Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

[freedom-man]

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[f0rTyLeGz]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

Very clear. &quot;Atheists are people who don't have imaginary friends.&quot;

[rudemonk]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

you would probably get a kick out of a series of vids mutty posted in here once- search nonstampcollector on youtube. they are pretty hilarious.

[johnnycakes]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

Thanks Monk,
I took a side trip over to a couple of those. Very funny. Very true.
Not for the faint of faith.

[mountaingal]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

havent watched the video. but feel its a bit disingenuous to reduce the notion of atheism to simply not having imaginary friends.

certainly my own version of atheism consists of having inner conversations, with an imaginary version of myself. i try not to answer myself out loud though, lol.

[johnnycakes]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

MGee,

Since you cannot debate FAITH which is a belief that, of necessity, must ignore fact, you might just as well deal with the subject in the simplest and easiest to understand terms.

There is no need to go into deep thinking and obscure philosophical points or to argue at great length with wit and humor as Christopher Hitchens does against the idea of God especially given the fact that those of faith do not, cannot factor in logic in discussing faith.

To that end, the concept of not having invisible friends works quite well in abbreviating what is always a waste of time if you find yourself in a debate with Faithists.
IMO

[Skelly]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

MG:

Do you have a belief system? (not talking belief in God, Allah, or Yoda..jus a sense that there is something out there greater than mankind. A karmic energy. Something of the sort.

If no, do you feel like you are thriving without one?

If yes, how do you rationalize your beliefs?

[mountaingal]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: johnnycakes</div><div class="ubbcode-body">MGee,

Since you cannot debate FAITH which is a belief that, of necessity, must ignore fact, you might just as well deal with the subject in the simplest and easiest to understand terms.

There is no need to go into deep thinking and obscure philosophical points or to argue at great length with wit and humor as Christopher Hitchens does against the idea of God especially given the fact that those of faith do not, cannot factor in logic in discussing faith.

To that end, the concept of not having invisible friends works quite well in abbreviating what is always a waste of time if you find yourself in a debate with Faithists.
IMO

</div></div>

i hear u jc. i guess just have a thing about belittling others' beliefs. that, and i do think the notion of an inner voice is natural in humans, its just some have extrapolated that to an outer being. however, &quot;imaginary friend&quot; could easily be one's conscience, something that's not necessarily faith-based.

[mountaingal]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skelly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">MG:

Do you have a belief system? (not talking belief in God, Allah, or Yoda..jus a sense that there is something out there greater than mankind. A karmic energy. Something of the sort.

If no, do you feel like you are thriving without one?

If yes, how do you rationalize your beliefs? </div></div>

yow. its lent. and one of the things i'm trying to give up is &quot;fooling myself&quot; lol.

there are days when i wish i were a believer. there are days, like when my young dawta decided to drive herself and some friends to montreal in winter wa day, i just say, &quot;well, if there is someone out there, please, just look out fi har and no mek no eediat drunken driver collide wid har and kill har and har fren dem&quot;.

i say it, then i laff to myself, because i know there's no supernatural force out there that can do that. nope. no matter what people say about the power of a god to do something for them. but the <span style="font-weight: bold">comfort</span> of acknowledging that not everything in life is in your control and it would be nice to think someone out there could be in control since i am so helpless against the consequences of other people's actions - there is a powerful comfort in that. and i understand the pull of faith.

tell the truth, skelly, i'm going thru some tuff times right now, and the question of what sustains me is an interesting one. i do feel despair. and like i said, it would be nice to be a believer and think this is some master plan that a divine being has for me.

do believers suffer despair?

i find that meditation and listening to calming music works a bit. exercise clears my mind and i need to do more of it. my inner voice of reason, my imaginary self in myself, gets a bit drowned out sometimes and i need to connect with it. i just keep forgetting to.

i guess my belief system is this: i can only control my own actions. and to achieve peace in myself, i need to make sure my actions are coming out of good mind and not badmind.

not sure if i answered ur question...

