I've ranted about it before, but it has returned to the forefront, since I have finally met someone who can support the other end of the arguement for belief in a religion (ie not be stupid about it). So, I'll rant for a few hours here and then I'll have it all figured out. Anyhow, here is the fundamental problem that I see. I am, deep deep down in my core an athiest. I try and cover it, and I spend a great deal of time trying to convince myself that I am wrong, but way down, I don't really believe in anything past the world we are now in. That's just me. Now, this person I know, let's call her Quanda, believes that we have a spiritual side, and being a baha'i has some pretty precise notions of what that is. Now her argument runs something like this (with appologies for over simplifying and generally murdering it): inside her soul, she knows that there is a god of the sort that baha'i think exists and that there is an afterlife. She can feel it. I don't doubt that. However, I maintain that there is a scientific explaination for it that exists in this world, not in the other. She implies this is because I am ignoring amy spiritual side. But in order for me to STOP ignorng it, I need to believe in it. And in order for me to believe in it, I need proof. This proof must come from our world, and there simply cannot be any. So, the key to begin belief is belief itself. It is a catch 22 situation. You can't give me empirical proof of a soul, becuase it is not an empirical entity. And I can't accept spritual proof as long as I don't believe in a soul. So, although I think I may be wrong, there is no way for me to just jump beliefs like that (atheism is a belief of sorts). I think that this sucks for everyone involved, because I would sure like to see what it's like having spirituality around, but in the end, I can't. Maybe a blow to my head will do the trick.
2 comments:
Hey there Daniel,
Wow, it has been almost a year since I have last seen you - I hope life is going well for you currently! (fyi - I found your blog via nic's blog)...I'll drop you an email sometime soon!
For all I know, this webpage could be abandoned as the last post was in January, but I will post a comment regardless.
Anyhow, I think there are a couple of interesting points made in your discourse from way back then...
First, I think you are absolutely right that atheism is a definite "belief of sorts". In this world of remarkable scientific marvels, geophysical wonders, amazing design in life, complex psychology and emotions, not to mention hundreds of thousands of other incredible details that give evidence to an amazing god- I would agree indeed that it takes a faith of sorts to believe in the non-existence of a deity(def'n of atheist). Lee Strobel, a [former] atheist and spiritual skeptic, also came upon this conclusion, yet took it a step further; he discovered it took more faith to maintain his atheistic views than to embrace the spirituality he had been trying to discredit! Anyhow, I found his story to be interesting, and well, at least somewhat linked to your response, Daniel. His story came to mind when I read your post. Food for thought I guess.
A second interesting remark to think on arises from your summary of Quanda's beliefs. She [as well as yourself] appear to treat them as separate entities so that you cannot reconcile her belief (god in the afterlife) with the idea of our current situation of the state of life on the 3rd rock from the sun, right here, right now. Daniel, I am curious what you [and Quanda] think of the idea that God exists in the world, on planet earth - right here, right now, but that he may also have a glorious afterlife planned out as well?
Well have a mull over that, Daniel, but don't think too hard - haha maybe we do all just need a blow to the head every once in a while :) - I don't know if you'll read this, but let me know what you think if you do!
Best regards,
Curtis Saunders
(from dptodd)
I don't think that you are an atheist by what you illustrated in this post.
I think you're agnostic personally. You're someone who denys that God's existance is provable. It doesn't mean you don't believe in a God, it just means that you know you can't prove or disprove.
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