Losing belief

I was raised Roman Catholic by my then-agnostic father. Because of all the women who had a hand in raising me, I learned pretty quick that one religion was no better than any other religion. I was sent to CCD by one woman for some odd years, did my communion, confession, all that.

After I did my first confession, my father approached me and asked if I "really believed in this Catholic stuff." I must have been about 12 at the time, but I laughed and told him no, I never believed it. I never had belief for which I could lose.

I have never had "belief" in much. The only things I know with any surefire faith is that I WILL die, and NOTHING is permanent.

I agree that Poopsie's reason for going atheist is kind of stupid. "I got hit, and I didn't do anything about it" is more YOUR fault than anyone else's Poopsie. You picked and chose what you wanted to gobble up.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Bernard Black

Sometimes when people take drugs they say they have religious and spiritual experiences, but this is merely an effect of purposeful chemical alteration in the brain. To me this clearly states that god was truly created in the heads of men.

Interesting perspective.

Do you think a person can have a "religious experience" or something like an enlightenment authentically when they trip or whatever?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by wvlfpvp

Considering that there are actual religions that use (or have used) drugs in their rituals (sup Native Americans!)? Yeah. I'd say so.

Yea, I'd say so too. But I'm curious because she came to the conclusion that god is a delusion in part because people have "religious experiences" sometimes when on drugs.

(Yay peyote~)

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Bernard Black

I personally don't think people do have "authentic" religious experiences, on drugs or otherwise. I just think it's partly to do with the way the human mind works (and partly to do with background and relatives/friends influence etc). I am biased though because I'm an atheist, and I don't begrudge anyone else their opinions or faith.

I'm an atheist too, but I don't think every "religious experience" or anything related to the acknowledgment of a deity has to be null and void because it was induced by chemicals in the brain. Emotions are all in the brain too - does that mean they're not real, or that they're easily discounted?

Sometimes, awesome thoughts occur to a person. Sometimes, it changes them for the better. Sometimes, they regard these epiphanies as "religious," just in a sense of the word. "Religion" doesn't necessarily mean the acknowledgment of a deity - at least as far as I see it. To me, it means seeing a greater purpose and serving that purpose, in general.

I respect your opinion. I'm actually intrigued by it. Don't think I'm attacking you. =D

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Poopsie

Well, I went through a lot more before that and I just figured something would've happened if I didn't hit back. Nothing really did, so I lost belief.

What did you expect to happen if you didn't hit back? God to magically come down and put a gold star on your chest for the day?

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Poopsie

No, what I'm saying is, I believed in "Don't hit the other cheek" and just gave up because I knew nothing was going to happen. Yeah, it was my fault for not hitting back, but also my fault for believing NOT TO in the first place.

That's... um. Not the actual text, but alright. I suppose actually knowing what the Bible says doesn't really factor into a LOT of Christians' point of view I guess. Funny how that works.

(It's "Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away." Matthew 5:38, King James Bible)

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?