Atheists and Agnostics ....?

Question

please tell us a little about yourself ?
what inspires you ?
what words inspires you the most ?

Sho thats wonderful
where is it from ?

Answer 1

i class myself as agnostic as i have no proof of an Almighty Being being the father of all creation. i simply believe that centuries ago there was a great man who did many great things and throughout the centuries the stories of his acts have been passed down through generation after generation. these stories have been changed like in a game of Chinese whispers. because people spread all over the world these stories have been carried with them and changed in different ways, hence (in my view) the similarities in different religions. this is my view and i do not disrespect nor would i ridicule others with a religion of any kind.

Answer 2

Bit quick on the draw back there. Just went back to the Pagan question to apologise for being a bit rude.

I could never swear on the Bible in court. It would be meaningless. And I don't sing at funerals (usually).
I take God's name in vain all the time as a I cannot blaspheme.

One Christian guy on here said that I was a prisoner of my own intellect. He meant it as an insult.
How can real, provable knowledge do anything but free you to understand at least some of what occurs in this complex universe?
Certainly, religion (or faith) seems to require a suspension of reason and a denial of what is in front of your very eyes at times.
And it seems to be a hotbed for bigotry and a greaser of the wheels of war.

I think there is only ONE useful question about religion left. "Are we better off with it or without it?" Certainly people may individually benefit from religion and groups can too. But a comprehensive understanding of history shows categorically, that we have made no spiritual, social or moral progression as a species in the last 40,000 years. Religion's effect as a positive for humanity as a whole has been wholly negligible! Fact!
Bring on the thumbs-down!

(Not usually this humourless and what I have put lacks inspiration. Oh well!).

Answer 3

Bio: Raised Catholic, diocesan schools, some seminary, Jesuit college, philosophy major. Married 27 years, 2 kids. Growing realization that faith doesn't matter, only behavior. Freedom must be balanced by responsibility. It's all Golden Rule plus awareness of suffering and injustice and my role in it. Faith urges us to reach beyond self-preservation. Reason teaches us to check our assumptions.

Inspiration: Every theory, scientific, social or philosophical, eventually gives way to a deeper understanding. No one gets it perfectly. In fact, when they think they do, people usually get hurt. And yet, even the biggest screwups get corrected eventually. Humanity instinctively knows what's right and no tyranny or oppression lasts forever. And there are so many opportunities to do good if we simply let go of fear.

Quotes: Can't recall the short one but it's usually about the arrogance of certainty.

"There is no absolute knowledge. And those who claim it, whether they are scientists or dogmatists, open the door to tragedy. All information is imperfect. We have to treat it with humility." -Jacob Bronowski

or maybe:

"Only reason can convince us of those three fundamental truths without a recognition of which there can be no effective liberty: that what we believe is not necessarily true; that what we like is not necessarily good; and that all questions are open." -Clive Bell

and then there's good old:

"All things must pass."

Answer 4

I’m a boardgaming, knitting, birdwatcher and I’m inspired by, and in awe of, nature. I find it all fascinating - the potential origins of the universe, little things that crawl on the ground, each little seed waiting to burst into life – the universe is an incredibly inspiring place. Even (or maybe especially) without a creator.

Answer 5

Okay well first off I am Agnostic. I was both a Catholic and Protestant Christian and I even studied Islam and read the Qu'ran. One of the most powerful speeches is a speech written and spoken by the powerful and famous late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the speech was the I had a dream speech which I find to be a beautiful speech. I know that I am still a young guy but I like that speech.


http://www.holidays.net/mlk/speech.htm

Answer 6

The words "love, freedom, choice, together, hope, happy, future" all inspire me. Music inspires me. Creative people inspire me. Human compassion inspire me.

What I don't like is when people use those things that inspire me to manipulate, control, and shut down free thought and destroy...as religions often, perhaps always, do.

Therefore, I hope someday the citizens of the World will remove the oppressive chains from their minds and decide for themselves to live for the good of all mankind, and therefore, themselves.

Answer 7

I am 5'9" tall, with luxurious dark brown hair. My stunning blue eyes usually reflect the sparkling sunlight on the long beaches I typically walk on.

I am inspired by humor, long blond hair and an energetic nature.

The words that inspire me the most are:

"Why yes, I would like to go for a long walk on the beach with you, but I have to warn you I get a little randy around water, and I have been drinking since noon."

Answer 8

I resent being lumped together with those fence-sitters!

Nah, just kidding.

1. See my profile
2. Everything and nothing
3. I try to live a creed-less life. But I still remember the first time I read the hacker manifesto and I thought 'hell yeah'; http://www.phrack.org/archives/7/P07-03 back in '88 or somewhere in that vicinity.

Answer 9

I have an insatiable love of learning. The more, the better (though I have a bit of hatred for mathematics. It makes my head spin). I suppose you can say thats what inspires me the most.

Answer 10

I was born into a baptist family who at first did not accept my beliefs, but love me reguardless.

I can't really say I have inspirations but I try to live the best I can on my own.