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To continue with my last post...because the time limit for editing ran out, if there existed both a more commonly accepted secular meaning for the word "soul" as well as a theistic meaning for the word "soul" if one atheist said "I have a soul" and another said "I don't have a soul," it would be obvious they were both using different definitions of the word soul to anyone who thinks about it for a few seconds. One is using a theistic version. The other is using the secular version.
I do not think it is obvious to members of certain religious mentalities that atheists are not saying My life lacks purpose, because I lack that which I most important in life/I lack emotions/I lack a sense of wonder when they say I have no soul though. I have a soul...It's just not immortal and it stems from my brain, stands a useful chance of being a clarification.
Here is one example of how our stating that we have no soul is being used against us:
Christopher Hitchens: Man with Strong Soul Denies Its Existence is the title of this article. If we more often used soul in its secular sense...this verbal trick used in the article to attempt to depict Christopher Hitchens as a fool would be less useful. People would be more likely to understand that atheists are not stating something depressing about themselves when we say "I have no soul" if "soul" became more of a secular term. They would more often understand that there are simply different meanings for the word "soul."
The difference between saying "I have a soul" and "I believe in god" is if we were all to say "I believe in god," despite the fact saying "I believe in god" would also in some ways be a clarification by convincing Oprah and her ilk we do not wander through life miserably and pointlessely...it would have the greater disadvantage (in addition to the confusion it would cause in many ways) of making it seem like there are fewer atheists than there are. I don't know why a survey would ask if people believe in a soul or not without specifying what a soul is. They do ask if people believe in god or not. Were atheists to begin to claim to believe in god...it would divide us and isolate those who call themselves atheists.
I think most City-Data members who have seen my posts know I tend to ramble in a confusing manner...so I'll apologize for that now.
The main drawback I see is that it's hard to stay away from all the rich imagery and great parable-based storytelling of Christianity.
So why "stay away" from it?
I am a lifelong Atheist. However, I think the Christian stories are wonderful and I often quote what Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount. He was a very wise man.
And Christian music is wonderful! I have played this video many times.
As an agnostic, I really don't see any drawbacks. There is no passion attached to my agnosticism. I don't consider it to be a belief or ideology of any kind, therefore, the matter plays nothing more than a biographical role in my life. I make no assumptions for or against the theological views of others since those views are, by necessity, based upon speculation which can be neither affirmed nor discounted via human perception.
For those who have faith in some form of deity, I hope that faith works for you in your private lives--just keep it out of the public sphere. On the other side, I can't understand the mentality of those who are antagonistic or condescending towards the personal beliefs (as opposed to public incursions) of theists.
I have a deep appreciation of religious imagery, literature, and music. However I see no reason to interpret these things as anything other than conduits through which human beings express a broad array of human joys, fears, aspirations, and uncertainties.
This agnostic finds it quite liberating. Living in NYC makes is easier to find like minded folk. However growing up in a Latino house hold in an Italian neighborhood, did me no favors. My friends and family respect my freedom to believe (or not believe) whatever I want but they don't like nor agree with it. So religion is never discussed unless they want me to leave them questioning their own beliefs. lol.
This agnostic finds it quite liberating. Living in NYC makes is easier to find like minded folk. However growing up in a Latino house hold in an Italian neighborhood, did me no favors. My friends and family respect my freedom to believe (or not believe) whatever I want but they don't like nor agree with it. So religion is never discussed unless they want me to leave them questioning their own beliefs. lol.
That's great! It shows, not only respect for you, but a willingness to really think about what you say to them.
The main drawback I see is that it's hard to stay away from all the rich imagery and great parable-based storytelling of Christianity. Not much rushes in to fill the gap once you take that out of your vocabulary. And using it, because of its richness and depth, really misleads people who think I lead a Bible-based life when I talk about not casting the first stone or something like that.
My best friend from high school routed all this great curse-it-all imagery to me through her dad who was a staunch churchgoer -- Episcopal IIRC -- and I'm rather sorry that "Christ in the Balkans!" (her dad's fave) or "Christ on a rubber crutch!" (I got that one from a movie) doesn't mean to me what it means to them. It's still a delightfully loopy image, but...
...You know what I mean?
Do others see drawbacks like this to not having a mainstream religion on board?
In a lot of areas you can be a social outcast for not being a believer - the "Bible belt" in particular.
The main drawback I see is that it's hard to stay away from all the rich imagery and great parable-based storytelling of Christianity. Not much rushes in to fill the gap once you take that out of your vocabulary. And using it, because of its richness and depth, really misleads people who think I lead a Bible-based life when I talk about not casting the first stone or something like that.
My best friend from high school routed all this great curse-it-all imagery to me through her dad who was a staunch churchgoer -- Episcopal IIRC -- and I'm rather sorry that "Christ in the Balkans!" (her dad's fave) or "Christ on a rubber crutch!" (I got that one from a movie) doesn't mean to me what it means to them. It's still a delightfully loopy image, but...
...You know what I mean?
Do others see drawbacks like this to not having a mainstream religion on board?
Every mythology has exceptional imagery. You can find as much in Zoroastrianism, Greek and Roman mythology, or Taoism. I'm quite fond of the Egyptian animism that forms the basis for Pharisaical Christianity. That adds a layer of abstraction in that you are using imagery that no one actually worships, which makes it easier to sort out the symbolism. Talking about Christianity is like talking about pizza. It all depends on where you are from.
Drawbacks. Do you know - I really can't think of any.
Now that was a surprise! So all is hunky-dory then? I don't know. Maybe we're shading to the intellectual laziness side?? I think there is no 'perfection' in the subject.
Now that was a surprise! So all is hunky-dory then? I don't know. Maybe we're shading to the intellectual laziness side?? I think there is no 'perfection' in the subject.
I am constrained to point out that this is your sole post on this thread and you offer no specifics at all regarding whatever flies in the ointment that you have in mind.
By contrast, a number of atheists and agnostics have posted their honest opinion / experience / assessments.
Based on this, I tend to regard your accusations of "intellectual laziness" as mere projection.
Well one must think through things I think. How can there be no 'drawbacks'? I take it as a refusal to how can I say it 'explore'.
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