NationStates Jolt Archive

After reading multiple threads about atheism, I thought it would be interesting to see who here is an agnostic. Humanists and any subdivisions of agnosticism are welcome. Notice, I did say agnostic, so if you are atheist or any other belief/religion,(not getting into that...) feel free to read and post questions, but don't pull this off track.

Anyways, I'm interested to see where all of our resident agnostics come from (spiritually) and how they got there. I'll start with me first. I grew up a Presbyterian, and a pretty conservative one at that. I never fit in at my church, because I always asked questions and argued when people didn't want to hear it. I was known as the lawyer of my Sunday-school class, because I always argued about everything the teacher said. When I was 13, I started confirmation. For anyone who doesn't know what that is, it's the initiation all young people must have to become church members. I dropped out after about 3 weeks. My parents pressured me to continue to go to church, but I slowly drifted away from my church, and began to look at other religions and denominations. The more I looked, the more I found that religion was such a hypocrisy that I didn't want to be a part of it.

To this day, I still feel the same way. I'd love to have the devotion that others seem to have for their faith, but I can't bring myself to do that. I can't force myself to believe in something I doubt is real. All of the evidence of history and science points against religion, and yet people still follow it blindly. Sometimes I'm jealous of other people's faith, and other times I couldn't care less what they believed. So I'm stuck in the middle, wanting to find a religion, but not being able to believe in a higher power.

I consider myself to be a mix of agnosticism and humanism now, as my morality and view of life is derived from humanism, but my beliefs are more agnostic-based.

So that's me, how about you?

(Edit: I live in the Bible Belt too. Try being agnostic there someday. Not a whole lotta fun.)

I've always been given mixed messages about God and religion. My dad was athiest and hated church, i'm not christened and i've never been to a church service except for Harvest Day with my primary school, however my Nan is Christian and goes to church most Sundays and is always trying to persuade me that there is a God and stuff which does wind me up because i feel like i'm old enough to be able to decide how i feel about it. I want to believe that God and heaven really do exist and that the people that i love that have died are waiting for me and i'll see them again but i just can't totally believe that's true, i think people who have religion and can believe in something like that are really lucky

My mother's Baptist, my father's an open-minded Catholic. I was brought up Baptist, and according to my mother, I am and always will be. Though the hypocrisy of the church and the contradictions annoy and frustrate me, I just so simply do not have faith placed in the beliefs of the church. I've always found religious studies to be interesting, however, and along the way my research in both Buddhism and Paganism became a bit more personal. Though "Solitary Eclectic Wicca" did seem like the best-fitting title of my beliefs for a while (and maybe still is), my beliefs in the 'God and Goddess' is more of a symbolic representation of nature and spirituality to me--and what I consider to be very much an Agnostic adaptation. Discordianism, I increasingly find intrigue in, but as a philosophy rather than a religion.

*puts hand up*

Confirmed agnostic here - I firmly believe that there may be a greater power or powers at work in our universe, beyond what science can see and measure; but, by the same token, I do not subscribe to the belief system and ideals of any particular religion.

I was born and raised a Catholic, but my family were pretty laid back in their beliefs (hardly ever went to church etc.)

Not surprisingly, this agnostic lives in the liberal Canadian city of Vancouver. I'm of Chinese decent (but born in Canada) and my parents practiced buddhism (we have many huge buddhist temples in Vancouver) strictly out of cultural reasons and I did too as a kid. To make things more confusing, I was enrolled in a private Catholic school for the superior discipline and education I can receive there. I found that the Catholics I encountered there in that school (from daycare to grade 7) to be very elitist and classist. I've always felt beneath them what with having to stay seated while the other kids went up for communion or having to stay in class while others went to confession or to their confirmation classes. I learned and still remember most of the Catholic doctrines and never questioned them - not even when my parents didn't know what they were. And I still sometimes end up asking someone up there for help; and yes, I really do go "someone up there."

By the time I was out of elementary school, my parents had given up on religion as well as they just wanted to spend more time vacationing and having fun than worhsipping statues and burning incense. I dabbled in New Age religions in high school but found that too be too intricate as well. Sometimes I wonder if it's not just me not being able to commit to one thing or perhaps I just have never really truly been faithful to the pursuit of a god. I mean, I am a science student in university and wouldn't those two worlds wholly contradict each other?

I've recently come to terms that religion isn't what's bad - it's people. People are the ones to corrupt religion. I mean, the Bible or the Koran or whatever cannot attack people, it's through the disgusting interpretations by humans that ruin everything. But in a true catch-22, religion can't exist without people, threfore, practicing religion just isn't worth the effort.

I've actually been agnostic for a while now - I just never knew (until recently) that agnostics were the ones who believe that you can neither prove or disprove God(ess)(s)'s existance

Raised a Lutheran by a not very religious-minded mother and a Reverend of the UCTAA now.

