Current Events > What does it feel like to be very religious?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Damn_Underscore posted...

This is such a garbage post, why did you write this?

Because it's true. There are thousands of interpretations of the Abrahmic God and there have been tons of other religions. Statistically, most people have to have been following the wrong religion, assuming that, if there is a god, that any human has gotten it right so far.

There is no actual proof of any deities existing, so no religion is any more true than any other supernatural entity, cryptid, or fictional concept. And it really was gross to compare religious choice to a dietary restriction based on an allergy.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

If only everyone actually kept their personal religious choices to themselves and stopped trying to shape the world based on them.

How is everyone even supposed to cohabitate when the very backbone of existence differs from person to person? It's like not everyone is living in the same realities.

The average religious person knows they are operating on faith alone, and yet so many of them think everyone in this very real and tangible world should live based on their faith. It's not right. People suffer because we value the theoretical more than the tangible.

hockeybub89 posted...

If only everyone actually kept their personal religious choices to themselves and stopped trying to shape the world based on them.

Nowhere in FC's post did he imply that he's trying to shape the world around him or force his beliefs on others. You're projecting pretty hard right now.

What would you rather death be if given these two choices at the end of your life?

1. absolute oblivion...a dreamless forever sleep.

2. Reincarnation into another body but your consciousness and memories from this life are wiped into absolute oblivion into nothing.

.

.

There's actually research about this, and there's actually a feeling of "religious experience", which unfortunately us atheists/agnostics will probably never feel:
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/religious-experience/

Of course, I'll probably never feel potent hallucinations either, since I'd never take LSD, or it's potent ilk -- and so I will probably never feel that experience, either (I'm freaked out, about loss of control).

Actually, the above is probably why I'm agnostic instead of religious...

Rika_Furude posted...

I mean even if you go to church on Sundays and not much else that sounds like youre very religious or basing your life around religion to me

I can't remember the philosopher, it's one of the more famous Christian philosopher's at the time when we had Christian philosophers known for being a thing (the only one I remember is Descartes determining that whether or not we're constantly dreaming or in the grip of a demon's genjutsu hold, the fact that we think is our proof that we exist (this is where we get "I think therefore I am")), however one of them I learned about in Philosophy 101 talks about how the man who worships their own "made-up" deity on an island fervently and truly is more pious/true-hearted in their faith than those who just attend church on Sunday out of habit or because it's expected of them.

Basically, even though Christianity would declare the man on the island as blasphemous and idolizing a false god, the fact he does so truly outweighs what I refer to as "lazy-theists", people who only go through the motions and profess to believe in the religion without actually living their life by any of its doctrines or lessons that happen to be part of a "legitimate" religion.

Saxon posted...

You can greatly benefit from a religious structure in your life because it represents something bigger than yourself and brings meaning to your day-to-day empty existence.

Working towards the betterment of society represents something bigger than myself.

Using religion as a crutch for needing more (also kinda sounds pretty greedy, not very humble) when there's tons of tangible problems and issues people could be working on for the betterment of those around them has been very detrimental to the human experience.

I absolutely loathe when people just take a blas "don't give a fuck about what happens in this world because I'm only focused on what comes after" attitude.

I see it as no different from people who don't want to take any action on climate change because they'll be dead soon so why should they care?

Damn_Underscore posted...

This is such a garbage post, why did you write this?

I've seen the threads you make. You have no real qualifications on recognizing or dictating what is or isn't a garbage post. The "legs you have to stand on" is pretty much a stool or chair someone uses for support before they kick it over and hang themselves IE not sturdy whatsoever.

KanWan posted...

Man, mods should be able to straight up nuke posts like this its incredibly antagonistic for literally 0 reason

Religion is literally antagonistic to humanity throughout human history. It's one of the most antagonistic things in existence.

We atheists have to deal with living in societies that have historically been dictated, regulated, and controlled by religion, to the point that even the English language is infected by Christian beliefs, y'all can cope with hearing people disagree with that notion.

