(FOR ATHEISTS/NONBELIEVERS) At what age did you realize religion was a "fairy tale"?

2016-05-28T17:47:24-04:00

For those of us who feel as such. Late bloomer (39). I am 46 now.

Response by PO1 Michael G. made May 28 at 2016 5:52 PM

2016-05-28T17:52:38-04:00

With all due respect, ma'am, this question is at best flippant and rude and at worst purposefully incendiary and intentionally provocative. Theology and morality are far more complicated than can be boiled down to such an oversimplified, one sided question.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2016 5:56 PM

2016-05-28T17:56:59-04:00

How can ones religious beliefs be a fairy tale? Very presumptive and rude IMO.

Response by SGT Laura Delgadillo made May 28 at 2016 6:44 PM

2016-05-28T18:44:03-04:00

For all of those saying that this question is rude. It is the equivalent of when a believer tells someone they are going to hell. As an atheist i don't see a difference between Mohamed and the tooth fairy, or jesus and roger rabit. Fiction is fiction.

Response by CPL Patrick Brewbaker made May 28 at 2016 8:49 PM

2016-05-28T20:49:05-04:00

If you thinks is a joke put God to a test. Let me tell you a story.

I got my degree. In biology spent 2 more years specializing in in clinical science. My wife and I couldn't have kids, so with my science background and experience I was proactive and we tried in vitro, about 20 grand in the hole to no avail. I remember I shot cost $500.00 to stop ovulation. I took three days and three shots, $1500.00. Just for that part.

I put God to the test. I said Lord I've failed you I took matters into my own hands and I messed everything up. If you want us to have children place them in our laps, we're gonna fife a Harley's and trust you.

We had two children in a month.

Believing in God is Deciding not to shake your fist at Him but yielding to his wisdom.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2016 10:47 PM

2016-05-28T22:47:22-04:00

I was between 8 and 10, but it wasn't my parents as they were both still semi-observant Jews. 8 is when I started reading my father's rather extensive library of World War Two books and by 10 I was not only fascinated with all aspects of the conflict, but was actively questioning why a god who would intervene against the Egyptians would allow Hitler to murder 6 million Jews and 14 million Christians.

Response by CPL Patrick Brewbaker made May 28 at 2016 11:03 PM

2016-05-28T23:03:53-04:00

Personally I believe I am lucky and blessed. I take no offense, and I learned a saying many years ago, the teacher appears the the student is ready.

Response by CPL Patrick Brewbaker made May 29 at 2016 12:04 AM

2016-05-29T00:04:48-04:00

As for the millions of Jews, Christians, slaves, gypsys etc... Be slaughtered was because of Madam Blavatsky and her theory of the root races imparticilary the Arian root race. And the imperfection of Jews.

The order of Tuetonic Knights, Thule Socieity, and The Vrill Society, had a huge influence on Dietreich Eckheart and subsequently Hilter and all the of NAZI organization. These were occultists (Odenism) and murdered millions of Jews and Christians. The word Halaocaust it's self means a burnt offering.

I know these seems esoteric and going of on a tangent, but it's is pretainent to this battle of faiths. Judeo-Christian world view and Odenism/Occult.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 29 at 2016 12:25 AM

2016-05-29T00:25:29-04:00

I lost my faith when I was 9 years old out of rage.
My rage turned into hate around age 15.
I maintained that rage fueled hate until it decreased to anger around age 25’ish.
My rage fueled hate morphed into pessimism.
My pessimism softened to understanding o/a 33'ish.
My pessimism became hope o/a 35'ish.
My hope became faith at 37.
I’ve been there ever since. God bless you all.

Note: Mother is Catholic and I was raised as such. My stepfather is an atheist however more accurately anti-religious rather than a-religious, raised as a Catholic.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 29 at 2016 9:28 AM

2016-05-29T09:28:20-04:00

Ma'am, am I to assume based on your question that only Atheists/non-believers can answer your question?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made May 29 at 2016 9:40 AM

