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Science doesn't answer the question of when, where, how what be know exists began.  If everything we know to exist has a beginning, how did it begin if there was nothing before it?  The only explanation I have found is that someone or something has to exist outside of our understanding of time and space.

 

Belief that there is being who set what we know to exist into motion is not an ignorant assumption.  It's a very natural one. 

 

Whether or not we believe that the being is the God of the Bible is a personal decision.  That decision is not so much a physical, mental or emotional choice; it's a spiritual choice, a deeper level of understanding.  There is no reason to deny anything in Science in order to go there.  If you don't explore the spiritual part of you, fine.  Saying that those who do are crazy or ignorant is short-sided, narrow-minded and makes you look ignorant.  I am thankful to have met a few here who would not see that search as ignorant, but natural.  I respect their conclusion, their choice, and they respect mine.

 

JMHO

Last edited by _Joy_
Originally Posted by O No!:
Originally Posted by DarkAngel:
Originally Posted by O No!:
Originally Posted by DarkAngel:

DarkAngel doesn't understand subtlety. I'll point it out to her.

 

 

 

O No, you have once again taken offense to my opinion. And once again that is not my problem or my fault.  Why don't you own up to your own issues and stop trying to blame me, and anyone else that you lash out at, for making you do it.

 

As for your intended insult, I thought it was quite funny actually.  Fling away! What you think about me and my life has absolutely no value to me.  Just because my opinion upsets you does not mean it was a personal attack. You need to get over other people thinking differently than you. I meant what I said, not as an insult, but as my own thoughts and opinion. Don't like it? Too bad.

 

My advice would be to grow some thicker skin or stop discussing a subject that you hold so dear you are "forced" to defend it with "insults".

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DA, don't you think the rest of us can see through you? You say I shouldn't take offense at your opinion. And yet, MY opinion is that you are spiritually crippled. Why do YOU take offense at MY opinion? You have gotten pretty upset and nasty with me when I have suggested this before. And yet, as B pointed out, you are eager to take any chance to express your opinion in the snarkiest way. If I am not to oject to your calling me emotionally weak, why is it OK for you to object to me calling you spiritually blind? (You really are, you know.)

 

So my advice to you is to either express your opinion in a non-confrontational way, or if you just can't resist putting in those little jabs, accept the fact that you will be jabbed back. And for heaven's sake, stop playing the innocent victim. Don't dish it out if you can't take it. Because you know what? Not only do I have a bigger spoon, but I have the truth on my side. Guess you'll just have to live with it.

 

 

 

Hmmm....could you please tell me where you keep getting the idea that I am upset about you saying I am spiritually blind? Seriously O No, it does not upset me. It does not make me angry or hurt my feelings. I don't know how many times or ways I can say this to you for you to understand.

 

I will continue to post just as I always have. I will give my opinion in a straight forward and honest manner. I really don't want to get into another one of your favorite games of "you insulted me, thats why I insulted you" marathons. It is getting boring. I don't have the time you apparently do to spend on this forum going back and forth over stupid crap.

Originally Posted by O No!:
Originally Posted by JimiHendrix:
Originally Posted by DarkAngel:
Originally Posted by O No!:

So Jimi needs the crutch of reincarnation to keep him from fearing death. I never thought I'd say this, but I wish Unob were here to read and respond to this! Where is NSNS? How about DarkAngel? Why don't you all tell Jimi how deluded HE is?

 

So as long as I am calling someone elses beliefs delusional you have no problem, right? O No, you are something else. What that something else is , I can't say in a public forum.

 

There is no doctrine in atheism. Atheism simply means to have no belief in gods. Reincarnation does not include believing in a deity. However, there is not enough evidence for me personally to believe such a thing. It actually does have more evidence to back it up than belief in the Christian God.. The same can be said for Big Foot too. I don't believe in any of those things. All for the same reasons. Not enough evidence to make that kind of conclusion for me. In the case of the Christian God there is absolutely no evidence.  I would put it further down on the list of believable concepts.

 

I say the same thing to Jimi as I do to you and others here. If it makes you happy then go for it.  Personally I think its all a bunch of bunk.

 

Happy now?

What you "think" has no effect on reality. Think whatever you want. Personally, I think it is a bunch of bunk.

