@Lek
I'll tell you a little story. I was raised Christian (very Christian) but I never believed. I've given belief more than one serious try. The first time I was in my teens and our pastor suggested reading the Bible. I did. Cover to cover and with some hope. When I found problems, I began reading it in tandem with the NIV Commentary. In other words I read it with an apologist at my elbow. Didn't help.
The second time I read the Bible was in my 20s and I knew more about Roman and Egyption history by then, not to mention other god myths in the area. That was worse. It galvanized my atheism. The third time I read it in tandem with the contextual criticism and saw things I'd missed before. They showed not one but two melded gods in the Old Testament. By the last time, I knew more about astronomy, physics, and biology and that was the end.
So you see, I don't just think there is no god, I'm ready to show that The Bible itself is proof that the Christian one is wrong. Ditto the Mormon one, and the Jewish one. Can't do that to Allah, because I don't know the Koran well enough and I have no motivation to really read it.
No degree required, just reading and paying attention to what you read.
I'll tell you a little story. I was raised Christian (very Christian) but I never believed. I've given belief more than one serious try. The first time I was in my teens and our pastor suggested reading the Bible. I did. Cover to cover and with some hope. When I found problems, I began reading it in tandem with the NIV Commentary. In other words I read it with an apologist at my elbow. Didn't help.
The second time I read the Bible was in my 20s and I knew more about Roman and Egyption history by then, not to mention other god myths in the area. That was worse. It galvanized my atheism. The third time I read it in tandem with the contextual criticism and saw things I'd missed before. They showed not one but two melded gods in the Old Testament. By the last time, I knew more about astronomy, physics, and biology and that was the end.
So you see, I don't just think there is no god, I'm ready to show that The Bible itself is proof that the Christian one is wrong. Ditto the Mormon one, and the Jewish one. Can't do that to Allah, because I don't know the Koran well enough and I have no motivation to really read it.
No degree required, just reading and paying attention to what you read.
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god. If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.
