Is anyone else an atheist with BC besides me?
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Thanks for all the complements.
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Wren44,
I've always liked the line about at most one god, but with the influx of UU pagans (or should I say, earth-centered spirituality - talk about woo!) that's not too clear. Our choir director (I'm really just there for the music now, since the kiddos are grown) is also an organ builder and has to deal with lots of religious denominations. When he's attending a Christian service with a creed, he just slips in, "They believe in god, the father almighty..." and keeps his conscience clear without giving offense to his customers.
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Carpe- that gave me a chuckle.
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I have God Squad in my family and when I shared my diagnosis was told that now might be the right time to finally read the Gideon Bible I had been sent as it would be comfort - yeah right!
I do bnelieve in a common energy we can tune in or out of but not religion in any organised sense as it ahs always been bastardized by humans for their own egotistical purposes and I find missionaries arrogant - who gives them the right to impose their beliefs on others?
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People who recommend that others read the bible have probably never read it cover to cover like one reads any other book. To do so would stop any reasonably kind person from believing that the bible is a "good book". Leviticus can't even be read aloud in mixed company.
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notself, how true. My grandmother was very religious and pushed my cousin and I to read the bible when we were kids. I did as I was told, thinking for most of the time, "I can't believe she wants me to read this."
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Racy reading becomes acceptable if you put the word "thou" in it...whether it is the bible or Shakespeare...
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Hi CLC,
How true! It brings back memories of when I saw a live performance of Twelfth Night when I was a teenager. I was laughing hilariously at the brash humor.0 -
when it comes to inspiring reading, I prefer the Upanishads, or the Bhagavad-Gita, and many of the Pendle Hill pamphlets. That other book, well, some interesting stories, but....I prefer my myths with an Eastern "flavour"- and of course, love reading Joseph Campbell. And many of the wonderful books link notself has posted.
Probably would have happily been a pagan if born in early times in British Isles...
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Hi all, this isn't much..just thought I'd tell you I guess I'm driving though some kind of bible belt as we head south, through New York State, Pennsylvania, and a smidgeon of maryland and West Virginia into Virginia...I cn tell because I've seen 3 - Golgothas? on farmer's fields on hills - 3 huge crosses - a plain larger one in the middle and 2 white ones on each side. I feel like a spy! Strange for me, this little introduction, coming from a place where nearly everyone is an atheist or agnostic or at any rate not evangelical and not one person said they'd pray for me during my cancer dx. I looked at the people tonight in the rather awful "Mexican" restaurant where we ate and wondered - is SHE a bible-thumper? (grandmother had her hair up in a sort of bun and no make-up and a blouse with a brooch at the throat) but then, Tammy Fay Baker wore a ton of mascara. didn't she? It was in this area of Charoltte where there is nothing but huge box stores and chain restaurants and cars, cars, cars, and oh boy, can't wait to leave. They may think atheists are weird but I find it really weird here in extreme suburbia...maybe bible-belt suburbia!! just babbling on as I try to wind down..There are daffodils in bloom here! and flowering fruit trees! and green grass!
The drive, down, down, down route 81 from syracuse NY to Charlotte is stunningly beautiful - all those hills, all the way. and the welcome/rest areas when you cross into each state - immaculate and often very beautiful. the one in virginia has a highly polished floors with speckles of what look like silver that reflect, so it makes you happy, thinking you are walking on twinkling stars.
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Happy travels, flannel - it IS a very "religious" area of the States, but as you note, beautiful. Safe travels.
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Lots of different types of "Bible thumpers" out there, flannel. I grew up not far from Charlotte. The plainly dressed, long-haired, long-sleeved types are generally fundmentalists, like Pentacostals, but not necessarily so. Tammy Faye was indeed all made up, but she was the commercial evangelist type. The rest of the normal looking people you've seen are probably more religious than not, and like us non-believers, fit no particular mode of dress or thought. In the smaller towns, you might find someone trying to "save" your soul out of the blue, but it's really not common. Unless you stumble on a tent revival or something. Then you're in for a show!
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Stumbled across this video today on Facebook and thought I'd share here. It's a little long, so settle in with a cup of tea and listen to the best of human intelligence!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd92qy2ZmV0
Richard Dawkins and Ricky Gervais discussing religion.
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Thanks, Anne. That was worth the time. Although I do take exception to their animus towards agnostics. I've always considered myself agnostic/atheist rather than straight-up atheist because of a feeling that there is something larger than myself. That "something larger" isn't some guy in the clouds but to me it's the spark of humanity, compassion, whatever you'd call the thing that makes us care about each other. So it's not really a god, but it's something I do appreciate. It is along the lines of how many Buddhists believe our purpose here is to help each other. I share that belief, but not their other beliefs.
