I’m a Religious Atheist

[cleanhippie]

Recently, while studying among friends at my college library, a friend’s pal mentioned how he’d live his life entirely differently “if he didn’t believe in God”. When I hear statements like this, I contemplate how I was raised as a Christian, but have become an atheist. I remember how it feels to be on both sides of the table.

When I hear people claim how they’d live their lives as atheists, fulfilling all their immediate desires, not thinking of the happiness of others, I’m dismayed.

I find it comical how people believe that atheists only live for the moment, embracing a chaotic world with no meaning or purpose. To an atheist, civilization’s possible because humans fought against the indifference of nature.

Rather than ignore the needs of others, most atheists acknowledge that practicing awareness and sympathy for others is actually the best way to improve their own lives, because it produces a more stable, caring world for everyone.

http://unreasonablefaith.com/2011/09/30/i%e2%80%99m-a-religious-atheist/


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Read on for an interesting article...

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Excellent

"Rather than ignore the needs of others, most atheists acknowledge that practicing awareness and sympathy for others is actually the best way to improve their own lives, because it produces a more stable, caring world for everyone."

It's really common sense, imho. If people of any faith, and all others who follow no "faith," practiced such awareness, what a different world we would have.

:thumbsup:

[cleanhippie]

2. I know. It amazes me that more people just don't "get it" at all.

It's a damn shame, really.

[tgearfanatic234]

10. Totally agree

[Old Codger]

3. Not being

A believer in some type of organized religion, and not believing in a all encompassing all seeing all whatever being does not stop one form being a caring compassionate human being. The ten commandments are not just for the religious society, they are a good model for living regardless of other beliefs.

[cleanhippie]

5. How can that possibly be true?

The ten commandments are not just for the religious society, they are a good model for living regardless of other beliefs.


How can the first four commandments be a "good model for living"?

[Old Codger]

8. My bad

Been a long long time since I read any of them, first four are not good for anything, 5 through 10 work okay though as a way to live and get along and of course some individual options apply as to whether to honor thy parents, no honor for some parents I have see... LOL

[provis99]

12. frankly, none of the 10 commandments is any use.

[Old Codger]

18. maybe works for you

But not killing, not stealing not lying and such seems ok for my world...

[PETRUS]

4. I, too, was raised in a religious tradition

Heck, I'm a "preacher's kid." My father (who passed away this past March, RIP) was a protestant but did not conform. I remember hearing him say to congregations - from the pulpit - that it was inappropriate for him to tell them what to believe, that it was personal, figuring it out was hard work and they had to do it for themselves. He had a broad network of friends and associates that included atheists, agnostics, and people from other faiths. As nearly as I can tell, he was far more interested in conduct that pronouncements. If he were alive today, I could ask, but my guess is he would say that "practicing awareness and sympathy for others" is a valid spiritual path (whether or not you choose to look at it that way).

The other day I had an interesting conversation with one of his friends about whether or not there is anything more than a metaphorical god. I started to wonder if it matters. Say you tell someone a joke and they don't get it. Explaining it to them won't make it funny. If they ARE amused, explaining it to them is beside the point. Could faith be analogous?

[safeinOhio]

6. see

Ethical Humanism.

[pokerfan]

7. Most progressives, when they hear atheist

they think



rather than

[cleanhippie]

9. That is a great point.

[Festivito]

11. Oh no? Is this coming closer to saying atheism is a .... religion? Egad!

Then atheists would have to play be the same rules as other religions in the good old USA.

Some here won't like it!

[darkstar3]

13. Not remotely.

[Festivito]

14. Don't want to have to play by the same rules everyone else does, do ya?

Not remotely, eh?

[darkstar3]

15. Read the article, it doesn't say what you think it says.

Not remotely.

[Festivito]

16. Read it. It says: "I’m a Religious Atheist." Not remotely -- directly.

And, that's what I think it says.

[cleanhippie]

17. Its obvious you only read the title, and not the article.

And if you did read it, are unable to comprehend what the author has stated or are being willfully obtuse.

Either way, you have it all wrong.

[Festivito]

53. How long do you keep up the ad hominems before some substance. Oh, yeah, never, as I recall.

The article is so short, your notion of obvious looks silly.

Sorry about the long disconnect, my date arrived.

[hunkerdowndawg]

19. Not the point

This is something everyone misses from time to time, maybe even especially Christians. The point of the Christian faith is not to be good, although hopefully that is a happy bi-product of faith. The point is not to act in the right way or learn certain behaviors that will assist the believer in success and happiness in this life. The point is simply to know and trust Jesus.