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Sometimes I wonder just who it is I'm dealing with here. Don't EITHER of you understand SARCASM?! You both constantly call Christians deluded. You both constantly claim we believe because we fear death so much. You both constantly claim we are weak. Now you are also going to claim you are too dense to recognize sarcasm? OK, I concede the point - you are both too dense to comprehend subtlety, sarcasm and satire.

 

I'll try to be more literal from now on.

 

 

 

Oh I can recognize sarcasm all day long. I usually read your post as being mostly sarcastic. Doesn't mean I have to play along. I answered you. What did you want?

 

I do believe that you responded to a post from Jimi intended for me though. Did you think he was talking to you?

 

You do need to work on your satire. Satire is supposed to be funny. Just some friendly advice.

Originally Posted by DarkAngel:
 

However, there is not enough evidence for me personally to believe such a thing. It actually does have more evidence to back it up than belief in the Christian God..

 

===================================================

??????????????????????????????????????

Anyway.........There's no Evidence for Reincarnation

 

Originally Posted by INVICTUS:
Originally Posted by DarkAngel:
 

However, there is not enough evidence for me personally to believe such a thing. It actually does have more evidence to back it up than belief in the Christian God..

 

===================================================

??????????????????????????????????????

Anyway.........There's no Evidence for Reincarnation

 

Wrong again pea-brain. You should really stick to what you know about. Oh no. That would make you speechless!

Originally Posted by DarkAngel:

I live a Godless life and I am happy and content. How do you guys explain that?

 

I don't think it is for everyone though. I think there will always be those that need something to believe in to be happy. It is almost like they can't face life without the belief that one day they will go on to a happy place where all the worries of this life don't exist. Also they need to believe they will never really die. Personally I just try and make the one life I know that I have count. I don't expect there to be anything after I die. That does not scare me because, well I will be dead and I won't know anything anyway.

 

As for the world being a horrible or scary place if all religion was annihilated. First let me say, I am an atheist and I have no plan or agenda to make something like that a reality. I know of no other atheist that has that agenda either. To me the only satisfactory way that could ever happen is if people just moved beyond the superstitions of religion. If it were forced that would be horrible. I don't want to see anyones rights to believe in whatever supernatural thing they want to taken away. That would be a terrible thing for sure. If it just came to be after many generations of logical and reasonable thinking then I see no harm to society at all. There will always be laws and if we could as human beings come to a place of logic and reason we would not want to see our fellow human beings suffer needlessly or be harmed by each other. That would be counter productive and not a very civilized.

 

But as I said, I doubt that will happen. Not in my life time anyway. Who knows, maybe in a few 100 years or so. Evolution is still taking place and as we evolve we might very well no longer need these ideas to be happy. Many have already evolved to that point now.

 

In a world where people valued each other not because they were Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu, etc but for the very fact that they were precious and special just because they are human beings would be a awesome world to live in.

 

I worry that religion will be the end of us all if it is allowed to rule the world. We have seen what happens when religions war with each other. It is never a good thing. It goes on every day somewhere in the world. People die every hour due to religion or because they have a different religion than their neighbor. Women are killed for no other reason than they were attacked and raped...most of the time they die at the hands of their family members whos religion tells them to do so.

 

So my answer would be....No.


Well said.

Originally Posted by O No!:

 " I think there will always be those that need something to believe in to be happy. It is almost like they can't face life without the belief that one day they will go on to a happy place where all the worries of this life don't exist. Also they need to believe they will never really die."

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That is your belief, DA. It is MY belief that those who reject the very notion of God are missing out on the richest, most satisfying part of their souls, and if they don't realize it, it's because they are spiritually blind. You don't see that because one can't miss what one never had to begin with.


But you are assuming that a person who doesn't choose to follow God is blind and just doesn't know what s/he is missing because that is part of your experience.  You really wouldn't  know whether a person came to the conclusion there was no God after being Christian, and while I can see that your own experience makes that inconceivable to you, it is true that some atheists were Christians and aren't any more because they see what they didn't before.  It can go both ways..really.  

