Howdy From Texas...The Bible Belt!

[bozo]

Hello and welcome and commiserations for living where and how you do. Having to conform to " accepting " superstition to keep your job is pretty horrible.
I note you say it might be " nice " if there is a god. Why do you say that?

[The Grand Nudger]

What's not to love about being the center of the entire universe? The rest of that shit is suspect though, I agree.

[LunchBox]

Hello and welcome and commiserations for living where and how you do. Having to conform to " accepting " superstition to keep your job is pretty horrible.
I note you say it might be " nice " if there is a god. Why do you say that?

Well, it sure would rest at ease normal, introspective questions, like defining our unique self-awareness (the "soul"...if you will), and where that specific "energy" goes when we expire...kind of like the "where do we go when we die" thing, but beyond the physical process of decomposition. The difference between myself, and many believers, is that I am reasonable enough to know that we don't know everything...and I'm ok with the mystery. Further to that point, I am wholey opposed to filling in those gaps with the scribblings of bronze age goat herders.

[bozo]

Hello and welcome and commiserations for living where and how you do. Having to conform to " accepting " superstition to keep your job is pretty horrible.
I note you say it might be " nice " if there is a god. Why do you say that?

Well, it sure would rest at ease normal, introspective questions, like defining our unique self-awareness (the "soul"...if you will), and where that specific "energy" goes when we expire...kind of like the "where do we go when we die" thing, but beyond the physical process of decomposition. The difference between myself, and many believers, is that I am reasonable enough to know that we don't know everything...and I'm ok with the mystery. Further to that point, I am wholey opposed to filling in those gaps with the scribblings of bronze age goat herders.

Personally I don't believe we have a " soul " or an afterlife of any kind. We are born, we live, we die....end of.
That's all we know and I'm happy with that and don't hanker after anything mysterious that mean something happening after death ( other than decomposition of the flesh that is. )
Pretty much part of why I am an atheist!

[LunchBox]

Hello and welcome and commiserations for living where and how you do. Having to conform to " accepting " superstition to keep your job is pretty horrible.
I note you say it might be " nice " if there is a god. Why do you say that?

Well, it sure would rest at ease normal, introspective questions, like defining our unique self-awareness (the "soul"...if you will), and where that specific "energy" goes when we expire...kind of like the "where do we go when we die" thing, but beyond the physical process of decomposition. The difference between myself, and many believers, is that I am reasonable enough to know that we don't know everything...and I'm ok with the mystery. Further to that point, I am wholey opposed to filling in those gaps with the scribblings of bronze age goat herders.

Personally I don't believe we have a " soul " or an afterlife of any kind. We are born, we live, we die....end of.
That's all we know and I'm happy with that and don't hanker after anything mysterious that mean something happening after death ( other than decomposition of the flesh that is. )
Pretty much part of why I am an atheist!

And I agree completely. My use of the word "soul" was to put into context the idea that we all have a unique awareness...and I couldn't think of what else to call it.

[LunchBox]

Hey LunchBox.
While I disagree with your views - I respect Powder Toast Man.

LOL...PTM is universal. I was a bit impaired when i chose my avatar last night.

Kayenneh...you a chile-head? I'm a more of a capsaicin chinense fan myself...I have a well stocked cabinet with chiles I've dried and flaked myself...such as scotch bonnets, red savina, trinidad scorpion, bhut jolokia, and the new record holder...the butch-t scorpion.

[Faith No More]

Impaired or not, powdered toast man was a great choice. One can never go wrong with Ren & Stimpy.

What part of Texas are you from? It such a large state that the regions seem to vary quite a bit. My family stems from the panhandle and I find the prevailing social attitude there to be stuck in the 19th century.

[LunchBox]

Impaired or not, powdered toast man was a great choice. One can never go wrong with Ren & Stimpy.

What part of Texas are you from? It such a large state that the regions seem to vary quite a bit. My family stems from the panhandle and I find the prevailing social attitude there to be stuck in the 19th century.

I lived in Canyon, just outside Amarillo right after college. Stuck in the 19th century is being polite.

Now I'm in DFW. In a year, I'll be in SE Ohio for good.

[Faith No More]

I lived in Canyon, just outside Amarillo right after college. Stuck in the 19th century is being polite.

Damn, I have family in Canyon! My cousin just got married there in fact. Most of family, however, hails from Stinnet. Luckily for me, my parents worked their asses off to get out and I was the first one in my family born outside of the deep south.

[Skepsis]

I live, likely, further north in Texas, so I have to deal with exactly what you are living with right now. To be outright with my beliefs would be catastrophic to others as they might falter and end up filling the pews on Sundays for months, and to me as I would be ostracized.

On that note, welcome! I hope you can find your niche in these forums!