Are you an atheist? Page 4

Started by GymLeaderMisty November 19th, 2009 4:41 PM
  • 10721 views
  • 201 replies

Rainflower

분홍신

Female
Southeast Asia
Seen November 26th, 2016
Posted December 23rd, 2014
439 posts
14.4 Years
Nope, I am not and probably will never be one.

Nope; I believe in God. However, I do not read the Bible nor attend church. A majority of my community/peers have accepted me, as religion is not a big issue around here, although one elderly man was quite disappointed in my laziness. xD
I read bible occasionally, but I do not attend church weekly. Laziness and waking up late has taken over my church routines. XD And my mom scolded me for that ;3;
“Close to the Toyotomi’s left arm, Shima Sakon!
Now, now, the bets have started!”

___________________________


currently playing: pokemon omega ruby

22sa

ロミオとシンデレ �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��

Male
Canada
Seen January 11th, 2023
Posted November 9th, 2022
8,421 posts
19.7 Years
I'm Roman Catholic, but I haven't gone to a church of that type yet. =/

I believe in God because I don't like how little on human being can do. We're too fragile, I just don't like. If deities exist, I will do whatever it takes to meet them some day.

. きみさえ~ いれば
Seen May 20th, 2013
Posted May 20th, 2013
184 posts
16.6 Years
"Substance" here means what something is in itself. (For more on the philosophical concept, see Substance theory.) A hat's shape is not the hat itself, nor is its colour the hat, nor is its size, nor its softness to the touch, nor anything else about it perceptible to the senses. The hat itself (the "substance") has the shape, the colour, the size, the softness and the other appearances, but is distinct from them. While the appearances, which are referred to by the philosophical term accidents, are perceptible to the senses, the substance is not.

When at his Last Supper, Jesus said: "This is my body", what he held in his hands still had all the appearances of bread: these "accidents" remained unchanged. However, the Roman Catholic Church believes that, when Jesus made that declaration, the underlying reality (the "substance") of the bread was converted to that of his body. In other words, it actually was his body, while all the appearances open to the senses or to scientific investigation were still those of bread, exactly as before. The Catholic Church holds that the same change of the substance of the bread and of the wine occurs at the consecration of the Eucharist when the words are spoken "This is my body ... this is my blood." In Orthodox confessions, the change is said to take place during the prayer of thanksgiving.

Believing that Christ is risen from the dead and is alive, the Catholic Church holds that, when the bread is changed into his body, not only his body is present, but Christ as a whole i.e. body and blood, soul and divinity. The same holds for the wine changed into his blood. This belief goes beyond the doctrine of transubstantiation, which directly concerns only the transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.

...

The Roman Catholic Church considers the doctrine of transubstantiation, which is about what is changed, not about how the change occurs, the best defence against what it sees as the mutually opposed interpretations, on the one hand, a merely figurative understanding of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (it teaches that the change of the substance is real), and, on the other hand, an interpretation that would amount to cannibalistic eating of the flesh and corporal drinking of the blood of Christ (it teaches that the accidents that remain are real, not an illusion, and that Christ is "really, truly, and substantially present" in the Eucharist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transubstantiation

Catholics do not believe that the bread symbolically is Jesus. They do believe that the bread "is" Jesus. Of course, one could raise Bill Clinton-like questions about what the meaning of the word "is" is. I thought Catholics would learn that from their catechist before their confirmation. (I didn't as my parents let me not go through with it since I never believed.)
Age 29
Male
Seen June 1st, 2013
Posted April 27th, 2013
2,276 posts
14.4 Years
I'd define "is" as "exists/existing as", but that's essentially irrelevant.

I am (as many of you have probably discovered) Protestant Christian, not Catholic. The Pope bit is what really throws me off.

As for details, I think church is not necessary, but is beneficial for one's spirituality. I think communion is just symbolic and was put in motion as a constant reminder of Christ's sacrifice. I think baptism should be performed when the baptize-ee, as it were, chooses too, and is an urgent response to realizing salvation, not a necessity for it. Conversion is a major point for Christianity, and that's why I get to sounding preachy occasionally (IRL and here, it seems).

People are right in saying Christianity is a crutch, but only for people who understand they aren't immortal. Anyone can look out for themselves, but who would give all they have to give and leave themselves to an uncertain future if they thought there was nobody standing behind them?

If you don't believe that whatever religion you believe in is the right religion, do you really believe in the religion?

Isn't it funny that whenever you post "are you an atheist," all the people who would answer "no" are the people who answer most?
Back from the Hidden Land~
My Pokemon tabletop RPG project. Looking for feedback and ideas!

Agent Cobalt

Proud U.S. Army Soldier

Age 33
Male
New Jersey
Seen December 11th, 2009
Posted December 10th, 2009
191 posts
14.9 Years
I'd define "is" as "exists/existing as", but that's essentially irrelevant.

I am (as many of you have probably discovered) Protestant Christian, not Catholic. The Pope bit is what really throws me off.

