Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! I currently am in a quandry. I was once a very strict athesit and still do not believe in God, however I do not like atheism anymore. I am worried that I'll have to invent something from scratch to make me happy. Which isn't a bad thing, but I wouldn't mind having some research going in the right direction first. So here it is: A religion or association with no belief in God. No belief in a higher power. With some history (like not invented yesterday.) A broadly based platform of ideas. Something very strange. So mix that all up and I hope I get some replies. Thanks for considering my quandry.
Ole scratch probably won't mind if you get something from him. But to answer your question, there is only one thing I can think of that meets all of your requirements. It has a long history, and is not connected with any belief in God. It has a vast repertoire of ideas, some which are very strange indeed. It is called Stupidity.
Tony1 is the best/worst representation of why there are Atheists in the world. I equate stupidity with close-mindedness and spite, both of which have been exhibited in Tony's uncalled-for comment. In pointing out his, I make known a bit of my own, but I think I am justified to an extent. You really can't just pick and choose philosophies... there must be some foundation with which to align yourself. Anton Laveigh's Satanic Bible (the first part of it, anyway, outlines a care-free, no religion philosophy based on true human want. Do what feels natural, what Christians say is bad or good. I'm not saying be a Satanist... but there are extremes such as that that fit your description. Is there a basic idea of morality or justice you seek? Are there at least some extremes to which you will not go? Only you can invent what the ideal perceptions of the world will be for yourself. Even if you believe in a higher power, everyone worships or does justice to their philosophy in their own way. Tony1 sees fit to criticize all and lay on them the Bible, where another Christian is open-minded and can discuss the possibilities of a multiverse. Make one up! {':
you might want to look into the wiccan/pegan(sp?) area if you have a thing for nature. OR if not Buddhism is great (its considered a religion but in actuallity its a philosophy). eh some ideas for you
Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Daoism seems OK for starting off.....anyway check this site out: www.geocities.com/ipuprophecy/ipu.html Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! I'm sure you'll just love this one; it'll move you to laughter.
*Originally posted by spankyface Tony1 is the best/worst representation of why there are Atheists in the world. I equate stupidity with close-mindedness and spite, both of which have been exhibited in Tony's uncalled-for comment.* What do you mean "uncalled-for?" He listed some of his requirements, and I came up with a perfect match. *In pointing out his, I make known a bit of my own, but I think I am justified to an extent.* You see what I mean about vast repertoire of ideas inherent in Stupidity. It's hard to get away from them. Some of them have names like wicca, buddhism, paganism, Philosophy 401, etc. *You really can't just pick and choose philosophies* Sure you can. You just chose that philosophy. *Anton Laveigh's Satanic Bible (the first part of it, anyway, outlines a care-free, no religion philosophy based on true human want.* Of course, AL was cursed to death by his own daughter. I guess she must have wanted to do that. *Only you can invent what the ideal perceptions of the world will be for yourself.* To find out what that is actually like, visit your local mental institution and interview the inmates concerning their perceptions of the world. *Tony1 sees fit to criticize all and lay on them the Bible, where another Christian is open-minded and can discuss the possibilities of a multiverse.* I've got no problem discussing multiverses, the Bible has a multitude of verses. *Make one up!* Perfect!!! I'll make one up where you have to give me money. What a deal!!
Representative of the church. Sidestepping issues, asking for money, and hypocrisy. Under "General Philosophy" you'll find Tony's remarks on the Multiverse. Calling what someone seeks "stupidity" is a bit out of line, and perhaps you didn't realize how incredibly clever you weren't when you said it. No tony1. Blind faith without acceptance is stupidity. Complacence is stupidity. Immediate criticism without introspective application is stupidity. This is all pointless, because as long as man can speak, he will make himself a fool with what he hasn't kept constant tabs on.
You say you are no longer happy, I assume you find something lacking. You need something more? Perhaps something in you is searching for something but you don't know what that is? Some guy is some what right...Wiccans/Witches do not refer to the ultimate "power" as God per say but think of it more as the life force that binds us all and that gives us each life. More in terms of an energy, power, force, intelligence. Where as God in the Christian sense has come to represent a untouchable, unexplainable, man-like form. Although I think that perception is a missguided one and was not the original idea or teaching of the prophets or Jesus. Is it God you dislike, or that "Christian" perception of God? Almost any belief system stemming from the idea that we are united thru humanity and that we should find a way to be mercifull and respectfull of life and use our lives for bettering ourselves and others will have a belief that we are tied together by the fact that we all stem from the same power that gives life, they each just call it something different and think of it in different respects. Even pagans, druids and witches who follow what is known as "The Old Religion" will attest to the Bible teaching the true meaning of life, and that Jesus was correct in everything He said. You can not escape your existance, you can only chose to investigate yourself and your beliefs about it. Ok Tony...let 'er rip! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!)
