Do You Have Different Beliefs from Friends and Family?

My mum is a lapsed Catholic, and my dad is a serious atheist.

I'm...agnostic, I guess.

Most of my friends are Catholic and the rest are Muslim. And that bothers me. Well, no, what bothers me is that often agnosticism or atheism is mistaken for laziness. And many people think it's ok to disrespect or laugh at these belief systems, that they somehow aren't as deep rooted or profound as their own, or any other theistic system.

I'm an athiest with zero faith in humanity.
My beliefs make people very angry at times, I've found it's best to keep most opinions to myself because I'm told I'm quite daunting company.

Riot Mind:

I'm an athiest with zero faith in humanity.
My beliefs make people very angry at times, I've found it's best to keep most opinions to myself because I'm told I'm quite daunting company.

As am I.
Humans are self destructive and are too smart for our own good, but to idiotic to realize it.
As a whole we cant agree on anything.
We have too much control over the world. (actually, we think we do, but we have NO control over anything.)
And obviously religion had ruined us.

my mom has devised her own belief out of a bunch of little things.
My dad is an atheist. I wasn't influenced by them religiously at all. the only influence I had was my grandmother. I was originally christian until I actually took off the blindfold and had a look around. Christianity is an insult to anyones intelligence.

Stacey Spacey:

As am I.
Humans are self destructive and are too smart for our own good, but to idiotic to realize it.
As a whole we cant agree on anything.
We have too much control over the world. (actually, we think we do, but we have NO control over anything.)
And obviously religion had ruined us.

my mom has devised her own belief out of a bunch of little things.
My dad is an atheist. I wasn't influenced by them religiously at all. the only influence I had was my grandmother. I was originally christian until I actually took off the blindfold and had a look around. Christianity is an insult to anyones intelligence.

Just out of curiosity, how is Christianity an insult to anyone's ntelligence? Genuinely interested in an answer.

By the way, I'm a Christian, have been all my life, but in the past few years have become even stronger in my faith.

Stacey Spacey:

Christianity is an insult to anyones intelligence.

No, it's not. Certain Christians are an insult to one's intelligence and to the religion in general. But the religion itself is not.

I'm a pretty intelligent Christian, if I do say so myself.

Stacey Spacey:

As am I.
Humans are self destructive and are too smart for our own good, but to idiotic to realize it.
As a whole we cant agree on anything.
We have too much control over the world. (actually, we think we do, but we have NO control over anything.)
And obviously religion had ruined us.

my mom has devised her own belief out of a bunch of little things.
My dad is an atheist. I wasn't influenced by them religiously at all. the only influence I had was my grandmother. I was originally christian until I actually took off the blindfold and had a look around. Christianity is an insult to anyones intelligence.

I was about to reiterate the names of the many Christian scientists/writers/academia/etc. but then realized that I was being called an idiot by somebody who can't even write in proper English (which, to be honest, seems to me unbelievable) and decided it wasn't really worth the trouble.

Bloodraine:

Most of my friends are Catholic and the rest are Muslim. And that bothers me. Well, no, what bothers me is that often agnosticism or atheism is mistaken for laziness. And many people think it's ok to disrespect or laugh at these belief systems, that they somehow aren't as deep rooted or profound as their own, or any other theistic system.

It's a mutual feeling. A lot of atheists/agnostics mock theists and/or consider it simply brainwashing, we all need to work towards establishing a sense of mutual respect among people with different religious beliefs.

kafka.:

It's a mutual feeling. A lot of atheists/agnostics mock theists and/or consider it simply brainwashing, we all need to work towards establishing a sense of mutual respect among people with different religious beliefs.

I totally agree with that (not mocking theist, that it happens a lot). My dad's one of them He's so obnoxious about his atheism, and can't understand why someone could possibly disagree with him. He also said I was stupid and he was ashamed when I refused to say there was definitely no God

^I have a brother who's the same way. That's something I see in a lot of atheists. They think that religion is a laundrymat for your brain.

In my Atheist/Nihilist/Existstentialist whatever you want to call it views though, I really do think that people need to come to a common understanding that one's opinion and beleif are they're own business, and should be respected.

Stacey Spacey:

Christianity is an insult to anyones intelligence.

An outlook like that is an insult to your own intelligence.

pen. leaf:

^I have a brother who's the same way. That's something I see in a lot of atheists. They think that religion is a laundrymat for your brain.

In my Atheist/Nihilist/Existstentialist whatever you want to call it views though, I really do think that people need to come to a common understanding that one's opinion and beleif are they're own business, and should be respected.

I don't know though. I mean, in a lot of religions - no matter what someone might say - it has to do with inflicting your belief on others. Take Christianity for example, in the Bible it says to go out into the world and spread the Gospel. And there's a hole bunch of scripture backing that up.

