Hullo! My first post.

[*Deidre*]

Welcome 

[Whateverist]

That may be the first wall of text which I actually read ceiling to floor.  You have a nice spoken quality to your writing that I appreciate.

I too am always flummoxed by the 'supernatural' category for pretty much the same reasons as you.

As for evolution I think the thing to note is that abiogenesis is neither what Darwin's theory nor its modern version is about.  There is no reason not to talk of the inorganic chemistry evolving into becoming organic chemistry over time, and it is a perfectly good use of the non-technical sense of "evolve" to speak in that way.  But I don't think it is worth mixing the two since the ideas of evolution are observable and testable whereas abiogenesis has been elusive.  Intuitively though, if you reject the supernatural categorically, then of course the change must have involved incremental steps and entirely natural conditions.

Unlike you I find the word "faith" useful especially when not attached to enthusiastic wishing.  I think it describes any number of human subjective situations.  For example, during an episode of depression one can have confidence in the face of hopelessness.  Or in applying a creative ability one needs some faith that the result will be of value or at least that the process will be.  Of course other words will work, but I personally find that one useful.

Another holdover from religion I find useful, just to really piss you off, is "soul" (albeit sans any connection to an afterlife).  I don't think we are born tabula rasa.  Put another way, I believe it is possible to live an authentic life or an inauthentic one, but that only makes sense if there is some essential nature at our core.  "Soul" is an adequate vessel for that idea.

Okay, the temptation is to meet a word wall with equal force but I think I'll stop there.

[Kirby D. P.]

Thanks! I bet I will.

[chimp3]

Welcome!

[ignoramus]

Why do you hate God so much!

(yeah, we get that a lot too!  lol!)

[The Valkyrie]

Why do you hate God so much!

(yeah, we get that a lot too!  lol!)

Don’t trust the a Aussies on the forum!

Especially those who name themselves after mythological creatures!

[Seraphina]

Hi and welcome!

-Teresa

[Kirby D. P.]

Thank you for the very kind words.

You may be surprised at how much we agree. 😊

I do use “faith” conversationally in its vernacular sense. I don’t actually consider any word taboo. Except “clotted cream.” I honestly don’t know how Brits sleep at night. But I have just never known any conversation about religion with any religious person that benefited by discussion of the term.

Point well taken re: abiogenesis>evolution. I just anticipate some level of grief from believers when the gap between the two is filled in.

Finally, while I *think* even garden variety atheists/materialists may find some of my notions of consciousness and identity rather “out there,” I absolutely find usefulness in words like “soul” and “spirit.” Just no supernatural meaning. To me, “mind” is an object with numerous facets of characteristics. Two distinct such attributes can be called “spirit” and “intellect.” For me, demonstration of these distinctions are clear when one consider two different people. Their “intellects” may be very similar; and/or their “spirits” may be similar, but not necessarily both.

On a (vaguely) related note, I do “believe” in miracles. Just not supernatural ones. My favorite example is the story of a person who survived the 2004 tsunami by climbing a tree. I recall news outlets and (naturally) religious outlets remarking the miraculous nature of the person’s survival. Anyone who sees some divine salvation in one person surviving a catastrophe that kills a quarter of a million innocent people should be horsewhipped. But, by almost any reasonable definition (in my opinion), that person’s survival WAS miraculous... to them. 250,000+ people in roughly the same circumstances perished that day. If it was me, there’s no question, I’d be telling everyone I met it is a miracle I am still alive. Statistically speaking, it was amazingly unlikely.

[The Industrial Atheist]

Welcome to the forum Kirby! I hope you find your time spent here to be intellectually stimulating.

[AFTT47]

Welcome, Kirby D.P. You sound like you will be a worthwhile member of our community.

Ideally, there would be no use for a discussion board like this but in the real world, there is.

I think most of us agree that in general, the world is a poorer place because of the general belief in a super-natural power that has influence in our realm. IMO, the endeavor to convince the populous that we should live our lives as if there is no such overseer is a good one.

Welcome to the good fight.