Religion ugh...not again

[Endlessnameless]

As a young child I was raised christian but at a certain age stopped attending church. As I grew up I began to somewhat despise all forms of organized religions viewing them as corrupt and controlling. Being older and having civil discussions with individuals (primarily christians) about their faith and what made them want to become born agains or made them stay in the church has been enlightening. The ones that I have spoken with that are true believers are some of the happiest people I have encountered. They never push their beliefs on others and are just good natured individuals. I have encountered others that use their faith to hide behind. These seem to be the most miserable of the bunch and tend to be pushy with their faith. I have come to somewhat of a crossroads and want to believe but I just can't make that leap of faith I suppose. I know there are the religious and non religious/athiests on here and was just curious as to what drew them to their beliefs or lack thereof. I don't want this to degenerate into people bashing others for what they believe in because that's just non productive.

 

[Pope Sazae]

It will degenerate into that no matter what on here, just get STK to post for that. My belief is basically known but I'm not going to go into it because every time things just turn into people bashing others on here.

 

[Joneo]

Desiring to believe something (whatever it is) is the wrong approach.

 

[Dr Shroom]

"ugh" sums it up quite nicely. The world would be a better place without religion.

 

[galfordo]

i found my religion in your sig gif

 

[norton9478]

Why worship a flag or god when we could worship the best of us: our will to be great

 

[Marek]

I was raised atheist.

In time I have become a pagan theist.

I don't know shit, but the bewildering coincidences of human existence make me believe in something profound and God-like.

I think Jung was the greatest mind the world ever knew, next to Tesla. Jung's psychological astrology still links the psyche to the cosmos, but it is not deterministic. Nor is an individual's everyday life ruled by the positions of the planets.

How about the riddles contained within the Psilocybin, LSD, and DMT molecules? Yeah yeah... "Oh Popcorn you are such a fucked up burnout, do us a favor and stfu." Ive heard it all and it doesnt bother me. But those who can relate to what I mean, can really relate.

I dont claim to know what it all means. But it means something and I do believe we are living in the end times. Wether we have a happy or sad ending remains to be seen...

 

[Endlessnameless]

I guess what interests me most is what people believe and how they came to believe what they do. If I had the money and time, I would take a bunch of theology and philosophy courses.

 

[Marek]

I guess what interests me most is what people believe and how they came to believe what they do. If I had the money and time, I would take a bunch of theology and philosophy courses.

My beliefs came to exist because of Jung and loads of drugs/music. /me shrugs.

Know much about Jung?

The little test they give public school students about job placement is just a repackaging of the Jungian Archetype Test with the names and descriptions of the 16 archetypes removed, and potential jobs placed there instead. Same test though. Same statistical distribution of the varying archetypes.

It fascinates me that he was quite the abstract philosoph/theologen as well as the most influential psychologist of all time.

 

[Endlessnameless]

My beliefs came to exist because of Jung and loads of drugs/music. /me shrugs.

Know much about Jung?

The little test they give public school students about job placement is just a repackaging of the Jungian Archetype Test with the names and descriptions of the 16 archetypes removed, and potential jobs placed there instead. Same test though. Same statistical distribution of the varying archetypes.

It fascinates me that he was quite the abstract philosoph/theologen as well as the most influential psychologist of all time.

To be honest, my knowledge of Jung and his work is very minimal. For some reason I'm thinking he worked with Freud or his work was in parallel with Freud. I could very well be wrong. I'll have to read about him and his work way more. By the way you describe, his work/theories sound very interesting.

 

[Marek]

To be honest, my knowledge of Jung and his work is very minimal. For some reason I'm thinking he worked with Freud or his work was in parallel with Freud. I could very well be wrong. I'll have to read about him and his work way more. By the way you describe, his work/theories sound very interesting.

Ah you are not wrong at all!

He was Freud's protege'.

But Jung took issue with Freud's militant insistence that the 'Sexual Theory' become psychological dogma. Freud's sexual theory has since been almost totally discredited.

Classic case of the student becoming the master.

 

[AlecRob]

Your sound like you wish to believe, but maybe you just haven't seen enough evidence for christianity yet. I would recommend reading the book "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist" by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek. It's about the historical evidence for christianity. I would also recommend "the universe next door" by James Sire.

 

[Marek]

Your sound like you wish to believe, but maybe you just haven't seen enough evidence for christianity yet. I would recommend reading the book "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist" by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek. It's about the historical evidence for christianity. I would also recommend "the universe next door" by James Sire.

Evidence for Christianity?

Riggghhhhhtttt.....

I'm all about people having their faith if it makes them a better person than they once were, or means they are happy like the people in OPs post.

But there is no evidence for Christianity, just poeple trying to rationalize the ineffable.

 

[Marek]

Update : Just read about "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist"

If you need a book like that then you are the one whose faith is shaky man. Sorry to be an ass about it. But positing that type of drivel as "evidence" shows you lack understanding on the very meaning of the word evidence itself.

I'm not attacking your belief. For all I know you could be quite right. But all that a book like "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist" does is make Christians look desperate and unsure of themselves. It cheapens your belief system.

 

[Endlessnameless]

Your sound like you wish to believe, but maybe you just haven't seen enough evidence for christianity yet. I would recommend reading the book "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist" by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek. It's about the historical evidence for christianity. I would also recommend "the universe next door" by James Sire.

