Afraid to be who I am. Becoming atheist or whatever.

originally posted by: TexasSeabee
I have been looking at several non-religion religions (if that makes sense) lately. So there is that also.

Perhaps I am just lost in it all. Well, there it is. If you have something helpful please say it, if it is rude please keep it to yourself.

Just say your life journey has made you more spiritual than Christian, and that is is just a personal thing...

How you define that spirituality is up to you.

Of course, unless that doesn't agree with you either... in which case.

Screw everyone else, you do you, and they can accept it or not - and if they don't want to remain friends, they weren't your friends to begin with.

Thank you everyone for the supportive and positive advice to help me know that I am heading the right direction with my internal and external journey.

I couldn't sleep when made the op so I apologize if it was a bit lacking in context of certain things. I do live in a community that is very religious and most people just assume everyone is Christian and goes to church. Most businesses advertise they are "good Christian company". I feel surrounded by something I have to either "fit in or die". I know realistically that most people actually wouldn't care but I have spent my whole life growing up in church and all the faitb talk at family gatherings so when I say pretend to be Christian it just means that I freak out on people that want to talk about God and all that around me, I mostly just have a theological discussion without saying I don't believe. I guess there is really nothing wrong with that as I do study a lot of religions and spiritual teachings because I am looking for balance and freedom of who I am.

Perhaps I am focusing on the wrong thing at the moment but I somehow feel if I just say "I'm an atheist" I will feel better and people would be mad and we could move on but at the same time I don't want to hurt my family emotionally. I suppose this is really what the human experience really is.

Thank you again everyone, this has helped more than you know.

Look into gematria. It's a scary possibility we're all coded AKA our lives are predetermined as if we're in some sort of computer simulation. The religious people would have a rude awakening if this turned out to be true, they were following something that was bulls# all along.
The truth is that we don't know sh# about sh# about what reality is and what happens after death. People who say they know for sure one way or the other are beyond arrogant because it's as if they're saying they know something we don't, as if they died and saw what exactly happens.
I left religion a decade ago but I've always known this reality isn't what we've been made to believe and that was confirmed last year coming across gematria. It changes your perspective on everything.
Basically, being an atheist or religious might not be the way to go because we really might have a creator, but they might be our enslaver too. Good luck.

a reply to: TexasSeabee

You know of course that there is also agnosticism? Atheism is a belief that there is no God, agnosticism is merely admitting you don't know if there is or isn't. That's the step away that some take, agnosticism.

I think, I and I emphasis here ''I think'' that the dogmatic beliefs of religious communities can be stifling to any personal growth that one feels drawn to, either away from the established concept of God or towards ones own pull for a more fulfilling experience of ones own being in this existence.

Good fortune pilgrim.

"I'm an atheist"

There is a story in Buddhism of the Buddha being approached by a very old hindu begging him to tell him if his God existed or not, before he dies. The Buddha looked sadly at the old hindu and said God does not exist. His desciples took that news to local villages where a aethist lived. The aethist being so happy that his beliefs were validated went to the Buddha to thank him. The buddha said to him. God does exist.

How can we believe in something that can never be defined. How can we not believe in something that can never be defined. Both points of view are wrong.

So rather than totally rejecting christianity which will only cause conflicts in your environment. First look at alternative understandings of scripture that may align better with your heart (Meister Eckhart). If that understanding of scripture is more appealing you have nothing to admit to anyone, You only need to mentally translate the concepts of others with your own concepts so you can exist in harmony knowing that you are being truthful to yourself and everyone else.

I would also point out that most humans are most comfortable in a group that conforms. It doesn't matter what we're talking about. To see someone who does not conform in some way will make the insecure terribly uncomfortable and they can be hostile about that.

Yes, it happens with religious groups, but it also happens with groups of all different types. The message is often be like us, be exactly like us, or we will push you out.

Don't beat yourself up on that.
If you don't want to hurt your close ones, keep up the pretend. No one is going to catch you not believing, right?
If you want to be honest, tell them

just trying to understand.. do you not believe in any higher creator? or any after life? what made you come to this belief? i was raised catholic. I do not believe in all their rules and beliefs but i do believe in the after life and a higher power. i just know it to be true. I actually look forward to seeing where i will go after this life is over. I have read so many near death experiences and they are so powerful. I am always curious about the non believers. Do you fear death or does it make you sad that there is nothing else?
a reply to: TexasSeabee

a reply to: TexasSeabee

When someone has identified them self as something they haven't really seen that they have identified their higher power and not them-self.

