What is your religion/belief?

[Ashfall_2008]

V true. Perhaps because people have a certain level of anonimity (can't spell) on the web?

I understand how serious American's take their Christianity. I have friends in Texas. Damn those baptists are scary folks!
To say you're Atheist or Agnostic in a small american town is a big deal so I understand. Expect to be shunned by the local respectable community.

It's almost like Christianity is worn as a badge of respectability in America. You go to church therefore you must be a good person. You don't go to church therefore you're more likely to sin.

Parents prevent their children from playing with other kids who don't attend the local church services on Sundays.

It's horribly segregational.

[cheesemoo0]

If I told my mother I was atheist I have little doubt she would stop talking to me. Religion is still very big in America.
Three of roommates go to church every Sunday. When I told them I was atheist they were offended, but eventually got over it. Unfortunately not everyone can let go so easily.

[Mighty Monk]

A vast and growing number of people here in England, at least, are "non-believers". They may not directly call themselves Atheist, possibly because of the negatives that come with that title, but they definitely don't believe any of it.

It's almost like Christianity is worn as a badge of respectability in America. You go to church therefore you must be a good person. You don't go to church therefore you're more likely to sin.

Interesting, but then don't a lot of people go to church and pray for forgiveness for their sins? e.g. the Lords Prayer... at least, a version of it. So it looks like we're all sinners.

Another one of those "damned if you do, damned if you don't" things. Blast...

[MayheM]

I was in the store yesterday and standing in line waiting to be checked out. I overheard two women talking, one older one in her 20's. If I had to guess it was a mother and daughter. I don't make a habit of listening to other peoples conversations, but the topic stood out and I could not help but to listen. The young girl was talking about a guy she was dating who apparently invited her over for a dinner that his family was hosting. Apparently it was an Easter Dinner. She capped off the story by saying "I guess he is trying to convert me, that's not going to work." I could not help but to shake my head. Not because I care that she does not believe in God, cause I couldn't care less. Instead I was bothered by the fact when invited over for dinner that happened to fall on a holiday, her first thought was the guy was trying to convert her.

I have been invited over to friends houses for all kinds of things. I went to a Jewish friends house for Passover and never once though, "They are trying to convert me!" I just wanted to put it out there, that if any of you ever get an invite to someones house for dinner, and the dinner happens to fall on a religious holiday, it does not mean the friend is trying to convert you. There is a good chance they just enjoy your company and want to share a meal...

[zombie@computer]

I was in the store yesterday and standing in line waiting to be checked out. I overheard two women talking, one older one in her 20's. If I had to guess it was a mother and daughter. I don't make a habit of listening to other peoples conversations, but the topic stood out and I could not help but to listen. The young girl was talking about a guy she was dating who apparently invited her over for a dinner that his family was hosting. Apparently it was an Easter Dinner. She capped off the story by saying "I guess he is trying to convert me, that's not going to work." I could not help but to shake my head. Not because I care that she does not believe in God, cause I couldn't care less. Instead I was bothered by the fact when invited over for dinner that happened to fall on a holiday, her first thought was the guy was trying to convert her.

I have been invited over to friends houses for all kinds of things. I went to a Jewish friends house for Passover and never once though, "They are trying to convert me!" I just wanted to put it out there, that if any of you ever get an invite to someones house for dinner, and the dinner happens to fall on a religious holiday, it does not mean the friend is trying to convert you. There is a good chance they just enjoy your company and want to share a meal...

Ah, but what IF the guy was trying to convert her? All your logic goes out the window...

[MayheM]

Well that comes into play if you do not know the person. Now if the person is quoting scripture all the time, then maybe. I just think it is silly to instantly assume someone is trying to convert you if they extend an invitation to dinner. Just as it would be silly for me to assume someone was trying to convince me to drop my faith if an atheist invited me over for dinner. That said, if he is trying to convert her, then that will be a short lived relationship.

But, way to play the devils advocate...

[source-maps]

what I like about atheism is that I feel connected to other humans.. that we are on this crazy planet.. trying to figure the hell out why we are here.. and the more time goes by.. the more interesting stuff we learn about our selfs and the universe.

why I dislike about religion, because we don't have all the answers.. you try and find it in a 2000 year old book (for example)
and that you ignore facts just because you parents brainwashed you into it.

If the Bible said that Gravity didn't exist, and gods love was like glue that kept people stuck on earth.. followers would have died trying to defend that theory.

its a shame really, luckily religion is slowly dying.. education is key
its not without a reason rich and educated countries have a higher Atheist count than poor uneducated countries.

[thefight]

what I like about atheism is that I feel connected to other humans.. that we are on this crazy planet.. trying to figure the hell out why we are here.. and the more time goes by.. the more interesting stuff we learn about our selfs and the universe.

why I dislike about religion, because we don't have all the answers.. you try and find it in a 2000 year old book (for example)
and that you ignore facts just because you parents brainwashed you into it.

If the Bible said that Gravity didn't exist, and gods love was like glue that kept people stuck on earth.. followers would have died trying to defend that theory.

its a shame really, luckily religion is slowly dying.. education is key
its not without a reason rich and educated countries have a higher Atheist count than poor uneducated countries.

People in rich countries have other things to worship other than God, such as money, women, and other material objects. I'd rather have someone believe in God and worship him than do whatever they can to get as much money.

And as for "brainwashed" into religion, that's 100% wrong in my case. Being apart of a religion when I was younger made me think about things much deeper and made me more aware. It has helped me understand things as I was growing up and I didn't just take things at face value like most of my non-religious schoolmates did.

