Religions for atheists (believe, Buddhism, Christ, atheist)
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I notice a lot of atheists, when they gave up a belief in a god they quit religion altogether and never looked back but not me, I am an atheist and am also a Taoist. I'd like to know why many atheists don't look to other religions and philosophies and give up religion altogether when they give up a belief in a god. If you're a religious atheist comment the religion or philosophy you follow and why you chose that religion and/or philosophy. If you're just an atheist with no particular religion or philosophy and don't plan on it following one comment why, if you're an atheist and am thinking about following a religion or philosophy comment what religion you'd choose. Some good suggestions are IMO: Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Jainism, Hinduism and Satanism.
1) I'd like to know why many atheists don't look to other religions and philosophies and give up religion altogether when they give up a belief in a god.
2) If you're just an atheist with no particular religion or philosophy and don't plan on it following one comment why,
1) I don't know why "many athests" (or many people with red hair or many people named Bill) do anything. I'll guess it is because they see no practical benefit to devoting time to it.
2) I see no practical benefit to devoting time to it. I barely have enough time to post on City-Data. I don't see a lot of added value following any religion.
There's philosophical Taoism and religious Taoism. It's considered both a religion and philosophy. It's not a dogmatic religion like Christianity or Islam.
What's the point of religion? Lots of time and money and effort and boredom. Why would you volunteer to be part of it?
It's not boring to me. I like learning about different beliefs and cultures and such, always have. It gives me a sense of peace within myself and I feel like I'm apart of something. In Taoism I've learned a lot of things and am learning more everyday, some stuff that the ancient Chinese people knew makes you wonder how the hell did figure out this stuff so it's very interesting to me. But not just Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christian Mysticism and Gnosticism, Islamic Esotericism and other religions as well. And plus I live in the bible belt so being a Taoist keeps me under the radar.
I notice a lot of atheists, when they gave up a belief in a god they quit religion altogether and never looked back but not me, I am an atheist and am also a Taoist. I'd like to know why many atheists don't look to other religions and philosophies and give up religion altogether when they give up a belief in a god. If you're a religious atheist comment the religion or philosophy you follow and why you chose that religion and/or philosophy. If you're just an atheist with no particular religion or philosophy and don't plan on it following one comment why, if you're an atheist and am thinking about following a religion or philosophy comment what religion you'd choose. Some good suggestions are IMO: Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Jainism, Hinduism and Satanism.
I investigated many other beliefs when I decided that Christianity was a crock, and decided that I had better use for my time rather than waste it on imaginary beliefs.....Make believe games are for children.
I'd like to know why many atheists don't look to other religions and philosophies and give up religion altogether when they give up a belief in a god.
Firstly you assume that they "Give up" their belief in god. For many, myself included, this is not so as we never ever at any time had one TO give up.
Secondly you assume that many atheists do NOT look to other religions and so forth. Many of us in fact do. Recent studies for example have shown atheists know the facts and texts of many religions on average better than their theistic counter parts. In fact we have a greater tendency to study all religions rather than dogmatically stick only to our own. Atheist Ireland, for example, of whom I am a founding member has an active campaign trying to get more people to read and study the Bible.
Finally you seem to assume, or be in danger of assuming, that there is actually something useful to take from religion which atheists should be looking to and then incorporating into their own lives. Why "look to" religion unless there is something of utility to find there? So far I have found very little. The subject is interesting and sometimes the texts are beautiful, but religion itself seems to have little to offer or add to society that does not have secular equivalents.... or are actually nothing to do with religion at all but religion has managed to align itself with by proxy or be outright commandeering them.
As for why you think an atheist would want to choose a religion.... seriously, why? You seem to be coming from the impression that removal of religion requires some direct substitute or replacement. I see no reason to think that way, or even tending that way. After all, when people lost their belief in Santa Claus did they move on with their lives minus that belief, or did they go searching for some direct replacement which serves for them the same purpose afforded by Clausism?
I notice a lot of atheists, when they gave up a belief in a god they quit religion altogether and never looked back but not me, I am an atheist and am also a Taoist. I'd like to know why many atheists don't look to other religions and philosophies and give up religion altogether when they give up a belief in a god. If you're a religious atheist comment the religion or philosophy you follow and why you chose that religion and/or philosophy. If you're just an atheist with no particular religion or philosophy and don't plan on it following one comment why, if you're an atheist and am thinking about following a religion or philosophy comment what religion you'd choose. Some good suggestions are IMO: Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Jainism, Hinduism and Satanism.
After I left Christianity, I briefly entertained the thought of Buddhism and Taoism -- not in a religious sense, but just to learn something from their philosophies. I ultimately abandoned them -- it turns out what I really craved was freedom from rules, from morals that I didn't agree with, from conforming to something, from trying to bend the truth of science to fit neatly into some philosophy.
There is something else for me, though --it's not a religious or spiritual thing, but I've believed it all my adult life. A "we are all made of stardust" sort of thing. Think Neil deGrasse Tyson and environmentalism merged together into one awesome recognition of how amazing it is that we're even here on beautiful Earth. I am in awe of the universe, and I respect and find peace in nature.
The World Pantheist Movement calls it Naturalist Pantheism. I believe Richard Dawkins called it "sexed-up atheism". Whatever it is, I don't devote any large amount time to it, it's just something that I find some common ground with. Their Facebook page is pretty cool to read now and then. I'd just like to make it clear that I don't see it as a religion or supernatural belief...more of, "science is awesome, the earth is amazing, and I'm a winner for even existing" type of thing.
I also find common ground with secular humanism, but again, I don't devote much time to it. At most, I follow a few organizations on twitter and will read an article here and there published by one of the Humanism groups. It's really more of a political thing for me.
Last edited by Ohio Hello; 09-20-2013 at 03:56 AM..
My "religion" and "philosophy" are friends and family. I don't need anything else.
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