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14. What do you think about Islam?
I have no inherent problem with it. Just got back from a long vacation in Turkey, in fact. That experience taught me that there's nothing inherent in Islam that would preclude having a modern secular state. It was like being in the US except it was Islamic rather than Christian. Much of the Islamic world, though, is poverty stricken and in thrall to fundamentalist / extremist sects in a way that even the US isn't. I wouldn't enjoy dealing with that.
Were you in Istanbul and/or southwestern resorts? Western Turkey is very secular.
Most of Turkey is secular, and there are lots of closet atheists.
Perhaps you may want to consider visiting Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Yemen, Oman, etc.
1. Does anyone in your family/friends know you are an atheist/agnostic?
My wife and I are both non-theists. Her family knows, most of our friends know, my family probably knows, but as long as the don't ask directly they can pretend that I am just backslidden, so they stay away from the topic. I don't see the point in causing drama, so I let it be.
2. Do you celebrate Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter?
We celebrate Christmas but not Easter. Christmas is just about family for us, Easter doesn't have much of secular association, so we don't really celebrate it.
3. Will you baptize your child if your spouse wanted?
No. Even if my wife wanted to, I believe that religious rites like baptism should not be foisted on a child until such time as they can make up their own mind. Keep in mind that both my wife and I are from a Baptist background, so infant baptism was never really a concern for us.
4. Do you consider Jesus as a great person and philosopher?
Not really. As best I can tell he was a failed messiah, an apocalyptic prophet preaching the immanent end of the world. He was wrong. Much of his teaching was unworkable if the end of the world was not happening right away, and had to be rewritten by Paul.
5. Why can't you just call yourself for "secular" rather than atheist, agnostic or nonbeliever?
Because secular just describes my opinion on religion and government. You can be a Christian and a secularist. I am an atheist and a secularist. Why would secular be any more desirable than atheist or non-believer?
6. How do you feel being surrounded by churches, God mentioned all the time, etc. in your daily life?
Here north of the Mason-Dixon line, it doesn't bother me. When I lived in TN, it got very frustrating. Not so much that others were religious, but that I had to hide what I thought, or try to stay under the radar to avoid problems with my neighbors (He liked to tell stories about casting demons out of the other neighbors and liked to sit on his porch with a shotgun) or my coworkers.
7. Do you wish America was officially an atheist country?
No, I just want it to stay secular, that is uninvolved in religion.
8. What if your children or spouse want to believe in God, pray, wear cross, etc.? What will you do?
They are free to do as their conscience dictates. I don't have to agree with them, but I wouldn't give them a hard time about it.
9. If you get serious sick / old - will you start believe in God and ask for prayers?
No, why would I do that?
10. Why can't you just believe without questioning/be in doubt about God's existence without going to church, pray, etc.?
Why would I believe something with no evidence? Should I believe in something just becasue I want it to be true? Seems foolish to me...
11. Do you use any religious terms such as "bless you" e.g. when somebody sneeze?
Sure, they are just colloquial phrases. Even religious people don't still believe that your leaves your body when you sneeze, and a blessing prevents the devil from stealing it. It is just something we say.
12. Would you rather live/buy a house next to a mosque, synagogue or church if you had to pick/choose?
Doesn't matter to me at all. I'd pick the one with the smallest attendance...
13. If you had to pick, would you rather live under Christian or Islamic theocracy?
Don't care, theocracy is theocracy. They'd pretty much all want to burn me at the stake, why quibble about it...
14. What do you think about Islam?
I don't really as it doesn't affect me very much. If they start trying to influence laws with their religion, I'd have a problem. As long as they do their thing and leave me to do mine, more power to them.
