what would you miss the least about your religion?
2007-11-05 14:50:13 · 25 answers · asked by Life goes on... 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I became an atheist after 16 years of Catholicism. I can say that there is a lot I do and do not miss. I would have to say that the part I miss the least though is the guilt; my church gave a list of things that were "evil", and it always made me second guess myself or wonder if I was going to hell. (For example, I found it ridiculous that swearing, masturbation/pre-marital sex, missing Church for a Sunday, etc...) Maybe I wouldn't have gone to hell, but they sure made me feel like it. Now, I live an almost guilt-free life. The only time I feel guilty is if I do something that is contrary to my own personal moral code. I reflect, then get over it. Of course, that's not the reason I became atheist, but it definitely helped.
I will admit though, that I do miss a lot about church/religion. I miss mostly the music and some members of the community. I also miss the meaning it gave to life. Now, as an atheist, I don't feel that there is any meaning to life but to live and die. Though this is not enough to make me believe in God or religion, it would be nice to have something to look forward to when I die.
2007-11-05 15:17:27 · answer #1 · answered by James J 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It would be difficult to force someone to become an atheist if they were truly serious about their religion. You could likely force you to act as if you were an atheist but that isn't the same. I think it would be very hard to find anything that I would miss least...I would miss everything pretty much the same.
2007-11-05 22:58:17 · answer #2 · answered by Herb W 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You cannot force someone to become an atheist, any more than you can force someone to believe in a deity who doesn't.
If I had to pretend to be an atheist for political reasons, the thing I would miss the least about my religion would be hyperactive Born-Again Fundamentalists preaching loudly on the street corners.
The thing I would miss the most is Gregorian chants.
2007-11-05 23:01:52 · answer #3 · answered by Chantal G 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I'm pretty minimal. I guess I'd miss occasionally hanging out at the church group or Bible studies. Not that I've done those things lately, but it's sometimes comforting to know that it's possible. Well, I s'pose I could still go even if I were an atheist...
Speaking of which, my religion has the "once saved, always saved" bent.
2007-11-05 22:59:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
First, you cannot "force" someone to believe or not. Other people cannot control your own thoughts. If you are a believer in a supreme being, you are a believer. You can pretend otherwise if circumstances dictate, however, internally you would still believe.
I don't believe (already am an atheist) so I would not miss anything about religion. Nor would I miss those people who feel compelled to press their beliefs on me. Live and let live is a nice way to exist.
2007-11-05 22:56:55 · answer #5 · answered by huckleberry 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Does no one get what a hypothetical question is?
Questioner, you would have been better off leaving out the atheist part; you'd have had more people willing to actually answer your question.
Hmm let's see, to remain relevant and not get reported for not answering: when I realized I was an atheist, the thing about Catholicism I missed the least was confession. I always felt stupid going in there with nothing more earth-shattering to confess than "I got mad at my mom when she made me clean my room."
2007-11-05 23:08:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
That's actually a hard question.... I don't know. I know what I'd miss the most. But what would I miss the least? Hmmm...
I guess always feeling the need to be better. I mean it's nice to always be working towards being a better person... but sometimes the endless challenge of it gets annoying.
2007-11-05 23:00:32 · answer #7 · answered by Kris 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Inside of my head and heart there ain't no one who will convince me of no garbadge if I don't want to. Torture might work if you look at the psych evidence. However humans are made for survival so we would simply develop strategies to cope, then see how we could change things. What you say doesn't have to be what you believe. Thats why fascism and communism fail because people will not be quiet. You can't put down freedom of speech and association forever. The current bunch of dictators Mia ma, Rohdesia, Pakistan are living on borrowed time. No one can alter what you believe and understand deep down unless they torture you and send you mad. People in terrible circumstances have modified rituals in secret. In many cases where there is a will there is a way. Even though suppressed I am sure Falun Gong members in China manage to retain their beliefs. I have complete faith in human resilience. I mightn't believe what you believe but I will sure fight for your right to believe it.
2007-11-06 20:15:50 · answer #8 · answered by Stephen T 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can be forced outwardly in an oppressed society, but that would never change what you really felt INSIDE. Big Brother would never know that in your heart you still loved Jesus, you still were going to heaven.
But I think that's not what you're asking, right? I would miss least all this talk about 'burning in hell'. There is so much positive things to talk about and it always seems to come down to charred bodies screaming their heads off---stop it!!!!
2007-11-05 23:01:18 · answer #9 · answered by Terry L 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
To become an athesist, would be about as possible, to deny the presence of my own visible existance. I don't miss anything about religion now! Certainately, not the unrealistic rules! I love the Lord, and my relationship with Him. Which does not include any 'religious practices'
2007-11-05 23:01:13 · answer #10 · answered by God's Fountain Pen 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