Some days I think my husband is trying to convert me
...into being an atheist. He sent me this article today and told me to read it.
I don't understand why there's always all this talk about science vs. religion. I'm not against science, but I'm also definitely not against religion. I think that living your life without faith or a belief in a higher power is honestly just plain sad. What's the point to it all?
I could go on and on and on about the difference between religion and spirituality, and the meaning of life, but haven't we all heard it before? It sounds so contrite, but can't we all just get along?
I will worship my deities and honor my belief system the way I see fit. I will continue to believe that the the divine can speak to us through our dreams and messages, and that we can in fact alter our realities by the sheer power of our thoughts and intent. Some people think I'm crazy, and I'm okay with that. Who am I hurting?
I don't care what you believe in, just as long as you believe. Have some faith people! If you can't believe in karma or a higher power, then what's to stop everyone from just acting on every impulse they have?
Too many questions, too little time.... for now I hope that the religious debate will cease in my home for awhile, because a pagan defending Christianity and religion to an atheist is just far too tiring.
posted by Sam @ 6:52 p.m.
7 comments
7 Comments:
Ok I can't resist, here goes.
I disagree with your statement about "If you can't believe in karma or a higher power, then what's to stop everyone from just acting on every impulse they have?"
There is no shortage of things to stop me. How about jail. Or the poor house. Concern for my fellow man, my future, my conscience, my goals, self respect and the respect of others. The big umbrella: Consequences.
Believing in a religion for the sole purpose of keeping yourself in check is redundant. If you already have the desire to keep yourself in check why do you need a deity's help or fear of its retribution to do it? Like I said above, I don't need to instill any artificial fear in myself to keep me in line, I have more than enough real motivation to do so already. And making my own rules based on what I believe to be 'right' feels much better than taking someone (or something) elses word for it.
I'd also like to add that I'm not an advocate of athiesm, I'm not even sure I am athiest myself. (I guess that makes me agnostic.) And I certainly wouldn't suggest that anyone give up their religion unless it isn't serving them well.
"I don't care what you believe in, just as long as you believe."
Why should they believe, because it works for you? What if not believing already works for them?
Okay, first off to your first comment:
Some people naturally have self control and were raised with morals, some weren't. There are a lot of convicts that will tell you that they didn't care about others, then they found a faith and they found forgiveness and a reason to have respect in the gift of life... I'm not saying we all need to be born-agains, but if it works for them, why not?
I'm not suggesting that people believe in a religion to keep themselves in check, I'm saying that it helps. I think it's naive to believe that people are just born with morals. They are taught to us. Let's face it, whether you're Christian or not, we live in a Christian society, where do you think our laws and consequences came from?
Nobody told me what "rules" to follow, some friends and I came together with common beliefs and found our own spirituality, faith, and community together. I don't need the pope telling me what to believe, that's not what I was suggesting.
As for the second comment:
I truly believe that everyone believes in something. If you believe that everything happens for a reason, you believe in karma, you believe in some kind of afterlife, whatever. Hell, some people follow Star Wars for a religion. I don't care, I'm not saying to believe what or how I believe. I'm not saying you have to practice a religion. I personally just cannot imagine the thought that there is no higher power than ourselves. Where do our personalities come from? How were we first created? What does it all mean? I think that faith is a way to calm the voices in our head of the constant questions of why, why, why? Show me an atheist that is perfectly content and then perhaps I'll believe that it can happen.
For the convicts, good for them. They should continue to believe as it works for them.
I also believe that morals are taught. Do we need to teach that some divine being is going to punish us if we don't follow them though, or isn't it enough to teach that your fellow man will punish you. I'm far less likely to do wrong because I'd like to avoid jail, than I am because I'll get struck by lightning. I've seen people go to jail, I've yet to see or hear of the blue bolt of retribution.
I'm also fine with our laws coming from Christianity. What I don't want to do though, is continue using a rule "because that is the way we've always done it". Everything changes eventually, our rules will eventually have to change as well.
I'm also quite fine with you believing in whomever or whatever you would like so long as it doesn't interfere with me. And that is why I have a problem with
"I don't care what you believe in, just as long as you believe."
I don't need to believe in a deity, so why are you insisting that I do?
I'm ok with not knowing. And I'm not going to waste my time believing in something I don't know. I'll find out when the time comes to find out and until then I'm quite happy just working with the ruleset I've got.
I don't believe in "divine punishment", I believe in karma. You can teach "your fellow man will punish you" all you want, but does that work when nobody is watching?
And I didn't say you needed to believe in a deity, just admitting that you are agnostic, not an atheist, means that you do believe in something.
Punishment from others is only one of many reasons I listed for behaving responsibly. Karma is fine if you like to add an element of the divine to the equation, but to insist that people believe in something to avoid acting immorally is both unnecessary and is pushing your beliefs onto others, which imo is immoral.
We as a society form opinions, rules, laws etc. to decide what is best for us as a whole. If a subset of that society wishes to add to that set of rules that is their right. But the moment that subset chooses to push their beliefs on others outside of their subset they are taking away a fundamental freedom from the affected individuals, namely to think and choose freely for themselves.
That is why religions coming door to door anger me. They are forcing their beliefs on me (and usually at inconvenient times too!) and others who should be making up their minds without bias.
To be clear, I am not accusing you of doing that with your beliefs. What I am pointing out though, is that your statement:
"I don't care what you believe in, just as long as you believe. Have some faith people!" imposes your personal beliefs on others. And implying that those who have not chosen to believe (see the definition of agnostic here) are doomed to act in conflict with society's set guidelines is unfair and a little judgemental as well. I also don't like being called sad, but thats your call I guess.
I certainly was not suggesting that all people need to look to their faith for morals, I do think that it helps though to think that if you are putting out negativity, you are going to get negativity in return. I was also not trying to push my beliefs on others. This is my blog, in which I state my opinion, doesn't mean I expect everyone (or anyone) to follow it.
I too dislike people that try to convert others to their religions. I think that there is a vast difference between practicing your spirituality and forcing your beliefs and ideals on others. If people want to know what I believe, I will gladly tell them. However, I really don't want everyone to think the way I do. And I honestly don't want a world full of pagans, it would be very out of balance.
I am very aware of the definition of agnostic. But not KNOWING or not being able to NAME the divine is not the same as being an atheist and believing that it just doesn't exist. I don't think that people need to have a name to their beliefs for them to be any more valid. I was saying that I think it is sad to think that this is it - just this shallow life, and there will be nothing beyond it. Nobody knows the truth, it's all just speculation - I don't know if I'm right, hell, maybe the mormons are right. I think that we all just need to find our comfortable place and as long as we are happy and content, that is all I wish for anyone.
What I dislike is people telling me though that religion is a curse on society when I take great comfort in my faith.
All we need is tolerance. No one can possibly know the truth.
Post a Comment
<< Home