I'm what you might call an "atheist" - and I'm interested in respectful dialogue.

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GodfreyB

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I'm what you might call an "atheist" - and I'm interested in respectful dialogue.

Hello all.

I'm not religious, and I don't have much experience with organized religion or belief in God. I don't think in terms of "God" other than "God" being a universal force of goodness and love and existence that I often feel filled with in abundance. I don't entertain a belief in God as a person. I don't believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible, and I don't refer to it to guide me in life.

Yet I am deeply interested in the spiritual dimension of being human, and feel blessed to live this life and to bring light and love to myself and to people who are part of it.

I am I suppose what you would call an atheist. I was watching some Youtubes one day and felt saddened and discouraged by Christians and atheists talking to each other, and both demonstrating ignorance, misunderstanding, intolerance and resentment. And not really listening to each other but just trying to drive their point home.

I'm here because I'm interested in respectful dialogue with believers, in which we can ask each other questions - and answer honestly about what is our experience of ourselves, life, and the world around us. With the aim of understanding one another and having compassion and acceptance for each other.

I'm open to being asked anything you've ever wondered about non-believers and how they feel, and how they can be without God, and such things. While I can't speak for everyone who is not a believer, I can simply report on my experience.

I might also want to ask you certain things about what you believe and what you feel and what you experience and what does your religion mean to you.

If I may say so, God bless, and may we be kind to each other.
 
Re: I'm what you might call an "atheist" - and I'm interested in respectful dialogue.

Hi Godfrey
An atheist is a person that doesn't believe in the existence of God ~
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities.[SUP][1][/SUP][SUP][2][/SUP] In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities.[SUP][3][/SUP][SUP][4][/SUP][SUP][5][/SUP] Most inclusively, atheism is simply the absence of belief that any deities exist.[SUP][4][/SUP][SUP][5][/SUP][SUP][6][/SUP][SUP][7][/SUP] Atheism is contrasted with theism,[SUP][8][/SUP][SUP][9][/SUP] which in its most general form is the belief that at least one deity exists.[SUP][9][/SUP][SUP][10] WHEREAS

Agnostics believes in an existence of a higher authority ~ [/SUP]

Agnosticism is the view that the truth values of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, as well as other religious and metaphysical claims—are unknown and (so far as can be judged) unknowable.[SUP][1][/SUP][SUP][2][/SUP][SUP][3][/SUP] Agnosticism can be defined in various ways, and is sometimes used to indicate doubt or a skeptical approach to questions. In some senses, agnosticism is a stance about the difference between belief and knowledge, rather than about any specific claim or belief. In the popular sense, an agnostic is someone who neither believes nor disbelieves in the existence of a deity or deities, whereas a theist and an atheist believe and disbelieve, respectively.[SUP][2][/SUP] Philosopher William L. Rowe states that in the strict sense, however, agnosticism is the view that humanity does not currently possess the requisite knowledge and/or reason to provide sufficient rational grounds to justify the belief that deities either do or do not exist.[SUP][2][/SUP]

so therefore you would fall more into an agnostic by your post.

//quote: I don't entertain a belief in God as a person.
for starters God is not a person we are. He is infallible and we are fallible.

//quote: I don't believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible, and I don't refer to it to guide me in life.
It is a common mistake to interpret God's word as only literal. The only way to understand the Bible as God would have us to is to ask Him to guide you to open your eyes and to glean the wisdom and knowledge He wants you to see. Once I did so and began to get deeper into His Word I could never look at another book quite the same again. I haven't picked up a novel to enjoy in years although I do read one occasionally when someone asks me to as it relates to God, demons, angels etc of the Bible usually to offer my opinion on them. I have tried but once I enjoyed the fruit of God's Word with God the rest of the written work is tasteless although I do read manuals, books to increase knowledge or the like necessary for my living but that is about it.
It is common to see disputes and although some do get into disputes one must not forget that there are those who pose as 'Christians' to discredit Christianity and then there are those who are new in the Word and don't realize that the Bible basically speaks for itself. We are God's disciples and our mission is to help others understand how to get to the point of having a personal relationship with God.

I don't have any questions. I know tons of non-believers at various levels so I'm good thanks ;)
 
Re: I'm what you might call an "atheist" - and I'm interested in respectful dialogue.

Thanks Share55!

I suppose I'm sometimes agnostic and sometimes atheist then...

So "God is not a person" - but you still see God as a kind of being, right? That you communicate with? Who lives in Heaven? Or not?

