Am I screwed?
- Thread starter GameNeo
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Everyone is agnostic. It's a belief system that states that we don't know for certain that there is a higher power, and proof is not yet available.
I break it down to those that are faithful and those that aren't. I think people evangelize their faith (or complete lack of) way too much. It should be a feeling that you have with some kind of higher power or maybe just a connection you feel with the great unknown. Shits like the Force, ya dig? Then again in Star Wars, the Force had is doubters. And I would recognize tolerate their doubt, as long as they are in favor of mutual understanding.
I break it down to those that are faithful and those that aren't. I think people evangelize their faith (or complete lack of) way too much. It should be a feeling that you have with some kind of higher power or maybe just a connection you feel with the great unknown. Shits like the Force, ya dig? Then again in Star Wars, the Force had is doubters. And I would recognize tolerate their doubt, as long as they are in favor of mutual understanding.
You'll be fine. you don't need to express your religion of lack of one daily, it's personal so it shouldn't effect any small relationships you may get into. unless you're looking for something long term, then it may be a problem. But I wouldn't worry, most people arn't really as religiousness as they let on.
PS I'm agnostic with a belief that if there is a god, they could care less about us.
PS I'm agnostic with a belief that if there is a god, they could care less about us.
I wasn't really directing that at you, sorry if it sounded like it. Also, Taoism is an eastern philosophy, and is the source of the Yin-Yang symbol. Anyhow, I think (based on your replies to others) that the people you see on a daily basis are quite openly religious. If you can, try to find someone who isn't, they may be more accepting of your opinions.GameNeo said:Heh, that is true. I do enjoy religious conversion topics. While I understand religion is a small part of the person, it is also one of the most make-or-break factors in a relationship or a friendship so it is hard to ignore it...to some extent.Xangi said:Trust me bud, I know what you mean. Being an atheist in a catholic school is no picnic, and I'm in Canada. I also know what you mean when you express a desire to find "fellow" agnostics and atheists, but you really shouldn't let that stop you. Religion is such a small part of who a person is, if someone lets it bug them, they clearly do not see the person, only the beliefs. Also, it has been said that opposites attract, perhaps finding a religious girl who respects you and whose beliefs you can respect is exactly what you need to be happy (You's never be at a loss for conversation topics at leastGameNeo said:).
I am currently going to a normal college (community). I am not saddened by this nor does it make me feel less happy. I am currently quite happy with my life and I am merely curious is all.Kpt._Rob said:
Forgive me for digressing but what is a Taoist exactly? I am not familiar with the term or religion (if it is a religion).
It is funny you should mention the force because I have had an argument recently on if the force was supposed to represent Christianity. See it is hard to compare though because you can actually see the force being used in life, situations rather than just on faith or blind devotion.moosek said:
I would be careful here. Religion WILL be an issue, regardless of whether or not your potential mate cares about it, because you're going to have to deal with their family, their extended family, whether or not the concerned parties will want you two to be married in the church, and religion will become a huge issue if you ever plan to have children.Uber Evil said:
Impressionable Offspring: "Mommy? Why doesn't daddy go to church with us?"
Your Hapless Spouse: "Because daddy doesn't believe in God."
Impressionable Offspring: "But then isn't daddy going to Hell for being a blasphemous heathen?"
Your Hapless Spouse: "..."
Yes, Hapless Spouse. "..." indeed.
Anyway, I'd say OP's best bet is to do his darnedest to find a girl who's an agnostic or atheist like he is, or at least a girl who is very open-minded about religion (and doesn't want children).
I don't know about you, but I've dated several denominations of Christians, a Muslim, and a Hindu. Not one really cared to make a big deal out of me being an Apatheist. It really varies from person to person. Also, there are probably more Atheists and Agnostics than you give Texas credit for. You'll probably find a lot in larger cities, and even a handful in smaller towns.
If only to let you know that hope is not lost: I'm an agnostic/atheist and my wife is Christian. Both had our positions set when we met.
