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Feeling a bit atheistish these days
December 12, 2011 at 9:15 pm
I know that's not a word but lately I've been wondering about my deism and whether or not I believe it anymore. I know that may sound strange but I have heard that the process of deconversion is a slow one, the transition is often imperceptible. I'm starting to wonder if the universe is really a grand machine and rather something that just came together and we, those on this pale blue dot, won the cosmic lottery. I'm starting to question if the human mind is really something so fantastic, that reason and critical thinking are fortunate by products and not some kind of "gift" from some mysterious cosmic mind.
It could just be my state of mind. I've been fighting depression for years now and in the last few weeks it seems to have gotten worse, to the point of my feeling physical symptoms. It's for this reason that I'm slow to make any shift in identity official.
Of course, nothing would change in any practical sense. It's not like there's any church I belong to. I've never believed in any afterlife or a personal relationship with God (I've said before that Nature's God is a hard-ass and isn't going to carry you on any beach). Yet somehow things seem a bit more drab without God being "out there somewhere".
It will be a bit inconvenient as I've made the critical mistake of using my beliefs in my moniker, both here and on YouTube. "Atheist Paladin" is already taken too.
Just a rambling post as I sort this out.
Atheist Forums Hall of Shame:
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist
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RE: Feeling a bit atheistish these days
December 12, 2011 at 9:23 pm
Wow. that was deep. I just want to quote you on some parts that were amazing.
"that reason and critical thinking are fortunate by products and not some kind of 'gift'"
Just reading that shows that you truly understand some biology that a lot of people don't: there is no reason that our appreciation for art should have been naturally or sexually selected for but it very well could just be a byproduct of other functions that were selected for, not necessarily evidence of some deity.
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RE: Feeling a bit atheistish these days
December 12, 2011 at 9:35 pm
I've said it before, but deists annoy me more than theists. I'm not saying that to upset you, but the reason I struggle with deism is that what is it based on? I keep on concluding "wishful thinking". I went through a phase of "well it'd be nice if there was a god" as a kid, when I realised I didn't believe religion and didn't really believe there was a god. It was just a fleeting hope really.
While we atheists always say that there is no rational basis to believe in god or to be a theist, we can still identify a basis for theism, that is the bible/koran/insert holy book, and indoctrination. Also majority confirmation bias. Not a rational basis to believe, but a basis.
Toss out the book because you don't believe in it, stop indoctrinating yourself with others at church but still believe there is a god? To me, if you take away "because the bible says so", "because everyone else believes" it leaves you on shaky ground. It leaves you with "I hope there is a god", and "I don't think there is a god"
To be honest if you don't even believe in an afterlife or connection with god? You're already an atheist. IMO.
Good luck with your journey, you have plenty of people to talk to and thrash it out with.
You are currently experiencing a lucky and very brief window of awareness, sandwiched in between two periods of timeless and utter nothingness. So why not make the most of it, and stop wasting your life away trying to convince other people that there is something else? The reality is obvious.
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RE: Feeling a bit atheistish these days
December 12, 2011 at 9:43 pm
Quote:I know that's not a word
So is "agnostastic", and "Atheigasm", and "Christard"..LOL
Quote: but lately I've been wondering about my deism and whether or not I believe it anymore.
Hang around this site long enough and you will soon be questioning your political stance as well. I went from registered Democrat to Anarchist in one year being on this site.
Quote: I know that may sound strange but I have heard that the process of deconversion is a slow one, the transition is often imperceptible.
It is rarely an immediate transition, but instant deconversions from belief to non-belief are not unheard of. Some have switched from staunch belief to instant atheist the first moment they taste of warfare. You are correct though that usually it is a slow process.
Quote: I'm starting to wonder if the universe is really a grand machine and rather something that just came together and we, those on this pale blue dot, won the cosmic lottery. I'm starting to question if the human mind is really something so fantastic, that reason and critical thinking are fortunate by products and not some kind of "gift" from some mysterious cosmic mind.
Those are hard positions to defend, so I cant blame you much. Dont let ego get in the way. If you are wrong, then you are wrong, ego be damned.
Quote:It could just be my state of mind. I've been fighting depression for years now and in the last few weeks it seems to have gotten worse, to the point of my feeling physical symptoms. It's for this reason that I'm slow to make any shift in identity official.
first I would suggest toking on the bong every now and then, go buy a dog, find a hooby like art/music/mechanical stuff. If not I suggest going to the doctor as it might not be a mental problem, it may very likely be some kind of sickness you are feeling. If none of these help, then go to a psych.
