SPP Atheist Alliance

[PsiUmbreon]

Before anyone starts, this was approved by me oh, and re-read the rules thread. Clubs relating to religion (or lack of religion, in this case) are now allowed.

This is a club for the skeptics among us. The non-religious people. The people who have chosen to reject faith in favor of the search for truth.

Oh, and we also welcome agnostics and doubting members of any faith.

Criteria for joining:
-As I said, you must be either atheist, agnostic, or skeptical of faith in general.
-You must have read this thread: http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?t=115471
-In your first post, explain why you are skeptic, agnostic, or atheist, but please don't bash religions, as this may offend people. One paragraph or more please.

Rules:
I will be enforcing these rules strictly. I don't care who you are.
-No posting in here unless you are a member of the club, or intend to join.
-No bashing religions: This one will be kinda hard to enforce, but please don't say anything that you know will be explicitly offensive to other faiths. Stuff such as "Christianity is for losers" That encourages flamers. How bout saving the bashing for PMs, so not everyone can read it?
-Please make well thought out posts. No posts that simply say "Hi everyone, yeah I agree" They have to be at least two lines long If you don't have anything meaningful to say, don't say it at all.
-I will be especially hard on anyone who tries to flame any members of this club. This would include posts such as "You don't believe in God! You're horrible sinners who deserve hell!"
-All other SPPf club rules apply, so make sure you have read http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?t=115471 before joining.

This isn't a rule, but a suggestion. Please subscribe to this thread, as it isn't updated terribly often. That way you can see when there's something new here. Choose "no email notification" so that you don't get spammed by emails whenever this thread is replied to... unless of course, you want the notification.

Official Banner:http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a55/PsiUmbreon/Atheistbannercopy.jpg

Official Website: http://www.freewebs.com/sppaa/index.htm

Members list is now gone cause it's not needed and I can't be bothered to keep track.

First topic: What made you decide to become atheist, skeptical, or agnostic? (you have to post this when you join anyway) I will be posting mine later... or why not now XD

Well, I was 12, or 13, I'm starting to think I was 12. I was standing in church one time (I used to be Christian) and I remember thinking, after learning a lot about science the previous week, "wait a minute... but wasn't it created... hey, this is all a lie!" And ever since then, I have been skeptical of faith. I bounced between atheist and agnostic over the years, and people have tried to "win me back" but right now, I'm atheist, and have never been more proudly so. I think I found my true self when I became atheist.

 

[Kiyohime]

May I join, Psi? ^.^

I am agnostic becaue I grew up with a neurotic stepmother who was a very strong Christian, strong to the point where she was extremely biased and racist against homosexual people and black people and Jewish people and Muslims. I did not agree with her ideas, and when I revealed I was bisexual at thirteen, she attempted to "re-educate" me by sending me to church and a religious camp, and making me have long prayer sessions inside her closet (she had images of Jesus set up inside it) to ask for forgiveness. I did not like how people like her were so intolerant, so I chose to not believe in religion. However, I consider myself agnostic rather than athetist because I have a tremendous respect for the natural world, how the universe operates, Mother Earth, and so on, and I'm very open to ideas.

*bows* I hope you guys don't mind me...I'm quite liberal at times. <<;

 

[JoshYEAH]

I'll start by saying it's about time.
And now onto business.

Why -Dragon Master Mog- is an Atheist.

I used to be a christian. I used to go to a catholic school and everything. Actually, thats a lie really, I used to beleive in God would be correct as my family is not incredibly religious. My mother at least, and that is who I live with.

I mentioned I went to a catholic high school. I was there for just under 3 years. In that time Religious Education was a compulsory subject. Due to it being a catholic school. I didn't have a problem with it. However those religious education lessons are what broke my faith, aswell as a lot of other things.

I began questioning everything my teacher said.And I wasn't getting satisfactory answers. The next part was when we were being taught of the moral views on abortion. Except this was from a roman catholic viewpoint and of course that led to being incredibly biased. We were shown several videos of pure propaganda really, showing how horrible abortion is. I deemd it as pure propaganda and told my teacher to F off, respectiveley and was suspended.

Finally was the september 11 attack. That was when my faith was shattered. I could not beleive anymore in a God that would allow such a thing to happen. And it has continued... there are still questions I have, but instead of turning to God I'm making my own way and finding the answers that hold truth.