Originally Posted by b50m:
Originally Posted by JimiHendrix:
The answer to "what" is.....not God. All the absence of God means is that there is no God. If you can't live without that crutch, then it is you that has a problem. As for not having much time before we find out: people have been saying that for hundreds of years. They were wrong and so are you.Man created God to fill a void in his life that many of us do not have. We live happy, productive lives without believing in ghosts, unicorns, leprechauns, or God, and we are not the ones with mental problems.

 

Why did man have a 'void' to start with if he was happy and fulfilled being an atheist?

Only religious people have mental problems?  Got any stats for that one?


Feeling you want more in life doesn't mean there is mental illness or that there is or isn't a God really.  It just means you are looking for something.  Might mean all kinds of things, but it doesn't have to relate to God at all.

Originally Posted by frog:
Originally Posted by O No!:

 " I think there will always be those that need something to believe in to be happy. It is almost like they can't face life without the belief that one day they will go on to a happy place where all the worries of this life don't exist. Also they need to believe they will never really die."

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That is your belief, DA. It is MY belief that those who reject the very notion of God are missing out on the richest, most satisfying part of their souls, and if they don't realize it, it's because they are spiritually blind. You don't see that because one can't miss what one never had to begin with.


But you are assuming that a person who doesn't choose to follow God is blind and just doesn't know what s/he is missing because that is part of your experience.  You really wouldn't  know whether a person came to the conclusion there was no God after being Christian, and while I can see that your own experience makes that inconceivable to you, it is true that some atheists were Christians and aren't any more because they see what they didn't before.  It can go both ways..really.  

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So, DA's assumption that people believe because they can't face life without the thought of an afterlife is OK with you? But it's not OK for this FORMER ATHEIST to extrapolate out of experience that atheists are missing out on the richness and beauty of faith?

 

I assert that as an atheist, you are more than willing to let the "I'm better/mentally superior/emotionally stronger that Christians" attitude of the atheists on this forum slide, while pouncing on any post made by a Christian that intimates that there may be something lacking in the lives of atheists.

 

You come on here, trying to sound like a voice of reason, but although your TONE is non-confrontational, your attitude toward the actual posts reveals all.

 

Originally Posted by O No!:
Originally Posted by frog:
Originally Posted by O No!:

 " I think there will always be those that need something to believe in to be happy. It is almost like they can't face life without the belief that one day they will go on to a happy place where all the worries of this life don't exist. Also they need to believe they will never really die."

____________________________________________________________________________

That is your belief, DA. It is MY belief that those who reject the very notion of God are missing out on the richest, most satisfying part of their souls, and if they don't realize it, it's because they are spiritually blind. You don't see that because one can't miss what one never had to begin with.


But you are assuming that a person who doesn't choose to follow God is blind and just doesn't know what s/he is missing because that is part of your experience.  You really wouldn't  know whether a person came to the conclusion there was no God after being Christian, and while I can see that your own experience makes that inconceivable to you, it is true that some atheists were Christians and aren't any more because they see what they didn't before.  It can go both ways..really.  

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So, DA's assumption that people believe because they can't face life without the thought of an afterlife is OK with you? But it's not OK for this FORMER ATHEIST to extrapolate out of experience that atheists are missing out on the richness and beauty of faith?

 

I assert that as an atheist, you are more than willing to let the "I'm better/mentally superior/emotionally stronger that Christians" attitude of the atheists on this forum slide, while pouncing on any post made by a Christian that intimates that there may be something lacking in the lives of atheists.

 

You come on here, trying to sound like a voice of reason, but although your TONE is non-confrontational, your attitude toward the actual posts reveals all.

 


I don't think anyone is superior to anyone actually.  I think and have said many times that we all come to this place in our lives by different paths, and each is as legitimate and often as deep as anyone else's.  I believe I also said many times that it isn't okay as far as I am concerned for anyone to belittle anyone else's beliefs, and that I personally don't like to see anyone pouncing on anyone for believing whatever or not believing.  When we make generalized statements such as "the atheists" or "the Christians" we lose credibility in my personal opinion.  Since you didn't say in your own experience, but a general statement that "atheists..." it doesn't infer your own experience at all, but a statement regarding everyone in a group.  That goes for atheists who say, "Christians do this or that or all believe" beyond a basic belief in God.  I have said that many times here, although they might not have been in this thread.  

