Ask an atheist

[poppy]

Respectfully, I disagree. The "cure" is only there after the "disease" has been sold.

 

 

 

The bible is very complex indeed, but why are should we assume these unattractive aspects are merely "gotcha" quotes and not an accurate window into the history of the religion and the belief of the community?

 

 

 

Like all literature, the Bible reflects the culture of its authors. It certainly didn't invent slavery or war or cruelty. Of course they are an accurate window into the history and beliefs of its community. It is the fact that it found its way out of the darkness that makes it remarkable.

[LucyStoner]

If someone is mad or upset at God they are, by definition, NOT an atheist I can't get mad at something I don't even think exists.

[HRAAB]

Kind of funny but I coincidentally just came across a thread (it was on the bottom of a thread under similar threads) asking what religion members on this board were and quite a few of the atheists on this thread answered still as Christians (WishboneDawn, Orthodox6, Ishki, Joanne (?) ) This prompted me to wonder whether many of you have more recently self-identified as atheist or if it was a matter of doubting for a long time but still considering yourselves a believer in Christianity until more recently or you just used that in name only?

 

 

I see my name in there so I will respond. Honestly, I lived a lie for years. If I could click that that Christian button, I had made my affirmation for the day. I would start out the morning by saying "I believe". By noon I was repeating it. Morning prayers, noon prayers, choosing belief, talking the talk, surrounding myself with people who said ad did the right things, the whole shebang. It didn't work. In fact, it started to cause some serious depression in my life which spilled over onto my children and marriage. Having that heart to heart talk with myself, alone, no one else in the room, was the beginning of my healing and consequently my marriage and family life began to heal. Being honest is the best step forward.

 

I have not believed, truly believed, in a religious deity, religious doctrine/dogma since 2001. It just took me a good decade to actually admit it.

 

eta: Orthodox6 is most definitely a devout, faithful Orthodox. I think WishboneDawn is Anglican?

[Lady Florida.]

If someone is mad or upset at God they are, by definition, NOT an atheist I can't get mad at something I don't even think exists.

 

 

Yep. Rejecting God or getting angry at God, means you think he exists. I can't get mad at the Abrahamic God any more than I can get mad at Thor, Apollo, or Athena.

[HRAAB]

Yep. Rejecting God or getting angry at God, means you think he exists. I can't get mad at the Abrahamic God any more than I can get mad at Thor, Apollo, or Athena.

 

 

Maybe that's why I've never felt anger towards a God. I can get good and angry at certain religious people, but then I know they exist.

[livetoread]

 

WOW. I am standing over the abyss and the bottom looks so far that I am scared that the fall might kill me. Roots have been snapping for the last ten years, yet I cling all the more strongly to what I have left. I don't want all the roots to snap; I don't want to fall into the abyss. I am terrified of it. I am going to keep clinging to the tree, but I just couldn't let your post go by without thanking you. Your analogy is perfect and I thank you for it.

 

 

Hugs. It isn't easy stuff, that's for sure. I hope you come to some peace around it in time.

[Leav97]

Ok thinking about this some more, YES some atheists scratch their head when they hear people explain everything good and bad in terms of god's will, grace, etc. It isn't that I consider this proof of anything.

It makes perfect sense to wonder about this if one doesn't believe in the concept of a deity.

 

 

This doesn't bother me as much as everything good = God and everything bad is just life or the Devil.

 

What's the difference between one elementary school where all of the kids survived a tornado and a second where several kids died? The first is God's blessing and the second is just life? The first prayed and the second didn't pray hard enough? God intervened in the first but was to busy for the second? The second just didn't believe enough?

[HRAAB]

This doesn't bother me as much as everything good = God and everything bad is just life or the Devil.

 

What's the difference between one elementary school where all of the kids survived a tornado and a second where several kids died? The first is God's blessing and the second is just life? The first prayed and the second didn't pray hard enough? God intervened in the first but was to busy for the second? The second just didn't believe enough?

