Can I not believe in God and NOT be an atheist?

Discussion in 'Religion & Philosophy' started by Patricio Da Silva, May 1, 2020.

  1. An Taibhse

    An Taibhse Well-Known Member

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    Yeah I have been informed I am hell bound as well... always makes me smile considering those that assert that argue from a position of certainty of authority that is supported by the level of factual certainty that leads me to smile and simply say I can think of many possible narratives given the interpretation of empirical evidence vs a wishful construct of cherry picked evidence to support any narrative I can conceive; yet my beliefs, or lack of them, are based on not ‘knowing’ enough to to fix on any particular narrative to hang my hat on and while comfortable with my ignorance doesn’t mean I stop asking questions and stop exploring. I have always been amused at certainty of the assertions of others in the face of the sources of their beliefs and their attempts at validating their beliefs by how many can be persuaded to share in their beliefs. So, hell to me is where those that disagree with their belief system are condemned, not by a supernatural authority, but by disagreement with their constructed view of ‘truth’. I smile as well because it always brings to mind Savoy Brown’s song, Hellbound train. A very underrated group from my era, lots of a skeptic’s truth in the lyrics of many of their songs. But, yep, I am on a Hellbound train... lots of company.
     
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  2. Buri

    Buri Well-Known Member

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    No, guesses are not scientific details and this is entirely pointless if you don't understand that. The Epic of Gilgamesh was the second oldest religious text and pre-dates the biblical version, and 5 other versions.
     
  3. The Amazing Sam's Ego

    The Amazing Sam's Ego Banned at Members Request

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    Reincarnation and evolution dont make any sense. Everything had to evolve at once to come together. Reincarnation doesnt make sense because everything that exists has a design and a purpose. How would the process work where all of the souls that are about to be transferred to another body, wait somewhere?

    https://answersingenesis.org/world-religions/atheism/atheists-believers-fate-reincarnation-karma/

     
  4. The Amazing Sam's Ego

    The Amazing Sam's Ego Banned at Members Request

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    The earth is round. All the other stars in the sky are round. The idea of a flat earth is based off of misunderstanding gradualness and not understanding the horizon. The Bible supports that the earth is round, and that has nothing to do with the Epic of Gilgamesh.

    https://answersingenesis.org/astronomy/earth/is-the-earth-flat/

     
  5. Cybred

    Cybred Well-Known Member

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  6. An Taibhse

    An Taibhse Well-Known Member

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    The Bible as progressive revelation. I like that description.
    So, as the Bible content changes and is reinterpreted, it is by the guided inspiration of God, eh? Why does it change and why the need for reinterpretation?

    As for science text books, do you suppose that the majority of Scientists view the many variants as some scripture of truth?
     
  7. The Amazing Sam's Ego

    The Amazing Sam's Ego Banned at Members Request

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    Why is that why you dont believe in the Gospel? I think you either meant that or wheres the Gospel.

    https://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/injil_what_kind.html

     
  8. The Amazing Sam's Ego

    The Amazing Sam's Ego Banned at Members Request

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  9. Cybred

    Cybred Well-Known Member

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    I mean like these.

     
  10. The Amazing Sam's Ego

    The Amazing Sam's Ego Banned at Members Request

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    The Gospel of Peter has absurd teachings, like a giant face appeared out of the tomb. Its not consistent with the teachings of the historical Gospels.

    https://www.gotquestions.org/gospel-of-Peter.html

     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2020
  11. Cybred

    Cybred Well-Known Member

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    Put it ALL in the bible, if its gods word then you don't get to pick and choose.
     
  12. The Amazing Sam's Ego

    The Amazing Sam's Ego Banned at Members Request

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    No serious scholar would say that Mary Magdelane wrote the Gospel of Mary. It also has gnostic teachings. Gnosticism is a blasphemous doctrine.

    https://www.gotquestions.org/gospel-of-Mary-Magdalene.html

     
  13. The Amazing Sam's Ego

    The Amazing Sam's Ego Banned at Members Request

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    The Gospel of Thomas disagrees with the Gospel message of salvation, because it teaches gnosticism. The two beliefs are mutually incompatible.

    https://www.compellingtruth.org/gospel-of-Thomas.html

    Gnosticism contradicts what the Bible teaches about us being sinners who need a Savior. It denies that Jesus is the bridge between sinful people and God. https://www.quora.com/If-Jesus-is-t...-Jesus-Why-do-some-people-pray-to-God-instead

     
  14. Cybred

    Cybred Well-Known Member

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  15. Cybred

    Cybred Well-Known Member

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    You don't get to pick and choose.
     
  16. The Amazing Sam's Ego

    The Amazing Sam's Ego Banned at Members Request

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    Jewish people say Jesus isnt the Messiah because there are no intermediaries but they too believe in the ministry of Moses in the Old Testament. Based on priesthood of believers doctrine I believe a priest in the strict sense of the term means an intermediary. A lot of people question the usage of priest and elder being synonymous. They think that based on the other meanings of priest and how the term pastor is used, the term priest is not appropriate for clergy today. By not appropriate I mean theres no need for that term today because you have the term pastor which doesnt have Old Testament connotations.
     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2020
  17. The Amazing Sam's Ego

    The Amazing Sam's Ego Banned at Members Request

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    The Gospel of Mary wasnt written by Mary Magdelane.
     
  18. Cybred

    Cybred Well-Known Member

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    You STILL don't get to pick and choose.
     
  19. The Amazing Sam's Ego

    The Amazing Sam's Ego Banned at Members Request

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    The people who wrote the Gospel of Judas believe that Judas and Cain were heroes.
     
  20. Cybred

    Cybred Well-Known Member

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    And?
     
  21. The Amazing Sam's Ego

    The Amazing Sam's Ego Banned at Members Request

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    I remember in reading the case for the real Jesus why the Gospel of Judas and the Gospel of Thomas are different from the canonical gospels.



     
  22. An Taibhse

    An Taibhse Well-Known Member

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    Yet many with professed authority have picked, chosen and reinterpreted the contents of the many versions of the Bible since it’s contents were first selected from various sources to be included as the combined work of God’s word.... and, further, that is still occurring in this forum.
     
  23. Cybred

    Cybred Well-Known Member

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    When it comes to judas he did what was needed for the sacrifice to take place.
     
  24. The Amazing Sam's Ego

    The Amazing Sam's Ego Banned at Members Request

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    I dont agree with that way of looking at it. It takes the Bible verse of Jesus talking to Judas at the Last Supper, out of context. The Gnostic view of salvation is against what the Bible teaches.

    https://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/gospel-of-judas.htm

     
  25. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Yes you can. It's called being an Agnostic. Believing "in God" is not the same thing as believing that God exists.

    But all that is really besides the point. You are asking if people who believe in religions like Buddhism that do not have any Gods would be considered Atheist.

    "Atheism" derives from the word "theism" which means belief in the existence of a Supreme being or deities.
    It is not entirely clear whether the Buddhist concept of the natural universal force of karma would fall into that.
    Buddhism is usually considered an agnostic religion, although there can be both atheist and theist Buddhists.

    So the short answer to your question is "sort of".

    If you specifically believe that there is no "Higher Power" (in the most encompassing meaning of that possible) then I don't think you could describe yourself as not being atheist.
     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2020

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