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Original poster

Who here is an atheist?

89 replies

TwigTwoolett · 30/10/2006 19:31

just wondering ..

OP posts:
snowleopard · 30/10/2006 21:12

I am. I don't have time to go on about it now (catching up with work) but I do feel strongly. Yes there are nice, genuinely loving and tolerant religious people, but not all that many - in general religion is the biggest destructive force on the planet, and it does my head in.

missymoosal · 30/10/2006 21:18

H
I so agree it is about theatre, awe, flood the mind with the seductive power of God so that you don't think too much about how you are being manipulated.

franca70 · 30/10/2006 21:28

secular humanist

squidette · 30/10/2006 21:35

me

an atheist and a humanist.

harpsicordcarrion, i dont particulary like the term 'atheist' for the same reasons - i prefer that if i an going to label myself, it is as a humanist - ie, what i DO believe in: people/evolution/ethical morals and values based on humankind etc than what i DONT believe in - a supernatural entity/force/being and the belief in that guiding behaviours and thoughts.

missymoosal · 30/10/2006 21:35

I also object to the brainwashing of young minds never giving them a chance to think just accept the dogma.
If you question you are unworthy of God's love. The fanatical desire to keep the religion going at all costs regardless of the mental harm it can cause.
Each religion thinks it is the best, the only true way what arrogance.

tribpot · 30/10/2006 21:58

Well, I'm going to back my nuns, to be honest. I have no bad memories of them as educators or nutcases, and these ones are from a contemplative order so all they basically do is try and pray for people - what is wrong with that?

Am quite happy to rant indefinitely about Catholicism in general, from inquisition to tacit support for Hitler, to the catastrophe that is Africa in terms of AIDS, but I am willing to distinguish between the people and the system.

hester · 30/10/2006 22:15

I find the idea of having faith immensely appealing.

But nope, can't do it, just can't make the intellectual leap. Am very definitely an atheist.

ScareyCaligulaCorday · 30/10/2006 22:20

Also tribpot there are different parts of "the system". The vatican isn't the same as the Jesuits, the contemplative orders aren't the same as the parish priest network, etc.

When you have such an enormous organisation which has been in existence for so long, I don't really think you can talk about "the catholic church" any more than you can talk about "Islam" or "Judaism" or "Hinduism". There are just so many strands to all these things and one strand at one point in history is never going to be the whole story.

texasrose · 30/10/2006 22:53

HI, haven't read all of this but I just saw MissyMoosal's comment about christians not being willing to face difficult issues of belief and i want to say...I'm willing!

I'm not going to start arguing my faith now as it's too late but if you're still on this thread tomorrow I'll be more than happy to tell you why I believe.

Please don't think we're all mindless clones of each other. Like someone else below said about their atheism, I have never thought about anything as much as I have about christianity. I am constantly questioning and refining my beliefs and each situation that life throws at my requires a response which is consistent with that faith (or if not then the whole thing turns out to be a sham).

Missymoosal you made me laugh with your statement "if you question you're not worthy of God's love" - well that's me out then! Let me just say that the God I love and worship is nothing like the one you describe. He's much nicer, and he likes me.

ks · 30/10/2006 22:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

flack · 30/10/2006 23:01

Am a humanist. I only looked into it when I heard that Linda Smith had been their president.

I used to muster respect for religious belief, but really struggling with the whole idea of religion right now. Has anyone read The End of Faith?

Blu · 30/10/2006 23:08

Ahem, having answered with my hand in the air as a secular humaist, I'm not endorsing a load of religion-bashing, though!

