what age did you stop beleaving in the religion you where raised with?

[wannabejew]

Originally Posted by tuttle88

Sparrow's post made me realise that I may have been a bit of a cunt without explaining myself properly. I do try to limit my cuntish tendencies but I have obviously failed and for that I appologise.

I realised when I was in my early teens that the the way people were describing god to me at school made me feel kind of empty. It had a lot to do with chapters in the bible that didn't line up with what I was being taught and also that parable/poem what ever about the footsteps. So I decided that I didn't believe in God.

Then when my grandfather died and everyone around me was being comforted by prayers and a vision of him in heaven and I didn't feel that I thought he was just gone and only lived on in our memories it just affirmed my belief in there being no God, but it also made me jealous of people who had faith that could support them in times of need. But on the other hand my cousin's conversion to a wacky form of Lutheran has made him so closed minded and obnoxious I can barely talk to him.

When I started doing research on atheism I found the things leading atheists were saying so aggressive and arrogant. A lot of atheists say they just want people to leave them alone and not try to convert them but then they spend so much time and energy on trying to convert religious people it seemed exceptionally hypocritical.

So I'm left being disgusted by people who try to distort and use anything they can get their hands on to try to convert people to whatever they believe in.

A lot of people who claim to be atheists and people who claim to be christian don't seem to be happy with their beliefs. They are always struggling to find proof of their position and to convert the world to believe what they believe which seems to be a position of doubt and confusion.

I simply don't believe there is a higher power. I don't know how the universe came into being, I can't explain why some people are healed mysteriously, I can't explain why every culture has similarities in folk tales and legends and I know this may be hard to believe but I don't care. There are things in the world that I don't understand, I don't feel like I need to understand everything. There are things that I am extremely interested in, I'm doing an honours thesis in history and I constantly come up with bizarre questions. But the parts of the world that don't interest me just don't interest me.
I can't explain why I don't give a shit how life began on this planet and yet want to collect and read the constitution of every nation on earth.

I will leave my fucked up brain out of further discussions about religion

I'm an atheist but I know that I sometimes confuse/anger fellow atheists with my general philosophy. My thing is is that whatever religion or lack of makes you comfortable, then that is what is right for you. I bear no ill will towards Christians because if believing in God is what gives them purpose, then so be it. Not believing in God or any other gods gives me purpose. It's like Keith says; Some things just aren't for you. And that's okay.

[skizzbot]

I pray to the great mouse god, Chuck E. Cheese. I was baptised in a ballpit with pizza grease while the sweet sounds of Whac-A-Mole and Skee-Ball echoing into the distance. It was glorious.

[skizzbot]

I'm actually way atheist. My mom and sister are not but they stay out of my business and I don't get into theirs, and I have a feeling my dad is an agnostic. I try my best not to talk religion around them, as I can get pretty heated about the issue...

[Nyck]

I have no problem with anyone believing in something that makes them feel better about themselves or helps them be happy. I like to believe, we say a prayer with our 3 year old each night, but don't go spewing stuff out at people everywhere I go.

I have no problem with anyones beliefs if they keep it to themselves, it's when one side or another whether it be a believer or non believer spouts off that gets under my skin.

This person feels good believing there is a god, quit shitting on them for thinking it. This person believes there is no god, perfect , stop saying they will burn in hell. this person believes that a space ship crashed into a volcano and created mankind, whatever brother if it makes you happy, just get off the fucking couch, I tell my kids not to jump on it then you are!

unfortunantly neither side knows how to shut the fuck up.

For every Jesus Freak Televangelist there is a Bill Maher out there putting out shit that is nothing but a "LOL guyz watch me mock these religious people"

[apikorus]

Everything is artificial, for all nature is the art of G*d _Sir Thomas Browne

[madeyeshawn]

Originally Posted by wannabejew

I'm an atheist but I know that I sometimes confuse/anger fellow atheists with my general philosophy. My thing is is that whatever religion or lack of makes you comfortable, then that is what is right for you. I bear no ill will towards Christians because if believing in God is what gives them purpose, then so be it. Not believing in God or any other gods gives me purpose. It's like Keith says; Some things just aren't for you. And that's okay.

