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Captain Chaos · Dec 29, 2006, 04:25 pm

Quote:

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary

True, but most faiths regard suicide as a grave sin, kinda pointless to kill yourself if you're gonna go to Hell anyway.

Although, I'll agree that there are definately plusses to being less dogmatic and more philosophical.

Those are faiths.

I am saying it would be very different if you possessed direct knowledge.

We also would not feel the same impulse to make as much of life as we can, because we would not take it as seriously.

Gods_Mercenary · Dec 29, 2006, 04:27 pm

O, so you were giving a reason why we aren't given absolute knowlege?

Captain Chaos · Dec 29, 2006, 04:31 pm

Quote:

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary

O, so you were giving a reason why we aren't given absolute knowlege?

It is a speculative reason, of course, but it makes sense to me.

RickSp · Dec 29, 2006, 04:34 pm

Quote:

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary

By the way, how did you know I was Catholic?

I believe that you have mentioned it more than once in various posts..

Gods_Mercenary · Dec 29, 2006, 04:34 pm

That's actually pretty nice. Why would one live out your life to the fullest if you knew what was going to happen

Gods_Mercenary · Dec 29, 2006, 04:35 pm

Quote:

Quote by: RickSp

I believe that you have mentioned it more than once in various posts..

Yes, but you said it like you were guessing, I mistook you.

RickSp · Dec 29, 2006, 06:34 pm

Quote:

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary

Yes, but you said it like you were guessing, I mistook you.

I asked if you were raised as a Catholic as opposed to being a convert. Most folks do believe what they were taught as children. Not necessarily the worst reason yet it doesn't necessarily make for a compelling argument.

Gods_Mercenary · Dec 29, 2006, 06:38 pm

Ah, well that's why, then it's perfectly relevant. Actually I was raised Catholic. I should ask one of the converts in my parish why they converted, that'll be interesting...

**Jack** · Dec 29, 2006, 07:34 pm

I converted to Catholicism, but not exactly for theological reasons. I think I had always harbored a fascination for the solemnity of the Catholic church. All the trappings appealed to me. I still have a deep love for early church music. The attraction was all emotional, not logical.

Gods_Mercenary · Dec 29, 2006, 08:12 pm

That's a lot of what religion is, maybe not all, but a lot. Are you still Catholic? The Catholic Church does have an ancient appeal that some other Churhces seem to lack. It appeals to my taste for history.

**Jack** · Dec 29, 2006, 08:46 pm

I did want to become a Jesuit, but was assured that even they weren't so liberal as to allow an avowed atheist to become one.
That was the last church I attended while still a believer. But once I realized I was no longer a believer, I left the church altogether.

Still love the music, though. Of my 1000+ classical CDs, I'd say 300 or so are early church music, polyphonic motets and chant.

Gods_Mercenary · Dec 29, 2006, 08:51 pm

The Jesuits are actually pretty cool guys from the ones i've met, not as uptight as some other priests, but I'd imagine they require you to believe to become one.

Some of the music is pretty good, It really does help you connect with God, or if you're an atheist, well i don't know.

RickSp · Dec 29, 2006, 08:56 pm

Quote:

Quote by: Isherwood

The attraction was all emotional, not logical.

I have long thought that the persistance of religion is due to a deep psychological need rather than a rational determination. I was very active in my local Methodist church youth group when I decided that I was an atheist. Made for an interesting transition.

Gods_Mercenary · Dec 29, 2006, 08:58 pm

Very deep, Although thinking theists will rationalize it, or at least excuse it.

**Jack** · Dec 29, 2006, 10:02 pm

Quote:

Some of the music is pretty good, It really does help you connect with God, or if you're an atheist, well i don't know.

Scientists still can't explain precisely why and how music appeals so broadly to humans. I find that I can meditate better to organ music or chants. Music brings me to a mental level where I can better appreciate the mystery of life (not metaphysical, mind you, just a natural state) and find relaxation and joy. Music is a large part of my belief that there is a spiritual side to our brains, it's just not supernatural or mystical in the religious sense.

Rainbow · Dec 30, 2006, 01:29 am

Quote:

Quote by: RickSp

For the believers here, why do you believe in your particular God ?

Since the very first atom has Not created itself, then there is one God for all of us, regardless of religious and/or non-religious approach.
- first atom ---> Creation
- friction ---> Evolution
, and Not otherwise, since a process of friction would not take place unless there are 2 atoms (at least).

Whoever created the very first atom is Creator/God/Mind.
Child upbringing along with education is the result of perceiving God.

arielmessenger · Dec 30, 2006, 06:27 pm

I was more or less an atheist before going through a religious conversion experience that came completely "out of nowhere" at age 35. Since God came crashing into my world there is no choice in the matter for me of religious belief or not, that option is long gone.

