Christian/Atheist or other.....

Petallus, it's called Community and is divided into sections. Heaven is for nice things, no contentious matters there at all, purgatory is for very robust debate and hell is where someone gets called if they have made an offensive remark or really p****d someone off.

There are also specialist sections for Biblical commentry and matters of liturgy.

In addition there are private boards for LGTB members, those with experience of mental health problems and for Aussies and those in isolated communities. You have to make 100 posts before you can apply to join a private board.

Ah! I used to pop in and read articles on Ship of Fools. Didn't know there was a forum. Will have a look soon.

Detective MiceElf will be on the case....

I do look. at the site but so far I have not taken part. Perhaps I will soon and I guess you will spot my style!

MiceElf

It is a course of action I have suggested before Lilygran, but I have no way of knowing if any GNetters have another manifestation on the Ship.

If they do they could share their secret either in public or by PM. It's certainly helped me to clarify my position on certain matters. Some pertaining to religion, some not.

There was a discussion on Ship of Fools recently about what put people off Christianity. One quite strong theme was the behaviour and attitudes of Christians. I've known some wonderful people who were Christian, Moslem, Jewish, Hindu, atheist, Communist and the opposite. But I think assuming everyone who shares their beliefs is just like them is an obvious form of prejudice, arguing from the particular to the general. Speaking of Ship of Fools, I wonder if any of the atheists on GN ever test their debating skills against the
sharks participants on that forum? Do tell!

Greatnan I agree with you that anyone can be kind and compassionate irrespective of their beliefs. Some people have what I would call "the light" a warmth and kindness that shines out of them and in my experience such people are of all faiths and of none. What I am trying to say is that for someone who has had a faith which has helped them through difficult times will be sad to lose it. I didn't have the kind of faith which believed that God would answer my prayers (and not someone else's) but the kind of faith which meant I never felt alone and even in the darkest times I felt I had someone to talk to who understood. As a friend pointed out to me it was probably a child like faith and now I have grown up and I am sure that is true. However illogical though, I still miss it especially at difficult and worrying times. That is why I don't tend to get involved in religious debates because I am aware that I am NOT logical on the subject. But, hey, that is ok, isn't it.

I understand your point, wisewoman, but I didn't actually choose to be an atheist - I just found it impossible to believe in any higher power. It didn't make me sad - it made me feel liberated from all the fear, guilt and cant that I had endured at my catholic school.
Later, I joined the Wirral Humanist Group and I found, of course, that there are many atheists who are just as kind, compassionate and charitable as any believer. So much so, that I now feel that a belief in the supernatural is irrelevant to anybody's personality or morality. You either can believe or you can't - and I can't.

Galen I am so glad to know there is someone else out there who feels they should have sorted out their beliefs by now. I think I am a seeker and am having to be content with that. Don't think I will ever be sorted!

Greatnan for some people who have had a faith and have lost it there is a sadness. It is not logical - but not everything in life is logical, for example continuing to love people who have hurt you. I wish life was all about logic! It would be much simpler.

Voltaire.

I don't know, but it's interesting that more and more people are now uninventing him/her.

Morning.
Who sais 'if God did not exist, we would have to invent him?"

I expect you are always gentle with him, aren't you, ga?

Please don't lets go there again just now. It's so wearing. And anyway, I don't want Ceesnan to get a sore throat from screaming.

If I hear that expression "If he was a loving God......" I will scream. People - actions - consequences. Calling a flood an act of God is a misnomer too, ever heard of too much rain?

I presume that as God is thanked every year for the good harvest 'he/she/it' must bear some responsibility for the bad harvests too?
Don't Christians, amongst other religious groups, believe that a benign God created all things and planned the whole universe? I wouldn't have designed a system which meant a gazelle had to be torn to bits to stop a lion cub starving, but then I am just an old atheist!

Who has ever said that God is responsible for all the rotten things that happen in life?

Hmmm........think I'd like to add gentleness too. The WM isn't too well at the moment so I'm being very gentle with him. He likes that.

I am always interested when somebody says they think there must be something! Why? And why should this vague something be benign, given the pretty rotten lives which have been led by most people throughout the ages?

Well!
I was baptised Cof E I'm told?
Went to a convent till age 11'
Believed in mortal son, ave Maria, the pope etc.
went next to strongly C of E boarding grammar school with a very religious bent.
Staunchly Protestant and very anti Popish!
Grew up and learned to think for myself!

Now!?

Don't know! Feel there must be something or someone

Confused and at 68 I feel I should have sorted my beliefs out by now.
But!

That happened to me.

It started when I realised how bigoted and small minded the vicar of our village church was. He and his cronies.

My religious upbringing was desultory to say the least.

My father was not religious but insisted my brother and I went to Sunday school on a Sunday afternoon. We hated it.

Only later in life did it occur to me he wanted to get us out of the way so he could be alone with mum!!!

I became an atheist at 12 - I didn't 'turn to atheism' - I just realised there is no god.

Speaking generally of course.

I wonder if strength of religious upbringing is correlated with strength of anti religious feeling in people who turn to atheism in later life.

More to react against and even guard against.