NationStates Jolt Archive

I went to a catholic junior school so we had to read/study the bible and also went to sunday school when I was v.little (religious school term in UK). I never once accepted the existance of God. I didn't believe then and I don't believe now. Aetheist to the core.

I do believe that people who believe EVERY SINGLE WORD of the bible is the EXACT TRUTH are stupid however. I believe that some of the stories in may have taken place, but it was written by man and translated from one language to another etc. I fail to see how the bible of today exactly represents the original writings. e.g According to something I read, in the Noah story of the great flood, the term "many" was translated as "40", so "40 days and 40 nights" was originally "many days and many nights".

e.g According to something I read, in the Noah story of the great flood, the term "many" was translated as "40", so "40 days and 40 nights" was originally "many days and many nights".

And of course you believe everything you read, as long as it supports a belief you already hold.....

Seriously though, I have enough trouble with sources without believing everything people write about the fallacies of the Bible. Too many people just make em up as they go.

I used to think that it was 'right' to be religious, and I tried my best to be a good little Anglican including regularly attending church and singing in the choir. This was all before I hit 14.

After that, I thought about it, and about how I really felt about God. And I realised that I couldn't keep that faith, and that the concept of God seemed illogical to me. I haven't believed since, and my reasons for not doing so have increased.

I found religion when I was 18, then when I was 21, then when I was 28, then when I was 35, then when I was 40, then, somewhere along the line, I found agnosticism and I've been a happy camper ever since (going on 20 years now).

Interestingly enough, I think it was the way they used to prey on the young, nieve, gullible, and impressionable minds of children that pushed me away from it. That or The incessant cramming of their shit down my throat. I remember thinking to my self at the ripe age of 7 "why do they keep telling me this stuff if it's true?". Ahhhh, my first atheistic thought...

What followed were several years of religious debates with priests, zealots, and jesus-loving-relies until I was 12, when I could beat them all. Seriously, I'm not boasting (I'm actually a little disappointed), it takes a 12 year olds mental capacity to conquer all but the toughest of theistic deceits. I am no vehemenently against 'R.E.' (religious education, as they put it) in primary schools. It is simply shameless brainwashing.

I grew up as a Catholic, and I still am Catholic.That follows.

Yes, you are missing out on something, but it is open to you too, you know. You can fill that little void in your life in a much better way than simply trying to deny it exists. :)

Get a hobby to fill voids. At least with paintball you get to shoot your friends. Then feel free to deny religion exists all you want.

Altough I was born a Catholic, it is only in the last 2 years, that I began to understand really what faith is all about, and it is only now that I have been participating in Catholic activities, on my own free will, and not being forced to participate. Before that I was just a Catholic of the name.

My parents were good enough to educate me about all religions and let me know from a very early age that I had a choice to follow one or to not follow one as I liked. Right now I'm a halfhearted Jew like my mom's side, and I'll probably stay that way. I don't believe in the God or miracles part, but I like what some of the holidays and moral rules are about and I look like a Jew anyway so I might as well run with it.

Right about the time I lost my mind.

The day that I realized that I wasn't required to believe in anything unless I wanted to was the most liberating day of my life. That's when I dumped all the superstition, irrationality, magical thinking and frustration that comes with any religion and started to live.

And of course you believe everything you read, as long as it supports a belief you already hold.....

Seriously though, I have enough trouble with sources without believing everything people write about the fallacies of the Bible. Too many people just make em up as they go.

Hey i never said it was correct. I was pointing out (or trying to) that you SHOULDN'T believe everything you read ;)

I didn't find religion. I had it semi-forced on me from an early age until I lost it.
Same...

Depends on your idea of what makes a "Religion". I'm not "religious" at all, although i do believe in higher powers. I personally tend to lean towards eclectic Paganism, to me, just looking outside, or even my scientific field (Climatology) sort of "proves" that there are some powers working to keep the balance intact. To me, trying to keep my balance on the ecosystem as low as possible without getting zealous about it, and just avoiding ignorance is more valuable than speaking out against the civil rights of others. (which would be hypocritical, in my case)

Folks gave it to me.

When did you find religion?

I looked under the gravy and there it was....


oh wait that was beef....sorry, my mistake

When did you find religion?

I looked under the gravy and there it was....


oh wait that was beef....sorry, my mistake

http://img.search.com/e/ee/300px-Wheres_the_beef_commercial.jpg

I remember believing in a God once, but at an age at which I believed in Santa Claus and also believed that the sleight-of-hand my mother used to make a hazelnut appear in her hand was real magic.

I've always been somewhere between Agnostic and Atheist. I'm not sure if there is a supreme being, but I am sure that it can't be both omnipresent and relevant to us, simply because humanity is such an insignificant speck in the universe that any god concept we come up with who just happens to make us special sounds like wishful thinking.

Douglas Adams formulated an idea of an "artificial" god - that is, a concept of god or sanctity that was conjured up by humanity, that does not physically exist, but is necessary to culture in the same way money or law is. I'm not sure I understood it, but it sounds sensible.

Oh, and Ifreann's sig made me lose the game.

Erm, erm...how can I put this without offending people...fuck it, I'll just say it how I see it.

It's my belief that religions are just a load of superstitious nonsense and those that believe in them were brainwashed as a child or are just delusional or stupid. All these tales about God can't possibly be true. Of course, I'm sure that a few of you believe differently. But one of us has to be wrong, am I right? ;)

Anyway, I'll be making a poll to find out when most of you religious types first started to believe in fairies. I suspect most of you were taught at a young age by your parents. Maybe I'm wrong though, maybe you weren't brainwashed by your family and other religious nutjobs. If it turns out that all of you made an informed decision to believe in God as an adult, then I just might convert...

Don't hold your breath though, that's not likely to happen. I didn't make any promises. *Runs away*

HAHA! I know just how ya feel bub. Oh, and by the way, I STILL believe in God. I'm a God-Fearing Theist, but in all candor, I don't really have a religion. I believe they serve a practical purpose on occasion (not that they aren't a double-edged-sword).
According to MY beliefs (stop reading here if God annoys you) God has an estabelished set of rules for creation. He/she/it would not break those rules. He/she/it could answer prayers, but only in ways that could happen otherwise.
I believe in evoulution. You may get the impression that I think God is like Zeus. Wrong. I can see why you are an Atheist if you believe that. I don't really bellieve God is a being, just a force. I couldn't call him/her/it sentient, because that wouldn't describe him/her/it. God is nothing close to what we call "sentient" (SUPPOSING God DOES in fact exist), he/she/it is far beyond that.
I believe all religions are equal, and religious debate is silly. To me, there are only two beliefs: Theist and Atheist.
I will not try to make you believe in God. Since (according to MY view anyway) God could already have converted you. So really, there is no point in the effort. Either you do, or you don't. People change, but rarely, and what power could I have in comparison with God?
Pure civil debate on whether or not God exists, I'll do that. But trying to force you to believe? If God exists, and he does want you to believe in him, you will. Either (according to you) he doesn't exist, or he does and doesn't want you to believe in him.
Moot point. You would probably ignore all my reasoning, despite having come to your conclussion by it. I, would probably ignore yours, despite having come to MY conclussion by reasoning.

Hmm. I believe in God, evolution, the big bang, quantum theory, and NOT in fairies... well, not the winged kind, anyway - I've seen more than a few male fairies dancing around in tights.

Oh, and, I obviously can't answer your pole for the reasons stated above.