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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Sept 19, 2018 15:26:38 GMT
This is for non-theists, so theists, don't even try to debate your view here. Start your own thread.
I like the freedom from illogic, the use of logic and reason, the clear-cut parameters of scientific thought processes.
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Post by Aj_June on Sept 19, 2018 15:32:47 GMT
I have many problems in my life but being non-religious certainly helps in that it doesn't add any problem in addition to those created by me. I define my own moral values and even if I cannot live by them all the time, I can forgive myself because I do not believe in any higher power and so I do not have to ask forgiveness of anyone else for my mistakes.
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Post by Vegas on Sept 19, 2018 15:44:29 GMT
What I like: Living my life without the expectation/oppression of other's sense of divine judgement  What I dislike: Knowing that the universe is ultimately pointless... and that haunting feeling that if God exists, He's probably mad at me. 
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Post by phludowin on Sept 19, 2018 15:58:22 GMT
I like that it doesn't use unproven assumptions as facts.
It's compatible with Occam's razor.
The existence of any deity is unproven. Theists have had millennia to prove their existence; they were unsuccessful.
Whether atheism is more logical then theism is debatable. You can start from a premise and then argue logically; but if your premise is faulty, the results of your deduction will probably be as well. Garbage in, garbage out, as we say in computer science.
In this case, the premise "God does not exist" is more compatible with observed reality. In my opinion.
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Post by Isapop on Sept 19, 2018 16:07:21 GMT
I like showing my membership card and getting discounts on many of my favorite name brands.
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Sept 19, 2018 16:17:17 GMT
What I like: Living my life without the expectation/oppression of other's sense of divine judgement What I dislike: Knowing that the universe is ultimately pointless... and that haunting feeling that if God exists, He's probably mad at me. Agreed... in my theist days, there was a point, a meaning to the universe, and I do miss that. And that haunting feeling... were you a theist before you became atheist? I know only one person who was atheist at a young age and was firm about all attempts to change her mind, and she does not have that haunting feeling. I think those of us who grew up with religion still have that last remnant of the brainwashing. But other than that, I am so much happier with things that are quantifiable, and things that are deemed unknowable. |
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Post by rizdek on Sept 19, 2018 16:19:05 GMT
This is for non-theists, so theists, don't even try to debate your view here. Start your own thread. I like the freedom from illogic, the use of logic and reason, the clear-cut parameters of scientific thought processes. I don't feel compelled to defend God against criticism. The suffering of the world makes more sense to me if there is no personal, all knowing, all powerful God. |
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Sept 19, 2018 16:20:23 GMT
I like showing my membership card and getting discounts on many of my favorite name brands. Where do you get one of those?  |
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Post by Terrapin Station on Sept 19, 2018 16:23:34 GMT
Not something I usually think about much, but religions seem like such rococo sets of arbitrary rules. It's bad enough that we have the real laws and mores that we do. I can't imagine having to deal with yet another set of rules like that.
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Post by progressiveelement on Sept 19, 2018 16:29:18 GMT
Well, it allows me to be in touch with the world around me instead of the one in my head. 😇
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Sept 19, 2018 16:45:46 GMT
I have many problems in my life but being non-religious certainly helps in that it doesn't add any problem in addition to those created by me. I define my own moral values and even if I cannot live by them all the time, I can forgive myself because I do not believe in any higher power and so I do not have to ask forgiveness of anyone else for my mistakes. It is the ultimate expression of self-responsibility, isn't it? And sometimes I can be really hard on myself if I've done something really dumb. |
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Post by Vegas on Sept 19, 2018 16:48:28 GMT
What I like: Living my life without the expectation/oppression of other's sense of divine judgement What I dislike: Knowing that the universe is ultimately pointless... and that haunting feeling that if God exists, He's probably mad at me. Agreed... in my theist days, there was a point, a meaning to the universe, and I do miss that. And that haunting feeling... were you a theist before you became atheist?Oh yeah... Several variations... But, technically, weren't most of us?  |
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Sept 19, 2018 17:00:19 GMT
Agreed... in my theist days, there was a point, a meaning to the universe, and I do miss that. And that haunting feeling... were you a theist before you became atheist?Oh yeah... Several variations... But, technically, weren't most of us? Of this group here, I think yes, though a few like AJ were not brainwashed as a child. I, too, went through several variations, but once I started to see every religion on an even playing field, I was an atheist. |
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Post by Terrapin Station on Sept 19, 2018 17:12:42 GMT
I wasn't at all raised religious either. In fact, I was so sheltered from religious beliefs that when I finally learned about them in any detail, which didn't happen until I was maybe 15, I thought folks were playing a practical joke on me (Which I was especially prone to thinking because I come from a family of practical jokers (and just wannabe-comedians in general). I literally said, "Wait a minute--you believe what??  " |
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Post by lowtacks86 on Sept 19, 2018 17:22:58 GMT
I guess not having to defend religious doctrine and engage in the absurd mental gymnastics that is Christian/religious apologetics: "Well yeah if you take that verse at face value, God does come off as a genocidal maniac, but if you read these obscure passages that are completely unrelated, take into account the historical context, use different interpretations for certain words, carry the 2 and divide by 3, then God is actually an all loving pacifist"  |
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Sept 19, 2018 17:24:05 GMT
I wasn't at all raised religious either. In fact, I was so sheltered from religious beliefs that when I finally learned about them in any detail, which didn't happen until I was maybe 15, I thought folks were playing a practical joke on me (Which I was especially prone to thinking because I come from a family of practical jokers (and just wannabe-comedians in general). I literally said, "Wait a minute--you believe what?? " LOL, you don't know how lucky you were! My Dad was a practical joker, too, but not about religion. But he was a great dad anyway. |
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Sept 19, 2018 17:34:20 GMT
I guess not having to defend religious doctrine and engage in the absurd mental gymnastics that is Christian/religious apologetics: "Well yeah if you take that verse at face value, God does come off as a genocidal maniac, but if you read these obscure passages that are completely unrelated, take into account the historical context, use different interpretations for certain words, carry the 2 and divide by 3, then God is actually an all loving pacifist" And not having to engage in those absurd mental gymnastics leaves more time to do the real stuff in life! |
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Post by them1ghtyhumph on Sept 19, 2018 21:00:05 GMT
NO STATIONS OF THE CROSS
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Post by Arlon10 on Sept 19, 2018 22:51:56 GMT
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Post by Hairynosedwombat on Sept 19, 2018 22:58:01 GMT
The clarity of rational judgement that has no need to drag in baggage to make a point.
For example I dumped Christianity at 16 because the high-ups in the Church of England publicly came out in favour of invading Vietnam because our government had made the decision and as a Christian country that obeys the rule of law, when the government says something we have an obligation to obey as members of that community. I knew in 1964 that the Vietnam invasion was morally wrong and practically illegal, stances which later proved to be accurate to most good thinking people.
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