I am actually strongly interested in the philosophy of faith, and lots of aspects of religion, and share most of my values with many world religions. And where things go wrong in the name of religion you can only blame human frailty. As an atheist, who else could you blame?? People are responsible for their behaviour, whatever thier beliefs.

missymoosal · 30/10/2006 23:23

Texasrose
I didn't mean 'if you question..' is the same for everyone it is just my and many of my friends experiences of how a dogma was rammed down our throats from before we were even able to speak.
The formula relied on fear, guilt, and emotional blackmail to ensure the max mind fuck effect.
I am willing to concede that there are some exceptions to the rule for any faith but I still feel they are a tiny minority.
I don't have a problem per se with anyones desire to believe in something I just object to the power that religious groups wield and being a member of these groups and the financial support that is given enables them to keep on spreading their brand of 'right'and the zealotry that arises from that.
I'll be back on Tuesday night very happy to continue this. Will enjoy the debate. Nice to see someone who is willing try to justify a belief system.
See u tomorrow

MaryBS · 31/10/2006 08:38

I'm another Christian who believes in evolution. I also had the "indoctrination" into the Catholic church as a child. I left the church for some years, and am now back of my own free will, although not as a Catholic .

UnquietDad · 31/10/2006 12:03

I'm an atheist, but I don't like the word. It implies that there is something we all "believe" in, which is not the case. Atheists come to their position from all sorts of different directions. It's as useful as saying I am a non-redhead, non-American, non-Jew.

I don't believe in fairies, ghosts, astrology, pink unicorns or leprechauns, either, for what it's worth. And I don't think there is a universal word for that.

ginmummy · 31/10/2006 12:07

Unquietdad - "I don't believe in fairies, ghosts, astrology, pink unicorns or leprechauns, either, for what it's worth. And I don't think there is a universal word for that" - rational??

UnquietDad · 31/10/2006 12:08

I suppose, yes! Although I have had "rational" argued with before, so I'm always tentative about calling myself anything.

foundintranslation · 31/10/2006 12:13

dh is an atheist, but says 'I believe in people' - so in fact definitely a humanist.
I don't think the word atheist is all that terrible though. How else are dh and I going to explain to ds, when he's older, the fact that I go to church most Sundays but dh has to be dragged kicking and screaming to friends' weddings? The only simple enough way is 'Mummy believes x and Daddy doesn't.' In the current cultural context atheism is, at least in part, defined by non-belief.

foundintranslation · 31/10/2006 12:13

Should have read to friends' church weddings.

missymoosal · 31/10/2006 19:03

Texasrose are u there yet?

JessaJackOLantern · 31/10/2006 19:31

Oh...I thought I was an atheist..until I read this thread, realised I too don't want to be defined by what I'm NOT...so, I guess another vote for secular humanist here then.

Radio 4 this morning had John Humphries (sp?) in discussion with very religious chap (oh who was he??? An archbishop perhaps ) he is doing sam eiwth a jewish leader and a muslim one too over next few days...basically him saying "I used to believe, now I don't, can you convince me otherwise?". It was a very open, honest and frank discussion, none of this hedging around the issues etc by either "side"...

texasrose · 31/10/2006 19:45

Hi missymoosal...

I'll be here at 9 if that's ok with you.

Need to have dinner!

missymoosal · 31/10/2006 19:55

Hi Texas
See you then

texasrose · 31/10/2006 21:16

Hi again!

Can I just say Missymoosal that from what I've heard you say about the type of religion you were exposed to as a child - I'd reject it too. It doesn't sound very loving or accepting.

A bit about me - I guess I'm v. different from you in that I was brought up not partiularly religious (but vaguely respectful of the CofE church) and that made my own choice at the age of 14 to become a Christian (which made my parents totally freak out - they thought I'd joined a cult). I've been a member of various types of church, but mostly CofE. One of the things I like the most about the CofE is that it is very accepting and there's lots of space to disagree and debate without falling out. I didn't go to churchy schools and most of what I believe has come through thinking / experience.

missymoosal · 31/10/2006 21:52

Hi TR
Sorry have been on the phone to my Dmil in Greece she has managed to have a fall and is in plaster!! Trying to sort out logistics of getting her sorted.
Back to matters pending.
My own experiencesof religion has been a very negative one but my antipathy is not just towards Christainity it encompassas all religions.
I find it personally offensive at the level of interference in peoples lives telling them what to eat, how to behave etc..