Agnostic

[Str88jacketabdl]

Hello everyone,

I’ve been finding that the older I get the more agnostic I seem to becoming. Which is weird I’d assume being raised Christian that the older and closer to death I become the MORE devote I’d be.

This isn’t meant to be insulting to anyone But every-time someone mentions religion to me or quotes the Bible in my presence these last couple years my first thought is.. wow that sounds really stupid.

Maybe I’m just cynical but I’d love to talk about other peoples thoughts on this or on their own agnosticism.

 

[RetroGirl15]

Hello everyone,

I’ve been finding that the older I get the more agnostic I seem to becoming. Which is weird I’d assume being raised Christian that the older and closer to death I become the MORE devote I’d be.

This isn’t meant to be insulting to anyone But every-time someone mentions religion to me or quotes the Bible in my presence these last couple years my first thought is.. wow that sounds really stupid.

Maybe I’m just cynical but I’d love to talk about other peoples thoughts on this or on their own agnosticism.

The same thing is happening to me too and along with Christianity as a whole literally being judgemental.

 

[MetalDan86]

Same here. I started becoming more agnostic and science-driven from about the point I learned about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. While I enjoy some elements of my time in the Lutheran church, a lot of it now seems like a death cult to me

 

[messydiaper]

I have a similar experience. But I'm still at the point where I don't want to deter anyone else from following their own path by my comments. For me, I went down the Christian path and in my experience, the path merged right back with the human path of life. It was a nice little side trip, I met some nice people, met some complete poor excuses for human beings, and it occupied a lot of my time. Now I have found better things to do with my time in life. Best wishes to you!

 

[Nowididit]

Yeah I think some ppl actually see the light when it comes to religion, some later than sooner.
I was born into the catholic religion and as a child I was forced to go to church and Sunday school. At a very early age I saw the light, the light that had shown religion is hypocritical.
I don't judge against those that believe it's their right and I wish them peace and happiness but religion is not for me. I have no time for it and I'm not gonna devote my life to asking a hypothetical spiritual being/existence for forgiveness and acceptance.
I'm not afraid to die and as far as judgment day goes....every day is judgement day by your peers.
I feel I'm a good person and those around me know it. I'm also not perfect and those around me know it. If I do my peers wrong I own up to it. I take responsibility for my bad behaviors and I'll do my best to correct those behaviors. May my peers please forgive me.

 

[PinkAndLittle]

I was raised catholic when I was little (physically lol). Like Nowidid it said, as I grew older the hypocrisy became more apparent to me. A lot of war and scapegoating in the name of religion. After my own hardships I've gone through and seeing and knowing of people who's gone through even worse, I eventually came to the conclusion that if there is a higher being out there and they allow people to live with the pain and anger we have in our world, then I don't want any part of it. That said, if someone choses to follow a faith of some kind, you do you fam; I don't care as long as you're not hurting someone or trying to revoke someone else's rights in the process.

 

[Kittyinpink]

Yeah I think some ppl actually see the light when it comes to religion, some later than sooner.
I was born into the catholic religion and as a child I was forced to go to church and Sunday school. At a very early age I saw the light, the light that had shown religion is hypocritical.
I don't judge against those that believe it's their right and I wish them peace and happiness but religion is not for me. I have no time for it and I'm not gonna devote my life to asking a hypothetical spiritual being/existence for forgiveness and acceptance.
I'm not afraid to die and as far as judgment day goes....every day is judgement day by your peers.
I feel I'm a good person and those around me know it. I'm also not perfect and those around me know it. If I do my peers wrong I own up to it. I take responsibility for my bad behaviors and I'll do my best to correct those behaviors. May my peers please forgive me.

😊

 

[Kittyinpink]

I was raised in a religious village for a few years (the important years 5-12 )
And my mum was religious also . Church of England.
I found the religious stuff , at first informative , then a bit odd , then I just couldn't believe the story's I was being told , by age about 9 years old I was already (secretly) agnostic..
I never believed in santa clause etc.. but I played along because I thought that was what kids were expected to do.. some sort of strange game..
Later on in my life , as I witnessed more nasty things. And learned more science, and quite frankly suffered.. I became an atheist at about 24 years old , the wonder of the world, for myself was swamped in the unfairness, cruelty, and random nature of all things.. I became atheist, and it comforts me to know that when I die , I will never have to live again. Once is plenty for me ! I won't say 'thank you' either! If I was given the choice , knowing what I now know , I would have happily refused my birth..

 

[Zeke]

There’s a video channel called Genesis Science Network (GSN) (genesissciencenetwork.com) that runs videos on YouTube from Answers in Genesis, Institute for Creation Research, Creation Evolution & Science Ministries, Creation Ministries International, and several others who present a Christian worldview on the creation/evolution ideology. Living Waters is another ministry that puts their videos on YouTube that does a good job of explaining things that some have difficulty in accepting, or understanding, from the Bible. I have a science based outlook, after getting my engineering and materials science degrees, which has been satisfied by the interpretation of the data by those partners that GSN presents. Do yourself a favor and research this while you can, eternity is a very long time to be wrong about this. Hopefully they will be helpful to you.