And thats how I becamse an atheist.

Anyway, I hope that we'll get a good few members here, because now we have a place where we can talk amongst ourselves sharing similar views and comparing theories, in a more friendly environment than a place such as infidelguy. I'm open to questions, as is Psi.

 

[PsiUmbreon]

Oh, no not at all. You'll find that most atheists are quite liberal and accepting. And although I also have trememdous respect for nature, the earth, and the universe, I don't consider it to be a deity, and that's why I'm atheist. Oh and of course, welcome ^^ *gives Umbreon plushie*

 

[Vic Rattlehead]

Why I'm an atheist? Raised as a Christian in a Christian family, I had rarely questioned the Bible because, in actuality, I had no interest in it at all. Church was extremely dull and painful, and I never felt any vigor for the religion. Of course I believed it, atleast as much as my interest allowed. At times where I prayed for things, I never received no answer, atleast within my understanding. Occasionally what I prayed for were material things, but even when I prayed for people other than I, I received no answers. Of course I never "hated" this imaginary deity. I never encountered tradegy on a personal level, something that causes a many shaky, emotional believers to spout obscruties and hate into a thinless idea-God.

As I grew older, I would have to say my interest in this Christianity increased, atleast slightly. I began reading the Bible but soon I found it unflavorful and stopped reading it, but keeping the lie to my parents that I still read it. I began going to youth groups and more and more often to church, mostly at my dismay, and it did nothing to my faith. It was dull, and sometimes the people there were painfull nice, almost, almost the point of unreality. Time continued, and my belief never gained any kind of vigor or response.

And then I got the internet. (=0) I would frequent some gaming forums and found a thread discussing God's existence or something along the lines of Christianity. I had wanted the Theists to "win," but my immaturity never received support. However, in these debates, my belief grew, atleast somewhat. Blindingly I deceived myself and saw good arguments in the Theists. Over a few comtemplations they became more and more ridiculous, and I bit my lip over this, I had somewhat a drive to believe.

And then, I asked myself, WHY believe? What are the benefits in this? Not going to Hell? Why believe in such a monster that would send those to Hell just for not believing? Why believe in God? I suddenly felt a bit alone.

I killed my skepticalism of Christianity because of morals. Morals never had place in proving someone to be true, and atleast somewhat in believing something to be true. I noticed the Theists never had any evidence, and when asked, they would cite the Bible, or some gargled arbitrary article of fact of probablity that didn't prove anything. I was distraught about this, I was expecting and hoping for some outside evidence, Noah's ark, the Cross, anything! Physical evidence. I came back to "Why believe?" There was certainly no evidence for this God. I discared my faith. No evidence, no belief. I find promise in that I became an atheist because of lack of evidence, rather than morality or "silliness." I began as a confident atheist, but I quickly learned of atheistic arguments and evolution, I found that the idea of God was an idea of ignorance.

There's something that's been crossing my mind. Atheism=belief that god doesn't exist or lack of theistic beliefs? I'm pretty sure it's the latter, (lack of belief) but even some nontheists disagree.

 

[Skrusti]

I'm an atheist, and here's my reasons.

First of all, I don't like the idea of some all powerful being controlling our every movement. It is just not possible, even for someone as infinitley powerful as a "God." I capatilize it because I show respect, even though I don't believe.

Second, if we were meant to follow the Bible fully and without question (or so I hear people say) then half of the world would be killed for working on Sunday. Yeah, you aren't supposed to work on a Sunday, because its the "Sabbath."

Third, I say this most strongly. No mention of Dinosaurs ANYWHERE in the Bible. Or at least the Christian one, because I haven't looked at any other religions. We already know Dinosaurs existed, because we found their bones. The closest thing is the Behemoth and Leviathan mentioned somewhere in the Bible. Also, no mention of cavemen, neanderthals, etc.

Fourth: I've had religion crammed down my throat since an early age, and I also find the idea of worshipping someone who supposedly doesn't need it a little redundant. A Christian I know says "Its not the worshipping, its the fact that you have enough faith to go worship." What's the difference?