In my opinion, I think religion is a large part of the world's problem(s). Maybe it shouldn't be the religion itself, but the people who are a part of it use it as a scape goat to treat others like poo and get what they want.

Stacey Spacey:

Christianity is an insult to anyones intelligence.

I've met quite a few people who hold this opinion. I can definitely understand why someone would think that, but I came to believe that intelligence has little to do with actual religious belief. There are very intelligent religious people out there, I assure you. I suspect they could explain how they deal with their inner conflicts much better than I could though.

The Fantasy:

I don't know though. I mean, in a lot of religions - no matter what someone might say - it has to do with inflicting your belief on others. Take Christianity for example, in the Bible it says to go out into the world and spread the Gospel. And there's a hole bunch of scripture backing that up.

But that doesn't mean every Christian shoves Scripture down someone's throat. The Bible also talks a lot about animal sacrifices, but you don't see a lot of that.

I think that (not directed at you personally, Molly) to say a specific religion as a hole has "this one problem" is rather stereotypical and you're sort of just asking to get your ass handed to you by any person who can't point out someone in that particular faith category that doesn't "do that".

And people with a lack of religion (Atheists) go out and try to convert more than most Christians I've met. They try to disprove your belief system, make you believe your belief is stupid, and try to convince you there is no god. They're converting, too.

It's one thing that really pisses my mom off. (She's an Atheist.) Because a lot of the Atheists like that get very mad at the religious people who try to convert. It's a two-way street.

^No, I agree with you, Dru. I believe that Atheism is a religion in itself as well, especially when people do just that.

I mean, if someone were to ask me why I don't believe in God, I'd tell them my reasons, sure, but I'm not going to sit there and try to make them believe differently.

But you're right, it is a two way street, and I don't agree with it on either side.

The Fantasy:

I don't know though. I mean, in a lot of religions - no matter what someone might say - it has to do with inflicting your belief on others. Take Christianity for example, in the Bible it says to go out into the world and spread the Gospel. And there's a hole bunch of scripture backing that up.

In my opinion, I think religion is a large part of the world's problem(s). Maybe it shouldn't be the religion itself, but the people who are a part of it use it as a scape goat to treat others like poo and get what they want.

That's true. A lot of religions put a great emphasis on converting people. The more, the merrier, right?

And I really agree with that second statement. Throughout history, religions have earned bad names through the people who practice them.

The Fantasy:

^No, I agree with you, Dru. I believe that Atheism is a religion in itself as well, especially when people do just that.

I mean, if someone were to ask me why I don't believe in God, I'd tell them my reasons, sure, but I'm not going to sit there and try to make them believe differently.

But you're right, it is a two way street, and I don't agree with it on either side.

As for Atheists converting. Yeah, they do that. I don't, and I know other Atheists that don't. But many do. That... does not make them a religion though... more of a... militant philosophy that's hell-bent on getting it's way? (so to speak) Like religion, though, Atheism can be compared based on the fact that part of it's "members" are really confrontational with other beliefs.

And yeah. Honestly, I really don't care which side is "right". I just think they should stop with the harassment of each others' beliefs.

Yeah. My mother is christian, my father's agnostic. I'm kind of agnostic as well, but ya know. And my friends are either christians, shinto, or agnostic.

I've never really considered myself any certain religion, or lack thereof, but more than anything I'd align myself more along the lines of LeVeyan Satanism; the believe that there is no higher power than yourself and that everything you do is in your own hands. I often just say I'm an atheist/agnostic to avoid the discrimination and annoyance of people picking at me.

Most everyone I know is Catholic or Christian and although I respect them and their freedom to practice it, the religion its self is not high on my list.

I'm left out in my family because I'm the only agnostic one. My family is split in half, 50% Christian, 49% Jewish. I'm the 1% that isn't either.

I'm pretty sure my family is mainly Christian (I don't talk to them that often), but my dad stopped taking me to church when I was around 5. He's a Christian too and so am I, but he calls himself Catholic. I'm nondemonimational. I personally don't think I should have to go to church to be a real Christian, but he thinks we should go anyway. We've argued about it before; I don't consider myself Catholic and I haven't even had my first communion yet and I'm almost 16. So I can't do the eucarist and I'm bored out of my brains.

Most of my peers - the ones I have classes with, anyway - are atheist/agnostic. I've found it helpful just to never bring up religion with them, or else a big argument will sprout that doesn't end up changing any minds or ending happily at all. One of my best friends...um...it's smart never to utter the word 'creationism' near him, basically. He'll go off on tangents. For the most part, they accept religion, though.

I have a lot of friends that are super conservative Christians, Atheists, Pagans. As long as there's mutual respects, there's no issue.

I'm Catholic and my fiance is Athiest. Ouch.