Re: interpretations of the Bible
Sounds like this way of doing it really worked for you, and went deep and was powerful.

LOL at you having an ample supply of non-believers...
I guess I'm not that special :)
 
Re: I'm what you might call an "atheist" - and I'm interested in respectful dialogue.

I really enjoyed the thread you made. I feel the same ways a lot of time, and I do see a lot of ignorance from both sides as well. If you ever want to talk more about things, send me a message :) anyways welcome
 
Re: I'm what you might call an "atheist" - and I'm interested in respectful dialogue.

Welcom friend :)... i hope you get your respectable conversations an have a great time here much love an Godbless.
 
Re: I'm what you might call an "atheist" - and I'm interested in respectful dialogue.

Thank you guys! I feel welcome :)

I think often the problem in Christian-atheist dialogue is that both sides see the other one as "not getting it", and both believe themselves to have the superior level of insight and experience, both believe "I am the more enlightened one and the other one is in denial of something obvious".

I have been guilty of that myself.

I'd like to attempt to approach the conversation not from "let's make them see that I'm right" (umm, not productive), but with the attitude "from what point of view would this make sense - that this is the experience they have - and what can I learn from that". To check all my argumentativeness at the door, if both you and I are about love.
 
Re: I'm what you might call an "atheist" - and I'm interested in respectful dialogue.

20062250_b82f4096ab.jpg lulz
 
Re: I'm what you might call an "atheist" - and I'm interested in respectful dialogue.

Welcome to the site! I hope you learn a lot from being here. If you ever want to ask someone anything feel free to ask me! I may not know the answer but maybe we could find it :)
 
Re: I'm what you might call an "atheist" - and I'm interested in respectful dialogue.

OP hasn't been back since the day he signed up.
 
Re: I'm what you might call an "atheist" - and I'm interested in respectful dialogue.

GodfreyB said:
Hello all.

I'm not religious, and I don't have much experience with organized religion or belief in God. I don't think in terms of "God" other than "God" being a universal force of goodness and love and existence that I often feel filled with in abundance. I don't entertain a belief in God as a person. I don't believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible, and I don't refer to it to guide me in life.

Yet I am deeply interested in the spiritual dimension of being human, and feel blessed to live this life and to bring light and love to myself and to people who are part of it.

I am I suppose what you would call an atheist. I was watching some Youtubes one day and felt saddened and discouraged by Christians and atheists talking to each other, and both demonstrating ignorance, misunderstanding, intolerance and resentment. And not really listening to each other but just trying to drive their point home.

I'm here because I'm interested in respectful dialogue with believers, in which we can ask each other questions - and answer honestly about what is our experience of ourselves, life, and the world around us. With the aim of understanding one another and having compassion and acceptance for each other.

I'm open to being asked anything you've ever wondered about non-believers and how they feel, and how they can be without God, and such things. While I can't speak for everyone who is not a believer, I can simply report on my experience.

I might also want to ask you certain things about what you believe and what you feel and what you experience and what does your religion mean to you.

If I may say so, God bless, and may we be kind to each other.
Click to expand...

Well and out of respect I say, we all have free choice, the reason for my belief is just look around past all of man's created things, and see the forest through trees. We have air that we breathe, that we do not see, yet without this we would not live at least physically.
And 100% die physically at some point in our lives and so far that has never been able to be improved upon.
going with the obvious, and we die, and that can't be changed, is there more to life another realm we do not see?
Did something have to create all we see and the air we breathe?
Something had to yes?, and since we all die and if we go nowhere what is the purpose of living then? And truthfully if it is over being good enough or not? Or is the next life after death deeper than just being good enough or bad enough. I mean I know of no one perfect do you? Well I know of one and one only personally, and that would be and is Jesus Christ, and I am personally not called to be good enough ever, because in and of myself I tried and gave up, that is when the creator revealed himself to me. and what a Journey this is stress free worry free knowing the Creator of all Loved all so much that he gave his only begotten Son to all and for all those that believe God not man. Once this connection happens there is no turning back, I, know of no other to say this truth than to say GODJUSTLOVEYOU, take with you that as your premise and see what happens, I know what has happened to me, much travail, much and have stayed the course of Faith belief that God does just love me and all. It is worth it to stay the course in Faith for the long run in spite of the short run
Thanks fro your post in curiosity
God does just love you
www.godjustloveyou.blogspot.com
 
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