 

So one more time to clarify...I don't  think anyone berating or insulting another group is okay no matter who it is.  I didn't say you couldn't say your own experience at all, although it is helpful for my own understanding if someone says it is from personal experience and not all of a particular group a person is referring to...but that once again is just my own confusion I'm sure.  I was simply saying that many atheists were Christians and aren't now, just as the reverse is true.   I have no desire to fight with anyone or make anyone see things my way.  I was just asking for respect from all sides if we want to have civil discussions...that is all.  I assure you that reading supportive and informative posts is a lot more pleasant to me than seeing the same thread recycled with people arguing over who is right.  If a person is happy believing or not believing whatever that is cool...this life is too short to be miserable or stay angry through in my view.

 

Frog, you haven't been here long enough to have read that I was an atheist at one time. Believe me, most here on the forum are well aware of that fact.

 

But I ask you, if you were a big fan of say, Chervolets, and you joined a Chevy forum to discuss the cars you love, would you like it if evey time you posted something about your car, a bunch of Ford aficioados jumped on your post, telling you Chevys are no good and you are stupid and deluded for liking Chevys? Would you wonder why you are not allowed to have a discussion with other Chevy fans, without having to wade through post after post, telling you you are weak minded, and not strong enough to drive a "real car"? Wouldn't you wonder why Ford fans would rather troll the Chevy forum than go join a Ford forum?

 

The atheists have said they come here for various different reasons. Some want to keep religion out of government (and I agree they are right about that), some are here to ask legitimate questions, and there ARE some who want to "convert" others to atheism. (Unob proudly admitted this, and if I'm not mistaken, some of the others have also. When an atheist says, "Why don't you join us", it's pretty clear that that is their aim.)

 

But there are others who come here simply to harass Christians. And I can honestly state that I never came here to get into these nasty arguments that take place here. I just wanted to talk to other Christians about the joy my faith has brought me. And I guarantee that I would never have posted anything in anger if I hadn't been attacked first.

 

There are SOME atheists here who just LOVE to attack other people, and when someone fights back, they play innocent. They lie, they twist people's words, and yet they howl like a scalded dog when someone treats them in kind.  As much as I dislike rancor, I dislike hypocrites even more. And there are a number of hypocritical atheists on this forum.

I'm not sure why you are trying to convince me when I have agreed several times that what is fair for one group should be for all groups..lol.  There the things you mentioned on all sides it seems to me, and yes, I think you should be able to talk about your faith without being jumped on just as others should be able to say they don't agree...but in a respectful way.

 

Another forum I visit has a religious area, but it is separated out into atheists/agnostics, Christian faiths, Eastern religions, etc., and that helps a lot that each group has a place to post to others with similar interests.  On the other hand, I don't think it would matter there if there were one or two subforums since every member has respect for others and there is no way anyone there would say much of what is said here.  If they made hateful remarks they would be warned, and if they continued they would be banned.  We never have to ban people much because people stay because they like the friendly and respectful atmosphere.  If they want to fight they go elsewhere because no one will fight with them.  But that isn't how it is here, so the same arguments are made over and over and people say whatever they want knowing it is not only accepted, but encouraged...lol.

Frog, before the format change this was called "Religion Forum and described as a place to discuss religion or "OTHER BELIEFS AND  PRACTICES".  Even when described like that the christians still cried because atheists posted here. They have to be reminded constantly that they do not own a public forum. They are quite adept at getting people that disagree with them banned, and if atheists banned together and constantly reported or cried to the mods I would bet money that plenty of the christians would be banned too.

Originally Posted by Bestworking:

Frog, before the format change this was called "Religion Forum and described as a place to discuss religion or "OTHER BELIEFS AND  PRACTICES".  Even when described like that the christians still cried because atheists posted here. They have to be reminded constantly that they do not own a public forum. They are quite adept at getting people that disagree with them banned, and if atheists banned together and constantly reported or cried to the mods I would bet money that plenty of the christians would be banned too.

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Untrue. Christians didn't "cry because atheists posted here". Atheists like Road Puppy and Bluetick (my flea bitten friend) used to post their beliefs all the time. But they only spoke for themselves and about themselves, without once telling believers they were stupid, deluded, weak, or any of the things that OTHER atheists love to say. THEY came for civil discussion. Others only came here to bash believers. Those are the ones Christians don't "cry" about, but we definitely are fed up with.