For example saying oneself is an engineer identifies their higher power as an engineer as it puts food on the table and allows them a better life than without it... their work as an engineer is the same as walking with or beside their higher power in the faith of engineering.

So when one is doing their work where is self? No where as it is the very concept of being one.

a reply to: TexasSeabee

Don't go too hard on yourself. One's spiritual journey is filled with ups and downs, as we grow and know our self better. It's a process of self-realization.

It's really important to be able to be yourself comfortably around others.

It's hard to imagine who you have in mind atm. Generally, I find those who behave judgmentally immature. They come in all stripes, but after a certain time in their life, it can be disappointing expressing yourself around those who are more attached to their ideas of right and wrong, than building bridges.

Life is a mystery, look, explore, investigate, and see for yourself what the world's spiritual traditions have preserved. Studying philosophy can be fruitful, everyone's perspective changes as they live life and reflect on what it means to them. It's much easier to believe in yourself when you're not boxed in. We need that room, to help reach for better things.

Practice being yourself as best you can. Imo, honesty with others is the best we can hope for. Being true to yourself is the larger part of that.

I haven't met anyone who practices the Golden Rule and loves the Good in their lives who ever got stuck. For what it's worth, I've met those who describe themselves as staunch atheists who were so spiritual I thought they could be trolling me, lol.

a reply to: TexasSeabee

As long as you can admit it to yourself, you're going in the right direction. Maybe you already did that. For me a weight was lifted. I wasn't going to pretend to be something I'm not. Plus, you don't really have to go around bringing it up to people all the time. Sounds like there may be some specific people you want to open up to about it.

A lot of Christians will tell you that you really do know God exists, that you just hate him, or want to revel in sin. All sorts of BS arguments. If you don't believe, you don't believe. You know in your heart they're coming from a different place. One you can understand because you were there once.

Anyway, best of luck. Be yourself!

originally posted by: TexasSeabee
Thank you everyone for the supportive and positive advice to help me know that I am heading the right direction with my internal and external journey.

Do you think there was any chance someone in this thread was going to say something that could convince you that since you've been going in the wrong direction your entire life, that you are still going in the wrong direction and that it is quite likely that you will continue going in the wrong direction because of that? (also because everyone else here is going in the wrong direction thinking they are going in the right direction or that they are right, so they would be more inclined to endorse what they already believe is the right way, or right way of thinking; as a result of those who have been doing what is described at Isaiah 5:20,21)

Also, that you have been deceived and manipulated in the past to go in the wrong direction, that you are still being deceived and manipulated to go in the wrong direction, and that therefore it is quite likely that you will continue to allow yourself to be deceived and manipulated with the result of continuing in the wrong direction?

Or did you never consider that to be a possibility? Or perhaps so unlikely because you can now see through the hypocrisy and deception of the religious leaders in Christendom (or your Church or brand of Christendom specifically), therefore you think you are better protected from further deception, manipulation and trickery? Cause now you know better not to fall for the same tricks again or conforming to the community you find yourself in?

Do you think there's a chance that at some point in your life you may get a little tired of being tricked by the ruler of this world and god of this system of things, and his human pawns and victims? Or that there's a slight chance you may realize you are not actually choosing your own path now anymore than before? Do you think there's a chance that one day perhaps you are willing to consider that thinking about any of these type of questions is as uncomfortable as described at 2 Timothy 4:3,4, and perhaps that by feeling that way you are as unwilling to consider them as a serious or considerable possibility as those described there?

Cause I'm willing to try to break you free from your mental and spiritual jail (or at least give you some tools for breaking out), but I haven't really seen a clear sign that you want to be truly free from this particular jail (in no small part because you cannot see the walls of your jail).

John 8:31,32:

31 Then Jesus went on to say to the Jews who had believed him: “If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Free from what? Would you like to know? And what truth was Jesus referring to there? What were his teachings anyway? The things you were taught in Church (and only that)? You know, things like:

Jesus = God
The soul = immortal and immaterial
The wicked will go to hell where they will be tortured forever and experience conscious pain.
All the righteous (or good people) will go to heaven.
Human philosophy is good in the service of so-called "Christian" theology.
Paid clergy is normal and a reasonable thing to do (the bills have to be paid somehow).

