The Big Big Thread of Religious Discussion

[Fifthfiend]

Okay everybody, you wanted it, you got it. This here is your newly christened thread where you can come and say anything about religion that you want to say about religion.

So as of now, there is no more excuse for anybody to be going anywhere else bringing up anything to do with religion, anywhere in these here forums.

And just so you know, this thread is going to be completely unmoderated. Because I mean, I sure don't want to be stuck moderating this thing, and I can't imagine there's anybody else who does. We, the Nuklear Power Forums moderators and administrators, are putting our faith in you the community, to be able to discuss faith, metaphysics, theology and belief, in a reasoned, civilized, adult manner.

I think this is going to work out real well.

[shiney]

If anyone brings religion outside of this thread or attempts to use this thread as an excuse to discuss religion elsewhere (well we were able to discuss it in that one, why not this one?) they will be banned.

This will circumvent any warning system we have in place. An immediate no questions asked ban. The length of the ban will be decided by how furious we are.

[42PETUNIAS]

Hehe, newly christened...

How would this get started though? Just saying "religious thread, go right on" seems akward to start without any sort of prompt.

[ZAKtheGeek]

Well, then, I've got a question for anybody religious. I'm an atheist, because I've yet to find any reason to believe any religious claims. Far be it from me to assume I know everything, so I ask: why do you believe in your religion?

[Red Fighter 1073]

Well, then, I've got a question for anybody religious. I'm an atheist, because I've yet to find any reason to believe any religious claims. Far be it from me to assume I know everything, so I ask: why do you believe in your religion?

I believe in my religion because it helps explain the seemingly unexplainable. It helps answer questions concerning death and helps ease the pain of death of a loved one. I'm sure you've all heard it before, "I'm sorry for your loss. Just be happy to know that he/she has gone to a better place (doesn't necessarily have to be heaven)."

If nothing else, I will sadly say that it if you don't get anything else from being religious, you get to meet new people who possibly share the same thoughts as you do about the world.

I'm sure there are other reasons why a person might be religious, but I'm actually not very religious myself, but nonetheless, those are a couple of reasons.

My question about religion concerns having your religion be recognized as "official". Are there like, papers that you sign to make it legit, or does it just matter about how many followers you have?

[ZAKtheGeek]

So basically, it's a matter of convenient worldview for you? When you say it helps answer questions about death, I assume you mean there's some sort of comforting answer involved. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[42PETUNIAS]

Originally Posted by ZAKtheGeek

I'm an atheist, because I've yet to find any reason to believe any religious claims.

Personally, I really don't like that explanation for atheism. (And I'm an atheist, so this isn't very biased) It seems like this is defining yourself as counter-belief. Personally, I think of myself as more what is illustrated in Life of Pi. I'm an atheist because atheism is what makes sense to me, and it's what I like to beleive, not because I don't believe in other things.

[Red Fighter 1073]

When you say it helps answer questions about death, I assume you mean there's some sort of comforting answer involved. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Yeah, that's on the dot. I mean, how else can you comfort someone who just had a very tragic thing happen to them. Unless in a situation in which the person who died is in the military, I at least wouldn't be able to explain to them what happened and make them feel happy.

With a person in the military, you can say that "he/she died fighting for their country." With a different situation, it's harder without explaining without religion.

[42PETUNIAS]

well, there is the whole "dying doing what they loved, died happy, died having accomplishing what he wanted in life." Seems to me like religon is more comforting for people while they're alive and afraid of death, and much less to explain others death.

[ZAKtheGeek]

I guess I should explain myself better.

In that context, I meant for "atheist" to mean "lacking religion," which is just one definition of the word. I do actually have my own faith-based supernatural-free worldview that makes me an atheist in the sense that you use.

Also, any more takers for my question?