1. Does anyone in your family/friends know you are an atheist/agnostic?
yes, everyone who knows me, it's no secret
2. Do you celebrate Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter? no
3. Will you baptize your child if your spouse wanted? no
4. Do you consider Jesus as a great person and philosopher? no
5. Why can't you just call yourself for "secular" rather than atheist, agnostic or nonbeliever? I don't care about labels
6. How do you feel being surrounded by churches, God mentioned all the time, etc. in your daily life? it can be a drag
7. Do you wish America was officially an atheist country? yes it might bring about a better mindset
8. What if your children or spouse want to believe in God, pray, wear cross, etc.? What will you do? it's their business but I'd rather not hear about it everyday, it's disappointing really if someone smart goes dumb
9. If you get serious sick / old - will you start believe in God and ask for prayers? no, I'd believe in santa first
10. Why can't you just believe without questioning/be in doubt about God's existence without going to church, pray, etc.? no idea
11. Do you use any religious terms such as "bless you" e.g. when somebody sneeze? no
12. Would you rather live/buy a house next to a mosque, synagogue or church if you had to pick/choose? none of the above
13. If you had to pick, would you rather live under Christian or Islamic theocracy? neither, they're all dangerous
14. What do you think about Islam? same as any other religion, dangerous fanatics are everywhere but if they keep their religious beliefs to themselves, fine. It's like sexual preference, it's none of my business till you shove my face in it.
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Were you in Istanbul and/or southwestern resorts? Western Turkey is very secular.
Most of Turkey is secular, and there are lots of closet atheists.
Perhaps you may want to consider visiting Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Yemen, Oman, etc.
Istanbul and Urgut (central Turkey).
I am old enough that I probably only have a couple of "exotic" destinations left in me, and somehow, places like Yemen and Somalia aren't high on the list. Don't know why ;-)
1. Does anyone in your family/friends know you are an atheist/agnostic?
The deaf ones might not, but I doubt it.
2. Do you celebrate Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter?
I celebrate christmas and easter, but they're not christian
3. Will you baptize your child if your spouse wanted?
I would never have married a religious person
4. Do you consider Jesus as a great person and philosopher?
There was no such person
5. Why can't you just call yourself for "secular" rather than atheist, agnostic or nonbeliever?
Because secular doesn't i ply anti-religion
6. How do you feel being surrounded by churches, God mentioned all the time, etc. in your daily life?
I'm not, luckily
7. Do you wish America was officially an atheist country?
It is
8. What if your children or spouse want to believe in God, pray, wear cross, etc.? What will you do?
My spouse wouldn't, and I hope I'm raising my kids right
9. If you get serious sick / old - will you start believe in God and ask for prayers?
Why? I'd be more likely to go back to believing in the Easter Bunny so I get free chocolate.
10. Why can't you just believe without questioning/be in doubt about God's existence without going to church, pray, etc.?
Why do you deny Poseidon?
11. Do you use any religious terms such as "bless you" e.g. when somebody sneeze?
No.
12. Would you rather live/buy a house next to a mosque, synagogue or church if you had to pick/choose?
I wouldn't. Parking would be a *****, plus evil vibes
13. If you had to pick, would you rather live under Christian or Islamic theocracy?
Neither, they'd both be evil
14. What do you think about Islam?
It's ridiculous. You'd have to be brain dead to think there was some all-powerful fairy choosing whse cancer goes into remission or kills them
1. Does anyone in your family/friends know you are an atheist/agnostic?
My closest friends know, others don't care. My family/relatives who are religious do not know because my parents would be continuously worried about me being forever tortured in hell if they found out. I don't want to cause them unnecessary grief.
2. Do you celebrate Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter?
I am usually not in the US during Christmas, but still have a nice holiday meal. I visit family for Easter lunch.
3. Will you baptize your child if your spouse wanted?
If my spouse wanted that, then yes, it would not be a big deal to me. However, I'm not married to a Christian lady.
4. Do you consider Jesus as a great person and philosopher?
Don't be offended, but my best guess is that this character described in the bible never existed.
5. Why can't you just call yourself for "secular" rather than atheist, agnostic or nonbeliever?
I have no problem telling someone I am secular if they ask me, but I am also an atheist because I have no beliefs in any gods.
