Late introduction
April 25, 2015 at 9:51 am
(This post was last modified: April 25, 2015 at 10:04 am by Razzle.)
Hi guys,
When I first started posting I wasn't feeling great and didn't give a formal introduction. But while I'm doing better I'll explain why I'm here despite not suffering any personal hardships or discrimination at the hands of theism.
I'm very lucky compared to most members of forums like this. Few people give a damn if you don't believe in God here. Those who do, aren't surprised or shocked that you don't, and don't have specific preconceived notions about you on that basis, because it's so common that we can't be stereotyped. Most of us were never indoctrinated in the first place, or any attempt was half-hearted or incompetent, so there are no particular personality types or political persuasions strongly associated with British atheists. It's my impression that even most of our most controversial/troll-like conservatives (our equivalents of Ann Coulter, say) are atheists or non-religious vague-theists. So despite living in what's technically a theocracy, I can't complain about the effect of religion on my life.
However I've long had a fascination with religion and a lot of subjects that cross paths with it a lot, including history, science, psychology and philosophy. And atheist comedy online is some of the best. Theism is not up my arse, I don't need advice or to vent about it, I just find the subject a fruitful source of distraction and humour.
I'm into Advaita/non-dual/Buddhist philosophy, whatever you want to call it, and find some Buddhist practices, like mindfulness meditation, helpful too. Zen art, poetry and writings are special to me. They seem to make no sense at all if you don't know the philosophy and the figures of speech, metaphors and idioms common in the culture they came from. It's not for everyone though, some people get extremely freaked out by the implications of no-self, no-thingness etc., no free will or controlling central agent of or "self" to have free will in the first place, and I felt the same at first, but now it comforts me and I try to remind myself and get myself in that state of consciousness where there is no sensation of having an central, controlling agent behind the mind, and no sensation of enduring through time, rather being one moment of consciousness that will be replaced by another, separate one, and which has no past of its own either. Unfortunately the more anxiety there is, the harder that is to do, but when I do break through it, it's very comforting. The people I've told about it find it weird that that would comfort me in any way. Apart from those who've done LSD; they seem to get it.
Although my first post was initially just seeking reassurance over something I thought this would be a good place to get answers about, I've decided to stick around. Intelligent debate, serious subjects, good humour and kindness don't very often partner up online, so I'll shelter with you guys for a while!
When I first started posting I wasn't feeling great and didn't give a formal introduction. But while I'm doing better I'll explain why I'm here despite not suffering any personal hardships or discrimination at the hands of theism.
I'm very lucky compared to most members of forums like this. Few people give a damn if you don't believe in God here. Those who do, aren't surprised or shocked that you don't, and don't have specific preconceived notions about you on that basis, because it's so common that we can't be stereotyped. Most of us were never indoctrinated in the first place, or any attempt was half-hearted or incompetent, so there are no particular personality types or political persuasions strongly associated with British atheists. It's my impression that even most of our most controversial/troll-like conservatives (our equivalents of Ann Coulter, say) are atheists or non-religious vague-theists. So despite living in what's technically a theocracy, I can't complain about the effect of religion on my life.
However I've long had a fascination with religion and a lot of subjects that cross paths with it a lot, including history, science, psychology and philosophy. And atheist comedy online is some of the best. Theism is not up my arse, I don't need advice or to vent about it, I just find the subject a fruitful source of distraction and humour.
I'm into Advaita/non-dual/Buddhist philosophy, whatever you want to call it, and find some Buddhist practices, like mindfulness meditation, helpful too. Zen art, poetry and writings are special to me. They seem to make no sense at all if you don't know the philosophy and the figures of speech, metaphors and idioms common in the culture they came from. It's not for everyone though, some people get extremely freaked out by the implications of no-self, no-thingness etc., no free will or controlling central agent of or "self" to have free will in the first place, and I felt the same at first, but now it comforts me and I try to remind myself and get myself in that state of consciousness where there is no sensation of having an central, controlling agent behind the mind, and no sensation of enduring through time, rather being one moment of consciousness that will be replaced by another, separate one, and which has no past of its own either. Unfortunately the more anxiety there is, the harder that is to do, but when I do break through it, it's very comforting. The people I've told about it find it weird that that would comfort me in any way. Apart from those who've done LSD; they seem to get it.
Although my first post was initially just seeking reassurance over something I thought this would be a good place to get answers about, I've decided to stick around. Intelligent debate, serious subjects, good humour and kindness don't very often partner up online, so I'll shelter with you guys for a while!
"Faith is a state of openness or trust. To have faith is like when you trust yourself to the water. You don't grab hold of the water when you swim, because if you do you will become stiff and tight in the water, and sink. You have to relax, and the attitude of faith is the very opposite of clinging, and holding on. In other words, a person who is fanatic in matters of religion, and clings to certain ideas about the nature of God and the universe becomes a person who has no faith at all. Instead they are holding tight. But the attitude of faith is to let go, and become open to truth, whatever it might turn out to be."
Alan Watts
Alan Watts
