TooMuchSexy.blog ‣ August 01, 2005 ‣ Thoughts on God and Religion (blog, philosophy, religion)

My lack of faith in God bothers my friends. This truly parallels how much it bothers me that my friends have undying faith in God.

I believe in myself; I believe in my self. A conglomoration of senses, a shell to the cause and effect relationship of the world.

Yes—I believe in the interconnectedness of all things. The world is a set of dominoes falling down. We continuously knock the pieces next to us, numerous pathways, numerous designs.

There can and must be a connection between me and an ant colony. We are all energy. Reincarnation occurs not because we are stuck on a wheel of life and death but rather because energy cannot be created or destroyed. Energy just is.

Communication between human beings is what creates this great Allah/Jesus/Yaweh. Our “higher sense of being” is just the eternal conciousness between all men. Music is the great communicator, music is the universal language between all of our kind and perhaps even all of nature.

Relying on some unseen God seems, to me, to be a failure of self. Why have faith in something unknown when you can have faith in what you know? Why rely on an unmoving stone when you can move your stones and make your own pathway. For me to choose Christ, for me to choose Yaweh would be me giving up on myself. Motherfuckers better realize that now is the time to self-actualize.

I believe in my friends and my self. That is all that has been necessary in the past and all that will ever be necessary.

Nate ‧ Posted 2 years, 11 months, 3 weeks, 2 days, 8 hours, 10 minutes ago

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Comments

1. Sounds a lot like the unqualified, not quantified, unjustified discussions i used to have with people while drunk or high. I’m not intentionally trying to be a dick or just trolling or anything, but that all seems like quite an empty sentiment.

   I do, however, apologize upfront about being rude. sorry.

   It sounds like you choose to only recognize things directly apparent. The things that are easily presented to a humans limited capability to sense energy. To write off all else as being something you do not believe is something i disagree with, and seems to me fundamentally flawed. It’s the equivalent of saying that if you cant see it, it does not exist. Cause and effect. Directly measurable things are reality.

   You immediately follow that by then saying that this “God” people seem to be aware of is just a manifestation of the nonverbal communication between all humans (something NOT measurable or quantifiable) and then that music represents this. This seems to directly conflict with the earlier, much more empirical sentiment. ow is it that you can justify believing in something that can not be empirically justified (this “Communication between men”) and then say that it explains and simultaneously contradicts the existence of a God? How is your Faith in communication different than another’s fait in God?

   I do agree with one thing: Music is something more to humans that just some garbage on the radio you can dance to. It’s a sort of universal expression of soul. C.S. Lewis says (and this is not a direct quote) that Music is the closest thing to true spirituality a human can feel. One the same note as before, how is an earthly, humanly explanation of this any better than a religious and spiritual one?

   For you to choose god is failing yourself, you say, but what about for you to choose yourself is a failure of faith? It seems that the recent (past few decades) development of the business-mindset and self-esteem movement have made it much easier to see total self-reliance as a totally good thing, though it seems more honest to say that “choosing yourself” leads more to Pride, Selfishness, and Stubbornness than it could to any virtue. (and i’m talking virtue in a sense disconnected from religion. the kinds of virtue people can agree are virtuous no matter how they were raised. [which is a large enough topic on it’s own] such as selfishness generally being frowned upon.)

   I generally find true atheists at least as much, if not much more, stubborn, closed minded, and arrogant as their religious counterparts. you last sentence, effectively saying that “what i decided is true, and seems true enough for now, is the only truth now and forever” seems to me an incredibly arrogant and stubborn thing to say.

   please let me know if you think i’m off base, reading you wrong, or just an asshole. I think a little back-and-forth on this could be good. I’d also suggest reading a bit of C.S. Lewis if you’re looking for a “Christian” perspective that doesn’t suck. (if you haven’t already.) “The Problem of Pain” is a decent one. “Mere Christianity” is suggested a lot, but i didn’t like it all that much. It’s written a little too simply and sweepingly.

   cheers.

   — Jeff Foster 

1. as an aside, i feel that generally, organized religion (especially christianity) can be a horrible perversion of what is, at it’s core, a very good solid thing. …just so you know where i’m coming from. …for example, i live in a city where there are literally at least 4 churches to every one starbucks, and i haven’t found a church that’s something i’d ever consider even visiting 4 or 5 times a year.

   I hope my post gives you at least a little food for thought, and that you dont just write it off right away. cheers.

   — Jeff Foster 

1. No offense taken Jeff. It’s ramblings from a two hour drive home from upstate without any radio on. It’s not drug or alcohol induced, though it is caffeine induced.

   It’s way too early for me to respond to your actual comments on my train of thought but I’ll try and reply later.

