Just discovered this club!

[Fascinated]

I hope more atheists, agnostics, non-theists join.  I’d love to talk about this stuff.  One of the biggest surprises about FJ for me was realizing that the majority of members identify as Christian or religious.  I just assumed it would be a forum full of atheists.  Anyone else find this upon joining?

[nomoxian]

I assumed the same.

[unsafetydancer]

@Fascinated same here. 

[Demonfan]

Definitely a surprise. It also has an impact on how I respond to things. I am careful to temper my wtf religion reactions.

[Fascinated]

Me, too. I find it frustrating as hell, frankly. I have taken breaks from FJ because of it. Because I can’t respond with how I feel about what I’m reading. I don’t belong to any other forums but sometimes I think I should join an atheist one just to know there are others out there who feel as I do. 

[Demonfan]

It can be a lonely path. I just finished reading God is Not Great by C. Hitchens. So good. I just really have no use for religion, but we live in a world that gives a lot of deference to it.

[wild little fox]

I'm glad to see this group. 

I fluctuate between agnostic and atheist. I was questioning my faith as a Christian and it occurred to me one day that if I have free will that includes being free not to believe in god. Up until that moment I never realized I had a choice. And I look back, because I spent time in analysis of all my life decisions (LOL!) and I see that I doubt I can believe in anything that humans try to explain. 

I am surprised at the number of Christians that are at FJ. I have been a member for a number of years and the transitions in this community have been interesting to observe. 

[singsingsing]

You know what's bizarre? I was sooooooo afraid of becoming an atheist for so long because I thought it would essentially lead to nihilism and I'd be miserable. But now that I've embraced my agnostic-atheism, I'm actually happier and have less anxiety. 

So anyway, hi everyone. Glad this club exists. 

[Blahblah]

Hi all. For me atheism/agnosticism is a default setting. Religion was non-existent in my family. I was christened Church of England, but only because my mum wanted to get married in a historic church near her home (photo opportunity anyone?) and promised that her first - born child would be christened there to convince them to let her use it. Never went back again.

Atheism is just logical to me. So many different religions, so many ways of worshipping. So many atrocities and wars in the name of religion. None of it makes any sense.

Once I was old enough to think about religion, I saw that people could be completely horrible to each other, then trot off to sit in a particular building once a week, say some particular words, and then all would be absolved by some imaginary entity leaving them fre to go and do it all again. (We had some horrible neighbours who were Catholic. My observations of them didn’t give me any reason to think that religion improved people in any way). 

You don’t need religion to be a good person. Atheism is not a pathway to bad behaviour. God is not the only thing keeping people in line. Ethics and morals do not need a religious framework.

And wow, wall of text so I’ll stop now.

[Fascinated]

Agree with everything. For me it has never been an option.  Not a single thing about ‘god’ makes any sense whatsoever.  I don’t understand how one person can believe, let alone billions of people. It is, in my opinion, the greatest con ever exacted on the human race. It frustrates the absolute shit out of me.  It is only possible because we know we are going to die. Believers are comforted by the concept of heaven. I get that. If one takes a moment to consider the logistics of a heaven, well, my mind cannot compute the logic.  Others’ can and do.  

As I’ve stated repeatedly, I hate that religious people are indoctrinating their children. When I see photos of our fundies’ tiny kids being read the bible, it makes me want to cry. For a forum that is so intent on discussing the evils of fundamentalism, it surprises and frustrates me that we cannot call out the simple indoctrination of children in any and all religions, even if not fundamental. In a way, for me, there is not so much of a difference between fundamentals and other devout believers. 

[Demonfan]

Agree with everything said here. I also get frustrated when people call out abhorrent behavior as not Christian, or whatever religion they practice. For example, corporal punishment, misogyny, racism ect. People will say, that's not Christian! Yes, it is. It is all there in the holy books. You may choose to pick and choose what parts of the religion to follow, but don't pretend it's all unicorns and rainbows. In my own case raised as a conservative Hindu, as I grew up I was horrified at the misogynyand classism.I knew quite young that I didn't believe, but didn't "come out" until I was an adult.