 

 

There were two families in my online Christian homeschool group. They both had children diagnosed with leukemia around the same time. Everyone was praying for these children. Both families were very devout and faithful. One family lost their little boy; the other family announced recently that their dd was leaving for college. The answer. God's will. In the end, the family that lost their child will see that this was god's will and for the best. For someone with faith, they understand this. For someone without faith, it's impossible to understand. Words, words, words.

 

I remember this incident driving me nuts. Funny though. I never thought to blame god. It's always people putting all this on their own understanding of god. I guess if I believed in a deity, I would be a deist. Hands off. It's the only thing that would make sense. I do know that their faith and belief did bring them much comfort. I acknowledge that. Maybe I was jealous that I couldn't believe like that.

[Mekanamom]

 

 

Yep. Rejecting God or getting angry at God, means you think he exists. I can't get mad at the Abrahamic God any more than I can get mad at Thor, Apollo, or Athena.

 

 

This reminds me of something I read (not sure where...)

 

Paraphrasing:

Athiest to monotheist: You and I are not so very different after all. It's just that I believe in one fewer god than you do.

 

(Gently pointing out that since monotheists don't believe in multiple gods, or in other words, *most* of the gods, it's not too difficult to catch a glimpse of what atheism is.)

[albeto]

Like all literature, the Bible reflects the culture of its authors. It certainly didn't invent slavery or war or cruelty. Of course they are an accurate window into the history and beliefs of its community. It is the fact that it found its way out of the darkness that makes it remarkable.

 

 

I don't think anyone is suggesting the Jews, Christians, or Muslims invented slavery, war, or cruelty. My point was that there is reason to argue that the religious texts of the Abrahamic faiths do, in fact, "promote violence outside of self-defense." These may be taken out of context today, but clearly not for every faithful community. Further, they most assuredly were considered perfectly appropriate for most faithful communities for far longer than they have been considered inappropriate. The idea that "today we know better" is not an argument for a loving and caring religion, it's an argument for the ability of the religion to adapt to evolving social expectations.

[Shahrazad]

Just wanted to drop in, since I've been corrected, and mention that I did mistake Orthodox6 on that list. I think I read a post and misread it as being from her because at the time I thought, based on screenname I would've thought she was Orthodox but was sure the post was from her. Since 2 people have since corrected me, I have gone back to look and I definitely did misread.

[Incognito]

I have an odd question - but I understand they are welcome. :) Have you ever dreamed something before it happened? I am so far from being a charismatic "visions" type person, but as a child I did have dreams that later actually happened. It is really weird.

 

I have had a number of questions and doubts about God and faith, etc. etc., but I have not been able to explain how this could be possible without some sort of outside conscience/god.

 

Any takes on that sort of thing as an athiest?

[Onceuponatime]

Maybe that's why I've never felt anger towards a God.

 

 

This gives me pause. I've never understood anger towards God, I've never felt it. When people have attributed things good or bad to God, I've thought, "What's God got to do with it?" But I was sure I believed in God and I've felt the fear of the abyss. Still hanging on to that precarious branch.

[TeacherZee]

This gives me pause. I've never understood anger towards God, I've never felt it. When people have attributed things good or bad to God, I've thought, "What's God got to do with it?" But I was sure I believed in God and I've felt the fear of the abyss. Still hanging on to that precarious branch.

 

No no no no...Now I've got the Tina Turner song stuck in my head!!!! Someone please please please give me something else... :svengo: :willy_nilly: :biggrinjester: :D

[Mom-ninja.]

 

 

Like all literature, the Bible reflects the culture of its authors. It certainly didn't invent slavery or war or cruelty. Of course they are an accurate window into the history and beliefs of its community. It is the fact that it found its way out of the darkness that makes it remarkable.

 

The Bible did not find its way out of the darkness. People did. Most people. Many people have not.

 

The idea that "today we know better" is not an argument for a loving and caring religion, it's an argument for the ability of the religion to adapt to evolving social expectations.

