Karl wrote:I was very loosely raised CofE but my parents didn't ever really talk about it. I was always a bit confused by religion and it never seemed like the right answer to me even in tough times. I eventually figured out that I'm an atheist.
It's never been a problem for me if people believe, I don't really think it's my place to argue (unless I'm being evangelised to, but then they started it
). I was a bit more argumentative when I was younger and edgier but I learned you'll never change their minds and most of them are harmless anyway.
I don't think religion is inherently bad, it's what that individual makes of it, but I do think it's broadly a good thing that the developed world is slowly but steadily leaving it behind. Means people have one less reason to get angry at each other. I do think literal interpretation is an inherently bad thing as it prevents people from accepting science, but luckily that's pretty rare in the UK, at least as far as I know.
Interested to see if we have any practicing religious people on GRcade at all. I think I can maybe recall one or two members being religious.
Nice, balanced, reasoned.
I grew up having to go to church. By about 14 I said no. The desperation and despair of nihilism didn't hit me full on until I was at university.... That point when you realise, deep, deep inside you, that life is pointless...... My parents are still active members of their church, my dad is a church warden. I could never get my head around my dad believing in all that crap as he was one of the most intelligent men I'd ever known otherwise. (Note, I no longer see my blood family.)
I don't think religion will ever go away I'm afraid. I think the need for belief in something other than ourselves is wired deep inside us.
The only 'religion' I have any respect for now is Buddhism - but only really the 'non-belief' kinds. I've got several hundred books on it, particularly Zen. (But also many books on Japan generally, gardens, architecture, haiku and other poetry etc. etc. etc.)
Oh and a few years ago I attended Quakers for three and a half years as I'd read all about atheist Quakers. Unfortunately I don't think my local branch was ready for such thinking so, despite the fact that I enjoyed it and it gave me a lot, I packed in in respect to more traditional types. I've still got a lot of time for Quakers though.
Here endeth the lesson, chapter x, verses, a to z....