I don't want to be an atheist

[Bubbles]

.

[Maeght]

Does anyone else feel being an Athiest involves closing your mind to interesting questions? Wider than those involving gods?

Do some feel being an atheist is like putting shackles on your brain and limiting your inquiry into " life the universe and everything?"

No. There is no closing of the mind it is just the way our minds are.

[jeremyp]

All too often (at least on the Internet ) being an Athiest seems synonymous with being closed and narrow minded and seeing any deviation of opinion as "irrational "

All too often theists lie about what it is to be an atheist.

I don't aim to close my mind in that fashion.

What fashion? In what way are the minds of the atheists on this board closed?

It would be like wearing shackles.

I used to be a Christian, losing my faith was like having the shackles taken off. It was very liberating.

Do some feel being an atheist is like putting shackles on your brain and limiting your inquiry into " life the universe and everything?"

That, by definition, is limitless. What is limiting is pretending you have the answers just because some guesses are written in an old book.

[Rhiannon]

I agree with Maeght, I don't think there's much choice in it. That said, I find atheists more tolerant than Christians, at least on the net.

I don't like it when atheists want me to 'see sense ' or 'come round'; very occasionally I've been offered atheist book lists. It's still less offensive than being told I'm led astray by Satan though.

I get Jeremy - I found no longer being a Christian both liberating and less stressful.

[Andy]

There are none so closed minded than those who are convinced they have the right answers even without evidence or in the face of contravening evidence. How that is supposed to apply to atheism in isolation, I have no idea.

As it happens, being atheist does nothing for me either. Oh, and science didn't get me here and neither will it get me out. It's totally irrelevant to why I'm atheist. If you want to point the finger, blame theists.

[SusanDoris]

I agree with JeremyP here. Consider the idea that it is you who are closing your mind, turning away from metaphorically opening a door to a world where any and every god is acknowledged to be a humanly-created idea and that, whether ideas are good or bad, useful or not, it is the infinite capacity of the evolved human mind which thinks of it all. One can then more greatly appreciate the freedom and of course the responsibilities we humans have.

[Rhiannon]

I agree with Maeght, I don't think there's much choice in it. That said, I find atheists more tolerant than Christians, at least on the net.

I don't like it when atheists want me to 'see sense ' or 'come round'; very occasionally I've been offered atheist book lists. It's still less offensive than being told I'm led astray by Satan though.

I get Jeremy - I found no longer being a Christian both liberating and less stressful.

Well I don't think you are led astray by Satan.

I think you are a bit overly sensitive sometimes and have a bad habit of taking things personally.

Sweetpea I think was talking generally, not personally.

Everyone has been led astray by Satan, according to someone somewhere, look at how Catholics and the Pope are regarded by some other areas of Christianity.

The Jews have had even more problems with Christians in the past, probably at least as much as Pagans.

There are so many groups who's beliefs in religion has a negative view of those outside it, that it doesn't pay to take it all personally and get upset.

Life is too short.

No, I didn't take it personally, because I'm secure enough in my beliefs to know I don't need to. But as a pagan I know only too well the damage such nonsense causes. Matt's experience with his daughter's school and ex are hardly isolated instances. Such ignorance needs to be exposed for what it is, otherwise innocent people will continue to have their lives damaged by it.

[Leonard James]

Sometimes it's not so much about believing something but of being able to keep an open mind about a variety of things. 
 

Atheists at least on the Internet, don't seem to be able to do that.

Most atheists DO do that. Most of us a ready and willing to consider evidence for gods or souls/spirits, etc., and weigh up the strength of it. The problem is that so far no testable evidence has been presented.

[splashscuba]

Sometimes it's not so much about believing something but of being able to keep an open mind about a variety of things. 
 

Atheists at least on the Internet, don't seem to be able to do that.

Most atheists DO do that. Most of us a ready and willing to consider evidence for gods or souls/spirits, etc., and weigh up the strength of it. The problem is that so far no testable evidence has been presented.

Well I'm still weighing up and looking, and enjoying doing so 😉

Most atheists give the impression they have already made up their minds and don't engage.

Have you made up your mind that you don't believe in Thor ?

[Leonard James]

Have you made up your mind that you don't believe in Thor ?

Exactly!

[Rhiannon]

Have you made up your mind that you don't believe in Thor ?

Exactly!

I suspect Rose is open- minded about Heathenry.

[Leonard James]

Have you made up your mind that you don't believe in Thor ?

Exactly!

I suspect Rose is open- minded about Heathenry.

You mean she may believe in Thor? 

[Rhiannon]

Heathens do, and heathenry's a growing path within paganism. I suspect Rose is open to the idea that heathens have experiences as 'real' to them as the one she had.

Iceland recognises its own form of Heathenry as its second religion. It's entirely possible it will overtake Christianity in popularity there.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I agree with Maeght, I don't think there's much choice in it. That said, I find atheists more tolerant than Christians, at least on the net.