A curious point Congratulations, Congratulations .... (I've been waiting for the chance to do that. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! ) Go for it. Really. Do it. It's what's best for you, especially if you have it in you to wish for the "right" direction. And toward that end, I can only offer a vague sense of direction: What are the common morals throughout all societies? True, you won't find any absolute uniform values anywhere. But you will find general trends. Why is honesty admirable? Why not sleep with your sister or your daughter? I think you'll find two prevailing trends: First, many culturally common values are simply good ideas for living, for communal benefit, for perpetuity. The second trend will be a number of superstitious values that have no real distinct motivations except common neurosis. Bigotries, forms of fear, and so forth. These will be easily undermined by Spencerist notions when one considers the human species as a whole, instead of in fractured races, cultures, or otherwise. History will show what ideas haven't worked, and just because they failed with rifles, or fire or swords or sticks and bloody stones doesn't mean it'll work with the next new way to hurt someone. And in the end a greater sense of purpose can arise: one need not label "God", need not name the spirit of their choosing. It is, simply, quite the little mystery we souls find ourselves amid. Think of it this way: science cannot quantify the soul; so what? I promise you that you'll find much of what dissatisfies you about any given philosophy is its failure to function properly when implemented among real people. Systems don't necessarily work: Christianity is two-thousand years old, and as some have said, new ideas are bad ideas. To the other, the new witchcraft revival is being built on the fly, largely in response to necessity and therefore never explores its fullest potential; those of the Craft I've known who do wish to explore that potential generally start dropping their religious methods and vocabulary. It's an interesting limitation that comes in a young revival. Perhaps we'll have the opportunity to see what the new minds of a century hence will build. (We can check in with Cris on that progress Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! ) One of the reasons I've used the word Camusite to describe myself in the past is that it's a deliciously vague idea. I have no real idea what it means, except that it is derived from Myth of Sisyphus, by Albert Camus, and pertains generally to the idea that futility in life is no reason to not go forward seeking progress. Even when one arrives at the bleakest nihilism, there is still value in pushing forward. At least, that's what I get from it. Start with something as simple as your astrological sign. No, you need not actually believe in astrology. The thing is to examine the generalizations about the sign. Consider this online description of Gemini: * http://www.astral.ws/cgi-bin/portal/jump.cgi?ID=408 While this one doesn't fall prey to the standard rosy line with no negative attributes, it certainly doesn't play up the negative aspects of the sign. But, yes, more than a couple of people laugh when they see this and think of me. It doesn't by any means encapsulate me, but since we all know that modern astrology is generally generalizations, what does it matter? Largely, the chunks of text are interchangeable between the signs. But why are these particular generalizations presented as more important than others which might well apply to a person as well? I think you'd find that these priorities point toward that greater, nebulous morality that persists across the vastly greater part off humanity. So here's my favorite astrology: http://freewillastrology.com/ It has little, if anything, to do with astrology except the occasionaly exploitation of generalizations. It's always been my impression that Brezsny, the author, just gets loaded and scribbles them down ... but they're usually brilliant. My present Gemini horoscope: It's not that I'm pushing astrology, but Brezsny, always. But find among the religions the things that make people strongest: I was at a pagan festival last summer and for the most part my communitarian expectations were exceeded. The sense of union among those strangers is among the foremost reasons I still appreciate my association to the Craft. I'm not the one to tell you what strengths Christianity offers; we all know I've a poor conception of the faith. But in each of them is something that pertains to or accentuates a facet of the greater morality which is somehow vital to the communities endeared to the idea. Even cursory examinations of sociology and so forth identify trends that, if you follow them, help you understand not only the trend, but the discipline that identifies it. What it comes down to in the end is what you find important and how that, in your most sincere honesty, stacks up against what you can determine of the greater morality of being human. More than astrology or religion, though, I think you'll find social history to be your best partner in examining the evolution of human ideas and human values, and the tolls and rewards brought thereby. When you choose to leap away from conventional paths, I advocate that you bear in mind what those conventional paths aspire to, what was right about that, and how they failed. Perhaps that's a heavy list in the middle of a leap, but it's a leap you have the rest of your life to complete. You know that literary idea of the hopeless coming together in all their squalid diversity, bound together by their common hopelessness? There's something in that, that everyone is an outsider somehow. It's a key that lends toward the greater morality and its motivations. Unraveling the central guilt of the human conscience--this guilt of being alive--will probably not happen in this or any