You can't have your cake and eat it too. Religions go to war in the name of their god, but have enough followers preach about peace and harmony that they don't feel accountable.
Religion as a whole, particularly Christianity and its cousin religions of Judaism and Muslim (they all believe in the same god but argue and wage war over which prophet is the right one and other petty human things), has been a plague on human society for thousands of years. Stunting the growth and development of our species every since it was used to control the population and keep the rich and powerful in that wealth and power.
You are accountable for the worst atrocities of the organisation you support. Whether that is a religion, government or any institution. Any religion is a cult that has its followers brainwashed with fear and easy answers while it seeks to eliminate the competition with war or "peaceful" acts that demand you convert in order to receive aid.
Humanity would be better off without religion. As an Antitheist, I'm happy to see that this world is slowly beginning to open it's eyes to the horrors religion has inflicted on our species.
You don't need a deity to know the difference between right and wrong and treat any human, of any race, gender or age, with respect and understanding. Stop defending and justifying the acts of war, racism, sexism and paedophilia that Christianity has committed and start having faith in the human race without the dominance of ruling class claiming they are doing the will of a higher power. You are the most amazing thing in this world, not a god, you are something greater. You are alive in an incredibly wondrous existence and you have this life to learn and experience all you can, and pass on what you've discovered to the next generation.
Your god does not deserve you.
https://busy.org/@kieranstone/pisces-star-shipwreck-religions-fading-light
I appreciate you adding to our conversation. There have been three distinct viewpoints expressed in the comments. I hope I was not trying to have my cake and eat it too.
I agree with you that a lot of bad things have been done (and continue to be done in the name of religion). But I think that your point about whatever organization we support is interesting.
I believe that we are all accountable for our individual atrocities. And an important question for me is how do I redeem those moments? I personally do not feel I have the ability to do so, thus my desire to know God.
I think the biggest difference we have in the article you linked (very well written by the way) is that you see people starting by the light/fire and moving away because it is inauthentic. My journey was different, I was out in the darkness and the cold and I saw a glimmer of light and as I came closer I realized it was exactly what I needed.
The interesting thing is is that I agree with you that ...
Where we might differ is that I believe some people allow the Light (in my case God) to show us the depravity of our lives and bring healing.
I know we don't agree but I appreciate the civil and honest conversation we have had. Thanks.
Can I ask a personal question? Are you a first generation anti-theist or has atheism been a part of your family heritage for a while? I only ask because it helps me better understand where you are coming from.
I also appreciate your civilised reply. Having an opposing view to someones religion is not often welcomed and is usually met with hostility.
To answer your question: I was baptised, went to catholic schools (and therefore church and communion) until I was a teenager. My parents were not particularly religious and are now probably atheist ( I won't speak for them). As I was growing up and was exposed to more of the world I questioned everything. Christianity/Catholicism had too many contradictions when it came to the physical world I lived in and I did seek out other religions. One that appealed to me was Wiccan as it spoke of respect for others and nature. After sampling that religion I saw that it too was just an easy answer for our existence.
Thanks for taking the time to read my article. I say that people start by the light because for the majority of people, they are born into a family of religious faith and are shown that that is the only way from an early age, hence baptism. Religion is a light in the darkness and can provide comfort for anyone, that is true. It can be exactly what someone needs to turn their life around and become a better person to themselves and others. I'm not denying that.
My opinion is, and something to at least consider, is that all these changes towards the better are done entirely within yourself, without divine intervention. A relationship with god, from my point of view, is a relationship with the positivity in your own mind. You find something that was within you all along. An empathy for others and a motivation for constructive endeavours. Conversations with god are conversations with your subconscious mind that drive you to achieve goals and improve your view of your self worth and the worth of those you love.
This is something I realised with the Wiccan religion. Instead of prayers they perform spells. Using plants, colours and oils believed to have various energies to bring about a positive change in their lives from the universe. One example I did was a money spell. I was a teenager and wanted more cash in my life, like a lot of people. I performed this spell, truly believing it would work, and within a couple of months, I had more money! I reflected on the whole experience and noticed that the reason I had more money was because I got a job. The reason I got a job was because I was motivated to get more money. The reason I was motivated was because I did something that made me believe this was going to happen. I was subconsciously thinking about needing more money and sought out the means to achieve this, by looking for work.
Seeking guidance from god is seeking the part of yourself that is capable of achieving the outcome you desire. My belief is that the part played by religion is no longer a necessary step in this process for humanity. We are finding more faith in ourselves.
Thanks for telling me more about your story. It helps me understand your point of view better. I believe that two people can believe completely differently and still show honor and mutual respect. That is my hope for us.
My desire to find reconciliation in this world has driven my pursuit of God. As I mentioned in the original article, I do not believe that humans have the capacity to reconcile the bad things that we have done. This impacts our relationships with others as well and continues to snowball into other aspects of our lives.
You bring up an important point. We all have faith in something. You mentioned faith in ourselves. The object of our faith and its ability to guide us is just as important as the amount of faith with have. I can not rationally place myself as the object of my faith based on what I know about myself and my nature.
Again, it has been a pleasure to share with you and hear from you. Thanks for stopping by. I look forward to the next time our paths cross.
You have peace that passes all understanding and it comes out in every word of your writing. Thank you for being a light, and shining that light. 😊