Atheists Are Sometimes More Religious Than Christians https://getpocket.com/explore/item/...ious-than-christians?utm_source=pocket-newtab I posted this because the article title was interesting. It's short and only skims the topic surface. I don't know precisely what I expected but I found it pretty unsatisfying. I think it suffers from a lack of definition: what is meant by 'atheist, agnostic, religious, Christian, etc.? Perhaps to do the topic justice it would have to be book length and I don't read long books these days.
Dwight, I think almost anything undertaken with fervor could be classified as a religion. There are a ton of examples, however, there is a distinct difference between being religious and truly spiritual. So, it matters not if religion matters to us or not in reality. I find most religions are big business and many pastors are single minded, but they do not interfere with my spiritual life. Thankfully.
Apologies for my lack of good sentence structure and phrasing. I seem to just let one thought simply flow into another without a care for good writing.
To piggy back on @Lois Winters statement, I find it very disconcerting when someone tells me that they are very religious. I even felt myself tighten up the other day when a radio announcer, speaking of black churches, said that they were a very religious people. It simply doesn’t say anything because just about anything can be turned into a religion.....even the worship of spaghetti. Now, if we’re talking about faith, that’s another thing totally. As @Ken Anderson observed on this forum about 4 years ago, it does absolutely take more faith to be an Atheist than it does to be a worshipper of God or Vishnu or Allah or whomever.
I am neither religious or spiritual so what does that make me.? Being neither has presented no problems in my life time that I am aware of.
By definition, Atheism is a religion and with that comes a system of belief and a whole lot of faith and even more “I hope I’m right” so I guess it’s up to you to figure out.
One problem I see is that some religions claim exclusivity. I just do not understand how they can believe their way is the 'only way' That may be true for them personally but not for everyone Another one of my complaints is the man made rules designed mainly to just keep members...
That is a tough question Joan because I believe so many different things and there are many things I don't believe. I believe the sun will rise tomorrow. I don't believe there is a Tooth Fairy.
LOL fair enough ..you are right, the question was too general. I was thinking along the lines of what you believe about life and death. My husband was a believer but he would say pagans had it right and I kind of agree with parts of that idea...
I guess I'm not an atheist after all Bobby,going by your definition. I simply do not believe in god or any being with such super powers. I don't think not believing in something could be called a religion.
I am an agnostic. My only belief at this point is that when I die, I will return to that same "nothingness" as before I was born. I will simply cease to exist.
By your personal affirmation of the non-existence of a supreme being, that affirmation is still a positive belief system. Religion is generally thought of as a system which affirms the belief in a higher power as it were whether it’s a god or a pet rock. But, just as good and evil are the antithesis of each other and so it is with non-existence and existence beliefs. If one is denoted as a religion then what is the other? Even if you call yourself an anti-religionist, that is still in the confines of a belief system ergo....a religion unto itself and a belief system, though negative in context, it is still a belief. Jainism has no god in it but they still believe that all life is sacred and yes, it is indeed a religion. Many people worship a lot of things other than a god or higher entity or eternal being but still, they call themselves religious. All that said, you, Lon and others still have to have a lot of faith that you’re right whether you think of Atheism as a religion or not.