Atheists can of course be good people and do good things. You do not need Jesus to follow the law or the ten commandments or be nice to people. I've known too many nice non-believers to think otherwise. Out of all the people of Israel, the Pharisees would have been called good. They tithed, gave to charity, studied the law, kept wise personal habits, and held the esteem of both the people and government. But they could not accept Christ. Perhaps their goodness even became a stumbling block to faith.

Look at Philippians 3. Paul was "good" as a Jew would understand good in that day and time. Knowing Christ changed all that. In fact, he came to regard his own goodness as "rubbish". That's what pride does to us, even if we are proud of something good in us. In pride, if we look toward our own goodness and own work for salvation, we will miss knowing God. This is true for Christians and non-Christians alike.

[darkstar3]

20. You are saying that you "know" Jesus? Has he spoken to you personally?

[hunkerdowndawg]

21. Yes I am.

Thankfully, I do know him personally! Even better, he has spoken to me through the scripture, through his people and through my heart. I'm not saying I know everything about him, but I do believe I know him, and through him I know God. That's a pretty neat deal, isn't it?

[darkstar3]

22. I wouldn't call it that, no.

Tell me, did you ever have an invisible friend as a child?

[hunkerdowndawg]

23. No invisible friends as a child.

There are some obvious disadvantages to talking in a place like this. The most pressing is the anonymity. You don't know me and cannot judge if I am either rational or trustworthy. I know it is difficult, if not preposterous, from your vantage point to accept what I am saying. And that is OK. I just want you to know that there are folks who believe as I do, who would stake their lives on it, and are deeply convinced of a relationship with Christ. I can't make you believe the relationship is real, only that I testify that it is real. And I've been in your shoes, too. I hope you'll get a chance to know Jesus as well one day. In fact, I think you can if you want to.

[darkstar3]

24. Indeed, we don't know each other, but I've been in your place.

I once was a "washed in the blood" believer in a daily walk with Christ. I have since realized that my occasional talks with Jesus were no different than the talks I had with my imaginary friend as a small child. I know full well that there are many who believe as you do, but their numbers mean nothing.

However, that wasn't my reason for engaging. I find it incredible that you claim to "know" Jesus.

[hunkerdowndawg]

25. I know you find it incredible.

So do I! My question is, supposing you can know him, would you want to? If there is a way to have relationship with God, would you think that is a good or a bad thing? Something worthy of pursuing? Forgive my assumptions, as they may be incorrect. Please let me know if they are. I see two positions available to you. Either you don't believe there is a God or you don't believe God is worth knowing. Do you mind telling me which fits you better? Either way, I submit that the way to see if your position is correct is to spend some time getting to know Jesus. Re-read the scripture and see what he has to say to you. You may be surprised to find out what he is saying. Go into it with fresh eyes and with an open heart. Good stuff awaits!

[darkstar3]

26. You ask me to blindly accept your premise and then operate within its boundaries.

That might work for debate on hypotheticals, but in this case your premise is entirely the focus of our discussion. How can you know Jesus? Don't give me the pate answer of "read the Bible," because I have and it certainly didn't help me know Jesus, especially in any present sense. Tell me how you personally know Jesus.

[hunkerdowndawg]

27. I don't want you to blindly accept anything.

In fact, I want you to see. I can't speak to your experience with the Bible, but I can to mine. And take it for what you will, but I know Jesus because he lives in me. It really is that simple. There is no great proof I can give you. Knowing him is experiential, but I think coming from your background that you already know that. I understand you not believing that. I guess it goes back to the topic I first responded to. Can an atheist be religious? To me, the answer is no. An atheist can be good, but he cannot by definition know Jesus. And without knowing him, there is no religion, if you mean relationship with God as religion. Is it OK if I ask you a question? How did you lose faith? Quick or gradual? Any catalyst? Do you regret it or celebrate it? Thanks.

[darkstar3]

28. "He lives in me"?

Explain, please. This is part of what I was trying to get you to expound upon.

[cleanhippie]

30. If I may, I suggest reading "The Believing Brain", by Michael Shermer.

It gives a detailed account, in layman's terms, about how our brains work at the neuro-chemical level, supported by hard evidence and repeatable testing. Your "experience" with the bible and "knowing" jesus is nothing more than a chemical reaction in your brain.