 

Yes, people are becoming enlightened but not due to religion. There are still too many who take sacred texts literally and use this for harm.

[albeto]

I have an odd question - but I understand they are welcome. :) Have you ever dreamed something before it happened? I am so far from being a charismatic "visions" type person, but as a child I did have dreams that later actually happened. It is really weird.

 

I have had a number of questions and doubts about God and faith, etc. etc., but I have not been able to explain how this could be possible without some sort of outside conscience/god.

 

Any takes on that sort of thing as an athiest?

 

Sure. Coincidences happen all the time. The ones that are most unexpected stand out and catch our attention the most. What we don't do is pay attention to the many numbers of predictions that never do come to pass. We then think we have an uncanny ability to make predictions. The most logical way to address this is to keep a journal of every single prediction made, then analyze those predictions against the ones that come true.

 

 

 

Check out Richard Dawkins' explanation here:

 

http://youtu.be/H1TxH0zf07w

 

Become familiar with how probability works here:

 

http://youtu.be/98OTsYfTt-c

[albeto]

No no no no...Now I've got the Tina Turner song stuck in my head!!!! Someone please please please give me something else... :svengo: :willy_nilly: :biggrinjester: :D

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe you prefer this version:

 

http://youtu.be/ZNM0ENUCO5I

[nmoira]

Sure. Coincidences happen all the time.

 

I once met my neighbor out-of-the-blue over 2,000 miles from our homes. That wasn't enough to make me finally agree to date him.

[Laura Corin]

I have an odd question - but I understand they are welcome. :) Have you ever dreamed something before it happened? I am so far from being a charismatic "visions" type person, but as a child I did have dreams that later actually happened. It is really weird.

 

I have had a number of questions and doubts about God and faith, etc. etc., but I have not been able to explain how this could be possible without some sort of outside conscience/god.

 

Any takes on that sort of thing as an athiest?

 

I think that if that happened to me, I would think, 'That's curious.' But I would also have at the back of my mind all the thousands of dreams that don't predict the future, and see this one (or few) incident(s) as no more unlikely than all the others.

 

Does that make sense? We dream all the time, and some of them are bound to come true.

 

Laura

[Incognito]

I think that if that happened to me, I would think, 'That's curious.' But I would also have at the back of my mind all the thousands of dreams that don't predict the future, and see this one (or few) incident(s) as no more unlikely than all the others.

 

Does that make sense? We dream all the time, and some of them are bound to come true.

 

Laura

 

It does make sense, but I'll give one example and maybe what I'm saying will be a little clearer. I really feel silly describing it because it sounds so unreal.

 

It's not a coincidence or something like that (sorry, alberto, I can't see your video links - something with our privacy software or something - if you could post the address I can go look at it), it is that I have "seen" a 30 second video of my life before it happened. Then, when it happened, I realized that the odd dream I had before was this exact situation - the exact words, everything. In a place I hadn't been. It was uncanny.

 

I was at a camp, in the cabin after dark and we were having a conversation about something we were doing the next day and what we had done that day. Quite benign conversation, actually.

 

It happened a few times - dreams that months later actually happened. It wasn't a "dream come true" sort of thing. So I don't know how else to figure how I could have come by a dream experience of my real life a few months before it happened, unless this was being put in my mind by an external conscience/god

 

Is there a "rational" explaination for something like that? I haven't been able to come up with anything.

[poppy]

Deja Vu is a well known and much studied phenomenon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9j%C3%A0_vu

[Laura Corin]

When you had the original dream, did you tell anyone about it? I'm wondering if it's a bit like deja-vu, which I believe happens when there is a split-second delay in transmission between different parts of the brain. I'm wondering if you had a kind of deja-vu where it felt as if you had experienced/dreamed the incident before, but actually it was a brain misfire.

 

If you had told someone about the dream when it happened, then my idea wouldn't work.

