no need to try to dissuade you from believing as you do. Your way of finding god is as good as any person's is.

[devi (imported)]

All I know about gods and entities from the other side is that there is definately one in particular that I absolutely do believe in and there is nobody here that can tell me differently. And that is that the Vitamin Fairy indeed does exist. Otherwise why would a ninety day supply of multiple vitamins last as long as up to even two years sometimes, --if it weren't for the Vitamin Fairy secretly replinishing my vitamin bottle? And I have no scurvy, no rickets, no wasting disease, nothing. Yes, the Vitamin Fairy does indeed exist!!! All you need to do is buy your very own little bottle of multiple vitamins and resolve to take your vitamins everyday (kind of after you've been sick for a while) and then just see how long the vitamins really do last. Then you'll know that the Vitamin Fairy had had really been an actual part of your life and was busy taking care of you all along.

[Blaise (imported)]

All I know about gods and entities from the other side is that there is definately one in particular that I absolutely do believe in and there is nobody here that can tell me differently. And that is that the Vitamin Fairy indeed does exist. Otherwise why would a ninety day supply of multiple vitamins last as long as up to even two years sometimes, --if it weren't for the Vitamin Fairy secretly replinishing my vitamin bottle? And I have no scurvy, no rickets, no wasting disease, nothing. Yes, the Vitamin Fairy does indeed exist!!! All you need to do is buy your very own little bottle of multiple vitamins and resolve to take your vitamins everyday (kind of after you've been sick for a while) and then just see how long the vitamins really do last. Then you'll know that the Vitamin Fairy had had really been an actual part of your life and was busy taking care of you all along.

The Vitamin Fairy is kin to the Tabasco Fairy.