Is there anything wrong with having a faith?

Organized religion is closer to a cult than it is a function based on faith alone. The church has more politics and beauracracy plastered with red tapes than a simple small-city counsel would.

Faith, on the other hand, is purely a spiritual belief (in my book, at least), and it is not the actions or the talk people try to walk that defines them as a person. The "Athiest" Angel of Light describes in his opening post only paints a picture of him being surrounded by people who are imposing their religious beliefs. Yes, as contrary to popular belief, Athiesm is a religion: In a nutshell, Atheist are groups of people who acclaim in the belief that there is no spiritual entity, period. They have group meetings, life-style rules, and propoganda encircling around this "belief" of theirs. Like it or not, by definition of "religion," Atheism is a completely legitimate and stand-alone religion on its own in this regard.

Going back to the topic of faith, in separation of religious functions. Religious gatherings and all cultural/religious/church/social functions that exist, simply exist for the matter of socially and culturally conditioning those included in it. If anything, it functions as framework for model behaviour in a society. Once you're a grown adult, I think you should have enough brains and logic to decide for your own if you choose to follow that model based on your own belief/faith or if you choose to follow a separate way of life modeled by something else--whether that be another religion or just your own antics, is entirely up to you.

I'll use myself as an example::

I claim to be Buddhist. I certainly am not religious. I'm not against the Bible (as in, I don't go rioting against those who decide to believe in it whole-heartedly), but I choose not to believe in those stories. As a child, I went to a Catholic pre-school, a Buddhist Japanese Kindergarten, and a Judeo-Christian After-school Japanese school everyday from 1st through 6th grade, where they made us recite one Bible passage 10 minutes a day. As an adult though, having wandering through various options to subscribe to a certain belief, I came to the conclusion that what religion or faith I choose to stick with is entirely up to me. I liked the lifestyle beliefs of Buddhism the most, so that is where I chose to take my model of faith/belief structure.

By no means, I am religious. I abhorr the idea of trying to convert anyone to my religion (although I will, very enthusiastically welcome you to any Buddhist function you say you are interested in taking a peek at--there's no harm in you coming to enjoy my festivities). I don't recite chants at any point of my daily life, nor do I go to Church (or temple, for you sticklers) every Sunday. However, in faith alone, if anyone so chooses to question me, I would say that there is a possibility of a spiritual entity that guides one, but I don't believe that it is an all-mighty powerful God. In my personal opinion, if there is such a God, It has as much to do with me as much as how fast my hair grows. God has a responsibility to ensure the wind blows and the Earth continues to spin. All the rest of the stuff that happens on Earth; It is as much parental in a way that It can only observe life on earth. (I refer to God as "It" for the most part because I think it associates God being too close to humans when you describe such entity with calling it as "Him/Her.")
As far as my own lifestyle though, I feel that for myself, my way of life and my faith is best framed by the virtues of a dude who, some 2600 years ago, looked at his own Hindu faith and said, "dude, this is whack." It's just more tangible to me than the Bible is in my view. All he did was pass down virtues of life that he thought were important principles--and for a lot of good reasons, are bare-bone commen sense things that some people nowadays take for granted. I will not parade around saying that my religion is the most sensible one nor that it is superior to others--I like it because it fits my lifestyle very well, and I find the virtues and framework for both spirituality and morality in line with what I believe in.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Angel of Light

My wife all the time is always showing documentaries, websites, atheist podcasts, and things along those lines to get me (from my own opinion) to reject religion all together. From everything about the inaccuracies of the bible, to how better off the world would be without religion.

Not trying to be disrespectful of ChibiNeko or anything, but Deni, the actions of above is no different than those guys in those white collar shirts and black ties and annoying bicycles trying to stuff the Morman Book of the New Testament down my Buddhist throat.

I will consider your argument valid, but I have this silly little belief that if one rallies together with allies against a certain idea based on their belief, whether it be the existance or non-existance of a god, then I have enough basis to consider you as subscribing to the "religion of not believing in God." That's how I see Athiests. If not sanctioned enough to say it's a religion, then I will hold my front that any organization claiming Athiesm would be a cult, at least.

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Originally Posted by Denicalis

Shorty, does that mean that people who rally against flat earthers and young earthers are a cult, simply because they have overwhelming empirical evidence?

Where on Earth are these people, because it would be quite entertaining to see them now. Oh wait, Bill Maher featured them in his Religulous movie, didn't he. That was entertaining.


And no, I don't necessarily think ALL athiests should be grouped into how I described as a group of people associated with an organized function (such that, it counts as either a cult/religious group). I agree those who take the Bible seriously to the point of rejecting evolution and simple science--that is beyond "faith," and just something else entirely.

Sorry, I didn't mean to stray the discussion and we're off on a tangent.

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