[Incognito]

Well, I thought I told my brother about it, but he didn't remember. It wasn't interesting content, so I can see how he would forget. It was a random conversation about a boring dream, so we didn't really make note of it.

 

Other times, I honestly don't remember anymore. Perhaps the first time should have gotten me keeping a written dream journal or something. It hasn't happened in years and years, though. And it has never been some pivotal moment in life - it has been everyday things.

 

I'll have to look up information on the phenomenon of Deja Vu. I am familiar with the phrase, but I didn't know there was study on it and perhaps it would give some insight.

 

I come from a relatively conservative background, and found the whole thing a bit looney, so I didn't broadcast my dreams or what happened with them widely. I found them personally to be affirming of the existence of a god, which fit the culture I was raised in.

[albeto]

It's not a coincidence or something like that (sorry, alberto, I can't see your video links - something with our privacy software or something - if you could post the address I can go look at it),

 

 

https://www.youtube....d&v=98OTsYfTt-c

 

t is that I have "seen" a 30 second video of my life before it happened. Then, when it happened, I realized that the odd dream I had before was this exact situation - the exact words, everything. In a place I hadn't been. It was uncanny.

 

I was at a camp, in the cabin after dark and we were having a conversation about something we were doing the next day and what we had done that day. Quite benign conversation, actually.

 

It happened a few times - dreams that months later actually happened. It wasn't a "dream come true" sort of thing. So I don't know how else to figure how I could have come by a dream experience of my real life a few months before it happened, unless this was being put in my mind by an external conscience/god

 

Is there a "rational" explaination for something like that? I haven't been able to come up with anything.

 

Neurology explains it. The brain takes in information through its various sensory organs (eyes, ears, and skin are the organs we think of most often, but there are other sensory information our body picks up, like pressure and chemical changes internally). As Sam Harris, neurologist explains, "You are not aware of the electrochemical events occurring at each of the trillion synapses in your brain at this moment. But you are aware, however dimly, of sights, sounds, sensations, thoughts, and moods. At the level of your experience, you are not a body of cells, organelles, and atoms; you are consciousness and its ever-changing contents, passing through various stages of wakefulness and sleep, and from cradle to grave."

 

That's a lot of information going on at any given time. The thing is, the brain can have "hiccups" like any other organ, and sometimes this "hiccup" feels like a memory when experiencing something for the first time. Sometimes, this "hiccup" feels like being aware of your body from a place outside your body. Sometimes this "hiccup" feels like being visited by a loving presence. Because all these "hiccups" happen in the organ of the brain, they are physical (natural) events. They are, in other words, real. Like any explanation of any event, however, not all explanations are equally plausible. Explanations that advocate supernatural premonitions, bilocation, and visiting heaven are not plausible in explaining the experience.

[Onceuponatime]

 

No no no no...Now I've got the Tina Turner song stuck in my head!!!! Someone please please please give me something else... :svengo: :willy_nilly: :biggrinjester: :D

 

How about "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts, tiddly pom.."

 

or "This is the song that never ends, it goes on and on my friend..."

[LucyStoner]

How about "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts, tiddly pom.."

 

or "This is the song that never ends, it goes on and on my friend..."

 

Ack. I've changed my mind. I do believe in evil after all.

[HomeschoolMamaOfTwo]

I have weird dreams and thoughts that then happen afterwards all the time, very often. I never once thought to contribute them to a god, though. I've always wondered if it was just me or if this happens to everyone. Like you think about someone, they call a few seconds later. I think something, someone says the same thing right after that (random, non-likely stuff for someone to say), dreams about things/people that then happen, stuff like that. Nothing important really, but it just happens so much that it is odd.

[nmoira]

Ack. I've changed my mind. I do believe in evil after all.

 

DD the Elder mixes her Pythons with a, "Stop that, stop that! You're not going to do a song while I'm here!" whenever I break into Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. But it's too late, she's infected. :p I sometimes overhear her quietly whistling away before catching herself. Bwah ha ha ha ha.