Quote:Of course, nothing would change in any practical sense. It's not like there's any church I belong to.
Im of the mentality that deist "church" is a freemason lodge, unitarian church, something like that.
Quote: I've never believed in any afterlife or a personal relationship with God (I've said before that Nature's God is a hard-ass and isn't going to carry you on any beach). Yet somehow things seem a bit more drab without God being "out there somewhere".
dont let it bother you. being an absurdist myself I have to "accept the duality". This means I embrace AND rebel against the absurdity that is the human condition in a cold and heartless universe. In other words, I learn to "let go" when it is something I cannot control and to learn how to laugh at the absurdity.
Quote:It will be a bit inconvenient as I've made the critical mistake of using my beliefs in my moniker, both here and on YouTube. "Atheist Paladin" is already taken too.
Dont let that bother you. I for one would hold nothing against you. I personally like the God Loki. Nothing in atheism suggests that you cant like certain concepts of deities. I have met quite a few atheists who like Christianity, and really wished that a god was real, but could not bring themselves to run it on faith.
I personally label deism under atheism, or non-theism, myself.
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RE: Feeling a bit atheistish these days
December 12, 2011 at 9:45 pm
The title made me laugh, and then the post gave me chills. Sometimes I can totally see and understand a deist's viewpoint, other times I even wonder if some of us aren't products of more intelligent, extraterrestrials breeding with early humans, sometimes I am almost convinced that we are a part of a closed electron.
If there is a god, I agree with a deist that he is completely indifferent to life on this planet. Perhaps unaware? There is no evidence to support a friendly, sympathetic, just, omniscient, omnipresent god, who gives a flying foot about any of us.
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RE: Feeling a bit atheistish these days
December 12, 2011 at 9:47 pm
(December 12, 2011 at 9:45 pm)aleialoura Wrote: If there is a god, I agree with a deist that he is completely indifferent to life on this planet. Perhaps unaware? There is no evidence to support a friendly, sympathetic, just, omniscient, omnipresent god, who gives a flying foot about any of us.
Wouldn't that render deism pointless?
You are currently experiencing a lucky and very brief window of awareness, sandwiched in between two periods of timeless and utter nothingness. So why not make the most of it, and stop wasting your life away trying to convince other people that there is something else? The reality is obvious.
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RE: Feeling a bit atheistish these days
December 12, 2011 at 9:52 pm
No, because you could still believe in a creator god, and not necessarily a patriarchal creator. Some deists believe in a god who got the figurative ball rolling, and not a god who can intervene on our piddly affairs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deism
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RE: Feeling a bit atheistish these days
December 12, 2011 at 9:53 pm
(December 12, 2011 at 9:47 pm)Norfolk And Chance Wrote: (December 12, 2011 at 9:45 pm)aleialoura Wrote: If there is a god, I agree with a deist that he is completely indifferent to life on this planet. Perhaps unaware? There is no evidence to support a friendly, sympathetic, just, omniscient, omnipresent god, who gives a flying foot about any of us.
Wouldn't that render deism pointless?
Nope..god belief stands on its own.
I can believe that millions of gods and goddesses exist, yet not a single one of them gives a rat fuck about anything or anyone AND that the universe came about without their help. So in this sense I can still stand for the big bang, anti-creationism AND polytheism.
Gods in and of themselves require no other attributes.
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RE: Feeling a bit atheistish these days
December 12, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Quote:"that reason and critical thinking are fortunate by products and not some kind of 'gift'"
Perhaps those traits are not as widespread as you think, D-P?
There are an awful lot of trailer park baptists out there, too.
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RE: Feeling a bit atheistish these days
December 12, 2011 at 10:27 pm
Min,
Given that video I now think I could rake in the dough if I could fuse religion with dubstep to create the ultimate religious dance club! People could oontse oonste and wub wub wub, their cares away at the dub center for christstep!
Ahhh fuck it has been done already! Well this abomination has been shat into existence:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iwpVQNxL...re=related
The best part is when it transitions from "want to be fucked in the ass" to "our god is an awesome god" then back!
To the OP, hmm existential angst from a human? Yeah, I think it goes with thinking. The only truly happy people I know, almost never think about much past surface stuff.
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