I am slowly becoming an Atheist... I think...

Start going to the metaphysics sections of your local bookstores (used bookstores are more ideal). I never found the need to go full atheist, there's plenty of esoteric explanations for things & reasons to believe in powers greater than ourselves without the iron fist of organized religion bending you to its will.

a reply to: CoBaZ

I normally have trouble reading through posts of people's religious history (despite the current outcome they have ended up in) but I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post.

a reply to: TexasSeabee

No panic and the answer I believe is simple......first you are losing your faith or it is getting weaker and weaker do you know why? Because you have stopped studying God's word and possibly stopped praying to God. You are letting this world break you down.

Faith comes from hearing and studying God's word stopping in doing this will cause your faith to weaken.

Also do not forget we ALL go through a series of tests throughout our entire lives... some come from above (faith testing) while others come from below (temptation).

If you do not make changes you will probably give up your faith and fall in line with this world.

Life is not fair.

originally posted by: TexasSeabee
a reply to: DOCHOLIDAZE1

Im not sure why knowing its nothing and thinking each moment we have is precious because there isnt some master plan makes me spread negativity and sorrow. I actually feel quite the opposite of negative, i feel like i only have a small time to make a difference in my life and others so i male the most of it. When i was in a religious setting i was so worried about getting to the next life i neglected people and hated people i had never met because they went to a different church.

Im not sure if you were being positive or begative in your post but the point i was trying to make is i feel at peace with the world now not that i think its a waste of time to exist. I apologize if i was unclear on that before and thank you for the reply.

IMO you sound like a Christian.....BUT with little spiritual growth. You are grown while your spirit is still a child? Do you understand?

Many of us go through this period in our life....some earlier than others while some take longer for their spirit to mature. I do not think you need to reevaluate your beliefs, just stick with them and pick up on your prayers. Ask God to strengthen your faith. Faith is a gift from God.

a reply to: TexasSeabee

I was there once to.. I was brought up in a Christian house, but science taught me to ask questions the church could not answer.. Plus the hypocrisy of religion can really get me down. One day you will realise, 'I know nothing and I must question everything'. There is more out there, quantum physics has proved this, the conscience is yet to be understood. There is a lot more out there than we will ever know, but the road is fraught with distraction and it's a long path.

You have taken your first steps. Think and question freely. Don't let man made faith hold you back.

originally posted by: NthOther
Just don't let Atheism (and I capitalize it purposefully) turn into your new religion. I'm assuming you're familiar with what it means to be " fully converted unto Christ".

There's an Atheist equivalent of that, which is every bit as dogmatic, irrational, and intolerant as the most fanatical of fanatic beliefs.

Believe as you wish, but please don't turn into one of those people.

Can you show me one of those people? Because im struggling to think of any. Whereas i can rattle of a whole list of abnoxious religious people.

Please enlighten me. And FYI, if you are going to say Dawkins, you better have a clip ready for me to see of him being rude or abnoxious to someone, because ive never seen one.

I'll wait.

originally posted by: GreenGunther
a reply to: TexasSeabee

I was there once to.. I was brought up in a Christian house, but science taught me to ask questions the church could not answer.. Plus the hypocrisy of religion can really get me down. One day you will realise, 'I know nothing and I must question everything'. There is more out there, quantum physics has proved this, the conscience is yet to be understood. There is a lot more out there than we will ever know, but the road is fraught with distraction and it's a long path.

You have taken your first steps. Think and question freely. Don't let man made faith hold you back.

There have been more mistakes within the field of science than the Holy book, the bible, has within it. I too love science and science has NOT proven God does not exist. So the challenge of the existance of God rest with science since scientists have ruled out God but yet can not prove it..... so science is limited to what it can and can NOT do. PLUS lets not forget with science often it is nothing more than theory of someone's opinion and NOT a fact. Yes, science has made many advancements BUT yet can not prove there is no God.

Questions are great this is how we learn BUT often the answers are wrong or for the most part ...... someone's opinion.