[singsingsing]

Agreed... I think arguments about how the Duggars (or other fundies) are bad Christians are sometimes valid, because they are total hypocrites and pick and choose from the Bible constantly. They do all kinds of things that go against their own holy book and claim to be literalists. So that's fair game.

But the Bible, including the New Testament, condones a lot of seriously messed up and problematic shit. It's categorically NOT what liberal Christians try to make it out to be. The character of Jesus is not the guy they think he is (he's not the guy fundies think he is either, but that's another story). They're twisting it as much as the fundies are - in a much better way, of course, but still. When fundies use the Bible to condone discrimination against gays, to enforce archaic rules about sexuality, and to oppress women, they're not being hypocritical, they're actually doing what the Bible tells them to do.

I would be very surprised if most of the Christians on FJ had actually read the entire Bible. Most Christians haven't. Reading the entire Bible was probably what totally eliminated any possibility of me ever being a (truly) believing Christian, and it just took a few more years for me to work through the sort-of-Christian-can-I-just-choose-the-good-bits-spiritual-ish phase.

[Pecansforeveryone]

On 5/8/2018 at 12:22 PM, singsingsing said:

Agreed... I think arguments about how the Duggars (or other fundies) are bad Christians are sometimes valid, because they are total hypocrites and pick and choose from the Bible constantly. They do all kinds of things that go against their own holy book and claim to be literalists. So that's fair game.

But the Bible, including the New Testament, condones a lot of seriously messed up and problematic shit. It's categorically NOT what liberal Christians try to make it out to be. The character of Jesus is not the guy they think he is (he's not the guy fundies think he is either, but that's another story). They're twisting it as much as the fundies are - in a much better way, of course, but still. When fundies use the Bible to condone discrimination against gays, to enforce archaic rules about sexuality, and to oppress women, they're not being hypocritical, they're actually doing what the Bible tells them to do.

I would be very surprised if most of the Christians on FJ had actually read the entire Bible. Most Christians haven't. Reading the entire Bible was probably what totally eliminated any possibility of me ever being a (truly) believing Christian, and it just took a few more years for me to work through the sort-of-Christian-can-I-just-choose-the-good-bits-spiritual-ish phase.

Thank you a hundred times over for say this. I am a formerly devout evangelical Christian turned atheist. Jesus gave us the concept of thought crimes. Which is the ultimate mind fuck and shackle around the neck. I smirk every time evangelicals talk about grace when I find them to be the most legalistic of all. You are constantly being pressured to lead others for Christ and scrutinize every action and thought. It make you wonder if you're doing something wrong in your daily prayer time when you can't come up with any sins to confess. I am 100% happierf and more at peace now. 

[Demonfan]

The argument that people need religion in order to be moral or civilized pisses me right the fuck off. People are who they are. I am not going around creating chaos because atheism. I also find proselytizing abhorrent. 

[Pecansforeveryone]

I mentioned in a different thread that if this all powerful, all loving deity really existed, they could clear up all this chaos and turmoil and twisting of God's word in a minute. Apperantly they can't be bothered to because reasons!? What's that about? I am done with the idea that religious beliefs are somehow worthy of respect. People, of all kinds, should be treated with kindness and respect. Irrational religious beliefs are still irrational. 

[Vivi_music]

Interesting club. I decided to join, despite the fact I don't define myself as a atheist. I would consider myself a real agnostic. I tried often to think about the possibility of a divine power and my mind keeps juggling back and forth.

To this day I feel so ambivalent, which is why I'm trying to accept the fact I will never truly know. So I live my everyday life trying to accept the fact that my questions won't be answered. Often I feel like I have neither of two opposing positions on faith. I am not a firm advocate of atheism, but I'm not a believer. My own vision of faith and spirituality is hard to explain and I'm not even certain I know what it is yet. Strangely even if I consider myself agnostic, I have a strong respect of other people's faith.

I also try to differenciate faith, spirituality and religion as much as I can. I am certainly not a religious person and it holds no place in my everyday life. But faith is something else. It means something different to each individual and is more personal.

Anywho... I hope I will be able to talk with other free spirits on here.