Religion Thread

[Celritannia]

I have this theory that atheists who become atheists go through an "angry atheist" phase that causes them to be an asshole for like, two years before they calm down.

So what's Ricky Gervais' excuse?

He has become a terrible actor post The Office (UK) and needs to compensate for it

[Trollzyn the Infinite]

So what's Ricky Gervais' excuse?

He's a terrible actor and needs to compensate for it

brutal

[Zul-ar]

I'd actually kind of agree with this. My own time as an atheist was very similar to that. I was extremely militant and always seeking out conflict with hardcore fundie Protestant types before mellowing out a lot and then religious experience brought me into polytheism and that led me to where I am nowadays.

Same except obviously with a different religion. It's because people who become atheists use atheism in contrast to an opposing idea, and anyone who adopts something into their identity will naturally use this new aspect of their identity performatively (that is, deliberately acting like what they expect this thing to be in order to assert it as an aspect of their identity) until the aspect of themselves is assimilated and there is no longer any need to assert that aspect of themselves. The same thing happens with converts to religion (I went through such a phase during my conversion and such phases are common enough that there is a colloquial term for it in Christian circles - the Cage Stage).

If you don't mind me asking, what did you convert to and from?

I have this theory that atheists who become atheists go through an "angry atheist" phase that causes them to be an asshole for like, two years before they calm down.

So what's Ricky Gervais' excuse?

Well, how else will he cover up his lackluster stand-up comedy if not with references to his atheism?

[Kowani]

Don't mind Atheism but Atheists are easily by and large some of the most insufferably arrogant, rude, and snide people I've ever met. Except Rojava, he's cool. Kowani is pretty chill, too.

oh the irony
you've only seen the mellowed stage

[Punished UMN]

Same except obviously with a different religion. It's because people who become atheists use atheism in contrast to an opposing idea, and anyone who adopts something into their identity will naturally use this new aspect of their identity performatively (that is, deliberately acting like what they expect this thing to be in order to assert it as an aspect of their identity) until the aspect of themselves is assimilated and there is no longer any need to assert that aspect of themselves. The same thing happens with converts to religion (I went through such a phase during my conversion and such phases are common enough that there is a colloquial term for it in Christian circles - the Cage Stage).

If you don't mind me asking, what did you convert to and from?

To Eastern Orthodoxy, from being an atheist.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Since I finally have a thread I can post stuff like this without it being off topic, yesterday marked the 14th year in a row that Associazione Tradizionale Pietas rekindled the flame of Vesta in Rome. ATP was formally recognized as a valid religious organization last year by the Italian state and things overall have been going good in that region. Greece likewise granted legal recognition to similar groups in 2017.

[Crysuko]

So Neo-Roman polytheists. Neat.

[Deacarsia]

I believe in the existence of God. This is the most fundamental of all my beliefs, without exception. I literally cannot conceive of the world without reference to a higher power; it simply makes no sense to me.

While I grew up in a nominally “Catholic” household, my family never really discussed religion very much at all. I felt something was seriously missing from my life, and I felt a severe aching longing for something beyond this temporary life.

After years of an enormous amount of soul-searching, careful research, and a great deal of prayer, I came to be convinced of the truth of the traditional Catholic faith as taught prior to the Second Vatican Council. I investigated as much into this as I could without prejudice with regard to what I believed previously, and I believe that in His Providence that God has lead me to the Truth.

He has since blessed me with the gift of a strong faith, and I want nothing more than to follow Him.

[Crysuko]

I believe in the existence of God. This is the most fundamental of all my beliefs, without exception. I literally cannot conceive of the world without reference to a higher power; it simply makes no sense to me.

While I grew up in a nominally “Catholic” household, my family never really discussed religion very much at all. I felt something was seriously missing from my life, and I felt a severe aching longing for something beyond this temporary life.

After years of an enormous amount of soul-searching, careful research, and a great deal of prayer, I came to be convinced of the truth of the traditional Catholic faith as taught prior to the Second Vatican Council. I investigated as much into this as I could without prejudice with regard to what I believed previously, and I believe that in His Providence that God has lead me to the Truth.

He has since blessed me with the gift of a strong faith, and I want nothing more than to follow Him.

as a materialist athiest, what turned me away was the problem of evil. how do you resolve that.

[Nakena]

I believe in the existence of God. This is the most fundamental of all my beliefs, without exception. I literally cannot conceive of the world without reference to a higher power; it simply makes no sense to me.

While I grew up in a nominally “Catholic” household, my family never really discussed religion very much at all. I felt something was seriously missing from my life, and I felt a severe aching longing for something beyond this temporary life.

After years of an enormous amount of soul-searching, careful research, and a great deal of prayer, I came to be convinced of the truth of the traditional Catholic faith as taught prior to the Second Vatican Council. I investigated as much into this as I could without prejudice with regard to what I believed previously, and I believe that in His Providence that God has lead me to the Truth.

He has since blessed me with the gift of a strong faith, and I want nothing more than to follow Him.

as a materialist athiest, what turned me away was the problem of evil. how do you resolve that.

So werent it for this problem you'd be still christian or would you possibly return to it if you could somehow "solve" the theological issue?

[Crysuko]

as a materialist athiest, what turned me away was the problem of evil. how do you resolve that.

So werent it for this problem you'd be still christian or would you possibly return to it if you could somehow "solve" the theological issue?

that was the tipping point, but there are several other points. note the mention of materialism.

[Nakena]

So werent it for this problem you'd be still christian or would you possibly return to it if you could somehow "solve" the theological issue?

that was the tipping point, but there are several other points. note the mention of materialism.

