How many of you are "real" atheists ?

[FemMecha]

I was baptized into a church at age 9, and my name might still be on the books. I thought about writing in to have it taken off, but it might stir up more contention than it is worth. I think they will eventually take me off if I never pay tithe. I don't believe the teachings of that religion anymore and don't act according to its laws or customs. Actively rejecting a religion might in some cases make for a more authentic "agnostic/atheist" because it requires a bit more commitment than to simply never have been involved.

 

[souffle]

"real"... atheist, as opposed to a fake/phony one?? Neither, I'm not an atheist, but I don't believe in God because I don't have to.

Heard of strong and weak atheism? Weak atheism being a default abscence of belief in god/s?



In reply to the OP, I do not belong to any religion on paper. So yes, I am a real atheist.

I guess I never rejected 'my religion' exactly, because I also have never really been religious. I was raised in a family that isn't concerned with religion, so I never received any pressure from them to be religious. I did get influenced by society a bit- everyone seems to be Christian, so maybe I should be too kind of thing- as well as a couple of missionary-esque friends, which made me go through a few wanting to become a Christian phases. Luckily I got over them- they were just phases- and the reading of a certain book (cough..God Delusion..) ensured I'd never enter such a phase again- I realised there were other people who had the same doubts I'd always had- smart people! - I felt I had always been an atheist and never known it.. it was like finding my destiny...

 

[Colors]

I am sorry if I am too vague. Which is probably because of cultural differences. In my country it was completely normal to have lists of religious people in the times od communism. So asking "What are you on the paper?" stayed as a phrase to this day.

I am simply not familiar about how you do things in the US.

What I am asking how many of you never got baptised or whatever the first ritual in other religions is.

Ah, you learn something new every day. That's really interesting, thanks AO. I wonder how many people would stop being "default" religious if it were that disadvantageous to them. (And how many would stop being "default" non-religious.) I don't even know for myself.

I suppose there is that to some degree in the US (because we have connections with people in the world, and we want those people to have certain images of us)- but not to that formalized extent.

 

[Fluffywolf]

I have noticed that there is alot of people on this forum that claim to be an atheists and agnostics.


So I am wondering how many of you are officially atheists and how many of you have decided to live as an atheists even if that is not what you are on the paper?
Basicly the only thing I am asking is "How many of you dont belong to any religion on paper ?"



Btw. why did you reject your religion ?

I was christian (hervormd, no idea what it's called in english) 'on paper' until I was 22, even though I rejected the religion when I was like 12 or something. Or well, I never really embraced any religion.

 

[Shaula]

My religion is Catholic on paper. I was baptised, participated in communion, had one confession (which was hilarious because I made stuff up), attended Catholic school for a short while which was adjacent to a church, and 'studied' theology on Sundays. My family was very religious. They used to invite preists over. Not to mention my granmother was a nun for a short while and one of my uncles went to seminary school (he didn't finish). Today I do not attend church or any other religious social function. Nor do I believe in any religious doctrine. Sometimes I will list myself as agnostic for the religious ambiguity but really I'm atheist.

To be honest I could never believe in any of it. I remember wanting to ask someone before communion, "Is it ethical to practice cannibalism? Don't you think the idea of eating Jesus' flesh and drinking his blood a bit nasty? Why did he suggest this in the first place? Seriously, that's kind of messed up." I held my tongue though. The more I educated myself on Christianity the more illogical I found it to be. I mostly followed it so that I could please my family. I searched for wisdom in other religions but found them a bit lacking too. Probably the most reasonable religion to me is Buddhism.

What are you on paper AO?

 

[murkrow]

My religion is Catholic on paper. I was baptised, participated in communion, had one confession (which was hilarious because I made stuff up), attended Catholic school for a short while which was adjacent to a church, and 'studied' theology on Sundays. My family was very religious. They used to invite preists over. Not to mention my granmother was a nun for a short while and one of my uncles went to seminary school (he didn't finish). Today I do not attend church or any other religious social function. Nor do I believe in any religious doctrine. Sometimes I will list myself as agnostic for the religious ambiguity but really I'm atheist.

To be honest I could never believe in any of it. I remember wanting to ask someone before communion, "Is it ethical to practice cannibalism? Don't you think the idea of eating Jesus' flesh and drinking his blood a bit nasty? Why did he suggest this in the first place? Seriously, that's kind of messed up." I held my tongue though. The more I educated myself on Christianity the more illogical I found it to be. I mostly followed it so that I could please my family. I searched for wisdom in other religions but found them a bit lacking too. Probably the most reasonable religion to me is Buddhism.

What are you on paper AO?

This describes my experience pretty much exactly.

Raised by devout catholic grandmother
went through all the rituals
attended jesuit high school
know quite a bit about jesus
still interested in christianity from an analytical perspective
never believed in God

 

[Mole]

The problem is a simple one -

There has never been a civilization not based on a religion.

So to slope off and say, "I am an atheist", begs the question.

So all we are doing is sipping our atheist cocktail while ignoring the elephant in the room.

 

[Fluffywolf]

As long as the Elephant doesn't come with maintenance costs, I'll have little trouble ignoring it.