My preference for the term agnostic/atheist may also stem from the slack-jawed looks I get with just that admission. Straight up atheist tends to not get a good reception in my area. I think it has to do with others feeling challenged. By adding the agnostic part they don't seem to feel as challenged.
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AnneW,Thanks for the link.I guess my philosophy is existential based on the following definition. I don't feel a need for meaning in my life separate from my actions and the results of those actions. I feel perfectly comfortable with the thought that the purpose of life (in the big picture) is to live. Affirming life through kindness is enough for me. I think there would be much less unhappiness if we all could live in the here and now and not regret or cling to the past or fear the future.Existential1: of, relating to, or affirming existence <existential propositions>2a: grounded in existence or the experience of existence : empiricalb: having being in time and space
- <child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim believed that fairy tales help children cope with their existential anxieties and dilemmas>
First Known Use of EXISTENTIAL
1693
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Loved both your definitions, River Rat and Notself, and will take time to read the link posted by Anne.
Just sittin here in my gorgeous, tiny, slave cabin in a backyard in Beaufort, SC where it is exactly 1 degree C. HUH? I have a cold. But the sun is shining and it's getting up to 11 so will go out to take pics of the gorgeous antebellum architecture and streets covered with branches, vines, moss. On one street I glimpsed a massive branch growing horizontally across the whole street with a sign on it "low clearance". Nobody had cut down the branch! How brilliant! In other places the city engineers would have cut it down - a tragedy. This is so inspiring, like when they built the library in Cambridge, england, and the architects had oak trees planted so they would mature in 400 years, just when some beams might need replacing. Quality over quantity, whereas at this time, in most places, the opposite seems to hold.
Yes, Notself, I often think/feel there is just one purpose to life, and that is to live, and we are lucky because we can also appreciate beauty, and have evolved to the point of feeling and sharing love and kindness (some of us). I sometimes wonder how much further our little experiment on planet earth will go.
but I do also share the agnostic/atheist part like you River Rat - that we are a part of something greater. Well, in a sense we are, because we are one of the infinite expressions of the universe unfolding at this nanosecond, and we are, after all, composed of stardust. Which then of course leads to the big unanswerables about the universe. Maybe all that there is - is that it's enough to have come to consciousness to witness it. Which, according to Buddhism, is about as rare as being a sea turtle swimming in the vast ocean and happening to come up for air just where a life-saving ring happens to be - and maybe I'm making this part up - possibly the life-saver is also on fire.
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Flannelette, Anne's link is a video so make sure you have a good connection before you try to watch it. I love your last paragraph, really resonates with me.
Notself, what you posted hits very close to my philosophy also.
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I think many of us share the same underlying philosophy. RR, I do understand why you would want to "soften" your identity when asked what your religion is. I occasionally do that, too. I don't want to get into an argument with anyone, and the term "atheist" really challenges some people--whose mind I won't change, and they certainly won't change mine. I'm a southern girl born and bred, and I've learned to be far too polite...
Some people say, "How can you go hike into your mountains, see the beauty around you, and NOT believe in a supreme being that created it?" I think it's more like, how arrogant to believe that one supreme something or other was able to visualize and create this moment in time. Besides, that same supreme whatever cannot get credit for just the beauty in the world. Sorry. It/he/she has to also be held accountable for all the ugly. People don't want to hear that.
I'm going to see if there are more Dawkins videos on youtube. And I had no idea that the comedian Ricky Gervais was so thoughtful and articulate.
Nice to have this discussion up and running again!
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How did this thread get dropped from my favorites?? And stranger yet, I did not know it..wow I am really a basket case!! YIKES
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Been there, done that, Lisa! The buttons for "Back to the top" and "Remove from my favourite topics" are so close together, especially on a mobile device, that it is an easy mistake to make. Then it is a small step to take a while to wonder why there have been no postings of the thread. Oh - it's not on my favourites is why!
Glad you are back again.
So the religious people, a couple of nice looking ladies, came to my door the other day waving some pamphlet. "No thank you" I told them. "Surely you believe . . ." something specific from their stories. "No", I said. "Well surely you believe . . ." some other part of the story. "No, but it is a lovely fairy tale" I said before thinking. They went away looking quite befuddled and concerned. They must have had a bad day because my daughter who lives on the next block told them that no, she doesn't believe all that. At least they didn't threaten our souls.
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So good to see SoCalLisa - hope you have been well.
I've been dueling with the FLU ( have to use caps for this one) for several weeks, now just coughing so I'm told that's the last stage until wellness. WOW. And I get a flu shot every year, have for years, but this year, not so effective on those over 65, which includes me.
Lisa- I still use many of your gorgeous photographs to inspire my painting...
Lassie - smiling with you, my response once was "I can't keep all the myths straight, but I do enjoy them." Befuddled is an apt description....