[nmoira]

Once I said to my dh when he was driving somewhere, "I had the feeling we were going the wrong way". (I didn't mean to say it out loud. ) Turns out I was right and he said, "Why didn't you say something". My response was, "I get that feeling about half the time".

 

Happily we now have Tomtom so I no longer get that feeling. :) Tomtom rarely leads me astray.

 

I only just found out there's a Brian Blessed voice option for some Tomtom devices in the UK. Oh, what a brave New World...

 

*sigh*

 

[Lady Florida.]

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

 

That was my ringtone for a while, and I never mind if it gets stuck in my head. I went back to my Harry Potter ringtone because I've had it for so long and I missed it.

[LibraryLover]

http://youtu.be/ZNM0ENUCO5I

 

Just one reason the agnostic/atheist me believes in humanity. Life can be wicked and tough, but it is also sweet.

 

A good laugh and some dancing. Yes. :)

[Mom-ninja.]

I come from a relatively conservative background, and found the whole thing a bit looney, so I didn't broadcast my dreams or what happened with them widely. I found them personally to be affirming of the existence of a god, which fit the culture I was raised in.

 

This is key. Humans want explanation, and will fit their experiences into the mold of what they know/believe. Humans have a natural tendency to look at the data (experiences) and work it so that it fits into their belief and current knowledge of the world. It's when we gain and grow in knowledge that we can expand our thinking horizon so to speak, and come to different conclusions....possibly the more accurate conclusion.

 

Deja vu was once considered witch craft. Now there is a neurological explanation for it. A magnet pushing a magnet was considered magic and now we know about magnetism.

 

If we don't have the knowledge base then our brains try to force the experience into *something* and that something has and is often the supernatural.

[Incognito]

albeto - thank you for the links.

 

Interesting talks.

 

Kleine Hexe - Yes, I understand that we tend to do that, that is actually why I framed it that way. I was trying to make note of the fact that we explain through our experiences. However, I still really don't see a way to explain how a pre-view of a time of life could happen unless there is "something" beyond time. It isn't that I need to know exactly how it worked, but I don't see how there could be any other way to explain it happening. Perhaps you mean that in our current unenlightened state we can't understand it, but when we grow in understanding it will make sense later?

[Mom in High Heels]

I can't believe how civil this thread remained. It's been an interesting read to see how differently many atheists think.

[La Texican]

Why are so many atheists so militant about it? Why can't you just inwardly roll your eyes at what religious folks believe but keep your opinions about it to yourself?

 

My grandfather was most likely an atheist (at least he never mentioned any sort of spiritual beliefs and refused to answer any questions about the subject by saying that it was private) but he also never once denigrated others' beliefs. What has changed between that generation of atheists and today's atheists?

 

 

CW, i quoted so you'd be sure to see my answer.

For example, I'm visiting my (Christian) family, out of state, right now. My mom is making a big deal about not watching Spongebob, because the other kids might see it. She said this morning how they're going out of their way not to watch Veggietales out of respect for me. I saw my kids watch 20 minutes of Veggietales with the other kids this morning. I did roll my eyes quietly and think nothing's perfect, it's the "least bad" to let it go unmentioned. Since I grew up in this family I know that Christians are supposed to spread the gospel. I know that they believe and profess that one should "plant the seed of faith", another Christian will water it sometime in the future, another will harvest it when God's ready. To me that feels like spiritual rape, to profess to believe that way and proceed to try to plant religious seeds in my kids. To claim you're not going to do it and then only do it "just a little bit" to me means you're just being more sneaky about it. It's ok to expose my kids to religious programing, knowing they profess that activity to be "planting the seed" because if I don't believe then it shouldn't matter. I don't believe in violence, but if somebody acts violently to me- it matters. If someone actively participates in "planting the seed" then I feel violated. If I did not know that philosophy then I wouldn't feel violated.