So, those are my reasons. I myself do not believe that there is enough evidence pointing to the existance of any God or Gods. That and the fact that we've proven many things wrong that churches have said are real. Like the fact that two objects different in size will not fall as fast as each other. Gallileo figured out they do, and was put under arrest -_- Yeah, they could've just told him he was wrong, but they had to try to keep him quiet. I have the same view about the moon landing

 

[cold_katanagirl]

Hi, I was wondering if I could join too. ^^

I used to be Christian, but my parents aren't really all that religious. My dad's side of the family though, they're like the "lol u like pokemon and harry potter?! to hell with j00 if u don't read teh bible! *throws away Sapphire game*". <.<

Anyway, I've never really thought about religious views before when I was younger. I just assumed everyone believed in God. When I learned about other religions, I just assumed they believed in God, except in a different way.

Then I started discovering people that didn't believe in God, and it really surprised me. I was so used to being around Christians and people that believed in God, I never really considered that people didn't believe in God.

So as I grew older, I started thinking "Why do I believe in God anyway?" And then I started thinking about the little things, like contradictions, the idea of an eternal "punishment", free will, etc. So then.... That's when I started straying away from the idea of a God. Well, the Christian/Catholic God anyway.

Right now though, I guess I'm skeptical. I just consider myself an agostic at this point, but I may turn into an atheist in the future.

 

[Black Widow]

uh.....

Well, I'm athiest, though I just recently turned away from God.
I believe in science. I just don't seem to see how God could be real.
Scientists have found evidence of how the Earth was created, that is much more likely to have happened than an ultimate power creating the world.
I really don't know how to explain my feelings. I'm a very confused person right now. :l

 

[BluekiKatana]

I've had a lot of experience with religion in my life, probably more than most people on this thread. Doesn't matter though ^_^, I am agnostic and I'll tell my story of why I am agnostic over anything else.

I went to a Catholic school for my entire elementry. Meaning K-5 (6 years), religion was a required subject and I had to go to church atleast once a week with them. I also had a few nuns as my teachers for a while. I've seen religion bring out the best in people and i've seen it bring out the worst. I personally don't think religion is a bad thing. For those who need it, who are scared, who need a security blanket to keep on living life with confidence religion can be one of the best things in the world. And it can actually help them.

Sure there are some people that take it too far, but there are people like this in everything. I don't think religion should be to blame, I think the people who become so radical are already messed up to begin with and what they really need is some strong psychological help. They became like that because they were already weak. Just because some people are radical and extreme about religion does not mean that religion should be hated as a whole. I truly believe it can bring people together at times, and helps a lot of people maintain a positive state of mind. Thinking negative gets us no where; it just becomes contagious and brings people down. I believe that if you modestly strive to be the best person you can be and accept everything with an open mind and a honest heart life will be better for you. There is always something good even in the bad.

I used to be an atheist in my younger teen years. Over the past few years though I have seen a lot that made me change my mind for sure. I'm a dedicated Martial Artist. Not just any Martial Art either, I don't do "Self Defense". In the many years I’ve been involved in the Japanese warrior arts I’ve seen too much to consider that there isn't more to life than what we can explain. I guarantee you if you speak to any serious martial artist, one who has fought at the edge of death before. They will all tell you the same. When us humans are pushed to the limit we can sometimes surpass that which science can explain. I confidently believe in spirit energy "ki" I've seen it many times in person. It exists in almost every culture too. There are a lot of things us humans can do that science cannot yet explain, I know this for fact.

I've seen an aura before with the naked eye. I've seen someone use air as a stepping stool. I've seen a spirit.
And i've known a psychic shaman for many years now. This person doesn't use tarot cards, doesn't use any props to help them out and doesn't pry into your personal life for hints. They're a real psychic that can do many things I won't even mention in this thread. A lot of us have abilities like this too. Through sheer strength/physical training and through pure mental clarity us humans can do many things that isn't in the science books. All these things i've seen make my decision as an agnostic a confident one. I don't ever wonder if there is more to life. I've seen too much to doubt it. So i'm not religious, i'm not against religion either, i'm just spiritual. This is a quote from my shaman friend that I mostly like to go by.

"Religion is like a twinkie it is man made. And Spirituality is like an apple it is naturally already there."

