What do you all "identify" as (philosophically)?

[SaveJordyn]

I'm fairly certain that most of you here are non-theists, but what would you call yourselves specifically? I'm newish to non-theism (raised Lutheran) and I think I'm a secular humanist. Anyone else? Is there anyone who can teach me a little bit more? Obvi I don't believe in God/any higher power. I don't think anything happens after we die or that we were created and put on Earth for some divine purpose. My basic life philosophy is to do as much good for others as I can while I'm here (hence my BSN education haha). I believe in science and logic and humanist principles and I'll be voting Bernie 2016

[blessalessi]

For Fj purposes, I identify as an apostate born-again Christian.

Humanism is closest to my world-view but I can't bring myself to sign up to any formal group like the British Humanist Society. My toes curl up in agony at evangelical atheism and humanism, as much as they do for evangelical Christianity. 

I imagine that Christians are nearly as strongly represented on FJ as atheists, amongst the more active posters anyway.  

[MatthewDuggar]

I consider myself Christian.  I don't currently "practice" as in attend a church.  But I do believe in God, Jesus and I do pray.  I am very open-minded and love to discuss (not argue) all beliefs or non-beliefs.  

[Terrie]

Agnostic. The existence of a greater power can be neither proven nor disproven. And so what? What we can very much see is how individuals treat each other, and I've seen people driven to both great acts of kindness and cruelty by their beliefs. And I suspect they'd be much the same with any set of beliefs.

[browncoatslytherin]

i'm pagan, though i'm what you'd call eclectic, so i pretty much do my own thing as opposed to identifying with a specific tradition. i'm polytheist, as far as believing in higher powers goes.

[sparkles]

Atheist and I've been so my entire life, since even as a child, I never felt any connection whatsoever to a belief in a higher power. I was raised Jewish, VERY Reform even though my parents belonged to a Conservative synagogue (it was the only one around at the time and it was more for social reasons, since most of their friends were members) and I still identify as a cultural Jew—there's just no way around it. But when I was 12, I stood up in Sunday school, declared that I didn't buy what the rabbi was selling and walked out, never to return. I'm not a militant atheist by any means, although I'm very firm in my belief that there is no god, heaven, hell, afterlife (or past lives either, for that matter) and so on. To be honest, once I declared my atheism, I stopped paying attention to religion. It's only recently, as fundamentalism started making serious inroads into US politics that I've become more aware—thanks in no small part to FJ. So much of what I've learned here is a major revelation; I never knew half of this stuff existed before. But I've learned a lot  and none of what I've learned has made me rethink my position on god and religion. If anything, it's made me more sure of where I stand. The majority of the evil in the world is done in the name of god and religion. On the other hand, I've met some truly wonderful people who epitomize what god and religion SHOULD be, but those folks are few and far between. Basically though, I'm very much live-and-let-live. If you don't push your beliefs on me (in both the micro and the macro sense), I won't have to push back.

[church_of_dog]

Plain old atheist here.  Never been anything else, although I "tried" when younger to believe, or to at least be "open-to-the-possibility".

I wouldn't label myself with any religion, but I can say that Taoism is one that I have yet to find any part of that I can't agree with.  If I needed "words to live by" that qualified as a religion, I suppose I'd choose that one.

I also adhere to a worldview known as Deep Ecology.  Basically, it means that I believe that all aspects of the ecosystem are equally worthy.  This is as opposed to the "hoomans are speshul and the rest of the world is here for our use" view that many religions hold.  I do think our biological self-preservation instincts incline us to favor a human over another species, and I think that's understandable, but from a broader perspective it's possible to put that preference in context and also understand that *other* species have the equivalent instincts to protect *their* species.  

tldr; I don't think that humans are *special* in any way.  Different? Yes.  Wonderful? Yes, mostly.  Special, meaning better-than? No.

[ADoyle90815]

I consider myself a non-practicing Episcopalian.

[JillsFlowerHeadband]

I consider myself Christian.  I don't currently "practice" as in attend a church.  But I do believe in God, Jesus and I do pray.  I am very open-minded and love to discuss (not argue) all beliefs or non-beliefs.  

This is a good way to sum up my beliefs as well. 

[morri]

I am a leftist apathetic atheist. The difference which tends to irk me is that as an apathetic atheist I get irritated by people who (passive)-aggressively think their mission to demission the whole world.