Well, like so many things in the worlds of religion and philosophy (whose lines frequently become blurred), an exact definition of what is to be a Taoist would be impossible, because most people [especially modern Taoists] approach it differently. That said, the fundamental element which would make someone a Taoist is that they are drawing some large portion of their philosophical ideas either directly from Lao Tzu's ancient book, the Tao Te Ching, or from contemporary Taoist philosophers who often blend elements of Taoist philosophy with elements of "New Age" metaphysics or scientific elements (theoretical quantum physics are particularly popular).GameNeo said:
Now, exactly what the philosophy in the Tao is, is even more difficult to lay out, as the very first line of the Tao itself says "The Tao which can be told is not the eternal Tao." So any description of Taoist philosophy should (to steal the old Buddhist turn of phrase) be taken as the pointing finger and not the moon. Many verses in the Tao Te Ching itself are written in paradox for this very reason, the concept they describe can only be told through negation. At its core though, Taoist philosophy is an approach to living in a world which is objectively meaningless, as well as a wisdom tradition meant to temper the way one interacts with the world. It also contains a lot of excellent advice on being content with things as they are, which I find especially helpful at times.
Culturally speaking (at least as far as Western traditions are concerned), Taoism isn't near as popular as one of its offspring, Zen Buddhism (which was a fusion of Taoism and Buddhism). So, if you have any interest in it, you could look into Zen Buddhism, or you could just go ahead and read the Tao Te Ching itself (which is a fairly short book, composed of 81 poems). Stephen Mitchell's translation is excellent, and would take at most an hour and a half to read (though if you do read it and find that you're like me, you'll probably end up re-reading it more times than you can count).
Wow... look at me rambling on. People can't ask me questions about Taoism, because it's just about impossible to get me to shut up. Oh well, I hope all that is helpful.
It's repeatedly tried to have been "scienced away" in-universe with mitoclorians as electro-magnetic bacteria, but most of these incidences coincide with some kind of unexplainable phenomenon like a force ghost or feeling a loss of someone's life very far away. [/nevergettinglaidagainbecauseofthis] I regularly visit wookiepedia.GameNeo said:
The Force is more like something of an eastern philosophy of spiritual or life energy flowing through each of us. Something that connects us to every living thing.
I live in Texas and I'm atheist, yet I have plenty of Christian and Catholic friends. I even have some Jewish and Hindu friends! Religion isn't too important among my friends and I, we don't discuss it too often.
While this is a tad cliched, if you two are meant to be together and you truly love each other, then religion won't be a problem.
Personally, I'd be much more worried about their parents, who are much less easily swayed than your significant other.
Personally, I'd be much more worried about their parents, who are much less easily swayed than your significant other.
Dont worry dude, everyone isn't retarded about religion. I you'll find someone. Until then worry mostly about yourself That my advice. PS. worse case you can leave Texas if you're an adult
I guess what Im getting at is that you arent screwed. (Its never that simple, friend)
I guess what Im getting at is that you arent screwed. (Its never that simple, friend)
I'm going to play devil's advocate here. I don't live in Texas, so I can't weigh in on your specific local. However, I am an agnostic living in an area where the majority of the population are Christian.
Should it matter? No. Will it matter? Yes.
Religion is very important part of a lot of people's lives, and in my experience a majority of them are uncomfortable socializing at any level beyond casual acquaintance with someone who is of a different religion then them, and (usually) even more so with agnostics / atheists. Generally, the more religious they are, the more narrow their comfort zones.
That goes double when you start bringing romance into the picture. Being a self identified agnostic is certainly going to reduce your "dating pool". Honestly, that is just one of the prices your going to have to pay for being true to yourself.
On the other hand, you are far, far from alone in this day in age. The various beliefs with which traditional religion is less then comfortable (and in this I am including not only Atheists and Agnostics but also Pagans (of all sorts), Goddess Worshipers, Wiccans, etc) are far more wide spread, and far more public. In addition, you might find that people who hail from beliefs which are traditionally not accepted by the main-stream religious majority might be a lot more tolerant of your beliefs, even if they are not the same as theirs.
In the mean time, I will hazard to offer some advice.
First don't volunteer that you are agnostic, unless your looking to be converted. This is NOT the same thing as hiding your beliefs, or pretending to be something your not, if pressed, certainly be honest, but if your area is as religion oriented as you indicate, you would probably be better of avoiding the topic if you can.