 

I probably shouldn't answer because it's just my feelings and I don't have any scriptures to back me up and say I'm justified in thinking this way. It's when athiests, or gays, or muslims start talking about their feelings that people go all "convert or cry martyr", fight or flight mode. In this case they would bring it up in conversation just to get to say their piece that "it's just a harmless kids show, the kids like it". And then I can either convert and agree, or else they're being a patient martyr. (but spongebob isn't innocent kids programming) ((rolls eyes))

 

It's even worse that I mention this here because I did quietly roll me eyes and sidestepped the conversation this morning, and yet I share my feelings in a public online forum. Now I feel like a keyboard commando. I need a hug, or more coffee.

 

Also, someone answer this post quickly please. I don't like seeing my avatar next to an athiest thread. I feel like after that, that's what I'll be known for. I'll be fully homeschooling my upcoming kindergartener next year. He's five. He reads second grade level for fun. He reads on a middle school level when I ask him to. He does single digit addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division wordproblems or workbook sheets. We're doing WTM notebooking with a world history encyclopedia. My two year old's not far behind. I still feel judged, being here, if my avatar shows up too often beside an athiest thread then that's all I will be known for.

[TeacherZee]

Honoring a request

[chiguirre]

 

 

 

It's even worse that I mention this here because I did quietly roll me eyes and sidestepped the conversation this morning, and yet I share my feelings in a public online forum. Now I feel like a keyboard commando. I need a hug, or more coffee.

 

Also, someone answer this post quickly please. I don't like seeing my avatar next to an athiest thread. I feel like after that, that's what I'll be known for. I'll be fully homeschooling my upcoming kindergartener next year. He's five. He reads second grade level for fun. He reads on a middle school level when I ask him to. He does single digit addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division wordproblems or workbook sheets. We're doing WTM notebooking with a world history encyclopedia. My two year old's not far behind. I still feel judged, being here, if my avatar shows up too often beside an athiest thread then that's all I will be known for.

 

 

I'm sorry for your troubles. That's really hard to deal with on a daily basis. I hope you find yourself a group of friends to support your homeschooling no matter your religious beliefs. They're out there, and eventually you'll find them. It really does get better!

[Laura Corin]

 

Also, someone answer this post quickly please. I don't like seeing my avatar next to an athiest thread. I feel like after that, that's what I'll be known for. I'll be fully homeschooling my upcoming kindergartener next year. He's five. He reads second grade level for fun. He reads on a middle school level when I ask him to. He does single digit addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division wordproblems or workbook sheets. We're doing WTM notebooking with a world history encyclopedia. My two year old's not far behind. I still feel judged, being here, if my avatar shows up too often beside an athiest thread then that's all I will be known for.

 

 

I'm sorry you are having such a hard time.

 

About being an atheist and fearing that you will be ostracised or singled out - I've been on the WTM boards and have been pretty open about my atheism for many years. There may be people who have me on ignore but, in general, I have been helped generously and listened to respectfully.

 

Your son sounds delightful.

 

Best wishes to you

 

Laura

[Jen in NY]

I still feel judged, being here, if my avatar shows up too often beside an athiest thread then that's all I will be known for.

 

 

 

Hugs to you.

 

I truly hope you find a group that you can be yourself in.

[8circles]

 

 

 

I'm sorry. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[albeto]

Why are so many atheists so militant about it? Why can't you just inwardly roll your eyes at what religious folks believe but keep your opinions about it to yourself?

 

My grandfather was most likely an atheist (at least he never mentioned any sort of spiritual beliefs and refused to answer any questions about the subject by saying that it was private) but he also never once denigrated others' beliefs. What has changed between that generation of atheists and today's atheists?

 

 

 

Also, someone answer this post quickly please. I don't like seeing my avatar next to an athiest thread. I feel like after that, that's what I'll be known for.

 

 

And that, Crimson Wife, is why some of us are "militant."

