I am aware that this is sensitive subject to talk about, since it deals with the beliefs of different people. So please try to keep this thread civil. We don't need insults or threats, and let's not bash other religions. Before I go on, let me say that I respect the beliefs of other people and I'm happy that you have your own beliefs. Also, please respect other's beliefs. If you actually have a problem with someone, send them a PM and don't start an argument in the thread. I am an atheist. I wasn't raised in a religious family, but I have gone to church before. I began to question God's existence when I was around 13 and eventually stopped believing in him. I just don't see how a God or a deity can create a world by will and leave no evidence of his existence. Of course there's the Bible, but it's not a valid source. It was written by man, translated many times, and is written by old world standards. It's full of contradictions and some of it is just disgusting. Murder, prostitution, and death? I wouldn't let my kids read that. Okay, so you may be thinking, "That's Christianity. What about other religions Darkstar64?" Well, I actually don't have much knowledge on other religions, so I wouldn't know any arguments. I'm not hating against Christians, but it's the common religion to point at when defending your atheism. Now, I don't have a problem with Christians for their beliefs. They can believe all they want and I won't say a thing. They could be right, but I don't know. There's no real way of proving anything without evidence. I will be open to religion, but only if evidence proves it to be the right religion, but I just can't see that happening. I would love to hear about other people's experiences with Religion and how it makes you feel. It doesn't matter if you're an atheist, Christian, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, or even a Pastafarian, we're all friends here and we shouldn't hate each other for our deepest beliefs.
I view religion as a trivial thing that has no place in my life and is a waste of my time. My experience with atheism is just a personal experience and thought: Its pseudo-religion. It's the religion of no religion and i see no point in it. If you're atheist, why not just have no religion and say you don't have a religion, being how allegedly trivial religion is in your life. Just my two cents and i mean no offense by it, just food for thought. Any other religion i simply scoff at and don't pay any particular attention to. If you are religious i fully support you in your faith because it is what makes you happy and religion is just as much a theory as EVERY part of life even our mere perception of reality. Because our perception is only based on reflected light. What we could actually be seeing is completely different than what our brains perceive. TL;DR I support your religion because its just as much a theory as any other part or aspect of life.
I was raised a Christian. About four years ago, I lost faith in God. My life improved immediately. I respect religious people's right to have faith, however I do not respect their beliefs at all. I personally see no reason to respect that which has no logical foundation. On top of this, religion reaches out and affects many people, sometimes (a lot of the time, honestly) in very negative ways. I would fight to protect the right to have a religion, however, I think religion is an outdated concept that should have no control in the world.
I don't believe in mainstream religions... I believe in the Azexian Pantheon! Anyway, it's apparent that the neccesity for religion is slowly fading out as the newer generations are raised. (You guys, to me, are a newer generation. :derpe: )
I am spiritual but does not belong to any particular religion. I do study theology and I know the bible better tha most people, but I do not believe in it. I believe in God in my own way, I am a pantheist. I believe that existence itself is God. I have great respect for Jesus Christ, though I do not see him as the son of God, I do think he was a great moral teacher and I admire the way he challenged the religious institution of his day. He opposed the theology of vengeance that the jews of the time held to and preached that every person has their flaws and that the true way was acceptance of your own flaws and forgivness of others. I do feel not many christians today truly understand the core of his message, I feel it is less about belief in God and more about how to treat others. Granted that his philosophy has flaws, but I don't expect perfection from who I consider a mere human, still he was a great man. Today the group that lives most in lines with these teachings are not the christians, too many have abondoned love for hate and compassion for judgement, but in fact bronies, we are the group that does in fact encourage the values of love, tolerance and friendship. Bottom line, I think religion could be a good thing, but is often abused. Both my greatest enemy and my greatest ally have I found in religion. I don't care what others believe as long as they don't use their faith as an excuse for oppression.