near-sought lifetime. However, that's just a wandering thought that comes while listening to Widowmaker's We are the Dead, so take it however you will. (Now there is a danger of "Shuffle"; iTunes follows Widowmaker with Jane Siberry ....) Life, quite honestly, seems to play itself out like a Kurt Vonnegut novel, in my case. (If you read Vonnegut, think about how he breaks up the text ....) It's the reason why religions generally don't work for me. It's also the reason I still have shreds of one left. But what about your atheism leaves you unsatisfied? What do religions offer to fill in that void? What do they take away? Obviously, you've given that some thought, but you don't have to identify yourself as anything you don't want to. Camusite sounds better than witch for most people who would ask me about my philosophies, and besides the less theistic approach better suits my worldview at present. A good place for the melding of theology and philosophy is this little magazine called Parabola ( http://www.parabola.org/ ), which I think is quarterly/seasonal, and I happened across once upon a time at Steve's Fremont News in Seattle. It can be had elsewhere, I know, but it's a little tough to find. It's my favorite among occult-related periodicals, and doesn't seem to subscribe to any particular idea. The Institute for Noetic Sciences is always a good resource, too ... http://ions.org/ ... http://www.noetic.org/ions/publications/review.asp ... http://www.noetic.org/Ions/publications/r56Goswami.htm is an article that is actually written by a guy who was my physics prof for a term at the U of Oregon several years ago ... I was kind of surprised to see it.) Hell, National Geographic is even a good place .... http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ What is key is information. As you learn, your social templates should be flexible enough to grow and evolve. The name of God should only be an issue to those who choose to make it important. You don't have to subscribe to any organized idea like Communism or Buddhism or shamanism or Reiki, or anything like that. You only have to subscribe to yourself, for in the end, you only have to answer to yourself. So don't take me as endorsing astrology, drunken astrology, Wiccan, noetic science, quantum yoga, or anything like that as an identifying idea ... all I'm after is that if you look at things in terms of what they mean to you, and trust that somewhere behind them is an idea that someone thinks is genuine, you might be able to learn a little more about how you see the world and become more comfortable amid it. And in the end, that's all these religious ideas really do: offer us a template of purpose. When you determine that purpose free of any fettering paradigms, you'll be doing better than most. Since I'm throwing links at you, here's a couple more: http://lysanderspooner.org/ (Spooner is a blowhard, but one with a few good points ... his essay Vices are not Crimes is fundamental) http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Goldman/Writings/index.html (I'm a big fan of Emma Goldman ... particularly notable are the writings under Anarchism and Other Essays) http://www.gorillaz.com/ (Always remember to have fun, no matter what you do or decide.) thanx, Tiassa Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
A quiz might help. Congratulations, You might consider trying the quiz Cris provided under What's Your Faith.
*Originally posted by spankyface asking for money* Who said anything about asking? *Under "General Philosophy" you'll find Tony's remarks on the Multiverse.* Thanx *Calling what someone seeks "stupidity" is a bit out of line,* It fit the requirements. *and perhaps you didn't realize how incredibly clever you weren't when you said it.* Join the club. *Blind faith without acceptance is stupidity.* Faith without acceptance, huh? Yeah, I'd have to admit that sounds pretty stupid. *This is all pointless, because as long as man can speak, he will make himself a fool with what he hasn't kept constant tabs on.* Don't you ever sleep? Oh oh, it looks like that stupidity thing is sneaking up on you. *Originally posted by Taken Even pagans, druids and witches who follow what is known as "The Old Religion" will attest to the Bible teaching the true meaning of life, and that Jesus was correct in everything He said. You can not escape your existance, you can only chose to investigate yourself and your beliefs about it. Ok Tony...let 'er rip! * Oh, I get it. You're typing pure crap because you figure I'll jump on it. *Originally posted by tiassa One of the reasons I've used the word Camusite to describe myself in the past is that it's a deliciously vague idea. I have no real idea what it means* No surprise there. Defining yourself as meaningless is just beating me to the punch. Of course, I can't imagine why it has taken so long to realize the truth of such a deliciously oblique, yet true, statement. *the idea that futility in life is no reason to not go forward seeking progress. Even when one arrives at the bleakest nihilism, there is still value in pushing forward. At least, that's what I get from it. * You're the only person I can think of who would get something like "value" out of nihilism. Nihilism would mean no value, among other things, to someone literate. *my association to the Craft. I'm not the one to tell you what strengths Christianity offers; we all know I've a poor conception of the faith.* The craft will do that to a person. After a while, the craft will lead to a poor conception of life in general. *You only have to subscribe to yourself, for in the end, you only have to answer to yourself. * Of course, a nihilism fan, such as yourself, would realize that means you are subscribing to nothing. *When you determine that purpose free of any fettering paradigms, you'll be doing better than most. * Naturally, the purpose in nihilism would be no purpose.