KanWan posted...

Man, mods should be able to straight up nuke posts like this its incredibly antagonistic for literally 0 reason

He compared religion to a medical condition!

hockeybub89 posted...

He compared religion to a medical condition!

The latter part, where you straight up saying "your God doesn't exist."

Why would you be antagonistic for no reason?
Do you hate it when a religious nutjob told you that God will punish you for not believing in Him? You're doing the same.

When I was into it, I guess it felt hopeful. That this life wasn't all we will ever have.

That's pretty much the foundation of religion. People fear the finality of death, and believing you'll go to some great place when you die makes it less terrifying.

LeoRavus posted...

When I was into it, I guess it felt hopeful. That this life wasn't all we will ever have.

That's pretty much the foundation of religion. People fear the finality of death, and believing you'll go to some great place when you die makes it less terrifying.

So true. I wish I could believe that

KanWan posted...

We? There is no we, its just you coming at the tail end of history taking it out against people who might know better about the kind of blasphemy that does go on within a certain sect of their own culture.

Do you want me to really gloss over the astounding irony of an Aetheist with a bone to pick telling me its Christians who chastise others for what they believe in? Did I come in and do that to you?

We get it, you dont believe in the thing. Just say that. Stop trying to convince me you care this much about allergies on a day to day basis. Everybody cares about peoples allergies, nobody on this planet has even thought about discrediting allergies.

Its a shame that you have all the means to fake a context online to turn that into some talking point in the future

ie the amount of people who compare religion to having an allergy is ridiculous!!!

what a world

Nobody thinks about a lot of things every single day, but I'll definitely think about them when someone compares religion to a medical condition, or any other innate trait. People choose their religious beliefs and everybody can't even settle on what the "correct" belief is. It's never like medical conditions, so no one should make the comparison. It's not fair. People are out here with real, tangible struggles and someone wants to say "I don't think God would like me playing this video game, so that's just like allergies!"

Ricemills posted...

The latter part, where you straight up saying "your God doesn't exist."

Why would you be antagonistic for no reason?
Do you hate it when a religious nutjob told you that God will punish you for not believing in Him? You're doing the same.

I'm never going to accept religious beliefs as equal to tangible facts and truths. I will always be offended when people make the comparison. Like, here where you go "same thing both sides"

KanWan posted...

Do you want me to really gloss over the astounding irony of an Aetheist with a bone to pick telling me its Christians who chastise others for what they believe in? Did I come in and do that to you?

Well I religion never tries to overstep its boundaries and ruin innocent people's lives if KanWan personally doesn't. History doesn't exist.

hockeybub89 posted...

I'm never going to accept religious beliefs as equal to tangible facts and truths. I will always be offended when people make the comparison. Like, here where you go "same thing both sides"

You are allowed to have your own belief. So does other people with their beliefs.
Right now you're forcing your belief to other people who have different beliefs, and i bet you won't like it when others did the same for you.

Just keep our own beliefs to ourself, not need to be antagonistic about it.

Kradek posted...

I've seen the threads you make. You have no real qualifications on recognizing or dictating what is or isn't a garbage post. The "legs you have to stand on" is pretty much a stool or chair someone uses for support before they kick it over and hang themselves IE not sturdy whatsoever.

Shut the fuck up.

The post he made was hateful and insulting. I dont make threads like that. But I will call out behavior like his, thinking its okay to act like an absolute asshole for some reason.

It can be encouraging, it can bring peace having something bigger than you. this what I feel

Honestly, pending what the religion and the teachers teach from it determines more how you feel. A loving teacher creates a loving student, a teacher who preaches fire and brimstone creates the same student.

There's so much social bias against atheism.

Religious people can talk as if their god exists and it's all good. But talk as if no god exists, which is what the facts currently point to, and it's "Hey man, keep your beliefs to yourself. Stop antagonizing religious people! You're as extreme as the extremely religious!" It's always on the non-believers to tiptoe around.

Ricemills posted...