As for details, I think church is not necessary, but is beneficial for one's spirituality. I think communion is just symbolic and was put in motion as a constant reminder of Christ's sacrifice. I think baptism should be performed when the baptize-ee, as it were, chooses too, and is an urgent response to realizing salvation, not a necessity for it. Conversion is a major point for Christianity, and that's why I get to sounding preachy occasionally (IRL and here, it seems).

People are right in saying Christianity is a crutch, but only for people who understand they aren't immortal. Anyone can look out for themselves, but who would give all they have to give and leave themselves to an uncertain future if they didn't really think there was nobody standing behind them?

If you don't believe that whatever religion you believe in is the right religion, do you really believe in the religion?

Isn't it funny that whenever you post "are you an atheist," all the people who would answer "no" are the people who answer most?
LOLZ, you summed up everything I was thinking. Fellow Protestant here.

Rich Boy Rob

"Fezzes are cool." The Doctor

Age 29
Male
Seen March 15th, 2016
Posted August 15th, 2015
1,051 posts
14.9 Years
Cold hard Atheist here. I believed in God until I was about...6? But that was really only because they used to force Christianity down our throats in infants school (which I think is wrong btw, you should choose what to believe yourself, not let someone else tell you). After that I started questioning the existence of God, and how dinosaurs/evolution/the big bang came into it (yes I was a dinosaur geek when I was little) and decided that the Bible wasn't true.

On a side note, I acknowledge Jesus as existing, there's historical records proving that, but I think he was just a delusional magician, who convinced people his tricks were in fact the power of god.
Lastly, I now have a slight belief in the "ancient astronaut" theory, which says that aliens may have come to Earth in ancient times. I have an idea that these aliens became worshipped as gods due to their superior technology, which made the humans think they were gods, and over time the stories became warped int different religions. An unlikely theory, but still, it's possible.
In my pants!

Esper

California
Seen June 30th, 2018
Posted June 30th, 2018
faith (which is, by definition, belief without evidence)
I think where faith fails scientifically is not that it lacks evidence - an individual's personal experience and what seem to be miracles are evidence of a sort - but that it's evidence which cannot be reproduced systematically and reliably. It is essentially random and unpredictable. If, for instance, praying for a deathly sick person to get better regularly caused such a person to get better and if sending a random sample of the population to to church consistently caused 37% of them to describe feelings of a spiritual presence then you would have some good evidence. That's clearly not the case. Faith is subjective. Science is objective.
Seen May 20th, 2013
Posted May 20th, 2013
184 posts
16.6 Years
Lastly, I now have a slight belief in the "ancient astronaut" theory, which says that aliens may have come to Earth in ancient times. I have an idea that these aliens became worshipped as gods due to their superior technology, which made the humans think they were gods, and over time the stories became warped int different religions. An unlikely theory, but still, it's possible.
That is similar to Stargate...

Aksyel

Trajnisto Komencigxa

Age 30
Male
Usono
Seen November 26th, 2009
Posted November 26th, 2009
42 posts
13.5 Years
Do you have faith in Jesus?
Not having faith in Jesus doesn't make you Atheist. You could just follow a religion that doesn't follow Jesus.

I am Agnostic. I realize the fact that there is as much possibility as God existing as there is of him not existing. But, I personally don't see how he can.

----

Ne havas fido in Jesus ne faras vin Ateisto. Vi postirus religio tiu ne postiras Jesus.

Mi estas Ateisto. Mi finarangxis la fakto tiu tie estas lauxeble estus Dio ekzistatas kiam tiu estas li ne ekzistatas. Eksepte, persone mi no vidas kiamaniere.

Pokeyomom

Hoenn no you didn't...

Oregon
Seen January 13th, 2013
Posted April 17th, 2011
743 posts
14.1 Years
That is similar to Stargate...

More like Scientology:p


I think where faith fails scientifically is not that it lacks evidence - an individual's personal experience and what seem to be miracles are evidence of a sort - but that it's evidence which cannot be reproduced systematically and reliably. It is essentially random and unpredictable. If, for instance, praying for a deathly sick person to get better regularly caused such a person to get better and if sending a random sample of the population to to church consistently caused 37% of them to describe feelings of a spiritual presence then you would have some good evidence. That's clearly not the case. Faith is subjective. Science is objective.
You know there are empirical studies regarding faith/prayer and healing, health, happiness, success, etc, etc. I'm not to sure of any of the specifics, but I do recall a study presenting that people who regularly attended curch had a 50% less risk of mortality vs. their peers. I believe I read that in The Power Of Positive Thinking, by Norman Peale. I have no idea as to the validity and veracity of the study...

