(August 10, 2013 at 6:26 am)Theo Zacharias Wrote: I never said I'm being pushed to be a theist. In fact I said that being a theist brings an overall positive effect to me. It means that I'm happy being a theist and that give me a reason to (stay to) be a theist.
I also have mentioned before that to change my position to atheist will most likely bring a negative effect to me under my circumstance. That's a reason *for me* not to change my position to atheist.
No, that's a reason not to express your atheist beliefs until a time when your circumstances change. You can't will yourself into theistic belief any more than you can make yourself believe that unicorns exist; you don't choose your beliefs at all. Your beliefs are an evolving set of acceptances that change based on additional knowledge and rationalizations, but you're not able to consciously force something to be believable for you. Want a test? Here's a claim: I'm a fire elemental, typing this on a lead lined, fireproof keyboard. Now, make yourself believe that that's true.
Now, whatever it is you actually believe- and I'm not going to speculate on what that is- is not connected to the pragmatic reasoning you've given here; if your circumstances are the only things keeping you theistic, then you must not believe very fervently in them. And if you believe because it makes you happy then... well, I hope you're okay with believing in things that may be untrue.
"YOU take the hard look in the mirror. You are everything that is wrong with this world. The only thing important to you, is you." - ronedee
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!