thread: 2005-08-09 : The New Open House 2: Religion
On 2005-09-16, Collin M. Trail wrote:
I'd describe myself as an athiest.
I'm not absolutely certain that the popular Christian conception of God doesn't exist, but I'm not absolutely certain that werewolves don't exist, either. I just think they are both so unlikely that I don't worry about either.
I suppose that some ineffable being could exist, and could be described as a God, but it wouldn't be the kind of thing you could trust or have a relationship with.
I'm very interested in ethics and developing a sense of purpose. I've noticed that many people assume, because of my atheism and scientific training, that I must think these things are meaningless.
I was effectively raised atheist, as both of my parents had fallings out with the church. I can't remember either of them talking about religion much.
I'm attracted to the less supernatural interpretations of Buddhism and Taoism, since many of their tenets match my own personal experiences. I once tried meditating while staring at the ceiling, and had the experience of losing the sense of differentiation between the contents of my mind, and my awareness of the environment. I'm also interested in learning more about naturalistic pantheism, which seems to be about reverence for nature and seeking out religious experiences without adopting superstitious beliefs.
I've always been attracted to the community aspect of churches. They seem to have some of the best social networks still surviving in a very alienated society. But I haven't ever found a religious community I've had much common ground with.