6. How do you feel being surrounded by churches, God mentioned all the time, etc. in your daily life? I grew up as a Christian, so I am used to it. However, I do feel it is very unfortunate that so much money has been spent on extravagant buildings in the name of caring for the poor.
7. Do you wish America was officially an atheist country?
I do not wish this. I think that the government should not take a stance.
8. What if your children or spouse want to believe in God, pray, wear cross, etc.? What will you do?
Maybe make a silly comment.
9. If you get serious sick / old - will you start believe in God and ask for prayers?
No, because I do not believe there is a "God" to answer any prayers.
10. Why can't you just believe without questioning/be in doubt about God's existence without going to church, pray, etc.?
I can't force myself to believe in something that I honestly don't. I also can't make myself believe that there is a Chevy Corvette buried in my back yard or believe that Zeus is coming back next Wednesday.
11. Do you use any religious terms such as "bless you" e.g. when somebody sneeze?
Occasionally I say "bless you", but I generally just say, "wow, that was a big sneeze!"
12. Would you rather live/buy a house next to a mosque, synagogue or church if you had to pick/choose?
Maybe I would choose a synagogue because churches and mosques tend to be more noisy.
13. If you had to pick, would you rather live under Christian or Islamic theocracy?
Probably Christian theocracy as long as it was very moderate like the church of England.
14. What do you think about Islam?
I think that Islam is currently going through its Dark Ages, much like Christianity went through in midieval times. The barbarism of very fundamental Islamist societies is rather depressing to me.
1. Does anyone in your family/friends know you are an atheist/agnostic?
Yes I would say 100% of friends and 75% close family know I am Agnostic/ Secular Humanist
2. Do you celebrate Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter?
Yes. I was raised in a Catholic family and went to Catholic private school. I am not 30, but I have been Agnostic since I was 14 and entered public high school.
3. Will you baptize your child if your spouse wanted?
No and he's Atheist.
4. Do you consider Jesus as a great person and philosopher?
I consider him to be the first con man/ magician/ smart guy ppl looked up to and followed.
5. Why can't you just call yourself for "secular" rather than atheist, agnostic or nonbeliever?
My stance on religion or the belief in God/supreme being is Agnostic, my stance on morals is secular humanist. They are 2 different things.
6. How do you feel being surrounded by churches, God mentioned all the time, etc. in your daily life? Meh..to each his own. I hate it when ppl tell me I'm going to hell or ALWAYS try to convince me that God's watching or something like that...I just roll my eyes.
7. Do you wish America was officially an atheist country?
NO. But I do believe in the separation of church and state. Government should be secular.
8. What if your children or spouse want to believe in God, pray, wear cross, etc.? What will you do?
My husband is Atheist and we don't plan on having kids, we have 4 furbabies.
9. If you get serious sick / old - will you start believe in God and ask for prayers? No.
10. Why can't you just believe without questioning/be in doubt about God's existence without going to church, pray, etc.?
I am a scientist and I like cold hard proof and evidence not the notion that a magical sky fairy will sort us out and pick if we go to hell or not.
11. Do you use any religious terms such as "bless you" e.g. when somebody sneeze?
No I saw "Ewwww" b/c once my mom sneezed everywhere as a kid ans said "Ewww" and it stuck, so that's all I say now. Yeah I get funny looks and I don't care.
12. Would you rather live/buy a house next to a mosque, synagogue or church if you had to pick/choose? Synagogue, Jews seem more sincere than Christians AND actually follow their rules. Christians seem to pick and choose what to abide by in the bible..c'mon look at all the bacon eaters.
13. If you had to pick, would you rather live under Christian or Islamic theocracy?
Don't know enough about Islam to make a decision.
14. What do you think about Islam?
Don't know enough about it to make a decision.
I'm just grateful for the chance to live on such a tiny terra formed, spinning planet, currently locked in orbit around a star in an unfathomably large universe for a blink of a cosmic eye. It's all a matter of perspective and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I won't argue with most ppl over my beliefs, or lack there of, b/c I don't really ****ing care what other ppl think. I don't appreciate ppl trying to convince me or convert me, I think it's rude. I don't try to convince ppl that they should like the color blue over the color red. Religion is a choice. I respect other ppls opinions and accept people as they are. I'm a realist, we might both be wrong. Bigots are bad for society. I prefer to associate myself with open minded ppl. I am tolerant of ppl with other religions, not a big fan of the zealots though...