2016-05-29T09:40:51-04:00

I find your question of interest, and just thought I might perhaps offer a few thoughts, not to change your mind, certainly, only outmof purely intellectual interest. Here's the thing: I try to distinguish religion from the concept of deity in general. I've read a good deal of the writings of Richard Dawkins, just as I have on comparative religion, and while I obviously find what he says of interest, intellectually , though my wife, a Pentecostal, and our pastors whose energies I applaud if nothing else, obviously disagree with me of course. Now, having said that, I have excised the term "belief" from my lexicon, for numerous reasons. However, what I substitute is the term "convinced", reflective I think of a far more scientific thought process, I've resolved, I think. Also, however, on that basis, here is why I'm convinced that deity exists, basically, though, certainly, my thought processes here expressed, are quite clearly mine alone, of course. There is only one rational possible definition of deity, that is sufficiently all encompassing to preclude I think any other possibility, within reason, namely, that deity must, of necessity, be the aggregate sum of all minds everywhere. Anything less would not, at least in my view, be sufficnelty all encompassing to have genuine meaning philosophically. I was trained very seriously and for a very very long time to be a very serious scientist, so I tend, as a result, to frame pretty much all such observations and or mental debates on such topics on that basis, and from that intellectual vasntage point. There was a German computer scientist during ww2 , Konrad Zuse, who wrote a treatise on the concept of the universe being a computer program, and, there was a mention on a few days ago on scientific efforts to characterize the universe as a hologram, as well, that you might possibly find of very real and genuine interest. Any deityz, and, of course, to my mind there must, of any, be only one, since anything else would, I think, be reductio in absurdum, if you will, must, of necessity, have two explicit attributes and or capabilities, such a deity must, of necessity, be both telepathic, as well as psychokinetic, to do or be capable of virtually anything miraculous. Now, having said that, do I think the deity, assuming it's existence actually interacts daily and or explicitly with the human race on an ongoing, interactive, for real, daily basis? No, of course not, first, because in all candor, I certainly think any deity must, of necessity, have a good many more important things to do every moment than worry about the human race, which, I think, being entirely rational about the matter, or, at the very least, trying to be, must, I figure, be only a very small and qiite insignificant speck in the universe, one of countless races on other planets, I think, genuinely, and am convinced, I think within reason, that a fair fraction of humanity might perhaps also share that notion at the present stage of human intellectual societal and scientific evolution, which I genuinely think is a reasomably fair assessment. And given , I think, that finding another race, on another world, is merely a question of when now, not if, any longer, if there's a deity here, there must, i expect be that self same deity elsewhere, pretty much without question. And, likewise, if there's no deity here, then, conversely, there cannot, I think, be one elsewhere, for like reason. Religion is a purely human construct; theology, however, like existentialism, as well as epistemology, is a wholly different matter, in my view, and far more accessible to reason, than is religion. Obviously, all of the great principal religious figures were quite clearly brilliant individuals; however, their philosophic treatises, while all clearly brilliant, served, I think, at least sociologically , only a couple of very specific fundamental purposes. Namely. The teaching of children, first, and, of course, second, and equally importantly, as a philosophic framework to govern human existence and interaction. Pretty much all law, I think, derives, in no small !easier, from religion, whether one agrees fundamentally with its historical tenets and or principal events, or not. That is not to pose that religion, of necessity, is correct however that is, merely, a fundamentally necessary part of recognizing its historical and philosophical role for humanity, which, if admittedly and perhaps, no other facet, must, I think, even if only anecdotally, based on human history, be viewed as quite fairly and reasonably undeniable. Now, separately, as to sainthood, I've given quite a good deal of time, we effort, and study as to the scientific aspects of that, and , insofar as there do apparently seem to be quite genuinely aberrant yet well documented scientific anomalies associated with them corporeal remains of saints, apart from any purely anecdotal accounts of miracles performed by their interaction with a deity, whether directly, or indirectly, there I've been pretty much convinced that something fundamentally odd occurs biologically, and or physiologically , in such cases, e.g., the apparent lack of corruptionn and or decay of the corporeal bodily remains of saints . now, where the whole question becomes considerably trickoer philosophically, is when one considers the whole topic of miracles, and or the possibility of a human being actually being divine. There, I have no views, neither pro, nor con; there, I'm afraid, the scientific boundaries of my intellect reach a fundamental philosophic stone wall, and always will. However, deity? That, however, unquestionably, for manu psychophysical, as well as quite solid physical reasons, has very real and arguable basis in fact. Religion, as I said epbefore, is, for me, at least, a wholly separate issue, theology is, by contrast, at least quasirationally arguable, as is deity, at least my turn of mind (such as it is, lol). I hope all of the foregoing was at least of some interest, I obviously by no means expect to be agreed with, and any opinions are certainly only my own, by all means, I'd be most eager to hear any thoughts, anytime, most certainly, many thanks.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 29 at 2016 9:49 AM

2016-05-29T09:49:33-04:00

That's ok, if you are right and I am wrong, then no harm done. I would have lived a full and rewarding life. If there is a God and a heaven and hell, where does that leave you? And there are no Athiest in a combat! I have served three tours and not one I have ever seen or heard of.

Response by SPC Alexander Brandt made May 29 at 2016 6:29 PM

2016-05-29T18:29:51-04:00

I've never been part of any religion, nor possessed any religious faith. My parents raised me to be skeptical when listening to tales of gods and magic, and that's how I've stayed.