Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post

ASU2003 · 06-16-2006, 05:08 PM

Do you know what is really going on, and why it is? I didn't get that part of the equation from your post.

Do you still believe in the teachings of the church, or have you turned into an agnostic/atheist person? Do you still believe in a higher power, are you not sure, do you think that we are in control of ourselves and everything is made up of molecules and chemical reactions?

First, you need to take a few days and find yourself and what you believe in. You can take some advice and get input from all sources, but make up your mind first. Don’t think about the negative consequences in your future at this stage. You can talk to a priest about it, or watch movies like ‘What The Bleep Do We Know’, ‘Passion of the Christ’, and ‘Contact’. Figure out what you don’t like about (organized) religion. Drive outside of the city one night and sit in a field and think, how did this all get created and how big it all is. Do some thinking for yourself, study all of the different religions and keep an open mind. The church doesn’t want people who are faking it just to fit in, well maybe they do. But people do change over time, and what you believe today might be different than what you think in 20 years.

And now to the consequences in your life… Figure out what would happen if you slowly pulled away from going to church. Would they notice? What would happen if you stopped going to church, but still believed in the same stuff. I always said I was praying enough at the golf course on Sundays to cover church growing up. Could you still go to the church groups with your friends, but not go to mass? Maybe you could try the atheist/agnostic life for 3-6 months and see what happens in your life. Would they accept you back in? If your parents start asking questions, just say you are trying to figure out what role religion will play in your life. It has to be your decision, but don’t make the mistake of saying that their choice or lifestyle is wrong. I still go to mass with my family on Christmas and Easter (and weddings and funerals).

From my agnostic viewpoint*. (Something of a higher power had to have something to do with starting everything and all of the matter in the universe, but doesn’t control people or has any influence on their lives.) Death is just stopping the electrical signals in the brain. It is like turning off a computer. But eventually the molecules in the body will turn into dust (or get eaten by other creatures), and eventually be used by living things once again. The human body is 70% water, and my H20 molecules have been inside other plant or animals cells at one point or another. And they will be in other plants and animals in the future. Queues up Kansas – Dust In The Wind on my mp3 player…

Or maybe Earth is the Hell for some alien species.

Sunday is a normal day for me. It is just like a second Saturday.

06-16-2006, 05:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
ASU2003 immoral minority Location: Back in Ohio	Do you know what is really going on, and why it is? I didn't get that part of the equation from your post. Do you still believe in the teachings of the church, or have you turned into an agnostic/atheist person? Do you still believe in a higher power, are you not sure, do you think that we are in control of ourselves and everything is made up of molecules and chemical reactions? First, you need to take a few days and find yourself and what you believe in. You can take some advice and get input from all sources, but make up your mind first. Don’t think about the negative consequences in your future at this stage. You can talk to a priest about it, or watch movies like ‘What The Bleep Do We Know’, ‘Passion of the Christ’, and ‘Contact’. Figure out what you don’t like about (organized) religion. Drive outside of the city one night and sit in a field and think, how did this all get created and how big it all is. Do some thinking for yourself, study all of the different religions and keep an open mind. The church doesn’t want people who are faking it just to fit in, well maybe they do. But people do change over time, and what you believe today might be different than what you think in 20 years. And now to the consequences in your life… Figure out what would happen if you slowly pulled away from going to church. Would they notice? What would happen if you stopped going to church, but still believed in the same stuff. I always said I was praying enough at the golf course on Sundays to cover church growing up. Could you still go to the church groups with your friends, but not go to mass? Maybe you could try the atheist/agnostic life for 3-6 months and see what happens in your life. Would they accept you back in? If your parents start asking questions, just say you are trying to figure out what role religion will play in your life. It has to be your decision, but don’t make the mistake of saying that their choice or lifestyle is wrong. I still go to mass with my family on Christmas and Easter (and weddings and funerals). From my agnostic viewpoint*. (Something of a higher power had to have something to do with starting everything and all of the matter in the universe, but doesn’t control people or has any influence on their lives.) Death is just stopping the electrical signals in the brain. It is like turning off a computer. But eventually the molecules in the body will turn into dust (or get eaten by other creatures), and eventually be used by living things once again. The human body is 70% water, and my H20 molecules have been inside other plant or animals cells at one point or another. And they will be in other plants and animals in the future. Queues up Kansas – Dust In The Wind on my mp3 player… Or maybe Earth is the Hell for some alien species. Sunday is a normal day for me. It is just like a second Saturday.