Not at all
in fact i am very happy after i left religion.
Not at all
in fact i am very happy after i left religion.
I've got to admit, there are times when I miss the blissful escapism of it all. And if you don't understand that, then you will never understand why so many people get stuck in it.
I go to church with my wife every Sunday. She is a Christian. I keep my mouth shut. I usually read about the validity of the Bible on my phone during the service. How hypocritical can one person be??
you just keep the illusion going on my friend for an easy life. Could there be anything more productive you could be doing with the time. After all as a non believer time is the ultimate currency
sounds like you are supportive of your wife. is she also supportive of you? while i do not believe there is a god, i do not devalue others beliefs.
@chucky2001 My wife has serious illness and I don't want something to happen to her and me not be there. It is an interesting situation. My preacher know how I believe and I think he know I don't want to be converted so he never tries to discuss religion with me. I think I have to keep quiet in church because sooner or later somebody would say they don't want me to attend because I am not a believer.
Most of the people in the church are old because the number of young believers is dropping. It's funny to me because the preacher really preaches his heart out every Sunday and he sees me sitting out there and he knows I don't believe a word he is saying.
As we get older, my wife and I have been mildly attracted to the sense of community that is promised by church and quasi-church-like groups such as the post-Christian, atheist-accepting Unitarian-Universalists. But we keep running aground on the cliquish aspects of UU, its substitution of political dogma for religious dogma. We actually found an Episcopalean congregation more comfortable and broadly inclusive, but could not endure their 90 minute liturgical extravaganzas. Religious cruft is cruft, even when it's not dogmatic. I don't know what us two introverts are going to do long-term but it's probably not going to involve even liberal religion. In any case, it's my evolving view that liberal Christians are complicit with fundamentalists in not sufficiently calling them out for their perfidy.
Never was religious. ...always was an outsider studying believers inside their churches. ...like going to a neighbors house for the 1st time and there after. ...always asking how a guest should behave. ...reading signs on the walls
I miss the music more than anything else. I also miss the community, which is why I've considered re-joining a Unitarian Universalist congregation or getting involved with Sunday Assembly.
I absolutely do not miss the misogyny and anti-intellectualism of the churches of my childhood.
I have occasionally thought that it would be easier in almost every way to be a believer - fitting in more (I live in the Bible Belt), having those automatic social connections, etc. It would make my family amazingly happy if I reconverted. But I just cannot do it. It's too hypocritical.
Not at all
When you have studied the really ancient religions, such as Ubaid and Sumerian (the latter was more of a proto-religion) and can pinpoint the time where religion went wrong then no not miss being part of 'The Herd'
Once I became disillusioned I never attended church again. I have meditated at Thai Buddhist temples with my Thai friends and students but doing my own thing more than following the monk's chants. I did briefly miss the activities and friends I'd made in my singles group, but soon filled the former church time with bird photography trips, hikes, riding horses, new friends, etc. I do miss that belief that there's a strong, wise God looking out for me and all I have to do is be passive and let things happen. It's disconcerting to realize that I am responsible for my own life.
I still go to Sunday School in a very progressive Episcopal church that allows our special class to meet on Sunday during the regular Sunday school time. We have progressive Christians as well as agnostics and atheists alongside lay ministers and deacons. The Teacher is an ordained minister of the Unitarian Church which is very progressive. So there are all kinds of religions and all kinds of different threads among those. I admit it is unusual, but so far, it is working and we all are enjoying it. The other members of the church smilingly call us "The Heretics", and we have socials together and enjoy each other's company. All of us work together and do many good things for the community.
I was a college educated Pastor. I found that the leadership was adversarial, hypocritical, manipulative, liars, and even predatory. They remind me of the politicians. Many of the people albeit misguided were genuinely good folk. Needless to say after the third church I lost my faith, and after many years I like some, miss the community. But make no mistake with what I write; I could not bring myself to walk through a church door! I just do my best to be a good neighbor. I just joined this site and I think I have found a new community
Hell no! I can live in harmony now without needing to worry about everybody I care about not living just right and burning in Hell forever. Or having to please some god, who refuse to do anything major to prove he’s actually real.
I have very good friends in church. I still love them. I've been growing away from the need of church for a long time, so I don't miss that. But I would love to keep doing things with my close friends.
No. I am much happier. I just don't think there is anything there.
Absolutely not. I shudder to think of all the time I spent not questioning, not delving deeper into the world of physics, biology, and anthropology. So much time wasted at a young age when my mind was so eager to learn...
if by life you mean common practice and values that makes sense. and is why some atheists now meet on sundays.