You are allowed to have your own belief. So does other people with their beliefs.
Right now you're forcing your belief to other people who have different beliefs, and i bet you won't like it when others did the same for you.

Just keep our own beliefs to ourself, not need to be antagonistic about it.

Having a lack of belief is forcing beliefs? He cited god and I stated a literal fact. People not liking that doesn't mean I'm holding them to a flame and demanding they renounce their religion or else.

Like I said, double standard in society. People speak about god all the time and it's acceptable but you say anything more as an atheist than "I'm not religious" and you're "hateful and extreme and making it your entire identity"

I'm physically incapable of believing in things, of faith. Anyone cites a god in a discussion and my brain might as well hear ghosts or Bigfoot.

KanWan posted...

You dont get to decide what is real or tangible to someone elses experience.

I don't. Reality does. Things don't exist just because you want them to. What physical evidence is there of any God? Anything I can think of is real just because I think it is?

hockeybub89 posted...

Having a lack of belief is forcing beliefs?

No but this shit did:

hockeybub89 posted...

Your God does not exist. If God was actually real, you'd know what he wants instead of thousands of different interpretations that pick and choose what really matters, and swear their unprovable beliefs are much more real than all the other unprovable religious beliefs in the world past or present.

And it's not "lack of belief", having 0 belief is not the same with believing that something doesn't exist. Don't conflate between the two.

Also on topic:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/400-current-events/80594838
Christians hate atheists more than other religions, claims researchers

There are many people, including other atheists themselves shows their disdain towards other atheists because they're being hateful and self righteous.
Yes, they're referring to people who acted like you.

KanWan posted...

We? There is no we, its just you coming at the tail end of history taking it out against people who might know better about the kind of blasphemy that does go on within a certain sect of their own culture.

"We" as in atheists who have to live within societies that have been historically dictated and controlled by Christianity, at least in Western societies based off European culture. As for the "tail end of history" I can account for atrocities committed in the name of various religions throughout all of history, so don't you dare fucking try and speak for me just because you let a 2000 year old book mindlessly speak for you.

Btw, I can pull up a Pew Research article right now (though it's a little old now) showing that there's actually most persecution against atheists because all religions look down negatively upon and often discriminate against them. I wasn't trying to make it a "woe is the atheist" message, just pointing out a point of view I'm sure you've never even considered.

KanWan posted...

Do you want me to really gloss over the astounding irony of an Aetheist with a bone to pick telling me its Christians who chastise others for what they believe in? Did I come in and do that to you?

You're the one thinking someone saying your god is fake should be something that shouldn't be tolerated here. Similar to the Middle East, you wish for a society that is dictated by your religious beliefs and that others should be forced to adhere to and respect it.

My address to you is only because you could not tolerate seeing a post picking a bone with your religion and the damage it causes, flat-out saying it shouldn't even be allowed to be spoken. Without your post there my response to you does not exist.

The fucking nerve of you trying to throw "irony" at me lol.

Typical Christian, always trying to play the victim and persecution card even though society and the English language still largely caters to their beliefs.

So what history would you like to be educated on? How Pope Gregory ll had black cats declared satanic which led to executions of black cats and cat owners in general? How people were executed in the name of religion simply for not being believers or for believing "incorrectly"? The bullshit crusades where shit-for-brains killed in the name of some shitty god for some stupid fucking afterlife they hope will come true? The "schools" where native children were stolen from their families beaten, raped, killed, and then thrown into unmarked/mass graves? How Christian missionaries historically rape, beat, and kill natives simply for not being believers or for refusing to convert? How the Catholic Church (and not just them, pretty much all major Christian sects in the U.S.) get exposed for covering up child rape and moving these religious "leaders" around to new areas in order to cover it up? How it's been used by all Western fascist powers as an integral part of how society needs to be ran? Or how it was used to justify and endorse slavery?

Damn_Underscore posted...

Shut the fuck up.

Nah dawg, you shut the fuck up.

