Black Spirituality Religion : Coming to terms with Myself and My views on God

[Gorilla]

I am not an atheist per say. My problems with atheism is that it is still Eurocentric in it's outlook of life (from my perspective of course). For instance there are atheists who make the claim that we are more advanced now than ever before. I feel like this may be true in terms of white people (or maybe not so). However I cannot say life as a whole is better now than ever before for African people and other Indigenous people prior to European contact. My ancestors didn't go around the planet spreading destruction in the name of God, Science, or anything else. White people did that (and are doing that). That perspective is a white cultural projection of their history and world view on to others. That is racist at it's very core. Prior to colonization life in Africa was actually pretty good from the evidence that we have discovered. Not perfect, but still pretty good. There are things western scientists are discovering now that have been known for hundreds and thousands of years by the indigenous people of this planet. I don't look at time in a flat linear fashion like most atheists. I also reject the notion that once science proves it that it is factual. Science is capable of errors and personal/cultural biases. To say such a thing you are really no different than the Christian who says the Bible is the 100% truth. Science in the wrong hands has been proven to be as deadly as Religion over time. This we also know to be true. I also have an intuitive and emotional side. Belief is a part of life. We all believe and base our beliefs on the reality that we perceive through our senses. Feeling can be a way of knowing. And just because me and/or my ancestors "feel" to know does not mean that we do not use reason or logic.

I hope this better explains my views. Peace."


Jahari

I think the problem here is that you're attributing beliefs to atheism that are not actually atheism. You're also blaming how people use technological advances on science, which in itself has no goals beyond understanding (and making predictions about) things.

You've poisoned your own well and it's understandable considering how emotionally loaded a word like atheism is. It was something, along with heresy and apostasy, that got you a visit from some brutal people with the authority to torture and kill individuals. Since then it's always been associated with something bad even after so much social progress on this issue in much of the world.

 

[Jahari Kavi]

I think the problem here is that you're attributing beliefs to atheism that are not actually atheism. You're also blaming how people use technological advances on science, which in itself has no goals beyond understanding (and making predictions about) things.

You've poisoned your own well and it's understandable considering how emotionally loaded a word like atheism is. It was something, along with heresy and apostasy, that got you a visit from some brutal people with the authority to torture and kill individuals. Since then it's always been associated with something bad even after so much social progress on this issue in much of the world.

I don't view Atheism as bad...I actually find myself agreeing with a lot of Atheists...Most people think I am an Atheist...LOL.....My point in bringing up those issues is that these are arguments that I've heard Atheists bring up before. Saying that they are "not actually atheism" is like saying people who think homosexuality is a sin are not Christians. Do all Atheists think one way? No...of course not. Just like all Christians don't think homosexuals are going to burn for eternity. However I have noticed that certain patterns of thought such as the ones I've mentioned are often brought up by Atheists. Peace.

 

[I'm Becoming Me]

I don't view Atheism as bad...I actually find myself agreeing with a lot of Atheists...Most people think I am an Atheist...LOL.....My point in bringing up those issues is that these are arguments that I've heard Atheists bring up before. Saying that they are "not actually atheism" is like saying people who think homosexuality is a sin are not Christians. Do all Atheists think one way? No...of course not. Just like all Christians don't think homosexuals are going to burn for eternity. However I have noticed that certain patterns of thought such as the ones I've mentioned are often brought up by Atheists. Peace.

I totally agree.

I am so far from being an atheist and I consider myself to be a very spiritual woman, but like you, I often agree with atheists when it comes to many things regarding fundamentalism and religion for the most part.

On one hand atheists and I are on two different pages altogether, yet on the other hand we think totally alike.

 

[Gorilla]

I don't view Atheism as bad...I actually find myself agreeing with a lot of Atheists...Most people think I am an Atheist...LOL.....My point in bringing up those issues is that these are arguments that I've heard Atheists bring up before. Saying that they are "not actually atheism" is like saying people who think homosexuality is a sin are not Christians. Do all Atheists think one way? No...of course not. Just like all Christians don't think homosexuals are going to burn for eternity. However I have noticed that certain patterns of thought such as the ones I've mentioned are often brought up by Atheists. Peace.

I can see what you mean about what's brought up in discussions of religion, but the second part of your argument doesn't extend well to atheism. Christians are constantly concerned with who is "really" a Christian because its tenets and beliefs include a lot more than atheism does that's really open to a ton more interpretation. You could argue anything is, but the surface area on atheism's framework is significantly smaller and can be summed up in a single sentence: it's the lack of belief in deities. That's it. It doesn't tell you what they believe. So, it's fine to have all those views you're free to disagree with or agree with. It's fine to be a member of other religion or philosophical schools of thought that are compatible with the believe that there are no deities (or in some cases literally no personal gods).

That's the difference. This isn't about insisting that all atheists think a like or came to their disbelief the same way. I was pointing out that some of those beliefs you disagree with that are brought up by people who are atheist, aren't actually a part of atheism. It means there's an opportunity for a person to still be an atheist, and not have the same disbelief, belief, or opinions of other atheists you don't agree with. In my opinion, it makes for a lot of fertile ground for interesting thoughts, discussions, and debates among disbelievers.

 

[Blackbird]

Personally I think -isms are poisons no matter what form they take. One should be a free thinker above all things else. I abhor atheism, vegetarianism, veganism, religious-ism, all isms because they come with ideology and ideology is prison. Well I actually love Blackbirdism and we are accepting new fools ah I mean converts. As the leader of the assasins once said "Nothing is true; all is permissible." My thoughts are full of garbage and nonsense but they are mine. I am a free man.