 

Who did Christians get  banned from here?  Buffalo was reported by everybody.

I don't know what happened to Unob, but I certainly didn't report him for anything.

DF was banned for cursing, and i don't know who reported him either.  But Buff and DF are back and I'm sure Unob will sneak back in soon.

 

 

Now Bluetick should never have been banned in the first place. he didn't do anything. That one smells rotten.

Now Bluetick should never have been banned in the first place. he didn't do anything. That one smells rotten.

 

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I never saw anything bluetick did as bluetick.  I just give it back to them or stop reading them now that there's no ignore feature. That's what I did  with buffalo, ramn, magpie, and now lexum. I never reported him. I don't know how they ban people so that they can't come back.

Originally Posted by b50m:

Frog,

Could you pm me that web site?  Is it public or private?


It isn't a religion site, but has an area for religion.  When I just checked to see if the religion area was private (some is public and some private for paid members) I was reminded we put them all together under an interfaith title to consolidate a bit, and we have had no problem.  I will pm the address to you

Originally Posted by O No!:
Originally Posted by frog:
Originally Posted by O No!:

 " I think there will always be those that need something to believe in to be happy. It is almost like they can't face life without the belief that one day they will go on to a happy place where all the worries of this life don't exist. Also they need to believe they will never really die."

____________________________________________________________________________

That is your belief, DA. It is MY belief that those who reject the very notion of God are missing out on the richest, most satisfying part of their souls, and if they don't realize it, it's because they are spiritually blind. You don't see that because one can't miss what one never had to begin with.


But you are assuming that a person who doesn't choose to follow God is blind and just doesn't know what s/he is missing because that is part of your experience.  You really wouldn't  know whether a person came to the conclusion there was no God after being Christian, and while I can see that your own experience makes that inconceivable to you, it is true that some atheists were Christians and aren't any more because they see what they didn't before.  It can go both ways..really.  

__________________________________________________________________________

So, DA's assumption that people believe because they can't face life without the thought of an afterlife is OK with you? But it's not OK for this FORMER ATHEIST to extrapolate out of experience that atheists are missing out on the richness and beauty of faith?

 

I assert that as an atheist, you are more than willing to let the "I'm better/mentally superior/emotionally stronger that Christians" attitude of the atheists on this forum slide, while pouncing on any post made by a Christian that intimates that there may be something lacking in the lives of atheists.

 

You come on here, trying to sound like a voice of reason, but although your TONE is non-confrontational, your attitude toward the actual posts reveals all.

 

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As much as it bothers you, that is exactly my thoughts and opinion on why many people believe in God. I have a close friend who happens to be a believer. We have had some great discussions over the years. During one discussion she actually said that she knew there was no real evidence or rational reason to believe, but believing gave her comfort. I actually can respect that. It is a very honest, and insightful response. For me that was pretty much the end of that discussion.

 

I think many other Christians feel this way but can't be honest enough to admit it. It is probably just normal human behavior to need to believe there is more after this life.

 

I read a study once where they found most people went to church for the ritual practices. They felt a sense of comfort and well being from going through these rituals. They had physical responses that were similar to using certain drugs while participating in church services. It was a very good article and study. I will see if I can find it again.

 

You would probably find the same results form any group setting. Most people like routines and schedules.

 

I think many other Christians feel this way but can't be honest enough to admit it. It is probably just normal human behavior to need to believe there is more after this life.


Judging from the last few days, apparently Christians are not the only ones who need the comfort of something after this life,  atheists can believe in an afterlife as well.

Originally Posted by b50m:

Who did Christians get  banned from here?  Buffalo was reported by everybody.

I don't know what happened to Unob, but I certainly didn't report him for anything.

DF was banned for cursing, and i don't know who reported him either.  But Buff and DF are back and I'm sure Unob will sneak back in soon.

 

 

Now Bluetick should never have been banned in the first place. he didn't do anything. That one smells rotten.

 

As I've said before, when DF was banned, there was an actual admin and one mod. They had even advertised for mods at one time, but I never saw more than one at any given time. They did read posts, especially in hot topics, and banned without anyone being reported.