Don't let any of this passage get to you though. I am not one to push my beliefs on people. It's not meant to be offensive, or part of a debate. I'm just stating *my* story on why I’m agnostic. In fact, personally, I really dislike debating about religion. I prefer that if someone has a belief they stick to it strongly. I admire dedication and don't like bringing people down, especially if their dedication makes them stronger, power to them. I just wish people would reject stuff less, that is what makes religion tricky. Too much intolerance is not good. That is also what makes atheism tricky too though; it is also intolerant just like religion in some ways. It be nice if we could all just get along for once. I believe acceptance is the first step to a peaceful well being and well for me this is the ultimate state of mind.
Not trying to stir anything up though, just stating what *I* believe.
So believe what you want ~_^, not trying to stop ya.

 

[Evil-Pika]

Hey PsiUmbreon can I join?

why I am kinda sorta atheist

well when I was little my parents used to take me to religion class all the time (even though I didn't get half of the stuff they were saying) and around this time now (probably a couple of months ago or maybe even a year) I started watching FullMetal Alchemist (ok this is gonna get weird) and I got so drawn in to it that I started beleiving in that stuff. Oh, and this is the ime I moved upstate and didn't go to church for like, years and I started to beleive there was no god because I told my mom that adam and eve couldn't of been real since we were originally monkeys and we just mutated and my moms like 'where did you hear this from?!' and I told her that it was in 6th grade when the teacher put in a video about evolution. and then my mom said 'thats illegal I should call up the school and..' then I got really ****** and said 'dude hes already reitired and then suprisinly enough I remember that just when he put in the tape he said 'remember kids do't tell your parents about this cause we're not supposed to be teaching you kids this kinda stuff in school XP' lmao but I didn't tell my mom that part lol then I kept telling her it was fake and my dad was like 'where did the monkeys come from?' and I like, had no answer to that. but later on I did find out how the earth was created :3 something about a gas explosion or something >__>

well, to sum it all up I think I don't know what the hell I am due to confuzzing and not knowing what to believe in so for now I guess that makes me atheist also I gotta question: where do you people think the animals and stuff came from cause i'm confuzzled on that one lol

 

[Wyrm's Eye]

Psi, I'd like to join. ^_^

I'm an atheist because of the following:

1) I never liked the idea of fate. I just loathe the idea that what I'm going to do is already mapped out- like my life is like a puppet on strings. I like to think that my choices are unique.

2) I believe in heaven, but not in God. It seems strange, but I believe that there is a beyond, but not a father or a creator of Earth. I like the ideas behind scientific theory (big bang, red-shift etc...) because these are plausable than to think that someone can create light by saying "Let there be light." Even a battle between two major pokemon seems more plausable than god!

3) I've never enjoyed religion in class- although I take it under compulsory learning, for discussion building- I just never grew on the ideas given to me- I question the judgemental views. I never have enjoyed religion anyways, I've never been to church at all except for being at marriages and a funeral.

4) My records class me that I have a religion- but that was before 9/11, where i threw all my beliefs away

5) Religion to me is not important, it plays in no role of my daily life...

 

[RandomCharizard]

I'm a athesist

Well I am living with my mom who was not very religious but niether am I.It was back 2 years when everything back fired.My GrandMother who is very Religous came to stay over my house for the next few weeks.Every sunday it was church,church,church.I hated it.Everything that was said there I did not beleive
I then one day went to a cathlic(Sorry for the spelling but I forgot how to spell it)School over the months I did not study anything I just got bored soon just became angry and angry becuase my Grandma told my mom to put me in the school. Then it hit it I found out my Grandma who was VERY Religous was shot to death. I was in school when I found out.I couldnt move I just broke into tears and yelled at the teacher" IF GOD HAD FAITH IN US HOW COULD HE LET ONE OF THE MOST RELIGOUS PERSON I KNOW DIE!"I just yelled "There is no god no Jesus its all a big lie ALL OF IT" And I still feel this way.

Knowledge I do not know if I'm agnostic,Athesist,or anything else correct me If I was wrong.

 

[Isis]

Made myself a new account. I'm back. Hurraye.