Attacking a book or an idea anyone can do and it is often done here BUT no one here can speak for God, which many try to do at this site. Though the ridiculous questions asked why did God do this or that?.... I do not speak for God I tell those to ask God himself.

I have met God and so have millions of others who are walking on this rock right now. Why has he not shown himself to you? If you do not know than use your science skills for an incorrect answer.

originally posted by: DeathSlayer

originally posted by: GreenGunther
a reply to: TexasSeabee

I was there once to.. I was brought up in a Christian house, but science taught me to ask questions the church could not answer.. Plus the hypocrisy of religion can really get me down. One day you will realise, 'I know nothing and I must question everything'. There is more out there, quantum physics has proved this, the conscience is yet to be understood. There is a lot more out there than we will ever know, but the road is fraught with distraction and it's a long path.

You have taken your first steps. Think and question freely. Don't let man made faith hold you back.

There have been more mistakes within the field of science than the Holy book, the bible, has within it.

Yes, but there have also been countless answers that science has given us. I don't see religion flying to Pluto, building computers, harnessing the atom, eradicating diseases, building solar panels, discovering the Higgs etc...

So, if you are sayign science is wrong more times than the bible, yes, you are right. Its self correcting. but science is trying to do everything. Since its all we have. Religion offers NOTHING to the world other than false hope and lies.

Also, the bible doesnt have "mistakes", it contradicts itself. And since all it has its its own word, you can see where that might cause issues

Just be yourself and don't let people pigeon hole you. Humans are obsessed with putting everything in boxes and classifications. Just be yourself and pick and choose what jives with you.

originally posted by: 3danimator2014

originally posted by: DeathSlayer

originally posted by: GreenGunther
a reply to: TexasSeabee

I was there once to.. I was brought up in a Christian house, but science taught me to ask questions the church could not answer.. Plus the hypocrisy of religion can really get me down. One day you will realise, 'I know nothing and I must question everything'. There is more out there, quantum physics has proved this, the conscience is yet to be understood. There is a lot more out there than we will ever know, but the road is fraught with distraction and it's a long path.

You have taken your first steps. Think and question freely. Don't let man made faith hold you back.

There have been more mistakes within the field of science than the Holy book, the bible, has within it.

Yes, but there have also been countless answers that science has given us. I don't see religion flying to Pluto, building computers, harnessing the atom, eradicating diseases, building solar panels, discovering the Higgs etc...

So, if you are sayign science is wrong more times than the bible, yes, you are right. Its self correcting. but science is trying to do everything. Since its all we have. Religion offers NOTHING to the world other than false hope and lies.

Also, the bible doesnt have "mistakes", it contradicts itself. And since all it has its its own word, you can see where that might cause issues

You compare religion to flying to Pluto, building computers, harnessing the atom, eradicating diseases, building solar panels, discovering the Higgs etc...?

Why? This does not make sense. You speak of a physical plane of events while I speak of a spiritual plane. God is a spirit not a computer or solar panels.

a reply to: TexasSeabee

I went through a similar period of angst as an adolescent...brought up Christian, became agnostic. Very unpleasant while it lasts but things soon settle.

You feel a traitor to your loved ones who believe this stuff and want you to believe too. But you have to be honest to yourself. And if the God/Jesus thing doesn't fly with you, well then...

You seem to have a profoundly negative world view. But life doesn't have to be wholly without meaning just because you don't believe in Jesus any more.

For me, I realised there were two important but separate issues going on - belief in God and belief in life after death.

And I came to the conclusion that I didn't, and never have, believed in God. Not that there is no God, but simply that it was an abstract concept without any significance for me.

Whether the starving peasant has a king is academic; he still starves.

You don't have to believe that your life will be snuffed out completely at death. In fact you're alive now, aren't you? But you weren't alive before conception. So you came into existence from nothing.

Could happen again.

a reply to: TexasSeabee

Church cannot passively instill in you what you aren't actively looking for on your own. You have to look. If you haven't been looking and finding reasons for God and seeking Him, then of course you will doubt.