   — Nate 

1. “Why have faith in something unknown when you can have faith in what you know? “

   That’s kinda funny since faith is but faith, so might as well have it whatever.  Me, I have faith in beer and chedder fries.

   But the only reason I can think to seek more in something else is for personal growth - and sanity.  Intelligent and thoughtful faith.  Like if you read a book and the author seems to have a take on something.  Based on your knowledge of what she is saying you can decide to put faith in her wisdom as something to learn from.

   — dg 

1. Here’s a simple idea that works for me.  I’m not to clear if there is one all-knowing entity above us all, but think about it as working for a very large company.

   There’s one owner and boss.  He/she is in charge of everything.  But you don’t see them or interact with them all of the time.  You spend most of your time interacting with other workers.  Like, let’s say you work for Virgin Enterprises.  Most of your job experience is not from direct contact with Richard Branson.  But from dealing with other workers within the company he’s created.

   Not saying there is or isn’t some greater force.  But much in the same way if you complain to management they mighht not listen to every person’s complaint, whoever is in charge “up there” doesn’t micro-manage the place he/she created.

   I’m not really religious, but I find the idea of people praying to any entity for relatively trivial things to be hillarious.  It’s like praying to your boss about getting a better office cubicle.  What’s the point?

   — Jack 

1. if you believed in god you’d have found an apartment and/or a car by now. praise be to allah

   — abdullah ed 

1. I found an apartment on Sunday and am probably going to have a car by tomorrow evening.

   Oh wait… don’t feed the trolls. I forgot.

   — Nate 

1. Jeff:
   I believe in communication because it is something I have seen. I believe in the ability for others to affect the lives of many and many to affect the lives of individuals.

   I believe that I can say something that can and will stick with you for the rest of the day/week/month/life. This is the communication I speak of, the communication that opens others minds.

   When I speak of self-reliance I speak of the ability to believe in oneself and not rely on some unseen individual to provide for you. Self reliance doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t have help, it means you should understand that prayer is not a means of fixing problems. It means that you should actively try and solve your problems.

   This is mostly train of thought so contradictions will surely abound, it’s just stuff I’ve been thinking of lately.

   — Nate 

1. Isn’t it fortunate that anisoptera isn’t posting here anymore?

   — Mister Swill 

1. If you consider the loss of an opinion fortunate than sure.

   — Nate 

1. I strongly agree with you Etan. I’ve never believed in ‘God’. Ever. And I’m how old? Well… let’s not discuss that…
   But, yeah, I think I’d rather be trying to fix a problem than pray to some celestial being to fix it. And not believing in God doesn’t make you arrogant, or selfish; at least, I don’t THINK I am… O.o
   What I say is this: why worry about what happens when you die, or what created the world, yadda yadda yadda, when you can focus on LIVING? The only thing we know for sure is that we’re all going to die someday, might as well make the best of out lives, ne?
   Half-asleep and desperatly needing a bathroom,
   Kai

   — kaikura 

1. Christianity actually teaches* that worrying too much about the future, or living too much in the past, is unhealthy. Living in the present is thought to be the healthiest. (reasonably considering future survival and comfort is necessary) Worrying about consequences of your actions is the most “worrying about the future” you’re supposed to do, and i think anyone can agree that things end up better when you examine the outcomes of your actions and then act accordingly.

   We can make the best of our lives and still be christians… unless by “making the best” you mean doing horribly immoral and disgusting things with no regard for the consequences of your actions… in that case, our definition of “the best” differs significantly.

   I never said “Not believing in god = arrogance” …taking things someone else says out of context and oversimplifying them is a sign of not having any real counter arguments. …just so you know.

   I dont worry about what is going to happen when i die. I do, however, try to act as if i will be held accountable for everything i do. (not saying i actually do well at this or anything) I dont really care about the creation of the world. …and i DO focus on LIVING. Today. (at least i try. Large bills make that harder.) I dont understand what gave you the impression that believing in the existence of a God synonymous with your assumptions. (i’m actually curious.)

   — Jeff Foster 

1. “Why have faith in something unknown when you can have faith in what you know?”

   Despite our knowledge is limited, it is nice to have faith in unlimited/infinite/universe. What we know is really limited and often wrong.

   “Why rely on an unmoving stone when you can move your stones and make your own pathway.”

   It is a difficult balance. I feel the best is to make our pathway, while thanking Who created us. No matter who you thank Allah/Jesus/Yaweh/Energy.
   It is like you are invited to a party full of tasty food and sexy girls and you do not thank who invited you.

   — Francesco 

1. I love the analogy.

   — Nate 

1. I am totally with you. Reliance on self and what can be known is better than un-verfiable belief in a deity is better every time.

   — Randy 

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