I envy people who have Faith

[BlueBloodedBlue]

I don't but it must be a real comfort to believe in a higher power and have something that gives a meaning to everything.

That's it really.

You missed her point of responses.

@malie was asking what evidence there is for atheism. I was responding to that. And I do have faith but just not in the traditional religious sense. I believe in peoples innate goodness and humanity, with out the need for a middle man i.e Jesus and god and all the other self proclaimed prophets.

Thank you TroysMammy and SnoozyLucy7.

Atheism completely rejects religion and god - atheism is absolutely not a religion.

And it’s not blind faith in nothing- it’s actually faith in everything that is here and it exists, we can see it before us - why can’t that be enough? Why do we have to attribute all of this to some deity who no one has ever seen? Why? I concede that there are many, many things that we still do not understand or know about the word, but again - why do we need to attribute any of this to some invisible god or use it as evidence that he/she/it exists?

I do find it funny that, when you dig a little deeper, the ones shrieking "God doesn't exist you idiots!" happen to believe all sorts of weird things themselves - horoscopes & astrology, ghosts, past lives, love potions, the Queen being a lizard person, UFOs etc. And they can't see the irony in that.

@Vincitveritas now that last post of yours is typical of the disrespect believers often show nlon-believers. It's incredibly rude and I am disappointed in you, as up until now you have engaged openly and respectfully.

What you say about the things atheists believe in is a sweeping generalisation. I had hoped you were better than that. For the record, I believe none of those things.

Very interesting take. I believe it’s a gift, the choice is softening your heart and being open to receive it.

Heavenly Father please soften and open the hearts of all those on this thread. Thank you for the joy and peace I have knowing you.

@pointythings It isn't disrespectful, it's an observation I have made on numerous occasions and a perfectly valid point. If someone wants to believe in all that then fair enough, who am I to stop them? But they can't then call me an idiot for believing in God.

Please don’t do that. No one has asked you to pray for them. Respectfully, just keep it to yourself.

Absolutely out of order and quite offensive

If you are at all interested in meditation I can recommend the works of Rupert Spira. The peace you are looking for is inside you.

As has been said, when people cease to believe in God they do not believe in nothing they believe anything!

As has been said, when people cease to believe in God they do not believe in nothing they believe anything! I can assure you that my faith is not a mere ‘comfort and solace’. That would be pathetic. It is life giving force.

I would be interested for all the things that bare written on mumsnet why you find a harmless prayer ‘out of order and offensive’. Does it threaten you?

@Malie I was thinking the same thing.

Context is important. On a thread discussing religious beliefs and lack thereof, where it has specifically been discussed that people dislike those who have a faith imposing that on others, it is bang out of order and yes, offensive, to say a prayer for those who don’t believe in religion, suggesting their hearts need to be softened and opened, when no such prayer has been requested and no indication has been given that it would be welcome. It’s not threatening, it’s just unwelcome. But it does nicely prove the point that religious people can’t just practice quietly themselves, they do tend to want to impose on others and think they know best.

Now you're being offensive.

I'm not bothered about people praying for me - it's fine coming from friends who have faith and meaningless from strangers on threads.

But I do take issue with the idea that atheists will believe in any old thing because they don't believe in a god. It's quite simply nonsense, and it comes from a believer's sense that it is impossible to live without belief. And so believers mock atheists by saying they believe in ghosts, astrology, past lives and other nonsense.

Of course atheists do believe in something - many of us believe in the goodness and potential of humanity, and do not need more than that. Not a god, not astrology, and not lizard people - just a firm faith in human goodness. Mocking that is offensive.

But non-religious people can say what they like about peopke’s faith?

What? Why are they being offensive?

What have I said that’s offensive?

@Malie well, in a sense we can all say what we want about each other, within the legally proscribed limist to freedom of speech.

I don't talk about religious people believing in sky fairies, because that would be rude. So can religious people please stop accusing us atheists of being gullible thickos who believe in star signs and lizard people?

I will happily call out disrespectful atheists as hard as I do disrespectful believers.

No, I never said that so not sure why you’re asking about it instead of replying to my response to your initial question?

Etinoxaurus I am another person who finds your comment offensive and totally inappropriate on this thread.

Interesting that Dawkins loudly proclaimed that we shouldn’t believe in anything that wasn’t experimentally viable. Then he said he believes in the multiverse when it is convenient! 😀

Interesting that Dawkins loudly proclaimed that we shouldn’t believe in anything that wasn’t experimentally viable. Then he said he believes in the multiverse when it is convenient! 😀
I must confess that with all that’s going on in the world a firm faith in human goodness takes some believing.