I believe in tax based socialism, and the good of humanity, and pacifism and am environmentally conscious. (I haven't got a driver's license for example, buy local, use my big rucksack for shopping , etc)

 

Spiritually I like to celebrate(or commemorate) the ancient festivals (like spring start(easter fires in germany) solstice fires and harvest festivals)

[Fascinated]

Atheist.  No god, heaven, hell etc.  I am completely satisfied that our lives begin and end on earth and our after death (non)existence will be exactly as it was before our birth.   Nothing to fear about that at all.  I'm not militant either, but it bothers me that so many people devote so much of their time living for their deaths.  

[HerNameIsBuffy]

I consider myself Christian.  I don't currently "practice" as in attend a church.  But I do believe in God, Jesus and I do pray.  I am very open-minded and love to discuss (not argue) all beliefs or non-beliefs.  

This is a good way to sum up my beliefs as well. 

Me too.  My subset being Catholic who likes to leave the parking spots open for those those who enjoy mass more than I do...for the last several years.  

I in no way think my way is the right way for anyone else and can't wrap my head around the concept of evangelism of any kind, but I find learning about other belief systems fascinating.  

This is actually a source of internal conflict for me because I don't want to believe and I've tried to talk myself out of my faith but it hasn't worked.  I just think there would be more comfort in the lack of belief, and have since childhood, but I can't make it less real in my heart.  I totally understand the logic behind lack of faith - just can't make the leap.

Which ironically adds to the internal conflict since if I'm right and he exists in the way I feel he does, he's probably not thrilled I've been trying to make a break for it.   And I get mad at him pretty regularly so if we are all his children I'm the one he's sending to boarding school and will end up writing out of the will.

[Destiny]

i'm pagan, though i'm what you'd call eclectic, so i pretty much do my own thing as opposed to identifying with a specific tradition. i'm polytheist, as far as believing in higher powers goes.

Exactly that for me too. Although I don't believe in gods or goddesses per se - more like the power of the universe.

[Anny Nym]

My basic life philosophy is "live and let live".

 

Personally I definitely identify as a old-european, a austrian Catholic, that´s the one  which wonderfully integrated all the ancient pagan rituals and happily co-exists with them. You know, that kind of Christianity that makes some of our most infamous fundies super-SUPER-icky and screaming "Satanism, Witchcraft!"

 

 

 

 

[Aunt Bee]

An Athiest. Just can't wrap my head around religion, prayer or any of the rest.  But I believe in living a life of doing good, kindness, helping others. 

 

 

[LadyBlue]

I've never really been able to place myself, tbh. I have pagan leanings and I'd like to believe there's something else after we die, but I definitely don't believe in a god (or goddess). I waver on the idea of a generally benevolent but uninvolved universe and can't quite let go of the occasional desperate prayer to ....whatever.

I went to church/Sunday School in the United Church of Canada until I was about 11 and my mother dragged us to church for things like Easter and Christmas until I was an adult and could refuse. I decided when I was about 8 that Christianity was nonsense and never found anything to change my mind. I think the final blow for any chance of me being Christian was when my Sunday School class had to pick 3 things we'd rescue if our house was on fire. I, of course, picked my pets, and I got in trouble for it. I decided then and there that I was done participating or having anything to do with a religion that expected me to choose things over living beings.

[latraviata]

My basic life philosophy is "live and let live".

 

Personally I definitely identify as a old-european, a austrian Catholic, that´s the one  which wonderfully integrated all the ancient pagan rituals and happily co-exists with them. You know, that kind of Christianity that makes some of our most infamous fundies super-SUPER-icky and screaming "Satanism, Witchcraft!"

 

 

 

 

Old European atheist here. Brought up in some sort of French cradle Catholicism, without any result. Even as a child not a religious bone in my body. If people chose to believe, it is fine with me, as long as they keep it to themselves.

[RosyDaisy]

Liberal Evangelical Christian redneck.

[JillsFlowerHeadband]

I consider myself Christian.  I don't currently "practice" as in attend a church.  But I do believe in God, Jesus and I do pray.  I am very open-minded and love to discuss (not argue) all beliefs or non-beliefs.  

This is a good way to sum up my beliefs as well. 

Me too.  My subset being Catholic who likes to leave the parking spots open for those those who enjoy mass more than I do...for the last several years.  

I in no way think my way is the right way for anyone else and can't wrap my head around the concept of evangelism of any kind, but I find learning about other belief systems fascinating.  

This is actually a source of internal conflict for me because I don't want to believe and I've tried to talk myself out of my faith but it hasn't worked.  I just think there would be more comfort in the lack of belief, and have since childhood, but I can't make it less real in my heart.  I totally understand the logic behind lack of faith - just can't make the leap.