I feel the same way. I save my anger to the ignorance and disrespect non believers receive.

I hate the idealism: "You should believe in a god". It shocks me every time somebody genuinely does not understand how I could not believe in any God. Its only awareness and fairness I fight for. Or as they say "Give respect to get respect".

[madeyeshawn]

Originally Posted by Nyck

For every Jesus Freak Televangelist there is a Bill Maher out there putting out shit that is nothing but a "LOL guyz watch me mock these religious people"

I don't disagree with the point your trying to make, but your math is way way off.

[Leixes]

Bishop punishes mom for daughter's abortion
-Brazilian to excommunicate her and doctors for allowing it-

RIO DE JANEIRO - A Roman Catholic archbishop says the abortion of twins carried by a 9-year-old girl who was raped by her stepfather means excommunication for the girl's mother and her doctors.

Despite the nature of the case, the church had to hold its line against abortion, Archbishop Jose Cardoso Sobrinho said in an interview aired Thursday by Globo television.

"The law of God is higher than any human laws," he said. "When a human law — that is, a law enacted by human legislators — is against the law of God, that law has no value. The adults who approved, who carried out this abortion have incurred excommunication."
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here

Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao rebuked the archbishop, saying, "I'm shocked by two facts: by what happened to the girl and by the position of the archbishop, who in saying he defends life puts another at risk."

Abortion is generally illegal in Brazil, which is home to more Catholics than any other nation. But the procedure is allowed when the mother's life is in danger, when the fetus has no chance of survival or in rape cases where the woman has not passed her 20th week of pregnancy.

Doctors said the girl was 15 weeks pregnant when the abortion was performed Wednesday in the northeastern city of Recife, where Sobrinho is archbishop. Health officials said the life of the girl — who weighs 80 pounds — was in danger.

The pregnancy was discovered last week when the girl fell ill and her mother took her to a clinic. The child then told officials she had been abused by her stepfather, who is in police custody.

updated 2:32 p.m. ET March 5, 2009 , by AP
Bishop punishes mom for girl's abortion - Americas- msnbc.com

Faith what ?

[wannabejew]

Originally Posted by Leixes

Bishop punishes mom for daughter's abortion
-Brazilian to excommunicate her and doctors for allowing it-

RIO DE JANEIRO - A Roman Catholic archbishop says the abortion of twins carried by a 9-year-old girl who was raped by her stepfather means excommunication for the girl's mother and her doctors.

Despite the nature of the case, the church had to hold its line against abortion, Archbishop Jose Cardoso Sobrinho said in an interview aired Thursday by Globo television.

"The law of God is higher than any human laws," he said. "When a human law — that is, a law enacted by human legislators — is against the law of God, that law has no value. The adults who approved, who carried out this abortion have incurred excommunication."
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here

Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao rebuked the archbishop, saying, "I'm shocked by two facts: by what happened to the girl and by the position of the archbishop, who in saying he defends life puts another at risk."

Abortion is generally illegal in Brazil, which is home to more Catholics than any other nation. But the procedure is allowed when the mother's life is in danger, when the fetus has no chance of survival or in rape cases where the woman has not passed her 20th week of pregnancy.

Doctors said the girl was 15 weeks pregnant when the abortion was performed Wednesday in the northeastern city of Recife, where Sobrinho is archbishop. Health officials said the life of the girl — who weighs 80 pounds — was in danger.

The pregnancy was discovered last week when the girl fell ill and her mother took her to a clinic. The child then told officials she had been abused by her stepfather, who is in police custody.

updated 2:32 p.m. ET March 5, 2009 , by AP
Bishop punishes mom for girl's abortion - Americas- msnbc.com

Faith what ?

These make me sad.