[jah_yout]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

this is a simplistic viewpoint that this guy is espousing...
no doubt some people who are wrapped up in certain versions of religion do practice the concept of having 'imaginary friends' (spiritual entities outside of themselves)...

but this guy is lumping everyone into two camps and no doubt sees his camp as more rational &amp; intelligent...

what he fails to realize is that there exists the possibility of spiritual entities outside of one's personal physical- (it is often spoken of in things like ESP, clairvoyance, premonitions, telepathy (as often between twins or very close ones), etc.)
it is not so clear cut black &amp; white;

[jah_yout]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Since you cannot debate FAITH which is a belief that, of necessity, must ignore fact</div></div>,

depends on your definition of 'faith'...what do you define as 'faith'?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> you might just as well deal with the subject in the simplest and easiest to understand terms.</div></div>

&quot;talking down&quot;?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There is no need to go into deep thinking and obscure philosophical points or to argue at great length with wit and humor as Christopher Hitchens does against the idea of God especially given the fact that those of faith do not, cannot factor in logic in discussing faith. </div></div>

can not? i think that may be a bit extreme


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">To that end, the concept of not having invisible friends works quite well in abbreviating what is always a waste of time if you find yourself in a debate with Faithists.
IMO</div></div>


so do you define 'faithist' as anyone who believes in a greater power in the universe than ourselves? or just as someone who has imaginary friends?

[johnnycakes]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

I find that meditation and listening to calming music works a bit. exercise clears my mind and i need to do more of it. my inner voice of reason, my imaginary self in myself, gets a bit drowned out sometimes and i need to connect with it. i just keep forgetting to.


MGee,
I attended a philosophy school for a number of years They taught us to avoid what they called circular thought/inner conversations and to live in the moment.

Transcendental Meditation was a part of the practice and TM is meant to clear the mind of those inner conversations so that you CAN concentrate on what is in front of you and not get side tracked into those conversations in your head which are almost always just repetitions of the same thoughts and situations and which you never resolve in that fashion.

The best solution to anything bothering you is to take the appropriate action.
The appropriate action energizes while that circular thought drains you. It takes your mental energy.

When you take constructive action towards resolving what concerns you, you get a lift from that.


&quot;I guess my belief system is this: i can only control my own actions. and to achieve peace in myself, i need to make sure my actions are coming out of good mind and not badmind.&quot;

I think you've got a good handle on things with the statement above.
It is something like the AA thing about knowing the difference between what you can change/ affect and what you can't and which is which.

What you can affect or change, you take action on and what you can't you have to try to let go. Not letting go is where the useless and draining circular thought comes in.

I wish you the best on the problems facing you.


We read the Tao Te Ching.

[H_O]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

Johnny--how i basically view what you are saying in lamens terms (do not take offence MG or JC)

devine intervention isn't going to happen, so you either deal with the problem and face it head on,,,or live with it

how i see things,, when times are rough,,,i accept it for what it is and remain optimistic. I get depressed briefly,,but get back up an be happy for who i have around me and think theres people with way bigger problems to contend with.
But prayer,,i dont believe in that &quot;power of prayer&quot; nonsense

[johnnycakes]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

[quote=H_O]Johnny--how i basically view what you are saying in lamens terms (do not take offence MG or JC)

devine intervention isn't going to happen, so you either deal with the problem and face it head on,,,or live with it

how i see things,, when times are rough,,,i accept it for what it is and remain optimistic. I get depressed briefly,,but get back up an be happy for who i have around me and think theres people with way bigger problems to contend with.
But prayer,,i dont believe in that &quot;power of prayer&quot; nonsense


Yes H_O,

That's about how I am. Basically optimistic with a view of humanity that sees the good in us if perverted by the capitalist immorality forced upon us as a race.

More so the part about there are millions and millions of people with far more problems than I or most of us have.

I often think of that picture of the starving African baby with the swollen belly sitting in the dirt crying with the vulture sitting right behind him... waiting.

and then I think: &quot;I have NOTHING to complain about.&quot; along with &quot;Where the eff is that merciful God they speak of?

That one picture alone is enough for me to see what total BS the belief in God is..


God works in mysterious ways???? Screw that.

[f0rTyLeGz]

Re: Atheism - A Life Without Imaginary Friends

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jah_yout</div><div class="ubbcode-body">what he fails to realize is that there exists the possibility of spiritual entities outside of one's personal physical- (it is often spoken of in things like ESP, clairvoyance, premonitions, telepathy (as often between twins or very close ones), etc.) it is not so clear cut black &amp; white; </div></div>
ESP, clairvoyance, premonitions, telepathy, extraterrestrials, alien abductions, prophecy, all of these notions are widely accepted amongst believers. But atheists not so much. Although I have never heard ESP or any of it's attenuation called a &quot;spiritual entity.&quot;

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