Well I am into semi-theistic satanism (at least i am classified as such apparently) and wasn't christian to begin with, so I am having a difficult time to understand that.

Materialism really can mean many things. Besides, I noticed with many people that they quit/leave christianity because they cannot reconcile it with their beliefs and what not, but never reject it on a fundamental theological reason or so. And for them christianity remains the default religious option even if they become atheist. So sort of christian in being.

Don't mind Atheism but Atheists are easily by and large some of the most insufferably arrogant, rude, and snide people I've ever met. Except Rojava, he's cool. Kowani is pretty chill, too.

oh the irony
you've only seen the mellowed stage

I remember the older Kowani too, well as far as he was on NSG.

For example, Kowani the Nihilist

[Crysuko]

that was the tipping point, but there are several other points. note the mention of materialism.

Well I am into semi-theistic satanism (at least i am classified as such apparently) and wasn't christian to begin with, so I am having a difficult time to understand that.

Materialism really can mean many things. Besides, I noticed with many people that they quit/leave christianity because they cannot reconcile it with their beliefs and what not, but never reject it on a fundamental theological reason or so. And for them christianity remains the default religious option even if they become atheist. So sort of christian in being.

oh the irony
you've only seen the mellowed stage

I remember the older Kowani too, well as far as he was on NSG.

For example, Kowani the Nihilist

if something cannot be measured by the senses or scientific instruments or theories, we have no reason to believe it exists.

[Loeje]

Don't mind Atheism but Atheists are easily by and large some of the most insufferably arrogant, rude, and snide people I've ever met. Except Rojava, he's cool. Kowani is pretty chill, too.

oh the irony
you've only seen the mellowed stage

As far as I know, that's the only stage.

Well I am into semi-theistic satanism (at least i am classified as such apparently) and wasn't christian to begin with, so I am having a difficult time to understand that.

Materialism really can mean many things. Besides, I noticed with many people that they quit/leave christianity because they cannot reconcile it with their beliefs and what not, but never reject it on a fundamental theological reason or so. And for them christianity remains the default religious option even if they become atheist. So sort of christian in being.



I remember the older Kowani too, well as far as he was on NSG.

For example, Kowani the Nihilist

if something cannot be measured by the senses or scientific instruments or theories, we have no reason to believe it exists.

Numbers exist.

[Crysuko]

oh the irony
you've only seen the mellowed stage

As far as I know, that's the only stage.

if something cannot be measured by the senses or scientific instruments or theories, we have no reason to believe it exists.

Numbers exist.

yes, and?

[Kowani]

I remember the older Kowani too, well as far as he was on NSG.

For example, Kowani the Nihilist

is this an improvement? :^)

oh the irony
you've only seen the mellowed stage

As far as I know, that's the only stage.

it is not

[Loeje]

As far as I know, that's the only stage.


Numbers exist.

yes, and?

They can't be measured by the senses or scientific instruments or theories. They just exist.

As far as I know, that's the only stage.

it is not

Maybe.

[Crysuko]

yes, and?

They can't be measured by the senses or scientific instruments or theories. They just exist.

it is not

Maybe.

they're a manmade invention, with well defined scientific uses. poor camparison

[Atheris]

They can't be measured by the senses or scientific instruments or theories. They just exist.


Maybe.

they're a manmade invention, with well defined scientific uses. poor camparison

Maybe a better one would be "space exists". You can't measure space. It just... is.

[Crysuko]

they're a manmade invention, with well defined scientific uses. poor camparison

Maybe a better one would be "space exists". You can't measure space. It just... is.

you can define where the atmosphere and magnetosphere ends and where space begins. what is and isn't space and a celestial body. poor comparison. again.

[Neanderthaland]

they're a manmade invention, with well defined scientific uses. poor camparison

Maybe a better one would be "space exists". You can't measure space. It just... is.

I mean, we do measure space though. That's like, the main thing we measure. With units. Like inches. And lightyears.

[Suriyanakhon]

I’m personally nonreligious.

I lean slightly anti-religious for spirituality in general and very anti-religious when it comes to monotheism in particular. The culture war is real and there can be no meaningful compromise between people who disagree on the basic nature of reality.

Switzerland: Am I a joke to you?

Multi-confessional societies can and do exist without society falling apart. This is just an excuse for repression.

It really plays into the hands of religious nationalists in places such as Myanmar who consider religious minorities to be a threat to the national culture. Multi-religious societies can and do exist and have historically.

[Atheris]

Maybe a better one would be "space exists". You can't measure space. It just... is.

I mean, we do measure space though. That's like, the main thing we measure. With units. Like inches. And lightyears.

But you can't set a definitive size on space. You can see the observable universe, sure, but what after that? Maybe there's more universe that we can see, maybe there isn't. And what makes up the space between planets and stars? Is it dark matter? Something else? Literally nothing? Who knows?

[Crysuko]

I mean, we do measure space though. That's like, the main thing we measure. With units. Like inches. And lightyears.

But you can't set a definitive size on space. You can see the observable universe, sure, but what after that? Maybe there's more universe that we can see, maybe there isn't. And what makes up the space between planets and stars? Is it dark matter? Something else? Literally nothing? Who knows?

you literally can though. that's why measurement systems exist.

[Garkland]

For me, you could consider me to be religious, although if you ask me I would say I’m not religious. My beliefs are of a Non-denominational Christian, and I believe in focusing and fostering a relationship of god rather than following rules and such.