I've recently come to terms that religion isn't what's bad - it's people. People are the ones to corrupt religion. I mean, the Bible or the Koran or whatever cannot attack people, it's through the disgusting interpretations by humans that ruin everything.

Thank you. That's a wise thought - one that very few people ever actually realize.

Brief background. My mother is protestant and my father is Catholic. Both believe in the idea of god. As a hcild I was never baptized, as my parents wanted to give me the option, nor have i been to any sort of religious ceremony outside of weddings and funerals.
Until about 10 years ago I was an atheist, i thought the whole idea of GOD was a misguided attempt by religions to create some order out of the universe. And of course science reined supreme.

But one day I was reading about the universe and how it goes on forever and will last for ever. Infinity and all that. But then I had a thought, wow everything will go on forever! And then I had the scary thought, its all been going on forever!
When I thought that infinity applies also to our past, well, it shook my belief that religion was for the ignorant.
I don't know whether there is a god or not, or any other power or order that we could consider god. But i'm not willing to say there is'nt on the current evidence.

Well, I was raised going to a presbyterian church, never did mind that, I just never have believed in any gods or goddesses, I was not going to blindly accept the belief in a god without getting more answers (as opposed to believing because my parents did, and the church told me to believe). so I have always been intrigued by religions (all of them) and I study all religions (on my own) I happen to have copies of the bible, the qur'an, the satanic bible, the book of mormon, many books on wicca, paganism, druidism, and much much more. I study all of them, but do not submit myself to believe any of them.

Right now, I call myself an agnostic atheist. I base what beliefs I do have on science, spiritual humanism (if you don't know what that is go to www.spiritualhumanism.org), common sense, and logic.

here is what I believe... in a little more detail.....
-------------------------------------------------------

The very energy of creation and composition! The "godsource" if you choose. Our very beginning in its most basic and purest form! This led to more realization, that in fact that which people call god is in fact the very energy of all things. ALL things are composed of this energy, and all are one, connected through this very energy. Through this common bond, all things also are a part of one another, sharing this common energy between us. Further, all things are a part of this energy, "god, if you so choose", and "god" (this energy) is in all things! ALL ARE ONE, just as one is a part of the ALL! The rocks, the trees, the animals, the people, in fact.. the very earth and sky itself are all intertwined through this energy, and part of each other.

While in different shape and form, they are all STILL the same energy!

"God and heaven is around us and within us..." in fact, this is true. We are all "god and heaven", as much a part, and within us and surrounding us as the very energy that is all things!

"Believe and you shall have everlasting life...." true too. Life is as eternal as the very energy that we are composed of. This energy takes physical shape at conception, and grows and gathers more energy from around us throughout life by the very magnetic attraction that is the property of this energy, forming and changing with every passing day. I have also realized that death is NOT the end. While we may lose this physical shape, the energy that composes us is still present. This energy may decompose from its physical form, and dissipate back into the whole of the energy that surrounds us, but it IS STILL PRESENT!

It may not be in the form we saw and knew, but it is still there and lives on beyond our death, and therefore, so too do we live on. Eternal life indeed!

This brings forth yet a further understanding, that through this energy, all are one. Therefore, with every action we make, we directly and indirectly effect all things and all others who surround us and co-inhabit this world we live in. What does this mean? Well, to put it simple, when you harm another, you in effect harm yourself and all the other beings in this universe, since they are all a part of the whole. This means when we steal from another, we also take from all as well as ourselves, with all feeling the effects of this action. You may think not, but it is true. Look around us, look at the state of the world today as compared to long ago. We live in a world of crime and hatred now, with laws and rules guiding our every step. This is the result of our own actions. Those that steal, kill, and commit other crimes have in fact effected us all, as well as themselves. When you take the time to really read the message behind the words in the bible as well as MANY other texts, both religious and philosophical, you find this common message appearing in virtually all of them.

This message: "Live and let live, treat others as you too wish to be treated".

Think before you act, because whether you realize it or not, it DOES effect you too! Try showing some compassion towards others for a change. Help those who desire help, and in turn help yourself and all things to create a better life and existence for the all collectively.

Can you imagine the result? What a beautiful and harmonious world this would be!

So now, you have seen within my thoughts. While you may or may not agree, these thoughts are truth for me. They are as individual to myself as the individual that I am. I hope in some way my thoughts may encourage you to seek and think about your own personal truth, and help you to also become enlightened to the real meaning of life that exists behind the obvious and within and between the written and spoken words you are so accustomed to seeing and hearing as you journey through the eternity of life as a part of the ALL!

In closing, I wish you one and all- "Peace, love and light!" Be well!