Esper

California
Seen June 30th, 2018
Posted June 30th, 2018
You know there are empirical studies regarding faith/prayer and healing, health, happiness, success, etc, etc. I'm not to sure of any of the specifics, but I do recall a study presenting that people who regularly attended curch had a 50% less risk of mortality vs. their peers. I believe I read that in The Power Of Positive Thinking, by Norman Peale. I have no idea as to the validity and veracity of the study...
I think everyone suffers from mortality eventually, but I'm guessing you mean they're healthier, or recover from illness better or something like that. If it were true I'd assume it has more to do with mental health affecting your physical health (positive thinking or whatnot) and not, strictly speaking, because of an outside, supernatural force.
Male
Seen September 16th, 2017
Posted November 4th, 2011
1,050 posts
14.6 Years
I'm not what you should call an atheist.
I don't believe in any set religion, though I am inclined to my religion a bit. I only believe that there is a God and that he/she is the cause we are here now. I also believe in the afterlife and I choose to believe the good things about the religion that appeal to me.
Most of the times, I choose to not believe anything that would be negative, or would bind me in chains, because I hate that.

So yeah, not an atheist here, since I believe in the simple principle, but if you think that not following any singled out religion and/or choosing to believe what I want to makes me an atheist, then I guess I am one...

Pokeyomom

Hoenn no you didn't...

Oregon
Seen January 13th, 2013
Posted April 17th, 2011
743 posts
14.1 Years
I think everyone suffers from mortality eventually, but I'm guessing you mean they're healthier, or recover from illness better or something like that. If it were true I'd assume it has more to do with mental health affecting your physical health (positive thinking or whatnot) and not, strictly speaking, because of an outside, supernatural force.

I totally agree with you:D But just to clarify- that is how people reference a lower risk of death. True mortality is inevitable, but I believe when journals state that, they mean compared to peers of a similar age (or something.) For instance if I did a long study on 10 avid joggers, and 10 sedendary folk, the same ages, and 2 of the joggers died in the study, and 6 of the sedendary people died, we could deduce that joggers have a 50% reduction in the likelyhood of mortality:p (a pretty petty postulation given my weak example:p) I know- that's a horrible example, and a vast over simplification, but I hope you get what I'm shooting for?

And yes, it could very well just be psychosomatic advantages. But science is objectively studying the subjective. It doesn't need to concern itself with fundamental attribution errors, etc. For the specifics of what actually caused the benefits, etc, they could test a number of other variables to ascertain a more complete picture of what is really going on.

The placebo effect is fascinating when looked at by any perspective:P Perhaps as neuroscience evolves, we can gain better insight into the nitty gritty of how our believes effect our bodies/ brains/ etc. I think there is already a bunch of studies regarding this as well- I'm just a little off base with current neurosoup:D
London, England. :3
Seen February 22nd, 2015
Posted December 13th, 2009
49 posts
14.2 Years
I often wonder how people can believe in something when there's no proof at all. I guess most of you who are religious are becuase your parents told you so.

Then there's people who have experiences and it changes them but really, I think it's a cover up for "I want to be a better person now". (Or they had some insaaane LSD trip).

There's no god. When we die, our bodies rot and we're eaten' by worms. There may of been some guy called Jesus once but I'm pretty sure he didn't come back from the dead and he didn't do anything mystical.

Before I'm shot for slagging everyone off, I will admit, I do agree with some of the teachings in the bible and it does have some fair points. Kinda like morals in fairy tales.

Wish

No spoils for the meek.

Seen February 11th, 2018
Posted August 4th, 2016
1,893 posts
15.8 Years
I've always thought the same for every Religion thread that popped up on PC.

I do believe in my Catholic beliefs. In short: It's better to die believing in God and be wrong about his whole existence than to die not believing God and burning in eternal Hell.

That's my belief at least.

Agent Cobalt

Proud U.S. Army Soldier

Age 33
Male
New Jersey
Seen December 11th, 2009
Posted December 10th, 2009
191 posts
14.9 Years
I've always thought the same for every Religion thread that popped up on PC.

I do believe in my Catholic beliefs. In short: It's better to die believing in God and be wrong about his whole existence than to die not believing God and burning in eternal Hell.

That's my belief at least.
Cue Luck in 3... 2... 1...

Pikachu2007

Free hugs for everyone!

Male
In front of my laptop. Ya sillies! :P
Seen December 25th, 2009
Posted December 25th, 2009
273 posts
15.9 Years
I'm half and half. You know, part of me wants me to think there is a God because of all the cool things that happen to me while there are bad moments and logical thinking that makes me question the lord's" intentions.
[
Diamond FC: 1332 4457 5372
Be sure to visit my cartoony art gallery. :)
Male
Désordre, Empire of Canada
Seen November 8th, 2021
Posted May 12th, 2020
2,955 posts
17.9 Years
I've always thought the same for every Religion thread that popped up on PC.

I do believe in my Catholic beliefs. In short: It's better to die believing in God and be wrong about his whole existence than to die not believing God and burning in eternal Hell.

That's my belief at least.
Hahaha, I share your sentiments.
MyAnimeList
Spring Breeze