Would you label me as an atheist? (Mormons, agnostics, Islam)
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How would I label you? I hate labels, but if I had to, here goes: Intellectual, deeply thoughtful and thought provoking, pretty funny, easy to dialogue with, interesting, entertaining.
And geekigurl is well-known in these parts as being a deeply cynical, harsh critic of all things people-wise.*
Thanks all - good responses. I agree about labels especially when there's so much confusion and prejudices with them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoCardinals
I think I understood the rest of your post but this part, I didn't. ^^ Can you elaborate a little more with a couple of examples?
By focussing on individuals and not religious beliefs has been eye opening and enriching. One of my best friends is a Baptist conservative on the opposite spectrum than myself, but we both have similar core values and have added great value to each other lives. Another friend who's an atheist is possibly the most amazing individual I know. He has given up great wealth (is still quite successful), travels to third world countries constantly and is helping thousands, which could turn into millions of people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoCardinals
Labeling you as an Atheist or an Agnostic does not appeal to me as much as I would like to know how do you live your life?
I tend to be very grateful, try to eliminate ego, try to stay present, work on effective communication with people I'm physically around. I want to take advantage of everyday, live a life full of happiness, love, joy. It takes work, but so far I believe the reward has been worth it. I've become much more social and tend to see people in a new way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoCardinals
What principles do you follow BESIDES obeying law of the land? How do you differentiate between whats right and whats not right that YOU do in day to day life, and also what OTHERS do in their day to day life that may effect you or other people?
This is one part I would like to know.
I don't think there's any one principle, I'm just trying to be a person of great character. I think differentiating between right and wrong comes down to personal morales and those are formed by who and what influences us.
This is a basic, minute example but at a store today I let an elderly lady cut in front of me to order. Not sure why, as I had a toddler in my arms and it was around lunch/nap "meltdown any minute" time. The lady had her hands full and dropped two things. I picked them up for her and offered to get her a cart. Another customer got upset and rude that they wouldn't give him bread and the guy behind the counter was terse back. Then he waited on me, was friendly as could be, thanked me multiple times for waiting, and I think he gave me a big discount on the food. Then my toddler got in a really good mood out of the blue, and starting saying hi and waving to a bunch of people which got some great responses.
I'm not saying life is perfect and I'm no saint and have plenty of flaws, but I'm working on improving myself, the lives of my family and others, and staying grateful for my good fortune and paying it forward.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoCardinals
Second part,
What intrigues me to ask you is that, suppose there is a God that you may meet after life.
What would you think the purpose of your life is now, in relation to meeting God after death?
To spread joy and happiness, reduce ego. I would love to help increase serenity on earth but I don't have high expectations
Quote:
Originally Posted by geekigurl
How would I label you? I hate labels, but if I had to, here goes: Intellectual, deeply thoughtful and thought provoking, pretty funny, easy to dialogue with, interesting, entertaining.
Umm, I just signed up for 10 additional CD accounts just so I could give you additional positive rep I agree about labels but thank you so very much, I really enjoy your posts and perspective too.
However, the feedback you gave is way too kind and should be banned from this religious forum!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by nateswift
I don't think "atheist/theist/agnostic" is a direction for you to look for a label. It doesn't appear to be your major concern. I'd say to pick up on "humanist" and let the rest develop as it will while you pursue the expression of what IS important to you.
Not all, but some things with humanism certainly resonate. I agree with labels. Maybe I'll just go with human being who tries to be a good person.
I have trouble believing in other people's God and the concept of a single creator and ruler. Seems more psychologically driven to me (which I can understand) and I'm trying to focus more on individuals and character than personal religious beliefs.
I believe there is something greater than human life but accept that humans will never know. I don't believe in an exclusive heaven and I'm not sure about any sort of afterlife, since as far as I know I haven't died yet Hopefully there is an afterlife, but the thought that there isn't actually makes life more precious and meaningful to me.
I don't feel very spiritual but believe in the human soul and feel there are blessed and troubled souls and we can all work to improve our souls.
Seems like a lot of theists stereotype atheists as not at all spiritual and being 100% certain there is no God or any sort of afterlife.
So how would you label me? Feel free to poke fun too, especially if it makes you feel better - just don't do it in a prejudice way
Makes me think if someone says "God Bless You" to me, I appreciate the well wishes but often think "God Bless Everyone" as I've been blessed enough. Or when politicians end speeches "God Bless America", how about adding "God Bless the World, especially those suffering the most". I guess the first one has a better ring to it
I'm with geekigirl and Tzap.
No real labels...we didnt have any when
we were born either...only in other people's heads maybe.