If you are as open-minded as you claim you are, don't dismiss my suggestion with some flippant remark or a verse from the bible, but instead read that book, educate yourself, and make a rational, logical, and informed decision about what you think you "know".

And welcome to DU.

:hi:

[rug]

29. That's an oxymoron.

[cleanhippie]

31. Wow, rug, nothing gets past you, now does it?

[rug]

32. How was your fellowship today?

[cleanhippie]

33. Didn't go. I handed out food at the food bank instead.

We use the money from the collection basket from the last Sunday of the month to buy fresh local eggs for the food bank. I went to the farm to pick up 60 dozen eggs and took them to the food bank and gave them away.

And the folks that we gave food to thanked US, not some god or some religion.

It was really special.


Then I watched football, the one TRUE religion.

[rug]

34. How well stocked is the food bank?

Ours was just about empty with a dozen people left.

[laconicsax]

35. That's a shame.

If only your church had some money to spare.

[rug]

36. Here's how you can donate.

http://the-ecumenical-food-pantry-of-pike-county.thegivingaffect.com/

[laconicsax]

37. Hmm...a food pantry supported by 5 churches needs more support...

Your church is one of the five, right? Doesn't the RCC have a net worth somewhere around $1 billion?

[rug]

38. Oh, you're not going to donate?

Tell you what. Send five bucks to the link and I'll discuss the net worth of the Catholic Church.

[darkstar3]

40. Spoken like a true charlatan.

[rug]

41. You can use the link too.

Unless you're just here to stir shit as usual.

[darkstar3]

42. Pot, kettle...

And I'll keep my charitable donations anonymous as usual, thank you, as I don't think it's correct to praise that which should be done.

[rug]

43. Good. Keep you unfounded accusations

and your failed snark to yourself too.

[darkstar3]

45. I see nothing unfounded.

But then, of course, you would be unable to see the remarkable similarity between #38 and televangelism.

Do you feel the urge to send anyone I'd care to name $5?

[rug]

46. How does that go? Oh, yes. Prove it.

Don't deflect as usual. Prove your imaginary bulldhit.

[darkstar3]

47. Telling someone to send money before you will give further info on something religious?

Sounds like televangelism to me. Not that I particularly care, I just wanted to point out to you that your usual defense and obfuscation of the Church wasn't quite up to snuff. You're slipping.

[rug]

48. Lol

You're despearate.

He comes, much like you, into the thread with some smarmy bullshit, and I told him to donate to a food bank if he wants me to engage.

And that, to you, is televangelism. :rofl:

No wonder you have no credibility on religious issues.

[darkstar3]

49. No, I said it was similar, because both are the actions of charlatans.

I take your accusation of a lack of credibility as a mark of pride. Clearly, if you are so desperate to attack me personally, I must be doing something right.

[darkstar3]

50. BTW,

speaking of desperation, have you come to terms yet with the fact that every time you support your church monetarily or vocally you support a network of child molesters and enablers?

[laconicsax]

52. You're refusing to engage in conversation unless I donate to a religious organization?

That's a new one.

It just strikes me as odd that a food bank would be short on funds given the hundreds of millions in net worth of one of its backers.

[cleanhippie]

44. Closed the doors at 1045 and it was empty.

Most of the food is donated and brought in Sat night or Sun morning, and its not a lot.

Thats why we chose to buy fresh eggs; they are healthy and a great source of protein.

[rug]

51. Yeah, we have a problem keeping fresh eggs.

That's a good idea, going straight to a farm. I'll look into it. thanks.

[cleanhippie]

56. You bet.

Glad we can finally find SOME kind of common ground.

[Odin2005]

39. This Atheist goes to a UU church.

I'm the kind of person who needs that kind of community.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

54. I can relate.

I am a secular humanist who can relate to the Unitarian-Universalists.

I also study Buddhism and Hinduism as an antidote to the overwhelmingly Christian culture here, where the people have giant crosses in their front yards and are terribly interested in what church you go to. I'm sure if they could arrest me for being different, they would.

I tell 'em I am a Unitarian and they glaze over. They don't know what that is. However, I am 80 miles from the nearest UU Fellowship.

I miss worshiping the Giver of Life -- The Coffeepot. :D

[Odin2005]

55. I consider myself a Buddhist Atheist.

We have a Buddhist priory (small monastery) here in Fargo that is run by a handful of Theravada Buddhist monks, cool folks.