Over the years, many of them, I have come to "identify" the Creator, or at least, find aspects of It defined in theological texts to know Who was guiding my life and to what purpose. Being Christian one would assume I would say it is Yahweh who is the Creator but that's not what I finally discovered.
"God" comes with many identities but some will come to the forefront as "needed". In our New Millennium times, the Creator will come to the prophetic human mind as a healing of the Abrahamic divorce of God and Goddess, the Feminine side of God coming back into human consciousness with a vengeance in order to restore the heavenly Holy Family model of a pluriform Monad, i.e. the restoration of the Elohim, the Divine Assembly. The Male God will go onto the compost heaps of history as humans discover it takes two to tango even in the spiritual realm where God is One.

Dec 29, 2006, 04:27 pm	#22 (permalink) (top)
Gods_Mercenary Altruism Assassin Location: Massachusetts Posts: 5,361	O, so you were giving a reason why we aren't given absolute knowlege? “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” -Albert Einstein

Dec 29, 2006, 04:34 pm	#25 (permalink) (top)
Gods_Mercenary Altruism Assassin Location: Massachusetts Posts: 5,361	That's actually pretty nice. Why would one live out your life to the fullest if you knew what was going to happen “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” -Albert Einstein

Dec 29, 2006, 06:38 pm	#28 (permalink) (top)
Gods_Mercenary Altruism Assassin Location: Massachusetts Posts: 5,361	Ah, well that's why, then it's perfectly relevant. Actually I was raised Catholic. I should ask one of the converts in my parish why they converted, that'll be interesting... “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” -Albert Einstein

Dec 29, 2006, 07:34 pm	#29 (permalink) (top)
Jack formerly Isherwood Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,209	I converted to Catholicism, but not exactly for theological reasons. I think I had always harbored a fascination for the solemnity of the Catholic church. All the trappings appealed to me. I still have a deep love for early church music. The attraction was all emotional, not logical. The Forum Rules Radical Atheist Heathen Queer Let's agree to respect each others views, no matter how wrong yours may be. (Ashleigh Brilliant)

Dec 29, 2006, 08:12 pm	#30 (permalink) (top)
Gods_Mercenary Altruism Assassin Location: Massachusetts Posts: 5,361	That's a lot of what religion is, maybe not all, but a lot. Are you still Catholic? The Catholic Church does have an ancient appeal that some other Churhces seem to lack. It appeals to my taste for history. “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” -Albert Einstein

Dec 29, 2006, 08:46 pm	#31 (permalink) (top)
Jack formerly Isherwood Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,209	I did want to become a Jesuit, but was assured that even they weren't so liberal as to allow an avowed atheist to become one. That was the last church I attended while still a believer. But once I realized I was no longer a believer, I left the church altogether. Still love the music, though. Of my 1000+ classical CDs, I'd say 300 or so are early church music, polyphonic motets and chant. The Forum Rules Radical Atheist Heathen Queer Let's agree to respect each others views, no matter how wrong yours may be. (Ashleigh Brilliant)

Dec 29, 2006, 08:51 pm	#32 (permalink) (top)
Gods_Mercenary Altruism Assassin Location: Massachusetts Posts: 5,361	The Jesuits are actually pretty cool guys from the ones i've met, not as uptight as some other priests, but I'd imagine they require you to believe to become one. Some of the music is pretty good, It really does help you connect with God, or if you're an atheist, well i don't know. “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” -Albert Einstein

Dec 29, 2006, 08:58 pm	#34 (permalink) (top)
Gods_Mercenary Altruism Assassin Location: Massachusetts Posts: 5,361	Very deep, Although thinking theists will rationalize it, or at least excuse it. “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” -Albert Einstein

Dec 30, 2006, 06:27 pm	#37 (permalink) (top)
arielmessenger BANNED Posts: 701	The Creator I was more or less an atheist before going through a religious conversion experience that came completely "out of nowhere" at age 35. Since God came crashing into my world there is no choice in the matter for me of religious belief or not, that option is long gone. Over the years, many of them, I have come to "identify" the Creator, or at least, find aspects of It defined in theological texts to know Who was guiding my life and to what purpose. Being Christian one would assume I would say it is Yahweh who is the Creator but that's not what I finally discovered. "God" comes with many identities but some will come to the forefront as "needed". In our New Millennium times, the Creator will come to the prophetic human mind as a healing of the Abrahamic divorce of God and Goddess, the Feminine side of God coming back into human consciousness with a vengeance in order to restore the heavenly Holy Family model of a pluriform Monad, i.e. the restoration of the Elohim, the Divine Assembly. The Male God will go onto the compost heaps of history as humans discover it takes two to tango even in the spiritual realm where God is One.