I noticed that Agnostics and Atheists often use the words I, Me, Myself, My own thinking... why is this so?

Question

I just would like to know without being offensive to anyone. I don't get to ask these kind of questions everyday in our place.

Answer 1

We are not our own - God owns us. The AAs think they are the masters of themselves, shapers of their own futures - I, me, my - the "id" becomes the influencer, the creator of their own thoughts, personality, action.

Answer 2

Because to be an agnostic or an atheist in a world full of competing religions is an act of individual self-definition. It's something that is as much centred in the self as any religious devotion, but whereas those of faith can describe their beliefs as facts as a testament of their faith - rather than "I believe Jesus died for you", they are able to cut to the chase and assert "Jesus died for you" (which incidentally is one of the things that most annoys some atheists), atheists and agnostics don't have anything BUT their own thinking and their own selves to fall back on. They decide what they believe, and whether they read convincing arguments in a boook, or were taught by someone else, they do not feel the conversational imperative to name their sources - so it's I, Me, My own thinking.

Answer 3

They are speaking for themselves because they do not have to arrogance to speak for others. Also because quoting a book written by men 2000 years ago and acting like the book magically floated down from above makes you look very very mentally challanged

Answer 4

That's the western way - centered on the individual. The individual has the right to question, so that new information is uncovered. Christians (except when preaching) also tend to say those a lot - in phrases like "God is in me", "I have found God", etc. (When preaching, it's "you" - "You need to find God", "You will burn in Hell if you are not Saved". Too little of "we" and "us" in all those cases.

Answer 5

Those "philosophies" you list are more "self" directed. The belief of "self being God" seems to be prevalent. By taking the stand that there is no God --- authority greater than their own --- they feed a possible narcissistic hunger to be the centers of their own universe.

Answer 6

This is customary English usage when speaking in the first person. The Biblical home-school curriculum may not have included this grade school stuff. Check it out, it's pretty cool!

Answer 7

Since they dont believe in god they place themselves first,that is above god.My own thinking carries good stead if it is rationale and not thinking for the sake of it and coming up with some thoughtless ideas.

Answer 8

I believe that we all use these words. Atheists and agnostics seem to think that way because they worship themselves which is idolatry.

Shalom

Answer 9

this would be a guess, but its because your average atheist tends to work thru ideas, even if they are someone elses ideas, they will be submited to scrutiny by said atheist, thus giving them a sense of ownership over their mental furnature.

your question pressents an interesting hypothesis though, do atheists use one of these terms when a religious person would use the term bible, god, church etc?

Answer 10

Since when has it been offensive to use "I, Me, Myself, My own thinking...". Are you worried you'll offend theists as they don't think but just reiterate the "It's in the bible/koran/.... so it must be true" rhetoric?

Maybe you should ask these sort of questions every day in your place?

Answer 11

The words themselves should give you a clue as to "why." The words I,Self,Me. These are Ego-based words. They have an inflated view of themselves.