It's very weird reading my previous posts... my journey from "I'll never let go of the idea of God" to "I think I'm an atheist" has been remarkably brief, but it hasn't felt like it. It feels like I've been heading this direction for ages but simply now allowing myself to think about it... not wanting to leave the comfy fold of religion. Now that I'm here, it feels like it's been a whirlwind.
Yesterday I filled my Google Reader with a couple dozen atheist blogs - it's like an addiction - I LOVE reading them! And along the way, so many bloggers are pointing me to crazy conservative Christian blogs and videos and it FREAKS ME OUT that I was associated with these people!
But there's a real freedom that has come from shedding irrational beliefs. All those "God" questions are no longer vexing - they simply dissolve in the light of truth and reality. It is incredibly peaceful.
But how can God be both all powerful and all good? Simple, he can't because he doesn't exist.
How can we reconcile the fact that some prayers are answered and some aren't? No prayers are answered. There is no God to answer prayers.
Why are there so many contradictions in the Bible? Because the Bible was written by PEOPLE. No divine inspiration necessary.
Why does God seem so cruel sometimes in the Old Testament? Because those were ancient, barbaric times, and ancient, barbaric people. They're the ones who told these stories. Their God matched their culture.
I suppose I could go on all day (this is nothing new to anyone who has been out of Christianity for awhile, or never been in it.) But I actually find this fun! It's like, finally... FINALLY... my questions are answered!
And I'm no longer striving to live up to the demands of an external Being but rather trying to live well and be a good person for the sake of goodness itself. Not because God demands it of me but because I demand it of myself.
And how preposterous it is, to think that morality can only come from God! More on this later.
Hi there, :)
ReplyDeleteCame from an agnostic background myself, and have thought on these subjects since I was 15(ish). I've read quite a bit of material since then and would invite you to do the same, but just keep your mind open. I'm not angry or ranting at all, but I believe God is quite real, and Christianity is truth. The questions you pose above are very answerable, and if you've the time, please keep asking questions but do continue your prayer, even if you think he's gone.
Since you're a blogger, you may Stan: http://atheism-analyzed.blogspot.com/
Bright fellow and a former atheist himself of 40 years (!)
WLC has a great site, known as Reasonable Faith, that answers lots of material: http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/PageServer
And my bud, JPH at: http://tektonics.org/
Yes, he has a unique style of humor, but he's a good guy, the material is what is important.
Glen has a lot also, and I thought of his piece when you spoke of God being cruel in the OT: (scroll down through and have a peek) http://christianthinktank.com/topix.html
Anyway, I'm a bit long-winded at this point. Hope you continue your seeking, praying for you. :)
In response to the comment above mine, I actually read an article on that Reasonable Faith site once that helped me in my process of debunking another Christian tenet. It's a terrific site for that.
ReplyDeletechristianity makes no sense if you really think about it with a logical mind. God sucks and his idea of the world sucks, he is an asshole if what we see was caused my him.
ReplyDeletehowever, i have this "faith" mind that makes me feel like christianity is real. I hate that part of me.