What is it LIKE to not believe in God...?

Re: What is it LIKE to not believe in God...?

Frank Apisa wrote:

I don't mean this as an insult, Thomas....but our responses are almost identical.

No insult taken. I knew you would eventually see the light and become a born-again atheist. Twisted Evil

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But, Dog, whether or not we think it strange and foreign is not really an issue....nor does it truly impact on the truth of the matter.

Whether or not we think it strange and foreign is precisely the issue when the question is, "What is it LIKE to not believe in God?" As one who does not believe in God, and has never believed in God, I lack a frame of reference.

I do have a dim memory of waiting up on Xmas eve for Santa Claus when I was very young, but such a comparison would be disrespectful at best.

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I remember being terrorized by the Nuns who were trying to drum "WhydidGodmakeyou--Toknowhimandlovehiminheaven" into my head, and thinking the sonuvabitch could do without my help.

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Re: What is it LIKE to not believe in God...?

Thomas wrote:

Frank Apisa wrote:
I don't mean this as an insult, Thomas....but our responses are almost identical.

No insult taken. I knew you would eventually see the light and become a born-again atheist.

No atheism in me.

I should have congratulated you on your conversion to agnosticism.

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1. Is the BIBLE what turns you off of believing in God, or do you just not LIKE God, did you have a bad experience with a religous finatic, or is it the lack of scientific proof...?

There is nothing in the Bible that would make me think that it is any more than the work of a myriad of primitive people.

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2. When good things happen, what do you think/feel/do?

I am happy. If I can share the happiness with people I love, I will do that. What else?

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3. How do you cope with bad things?

There are three things that I have learned in life, that sustain me during bad times.

a) Life is NOT fair. Get over it.
b) There is no justice in the world. Some people behave like dogs, and never have to pay for their bad behavior. Bad things happen to good people.
c) Mother Nature is capricious. Ask anyone who lived in New Orleans.

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4. Do you pray -- to anything? What do you have in place of prayer -- pep talks to yourself, nice thoughts... nothing?

No, I don't pray. Praying is asking for something outside of yourself. I will sometimes meditate, which enables me to gather strength from within.

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5. What are your principles as far as how you treat other people? (and what are they based on?)

I live by the Golden Rule, and its corrolary, "The right to swing your arm ends at the other fellow's nose". That is all the principle that I need to lead a good life.

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6. If you're scared about something you can't act on, how do you deal with it? Do you wish, cross fingers, hope, ignore it...?

I become anxious, drive myself nuts, until I can calm myself, and settle down. One of the things that I have learned as a grownup, is that you can't control everything, and you would go bonkers trying.

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7. Is it scary to think that when you die, you just DIE?

After my death, it will be about as scary as before I was born.

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8. Do you like people (anyone?) who believes in God -- ones of course who are nice about it & don't condemn you...?

Sure. I know a lot of people who are great folks, even though they are religious. :wink: It is interesting that you juxtapose "people who believe in God", with "condemn". You might want to think about that a bit.

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9. What happens if you decide to believe in God "just in case" or "just because"?

I think, that after all these years, there is little possibility that this will happen.

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10. Have you ever tried doing something like -- picturing all the qualities that God would have to have for you to believe in him & like him... and then just go with it?

No. Sounds like a pointless exercise to me.

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Re: What is it LIKE to not believe in God...?

peace_is_good wrote:

What is it LIKE to not believe in God...?

You need to first define what you mean by "God". Not everyone thinks of "God" in the same way, and what you really may be asking is "what it is like to not belive in MY God?"

For me, the concept of a personal god is limited and irrational. The very notion that something omniscient and omnipotent could even think in the way that we do is insulting to such an entity. Furthermore the idea that such a being might actually plot and plan and interact with beings who are involved with such banal illusions as "past", "present", and "future" is irrational: The concepts just don't make sense together.

The question becomes entirely different if you assume that "God" is a more spiritual concept which does not interact or behave as we do. Then all bets (and evaluations) are off. Such a concept is far more rational, even if less defined.

So, to answer your question: "What is it LIKE to not believe in God?". It's refreshing. It's freeing and it's inspiring. It's adventurous and exhilirating and comforting.

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It's a calm feeling, and sometimes you just feel great when you hear your freinds complaining about having to go to church Twisted Evil

Personally I feel that Frank's got the right idea about all of this, and most everyone would agree if they read his posts. To me faith in a God is just people looking for a level of comfort when they can find nothing but uncertainty.

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What is it LIKE to not believe in God...?

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