Were you always skeptical about God? [POLL]

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Were you always skeptical about there being a "God"?

Poll ended at Sat May 31, 2014 12:23 pm

Yes
6
60%
No
4
40%
 
Total votes: 10

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cufflink
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Re: Were you always skeptical about God? [POLL]

Post by cufflink »

I grew up in a "Modern Orthodox" Jewish environment and was a believer until I was around 14 or 15. For at least a year after my Bar Mitzvah I got up every morning and went through the traditional prayer service, in Hebrew, for 15 or 20 minutes. During that time (a long time ago) I recall feeling a strong sense of security: I "knew" I was doing what God wanted me to and that he would stay with me. In any event, Judaism is much less a religion of belief and creed than Christianity or Islam; it's more a religion of action, with lots and lots of strict rules. More like, "We're Jews. This is what Jews do. So do it!" This meant that even with growing doubt, as long as I did the right things, I was OK.

But soon the brain kicked in. I remember being in a class in Hebrew High School (two afternoons a week plus Sunday morning, throughout my high school years), and the discussion was about what to do if you're up in a tree and it's time for a certain important prayer. Can you say it up in the tree or do you have to come down? I said to myself, "OK, this is ridiculous." And that was pretty much it.

I don't regret my religious education, however. If you're going to reject something, you should know what it is you're rejecting.
One Moment in Annihilation's Waste,
One Moment of the Well of Life to taste--
The Stars are setting, and the Caravan
Draws to the Dawn of Nothing--Oh, make haste!

—Fitzgerald, Rubáiyát, 2nd ed., XLIX
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: Were you always skeptical about God? [POLL]

Post by brimstoneSalad »

cufflink wrote: But soon the brain kicked in. I remember being in a class in Hebrew High School (two afternoons a week plus Sunday morning, throughout my high school years), and the discussion was about what to do if you're up in a tree and it's time for a certain important prayer. Can you say it up in the tree or do you have to come down? I said to myself, "OK, this is ridiculous." And that was pretty much it.
It's hilarious how silly some of those doctrinal issues are. Debating the kind of fabric the Emperor's clothes are made of, when he's naked all along.
I don't regret my religious education, however. If you're going to reject something, you should know what it is you're rejecting.
I don't necessarily agree with that. You don't have to be fully educated on a religion to reject it.

There are thousands of religions I know nothing about- I generally reject them if they're making empirical truth claims, or deal with the supernatural (which almost all religions do- so it would be reasonable to make that inductive assumption).

They can either be rejected on grounds of the hull hypothesis (even if they don't deal with the supernatural; e.g. rejecting a theory because it has no evidence for it, and thus is not a theory)... or on more philosophical grounds as a categorical rejection of the supernatural.

If they're making claims other than, or in opposition to science and philosophy (things that I understand well enough to know they are true, and why), then they're wrong. I don't need to know the details of their supernatural beliefs- just that they have them.

Now, show me a religion that rejects the supernatural, and doesn't make any empirical claims beyond science, and you might have something. I'd need to study that more before making any decisions.

Aside from that, education is certainly valuable- I like to know about the prevalent religions so I can not only reject them but adeptly dismantle their premises for others. But I don't think that's necessary for rejection of their core assumptions of supernatural existence, or their unsubstantiated fact claims.
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cufflink
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Re: Were you always skeptical about God? [POLL]

Post by cufflink »

brimstoneSalad wrote: I don't necessarily agree with that. You don't have to be fully educated on a religion to reject it.
You're right. That's a valid point.

I think my statement was more than anything a reaction to the accusation I've seen from atheists that religious education for children is equivalent to child abuse. Sometimes that's true--for example, if you're talking about the horrific "Jesus Camp" kind of indoctrination. But it doesn't have to be.
One Moment in Annihilation's Waste,
One Moment of the Well of Life to taste--
The Stars are setting, and the Caravan
Draws to the Dawn of Nothing--Oh, make haste!

—Fitzgerald, Rubáiyát, 2nd ed., XLIX
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Lightningman_42
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Re: Were you always skeptical about God? [POLL]

Post by Lightningman_42 »

My parents are atheists and I was never taught to believe in any deity or taught any religious beliefs. I never believed in the existence of a god, but I was always curious about the possibility. Growing up I gradually decided to educate myself on some of the most common core beliefs of various religions, but I still haven't witnessed anything that I'd consider to be strong evidence of a god's existence, so I remain an atheist. :|
yes wrote:I was the the only kid in church that didn't jump up and down speaking in tongues, i would always get in trouble for asking why god cant just listen to me in English, and why does god need money.
Speaking in tongues? Is this a common occurrence? I only recently learned about this and it sounds absolutely ridiculous. It seems like something that would teach children at a very early age that their religion has quite a bit of bull$#!&. :lol:

Question for any and all forum members:

Should I go to church? I'm kind of embarrassed to say this, but I've never actually been to a Christian Sunday sermon. Is this an educational experience that I ought to go through? Or is there not much worth learning from it? Thank you for your input.
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil but because of those who look on and do nothing."
-Albert Einstein
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: Were you always skeptical about God? [POLL]

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Watch a sermon on Youtube. :)
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Jebus
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Re: Were you always skeptical about God? [POLL]

Post by Jebus »

Fortunately, I did not have religious parents. I had religious teachers in school and at a young age I always thought they were talking shit. However, I don't think I would have been a religious kid even if I had had religious parents. I rebelled against my parents in every way and had a different opinion on nearly everything. I still consider myself completely different from my parents. Skepticism to religion is one of the few things we have in common.
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Lightningman_42
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Re: Were you always skeptical about God? [POLL]

Post by Lightningman_42 »

brimstoneSalad wrote:Watch a sermon on Youtube. :)
Thanks for the suggestion. Do you have any recommendations?
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil but because of those who look on and do nothing."
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: Were you always skeptical about God? [POLL]

Post by brimstoneSalad »

I'd just watch a mix of them, if you want a sense of a typical sermon. Youtube will, however, likely contain the more interesting or controversial ones, as an upload/popularity bias, so just keep that in mind.
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Lightningman_42
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Re: Were you always skeptical about God? [POLL]

Post by Lightningman_42 »

OK thanks for the info.
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil but because of those who look on and do nothing."
-Albert Einstein
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EquALLity
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Re: Were you always skeptical about God? [POLL]

Post by EquALLity »

Jebus wrote:Fortunately, I did not have religious parents. I had religious teachers in school and at a young age I always thought they were talking shit. However, I don't think I would have been a religious kid even if I had had religious parents. I rebelled against my parents in every way and had a different opinion on nearly everything. I still consider myself completely different from my parents. Skepticism to religion is one of the few things we have in common.
Your non-religious parents sent you to a religious school?
"I am not a Marxist." -Karl Marx
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