I'm an athiest, bordering on agnostic. This is for a lot of reasons. One is that religion makes no sense: If you're a perfect person, you save people's lives, you help people, and you're an athiest, you go to hell. Whereas the serial rapist who goes to church every week gets to go to heaven. Good logic. I also don't understand about animals. Religions treat them as if they aren't worth noticing. Where do they go when they die? Besides, humans are jsut organisms. I think that there is no afterlife, and if there is, it likely won't judge you on how you lived your life. Even if it does, it won't be on how religious you are. I hate christianity. Another reason is that a lot of people who believe in god use god as an excuse (notice I don't say he another point that christians may have wrong) for what goes wrong in their life. "It was divine will, I must have sinned!" No, whatever happened didn't have to have happened for a reason, life happens...

I don't think that made a lot of sence, but there's a number of my views.

 

[PsiUmbreon]

Welcome all

Yes, everyone is welcome, whether it be confused skeptic or devout atheist.

Vic Rattlehead: I'd say that atheism could be either one. There are two kinds of atheism, weak and strong. Weak=lack of belief based on lack of evidence. Strong=Explicit belief in no gods. I'd say I'm more of the weak type, becuase I'd be open to the existence of a deity if there were good empirical evidence for one, but there isn't that's why I'm an atheist.

Skrusti: I totally agree with you. Those are some of the reasons why I'm atheist as well. (of course, I have even more, which I will probably post later. )

cold_katanagirl: yes, the idea of eternal "punishment" is a thing that turns me away from religion as well. It's an oxymoron if you think of it, because the point of punishment is to learn from your mistake and apply what you've learned , but if you're in eternal punishment, you can't apply anything.

Black Widow: I respect science too. Science is actually trying to find out the roots of our existence, while religion just tries to tell us that it's their way or hell.

Blueki: Hey, I'd like to see some of those things you're talking about for myself...

Evil-Pika: well, the scientific explanation for how animals came onto this earth is rather complicated and would take a few paragraphs to explain. Plus I know you're only 13, and usually people learn this in Biology later in high school. But, I know a couple of sites that might help, like www.talkorigins.org .

Gym Leader Nigel: I found that religion kinda restricted my daily life. I remember thinking to myself, "Why does God require all this?" That was right before it dawned on me that God is as real as the Trix Rabbit.

RandomCharizard: I've had death in my family too, although that's not what finally led me to become atheist. That sucks, and I'm sorry to hear that.

Isis: HEY welcome back! I knew you were atheist already. And yes, that is such good logic.

 

[Espeon]

I would like to join.

I am not pure atheist, but I am not at all religious. I am spiritual and I reject religions. Religion to me is rules that were created bu humans to limit themselves from what they can do , for example, eating specific things. *grabs seafood*

I was born as a pure atheist in a country where atheism is the official religion, or no religion. Over there only nonreligious people can have a place in the government. When I was seven, my family moved to the US to the deep south, where you know.... I became semi Christian, although in the back of my mind I was doubtful of eternal punishment.

Now I do psychic development to bring my ties closer to nature and the spirits, I do not think it is considered as a specific religion. I do believe in reincarnation as there has to be multiple chances to live instead of messing up and go to hell forever.

I keep my spiritual side apart from logic. I think the spirits can be used to explain phenomenons such as ghosts and posessions. Other than that I am purely science based.

 

[Skrusti]

Yes, everyone is welcome, whether it be confused skeptic or devout atheist.

Skrusti: I totally agree with you. Those are some of the reasons why I'm atheist as well. (of course, I have even more, which I will probably post later. )

Yeah, I am also inclined to agree with Science. I like the idea of a big explosion creating the Earth...it seems, for lack of a better word, fitting with out society. Especially nowadays, terrorists everywhere, explosions, etc.

That was right before it dawned on me that God is as real as the Trix Rabbit.

*twitches* You mean to tell me...the Trix Rabbit....isn't real?! HOW DARE YOU! *goes back into his closet to continue worshipping the so called "nonexistant Trix Rabbit."

I know a Christian like that. Told him I didn't believe in his God, or any God for that matter, and he acted like I was the unholy child of Hell. (Their Hell anyway )

If it's allright with you Psi, I want to ask a question to everyone here, which they can choose to answer along with your question:

What do you think of people who are the epitome of their Religion? The hardcore religous people who even the normal ones don't like. Can be any religion.

Myself, I think that these people just need to be smacked. They're just about as wanted as racists, and to a degree that's all they are. Like when the Harry Potter books first started coming out, I remember a couple hardcore Christians saying they would never ever touch the books because they had "Pagan beliefs" in them. I know it didn't help, but I started saying "incantations" around them. This was before I had let people know I was atheist, so we were kinda friends, but after that, they never talked to me again.

