Atheism/agnosticism?

[BellyBelly]

Here you go ladies

Atheism/Agnosticism General Discussion #1 - BellyBelly Forums ~ Pregnancy, Birth & Baby

[Mrs Jak]

Thanks Kelly!

[Heaven]

How did you go with your reading Rory??

[Roryrory]

Heh heh! Lent the book to my mum and now I am around 37 weeks pregnant - might try once the baby is born LOL!!!

[suse]

I've been agnostic since about the age of 7, when during Sunday School I realised that I just didn't feel what everybody else did about God (I have always been a 'questioner').

My family is Christian, and my grandparents in particular are the most wonderful kind of Christians, giving, kind and non-judgemental. My very wise grandma put it best when she said to me, but that's why it's called faith - you either feel it or you don't. She knows that I respect her faith, and she respects my beliefs too.

I dislike it when atheists/agnostics try to claim an intellectual superiority because of their beliefs; there are many scientists who hold deeply felt religious beliefs. I equally dislike it when people of religion try to claim moral superiority; there are non-believers who do wonderful things in this world just as there have been truly awful things done throughout history in the name of God. People have the capacity to be morally good or bad no matter what they believe!

As for the difference between agnosticism and atheism, Douglas Adams described agnosticism as 'wishy washy fence sitting'! Atheism is usually described as a firm belief or conviction that there is no god, whereas agnosticism is often described as a questioning of belief (or of keeping an open mind to possibilities, as somebody else put it), that there is no way of knowing or proving that god does or does not exist. To me, this comes back to the nature of faith - if God is proved to exist or not to exist, then this renders the entire concept of faith untenable.

The reconciliation of religion with science has been described as this: Science attempts to discover How the universe works, whereas religion is Why the universe works. Like Ryn said, there's no reason that the two can't co-exist perfectly happily!

Faith is deeply personal, and no person should be disrespected because of their beliefs. It's how those beliefs govern people's actions towards one another that counts!

It might be really tacky to quote from popular culture, but there was a line in one of the Matrix films which said "But not everyone believes as you believe... But my beliefs do not require them to".

[suse]

Also, sorry guys for wading in very, very late, I just noticed that I had 'missed' the last two pages of this thread, so have not only missed some really interesting points, but have probably repeated stuff that people have already said long ago.

Hopefully squidgy will be out soon so that mummy's brain will return to something like normal...

[krysalyss]

I guess I would call myself an atheist but I prefer not to really call myself anything. I don't believe in a god or an afterlife. I don't believe in souls (although I know I have used the word before in day to day life). I just believe in the here and now. I believe that life is waaaay bigger than me, humans, life on earth, our solar system, our universe. I don't know where it ends but the thought that life will keep on going after our species kills ourselves off gives me comfort when I argue with yet another apathetic human being about the state of the earth.
Religion seems to divide people rather than unite them so even if I believed that 'something' was out there then I wouldn't have a strong religious affiliation either way.

[Bathsheba]

Oh suse great post matey, especially: "there is no way of knowing or proving that god does or does not exist. To me, this comes back to the nature of faith - if God is proved to exist or not to exist, then this renders the entire concept of faith untenable." No baby brain in your head darl, that was one very eloquent point

[suse]

Thank you sweet - I must admit I am enjoying writing again, since giving up work I have not had many opportunities to be eloquent!