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- Sep 8, 2008
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I guess I took the opposite approach to life Jet. I completed my spiritual quest before pursuing a medical career. l spent several years studying, fasting, praying. Went to cemetery seminary etc.
Ultimately, I listed out the things I truly believed and studied them one by one. After careful consideration of the possibilities and the likelihoods, I eliminated them one by one.
I found that every religion has its roots in power, the desire of a few to control the many. While you can tease out some positive things that occur in religious circles, the net outcome is IMHO very ugly.
Every religion teaches you to not live this current life to the fullest rather to be satisfied with your lot in life in the hopes of having a better life in the future. I would rather live this life to the fullest.
I do believe that the ability and the desire to suspend reason and disbelief is genetic. I am on the end of the spectrum where I was not able to suspend reason and disbelief no matter how hard I tried. When I was finally honest with myself, I had to admit that when I was a professing christian there was always an inner feeling of living a lie. I never believed, deep down, the things I was saying. Now it is excruciating to set foot in a church as I see people willingly blinding themselves to all the hypocrisy, judgementalism, and indoctrination around them.
Coming from my background the journey to atheism was extremely painful. Still is. What I wouldn't give to just be able to suspend disbelief, relinquish reality and join with my family and friends in worship. The area of the country that I love to live in is filled with people who would disassociate from me if they knew the truth of my non-belief. Yet I have to be true to myself if not them.
Ultimately, as Richard Dawkins says, we are all atheists, I just happen to believe in one less god than most.
Not so much advice as just a recounting of my own journey. Good luck on yours. I hope you find what you are looking for.
- pod
Ultimately, I listed out the things I truly believed and studied them one by one. After careful consideration of the possibilities and the likelihoods, I eliminated them one by one.
I found that every religion has its roots in power, the desire of a few to control the many. While you can tease out some positive things that occur in religious circles, the net outcome is IMHO very ugly.
Every religion teaches you to not live this current life to the fullest rather to be satisfied with your lot in life in the hopes of having a better life in the future. I would rather live this life to the fullest.
I do believe that the ability and the desire to suspend reason and disbelief is genetic. I am on the end of the spectrum where I was not able to suspend reason and disbelief no matter how hard I tried. When I was finally honest with myself, I had to admit that when I was a professing christian there was always an inner feeling of living a lie. I never believed, deep down, the things I was saying. Now it is excruciating to set foot in a church as I see people willingly blinding themselves to all the hypocrisy, judgementalism, and indoctrination around them.
Coming from my background the journey to atheism was extremely painful. Still is. What I wouldn't give to just be able to suspend disbelief, relinquish reality and join with my family and friends in worship. The area of the country that I love to live in is filled with people who would disassociate from me if they knew the truth of my non-belief. Yet I have to be true to myself if not them.
Ultimately, as Richard Dawkins says, we are all atheists, I just happen to believe in one less god than most.
Not so much advice as just a recounting of my own journey. Good luck on yours. I hope you find what you are looking for.
- pod