NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm an atheist and thus I want to know what people get emotionally out of their religions to see if I'm missing anything that I can't get anywhere else.

used to be religious. Then it stopped making sense. Now I'm an atheist.

I'm an atheist and thus I want to know what people get emotionally out of their religions to see if I'm missing anything that I can't get anywhere else.
a very nice question.

i would add, if i may, a secondary question:

to those who believe in religion, and feel that they get something out of their religion, do you believe there is any other way that a person might get that something from another source? do you believe because it is the ONLY source for whatever you get out of religion, or do you believe because you simply feel it is the best possible means of getting that something?

I'm an atheist and thus I want to know what people get emotionally out of their religions to see if I'm missing anything that I can't get anywhere else.

Several things ...

1] A sense of community, fellowship, brotherhood, and belonging.
2] A finality to the end of my search for Truth and a continuation of the studies of that Truth.
3] Confirmation of my moral beliefs from a Divine source. (Note: NOT the other way around. My moral beliefs have not changed, I have only received confirmation of them.)
4] Comfort and fulfillment - something I could never find in the secular world and not for lack of trying.
5] A good venue for true expression and dissent. (read: not on internet forums)

You may already have the above things and, well, good for you. I can only hope this is not just another attempt at mocking the spiritual.

What do you get out of your atheism?

I'm an atheist and thus I want to know what people get emotionally out of their religions to see if I'm missing anything that I can't get anywhere else.

I think that depends on the individual. Some people get a sense of place in the universe. Others get an excuse to do things they want to do, or NOT do things they don't want to do.

I'm not sure I can call what I believe a "religion," but what I get out of my beliefs is an understanding of the importance of life, a sense of how I fit into the scheme of things, the comfort of knowing that I am a part of all that lives and that I have a purpose in the universe, as well as lots more.

I don't think there's a widely accepted term yet for what I believe, but I call it "Science-based Universalism," which is about as close to a descriptive term as I can get. :)

My Sundays free (Atheist) :D

I'm an atheist and thus I want to know what people get emotionally out of their religions to see if I'm missing anything that I can't get anywhere else.
Emotionally, nothing. I get a sense of perspective from my religion.

Several things ...

1] A sense of community, fellowship, brotherhood, and belonging.
2] A finality to the end of my search for Truth and a continuation of the studies of that Truth.
3] Confirmation of my moral beliefs from a Divine source. (Note: NOT the other way around. My moral beliefs have not changed, I have only received confirmation of them.)
4] Comfort and fulfillment - something I could never find in the secular world and not for lack of trying.
5] A good venue for true expression and dissent. (read: not on internet forums)

You may already have the above things and, well, good for you. I can only hope this is not just another attempt at mocking the spiritual.

What do you get out of your atheism?


I must admit, all of them seem to be things I can get from elsewhere.
[1] There are a lot of other communities to belong to.
[2] As an extreme Atheist I too think I have found the Truth.
[3] I'm not sure why this confirmation matters. How does it make you feel different?
[4] Ever been out on a sunny day lying just out of the shade and dreaming about all the good things the future can bring? Or had a really good lay? Both could do that.
[5] I'm not sure why religion would give you a better venue. Is it because all agree on certain general principles and thus can actually prove things? Because such groups exist in the secular world too.

Several things ...

1] A sense of community, fellowship, brotherhood, and belonging.
2] A finality to the end of my search for Truth and a continuation of the studies of that Truth.
3] Confirmation of my moral beliefs from a Divine source. (Note: NOT the other way around. My moral beliefs have not changed, I have only received confirmation of them.)
4] Comfort and fulfillment - something I could never find in the secular world and not for lack of trying.
5] A good venue for true expression and dissent. (read: not on internet forums)


may i ask u something? If someone were to make u question everything u just listed would u still belive, or just blow it off as attempt by the devil to test you? and if that is the case, do u think u might be missing out on some stuff by not keeping a open mind and just writting everything off as a test? b/c that the one thing i get from not beliving in anything, i get an open mind and heart, b/c i feel u can belive in w/e u want but in the end we are humanbeings and brothers no matter what (including religion)

Religion is a gihly personal thing, in my opinion. I feel that everyone needs to make their own connections with whatever deity/ deities they believe in. I get hope, faith, and stability out of religion. Everytime I step in my chruch, I feel a great rush, my stomach drops, and I know that God is there. It's different for different people. God has made his presence known in my life, and I am very, very grateful for it. I hope everyone finds their way to God, but if they believe in something different, then they must have their reasons. To each his own.

may i ask u something? If someone were to make u question everything u just listed would u still belive, or just blow it off as attempt by the devil to test you?

I don't believe the devil tests me. The devil is Allah's adversary, not mine. Allah may test me and sometimes I may fail, but failing a test only pushes me to try harder for when the next test comes. I wouldn't give up any more than I would drop out of school just because I failed a test.

