What would you consider my spiritual belief to be? Agnostic, Atheist, etc??

Question

I have been searching to find where I fit in the spiritual communty. I have reached a time in my life that I want to dig deeper into what I do and do not believe in, and would in fact like to find where I fit so that I may find other people to discuss similar beliefs with.

First of all I want to say that I have thought about this since I was about 12. Prior to that I was confident that there was a heaven and hell... Up until I started questioning EVERYTHING. Why I started questioning at that moment in time is probably a subject in another question! Anyways, I began thinking about life and death and my soul/mind/personal thoughts. I was raised in church, and the reason I believed in heaven was basically the same reason that I believed in Santa. My parents and others close to me told me so.
I eventually came to the conclusion that I do not believe in heaven or hell, a god or a devil. I did however find science a very interesting subject at an early age, and I am a very analytical person in general. I would take a T.V. apart just to see how it worked. That should tell you a bit about what I think is a common personality of a "non believer". (Analytical in nature) Seeking the truth in everything, some other characteristics may have to do with trust. If you have trust issues you will find yourself doubting things in life much more, as I know I do.
I have read alot and had many discussions on this issue, but above all else I have lost countless nights of sleep over it as well.
I believe that the belief of "heaven" is a basic human necessity. What I mean is that if you do not believe in a "supreme being" and/or a heaven, you do not have the hope that brings on most peoples happiness in life. To believe in something like that I could only imagine would have the opposite effect of what I have gone through. Peace of mind, tranquility, hope, faith, optimism, etc...
So, I feel that heaven in the concept that it is an actual place one would go to after death, and ones soul/mind would live on is incomprehensible and totally unblievable for me.
I do however believe that heaven can be a state of mind for the living. In my personal belief, someon who does ACTUALLY believe in any supreme being and an afterlife is in fact in Heaven.
Though I cannot change my personal views of this belief, I do want my children to believe in God and Heaven. After all, what father would not want their children to go to/be in Heaven?

Answer 1

Friend Shawn: Only you can know what is in your heart. Why do you need a label right now? You are searching...period...perhaps a seeker. LOL, I am and will always be a seeker and I am a Christian. You are looking for answers on a spiritual journey. Best of luck to you. GB

Answer 2

You use the words feel and believe a lot. Feeling something is one thing, and making a choice to believe is another. You need to differentiate the two. If something has become totally unbelievable for you, then you have to not believe it. Why you would want your children to believe in something that you don't believe in, is a little odd to me. You cannot compare the Santa Clause to Believing in God and heaven, etc. It makes sense, to some degree what you say, about heaven maybe being a necessity to believe. I do think though, that you are wrong. It is VERY possible, that we are like our pet dogs, in the sense that we live a life, then die, and get buried, and thats that. However, most humans sense there is a lot more to life than living and dying, and just trying to make it through the day.
IF, and just IF there is a god, and he is good, he would have left a way for us to find him, and I believe he has. There a lots of religions, and religious texts. You have to study to find the truth in them. The heaven you keep talking about, is in the christian bible. Rather than laying awake at night, using what you already have in your head, and philosophizing (sp?), I would look at the hard facts to see if the bible may be believable first. Establish THAT fact, before tackling the heaven fact. Is it trustworthy, believable, steeped in historical accuracy. Just beware, that the debate over THAT is hot, and both sides have compelling thoughts and whatnot. Look honestly, with an honest mind, and ask this "supposed" god for help, if you choose so. No one has to hear you do so, and if he is real, he will hear, and answer you. If you seek, you will find, bottom line. I wish you the very very best. And if there is a heaven, and you go there, like Jesus did after he left earth, then perhaps I will see you there! :)

Answer 3

You have just described every feeling that an inquiring mind has. You are searching and you will find the answer. I have been very interested lately in why some books were banned from the Bible (I.e, not canonized). Since all of this was done by a group of people who were forced to put the Bible together by Constantine, it makes me curious to read the books they did not consider to be "God inspired."

I am a Christian but that does not mean that I cannot search for more answers about my Savior.

Your personal views may change, you just never know.

