Religion

[Shibari]

I'm Christian, on my own accord, I didn't grow up like it, I choose to be one.

One thing I hate seeing in my religion and other peoples beliefs is people force feeding there belief down another's throat, and sparking unneeded arguments to other peoples religion becaus you think it's wrong..
get over your self. You are not walking in there shoes, living there life, and can see into there hearts to why they believe in what they believe. So don't place judgement to something you 'think' you understand.

Isn't it the little primary school rule not to judge others? Why must you judge the person you attack to there faith of believing in my something (either God or not) I'm so annoyed at seeing people bullied for what they believe and killed for what they believe. Makes you seem so weak attacking something you can't understand , educational teaches you these beliefs are, doesn't teach you what's in people's hearts

[inflamio]

Originally Posted by GaggedSubmissive

Not sure if this has been addressed, but as an atheist I wanted to comment

An atheist by default isn't someone who firmly believes there is no god, but rather someone who doesn't believe there is a god, due to lack of evidence. That might sound like nit picking, but in the former case, a claim is implied that itself requires evidence(namely, the claim that a god doesn't exist), where the latter case is just a rejection of others claims.

An analogy would be in a trial where a jury believes that there isn't enough evidence to convict someone of a crime, and thus declares him/her 'not guilty', but also doesn't think they can prove with absolute certainty that he/she's innocent. So rather than saying the person on trial is innocent, you say that there's not enough evidence pointing to his/her guilt to convict(not guilty verdict).

Now there are some atheists who go further and formally claim there is no god of any description, but that's not in itself atheistic , but rather a separate claim that itself requires supporting evidence.


Agnosticism addresses the issue of knowledge. An agnostic is someone who doesn't claim to know, where a gnostic is someone who claims to know (about a given thing).

Thus an agnostic atheist is someone who lacks belief in a god, but doesn't claim to know for certain that no gods of any kind exist, where a gnostic atheist is someone who formally makes the claim that no gods of any kind exist.

In short

Theism - the belief in a deity
Atheism - the lack of belief in a deity
Gnosticism - The knowledge that a deity exists
Agnosticism - The lack of knowledge that a deity exists

You can be a gnostic theist or agnostic theist
You can be a gnostic atheist or agnostic atheist

[An_Jon]

Originally Posted by GaggedSubmissive

Not sure if this has been addressed, but as an atheist I wanted to comment

An atheist by default isn't someone who firmly believes there is no god, but rather someone who doesn't believe there is a god, due to lack of evidence. That might sound like nit picking, but in the former case, a claim is implied that itself requires evidence(namely, the claim that a god doesn't exist), where the latter case is just a rejection of others claims.

An analogy would be in a trial where a jury believes that there isn't enough evidence to convict someone of a crime, and thus declares him/her 'not guilty', but also doesn't think they can prove with absolute certainty that he/she's innocent. So rather than saying the person on trial is innocent, you say that there's not enough evidence pointing to his/her guilt to convict(not guilty verdict).

Now there are some atheists who go further and formally claim there is no god of any description, but that's not in itself atheistic , but rather a separate claim that itself requires supporting evidence.


Agnosticism addresses the issue of knowledge. An agnostic is someone who doesn't claim to know, where a gnostic is someone who claims to know (about a given thing).

Thus an agnostic atheist is someone who lacks belief in a god, but doesn't claim to know for certain that no gods of any kind exist, where a gnostic atheist is someone who formally makes the claim that no gods of any kind exist.

This is a marvelous way of putting it, thank you.

I'm an atheist. I like to leave it at that nowadays. I don't like to get involved with religious debate often, as it's none of my business what others believe. Earlier this year it turned out that a friend of mine from my parkour circles thought I was a devout Christian, his reason being that he'd never seen me talk down religion.

I sort of resent that, by saying I'm an atheist people assume that I'm going to have an opinion on the subject. That's why I'm glad to be introduced to the concept of being an agnostic atheist. I don't claim to know about religions, and I have no interest in learning to be a part of one. It's none of my business what others choose to believe and how they choose to believe it. I'll only start up if people start telling me how to be.

[RobinRed]

I have to put "other" as i don't subscribe to the idea of churches in a heirarchical form, and so organised religions too, but I dropped a long post here if anyone is interested in my BDSM related religious perspective.

[Kelthrai]

Pentagrams and Druids over here! I believe in the Celtic Gods of Albion.

[sexyjack96]

I'm an atheist. Now a days I don't really tell people my religious standpoint as many people see it as wrong. It's a shame really but that's what it is in this day and age.

[Ninjota]

Theistic Satanist (in a somewhat "Lucifarian" sense) and practicing Occultist.

[Kisune Karnon]

I voted Other. I did it because although my father was Roman Catholic and my mother was Jewish, I don't choose any, however I do know a higher power exists. Whatever form, gender or amount of them, there is something.

[Galtee]

I voted Other. I did it because although my father was Roman Catholic and my mother was Jewish, I don't choose any, however I do know a higher power exists. Whatever form, gender or amount of them, there is something.

I believe that's called Deism

[Kisune Karnon]

Actually it's not, but nice try to think of giving my thoughts a title.

[sparklystar]

I am a Buddhist but before I say anything else about the subject I want to point out Buddha isn't a god or even someone who is worshipped. Buddha was the founder of the religion but its a religion where there isn't a god. Its a way of life.

Buddha created the rules Buddhists follow in thrir day to day life an attempt to nake themselves a better person. Yes people will have images and statues of him in their home but when we meditate we are trying to find inner peace, it is not used to worship him or any God.

[Eldrazor]

I'm pagan. Celtic pagan, to be exact, but I believe Ethan the other pagan gods exist as well, however I don't actively honour them.

[DJ-playmate]

Originally Posted by GaggedSubmissive

Not sure if this has been addressed, but as an atheist I wanted to comment

An atheist by default isn't someone who firmly believes there is no god, but rather someone who doesn't believe there is a god, due to lack of evidence. That might sound like nit picking, but in the former case, a claim is implied that itself requires evidence(namely, the claim that a god doesn't exist), where the latter case is just a rejection of others claims.

Very technically speaking, an atheist is a non-religious person. Look up the Greek root words. (Theology is the study of religions, not of gods). In the strict sense an "adeist" doesn't believe in gods(s). Of course, in common usage, the term "atheist" is associated with someone who "doesn't believe in god" or better said "against god," but that's not the strict denotation. Keep in mind that, when it is said that someone "doesn't believe in god," the following question should be, "which god?"

Returning to the Greek roots again, an agnostic is someone who "doesn't know." We can call them a questioner, a skeptic, or a doubter.

DJ

[ironfist]

I was raised as a Christian and now that I've grown up I've been forced to conclude that much of the Bible just doesn't make sense. Some of the beliefs I still retain, I guess that I could be described as an agnostic or progressive Christian depending on who you ask.

[mrpropel]

I'm a Muslim and always have been. Most of my family members are also Muslim so I was born into it. So I guess I'm part of the minority on here :P