A potential Atheist thrown into the mix

[Nathon Detroit]

So in case you guys were all tl/dr, simply put, I'm a pissed off ex-catholic turned atheist. But the title "atheist" has a silver lining. While I do consider myself off the fence and drifting away from the idea of any God, I've always kept that fence in eye sight, ready to jump back onto it or over it again in case someone changes it.

Sounds much like my story... I was raised Catholic which drove me head long into atheism. That was until I actually found out what Christianity was all about.

Welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy your stay.

 

[always_learning]

I agree; your parents shouldn't have mentioned anything about the dangers of playing in the street! Learning by experience is a much better way to learn about your environment.

:think:

Not even close to the same thing ...

Explain how it differs.

For someone who takes their religion seriously, not teaching their children that religion would be like not teaching them the dangers of playing in traffic - it would be irresponsible, stupid and probably fatal.

 

[bornslacker]

Explain how it differs.

For someone who takes their religion seriously, not teaching their children that religion would be like not teaching them the dangers of playing in traffic - it would be irresponsible, stupid and probably fatal.

The difference being that traffic can be proven.

We KNOW there is traffic.

You BELIEVE there is an after life.

If you think this, then you should be teaching your child EVERY religion... you know, just in case.

 

[MrPolo]

Hi hawsman, I'm happy to answer any questions about Catholicism for you. There's a lot of misinformation about Catholicism on the web, especially from disgruntled former Catholics who didn't get their annulment or wanted to practice birth control or didn't want to confess to a priest or something else personal.

 

[allsmiles]

Sounds much like my story... I was raised Catholic which drove me head long into atheism. That was until I actually found out what Christianity was all about.

Welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy your stay.

You must not have been a real atheist

 

[Walk Ye In It]

Hi, i'm going to reply. i am new to this-don't know what i'm doing-will never be able to find my way back. "first of all you must understand, men moved by the holy spirit spoke from God. test everything, retain truth. Put me to the test and see if i don't do what i say i will do. you have no need of a teacher, the holy spirit himself will guide you into the truth." these are all scriptures you need to know.
good luck.

 

[chrysostom]

Hi, i'm going to reply. i am new to this-don't know what i'm doing-will never be able to find my way back. "first of all you must understand, men moved by the holy spirit spoke from God. test everything, retain truth. Put me to the test and see if i don't do what i say i will do. you have no need of a teacher, the holy spirit himself will guide you into the truth." these are all scriptures you need to know.
good luck.

yes, it is all about testing

 

[Nick_A]

(I'm pretty long winded so if you want a spiel, keep reading, or if you like short, skip on down)

Over the past couple of years, since I left high school, I've been battling my views on religion and Christianity. Just found this place and I'm kind of interested if this is the forum to express my views and questions in. I was raised in a relaxed-catholic home (went to church at Easter and the such), but I was sent to a catholic school. Learned all the bible stories, went to bi-weekly mass, took religion courses, etc...

I was drawn to the religion courses because of the interesting and intelligent teachers that taught the religion class, but the actual studies left me jaded. I had a pretty alright relationship with God and wasn't devote by any means, but considered myself a Christian.

But everyday I'd go to religion class, I'd learn of all the tragedies and atrocities every religion has committed. Historically, I've still seen extremely little good it's brought the world and its politics. Every sides had its troubles, but I just chocked it up as man's fault and not God's (to begin with of course). But it caused me to question a lot of the decisions the church has made, which made me question the logic it was made upon, and the the reasons that logic presented, then the ideals in which gave birth to the logic.

Long story short, I became a questioner, and I'm realizing not only does religion not have any good answers, but the answers it has are truly bad ones.

But that is something I kind of want to change. With all of these questions I have, and only hearing dumb or horrible answers, I'm getting angry with everyone. Quick to start arguments, unhappy with life, and all around pissed off at people. I'm smart enough to see no coincidences.

So in case you guys were all tl/dr, simply put, I'm a pissed off ex-catholic turned atheist. But the title "atheist" has a silver lining. While I do consider myself off the fence and drifting away from the idea of any God, I've always kept that fence in eye sight, ready to jump back onto it or over it again in case someone changes it.

And so I'm here to say hello, and to not take too much offense to my questions (unless of course I mean to offend. Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions).

Hi there Hawsman

There is nothing wrong with questions. To be really sincere about growing in understanding, one has to be willing to separte the wheat from the tares; truth from illusion. It isn't easy.

Fool’s gold exists because there is real gold. –Rumi.

Sincere questions are the basis and value of "pondering" as opposed to either blind belief or blind denial. It is hard because it requires impartiality rather than self justification.

Never feel guilty about questions. If the essence of religion is true, then sincere questions are one for the means of revealing it.

Quote from: Jacob Needleman—Lost Christianity, p. 171 ..... is not so much that we should seek answers, but rather we should seek to deepen the questions. ...

 

[Internet Ministry]

Hi, why do you not believe in God? Why do you call yourself an Atheist when You can't prove God does not exist either? Why do you like the taste of Pepsi? Why do you not like the taste of Pepsi? Who cares? Believers cannot prove the existence of God any more than Science can prove God doesn't exist or can prove the big bang theory or any other theories of how mankind was created. That's why it's called a "theory" because theories cannot be proven either unless/until they are proven.
So perhaps a better question is: why bother exploring why people in God if you have made up your mind that God doesn't exist? You can't even prove why You exist nor can you prove the theory of Atheism. Therefore You don't have a clue about neither God nor Atheism.

But perhaps you’re exploring this forum because you're not truly an atheist either and so you're naturally trying to find out which "theory" is best for You to believe? If so, then you shouldn't be asking this forum. If you want to know if God exists, then you have to ask God. That's the way it works and you're in luck too because your options are simple. It's either True or False that God exists. Which means:
1. False; if God doesn't exist, then you will die an Atheist.
2. True; if God does exist, then you will die an Atheist and then be resurrected and suffer God's wrath for eternity.

Your choice. . . . tick . . . tick . . . tick . . .