One Myth Leads to Another (article series, note the arrow buttons in the right top corner)
Myth 1: The Soul Is Immortal
Myth 2: The Wicked Suffer in Hell
Myth 3: All Good People Go to Heaven
Myth 4: God Is a Trinity
Myth 5: Mary Is the Mother of God
Myth 6: God Approves of the Use of Images and Icons in Worship

...
REJECT MYTHS, STICK TO THE TRUTH

What can we conclude from this brief review of myths that are still taught by many churches? These “tales [Greek, myʹthos] artfully spun” cannot rival the simple and comforting truths of the Bible.​—2 Peter 1:16, The New English Bible.

Therefore, with an open mind, do not hesitate to compare with God’s Word​—the source of truth—​what you have been taught. (John 17:17) Then, this promise will prove true in your case: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”​—John 8:32.

Context of the video above (playlist, starting at the first video):

Real science, knowledge of realities compared to unverified philosophies and stories

A synonym for "myths" is "false stories". "Science" comes from the Latin scientia, meaning "knowledge", which is also still a synonym for "science". Essentially, knowledge means familiarity with facts/truths/certainties/realities acquired by personal experience, observation, or study. I.e. things that are factual/true/certain/absolute/correct, without error (all synonyms where you see a /). The opposite of truths are falsehoods, which would include myths/false stories. The synonym for a philosophy, is an idea. Most human ideas that have not been verified turn out to be wrong/false/in error/incorrect. The ideas coming from atheists and agnostics that have already been proven to be incorrect, are discussed in the playlist above, in comparison with the truths/facts/realities/certainties (or the evidence) that prove them to be incorrect. The main method or mode of reasoning to discover this, can be described with the term "common sense". A slightly more fancy terminology for that can be called "inductive reasoning". Isaac Newton was on the right path:

“Rule I. We are to admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances.
...
Rule IV. In experimental philosophy we are to look upon propositions collected by general induction from phenomena as accurately or very nearly true, notwithstanding any contrary hypotheses that may be imagined, 'till such time as other phenomena occur, by which they may either be made more accurate, or liable to exceptions,

This rule we must follow, that the argument of induction may not be evaded by hypotheses.”

“As in Mathematicks, so in Natural Philosophy, the Investigation of difficult Things by the Method of Analysis, ought ever to precede the Method of Composition. This Analysis consists in making Experiments and Observations, and in drawing general Conclusions from them by Induction, and admitting of no Objections against the Conclusions, but such as are taken from Experiments, or other certain Truths. For Hypotheses are not to be regarded in experimental Philosophy.”
- Isaac Newton (from Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica) (In those days, "science" was called "natural philosophy", what Newton referred to as "experimental philosophy" became known as "modern science", but only after the philosophers who began referring to eachother as scientists a little later, had already ignored what Newton said above concerning hypotheses, so that their livelihood of promoting their philosophies/ideas and unverified so-called "hypotheses" would not suffer from people getting the impression that these had no place in "modern science".)

The Encyclopaedia Britannica on inductive reasoning:

"When a person uses a number of established facts to draw a general conclusion, he uses inductive reasoning. THIS IS THE KIND OF LOGIC NORMALLY USED IN THE SCIENCES. ..."

Example:

"were men and beast made by fortuitous jumblings of the atoms, there would be many parts useless in them. Here a lump of flesh, there a member too much. Some kinds of beasts might have had but one eye, some more than two. Atoms, mechanical laws, are nothing compared to the knowledge and wisdom of the Creator."- Isaac Newton

When I said "your Church or brand of Christendom specifically", I was obviously talking about the Church you grew up in. Seeing that you think of yourself as an atheist now. Did you know that those preachers in that Church or that brand of Christendom likely also do not believe in the existence of God, but are pretending to do so for the money and prestige they can acquire by doing so, much the same way you did it in order to be loved and accepted by your community?