One thing for sure, I appreciate your courage to express yourself openly on this site and the other thing I know for sure is because you are searching, you will find yourself. Please just keep in mind, that not everything can be exactly explained in religion because so much information has been taken from us from the previous leaders in the third century. One day, we will all know the whole truth.

I suggest you go to the History Channel.Com and check on some interesting information available to you.

I am a Christian first, but am a Methodist. We have open hearts, open minds, and open doors.
I still look for answers. I believe In God as the Creator and Jesus but I also know that there are hidden things out there and I won't stop searching. My faith will not be taken away either.

I tend to see you as Gnostic.

Answer 4

You sound like you are atheist, but with a different spin on things. Basically, an atheist is someone who believes that there is nothing after death. An agnostic is someone who believes that there is something, but doesn't have any idea or can't/won't come to a conclusion as to what it is. I like your thought with "heaven is a state of mind for the living." I personally believe that what you really believe will happen to you after death is what you will propel your spirit towards. I think that those who believe in annihilation (the thought that a soul/mind does not live on after death) would probably get a choice in your own head, but I'm not really sure what's gonna happen. So, you sound like a nice atheist who doesn't think that all people who believe are idiots. I hope you figure out what you wanna know.

Answer 5

I don't mean to insult you, but I've seen this before, and it seems like you are deciding what you want to believe rather than just believing what is real. Sure I believed in Santa Claus when I was a kid, because I was told to. And I had my doubts about God. But changing my mind didn't change the facts. Whether you believe the truth or not, doesn't change what the truth is. Keep earnestly seeking the truth. I don't think you have to be educated, or brilliant to understand God. A child can understand. The more we think the more our own thoughts get in the way of the truth, and we ending up designing what we believe. Consider basing what you believe on ancient writings like the Bible. If God is real, he wouldn't just leave it up in the air for us to figure it out. He would reach us. The only way to pin down what you believe is by reading scripture. Our human sinful nature does not want to believe some of the truths in the Bible. Faith is something that takes work, because you have to deny your own understanding. I'm not saying to ignore what you know to be true. You have to work out all those questions like I did, but use the Bible to wiegh what you believe against what was written, you will see a contrast. That contrast is the truth working in your life. It hurts sometimes to hear the truth, so many do not seek the truth.
It's up to you what you call yourself. I think you are just trying to invent what you believe rather than following any teachings.

Answer 6

Agnostic is someone who believes that "God" exists but cannot be understood - they believe that human knowledge is limited to what they actually experience. Since we cannot physically see, touch, etc "God" then we cannot possibly understand his or her nature. An atheist however, is someone who simply does not believe in the existence of any kind of supreme being or divine force. So, following the above definitions, you are closer to agnostic, since one could argue that believing in the necessity, (as you put it) of "heaven" is in a way believing in a power greater than yourself even if you don't fully understand why, who or how.

Answer 7

Hello, Shawn

One of the basics of internal delving, is to have association with someone, you feel/see/ perhaps innerly know, who is experiencing what you feel you could experience if you gained liberation from what stirs you.


I feel we all have something that inlivens our being. I call this the Soul.

I feel that just like the body has the heritage of this Earth,

The Soul in Truth, has it heritage of Divine Light.

So our birth is to regain our Divine heritage,

And as we move towards this point, through correct living, we are blessed with an increasing Divine Love, Purpose, Wisdom Peace and Joy.

May the Light Guide us all.

May the Light path Come to this Earth

All Glory to the Divine Light.

Kevin

Answer 8

I think you are an agnostic. Atheists don't believe there is a God, Devil, Heaven, Hell. It's no belief. You have a belief but you don't know what to do with it or to call it. Keep seeking. Read, pray, talk and the answer will come to you. Good luck.

Answer 9

Strangely enough at the moment you sound quite a bit like what I am going through. At the time I would say you are agnostic. Your beliefs aren't fully confirmed, you are venturing. You may not be fully denying a greater power yet you see no proof so you don't support the idea. Hopefully that somehwat fits what you were trying to describe.

Answer 10

Believing in heaven and that god is on your side makes you unaccountable for your actions, you may be forgiven for anything you do, and besides, the other person you screw over isn't a man of god like you anyhow. There is no reason for this to be heaven for them either. They get a "do over" in the next life so they can screw up as bad as they want