Who here is an atheist?

[TwigTwoolett]

just wondering ..

Thanks twig.

Go on then, I am too. Or a secular humanist, depending on mood.

I quite like the word atheist though, but then I was brought up a strict Catholic, so for me it is a vehement denial.

I would also dearly love to believe in something, but just can't. I never quite gave up hope of a deathbed conversion and eternity of paradise.

'I would also dearly love to believe in something, but just can't.'

Yes indeed.

I'm with Pruni. I have actual nuns praying for my husband's health, for emkana's lovely ds and (although I actually haven't told her this) for koshka as well.

Why is that? I don't believe in prayer per se, but I respect people who are committed to their belief system in a positive way. I do not believe that these prayers will be detrimental, let's put it that way. I'm not fond of Catholicism as practiced in a global way, but I don't necessarily think that individual Catholics are in any way bad people. I think most of them (and indeed all other types of Christians and other religious folk) are well-meaning and honest. Because people are.

I'm an atheist, although I don't really like the name. Someone snarky was suggesting "smart" as the word we should be using instead ...

I too have met a couple of religious people in my life who have impressed me with an inner serenity that has obviously come from a profound faith but they are rare.
The problem with any organised religion is that it has grown from a need to control the populace i.e Middle Ages hell dammnation fear. If the majority can be controlled through manipulation, terror and guilt then the heirarchy can maintain an iron grip.
Religion = control = power and power corrupts.
For all the good done in the world in the name of religion there has been far more harm caused.
As an ex convent schoool girl don't talk to me about nuns especially Irish ones they are bred specifically to fuck with your head.
My parents were beaten black and blue in 1930's Ireland by sadomasochistic priests and nuns who's enforced celebacy only left them with violence as an outlet for their sexual frustrations.
A family member was sexually abused after mass every Sunday for a year after he has served mass.
The problem is my relatives are so brainwashed even now they still cling to this diseased dying ideal that there is a God and he is good.

I am.

Got cross with my friend the other day for making a reference to 'thoughtless atheism' in an OU eaasy the other day.

Have never given so much thought to anything else in my life.

And I've never been so content.

for me i find the idea that we all go somewhere after we die absolutely unfathonly amd my kife here is tangible and i am most content with that and dont need something else to bolster things if things are hard, and i have had hard times, but prayer wasnt the answer. talking it out was.

catholic church here in ireland is just a naive way of thinking imo.

'essay' not 'eaasy' (possibly freudian mistake).

sorry my sp is atrocious.

whooooh
we both used the word "content" about our lives.

me, don't care what to call it really just not a believer and it is good enough for me

When I finally broke free from religion it was the first time in my life I felt in control of myself. I gained a peace and feeling of contentment that being force fed God, since the day of my birth, never gave me.

I wonder though if 'prayer' and 'talking it out' aren't two sides of the same coin. Is there life after death - dunno. I have a feeling that when close to death myself, or (god (you know what I mean) forbid - a child) I would be hard pressed not to want to believe, even though logically I don't.

I actually got the nuns onside so that when I saw my half-sister last and she gave me shit about how reiki could help my dh, I could respond "thanks, I am giving the power of Christ a try" just to annoy her.

Having lived in Spain and Mexico, I do sympathise with the 'we are Catholics despite doing naff all to demonstrate it' view. Particularly in Mexico, men didn't go to church (due to having to confess to all manner of jiggery pokery if they did), but it was 'enough' just to go at Easter - load of bollocks in my opinion. Any belief system requires you to put the legwork in. Either do it, or don't. Your choice - but you don't get to play pious if you don't put the hours in.

I like that title more NQC..."smart"
It is beyond me how people still actually beleive there is a god up there somewhere(a physical being as such)
with the lack of intelligence,scientific knowledge,geagraphical knowledge etc etc...I can see why religion was created...mankind could not comprehend the earth and needed to make some sense of its emmensity. It was probably a good way to control the masses too...you sin and you will go to hell...you live your lives by the rules, you'll be rewarded in heaven. Good idea initially I suspect!
In todays society with all the detailed scientific knowledge, how can it still be believed there is a god???

You can still live your life by the rules...but why kid yourself there is a special place off the map?
And why keep justifying the "Almighty one" who lets war, greed, famine,and other totally unjust acts of humanity happen. If he was so "Almighty" why would he wait until a person has led a lifetime of raping and pillaging to punish him...why not strike him off before he gets the chance to hurt his fellow mankind???????

oooooooohhhhhhhh you had to get me started!!!!!

Hermykne

I think I'm more content since shedding my religious skin (went through quite an intense religious period in my teens) because I no longer have to put myself through the orwellian double-think that religion requires of you.

Might as well join in.
It is totally pathetic the way religious people dodge these difficult questions.
The trite answers about God giving us free will, we are not able to see the bigger picture etc are just such a cop out.
Their unwillingness to address these matters in an adult way make my blood boil!!!!!!!
Their overwhelming sense of superiority that they are right and saved makes me want to smack them so hard.

I'm one - took time to get there but I'm glad I did!

yes, me, though I am not sure about the word "atheist" because it is a negative word and seeks to define by the thing that I don't believe in

oh ludaloo - the nuns at my school told me that God allows famine to happen because it's a test of us - to see if we will do something to help. Even as a 7 year old I thought there was something wrong there.

Nuns!!!!!!!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
They should not be allowed out without a lead and muzzle.

I rest my case Weasel!!!

{{{walks off twitching about the thought!}}}

i'm on the fence

Me.
I was brought up catholic and went to a convent primary school and yes the headmistress was a cruel small-minded woman.

I'd quite like to have faith, it's attractive and it has it's exotic side - veils, candles, menorah's, breaking the glass, throwing food colouring at each other, halloween, etc. But I just can't credit it. Wish I could.

John Humphreys is going to do a programme in search of faith on Radio 4 tomorrow morning.

My dad told me that as a child his parents won a sweepstake of approx £50 in 1930's Ireland that was alot of money.
They were visited by the parish priest who 'suggested' that they send half!!! HALF!!!!! to the 'little black babies' in Africa.
My dads family lived in a tin hut in a field, no running water and in summer they went to school barefoot so they would have money for shoes in the winter.
And my grandparents did as they were told with no questions. The only time my dad has ever openly expressed disgust at his church.

gosh Caligula that's so true.
The rituals of the Catholic and the Jewish faiths have great power and beauty.
but no truth, unfortunately.