Is it no wonder then you would end up with the same attitude when thinking about the existence of God or the evidence for it? Especially since the teaching of blind faith is also involved (as if belief in God doesn't require to be based on the evidence, as if that is the meaning of the word belief/faith, as if belief is a matter of choice, you choose to belief somethng regardless if there is any evidence for it, as taught in Christendom and many other religions in this world, including personal religion often thought of as the way you described it: "non-religion religions"; which perhaps you already recognized as being a rather odd term, but I know exactly what you were referring to and thinking of. In another thread someone argued that his personal religious views in line with Shamanism was not a religion or religious because there was no God in it).

Note what is said below under the heading "Ancient Babylonian religious concepts and practices are found in religions worldwide" (which includes the religious concepts and practices of Shamanism as well as Christendom, Eastern mysticism and philosophy, new age philosophy, pretty much everything on TV and evolutionary philosophies, which ties in with Pantheism and philosophical naturalism; although not all are disucced below, I'll put 2 videos below for those last few ones, which are most commonly believed in by those that follow or admire the teachings in atheism and agnosticism and also trace their roots back to the religiously motivated philosophies coming out of ancient Babylon, a center for religious and philosophical propaganda of the ancient world, when the Babylonian Empire was still going strong and other Empires often made Babylon the capitol of their empire, and from there, spread to all corners of the world in subsequent centuries, all the way to China and South America):

Babylon the Great (Reasoning From the Scriptures)


Context in the playlist from my previous comment (I'll link a video before the ones above, since I brought up Newton in my previous comment):

Isaac Newton's science/scientia/knowledge about reality

Best not miss the video that follows that one, which is the last video before the 2 videos called "The Pagan Religious Roots of Evolutionary Philosophies and Philosophical Naturalism".

Can you imagine how I might feel that I might have wasted my time on these 2 comments because nobody here (including you) wants to hear it as prophecied by 2 Timothy 4:3,4? Perhaps quoting it will save you some time not having to click the link I used in my previous comment to assist in considering that question:

“For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome* [Or “healthful; beneficial.”] teaching, but according to their own desires, they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled.* [Or “to tell them what they want to hear.”*] They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories.” (2 Timothy 4:3,4) (*: like giving people the impression they are heading in the right direction, patting them on the back how well they're doing, feels nice doesn't it? A lot nicer than someone telling you the opposite, or merely suggesting that that might be the case or encouraging you to seriously consider whether that might be the case. It may be that the true motive to do either, is not always as apparent to you as you might think, perhaps even the exact opposite situation as the way these type of responses sound to you and make you feel; again, compare Isaiah 5:20,21.)

“So we should no longer be children, tossed about as by waves and carried here and there by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of cunning in deceptive schemes.” (Ephesians 4:14)

“Look out that no one takes you captive by means of the philosophy and empty deception according to human tradition, according to the elementary things of the world and not according to Christ;” “We have much to say about him, and it is difficult to explain, because you have become dull in your hearing. For although by now* [Lit., “in view of the time.”] you should be teachers, you again need someone to teach you from the beginning the elementary things of the sacred pronouncements of God, and you have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. For everyone who continues to feed on milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is a young child. But solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their powers of discernment* [Or “their perceptive powers.”] trained to distinguish both right and wrong.” (Col 2:8; Hebrews 5:11-14)

“However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron.”(1 Timothy 4:1,2).

originally posted by: TexasSeabee
Thank you everyone for the supportive and positive advice to help me know that I am heading the right direction with my internal and external journey.

Just a quick heads-up (for everyone here, as I elaborated on in my previous commentary):

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 16:25)

“I have put life and death before you, the blessing and the malediction; and you must choose life in order that you may keep alive.”​—DEUTERONOMY 30:19.

The next verse explains how (so if curious, you can click the link, you can then also see the entire verse 19 in an alternate rendering). Some of the causal factors for the phenomenon at Pr 16:25, and what keeps it that way, is explained in the Bible quotations I used in my previous comment, in particular 2 Tim 4:3,4.

a reply to: TexasSeabee

God's Morality vs. Our Morality

An old thread of mine. Some of my opinions of the content therein have changed slightly. Thread is based on a more literal interpretation of the Bible, and not a mythology/symbolic one.

a reply to: TexasSeabee

Check out the Atheist Experience on YouTube, for some thought provoking and sometimes amusing discussions between believers and non believers.

They're based out of Austin Texas.