 

[Mole]

As long as the Elephant doesn't come with maintenance costs, I'll have little trouble ignoring it.

Unfortunately mate, the elephant regards you as a dhimmi to be dominated, or an infidel to be converted or killed.

 

[Fluffywolf]

Darnit. I'll best buy the biggest gun available for the sole protection of freedom and right to live.

How I enjoy serving you posts filled with irony on which you can completely live yourself out.

 

[Virtual ghost]

What are you on paper AO?

Atheist.

I have never prayed in my entire life.

 

[Fluffywolf]

When I was young I used to pray the "give me a sign or I'm not going to start believing in you" prayer.

Didn't work. By the way.

 

[Heart&Brain]

I am an ateist, actually third generation of a family who either rejected the default state-religion in Denmark (Lutheran protestantism) by not taking communion, called 'confirmation', after having been forced to be baptised as helpless babies, or by simply not being baptised in the first place. My kids are the 4th generation.

I consider organised religion, or any superstition allowed to interfere with your relations towards yourself, the world or other people to be very harmful and utterly counterproductive to global ethical progress.

BTW I used to find it a bit offensive to have to define myself in (albeit negative) terms of religion. I don't believe that Elvis Presley is alive either but I really can't see any point in defining myself or others as 'A-elvisian' or the even more comical 'Elvis-agnostics'. But I accept it and am quite activist about it these days.

The burden of proof is not on us. It's on the religionists / elvisionists.

 

[Stanton Moore]

INTPs and their hair-splitting semantics. So you're non-theistic... as opposed to a "non-theist" because that term would connote a label, which would connote an ideology, or anti-ideology as it were? I suppose I can dig it, but that makes my head hurt.

(And stop hoping you're psychotic so that you can inherit the "mad genius" shock factor when you achieve something of merit or to absolve yourself of a failed endeavor. )

Gawd-DAMN! You kick ass.

 

[Mole]

I am an ateist, actually third generation of a family who either rejected the default state-religion in Denmark (Lutheran protestantism) by not taking communion, called 'confirmation', after having been forced to be baptised as helpless babies, or by simply not being baptised in the first place. My kids are the 4th generation.

I consider organised religion, or any superstition allowed to interfere with your relations towards yourself, the world or other people to be very harmful and utterly counterproductive to global ethical progress.

BTW I used to find it a bit offensive to have to define myself in (albeit negative) terms of religion. I don't believe that Elvis Presley is alive either but I really can't see any point in defining myself or others as 'A-elvisian' or the even more comical 'Elvis-agnostics'. But I accept it and am quite activist about it these days.

The burden of proof is not on us. It's on the religionists / elvisionists.

I am pleased to meet you H&B and to hear that you are a third generation atheist.

So do forgive me for being skeptical.

It seems that you do reject Lutheranism, at least in part, for lack of evidence. In fact you say it is Lutheranism that is required to produce the evidence.

And yet here you are, H&B, on a site devoted to MBTI.

And yet MBTI has no more supporting evidence than Lutheranism.

So let me put it bluntly to you -

Have you left the religion of Lutheranism only to join the cult of MBTI?

 

[Chloe]

I have noticed that there is alot of people on this forum that claim to be an atheists and agnostics.


So I am wondering how many of you are officially atheists and how many of you have decided to live as an atheists even if that is not what you are on the paper?
Basicly the only thing I am asking is "How many of you dont belong to any religion on paper ?"



Btw. why did you reject your religion ?

I am an atheist from birth, my family are Christians. But on paper I'm Christian because you should know how it's like in Croatia so my declared Christians because nobody wants to lose his job because nationality/religion, and that was (and still is) the case here.

 

[Feops]

I have noticed that there is alot of people on this forum that claim to be an atheists and agnostics.

So I am wondering how many of you are officially atheists and how many of you have decided to live as an atheists even if that is not what you are on the paper?
Basicly the only thing I am asking is "How many of you dont belong to any religion on paper ?"

Btw. why did you reject your religion ?

I've been baptised, so I'm not sure. I don't recall ever telling the government one way or the other.

I've never really accepted religion. I was sent to a sunday school for immersion at one point when I was young, but the teachers could never explain anything to my satisfaction. Discussions always wound up at some self-affirming logic like "because the bible says so" which was not convincing in the slightest. Simple stuff like, how can a being of perfect Good damn a human to pain and suffering forever? To my perspective at the time, that would be like a parent who beat their child to near-death daily for stepping out of line once. Absolutely horrifying.

 

[A Schnitzel]

I'm not a real atheist.

As they say, fake it till you make it.

 

[lowtech redneck]

I was baptized as an infant, I don't know if they still count me in their records. As far as childhood church membership is concerned, I guess "on paper" I'm simultaneously Methodist, Prebsyterian, Luthuran, Baptist, and non-denominational Christian (we moved around a lot, and American Protestants are a rather inclusive bunch, at least in regards to rival denominations). Of course, I self-identify as an agnostic anyway, so I don't know if you count me as sufficiently atheistic for your survey.

 

[Night]

What should 'real' atheism entail?

Moreover, what distinguishes 'real' from 'unreal' atheism?