Many religious people seem to feel that agnostics have simply "not seen the light" and make it their mission to shine the flashlight in your face at every opportunity. Those that insist on pressing you for your beliefs, (and then telling you they are wrong) are probably not people you want to socialize with anyway.
Many people will just assume if you don't say anything that you believe like they do. Most of the time, you can have a great friendship with these people, just by avoiding the topic. Obviously this is going to be less successful if your looking for a romantic relationship (although I do personally know people who make relationships work this way).
And then there will be a few that just don't care. This is usually the best for long term, close relationships, because your religious views simply are not a factor.
Second, cultivate relationships with like minded people wherever you can find them. They will make you feel less "a stranger in a strange land". In your case, that probably means finding like minded people online with whom you can discuss relevant topics, and share your experiences.
I'm not gonna kid you. It's not necessarily comfortable to fly in the face of the main-stream religious majority. You will likely feel somewhat "outcast" even when your nominally accepted, but you will likely survive, and be happier and more content within yourself because you are true to your own beliefs.
Should it matter? No. Will it matter? Yes.
Religion is very important part of a lot of people's lives, and in my experience a majority of them are uncomfortable socializing at any level beyond casual acquaintance with someone who is of a different religion then them, and (usually) even more so with agnostics / atheists. Generally, the more religious they are, the more narrow their comfort zones.
That goes double when you start bringing romance into the picture. Being a self identified agnostic is certainly going to reduce your "dating pool". Honestly, that is just one of the prices your going to have to pay for being true to yourself.
On the other hand, you are far, far from alone in this day in age. The various beliefs with which traditional religion is less then comfortable (and in this I am including not only Atheists and Agnostics but also Pagans (of all sorts), Goddess Worshipers, Wiccans, etc) are far more wide spread, and far more public. In addition, you might find that people who hail from beliefs which are traditionally not accepted by the main-stream religious majority might be a lot more tolerant of your beliefs, even if they are not the same as theirs.
In the mean time, I will hazard to offer some advice.
First don't volunteer that you are agnostic, unless your looking to be converted. This is NOT the same thing as hiding your beliefs, or pretending to be something your not, if pressed, certainly be honest, but if your area is as religion oriented as you indicate, you would probably be better of avoiding the topic if you can.
Many religious people seem to feel that agnostics have simply "not seen the light" and make it their mission to shine the flashlight in your face at every opportunity. Those that insist on pressing you for your beliefs, (and then telling you they are wrong) are probably not people you want to socialize with anyway.
Many people will just assume if you don't say anything that you believe like they do. Most of the time, you can have a great friendship with these people, just by avoiding the topic. Obviously this is going to be less successful if your looking for a romantic relationship (although I do personally know people who make relationships work this way).
And then there will be a few that just don't care. This is usually the best for long term, close relationships, because your religious views simply are not a factor.
Second, cultivate relationships with like minded people wherever you can find them. They will make you feel less "a stranger in a strange land". In your case, that probably means finding like minded people online with whom you can discuss relevant topics, and share your experiences.
I'm not gonna kid you. It's not necessarily comfortable to fly in the face of the main-stream religious majority. You will likely feel somewhat "outcast" even when your nominally accepted, but you will likely survive, and be happier and more content within yourself because you are true to your own beliefs.
You are only screwed if either you confess, or there is a mountain of hard evidence against you.
But as for lady issues, everyone has them, and even in a state as bad as Texas there should be one or two you can find. Seriously, don't be discouraged by a state's reputation.
But as for lady issues, everyone has them, and even in a state as bad as Texas there should be one or two you can find. Seriously, don't be discouraged by a state's reputation.
I do fine and I'm an Atheist. And a Socialist. And a vegetarian. And I hate American Football. And I hate hunting. And I refuse to ever say the Texas (or American for that matter) pledge. And I don't like country music.
I like guns, but other than that I have nothing in common with the people in this state and I still do alright.
I like guns, but other than that I have nothing in common with the people in this state and I still do alright.
My advice:
Do what makes you happy dude. Do whatever makes you happy. And if anyone gives you crap, they ain't worth your time. You're free to believe whatever you want.
Do what makes you happy dude. Do whatever makes you happy. And if anyone gives you crap, they ain't worth your time. You're free to believe whatever you want.