 

And not all reporting led to banning. I was reported once because I mentioned a website in order to prove that a person actually said something. Elizabeth H., the admin, nicely PM'd me and said that even though the site was public, the TD preferred that private sites were not brought into the forum. (This was not in religion, but news.)

Judging from the last few days, apparently Christians are not the only ones who need the comfort of something after this life, atheists can believe in an afterlife as well.

 

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I've never seen an atheist that believed in an "afterlife", but then again I've never met an atheist buddhist. Reincarnation doesn't seem like an "afterlife" to me, it sounds like another life right here on earth with no mansions, no streets of gold, no frolicking with angels. From the little I've read or seen in movies, tv, whatever, very few would even know they have been reincarnated. They believe they can come back as animals too and given how short, compared to humans, the lifespans are for most animals I can't imagine wanting that (seems like a waste of time). Not to mention the cruelty too many humans deal out to animals. For instance who would want to come back as one of michael vicks dogs, or a little calf used for veal? Who would want to come back as the children of the susan smiths, casy anthonys, andrea yates of the world or someone like them?  Soooo, it's kinda hard to see any "comfort" anyone could get from that idea.

I don't think anyone that thought it through would want to live forever. I wouldn't unless everyone I love lived forever too, and were happy and healthy. I don't know why anyone has the desire or need for an afterlife either, but when you ask them why they call it an "attack" on them and their god.  I don't understand how some christians will say when they die they're going to be with loved ones, but can tell you a ghost story about a woman that lost her child, her husband or her lover and walks the halls of a house, castle, yard, still to this day wailing for them.

 

If not god, what?

 

Each other, I think.

 

Not believing in majick and all, I figure we only get this one life-and maybe the whole point of it is to just help each other through it. 

 

I dunno........works for me.

 

On a lighter note, I went to the Renaissance Faire yesterday and saw all the cool goings-on for the first time.

Then I got to one street corner where there was this one lone freak standing up on a step-stool with a bible in his hand ranting to people and trying to debate the existence of god to anybody he could yell at and royally getting his ass handed back to him.

 

I hung around for awhile and listened while I ate a sandwich and had a smoke.

 

I sure hope he was getting paid to do that-'cuz he was there a long time and he really sucked.

 

Last edited by Road Puppy
Originally Posted by Road Puppy:

If not god, what?

 

Each other, I think.

 

Not believing in majick and all, I figure we only get this one life-and maybe the whole point of it is to just help each other through it. 

 

I dunno........works for me.

 

On a lighter note, I went to the Renaissance Faire yesterday and saw all the cool goings-on for the first time.

Then I got to one street corner where there was this one lone freak standing up on a step-stool with a bible in his hand ranting to people and trying to debate the existence of god to anybody he could yell at and royally getting his ass handed back to him.

 

I hung around for awhile and listened while I ate a sandwich and had a smoke.

 

I sure hope he was getting paid to do that-'cuz he was there a long time and he really sucked.

 


We went to the Faire for a bit but missed the guy you described.  I can't say I'm sorry on that one...lol.

Reincarnation doesn't seem like an "afterlife" to me, it sounds like another life right here on earth with no mansions, no streets of gold, no frolicking with angels.


Either way you look at it, it means that once this life ends, you have something to move on to. Negates the atheist point of when you die, that's it.

Negates the atheist point of when you die, that's it.

 

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Doesn't "negate" this atheist's point of when you die. But again, I can't speak to why some people are so afraid of "being dead" they hope for an afterlife.

Originally Posted by b50m:

Reincarnation doesn't seem like an "afterlife" to me, it sounds like another life right here on earth with no mansions, no streets of gold, no frolicking with angels.


Either way you look at it, it means that once this life ends, you have something to move on to. Negates the atheist point of when you die, that's it.


Not really.  It's the idea of God that is negated, not really anything else unless a person happens to think other things don't exist as well.  It's like anything else...people are different besides the basic idea of not believing in gods/God.  Just like Christians can have many different beliefs besides the basic belief in Christ and baptism.

Originally Posted by frog:
Originally Posted by b50m:

Reincarnation doesn't seem like an "afterlife" to me, it sounds like another life right here on earth with no mansions, no streets of gold, no frolicking with angels.