 

[Edgewater]

I have found that what life had brought your way has much to do with where one finds oneself regarding this point.
With me, I found early in life that there are no agnostic to be found in a Foxhole. Being shot at on a battlefield has a way of clearing ones mind as to what is real and what is just stuff! I have found the same to be true while sailing in very savage weather. When faced with the true reality of death can bring clarity to ones life. Although, I do not recommend it!!
I make no judgment regarding your choses after all you are a total of your life experiences and if you live in an open society you have rights and as a result choices. And, it is those choices that was provide all Humans. The reason for the pain and suffering in this World is that single point: Humans have choices and commonly they choose the easy life and avoid the pain and suffering of others.
It becomes easy to blame God or whoever for not making it right. It is more difficult to blame oneself for not making a difference.
What Clarities what I support and what time of gift to others is my part of being a better Human!
I have worked hard to provide comfort and happiness to others, my small part of being a better Human.
I returned to the country I served only to be spat-on by an individual that by my serving had the right to call me a baby-killer. To this day, I support that individuals right!

 

[Cottontail]

I can definitely appreciate the psychological benefits of tradition and of trading questions for answers, even if you don't possess any objective proof that those answers are the answers. Those things are all perfectly fine in a vacuum. They become less fine when others cling to their own unprovable conclusions, or demand to see the nonexistent proof of yours--which of course is the real world we live in, filled with disagreements and conflicts that are arguably discretionary.

I have my own beliefs--and hopes. Given my Christian upbringing, it was probably inevitable that they incorporated some elements of Christianity, but there are far more elements of Christianity that I deem to be in conflict with the world as I observe it. I no longer consider myself Christian. That said, I'm still taking things in, looking for patterns, trying to make sense of it all. I'm sure my way of looking at the world and the universe will continue to shape itself during what time I have left here.

 

[fleckothefennec]

I've never had any religious beliefs. I find most of (but not all) religious posts I see on here rooted in feelings of shame and guilt.

The more I hear people speak about their religious beliefs the more I'm glad I don't share them. For many I feel it's not even a choice as that is how they were raised and now it's been ingrained in their minds. No amount of logic, science or rational thinking can change their view. And when we close our minds to logic and rational thought we can no longer progress as a society or a species.

 

[Kittyinpink]

I have found that what life had brought your way has much to do with where one finds oneself regarding this point.
With me, I found early in life that there are no agnostic to be found in a Foxhole. Being shot at on a battlefield has a way of clearing ones mind as to what is real and what is just stuff! I have found the same to be true while sailing in very savage weather. When faced with the true reality of death can bring clarity to ones life. Although, I do not recommend it!!
I make no judgment regarding your choses after all you are a total of your life experiences and if you live in an open society you have rights and as a result choices. And, it is those choices that was provide all Humans. The reason for the pain and suffering in this World is that single point: Humans have choices and commonly they choose the easy life and avoid the pain and suffering of others.
It becomes easy to blame God or whoever for not making it right. It is more difficult to blame oneself for not making a difference.
What Clarities what I support and what time of gift to others is my part of being a better Human!
I have worked hard to provide comfort and happiness to others, my small part of being a better Human.
I returned to the country I served only to be spat-on by an individual that by my serving had the right to call me a baby-killer. To this day, I support that individuals right!

No one has a right to spit on anyone.. yes I believe in freedom of thought.. how else will society truly progress ? But no one has the right to do that to you . No one.
And I would like to add that I absolutely respect you , and that you have earned respect.. war is terrible, and you did your part , I can't imagine the horrors you must have witnessed.
I have been in situations where I was uncertain of my future, a serious bike crash that left me literally flying through the air and a few other close encounters I don't want to bore anyone with.. but in that clarity, I felt only a buzz , a distortion of my usual sense of reality , and a strange distraction from events , as if I was a spectator. But never a feeling of religious intervention, only , perhaps a wonder renued of how amazing and beautiful our planet really is...
I know I don't have the answers, and I know I may be completely wrong , but I simply cannot believe in the popular religious texts that I have been given. (I have read most of the bible , and some of the Koran) I also have read much of bhuddist literature (which I like alot) .
I am atheist because that's who I am . But I do not take a stance or argument, this is just my mind set today , and has been for a very long time..

 

[blaincorrous]

Hello everyone,

I’ve been finding that the older I get the more agnostic I seem to becoming. Which is weird I’d assume being raised Christian that the older and closer to death I become the MORE devote I’d be.

