by Holey_Cheeses*King_of_the juice. 36 Replies latest jw friends
Is it just me, or there others who have no room for religion in their lives?
I appreciate that others are entitled to their beliefs and opinions concerning such beliefs, but I am amazed at the number of posters, who, after years of being oppressed and mislead by religion, still manage to garner some sense from the whole notion of god / religion / spirituality.
cheeses the cynic
*both hands up for emphasis*
the less I think about the whole lot of it, the better, and more peaceful I feel. I have found a lot more inner tranquility and peace of mind since I decided religion wouldn't be a part of my life.
Couldn't drag me back kicking and screaming now!!!
~Essie
Both hands up and an AMEN. My most peaceful days are the ones when I don't think about religion or god.
All we are is dust in the wind...........
Judas
Holy cheesus,
I think it is safe to say that any and all of the "revealed" religions on earth today are about as reliable intellectually as a watch thats been trampled on by an elephant. I also am amazed that some could actually still be Christian after the WT. I mean, your average born-again is just kissing cousins to the JWs in terms of theology and outlook. When I left the organization I left the Bible as well. It was like a double-helix of doubt that drove me away. So, I'm with you there.
On the other hand, I do feel a certain "religiosity" about some things in life. I find Buddhism and Taoism interesting, although I cannot bring myself to believing in them either (Taoism is more a philosophy than a religion, though. Buddhism has many sects, some of which are totally ludicrous to me). The "new age" movement is nothing but a hodge-podge of looney ideas complete with silly elevator music. All rubbish.
But, I cannot proclaim myself an atheist. Agnosticism seems to me the most intellectually honest position to take. Sure, I would be thrilled if there were a God(s) and an afterlife. I see no evidence supporting these notions, though. The only bit of evidence for "God" I see comes from the world of quantum physics which states that certain natural phenomenon need a conscious mind to observe them to take place. Don't ask me for details, but I've read this. Amazing and "mystical" as this sounds, some tests tend to confirm this notion (for instance, depending on the conditions an observer will establish, light can be either a wave or a particle. Weird,huh?). Of course, this is also debated by many physicists. There is just so much we don't know.
Personally, I would like to cultivate some type of "spirituality" in my life. Perhaps a blending of Taoism, Zen, science, philosophy and Deism? Whatever it is, it will not be a "certainty" which might be a good thing since having "certainty" sets one up for massive dissappointment. Been there, done that.
Take care,
Bradley
yeah that's me I dont give a rat's arse and I dont feel guilty about it
*hand sort-of half raised*
I don't believe in the anthropomorphized sky-daddy tribal deity of the ancient Hebrews any more, certainly that is true. The bible has no relevance to me anymore.
However, there's a lot we don't know. I read a book recently called The Whole Shebang - all about relativity and quantum theory. Pretty mind-blowing stuff. For instance, scientists can tell us that matter is made of atoms, which in turn are made of protons, neutrons, and electrons. But that is where things get very tricky. Just what is a proton, neutron, or electron? What are they made of? Theories abound, but nobody has a definite answer.
I have a very hard time with the idea that we are alone in an indifferent universe.
*both hands up for emphasis*
Me too.
logansrun,
I consider myself a Realist - life is our existence, and is often described as being "that often troubled length of time from conception to death". What, if anything at all, exists beyond that period of time, will only be revealed when we die. No person knows for certain, and the basis of many religions are only well meaning guesses and hopes for any future beyond death.
DantheMan,
Agreed, I also have troubling comprehending that we are 'alone' in this existence. Probability alone, based on life on our own planet, should give credence to the notion that surely, amongst all of the billions of galaxies containing billions of stars in the 'known' universe there are suns with orbiting solar systems that would be able to sustain life as we know it, and possibly of life which we could not even begin to imagine. Chances are future generations might discover the answers to such theorising.
cheeses in a reflective mood.
Dan the Man and Cheesus,
Honestly, does the thought of a multitude of alien worlds give me some type of solace? Not at all. Think about it. If aliens exist, are they any better off than us miserable humans? Do they have "the answer"? Would they be able to ressurrect our consciousness when we die? I doubt it. I would prefer the thought of some type of Deity or afterlife than the Vulcans and Romulans anyday.
BTW -- Personally, I feel that the probability of intelligent life evolving on other worlds is so astonishingly low that I think it is more probable to believe in a deity. JMHO.
Bradley