And that doesn't count for anything. You're you...experiencing .
I have trouble believing in other people's God and the concept of a single creator and ruler. Seems more psychologically driven to me (which I can understand) and I'm trying to focus more on individuals and character than personal religious beliefs.
I believe there is something greater than human life but accept that humans will never know. I don't believe in an exclusive heaven and I'm not sure about any sort of afterlife, since as far as I know I haven't died yet Hopefully there is an afterlife, but the thought that there isn't actually makes life more precious and meaningful to me.
I don't feel very spiritual but believe in the human soul and feel there are blessed and troubled souls and we can all work to improve our souls.
Seems like a lot of theists stereotype atheists as not at all spiritual and being 100% certain there is no God or any sort of afterlife.
So how would you label me? Feel free to poke fun too, especially if it makes you feel better - just don't do it in a prejudice way
Personal religious beliefs often drive an individual's character, although to varying extents.
Of course there are things "greater" than human life. I think what you mean is that you personally "have a hunch" and/or would support the idea/reality that either there are undiscovered beings that you would classify as over-all greater than humans or that there is something greater to human life than what currently seems (a bunch of apes being exceedingly intelligent both to their own benefit and also to their own detriment at various points).
I however, hope in something that I think is better than what you hope for, that there are infinite after-lives and before-lives and one-single-and-infinite-individual consciousness and that we all get to be to top-dog in an infinity of ways. That is what I see as better to hope for than just a single second life (which I rate as pitiful as making the possibilities of human life seem as if though only some incapable, limited, death-metaphorph butterfly thing). Infinite afterlives all dancing on the head of a pin; that is a bit more appealing than just one limited one.
Usually, "not feeling spiritual" means a person feels sort of trapped in their material existence. Guess what, you are. Feeling spiritual would only mean putting your head in the clouds, and it's very nice and most times feels good, and is probably largely harmless especially in a society where "head-in-clouds" is largely an important aspect for group-bonding found in many tight-knit communities. If you believe in a human soul/psyche/spirit/kah/bah/etc than you are largely a Spiritualist, or Spiritualian, or Dualist (if you want to be more formal) if you aren't as ardent about it. I've found that relying on words such as "blessed and troubled" is just a cop-out to ignore the fact that circumstances happen and some consequences of pure circumstance are inescapable. It seems to me that most of the time they are escapable though.
Consider yourself labeled: a dualist agnostic monoatheist.
Last edited by LuminousTruth; 08-30-2017 at 12:20 AM..
You'd be considered an "agnostic". A true atheist believes there is no God. An agnostic simply doesn't know.
Incidentally, Romans 1 says there is no such thing as a true atheist. People know by looking at nature, at the universe that something created it.
When I was a believer, that was never the reason that I believed. It just felt right emotionally at the time (probably because of peer-pressure and indoctrination that I can no longer remember). What I was taught in fundamentalist evangelical circles was (yes, that passage at some points too) that by looking at nature and the universe, you just had to know that you needed God to get you out of this "fallen" hell-hole prison; not that it showed the organized art-work signs of a single benevolent fascist being that should immediately convince you of monotheism just by looking at a blade of grass for a minute. For example, it had already been taught to me that when pagans looked at the different aspects of nature they saw the many gods they believed in, and the pagans had said this exact "creationist" stuff themselves about the "evidence" of their gods. Just look around, the grass-god is obviously different from the lightning-god who is different from the ocean-god.
"Looking at nature" was something for pagans (and wrong did they do it), and Paul had written that to deride the hypocritical liberty of pagan religions [although the deriding would apply right back to Christians in this day and back then, if you replace Theos (God) with Theos (The Gods)]; and trying to understand the intricacies of nature and workings of the universe was something for atheists to further fall-away from Jesus and Monotheism with; The Devil was the King of this "Secular and/or Natural" world... Satan was only deleted for faith-armor-wearing Christians who didn't "Test God" too much in terms of philosophy and general/scientific knowledge. Then again, I don't recall getting taught religion by very intelligent/academic people. Even otherwise, the religious academic people were always the most ignorant or loosy-goosy of their own religion, which wasn't attractive at all to someone raised under the stern surety of proselytizing evangelicals.
He was also inspired and his writing was "God-breathed".
That, or he was inspired to spread lies and die horribly because the Enemy of Humanity loves using people and making them suffer idiotically and self-deceivingly, and making others suffer and believe false and detrimental things that only "feel" good at certain points.
And geekigurl is well-known in these parts as being a deeply cynical, harsh critic of all things people-wise.*
So, count yourself blessed.
*I may have fibbed about this part.
I think geekigurl is great!
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