This isn’t meant to be insulting to anyone But every-time someone mentions religion to me or quotes the Bible in my presence these last couple years my first thought is.. wow that sounds really stupid.

Maybe I’m just cynical but I’d love to talk about other peoples thoughts on this or on their own agnosticism.

I hate to state the obvious, but I’m also sensitive to the fact that not everyone wants to see the obvious immediately.

The older we get, the more life experience we have to check against the fairytales we learn as children. Eventually, life experience holds more truth than the stories. Then, life and story enter into conflict where you start to ask your faith- based beliefs “okay, I need to see the proof”.

That’s the essence of agnosticism to me, that moment when something in your life raises the stakes to the point that faith has to prove it’s assertions.

Some people claim faith should overcome all doubt. Sometimes that assurance lasts a lifetime and they die happy and secure that they were right all the long on their faith alone.

That creeps me the fuck out on a visceral level.

I went through a phase of agnosticism where I said I don’t really “Know”, but it was really just an in between phase where I was waiting for the realization that if I don’t know, why should I believe THIS specific story over any other explanation for the universe.

 

[Str88jacketabdl]

The same thing is happening to me too and along with Christianity as a whole literally being judgemental.

The use of religion as a way to be shitty to others is a huge turn off for me as well. And I don’t think that will ever change.

 

[Str88jacketabdl]

Same here. I started becoming more agnostic and science-driven from about the point I learned about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. While I enjoy some elements of my time in the Lutheran church, a lot of it now seems like a death cult to me

It’s funny that you mention Santa Claus. I feel like most of the defense for Santa Claus is the exact same as the defense for most religion.

 

[Str88jacketabdl]

I have a similar experience. But I'm still at the point where I don't want to deter anyone else from following their own path by my comments. For me, I went down the Christian path and in my experience, the path merged right back with the human path of life. It was a nice little side trip, I met some nice people, met some complete poor excuses for human beings, and it occupied a lot of my time. Now I have found better things to do with my time in life. Best wishes to you!

Sounds like a perfect Agnostic. Like I don’t believe but I have no problem with other people doing whatever makes them happy.

 

[Str88jacketabdl]

Yeah I think some ppl actually see the light when it comes to religion, some later than sooner.
I was born into the catholic religion and as a child I was forced to go to church and Sunday school. At a very early age I saw the light, the light that had shown religion is hypocritical.
I don't judge against those that believe it's their right and I wish them peace and happiness but religion is not for me. I have no time for it and I'm not gonna devote my life to asking a hypothetical spiritual being/existence for forgiveness and acceptance.
I'm not afraid to die and as far as judgment day goes....every day is judgement day by your peers.
I feel I'm a good person and those around me know it. I'm also not perfect and those around me know it. If I do my peers wrong I own up to it. I take responsibility for my bad behaviors and I'll do my best to correct those behaviors. May my peers please forgive me.

I feel like Catholicism breeds atheism / agnosticism.

 

[Edgewater]

The use of religion as a way to be shitty to others is a huge turn off for me as well. And I don’t think that will ever change.

Nor should it! At the far ends of every belief you will find closed minds. Understanding it is a two-way street and in this World there is just so much more to talk about with others then downing their belief, especially in this area. Enjoy being you and life becomes better for you and everyone else you meet. Also, we are entering a period of vast change based on major changes to the corner stones of this World. Be open to what is coming will allow you to ride that wave.

 

[Str88jacketabdl]

I have found that what life had brought your way has much to do with where one finds oneself regarding this point.
With me, I found early in life that there are no agnostic to be found in a Foxhole. Being shot at on a battlefield has a way of clearing ones mind as to what is real and what is just stuff! I have found the same to be true while sailing in very savage weather. When faced with the true reality of death can bring clarity to ones life. Although, I do not recommend it!!
I make no judgment regarding your choses after all you are a total of your life experiences and if you live in an open society you have rights and as a result choices. And, it is those choices that was provide all Humans. The reason for the pain and suffering in this World is that single point: Humans have choices and commonly they choose the easy life and avoid the pain and suffering of others.
It becomes easy to blame God or whoever for not making it right. It is more difficult to blame oneself for not making a difference.
What Clarities what I support and what time of gift to others is my part of being a better Human!
I have worked hard to provide comfort and happiness to others, my small part of being a better Human.
I returned to the country I served only to be spat-on by an individual that by my serving had the right to call me a baby-killer. To this day, I support that individuals right!

It’s funny how we all handle stressful events differently. I’ve been behind cover on Christmas morning. Rifle trained on an open window with rounds hitting cars all around me.

God was the farthest thing from my mind at the time, I was off safe just looking for the tiniest sliver of the person to show so I could send some well placed 5.56 in kind.

I find my self in stressful situations not asking anyone for help but tuned to anything that will help me problem solve.

I say all this with complete respect for your religious beliefs.