Are Most Folks Here Agnostics and Atheists?

Nate Merit

That's the overall impression I get from reading the posts. I'm very new here, so I could be mistaken. If I am, my apologies.

About twelve years ago I 'deprogrammed' my best friend, Mark Smith, from Christian fundamentalism. Rather than take a breather from various worldviews, then study them at his leisure at some future date, he immediately clamped his mind shut around atheistic materialism.

I have no problem with his choice, it's his to make. I did have and do have a problem with his action being immediate. He has never seriously investigated any alternatives to Christian fundamentalism. His attitude is "Christian fundamentalism is the Chivas Regal of religions, hence no worthwhile alternatives exist." First Mark chose, then he studied to find rational support for his decision. He should have studied first, then chose. If anyone on this board falls into the same category, I urge you to reconsider and give spirituality a chance.

Mark's attitude is difficult for me to resonate with. (Yes we continue to discuss this) My life was temporarily ruined by Watchtower religion , yet I didn't give up the Quest when my life crashed and burned. I've studied nearly every sect in Christendom, and all major world religions. There are intelligent and worthwhile alternatives.

I have very little in the way of beliefs. I engage in spiritual practices, and rely on my own insights. It's marvelous to interact with others and explore their insights as well, but ultimately I have to rely on my own subjective experience. We all do. My own subjective experience is one of a transcendent yet immanent 'divinity.' For want of a better term. My atheist friend refuses to even try meditation or any other spiritual practice, writing off such experiences as mere neurological activity.

True, our brains are hard-wired for spiritual experiences, but does that mean the experiences arise from and are limited to our brains? I think not. My own subjective gut reaction is that our brains act as receivers for spiritual reality. A good analogy is a television , which receives broadcasts and then converts them to images and sound. If Thomas Edison were to examine a television he would probably take the set apart looking inside for the moving pictures and the source of the sounds. He would lack the necessary knowledge to understand that the television acts as a receiver and converter for outside signals. I am fairly convinced this is where we currently stand, as a species, in our understanding of spiritual experience.

I have no way to objectively prove any of this, nor do I want to even try. Anyone who, after being burned by the WTBTS, dropped spirituality like a 'hot potato' without examing any alternatives, I encourage you to open up and give spirituality a chance. It's worth a try.

Nate
"All we are saying is give peas a chance"

Frog

a sense of spirituatlity runs far deeper than the outward displays of religious members, and a standard belief in the benevolent and transcendent. while I myself can say for a certainty that I am an athiest who has no regard for entertaining notions of supernatural, I can still say that my belief system is continuously injected with meaning generated from the tangible encounters I have with my surroundings:) x

FlyingHighNow

I believe there is a higher power(s). Not sure of the indentity though.

City Fan

I'm mainly agnostic, with a bit of Taoism thrown in!

Nate - I enjoyed this post of yours http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/10/101005/1743479/post.ashx#1743479

CF.

Leolaia

I am agnostic, not atheist. I find value in many different faiths, I embrace the multiplicity of ideas and beliefs and experiences of the divine, and while I do not believe God per se is provable or even logically necessary, I believe that a "higher power" is still quite possible. I also respect the principle of faith; tho it can easily be abused, and tho I have little myself, I feel that this is where belief should ultimately rest. The tendency of some (including certain individuals in this forum) to prove their belief through science ... pseudo- or not ... or empirical "facts" is quite unfortunate, as this will lead only to error or disappointment. Faith is not based on what can be observed; faith is belief and hope without observation or proof of what is believed. I am reminded of the lesson in John 20:29: "You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe." Yesterday I heard Max Kellermann make a thought-provoking statement: "I am an atheist because I am mad at God ... for not existing". I consider myself a skeptic, and utilize skepticism to draw conclusions, and I conclude that there is no proof of God. But that is not the same thing as saying that I believe God does not exist. I am willing to grant a little faith, if not hope, in the possibility.

crazyblondeb

The first 15 years I was out I didn't give the "god-thing" another thought. Whenver my daughter wanted to go to church, I'd take her and pick her up.

I looked into several beliefs, but found no peace. Then I found the world of Wicca. I quickly found a peace I had never felt before. I still am new to it and still learning.

shelley

Crumpet

I'm happily out of the Agnostic camp and firmly in the Atheist Bar thanks - the drinks are on me!

IP_SEC

I like to believe there is something more out there. It probably stems from a narcissistic outlook in which I cannot imagine the universe without me. I realize there's no proof as such, but I think even the most skeptical person believes some things for which there is no proof... I could be wrong in the case of GBL and Tetra.

More of a humanist/deist/self god type I guess.

Matt

lonelysheep

There's a little of everyone here!

I'm Athiest, but deep down inside, I always was.

defd

I am a Jehovahs Witness.

D.

Are Most Folks Here Agnostics and Atheists?

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