Thanks. And it's more than possible that I could be seen as a blasphemer/heretic for writing as I do here - by the vicar you are married to. But I don't reallyI'm in an unique position of being married to a vicar and seeing how the church works (in isolation of a single church) through an agnostic's eyes.
I genuinely don't care about religion one way or the other as long as it doesn't impact negatively on anyone.
I'm only talking Church of England here, I have no real experience of other religions bar my education and experience from friends who follow other religions.
Most people who "find religion" do so as their life isn't going great and they find a community of people who want them to do better. It's the sense that people are looking out for them that draws them in. The vast majority don't believe the bible to be sacrosanct, but will go along with enough to keep them in the community they perceive is looking out for them.
It's bourne out of the fact that they've gone to someone (usually the vicar) and they've had time to listen to their problems and said some generic things that they can latch on to and they see that as solace.
It's generally because they don't feel alone anymore rather than the belief in God.
I tend to get involved with the community side of church only. They served Christmas lunch to homeless and isolated elderly people, which I happily supported. They are involved in the Fairshare project where supermarkets donate left over food that can be collected and given to the homeless.
Religion can do good, but for me only through name. The community is more important to me and if I can help vulnerable people through using the CofE name, I won't apologise for that.
Ok having read this again then this stands out : "It's generally because they don't feel alone anymore rather than the belief in God." I have been part of a spiritual community..and left. It brought up feelings of intense loneliness - was not so easy - but then I came to feel a joyous inner connection beyond what I had known through that community. Mind you, this is a joy that does not exist according to many on this thread. Lol. So...I don't so easily fit into religious/scientific/spiritual communities. And it's ok. Will probablyI'm in an unique position of being married to a vicar and seeing how the church works (in isolation of a single church) through an agnostic's eyes.
I genuinely don't care about religion one way or the other as long as it doesn't impact negatively on anyone.
I'm only talking Church of England here, I have no real experience of other religions bar my education and experience from friends who follow other religions.
Most people who "find religion" do so as their life isn't going great and they find a community of people who want them to do better. It's the sense that people are looking out for them that draws them in. The vast majority don't believe the bible to be sacrosanct, but will go along with enough to keep them in the community they perceive is looking out for them.
It's bourne out of the fact that they've gone to someone (usually the vicar) and they've had time to listen to their problems and said some generic things that they can latch on to and they see that as solace.
It's generally because they don't feel alone anymore rather than the belief in God.
I tend to get involved with the community side of church only. They served Christmas lunch to homeless and isolated elderly people, which I happily supported. They are involved in the Fairshare project where supermarkets donate left over food that can be collected and given to the homeless.
Religion can do good, but for me only through name. The community is more important to me and if I can help vulnerable people through using the CofE name, I won't apologise for that.
Ok having read this again then this stands out : "It's generally because they don't feel alone anymore rather than the belief in God." I have been part of a spiritual community..and left. It brought up feelings of intense loneliness - was not so easy - but then I came to feel a joyous inner connection beyond what I had known through that community. Mind you, this is a joy that does not exist according to many on this thread. Lol. So...I don't so easily fit into religious/scientific/spiritual communities. And it's ok. Will probably
never win a popularity contest on facebook, but those I do know feel like blessed friends....
Might not want to have a stroke to achieve this - but the following touches on some stuff. When the mind quiets from being dominated by the thoughtIf people from the church talk to me like that in RL, I tend to just ignore them and leave that to my wife.
Buzz words like blessed and spiritual mostly mean that these people aren't worth debating with.
Might not want to have a stroke to achieve this - but the following touches on some stuff. When the mind quiets from being dominated by the thought
'I am separate' one begins to open to - and discover the nature of - the whole that one had experienced separation from.
I thought I'd come back to this question. I'd define intelligence as the capacity for self-awareness, but that is just my definition, and one that has been argued about since arguing was possible. That definition though does describe many different types of intelligence, from my fish, to my cat, to me typing away on blue moon. I'd then need to define 'life', and I'll dig out the basil plant sat on my kitchen window ledge. It is alive, it can grow, it can reproduce, it can die, but i do no believe it is self aware. So the answer to your first question would be 'no', life is not essentially intelligent, because there is are examples of life which are intelligent, and others which are not.Yep -though this might might bring a question of whether Life itself is essentially intelligent? If it is, then perhaps the need to fully understand it can fall away and, instead, it becomes choice of how open or closed to it one chooses to be. If it isn't...? Edit : ps might the phrase 'a peace that passeth understanding' actually be in agreement with you premise? ie there is something beyond what we can comprehend? But perhaps not beyond our potential for awareness?
No. Like all lifeforms on Earth we have our life, then die and maybe we have left our seed for the next generation to grow.
My beliefs on what happens after death (based on my understanding of biology/physiology) is that our corpse rots and eventually turns to dust leaving just the bones, unless you are cremated in which case you turn to ash and smoke.But religion is about faith. Believing without seeing.
I have a question for the athesits out there. What do you believe happens after death? Does it give you comfort to think we are gone and that is it? Does it not give you comfort to think your dead relatives\friends are in a better place?
What if God’s a woman.I'd kick him in the bollocks.
Oh and you're a **** :)