Somewhere in the middle: Not Christian, Not Atheist

darkuncle29

So, what about those of us in the middle? Who identify as neither Xian or Atheist? Can either side accept/tolerate the middle? Who's in the middle, good question.

I think Agnostics might be more towards the middle, but I can't really say as I'm not agnostic. (I think?)

Who else may be considered middle? Pagans, Wicans, Buddhists, Taoists, shamans, ect.

I once allowed myself to stay in the JW religion because I was afraid. Afraid of the world, afraid of being gay, afraid my family would throw me out. None of those fears have any foundation anymore. I don't need to know or have a belief system that is absolute anymore; be it theism or a-theism. I'm content being in the middle, where I can be flexible and adapt. Is that not evolution of sorts?

serotonin_wraith

Everyone is an atheist. Even those who believe in a god are atheists concerning all the others. Those who disbelieve all of them don't have a specific belief system all atheists agree with.

marmot

Atheism isn't a belief system, it just means absence of a belief in a deity. Agnosticism means belief in a deity, but uncertainty as to what that entails.

drew sagan

Who else may be considered middle? Pagans, Wicans, Buddhists, Taoists, shamans, ect.

I suppose it depends upon how you define "in the middle". What exactly are they in the middle of?

From (the very little) you described of yourself I think agnostic seems to fit.

serotonin_wraith

Agnostic means without knowledge, so we're all agnostics too. Nobody KNOWS.

AK - Jeff

I find myself closer to the middle of the continuum myself. I find Xian principles compelling as life advise [for the most part], but am currently more inclined to the spiritual side of the eastern faiths. Not long ago I was on record as a Christian. I have partially withdrawn that position now - I just can't accept much of the Bible as 'inspired', though it is inspiring in parts to me.

I can't see myself jumping into the atheist camp at the moment - and agnostic does not really describe me. My epiphanic moments are coming closer and closer together now - so in a year - who knows? I just love life and try and understand it for the moment.

Jeff

Open mind

darkuncle29

To clarify, I'm talking about the line between Atheists and Xian/Jewish/Islam. I'm not talking about Shiva or Odin or Quezoctlshghqw.

Atheism isn't a belief system

Isn't it "disbelief" in what ever deity you're the polar opposite of believing? So getting past the word "belief", what is atheism? Is it your worldview? Personal philosophy? Semantically it shouldn't matter what you call it, it is what it is, your belief.

I see myself as more Taoist, but obviously not since I can't leave well enought alone, but am open to paganism and shamanism. If I had to stay closer to western view I'd say I'm close to being a Deist. Is that another term for Agnostic?

darkuncle29

I find myself closer to the middle of the continuum myself. I find Xian principles compelling as life advise [for the most part], but am currently more inclined to the spiritual side of the eastern faiths. Not long ago I was on record as a Christian. I have partially withdrawn that position now - I just can't accept much of the Bible as 'inspired', though it is inspiring in parts to me.
I can't see myself jumping into the atheist camp at the moment - and agnostic does not really describe me. My epiphanic moments are coming closer and closer together now - so in a year - who knows? I just love life and try and understand it for the moment.
Jeff

Thats sort of where I'm at.

serotonin_wraith

A deist is belief in a god, but not one which has anything to do with the religious gods. So no Allah, Thor or Yahweh, for example.

About atheism not being a belief system. It helps to look at other things people don't believe in. We don't have words describing people who don't believe in Santa, no a-santaists. If we don't believe in alchemy, we're not a-alchemists. Not believing in ghosts doesn't make someone a-ghostist. It's just a state of being that doesn't require a name. It says nothing about a person's worldview, other than they don't believe in those things. Atheism has its name because there are many who believe in a god. A conversation could go like this:

-Which god do you believe in?

-None.

-What are you then?

-Um, human?

It would get confusing, so personally I just accept the label atheist, rather than explain it each time. But thinking there is an atheist belief system is like thinking all a-fairyists believe the same thing. The only thing atheists have in common with every other atheist is a lack of belief in a god, which is not the same as saying there is definitely no god. We just don't believe in one.

Somewhere in the middle: Not Christian, Not Atheist

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