Hmm. I was talking to Mike about religion tonight, and you know what, I think I really have come to that point where I can look at myself and what I believe and how I live my life and say that I'm actually atheist
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Andrea, you sound exactly like me [= I think we pick up on each other's personalities. And compliment one another.
And I agree with the whole anything that is a belief is a religion thing-- because I'm pretty sure I've brought it up before; if that's the case, then my religion is science. WOOOO SCIENCE
Also, like I think I said a LITTLE while ago, I wouldn't call myself atheist or agnostic or non-religious-- I'm just nothing. I don't care either way, but if I ever HAAAD to give myself a label, it would probably be "atheist" as well. So yay companionship!
That's exactly what I meant! Obviously things like science and stuff aren't traditional *religions*, but what is the difference, really?
Maybe a Christian or Muslim has faith in God, whereas you have faith in Science. But can you really *prove* all the science that you learn? Not really. You take it on faith, and believe in it.
Huzzah for Liz for understanding me! :-D
p.s. You're in town this weekend? Let's have a group event (this is addressed to all of you).
And...for instance, Buddhists don't have a God. They believe that the Ultimate is becoming one with the universe, and as such you can argue that Existence is their god.
Yet we consider Buddhism a religion, even though it does not advocate believing in any god. It is a set of beliefs, just like atheism is a set of beliefs. And of course there are variations, but if we can clump Christianity and Buddhism and say they are both *religions*, then can't you say that Science is your religion? Of course you can.
That's (what you attributed to Buddhism rather singularily (intended or not, i'm not accusing you of anything)) the basis of Sanatana Dharma (what the essence of Hinduism is, not loads of frolicking deities and mass rituals) Its interesting, I had a similar revelation about myself. I believe in Sanatana Dharma as a philosophy, but I most certainly don't believe in God. I oddly enough had a conversation regarding my lack of 'religion'/belief in God just today with a friend. (btw, don't bother wikipediaing sanatana dharma..its mostly incorrect)
Yeah, *pure* Hinduism is very different from *popular* Hinduism. I love pure Hindu philosophy, it's so profound and thought-provoking, but...popular Hinduism doesn't really appeal to me. I mean, I can appreciate that some people derive meaning from those rituals, and that is perfectly fine, but I personally can't get anything out of it.
I love how we don't even mention "to Google." I imagine this is because it no longer sounds strange or different on any level...it's like "to run" now... :)
See, I really don't think a belief is the same as a religion. If it's a belief in science or something, then yes, I can see where that could become a religion to you. But if it's a belief in *nothing* - like what I kind of have? - how is that be a religion? Like, I don't believe in any sort of god at this point, but I also don't have belief in science anymore than I have belief in god. So I don't know what I believe in/if I believe in anything. And you can say that I don't believe in god, so that's still a *belief* but I still don't think that's a *religion*.. It's a belief in *nothing* rather than a belief in *something* and I think that's an important decision to make.
But you are making a distinction between Nothing and Something, and they are not necessarily different things. Nothing can be something, and Something can be nothing. So one can argue that believing in nothing is believing in Something, and vice versa.
And I agree with the whole anything that is a belief is a religion thing-- because I'm pretty sure I've brought it up before; if that's the case, then my religion is science. WOOOO SCIENCE
Also, like I think I said a LITTLE while ago, I wouldn't call myself atheist or agnostic or non-religious-- I'm just nothing. I don't care either way, but if I ever HAAAD to give myself a label, it would probably be "atheist" as well. So yay companionship!
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Maybe a Christian or Muslim has faith in God, whereas you have faith in Science. But can you really *prove* all the science that you learn? Not really. You take it on faith, and believe in it.
Huzzah for Liz for understanding me! :-D
p.s. You're in town this weekend? Let's have a group event (this is addressed to all of you).
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Yet we consider Buddhism a religion, even though it does not advocate believing in any god. It is a set of beliefs, just like atheism is a set of beliefs. And of course there are variations, but if we can clump Christianity and Buddhism and say they are both *religions*, then can't you say that Science is your religion? Of course you can.
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I wikipedia. You wikipedia. He/she wikipedias. We wikipedia. They wikipedia. You all wikipedia.
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I youtube. You youtube. He/she youtubes. We youtube. They youtube. You all youtube.
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Our generation is so dependent on the Internet :-p
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(Also, I mean to say "distinction" rather than "decision" up there^^^)
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Apparently my mind and my typing fingers were not keeping up with each other/working well together last night. Ugh.
[To which someone says "Just last night???" And then I smack them upside the head.]
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