Which ironically adds to the internal conflict since if I'm right and he exists in the way I feel he does, he's probably not thrilled I've been trying to make a break for it.   And I get mad at him pretty regularly so if we are all his children I'm the one he's sending to boarding school and will end up writing out of the will.

I guess my philosophy is that God is more interested in his children actually living his principles ("for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me... Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did to one of the least of these My brethren, you did to Me") than going through the motions of religious practices. I mean, that's what Jesus did, wasn't it? 

[Alicja]

leftie catholic agnostic theist with a knack for post-structuralism and some varying degrees of humanism!! also inter-sectional feminism

[anniebgood]

Cradle liberal Lutheran who appreciates the differences and hates the pablum of conservative evangelical churches. Married to a guy who says he's an atheist and believes that aliens were here first. Kids are nominal Christians, Easter and Christmas Eve. But as in the hymn, they've gone to see where the dragons dwell. 

 

And we have an awesome 16 circuit labyrinth based on the one at Chartres in our sanctuary. That's one reason I'm still there. 

[PregnantPornStar]

Atheist here. I had a pretty liberal Catholic upbringing, but I don't think I ever really believed.

People can believe what they want, but it should be completely personal and never, ever infringe on others. That means you can't lock your wife in your home, expect anyone to be submissive, circumcise your child in the name of religion, invite a random person to your place of worship and so on. Also, complete separation of "church" and state. That never works out....

I always appreciate science, evidence and logic. So, if someone can prove there is a greater power, then I will listen, but I am 99.999% sure that isn't going to happen. Also, if say, that is the abrahamic God, that doesn't mean I would be a fan.

We are a military family and Christianity runs pretty deep within the community. It drives me batty that people devote so much of their lives to their faith and have no problem being really pushy about it.

I am actually a pretty hardcore atheist, some would say "New Atheist". I don't run around trying to convert people to my non belief. There is nothing there to convert to. I am not trying to change minds, but that doesn't mean I don't think the world would be a better place if people were willingly free of religion. Of course, I don't think that can happen with anything being pushed on anyone. Still, when I see small kids indoctrinated vs being taught to be free and critical thinkers, I think a great disservice is being done. I would even call it abusive, and obviously, in some cases more extreme than others. So, basically, I think people should come to terms to their belief or non-belief by thinking critically.

As parents it is really important to us to teach or kids to question anything, apply logic and reason, and always learn more. We discuss religion with our kids, because we do want them to be able to discuss these things and how they influence and shape our world..

[Geechee Girl]

I'm a Hoodoo-practicing animist who was raised with a mix of Southern Baptist and Afro-paganism. I was also SDA for a few years. 

[SaveJordyn]

Thank you for all the great replies everyone! Where I grew up everyone was either Catholic or Lutheran and even though I went to church/sang in the choir/prayed all the time, looking back, I don't think I ever truly believed. I'm just way too science-minded to believe in something without evidence (not much faith here). I liked what Jesus taught about for the most part (feeding the poor, loving your neighbor) but it frustrated me to no end seeing the most religious people I knew doing none of that. I guess I didn't really understand that there was an alternative since I'd learned in Sunday school that all Atheists were bad/devil worshipers/immoral. Now that I've accepted my non-belief I feel so much more at peace

 

I am actually a pretty hardcore atheist, some would say "New Atheist". I don't run around trying to convert people to my non belief. There is nothing there to convert to. I am not trying to change minds, but that doesn't mean I don't think the world would be a better place if people were willingly free of religion. Of course, I don't think that can happen with anything being pushed on anyone. Still, when I see small kids indoctrinated vs being taught to be free and critical thinkers, I think a great disservice is being done. I would even call it abusive, and obviously, in some cases more extreme than others. So, basically, I think people should come to terms to their belief or non-belief by thinking critically.

As parents it is really important to us to teach or kids to question anything, apply logic and reason, and always learn more. We discuss religion with our kids, because we do want them to be able to discuss these things and how they influence and shape our world..

 

 

This is how I want to raise my future children! I was never taught to "question everything" but my kids sure will be  

[livinginthelight]

I'm Christian - fairly traditional and conservative in some areas (I believe Jesus is God, he is my Lord), and very liberal/left wing on social issues (IMO, God doesn't give a rip about sexual orientation and many other things that Christians tend to get hung up on.)

I view my faith as a relationship (with Jesus) rather than as a set of rules.

I believe God created brains and intends us to use them. I love FJ because of all the intelligent conversation.

I'll be voting Bernie too!