(August 27, 2015 at 5:49 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote: Hello everyone, this is a spin off of this thread: http://atheistforums.org/thread-35404.html ...posted by Shuffle. 

While it is a a very difficult question to answer, I thought it was interesting to think about, and wanted to ask the rest of you and hear answers from the other side.  

Anyone can answer, of course, but I am most interested in hearing from those who have been atheist their whole lives, or at least, who have never been a devout/practicing theist. 

If you were a theist tomorrow, how would you change the rest of your life? Personality, morals, etc.

Thanks!

EDIT TO ADD: Any of the Abrahamic religions.

I would feel guilty being a part of something so violent.

My answer remains for both threads, I was once.  What I am now is an improvement.

(August 28, 2015 at 8:00 pm)Spooky Wrote:

(August 27, 2015 at 5:49 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote: Hello everyone, this is a spin off of this thread: http://atheistforums.org/thread-35404.html ...posted by Shuffle. 

While it is a a very difficult question to answer, I thought it was interesting to think about, and wanted to ask the rest of you and hear answers from the other side.  

Anyone can answer, of course, but I am most interested in hearing from those who have been atheist their whole lives, or at least, who have never been a devout/practicing theist. 

If you were a theist tomorrow, how would you change the rest of your life? Personality, morals, etc.

Thanks!

EDIT TO ADD: Any of the Abrahamic religions.

I would feel guilty being a part of something so violent.

My answer remains for both threads, I was once.  What I am now is an improvement.

Courage friend, religion may promote violence so to does it promote peace. Judge not the sword for the action's of those who wield it, for religion is an instrument for peace just as much as it is war. Yes blame religion for violence, what a good scapegoat it makes! No need for you to look deeper into the problems that plague your world when you can just blame it all on religion, instead of the avarice of a few.

What you are now is exactly the same as you were, less than a pawn, at least a pawn can tell when it is being used.

(August 28, 2015 at 8:37 pm)Celestine Wrote: Courage friend, religion may promote violence so to does it promote peace. Judge not the sword for the action's of those who wield it, for religion is an instrument for peace just as much as it is war. Yes blame religion for violence, what a good scapegoat it makes! No need for you to look deeper into the problems that plague your world when you can just blame it all on religion, instead of the avarice of a few.

What you are now is exactly the same as you were, less than a pawn, at least a pawn can tell when it is being used.

That's an easy statement to make from somebody who likely hasn't seen religion when given full freedom to blossom into the Amorphophallus Titanum that it truly is.

I'm not a simpleton, I'm aware that violence can, and does, occur in the absence of religion. I take issue with religion's consistent and malevolent shielding and so called forgiveness of the violence wrought in its name.

As the saying goes, even a Pawn can take a King.

I was actually thinking about this in an indirect way earlier today. What my specific thought was was about how I have trouble trusting theists with my friendship. Actually, I think you, Cathy, might have spurred this on, because I like you and you're fun and not stuffy. I've had friends like you IRL.

But what happens is they suddenly get very serious about their beliefs and stop hanging out with people who aren't devoutly religious, people like me. They change. Everything about them because alien compared to who I knew before. It's weird. They actively stop having fun.

So, what would change for me? I would probably cut off my friendships and stop being the person I naturally tend to be.

(August 28, 2015 at 8:44 pm)Spooky Wrote:

(August 28, 2015 at 8:37 pm)Celestine Wrote: Courage friend, religion may promote violence so to does it promote peace. Judge not the sword for the action's of those who wield it, for religion is an instrument for peace just as much as it is war. Yes blame religion for violence, what a good scapegoat it makes! No need for you to look deeper into the problems that plague your world when you can just blame it all on religion, instead of the avarice of a few.

What you are now is exactly the same as you were, less than a pawn, at least a pawn can tell when it is being used.

That's an easy statement to make from somebody who likely hasn't seen religion when given full freedom to blossom into the Amorphophallus Titanum that it truly is.

I'm not a simpleton, I'm aware that violence can, and does, occur in the absence of religion.  I take issue with religion's consistent and malevolent shielding and so called forgiveness of the violence wrought in its name.

As the saying goes, even a Pawn can take a King.

Take issue not with religion but with those who would use it to do harm to others, particularly the avarice who would profit from the turmoil and suffering it would create, but instead you blame religion and not the avarice! Yet you claim to be no simpleton, what then shall I make of you?

If I became a theist and religious, I'd likely be no different. Why? I'd likely convert to a more respectable and progressive/liberal version of religion.

(August 28, 2015 at 9:17 pm)Pizza Wrote: If I became a theist and religious, I'd likely be no different. Why? I'd likely convert to a more respectable and progressive/liberal version of religion.

. . . and then start thinking seriously about your newfound faith and de-convert. 

I find it telling no one said "I will find the light within me, I will be guided by God's treasure and guide on earth through a spiritual journey, I will see wonders, I will worship God with utmost love and sincerity and draw myself close to him, I will pray to him to show me the truth and guide me to the path of the exalted chosen ones he has favored and designated me to follow, and I will do my utmost to gain spiritual power to submit to his light and due away with the darkness of my soul,  I will fight against the darkness of myself till the light reigns victorious and the honorable side of me commands by soul, I will repent with tears of sorrow and love towards God till he purifies my heart and makes sure I never go back to my sins, I will help the cause of God and his truthful friends and side with them against the battle between truth and falsehood, I will command towards good and forbid the evil".

There is enough people in religion that like to use God for their own interest, there is enough people who take religion not seriously and come to it with it halfheartedly, there is enough people who follow their own desires and opinions and then say I believe in God and submit to his path...

If you don't come with an intention to devote yourselves to purifying yourselves, to winning the battle against the darkness, seeing the light, ascending in stages, seeing the spiritual kingdom, being guided by God, devoting yourself in repentance and sincere awe and love of God...then there is really no point.

Religion is more evil then good in that case. Even if you happen to be on the true one.

The hypocrites are in the lowest part of fire, and it's better to just remain ignorant, then come to know a religion is true but not faithfully convince your soul about the utmost value of the Treasure - the Absolute Value it's meant to travel to and draw close to and have relationship to, and be intimate with. You speak to them secretly and they act towards you openly. (munajatal shabaniya)

If you come to Islam, then be ready to pay it's wage or otherwise, it's better to stay out:

Say: no wage do I ask for it except the love of my near relatives
Say: no wage do I  ask for it except who wants to, may take a path to his Lord
Say: whatever wage I have asked you for it, it is for yourselves, verily my wage is with God.

Too many hypocrites who recite Quran but it never goes past their tongues.  We don't need more people like that.

That would be unimaginably scary.
I'd probably roll with Satan.

(August 29, 2015 at 12:12 am)pool Wrote: That would be unimaginably scary.
I'd probably roll with Satan.

It is scary, and what we become in the journey when seen by dark forces scares them, and they are it in awe of it, and we can learn to attack them with the spiritual power we been created to master, also the journey has pitfalls ahead, that is why we must sincerely pray for God to guide us. 

However, not attempting the journey is even more scary, as we remain in the dark and will have to face the consequence of our insincerity towards God and the light.