You're a shitposter who makes shitty threads and as such have no credence on what is or isn't a quality post. I might as well hold a microphone up to a literal pile of dog shit outside.

As someone who grew up in a very Southern Baptist Community in the south, ignorance was bliss. There was a sense of comfort knowing that what I believed was the right religion, but there was also a nagging fear of not being good enough to go to Heaven. Anything that questioned God, Jesus, or Christianity was Satan's doing in trying to brainwash you away. We also believed that even the ignorant went to hell, which played a key role in why I was constantly trying to "convert" others to the right religion. We also believed that the Pope was the anti-Christ and the Catholic Church was "The Beast" from the Book of Revelations.

Honestly, what put me into the path of Atheism was just constantly questioning every single thing in the bible, all the contradictions and the amount of cognitive dissonance I had to make exceptions for all the claims in the bible was soo much I basically was trying to lie to myself how much any of it made any sense. Pastors and Sunday Teachers would get annoyed by my questions and would constantly tell me it's Satan that was whispering in my ears.

And here's the thing, I'm not an anti-theist. I don't think religion is the worst thing to happen to mankind. In fact, I think religion was just inevitable. There had to be an answer to all of the unknowns and religion gave it. I just think, imho, that humanity just simply outgrew religion. We have practical answers now that doesn't devolve into "Because God said so".

Kradek posted...

Nah dawg, you shut the fuck up.

You're a shitposter who makes shitty threads and as such have no credence on what is or isn't a quality post. I might as well hold a microphone up to a literal pile of dog shit outside.

You're acting exactly like that other poster did, no wonder you're defending him.

I didn't recognize you from the Taylor Swift topic but you seriously think topics about celebrity affairs are worse than acting like an aggressive asshole for no reason?

I am loving how Kradek posts like a 16 year old who just discovered atheism.

Kradek is a pretty cool user as long as the topic isn't about religion.

Hockeybub89 is just a bitter vindictive poster who shouldn't be given the time of day.

ForsakenHermit posted...

Kradek is a pretty cool user as long as the topic isn't about religion.

I'll take your word for it.

ForsakenHermit posted...

Hockeybub89 is just a bitter vindictive poster who shouldn't be given the time of day.

Advice taken, thanks.

Damn_Underscore posted...

You're acting exactly like that other poster did, no wonder you're defending him.

I didn't recognize you from the Taylor Swift topic but you seriously think topics about celebrity affairs are worse than acting like an aggressive asshole for no reason?

For the Swift thread, it's a thread about her and Kelce going on a date. That's literal tabloid trash and nobody with a functioning brain should find that newsworthy. I was not saying it was better or worse than anything else.

That poster expressed themselves, and yeah they declared the god you believe in isn't real (though their post wasn't even directed at you personally), but guess what, you're doing the exact opposite and nobody's calling that aggressive or offensive.

It's almost as if western society caters to your religion and treats it as legitimate and so you're not accustomed to people speaking out or being against it, so you respond angrily, as you and KanWan did over someone merely declaring your god doesn't exist and logically explain it (rereading his post now). Oh, also called it disgusting because someone compared a medical condition to religious beliefs.

It's not that I feel some personal feelings for the poster one way or the other, you're right that I am definitely an anti-theist like them, however I try to respect people as long as they're respectable even if I don't respect their beliefs, and the only reason I singled out you 2 specifically was because of the way you took issue with his post.

Which for me I see their post as logical in their ire and explanation, similar to how you'd team up with someone to express ire over those beliefs.

It feels great because you have a relationship with God

ForsakenHermit posted...

Kradek is a pretty cool user as long as the topic isn't about religion.

Funny, I feel similar about you.

KanWan posted...

I will speak for you

Its like a baby squirming around thinking it doesnt need a shirt to survive in the world be ignorant to the fact some people dont come as you paint them and admit that or let me put the shirt, bib, and the shoes on you.