I was raised as a Hindu and I'll still consider myself one. I consider God as a formless being who is beyond human understanding. So for that reason, I don't waste my time attempting to try and make sense of him. Another reason that I'm still religious is that I don't find religion to be a hindrance. All I have to do is remember God and not be a jerk. Religion also gives me a quick explanation for certain things that exist in the world, such as suffering and #YOLOSWAG. Call me delusional, but I try not to spend my time thinking about where we came from.
I am like Darkstar64, except I am an Agnostic. I was raised Baptist and my dad use to be a Muslim. Around the X-Mas of 2004, I saw a funny X-Mas cell phone commercial that went something like "It's ok if you're a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew, it's ok if you're Agnostic and you don't know what to do." And that's the first time I've ever heard of Agnostic. I've studied on it and start hearing what it was from Agnostics themselves. When I was 19, I became an Atheist, and was one until June 6, 2010, when I was 21, in which I became a Catholic. Then, in April of 2012, I became an Agnostic and came to see that that was what I always was, but didn't know the term until about 8 years ago. I use to be real strong in the word and I still know a lot about the bible, I also know the evil things the bible teaches and why it became the main reason why I denounce my religion. Like Darkstar, I don't know that much about other religions, I know Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Satanism, Rastafarism, Deism, and Paganism. If I was to be a part of a religion, it would be Paganism (most likely Wicca). I prefer Paganism over any other belief. I don't dislike Christians, as long ad they are good hearted people who believes in love and acceptance, if they are prejudice Christians like the KKK or Westboro, then stay FAR away from me. (which both would hate me anyways). But I consider myself as an Agnostic, cause I don't believe in god, but there MIGHT be a chance s/he exist. Thus I am not an Atheist.
I was raised Catholic, but I really don't have time for religion at this point and time. I also am unsure of what to believe in
I am a proud Christian but I do respect others beliefs. But when people make fun of me because I am Christian it actually really hurts. And the only people who do are atheists. Now any atheists that are on this forum don't take this the wrong way you guys are cool it's just a lot of atheists I know are jerks to me about my religion and make fun of me for it. But I still think that you have the right to believe in whatever you want to!
Sorry to hear that, those atheists should be more tolerant of people with different opinions. Still I understand why they act the way they do, many associate christians with the dark tyranical incarnation that used to rule everything. Atheists, and everyone that did not agree with the church for that matter, were repressed, silenced, executed, once upon a time, and many still holds a grudge against christianity for that. It is unfortunate that the moderates get lumped together with the fanatics, but the truth is that many christians would repress these people's rights if given the chance, they know this, they fear you, what you represent to them, oppression. I would reccomend to show them kindness and understanding, show the that not all christians are like the extreme evangelical right.
I believe in God & Devil, Angels, Demons, Ghosts, etc. Merely because I find dismissing the possibility of such things fairly narrow minded. No matter how much science, religion, society, politics, etc you have, you can never control or know everything, there are things out in the vast cosmos not fully comprehensible by mere humans, thus we must live our lives as each sees fit. I myself find being cautious and respectful of the old habits & superstitions of my southern roots work for me, but I know well they do not work for all and I am respectful of all peoples beliefs, and try my best to be respectful to those who have none at all as well. Honestly though at this point I don't like to categorize myself. According to my Intro to world religions teacher though I would be considered a "Seeker" Someone who is interested and seeks spiritual knowledge but no longer affiliates himself with any official denomination. Although I still go to the Catholic or Episcapalian church with my Grandfather from time to time.
Demons(or daamons), angels, spirits, yes I do believe in them. I feel their presence. Unlike popular belief they don't have any physical form from what I seen, daemons are mind parasites and above all else manifests nothingness, they are like the void, empty, hollow, cruel. Perhaps this is just my emotions or some kind of otherworldly presence, but I have been feeling this void from time to time. Angels I know little of, but in a way Rainbow is my guardian angel. She, together with other ponies does represent the light in my life.
