Atheism, Agnostic...? [Spirituality & Religion]

@ImGladAgain87 Still babbling are you? Yelling now too. Touched a nerve did I? The Gospel has a way of doing that. Bible-thumping, huh? Yeah, it's called the Great Commission and it's Jesus' primary charge to his followers. He didnt say we'd be popular either.
Atheists don't believe in a literal God, huh. So what? There is a literal God, and He's described in the Bible. No one said you aren't welcome to your beliefs - but I'm just pointing out how fatal they are. Atheism isn't reasonable - it's a denial of not just biblical truths, but of history and nature, and it doesn't end well. That you don't agree with things in the Bible or with christianity only means that you are free to choose, but it doesn't relieve you of the results of the choice - and it probably means you're just giving in to feel-good beliefs. Maybe not, but probably.
If you are an atheist, then you've chosen a much smaller and thinner lens, certainly not the other way around. Freedom comes from being freed by Christ. If you were a christian, then you'd know no one qualifies as a good moral person for purposes of salvation. You may be a good moral person, spiritual even, but it doesn't matter, not even a whit. there's a verse for that too. I'm sorry that "I'm ok, you're ok" doesn't work in the real works, and it doesn't work on judgment day - but you didn't really think such a superficial construct would be enough, or did you? Christians aren't saved because they are good moral people (though many are and they're sustained that way by Christ), they're saved because their sins are paid for.

I have to ask, are you Ray Comfort in disguise? lol. Wouldn't surprise me if you are, lol. You totally sound like him. Anyways, like I said, you have your narrative/ beliefs and I have mine. I assume ( but correct me if I am wrong ) that you also believe in the creation story as a literal fact? Ha! That wouldn't surprise me either. Even though science has pretty much rebuked creationism as a whole. If you don't believe me, do your research! I'm only pointing this out since you said: "Atheism isn't reasonable - it's a denial of not just biblical truths, but of history and [b]nature[/b], and it doesn't end well."

Anyways, I can now see without a doubt that we are at a stalemate. You're hardcore, I'll give you that, but so am I when it comes to my beliefs. Being a Christian has taught me a lot, but now I'm moving beyond the confines with my spiritual and morals intact. Except for the fact that I no longer believe in a literal version of God as Christians define him/her. I know in my heart that if the so-called " Judgement Day " does come then I will be seen as a good person who did something good for the world. That I helped people, that I respected nature and tried to make the world a better place. Isn't that what the Christian God also basically asks as well? (I'm talking in broad terms.) How are we any different if all we seek is to do good? We both want to make the world a better place. Feed the poor, help the environment stay healthy and sustainable, preserve both human and animal life!


But hey, maybe this is all superficial to you. Who knows?! I'm not you. I'm strong enough to not let bible bumpers like you deter me from my beliefs or goals.

Anyways, nice chatting with you. I think I've said pretty much all I've wanted to say.

Tootles!

You still aren't being honest with yourself. You can believe, or not believe - but it's not a "narrative" ... and it's not mine. When judgment day comes, you will not be "seen" as a good person, even if you are the best person ever, because no one is. That's been ruled out. That's the christian message.... and no... that's not what the Christian God would think... He outright denies that in the Bible. That's the feel good fantasy.

Nice chatting with you. Take care.

@Emosaur So, can you clarify that for me?

Someone who is "spiritual" by definition believes in a spiritual plane, in spirits. What are spirits if there is no god or gods? The belief in one necessitates the belief in the other?

The atheist does not believe in the supernatural; does not believe in the spiritual plane. The atheist, lacking a belief in an eternal soul or a creator, cannot simultaneously believe in a spiritual plane and spirits.

Right?

@Emosaur That doesn't make sense. I think you are hanging on semantics.

If someone believes in a god or gods, then they believe in the supernatural plane. They believe that life here on earth is not all that there is. They believe in the spiritual world that transcends "this" world. Now there is huge variety in how those beliefs take shape... monotheism, polytheism, spiritualism, etc.

Atheism is the opposite of all that. Atheists typically reject the notion of a spiritual plane. They believe that the physical world is all there is and that, through science, we can eventually understand all it's complexity.

@SW-User True, there is way too much focus on labels, but it's hard to identify as an atheist when technically atheists don't believe in any type of spiritual deity.

@ImGladAgain87 Way too technical these days for me! I just go for the no comment option to bypass those particulars. :)

It’s just an energy that I feel within everyone and everything. I feel that it sort of guides me. I know it sounds weird, but that’s my narrative. Right now, I don’t know what to call it. I just know that I am not a Christian. I don’t believe in the Bible. @thepreposterouspanda

@ImGladAgain87 I don't either. My dad was a pastor for four years as I was growing up, and I saw what really goes on behind the scenes in a church. It turned me off to the entire notion, and I got sick in 2010 and have been disabled since which just enforced it.

@thepreposterouspanda What's initially turned me against most religions, especially Christianity are the hypocrisies and fallacies. That and I never really felt like a Christian. I've always felt that there is just more to life than being apart of a religion and a denomination within a religion.

Lately however I've been doing a lot of research into atheism. It all started when I found a Jaclyn Glenn video. I think it was her " Watching Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas " video. After that I started watching more and more of her content and then branched out to other atheist YouTubers like Hugo & Jake.

I've also been reading a lot of material about religion and atheism. I'm about to read Richard Dawkin's God Delusion.

@CountScrofula I don't know if what I feel is necessarily a higher power. Which is why I'm leaning more towards some sort of spiritual atheism. If that makes any sense. I know atheists don't believe in a high power.

@PastelHearts1412 So, I'm can identify as an agnostic deist? Even though I feel that I identify with a lot of atheist ideals?

@Peekaboo20 True, but despite that I still feel more like an atheist.

@ImGladAgain87 Being an atheist isn't great. Be more than that.

@Emosaur Okay, a deist sounds about right. I am drawn to some aspects of atheism though.