You're a cultist who idolizes a god that nutted in some dude's 14 year old virgin bride to give birth to itself. I give 0 fucks about what you think about me and your bullshit characterization of me. You've traded your critical thinking skills in for childish fairy tales told to you as a child which you never outgrew. Did Santi Claus bring you some goodies this year? Or the Easter Bunny? Are the kids still into fidget spinners?

KanWan posted...

Do I? Lets take your word for it I guess

You want to make it to where a private platform "shouldn't even allow" a post for merely saying your god is fake and then giving a logical explanation for why they feel that way. Even if you don't actively call for Christian Sharia law, you definitely don't think enough of reality bends to your religion already. You make that clear.

KanWan posted...

Without God the question of science wouldnt even exist. Is that a good rationale?

What? This is one of the dumbest fucking things I've ever read. What else are you going to unjustly credit to your religion? Numbers? Artworks? Masonry? Science exists as observations we witness and a human desire to find the answer why. Religion fills in those answers without evidence and hinders science. To this day we have shit-for-brains refusing to believe dinosaurs even existed. And why? You know why.

KanWan posted...

You did it to yourself, dont get mad at me for bringing that to light

Not even sure what you point is here. A poster made a post that has nothing to do with you and you couldn't let it go without literally saying that kind of post shouldn't be allowed here. Then you try and lambaste me for being intolerant of beliefs? Lol

Like, yeah, I'm shitting on your stupidly infantile beliefs, but I'm not saying you shouldn't be allowed to post them here. You literally said their post shouldn't be allowed here because you called it "antagonistic", when all they said (to a single poster, mind you) was that their god doesn't exist and explain why they view that way.

KanWan posted...

Proceeds to victim all over the place

Yes, you Christians do that. I merely explained a reality that some of us exist and people like you can't comprehend.

Oh, I actually found a very appropriate study for this thread

https://www.psypost.org/2021/08/people-are-less-tolerant-of-atheists-expressing-their-beliefs-at-work-compared-to-christians-muslims-or-jews-61626

KanWan posted...

Take it up with them, not me

I'm taking it up with your religious beliefs that are used to justify all those atrocities and continue to do so in countries such as Uganda. Are you personally responsible? No, but just because a Nazi soldier wasn't personally stationed at a concentration camp doesn't mitigate that they were on the side and fighting for the same ideals as those who were.

Not surprisingly, someone who doesn't think it should be allowable for someone to very benignly declare someone's god to not exist with an explanation for why refuses to acknowledge the atrocities of their religion's past. Just like a child.

Kradek posted...

Funny, I feel similar about you.

Guess that's our thing then.

KanWan posted...

So this is a lie lol

You weren't being respectable, I made a post to 2 posters before I made one to you and guess what, I was respectable to them, because there was no reason not to be. Well, ok half of that, but the other half was Saxon, so admittedly I should have just ignored his lame post.

Once again, you demonstrate that you don't think there's consequences to your actions. My response to you only exists because of your post. You made your own antagonistic post that talked about silencing posts merely for declaring your god to not exist, followed up with reasoning for why, so from that point on you weren't worthy of respect.

As you've continued to respond you only strengthen this observation.

Kradek posted...

As If I'd give a fuck what some theist who can't even cope with a poster merely saying your god is fake and giving a logical explanation for it thinks about me. Run along and worship your incest-loving virgin bride impregnating deity. Or better yet, stretch those critical thinking skills. Which, btw, the ONLY person hockey even mentioned that to was FortuneCookie, all the people taking issue with him and telling him to stfu weren't even personally addressed by his post. Y'all just couldn't see it and let it go, because you're children clinging to fables and fairy tales you need to be real.

Not sure why you went on a huge rant to me after I said I'd back off. Nice proving my point that you sound like a 16 year old though. Also really appreciate all the assumptions about me because I think you're an asshole.

ForsakenHermit posted...

Guess that's our thing then.

We should make a sitcom :p

In all seriousness, I acknowledge my hatred for religion and do try to leave these threads for y'all to enjoy without me posting. Not perfect on that, obviously, however I am much better than I used to be. Maybe you'll notice there's quite a few threads on religion currently active and this is the only one I'm active in. Even here my initial post was not hostile towards religion, well minus the response to Saxon, but that's Saxon.