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Hi Lisa - I just realized we're on the this board AND the birding board together (waving).
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We had an older, well-dressed lady (hat and all) come to our door on Sunday morning. We explained that we were athiests. Her response was, "Well Jesus said......but you probably don't believe that. The Bible says......but you don't believe in that either." She departed. Yes, befuddled is a good description.
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ANNEW - we just got back from S. Carolina. Beaufort. and I do agree, this being my first time in the south - the southerners are indeed the most polite, and warm people. they hold doors open for each other. The clerks at all dunkin donuts and gas bars, everywhere, are indeed the most polite....we in Ontario are like grumpy bears in comparison - I was so impressed! and, maybe it's just what we saw, but people were so kind to their animals...carriage driver in Beaufort kissed her horse, the place we stayed had 2 rescued golden retrievers, and the dolphin-watch guys looked after 2 trapped-neutered-released cats....and at the pub next door, everyone had their dog on the deck. Loved it!
SocalLisa - I saw you on some other thread, figured you'd had enough of atheists and just gone off somewhere else - kept wondering why no travel pics?
and I might as well mention the POPE...yikes! too frilly and silly for me...I look on it all (well, as little as possible)and am....befuddled. How strange is it? would anyone please tell me hiow the exact mechanism works whereby Jesus died to save us all? I can't figure it out. despite having gone to sunday school. not being offensive. I really do not understand.
sunflowers I too have the friggin cold that half of N america has - got the ist dose in S. Carolina despite rigorous handwashing, and the 2nd variety once home.
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I can tell you what I was taught long ago....
Adam was a perfect man who sinned by eating from the forbidden tree, and therefore could only produce children who were "sinners" and less than perfect. Jesus was a perfect man who had no children. By becoming a sacrifice to God, he sacrificed himself (perfect) and his entire unborn set of perfect children to effect a ransom for all of mankind who came from Adam.
I won't go into what doesn't make sense - that was just what I was taught.
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I didn't go off somewhere, my pea brain isn't working too well
and I am happy you enjoy the pictures..I just do it for the fun of it..
I think when I just say I am a nontheist, it befuddles people enough to
leave me alone..
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flannel - this was the flu - high temp. chills, and felt like I'd been run over by a Mack truck. Almost the worst is the cough that stays, I'm told, for weeks. Several friends wound up with pneumonia, yuck, and bronchitis. So far I'm just still coughing, but I swear it is worse as we get older. Have had the flu shot every years for years & years, but this year's flu shot really didn't work.
Hope all are doing well - avoid this flu even if you have to become a hermit to do it!!!!
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DIL invited us down to their house for Easter. She said they only go to church when her parents are in town (they won't be). She finds it difficult to believe that the boys, 5 & 9, actually believe in a magical rabbit, but said as long as they pretend they do, she'll continue to hide eggs. It's the boys vacation week and I think she needs help amusing them.
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We always hid a basket full of candy for the boys growing up...no harm, no foul..
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Gardengumby - thanks for your explanation - it does make sense within its own little box, I mean, if i were a kid and someone had told me that i would have believed it...but somehow despite assorted attempts at sunday school etc. I guess I never asked - or nobody told me - the basic premise.
A creepy thought - we're all born sinners. And I guess the thought of believing in the one man who can guarantee you'll go to heaven if you "put him in the driver's seat" is/was very appealing to a lot of people who were not already secure in some religious tradition- I mean, all I guess you really have to do is accept that..and you're saved. Easy! I'm not familiar with enough religions to know if there's another that works that way..and of course it then cultivates this desire to be a good guy and help others by "saving" them. It's funny but I've never really brought it into focus like this till now..duh.. maybe some kinds of Muslims are the same - I mean they are both have that fundamentalist sub-set utterly believing they have the ONLY key...and i suppose this stirs up scary thoughts on both sides in case the other group "wins" and makes you think like they do - cause how can you then get to heaven when you die? sheesh, I've taken courses in world religions yet never really thought of it this way...maybe because I pretty much ignored investigating the Western traditions - well if you don't, or aren't sure about, believing in GOD, you're pretty much out of the western circuit..
sunflowers do you ever look into herbalists like Susun Weed? I'm not heavily into it, but did learn from her books how to make my own astragalus tincture and i find it usually seems to work if you take it the nanosecond you feel like you're coming down with something...I didn't have any with me on my travels and had run out at home ...but last week ordered a tincture of that and of double-tinctured echinacea plus some astragalus root to make a big quantity of my own so am never caught out again..just a thought..for some stubborn reason I will not get a flu shot, don't know why... hope you're feeling better..you must at least have robbins? chickadees making their spring mating song? we do, despite still lots of snow on the ground. Last year at this time we were having a heat-wave!
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