Thankfully, I've only ever run into Christian fanatics, although that seems to be the only religion around my parts. I've heard stories about Jewish fanatics, (I can never remember how to spell the religion of Buddha) fanatics, etc. and I don't know if I ever want to meet them the Christian ones are bad enough.

Oh, and if it looks like I'm bashing Christians, I'm not. Some of my best friends are Christians, and I just love 'em to death, because they accept me for who and what I am. ^_^

 

[Shigaiko]

Hi. Joinage please. Okay, that's a lame introduction. So, you ask why I'm here?

Firstly, I've never liked the idea of religion. To me, I see it as worshipping a higher being. An authorative figure. And the idea of worshipping such figures is a big no to me.

Secondly, I myself am a fairly fortunate person, but I see many others who have horrible lives and misfortune. If we really did have an almighty loving being above us, why would he let such things happen?

And finally, I follow the theory that, if there's no sufficient proof of something's existance, it doesn't exist.

...So yeah. I'm not sure what you would class me as, but I see myself as an atheist bordering on agnostic.

 

[PsiUmbreon]

Hiya y'all

Welcome to Digital Phoenix and Espeon *hands rabid Plusle plushies to them*, and those are very good reasons to not be religious. Although I am most interested in you being born in an atheist country, and practicing psychic development, Espeon... while I do think that is outright weird, I am not completely closed to the idea. So... like, could you explain what you do more?

What do you think of people who are the epitome of their Religion? The hardcore religous people who even the normal ones don't like. Can be any religion.

That is a very good question, and will be the next topic of discussion.

Well, see, I think that too much religion, like too much drugs, is bad for you. The extreme fundamentalist people who are so hardcore, they lose touch with reality, are an example of what too much can do to you. Of course, moderately religious people are pretty normal. But anyway, those are the types of people who are in control of the government (Bush and his right-wing Christian followers wanting to ban same-sex marriage, thus curtailing civil liberties and hurting many) Likewise, Islamic fundamentalists are the type who usually blow themselves up, like, for instance 9/11. Buddhist fundamentalists? I have never seen any, although I would have to say that is a much more peaceful religion. But I would imagine they live like hippies and own like, literally nothing. All of those examples of fundamentalism are, well, bad. And those types of fundamentalists... I feel they need a reality check.

 

[Evil-Pika]

Originally Posted by Skrusti
What do you think of people who are the epitome of their Religion? The hardcore religous people who even the normal ones don't like. Can be any religion.

well, personally I think theres something wrong with them and they should BURN I'm talking about the people who would like, sacrifice there life or spend every waking moment praising god, etc or something stupid like that >__> its people like my mom I can tolerate, the people who don't go to church that often and actually don't get upset about it she still believes in god though just not into it as much as some other people >_______> like take my friends for example (especially they're mom ) they go to church every sunday and wednsday and I think thats it. I went with them once when they asked me if I wanted to go and, being their friends I said yes. It wasn't so bad, they didn't really get hardcore into it like boring speeches and stuff (then again, I was in the kid's area with my friends lmao we watched the land before time lol) but its not like my friends are deep into it and stuff they are just like normal people that just go to church every wednsday and sunday >.> If they were really into it (and I mean to the core as to sacrificing someone) then I would've noticed it by now (after 13 years ;; )

see its like this; everybody has different aspects on life and if your not to deep into any of it (like me lol) then your either A) considered a freak cause being not sharing any of my thoughts out of the internet I don't talk that much so the *****es at my school call me that behind my back lol or B) considered normal if you do like to talk just not about religion >__> we don't in my school (only that one time in 6th grade and the teacher even asked us if we were uncomfortable with watching it and we were all like '........no ' lmao and I said nothing lol

 

[absol attacker]

i'm here for a reason, and it ain't for free refreshments!

my story is similar to your's, PsiUmbreon. only; i was always slightly sceptical, i was never agnostic afterwards, i opened my eyes at about 10-11, and my father yelled at me instead of trying to win me back.

i personally hate religious eitome people, and have a list of names for the christian versions, however i use "super-christian", since the rest seem a bit derogatory. but as of yet, i have seen no other types of religious zealots.