The only reason I'm even in this slap fight with another poster is based off them trying to say it shouldn't be tolerated for someone to tell another their god doesn't exist and give an explanation why. If the poster they actually addressed wants to provide evidence or reasoning to counter hockey's accusation, then ok fine, however to say that should be declared antagonistic and not allowed?

How is it any different than theists who use their beliefs to argue against atheism? I don't see any atheists saying y'all shouldn't be able to make your posts.

And as for the other poster, well, as I expressed to them, the fact that they only seem to make shit threads just made it hard to ignore that they'd call another post a shitpost. I should have ignored it, yet here I am.

Garabandal posted...

Not sure why you went on a huge rant to me after I said I'd back off.

When was this, when you said "I'll take your word on it" when another poster said something about me and you just blindly accepted it? You've got an odd definition of "backing off" when someone impugns the character of another and you're just like "yeah ok, you're right". You didn't even have to respond to me at all, keep that in mind when you try to refer to me as some 16 year old. My conversation was towards 2 very specific posters, neither of which were you, and you wanted to start some shit because, I dunno, I guess you can't tolerate people disagreeing with your beliefs and having justifications for it?

Garabandal posted...

Also really appreciate all the assumptions about me because I think you're an asshole.

Hey, you're the one who told someone else to shut the fuck up just because they expressed to someone that their god wasn't real and then gave an explanation for why and saying you shouldn't compare medical conditions to religious beliefs.

I'm not sure what other conclusion I'm supposed to draw? You could have ignored both of us and yet you chose to start shit over something that had nothing to do with you. That just seems like who you are. And to a degree, I guess I'm guilty of this as well in this thread. So hey, at least we've got common ground on that.

I will admit that due to KanWan I'm not in a calm state of mind right now, so I was more hostile towards you than I normally would be and I would have apologized for that had you not called me a 16 year old again and called me an asshole.

So whatever, back at ya, buddy.

Kradek posted...

When was this, when you said "I'll take your word on it" when another poster said something about me and you just blindly accepted it? You've got an odd definition of "backing off" when someone impugns the character of another and you're just like "yeah ok, you're right". You didn't even have to respond to me at all, keep that in mind when you try to refer to me as some 16 year old. My conversation was towards 2 very specific posters, neither of which were you, and you wanted to start some shit because, I dunno, I guess you can't tolerate people disagreeing with your beliefs and having justifications for it?

Hey, you're the one who told someone else to shut the fuck up just because they expressed to someone that their god wasn't real and then gave an explanation for why and saying you shouldn't compare medical conditions to religious beliefs.

I'm not sure what other conclusion I'm supposed to draw? You could have ignored both of us and yet you chose to start shit over something that had nothing to do with you. That just seems like who you are. And to a degree, I guess I'm guilty of this as well in this thread. So hey, at least we've got common ground on that.

I will admit that due to KanWan I'm not in a calm state of mind right now, so I was more hostile towards you than I normally would be and I would have apologized for that had you not called me a 16 year old again and called me an asshole.

So whatever, back at ya, buddy.

Yeah, I'm sorry for calling you a 16 year old and an asshole. I'll admit I went too far and you're probably in a bad mood due to Kanwan and Damn_Underscore. I probably should have added an "I'll back off" to my response to ForsakenHermit to make it more clear that I was backing out of the argument.

Garabandal posted...

Yeah, I'm sorry for calling you a 16 year old and an asshole. I'll admit I went too far and you're probably in a bad mood due to Kanwan and Damn_Underscore. I probably should have added an "I'll back off" to my response to ForsakenHermit to make it more clear that I was backing out of the argument.

I apologize as well.

My bad for the accusations of your character that were erroneously and assumingly made in my angry state of mind.

You're certainly not a poster I have any ill-feelings towards and hopefully we can have more positive convos in the future.