Well I'm new to this forum and I'm new to being agnostic. I know what the difference is between an athiest and an agnostic and right now I'm an agnostic because I don't know if there is a god or there isn't a god. To me somethings about god and the Bible make sense but there's also a lot of Athiest's and Agnostics that make sense as well. So I guess we can talk or debate about this and maybe some advice or output would help me out.
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Cause life without a religious ball and chain on your foot is much better. Long story short, it's freaking awesome.
I'm an agnostic atheist myself, and here's why. The gnostic knows. Agnostic comes from Greek for unknowable, and while I disagree that the god issue is unsolvable, the answer isn't there yet. To think one knows the answer to such an eternal question as the creator of the universe is, in my opinion, fallacious and arrogant. Gnostic means to know for certain, such as a Gnostic theist knows god exists, while the Gnostic atheist knows god doesn't exist. I'm what Richard Dawkins defined as a De Facto Atheist. I don't know or claim to know the existence or nonexistence of god, but I live my life as if it didn't exist. Because frankly, I don't care if he does or not. Any being ruling this universe has proven over and over that it doesn't have our interests in mind, because I really don't think anyone asked for my brother to be born with Asperger's, or for my grandfather to die of esophageal cancer when I was a month old. No benevolent being did that. So, I figured that any god that created all of this is either that of the deistic belief, or a sadist. Either way, I have no use for it.
1) Stupid question because it is up to YOU to investigate and answer that question. Atheists don't proselytize as a rule.
2) Why believe in the possibility of a god? That makes no sense. You could believe that it is possible that a billion mile invisible purple cow exists behind the sun Just as plausible. I could make up anything and say it's possible no matter how improbable.
I am an atheist. I don't even contemplate the possibility of a god. I haven't seen any shred of evidence that a god or gods are anything but figments of human imagination.
That's the Isaiah 41:23 (NLT) demand:
"Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead.
Then we will know you are gods.
In fact, do anything—good or bad!
Do something that will amaze and frighten us."
Hi Ryan,
Welcome to the forum. It's an honest question and hopefully some of the unnecessarily harsh responses don't prevent you from asking more. That being said, I do agree that being an atheist until given a reason not to be makes the most sense.
Ryan, you said there are "somethings about god and the Bible make sense." What are those "somethings"? Please name a few of those things and let's discuss. I am tempted to write a lengthy reply that outlines the obsurdity of both god and the bible, but any list I compose will leave out tons of other obsurdities, so hearing what you sense has merit in the biblical god will help us to address the points important to you.
In an effort not to be coy I'll mention a few key reasons why god and the bible make no sense. Humanity's presence requires no god; we arrived here without need of any super-being. Animal and plant life required no god to come into being. The earth and sun required no god. Neither did epilepsy and other diseases. Earthquakes and rain requires no god. Morality and concern for other conscious life requires no god. Bad and good events require no god. The bible stupidly claims that all of these things require god. It was written by people who had no access to what we know now. A super-being would've known what we know now. Any super-being wouldn't have told people that epileptic seizures were actually demonic possession, that any tectonic plate movement was his wrath and judgement, and that rain comes from flood gates in the sky. God is non-existent and the bible is incorrect and morally wicked. Neither make any sense at all.
I challenge you to provide anything about god and the bible that "makes sense."
@ Ryan
When you were born, what did you know? What did you belive in?
Since then, what have you been taught or influenced to believe in? And why would that be true over every other set of beliefs?
How is it possible to know if anything is true or not?
Of course we are born unbelievers. If you were born in Mecca you will soon be a Muslim. If you were born in Alabama you may soon be a Baptist. Tibet , perhaps a Buddhist. This is not a philosophical issue.
@chimp3: it isnt, It's anthropological.
@Ryan
Welcome to the forum Ryan. Just a few more baby steps and your an Atheist. I'm an Atheist because of a lack of evidence that any gods are real. Holy books don't count as evidence. Only you can make the choice to become an Atheist an stop believing that there may be a god or gods.
@ Ryan - Welcome to the forum.
I remember going through my phases of disbelief. What pushed me over was the inaccuracies and impossibilities along with the logical fallacies described in the books.
Read the books, Try to understand for yourself whether the message they preach or the stories they tell are possible or not, logical or not. And then try to figure out for yourself whether Any of these described Gods can exist.
This journey is unfortunately one you have to take alone, arrmed only with a questioning mind. If however you get stuck and need help we are here to assist.
Welcome to the forum. We look forward to your question(s) and comments.
Labels. I guess there's some comfort in them if you need them to define relevance for your life.
I understand fully the path someone will follow as a believer, disbeliever or whatever determines the direction in between. I was never one to understand anything outside of a secular definition of simple physical existence.
If you read a lot on the subject, in a manner that is best described as research, you will reveal much about humanity's aspirations relative to the supernatural and arrive at a posit with a secular conclusion. But, that is wholly predicated upon your willingness to excuse your own imagination's desire to discount the historicity and archeological information available today that supports that determination.
The desire to know god is strong in people. It absolutely refutes any and all opposition to such an extent that the whole of the study to sponsor the truth is vanquished in one simple word: faith. When faith is the sword, there is no foe.
This is why I'm no longer the anti-theist I used to be. There can be no debate because faith is not a platform for it. The only human trait that resides strong and healthy is desire and it alone is all that is required for belief systems to exist and propagate. Curiosity about anything else is banished to the extreme edges where doubt naggingly dwells.
The belief, disbelief and confusion between will exist long in humanity until intellect alone makes the final disposition.
Sorry, @Ryan, but, just out of curiosity, What things about God and the Bible make sense to you?
Without religion you don't have the fear, shame, and hate that comes with it. Atheist live happier lives without the religious baggage. Just take the baby steps away from belief in a god, and find more freedom.