Religion

BlueStreak

(8,377 posts)

19. I am an atheist, but I believe in god

Fri Jan 4, 2013, 04:49 PM

Jan 2013

I play recreational volleyball. When there is a dispute about a call, rather than resorting to fisticuffs, we simply replay the point. Invariably after that replay, the team winning the point says "The Volleyball God has spoken."

And you know what, it seems to me that most of the time, the Volleyball God gets it right.

A rational person would say:

a) this is just random chance and my perception of it is skewed because I want to believe in the notion of a higher power that enforces fair play; or

b) there actually is a tendency for the replay to end up in the fair result because the wronged team tries a little harder or the other team felt a little guilty and didn't play as hard.

I would suggest that "the 60%" believe in the god-of-misunderstood-coincidence, just as I do. Nothing much deeper than that. They see coincidences. They attribute them to a god. They want to believe in a god and a heavenly reward, but they aren't willing to actually make any earthly effort to that end. They are not religious people, just sloppy thinkers.

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When 1 in 5 Americans Don't Belong to a Religion, is God Dead in 2013? [View all] cbayer Jan 2013 OP

Less people going to churches EvilAL Jan 2013 #1

I predict some rather rather significant changes among mainstream religious/spiritual institutions. cbayer Jan 2013 #3

Yeah, the only way to change EvilAL Jan 2013 #5

From my reading, the nones have walked away from both organized religion and cbayer Jan 2013 #6

yeah, they will EvilAL Jan 2013 #41

The majority still believe in god. They will find new groups - some will include cbayer Jan 2013 #42

And the number of atheists is steadily increasing. trotsky Jan 2013 #43

Estonia tama Jan 2013 #12

My take is that the baltic peoples often cherish deeper roots in terms of spirituality. cbayer Jan 2013 #14

Yup tama Jan 2013 #16

Sounds like a good old-fashioned Beltane ceremony. okasha Jan 2013 #21

Actually tama Jan 2013 #23

It would be a beautiful thing indeed if paganism roared back to kick Christianity's ass in the end. Arugula Latte Jan 2013 #28

Better than to "kick ass" tama Jan 2013 #30

Aww, how about a little revenge for centuries of Xtian malfeasance? Arugula Latte Jan 2013 #31

Like stripping them naked tama Jan 2013 #33

I can think of a number of reasons, all highly speculative. longship Jan 2013 #2

Agree that the extremists are cooking their own goose. cbayer Jan 2013 #8

The nones are rejecting dogma, extremism, AND gods. trotsky Jan 2013 #13

I find it interesting how at every turn, you need to reassure yourself that people believe in a god. cleanhippie Jan 2013 #46

Oh, yawn, are we at this again? I thought we got over the shock! shock! shock! of "god is dead"... Moonwalk Jan 2013 #4

Your thoughts are not inconsistent with the thoughts of the author. cbayer Jan 2013 #9

Yeah, like calling creationists a "bunch of dumbasses", right? cleanhippie Jan 2013 #11

How very nice of him, as for me... Moonwalk Jan 2013 #17

Those charts are extremely misleading. Real church participation is MUCH lower than that BlueStreak Jan 2013 #7

Disagree about you choices for the 60%. cbayer Jan 2013 #10

With such an ambiguous characterization, how can one be sure? cleanhippie Jan 2013 #15

I am an atheist, but I believe in god BlueStreak Jan 2013 #19

You pretty much nailed what I wanted to say. trotsky Jan 2013 #20

Still playing the poor abused atheist card, I see? humblebum Jan 2013 #26

How would you react to someone saying LeftishBrit Jan 2013 #45

The difference is that okasha Jan 2013 #47

So have atheists. LeftishBrit Jan 2013 #48

Pehaps I'm missing some history here. okasha Jan 2013 #49

It's more complicated because atheists are often grouped with 'heretics' LeftishBrit Jan 2013 #50

i think we're actually pretty much on the same frequency, here. Thanks for the clarification. okasha Jan 2013 #51

Um? Statements such as those are quite common around here. nt humblebum Jan 2013 #52

Or because skepticscott Jan 2013 #27

I will not respond to trolls. I will not respond to trolls. cleanhippie Jan 2013 #39

I think he's a step ahead of you and put me on ignore long ago. But comments are still warranted humblebum Jan 2013 #40

And those who "believe in a god" but are largely absent on Sunday mornings okasha Jan 2013 #22

The members of our state church tama Jan 2013 #34

I don't believe in a God; but IF there were a God, he would not die just because people didn't LeftishBrit Jan 2013 #18

Have you read "Small Gods" by Terry Pratchet? nt tama Jan 2013 #36

So if there is indeed a god, does that being's life depend on how many believe in humblebum Jan 2013 #24

Years ago I remember reading something on Misotheism.... white_wolf Jan 2013 #25

Same question as above to LB nt tama Jan 2013 #37

Wow, affiliated religious believers down to 80%? demwing Jan 2013 #29

Anyone any more writing an article skepticscott Jan 2013 #32

He is simply 20% less filling but with more taste. n/t 2on2u Jan 2013 #35

Poor Nietzsche! How he suffered (true) and was rejected by kith and kin. Now God dances on his dimbear Jan 2013 #38

Not on Fox News Coyotl Jan 2013 #44