Okay, so I'm an atheist, what now?

[flobadob]

I've pretty much been an atheist, that is I find the idea of a God preposterous, since I was in my mid teens. Admittedly, I will go to Mass on occasions such as weddings, funerals, anniversaries and the like. Furthermore when I go to Mass I do the whole communion thing and sing along a little if I know the words.

I'm not overly vocal on the matter except sometimes when it comes up in drunken conversations and after that I'm usually annoyed as it usually takes over my whole mindframe once set in for the evening.

Anyway, basically what I'm wondering is, I'm 33 now, so far as I know I'm always going to feel this way but what should I do about it? Do I just continue on the way I am, doing nothing about my beliefs, or should I be out Jehova style imposing my opinions on the world?

What do you people think?

[naomi24]

Starbuck, //What I can't understand is the huge number of people who say they are Christians if asked but never set foot in a Church.//

Those who claim to be Christian but rarely set foot in a church appear to be doing the right thing. Arguably, it’s the church-goers who are out of step with Jesus’ teachings.

Matthew 6:

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. ……

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret….

gemsbok, //people should respect your beliefs//

Why? Since time immemorial society has been programmed, through fear, to offer unwarranted deference to religion regardless of its often appalling actions and abhorrent doctrine - but the tide is turning - and rightly so.

[keyplus90]

///Keyplus, //Majority of the people in the West have given up belief in God only due to the wrong doings of the Church and idea of God presented to them by Christianity//

////How do you know that?////

Naomi – I believe that you do not read any post properly where someone asks atheists that why they became atheists. Next time read it and you would find out how I knew that. Keep life simple and you will find the simple answers as sometimes thinking too hard makes it harder to think.

[naomi24]

Keyplus, I've read your post again and I still don't know how you know that. Where's the explanation?

[jomifl]

Naomi, Keyplus is using anecdotal evidence based on a few postings on AB. He does not have any verifiable statistics to back up his statement.

[jomifl]

Flobadob, if you didn't go to church you wouldn't have to put up with arrogant and intolerant churchgoers.

[vulcan]

naomi, I think you will find this explains everything.

# Keep life simple and you will find the simple answers as sometimes thinking too hard makes it harder to think.#

[naomi24]

Jom, no, I'm sure he doesn't.

Vulcan, oh, so that's the explanation. Thanks. The moral of this story then is 'must stop thinking'. :o/

[mibn2cweus]

//The moral of this story then is 'must stop thinking'. :o///

I'm off to the cinema then . . .

[naomi24]

^^ Wake up!!! Think man, think!! :o)

[flobadob]

jomifl, I generally only go to Mass on the special occasions and whilst there people don't discuss religious matters. People go to Mass, listen to the priest inanely, and go home, no debate. Ergo, no intolerance.

Can I say something evocative?

[sandyRoe]

"...Think, Man, think!"
Sometimes I sit and think. Other times I just sit.
On reflection, I'm sure I'm much happier when I just sit.

[jomifl]

Flob, you said this earlier
//Cath, in my opinion most people who are religious, especially older people, completely change their attitude once they know of my belief. To one of contempt. They are not open to discourse on the matter. I don't have any problem going through the motions of Mass and its easier than peeing people off by not doing it//.
I seem to have misunderstood it.

[keyplus90]

Naomi - Ok in that case, why don't you forget about stats etc and remind me just once again in very simple words that why you stopped believing in God or why you became an atheist?

[jomifl]

Keyplus :-)

[naomi24]

Keyplus, no answer then? Not entirely unexpected. ;o)

In answer your question, see my post at 16.39 Tue 21 Feb here….
http://www.theanswerb...uestion1108209-2.html

And before you say that’s because of the wrong doings of the Church and the idea of God presented by Christianity, which is what you said – no. Had religion presented me with the true nature of your God, instead of the benevolent being it promotes, I would have been aware of his obnoxious character and, therefore, I would never have succumbed in the first place – so your theory is way off track. You see, contrary to your philosophy, thinking can be rather useful and can bring great benefits. I recommend you try it sometime.

[keyplus90]

Did I expect anything else? Not really.

[jomifl]

Keyplus, Naomi answered your question and you got the answer you expected. That's a result isn't it?

[jedimistress]

Usually if someone tells me they are a christian during a conversation, (brought up by them as I never discuss it) I always look upon them in a different light thereafter. I think I lose a little respect for them, like I'm conversing with someone who believes in fairy tales. Or just generally with someone so totally different from me. I worked for St John Ambulance for several years before someone mentioned they were doing it for god, and soon realised it was full of them and felt a little out of place after that. I was doing out of goodness, they seemed to do it out of duty...not that I would knock them for that.

[maggiebee]

“...to be in a relationship with God is to be loved purely and furiously. And a person who thinks himself unlovable cannot be in a relationship with God because he can't accept who God is; a Being that is love. We learn that we are lovable or unlovable from other people...That is why God tells us so many times to love each other.”
― Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality

[237SJ]

You are an Atheist. Why do you go to mass? You don`t believe. So don`t go. Simple. Anything else would be hypocritical.