I have seen pagans suckered by atheists on message boards like this.....useful when they support antitheist aims only to have their beliefs cruelly mocked by former allies.

Rhiannon...You are only acceptable because of you're utility.

[torridon]

All too often (at least on the Internet ) being an Athiest seems synonymous with being closed and narrow minded and seeing any deviation of opinion as "irrational "

I don't aim to close my mind in that fashion.

It would be like wearing shackles.

Sometimes it's not so much about believing something but of being able to keep an open mind about a variety of things. 
 

Atheists at least on the Internet, don't seem to be able to do that.

Everyone is different I suppose. Not everyone is cut out to be an atheist.

The idea of being an atheist does nothing for me.

Xxxxxxxxxx

I know being an atheist is supposed to just mean no belief in gods but often comes across as being closed to considering other possibilities.

I thought it might be interesting to open a thread to explore the idea that being an atheist now seems to mean closing your mind to things not already supported by science.

Does anyone else feel being an Athiest involves closing your mind to interesting questions? Wider than those involving gods?

Not everyone wants to be an atheist, not everyone is cut out to be an atheist.

I'm not.

How do others feel?

Do some feel being an atheist is like putting shackles on your brain and limiting your inquiry into " life the universe and everything?"

Is there something that lies beyond 'life the universe and everything' ? I think not, by definition.

Nobody wants to be an atheist; we are all atheists by default, we all start out without theist beliefs; some are attracted by a religious life and start 'searching' for God and those that succeed in finding something that fits the bill call themselves theists. The idea of 'wanting' to be an atheist makes no sense. You cannot search to not find God.

[Rhiannon]

I agree with Maeght, I don't think there's much choice in it. That said, I find atheists more tolerant than Christians, at least on the net.

I have seen pagans suckered by atheists on message boards like this.....useful when they support antitheist aims only to have their beliefs cruelly mocked by former allies.

Rhiannon...You are only acceptable because of you're utility.

Stop being so tribal, Vlad. Whatever happened to all humanity being brothers and sisters?

[Leonard James]

Heathens do, and heathenry's a growing path within paganism. I suspect Rose is open to the idea that heathens have experiences as 'real' to them as the one she had.

Iceland recognises its own form of Heathenry as its second religion. It's entirely possible it will overtake Christianity in popularity there.

Out of the frying pan...

We can only continue to fight all non-evidenced beliefs.

[torridon]

I have seen pagans suckered by atheists on message boards like this.....useful when they support antitheist aims only to have their beliefs cruelly mocked by former allies.

Rhiannon...You are only acceptable because of you're utility.

Spoken like a true conspiracy theorist 

[Leonard James]

Is there something that lies beyond 'life the universe and everything' ? I think not, by definition.

Nobody wants to be an atheist; we are all atheists by default, we all start out without theist beliefs; some are attracted by a religious life and start 'searching' for God and those that succeed in finding something that fits the bill call themselves theists. The idea of 'wanting' to be an atheist makes no sense. You cannot search to not find God.

Piercing clarity!

[Rhiannon]

Heathens do, and heathenry's a growing path within paganism. I suspect Rose is open to the idea that heathens have experiences as 'real' to them as the one she had.

Iceland recognises its own form of Heathenry as its second religion. It's entirely possible it will overtake Christianity in popularity there.

Out of the frying pan...

We can only continue to fight all non-evidenced beliefs.

Why? Nobody wants you to be a heathen and nobody claims you will go to hell if you aren't.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ásatrúarfélagið

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I agree with Maeght, I don't think there's much choice in it. That said, I find atheists more tolerant than Christians, at least on the net.

I have seen pagans suckered by atheists on message boards like this.....useful when they support antitheist aims only to have their beliefs cruelly mocked by former allies.

Rhiannon...You are only acceptable because of you're utility.

Stop being so tribal, Vlad. Whatever happened to all humanity being brothers and sisters?

Non sequitur

[Rhiannon]

Nope. You talk of 'allies' - you're the one going to war on this.

[Hope]

... it is the infinite capacity of the evolved human mind which thinks of it all. One can then more greatly appreciate the freedom and of course the responsibilities we humans have.

Susan, it is this very idea of the 'evolved human mind' that leads me to a feeling of human non-responsibility.  We have no control over our mind and how it controls us.  For me, the sense of responsibility for the rest of creation - be that humanity, the natural world or whatever - comes from my faith in a Creator God who purposely developed humanity to be the guardians and protectors of creation. 

Sadly, it hasn't done a very good job, but that doesn't discount the intentionality of humanity.

[Hope]

We can only continue to fight all non-evidenced beliefs.

Yet you're happy to fight for belief(s), the evidence for which keep changing?

[torridon]

We can only continue to fight all non-evidenced beliefs.

Yet you're happy to fight for belief(s), the evidence for which keep changing?

Eh ?