Maybe your church didn't talk about this, but it is very much about having a relationship. Just like your marriage wouldn't work if you let your wife do all the work in keeping the two of your together, your faith won't work if you try to let God do it all. Even if He calls you, He will still expect you to work on things from your end and keep the relationship active.

Also, an active relationship does not necessarily need church participation. I haven't been to church for many years. Church is very important to some because it helps them to know others who believe and it gives them guidance. I like reading people like C.S. Lewis and looking at scripture on my own, catching apologists and sermons on YouTube when the mood strikes.

a reply to: Ericthedoubter

Thank for the encouragement. That is probably the explanation of how I feel right now. It was like i was flailing about and all the sudden my mind was calm. Its crazy but even the idea of death is easier for me to accept. Before death had some many questions, like why, wil i see them again, did they go to heaven, and more. But now I feel death is absolute, it is the end and for me there is peace in that, we live and then we die, i know that sounds strange. Agaim thanks for the kind words.

a reply to: CoBaZ

Oohrah from a dirt sailor (CM2)

Thank you for sharing. I sincerely appreciate it, it truly does help to hear from someone that has been through something similar.

Congrats on seeing past the church dogma, I went through the same process and I know it can be hard at times but in the end it's all a learning process and there is nothing wrong with learning.

My advice would be to look into the different philosophies around the world and find the common denominator within all of them. They all speak of the same truth just from different cultural viewpoints.

Love others and treat them as you would want to be treated, if you do that then you're on the right path. Also keep an open mind, maybe one day, with an open mind, you'll find that what you've been searching for has been right in front of you all along.

a reply to: TexasSeabee

I am slowly becoming an Atheist...

Waking up to the hypocrisy are you?

a reply to: TexasSeabee
OP, all of the cult type religions were created with the goal of quelling free-thought, self-realization, and critical thought processes. This is done not with education, but with indoctrination. Inundating the convert with doctrine and theology regularly, along with "fellowship", to keep them from straying.

It's time for you to incorporate all three of the religious no-no's into your life without fear. Free-thought, self-realization, and critical thought. You do not have to be one extreme or the other. You are not required to go from being a Christian to being an atheist. You are an individual. You are autonomous. You are free to think for yourself, not as others want you to think.

(The word atheist, as used in this post means one thing, and one thing only. A lack of belief in deities/gods. Nothing more or less.)

a reply to: TexasSeabee

This can be a very exciting time...I love discussing religion (God in particular) with them. I grew up Catholic but my boys have not experienced church as of yet..both older than 7. I think they enjoy discussing the possibilities of a God or Gods who could be responsible for life in general or is it just a grand set of circumstances that led to who we are today.

We do talk evolution and they we do discuss what the next evolutionary jump would look like for man. They seem to think that we are as evolved as could be due to technology advancing us..

a reply to: TexasSeabee

Take your time. You don't have to jump to believing that "the world is nothing but random events strung together to form everyday life". I haven't believed in a deity for many years, but I wouldn't agree with your assessment there... Being an atheist just means that you don't believe in this entity that everyone refers to as "god".

I was raised in a very religious household and eventually started to really question the validity of the 'stories' I had been taught. It took YEARS for me to realize that I am atheist, which only means I don't believe in what most people call "God"... the all-seeing, all-powerful, vengeful, jealous God of the bible.

From there, I was free to find out what I DID believe in. Not because people had told me stories since birth, but because I have a good mind and I can question my existence and formulate beliefs of my own, not beliefs of other people or organized religion.

Good luck, go easy on yourself - there's no hurry.

I still only have weak beliefs, but they're not religious in nature, because the truth that I have discovered is that no one really knows exactly how we got here, what our purpose is (if any) and what happens when we die. I'm content to find out as I go along - or maybe never at all... I will just live my life the best I can and deal with what comes along.

a reply to: TexasSeabee
There really is a god out there, and he believes in you, even if you don't believe in him! And his name is Shamash, Glorious Shamash!

Seriously though, you are in a vulnerable state. Don't long for answers too hard, or you will find yourself in a cult. Or even worse, watching Ancient Aliens.