[MayheM]

I fail to see why education and religion are mutually exclusive in some peoples eyes. A statement like "luckily religion is slowly dying" is just wrong. religion is not the problem, it is the way it is implemented in SOME cases. Like I have said, I do not see it as my job to make others believe in God. However I am really bothered the way some people think everyone who believes in God is ignorant or unable to think for themselves.

As for the fights comments, I agree completely.

[source-maps]

no mayhem, their is nothing wrong with that statement, religion is simply untrue.. we can debate if their is a god or not.. but every single religion is false so I don't see a point of it being there?

if you fail to see why education and religion are mutually exclusive, wow really? I'm not saying every religious guy is an idiot.. I just meant in poorer countries religion will fill all the gaps because they simply do not know any better.. you can try to argue with me here, its just true

as for the fight... come on man.. worship money? I could bring up the oppression of woman a bunch of religions share... but I don't need to because 'that rich american priest' ... or any wealthy religious person falls for the money as well.. all humans are alike

also, good for you that it help you 'understand' thing when you were growing up.. I did perfectly fine without religion
but again, I still believe that most people are simply brainwashed.. most people are simply sharing the religion of their parents or have that religion because they were born in a certain part of the world

just a small tip, don't get offended by other people opinions or even simply stating facts.

[thefight]

no mayhem, their is nothing wrong with that statement, religion is simply untrue.. we can debate if their is a god or not.. but every single religion is false so I don't see a point of it being there?

if you fail to see why education and religion are mutually exclusive, wow really? I'm not saying every religious guy is an idiot.. I just meant in poorer countries religion will fill all the gaps because they simply do not know any better.. you can try to argue with me here, its just true

as for the fight... come on man.. worship money? I could bring up the oppression of woman a bunch of religions share... but I don't need to because 'that rich american priest' ... or any wealthy religious person falls for the money as well.. all humans are alike

also, good for you that it help you 'understand' thing when you were growing up.. I did perfectly fine without religion
but again, I still believe that most people are simply brainwashed.. most people are simply sharing the religion of their parents or have that religion because they were born in a certain part of the world

just a small tip, don't get offended by other people opinions or even simply stating facts.

And they say that religious people think they have all the answers....You know that every single religion is fake?

You can't really argue that people don't worship money and women. I don't know many rich priests, kind of an oxymoron. At least in the Catholic religion, they don't make anymore than they need to survive. They aren't driving around in BMW's and wearing $500 suits.

I don't think there is any brainwashing going on at all,that is just ignorant to say it like that. It is what people choose to believe. I could easily say that science is brainwashing the world with all of its theories that haven't been proven and things they say are there just because it would make sense that it would, without ever having seen it (such as an atom).

You think humans just came to be, others believe that a higher being created us. And the word God does not always mean a big guy in the sky, it means whatever or whoever created us. It could be an advanced civilization or whatever. I don't believe in any of that, but some people do.

and I wasn't saying just because I was religious meant I was a better person, it forced me to rationalize what I was doing and justify my actions and it helped me but it is not limited to only religious people.

[source-maps]

I said that we can argue about god, with other words.. I cannot say if its true or not
my point is, again... people are alike.. you brought up the money worshiping I'm just saying that it doesn't matter where you are from or what religion you have, people are the same (maybe priest was a bad example altho they are known for other things as well ) atheism has nothing to do with that lol.. it's just the world we live in.. pretty ignorant imo

and yes, you could say science is brainwashing the world, good argument.. altho they usually back things up with evidence.. multiple possible theories.. and admit if they find out they've been wrong all along when they make a new discovery

unlike religion, which just tell you this is 100% true, no doubt about it... even if evidence is telling them other wise they will stick to their story

[cashed]

Born Catholic -> raised Catholic -> said to myself non-practicing -> after a year or Biology in University = Atheist

I try to be a passive atheist though so it's not bad. Although Ive noticed in general the vg industry does have a lot of non-believers.

[MayheM]

Source maps, religion is a matter of personal beliefs. To say categorically they are untrue is as absurd as someone saying they have proof God exists. The simple fact of the matter is no one can prove or disprove God exists so a statement like "all religions are untrue" is in itself untrue. The one thing often left out is faith. I have experienced a lot of things in my life and they have affirmed my faith in God. I am ope to ALL things. I look at all sides. I believe in evolution, I believe in the big bang. Two scientifically proven facts that do not disprove the existence of God. While I believe in those things I happen to believe God caused them. I do not expect someone to understand the way I view my faith as it relates to science. Considering so many blindly say religion is untrue I will not even try to explain it. But to label something as untrue when it can not be proven as such an then spout on about how science rules all, goes against the very principals science is based upon. The search for the truth. You may feel the existence of God is untrue, but that is your belief. My belief is that God does exist. Neither you nor I can prove our side which is why this thread is about what "YOUR" beliefs are, as in each individual.

[[frank]]

Have any of the athiests posting in this thread (that have substantially stronger LUL RELIGION IS A LIE arguments), ever been to a non-conservative religious gathering?

For me, I don't think I have ever been to church where they have said Evolution is a lie. I don't think I have ever been anywhere where they said Science is not true.

I don't think most people understand that religion =/= science, they are not intended to replace one another.

On another note, I hate people saying "Religion is a lie" or "Religion is false" mainly because I don't think there is any proof to that statement.