Either way you look at it, it means that once this life ends, you have something to move on to. Negates the atheist point of when you die, that's it.


Not really.  It's the idea of God that is negated, not really anything else unless a person happens to think other things don't exist as well.  It's like anything else...people are different besides the basic idea of not believing in gods/God.  Just like Christians can have many different beliefs besides the basic belief in Christ and baptism.

So if you take God out of the equation, then who or what controls the moment of transfer from one life to another? Isn't a soul required for a transfer?

So if you take God out of the equation, then who or what controls the moment of transfer from one life to another? Isn't a soul required for a transfer?

 

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I guess I shouldn't answer for frog because I don't know what she believes, but once again I'd say you'd have to ask someone who believes in reincarnation to explain it.

Well, please keep in mind that I only speak for myself.  I don't know what official representatives of any group might say or anyone else, but for me it is basically energy...I don't call it necessarily reincarnation either.  I am not big on labels anyway, so whatever is there I see/feel as energy.  Whatever label or none a person wants to put on it I don't care, but to me it is energy.  

Originally Posted by frog:

Well, please keep in mind that I only speak for myself.  I don't know what official representatives of any group might say or anyone else, but for me it is basically energy...I don't call it necessarily reincarnation either.  I am not big on labels anyway, so whatever is there I see/feel as energy.  Whatever label or none a person wants to put on it I don't care, but to me it is energy.  

Energy of the body or energy as in a spiritual energy? I have seen people use the term 'consciousness' but that seems to be a soul as well. So how does that energy transfer and what controls it?

Originally Posted by Bestworking:

I asked jimi, he refuses to answer.

 

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Nothing new there, he wouldn't answer when I ask if he was a buddhist.

Seems odd that he believes in it, claims to also be an atheist, yet will not describe how he can put the two together. That is being part of a religion and being an atheist.  Some sort of hermaphroditic  relationship.

Originally Posted by b50m:

You would probably find the same results form any group setting. Most people like routines and schedules.

 

I think many other Christians feel this way but can't be honest enough to admit it. It is probably just normal human behavior to need to believe there is more after this life.


Judging from the last few days, apparently Christians are not the only ones who need the comfort of something after this life,  atheists can believe in an afterlife as well.

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I agree b50m, something in our evolved mind responds to such things and makes humans happy.  For some its meditation, for others its prayer. For me its a good book, a glass of wine and a bath. Give me an hour of that and all is right with the world.

 

I have tried to find that study, because it went far deeper and really looked at how the brain works when dealing with religion and religious rituals. If I could just remember the guys name that headed it up....arghhhh. I hate when I go blank like that.  As best I remember what they found was that (as you said) it didn't really matter what type of religion or ritual a person engaged in they got a rush of dopamine and other chemicals released in their brain. It gave them a warm and fuzzy feeling so to speak. Most people apparently use religion like a drug. While others just use weed.

 

As for the afterlife comment. I have stated how I feel about reincarnation. I don't believe in it. As an atheist myself I have a hard time seeing how anyone who does not believe in the supernatural can then say they believe in reincarnation. However, reincarnation does not require the belief in a deity, so I guess it could still be defined as atheistic on some level.

Originally Posted by b50m:
Originally Posted by frog:

Well, please keep in mind that I only speak for myself.  I don't know what official representatives of any group might say or anyone else, but for me it is basically energy...I don't call it necessarily reincarnation either.  I am not big on labels anyway, so whatever is there I see/feel as energy.  Whatever label or none a person wants to put on it I don't care, but to me it is energy.  

Energy of the body or energy as in a spiritual energy? I have seen people use the term 'consciousness' but that seems to be a soul as well. So how does that energy transfer and what controls it?


For me personally I would say that you could call it whatever you wish.  I see it as the body's energy, but since I have seen many things that relate to energy I would say that the body's energy is much more than most would perceive it to be unless they experienced certain things.  It is all in the perception what a person would call it I guess.  I have no problem with using the term spirit or energy...just depends on the situation I would say.  

 

I would describe myself as spiritual but not religious, but the spirit part to me is basically the energy in us and around us...all things, actually.  It just isn't related to a god and doesn't depend on one's spiritual beliefs to exist...it is energy.

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