 

To La Texican - best wishes in your homeschooling journey. :)

[Alte Veste Academy]

Also, someone answer this post quickly please. I don't like seeing my avatar next to an athiest thread. I feel like after that, that's what I'll be known for. I'll be fully homeschooling my upcoming kindergartener next year. He's five. He reads second grade level for fun. He reads on a middle school level when I ask him to. He does single digit addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division wordproblems or workbook sheets. We're doing WTM notebooking with a world history encyclopedia. My two year old's not far behind. I still feel judged, being here, if my avatar shows up too often beside an athiest thread then that's all I will be known for.

 

:grouphug: I originally joined these boards in 2008, when my oldest was Kindergarten age. I never "revealed" my agnosticism here because I didn't want to be known or judged for it. I didn't want my posts to become irrelevant to some people because of my lack of faith. But I was never my real self here that way. I like to think I was a helpful contributor, but I was not fully me. I took a year long board break (the wrong way, LOL, by having my account closed) and when I came back, fresh and new, the powers that be told me I could return as Alte Veste Academy, same as before, or choose another user name and essentially come back anonymously. In some ways, I did think it would be easier to come back as "someone else" because then I could be fully me without outing the former me. In the end though, I felt that I had to be honest. All those old posts were me...and so was the "public" admission of agnosticism that I made when I returned here. I keep lots of personal stuff private here because this is still the Internet after all, but that is the one "big thing" I felt I was holding back, the one thing that saying "out loud" made me feel fully open and honest. I received no negative response (overt anyway, who knows if some people lost respect for me...don't care).

 

Anyway, I know it can be tricky to be fully yourself here. Bizarrely conflicting and surprisingly emotional. You are in good company though! My personal feeling is that the best way to not be viewed simply as "an atheist" here, in a one-dimensional way, as if there is no nuance to your life, is to post widely. :)

[Mom-ninja.]

 

Kleine Hexe - Yes, I understand that we tend to do that, that is actually why I framed it that way. I was trying to make note of the fact that we explain through our experiences. However, I still really don't see a way to explain how a pre-view of a time of life could happen unless there is "something" beyond time. It isn't that I need to know exactly how it worked, but I don't see how there could be any other way to explain it happening. Perhaps you mean that in our current unenlightened state we can't understand it, but when we grow in understanding it will make sense later?

 

 

Yes, either the dream premonition is already explained but only in deep science studies which you and I don't know about, or we (general we) haven't figured it out yet but may do so in the future. For me lack of non-supernatural explanation does not mean the explanation then must be supernatural.

[Mom-ninja.]

As for being outed here....I haven't noticed being ignored or mistreated. As Laura said, I'm sure some people ignore me for whatever reasons, and that's fine. There are enough people on these forums that I don't miss the possible few who ignore me.

 

Also, maybe the comfort level of interacting with an atheist online seems "safer" for some who irl would not associate with an atheist. I know I'm far far more likely to be ostracized irl than online. Like the "nice" home schooling mom who hung with me several times, remarked how impressed she was with my kids' manners, and then.....she saw some books I've read. Poof. She's never talked to me again. Oh, well.

[Rosie_0801]

Are there communities teaching skills to process grief and death without religion?

 

Commenting on this old thread because I found an answer to this question! http://www.theschooloflife.com/shop/how-to-face-death-4/

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

old thread.  deleted my post - way outdated.

[Rosie_0801]

old thread.  deleted my post - way outdated.

 

Some issues never go out of date...

[albeto.]

In response to a few concepts being explored on another thread, I thought I'd share these short videos narrated by Stephen Fry. These are short summaries of various ideas and ideologies as explained by the British Humanist Association.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[albeto.]

 

[Lady Florida.]

old thread.  deleted my post - way outdated.

 

 

Some issues never go out of date...

 

 

I didn't see your post so I don't know if what you said would have been outdated or you just thought it was because of the age of the thread. I agree with Rosie though. I think of any of these "Ask an _____" threads as ongoing. They might not get traffic for a while, but by reviving them to ask a question it keeps all the related information together. That makes it easy when things come up in other threads. People can just be directed to Ask an atheist, a Christian, a Muslim, etc.