I must admit, all of them seem to be things I can get from elsewhere.

Well, that's fine and if you can find those things in the secular world, then I am glad for you and hope you pursue that and find happiness. I, myself, found it elsewhere. Doesn't make either of us any better or worse, just different paths to a similar end.

what i miss about religion is the references, the way of speaking, the common body of words used to discuss the world. metaphors, allegories, parables of christianity are all now missing from my life.

Another good question is do you believe because then you get to expect/ask for these things?

It is not my beliefs that give me an open mind, or a rational one. In fact, I would refrain from clasifying my opinion on the universe as any sort of religious belief. This opinion is however formed from an exercise of the above 2 "gifts".

I'm not sure I like the terms atheist or agnostic. Atheist implies I believe there is no gods or deities at all, thus I have all the answers. Seems sort of arrogant. Agnostic implies I'm a fence-sitter, open to organized religion, which I really am not.

I guess the best description I have for myself is "No religion". Seems to sum it up the best, without implying that I've discovered some further truth. I simply choose not to be religious. I never assume I know everything about how the universe works.

Another good question is do you believe because then you get to expect/ask for these things?


Meh ... I ask for nothing and expect the same.

I never assume I know everything about how the universe works.

Anyone who does is trying to sell you something. ;)

I gain understanding of self through spirituality, diversity from the religions, understanding from mysticism, and depth of thought from philosophy.

Generally, I think religion allows one to consciously bond with the ultimate being. For an analogy: instead of going with the flow or fighting against the flow of the river, religion allows one to let the river flow through them.

I am a practicalist Agonistic. That is, I dont spend time contemplating religion because it honestly doesn't matter to me right now. So basically, out of my agonisticism, I get lots of freedom from wasting time (so I can waste it here) and I don't have to... AHHH your making me contemplate, which is against my beleifs.

Basically, I don't have the desire or need to study myself.

Didn't have the effort to become religeous. Especially with all the extra math homework my parents give me. I'm atheist.

What does this get me?
Nothing. Really. Maybe a cynical way of looking at life.

I like having the ability to put the world into one large whole, as opposed to only being able to understand certain parts at a time, which is what most secular stuff will get you. But what do you expect, I'm a philosophy major!

As to the emotional stuff, I like it, but it's a side issue to finding and understanding truth.

I find answers to my dreams, and to thoughts the cross my mind. Maybe I'm just listening to inner voices, that are just a shattered subconcious, but its fun either way.

Oh, and I find a source for parody, like my Noah, and my re-writing of the bible. Starting with the new testament, and genesis and working in between.

Fear of death.

Look, I know its nice and witty to say what your Atheism gives you, but that is really not the purpose of this thread. Not that you're not a religion, but I'm looking for the things I'm missing by being Atheist.

As for the people who have mentioned churches and scriptures: I get what you're saying. The fact is it's true, religion has had hundreds of years to create environments that blow you away and words that send shivers down your spine. I can get these sorts of things without actually believing in that religion, however.

Those of you who said it connects you to the cosmic consciousness, etc, DESCRIBE THAT FEELING! Is it like an orgasm, or like a sunny day, or like pot, or is it its own indescribable pleasure of its own? What approximates it? How close does it approximate it?

Praise from the Dark one

Dental and health benefits.

And a free lifetime membership to L.A. fitness.

It pays to be a Muslim.

Dental and health benefits.

And a free lifetime membership to L.A. fitness.

It pays to be a Muslim.

Good for you, but I mean emotionally.

Dental and health benefits.

And a free lifetime membership to L.A. fitness.

It pays to be a Muslim.

:D

Even more fun being a Muslim is putting on galabiyya and a kufi hat and watching people give you a *wide* berth in crowded places.

Several things ...

1] A sense of community, fellowship, brotherhood, and belonging.
2] A finality to the end of my search for Truth and a continuation of the studies of that Truth.
3] Confirmation of my moral beliefs from a Divine source. (Note: NOT the other way around. My moral beliefs have not changed, I have only received confirmation of them.)
4] Comfort and fulfillment - something I could never find in the secular world and not for lack of trying.
5] A good venue for true expression and dissent. (read: not on internet forums)

You may already have the above things and, well, good for you. I can only hope this is not just another attempt at mocking the spiritual.

What do you get out of your atheism?
1] A sense of reality, curiosity, clarity, and logic.
2] An incessant search for truth.
3] Confirmation of my moral beliefs from a natural source.
4] Eagerness and free will.
5] A good venue for true expression and dissent.

Note that I am actually spiritual in a sense as a physiolater, and am an agnostic atheist.

Good for you, but I mean emotionally.
Emotionally?

The emotion you get from losing 20 lbs. in just under 3 months.

Emotionally?

The emotion you get from losing 20 lbs. in just under 3 months.
Meth addicts' emotions are not exactly what you want. :p