1. Does anyone in your family/friends know you are an atheist/agnostic?
Yes. I haven't raised the subject with the Catholic side, as the subject hasn't come up, but I will if it does.
2. Do you celebrate Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter?
No.
3. Will you baptize your child if your spouse wanted?
Yes. If I couldn't talk her out of it.
4. Do you consider Jesus as a great person and philosopher?
No. I consider him a failed Jewish messiah, and the Gospel 'Christ' a Christian invention.
5. Why can't you just call yourself for "secular" rather than atheist, agnostic or nonbeliever?
It would be inadequate and misleading. It would say that I opted for non - Theocratic rule, but didn't explain why.
6. How do you feel being surrounded by churches, God mentioned all the time, etc. in your daily life?
Pisses me off, somewhat.
7. Do you wish America was officially an atheist country?
I can't help feeling that an atheist World would be a consummation devoutly to be wished.
8. What if your children or spouse want to believe in God, pray, wear cross, etc.? What will you do?
Let them, and ask them to let me not.
9. If you get serious sick / old - will you start believe in God and ask for prayers?
Nope. Or I trust not.
10. Why can't you just believe without questioning/be in doubt about God's existence without going to church, pray, etc.?
Because the evidence is not good enough. If it was, THEN, I might believe or at least give it the benefit of doubt - but still would see no reason to go to Church, pray etc.
11. Do you use any religious terms such as "bless you" e.g. when somebody sneeze?
No. I say 'Gesundheit'. But I do say 'Jesus'! if some idiot of a pavement cyclist almost bowls me over.
12. Would you rather live/buy a house next to a mosque, synagogue or church if you had to pick/choose?
I don't think it would bother me either way, if I liked the house.
13. If you had to pick, would you rather live under Christian or Islamic theocracy?
I would have to pick Christianity. It at least is willing to listen.
14. What do you think about Islam?
As above...
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Thank you so much.
UR welcome.
...p.s do you have any supplementary questions? These were good as they do help us to explain how we think and where we are coming from.
1. Does anyone in your family/friends know you are an atheist/agnostic?
If it comes up, then yes, I mention it. It's not a dirty secret I hide; I don't feel ashamed.
2.Do you celebrate Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter?
I LOVE Christmas! The lights, the tree, the music, my family -- it's all so fun. Religion plays no part in it for me. I don't do anything for Easter, aside from occasionally sitting down to a nice dinner with my parents. I like seeing the decorations in the stores though, and watching the parade. Seeing children excited for Easter egg hunts brings on a smile and a sense of joy.
3. Will you baptize your child if your spouse wanted?
I'm not planning on having children, or a religious spouse for that matter, but I suppose if it came up I'd ask that our child wait until (s)he is older and can make her/his own decision.
4. Do you consider Jesus as a great person and philosopher?
No
5. Why can't you just call yourself for "secular" rather than atheist, agnostic or nonbeliever?
Why can't I? Is there some rule I'm unaware of? I do prefer "atheist" though, because "secular" doesn't really cover my non-belief in gods or the supernatural. It just makes it sound like I'm not churchy, without addressing why. It's an active belief in non-belief....I have thought it out and do feel strongly about it. Besides, I think you would call activities, buildings, government, institutions, etc by that name, but not people.
6. How do you feel being surrounded by churches, God mentioned all the time, etc. in your daily life?
Churches -- don't really care. Some of them are beautiful buildings that I do admire. Being preached to or being expected to adjust my life to conform to Christian values? Very. Annoying.
7. Do you wish America was officially an atheist country?
Secular, yes; atheist, no. I do wish that religion wasn't so politicized and that it didn't influence our laws.