I might not have phrased it that same way, but I'm going to agree with testyal1 here. Just because someone dismisses the possibility of the existence of spiritual entities such as angels and demons does not mean that they are narrow minded. Of course, someone could be narrow minded and also say that, but there is no correlation. On the contrary, I believe that the person who says "I cannot disprove the existence of something, therefore I believe it exists" is foolhardy. This is known as argumentum ad ignorantiam which means "argument from ignorance" and is a popular fallacy of reasoning. This means that a person has assumed something is true because they believe it has not been proven false. It goes without saying that the absence of evidence is the exact opposite of the proof of presence. I believe testyal1's statement was directed mostly at StereoPony454's reasoning, rather than his conclusion.
Before I go into the subject of religion, I would like to say that I have grown up in a small, conservative, southern baptist school. I was force fed a lot of religion and have seen my fair share of hypocrites and people who rebel against the church just to be against the administration. I would also like to say that, even if your views are totally contrary to my own and vice versa, I'm still an advocate that Jesus' essence was, after all, love and tolerance, even if many of his followers fail to represent that lifestyle. I am a Christian. I do not acknowledge any denomination not out of contempt for denominations, but because I find the very idea divisive and malicious in nature. I merely am a Christian, basing my worldview on God's Word and the evident principles of the world, physical or metaphysical. Also, this is not because of my background, but because I have been very near death multiple times and have come to realize that surely there must be some force intervening that kept me alive against all logical odds. However, I don't go to church beyond when I have a specific reason or feeling that I should go. I also avoid the extremists of Christianity who simply say it is true because God says so. Thats circular logic. After all, knowledge without faith may be dead, but likewise, faith without knowledge of theology and the metaphysical is blind. Balance should be kept between these two. Therefore, while I am a christian, and do believe in God, Satan, Jesus, angels, and daemons, I look at scientific knowledge and don't attempt to shut away the world that disagrees. In fact, it enrages me when the small percentage of radical atheists judges me for believing in "fairy tales" and likewise those few ignorant Christians believe me as faithless or doubtful of God. To the main point I want to make, this is one of the reasons I love the Brony subculture and am so unashamed to call you guys my friends. You guys practice the good morals that many religions, especially Christians, seem to try to instill and follow. You don't judge, love unconditionally, forgive, and are some of the best folks I know. When I told the "Christians" at my school about my new-found love of friendship is magic, a great deal, though not all, ridiculed me as "queer" or "weak", and these are the people who are supposedly following the teaching, "Judge not, lest ye be judged." (Jesus) Meanwhile, you guys come from many different backgrounds, ethnicities, creeds, and beliefs, and are still kinder, friendlier, and more accepting than mainstream Christians I know. TL;DR Regardless of any of your religious views, even if its that you believe in a giant floating pop-tart wearing a rasta hat that judges all beings with a magic Nerf gun, You are still very kind people, and there is hardly anyone else I'd rather be called brother of than you guys. After all, Friendship is Magic.
An interesting topic to discuss and one I hope I can speak on without offending anyone. I was raised in a mormon household and about the age of 16 I began to question the teachings of the church and how its people acted. Now I'm from Utah which is mormonville and offers a unique experience in that everyone thinks that their crap doesn't stink and it's rather annoying. Now I'm twenty and I don't believe anything really about christianity for my own reasons, but I refuse to demonize it because I've seen it do some wonderful things for people, but I still left and came to Paganism, specifically worhsip of Odin, which, for me, is much better and has opened up a few different intellectual doors in all areas, but I have been discriminated against because of my own rather outlandish beliefs, but personally I feel that people should get what they want and what they work for, that's why I should get to go to Valhall and Christians should get to go to heaven.
Mormons... a religion written by a man who was previously convicted of lying aboiut gold finds twice. I don't want to sound offensive, but I've never been able to take it seriously. Even the Bible is written years after the fact as it is. Laarsgaard, power be to the All Father. I'm glad you've found your place.