Well, I moved to the buckle of the bible belt...no joke. It was either last halloween or the halloween before that it fell on a sunday and the area that I live in actually changed the day that kids can do trick or treating to the saturday before. Anyway I have been exposed to more devout people...some good, some too self righteous for their own good. I think too the reason why religion is especially popular in more rural areas is because distance separates people and church is a way to unify them. Because in the more rural areas, going to church on sunday is an all day affair. They meet, have a meal, gossip, etc. My wife and I have found that the most devout can be the most hypocritical, judgmental individuals and unfortunately these are the individuals that wind up being the most known and give a faith a bad rap.

 

[SonGohan]

I'm agnostic, but I really want to believe in a higher being. Logic prevents that, though, no matter how hard I try. I do attend a non-denominational church, however, but that's mostly because I like playing guitar in their music ensemble. I also take my son, because they have tons of activities for children. He will ultimately make his own decision when he gets older, and I don't feel that exposing him to it at a young age will automatically lock him in to believing one way or another (I attended a christian private school when I was younger).

Living in the bible belt, though, I'm surrounded by various different religious people. I've had some pretty deep conversations with them, too, and it always ends with me asking the question "if I'm a good person, and I do everything I feel is right for my child, as well as help others and be the best person I possibly can, but I never have true faith in god --that true experience everybody talks about when they're saved, am I still going to be damned to hell?" and every person looks at me, and uncomfortably confirms that, yes, I will spend eternity in hell, suffering.

I always roll my eyes at this point. If that's true, God is the most insecure being I've ever heard of. And that's some ruthless shit to do to a person, especially a lower being, and one that you call your "child." I could never wish that on my own child, even if he turned 18 and decided he wanted nothing to do with me anymore, and I never heard from him for the rest of his life. I'd always wish him well.

I mean.... God...

 

[Marek]

I always roll my eyes at this point. If that's true, God is the most insecure being I've ever heard of. And that's some ruthless shit to do to a person, especially a lower being, and one that you call your "child." I could never wish that on my own child, even if he turned 18 and decided he wanted nothing to do with me anymore, and I never heard from him for the rest of his life. I'd always wish him well.

I mean.... God...

Exactly.

The god of the old testament is such a piece of shit as it is presented in those texts.

Killing all sorts of people who had simply not been exposed to his one true supremacy? Yeah. Thats the god of infinite love and mercy all right...

That God deserves no worship or reverence.

 

[Lemony Vengeance]

Michaeljacksoneatingpopcorn.gif

 

[AlecRob]

(deleted)

 

[AlecRob]

But there is no evidence for Christianity, just poeple trying to rationalize the ineffable.

That sounds quite a lot like an assertion to me. Have you done actual research on this? What evidence is there to backup your claim that there is no evidence for Christianity?

 

[FilthyRear]

I'm a skeptic. I have a hard time believing that some celestial being created everything, yet never makes an appearance even though, throughout time, people have been absolutely deplorable to each other and the planet.

I was raised catholic, but found faith to be very constricting and saw the hypocrisy of the catholic church and organized religion in general when i hear about kid touching priests getting sheltered from the law and getting shuffled (quietly) to other churches.

I always found going to church to be an utterly bizarre experience - why are people singing together? why all the chanting? stand up or sit down? fucking pick one!

I believe that when you die, theres nothing. time will reset, and eventually your consciousness will "reform" itself and you'll be something other than what you were before you died. no heaven, just science

 

[AlecRob]

I was raised catholic, but found faith to be very constricting and saw the hypocrisy of the catholic church and organized religion in general when i hear about kid touching priests getting sheltered from the law and getting shuffled (quietly) to other churches.

I don't agree with a lot of what the Catholic church says, but I do have to say this: Just because somebody is a hypocrite doesn't mean what they believe is wrong.

 

[northernsoul]

I don't agree with a lot of what the Catholic church says, but I do have to say this: Just because somebody is a hypocrite doesn't mean what they believe is wrong.

Correct, but it kinda matters when you are telling other people how they should behave. Telling people homosexuality is a sin loses its weight when your organization is riddled with child abusers, and you actively cover it up.

Personally, I'm an atheist. I believe religion is responsible for most of mankind's worst behavior. I would say believe what you want, just don't bring it to my house, but we all know that isn't how it works. From politics, to education, to climate change, organized religion wants a say in it. Normally their desires are a long-term determent to humanity.

A confession bear statement, but when I meet someone who says they believe in God, I assume they are stupid.

 

[Fuzzytaco]

A confession bear statement, but when I meet someone who says they believe in God, I assume they are stupid.

That is a shitty assumption to make, and it will serve you poorly.

 

[Jibbajaba]

That sounds quite a lot like an assertion to me. Have you done actual research on this? What evidence is there to backup your claim that there is no evidence for Christianity?

Demanding evidence of a lack of evidence is the primary method for Christians to defend their faith, and its a fallicious argument to make. Which is funny because faith is not something that you should need to defend. The very concept of faith is to believe in something that you can not see or experience in a manner than proves its existence. If such evidence existed, everyone would believe in God/Jesus and it would no longer be "faith." I don't have "faith" that the sky is blue because I can look up and there it is.

I was raised atheist. My mom is very anti-religion, and tought me from a young age that God doesn't exist and that "religion is the opiate of the masses," as Karl Marx may or may not have said. I don't really feel that way as an adult, though. Religion has been the cause of a lot of bad shit in the world, but it has also done a lot of good. And a lot of people need something like that in their lives for a variety of reasons. Like Gohan, I really want to believe in a higher being, but logic and my scientific background really leaves no room for it. But like Popcorn, I definitely think that there is more to life and this world than meets the eye. I guess I just expect that I'll find that out later.

Chris