8. What if your children or spouse want to believe in God, pray, wear cross, etc.? What will you do?
I'd try to get them on that intervention show. J/K. It's their life, their decision, and I'd expect them to respect my decision too. If I ever did have kids, I'd help them explore anything that they wanted to...Christianity, Wicca, Buddhism, Judaism, whatever. No cults or ultra fundie congregations, though.
9. If you get serious sick / old - will you start believe in God and ask for prayers?
No, why would I? Everyone gets sick, and everyone dies. Praying to an imaginary being that I don't believe in isn't going to stop the process. Besides, he let the last guy actually die a painful death, and then sent him back as a zombie. This ain't no Walking Dead.
10. Why can't you just believe without questioning/be in doubt about God's existence without going to church, pray, etc.?
I did at one point in my life, because that's what my mom taught me. Then I went to college, where I learned think critically. That, combined with all of this information I had just learned helped me find what I believe to be the truth. Of course, this truth is always changing as I read/explore more, and as humankind makes new discoveries, but in a broad sense it's still the same.
"You can educate yourself right out of a relationship with God." Tammy Fay Bakker said that, and she was very right.
11. Do you use any religious terms such as "bless you" e.g. when somebody sneeze?
Yes, I try to be polite. The alternate "gesundheit" is quite cumbersome to spit out.
12. Would you rather live/buy a house next to a mosque, synagogue or church if you had to pick/choose?
Whatever looked the quietest, I suppose. Honestly, I'd base my decision on the house as that's where I'd be spending my time.
13. If you had to pick, would you rather live under Christian or Islamic theocracy?
What an awful choice to have to make. As a woman, I guess I'd have to say a Christian one, although they both sound pretty grim.
14. What do you think about Islam?
Not a fan, and it's the religion I like the least. I apply the same thinking to ALL people though, regardless of faith: It's not what you believe, it's how you act.
Last edited by Ohio Hello; 09-19-2013 at 04:16 AM..
1. Does anyone in your family/friends know you are an atheist/agnostic?
Yes
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2. Do you celebrate Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter?
No, but I do celebrate secular holidays like Christmas and Easter.
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3. Will you baptize your child if your spouse wanted?
You believe in infant baptism? Burn them at the stake!
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4. Do you consider Jesus as a great person and philosopher?
The mythology which has developed around Jesus has been quite influential.
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5. Why can't you just call yourself for "secular" rather than atheist, agnostic or nonbeliever?
Are all compatible with each other. Why set them up as mutually exclusive?
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6. How do you feel being surrounded by churches, God mentioned all the time, etc. in your daily life?
It's not that bad, I just wish people would keep their religion to themselves.
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7. Do you wish America was officially an atheist country?
Nah, secular is fine.
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8. What if your children or spouse want to believe in God, pray, wear cross, etc.? What will you do?
Nothing. Those are pointless but harmless activities. Doesn't hurt me at all.
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9. If you get serious sick / old - will you start believe in God and ask for prayers?
Ask me again when I get old. So far, though, the answer is no. I generally go ask for a doctor when I'm sick, since god(s) seem to be totally uninterested in helping.
If I'm on my deathbed, though, I'm going to pray for the return of the old gods. If I've got to leave this world, may as well go out with a bang.
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10. Why can't you just believe without questioning/be in doubt about God's existence without going to church, pray, etc.?
Why would I want to believe something for no reason? And if so, why should it be god?
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11. Do you use any religious terms such as "bless you" e.g. when somebody sneeze?
Sure, just like you use the names of pagan gods to label the days of the week. Doesn't mean anything.
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12. Would you rather live/buy a house next to a mosque, synagogue or church if you had to pick/choose?
Probably not, commercial businesses like those have too much traffic.
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13. If you had to pick, would you rather live under Christian or Islamic theocracy?
Depends on the type. Lots of Islamic countries are OK, lots more are not. There aren't many Christian ones left to pick from - the ones that are no longer around tended to be pretty nasty.
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14. What do you think about Islam?
Just another religion someone else believes in. Do you have a more specific question?
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