Anything goes secular spirituality thread
sentient puddle
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Essex, UK
Posts: 180
Originally Posted by stone 
I agree with what he says. Have you heard the audiobook? He sounds smuuuhug!
sentient puddle
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Essex, UK
Posts: 180
Yeah that's generally my attitude too - people are free to believe what they want, just not to cause harm to others in the name of those beliefs.
Unfortunately, in many respects, harm is being caused in the name of religion, inspired or caused by religion - look at the attitude towards contraception (especially with AIDS in africa), the undermining of science, fundamentalist terrorism, the abortion issue, stem cell research, and so on.
Without wanting to get into the politics of these, it's my firm belief that religion is at best a hindrance to intelligent discussion on certain matters, and even a real source of suffering.
So i think it's right that there should be a movement to try and question and challenge religion and faith. Unfortunately, whilst moderately religious people don't wish to cause harm, the whole idea that faith, and by extension irrational belief, is sacred and not to be challenged, means that fundamentalism is more difficult to tackle at the root.
Just my opinion!
Unfortunately, in many respects, harm is being caused in the name of religion, inspired or caused by religion - look at the attitude towards contraception (especially with AIDS in africa), the undermining of science, fundamentalist terrorism, the abortion issue, stem cell research, and so on.
Without wanting to get into the politics of these, it's my firm belief that religion is at best a hindrance to intelligent discussion on certain matters, and even a real source of suffering.
So i think it's right that there should be a movement to try and question and challenge religion and faith. Unfortunately, whilst moderately religious people don't wish to cause harm, the whole idea that faith, and by extension irrational belief, is sacred and not to be challenged, means that fundamentalism is more difficult to tackle at the root.
Just my opinion!
Never settle.
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Under immense pressure
Posts: 1,505
Originally Posted by Bamboozle
Big thanks for this.
I don't care what people believe, as long as they aren't trying to control my life in any way and as long as they leave others alone. Religious people with an agenda scare me.
I don't care what people believe, as long as they aren't trying to control my life in any way and as long as they leave others alone. Religious people with an agenda scare me.
Never settle.
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Under immense pressure
Posts: 1,505
Originally Posted by spark42
Yeah it can be fun to dig up a few bones and stuff... So long as i'm left alone to believe they're washed up from the flood, it's all good...
Just a satirical remark!
Just a satirical remark!
sentient puddle
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Essex, UK
Posts: 180
I thought this was a secular forum...
I'm sure i don't need to explain the meaning of that...
The thing is i find myself repeatedly engaged in the same tedious debate that i do within aa and other religious circles...
Why do people keep popping up with religious ideas or apologising for or advocating religion?
I want no part in, and am not interested in religion. At least to the extent that my only interest in it is to debunk and undermine it.
I thought i'd found a safe haven, a religion free forum regarding alcoholic problems.
I find now that again and again i have to have the exact same conversations and give the exact same arguments i did when dealing with aa religious folk.
I wanted to escape that!
I won't be posting here again.
Take care and hugs to you all.
I'm sure i don't need to explain the meaning of that...
The thing is i find myself repeatedly engaged in the same tedious debate that i do within aa and other religious circles...
Why do people keep popping up with religious ideas or apologising for or advocating religion?
I want no part in, and am not interested in religion. At least to the extent that my only interest in it is to debunk and undermine it.
I thought i'd found a safe haven, a religion free forum regarding alcoholic problems.
I find now that again and again i have to have the exact same conversations and give the exact same arguments i did when dealing with aa religious folk.
I wanted to escape that!
I won't be posting here again.
Take care and hugs to you all.
sentient puddle
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Essex, UK
Posts: 180
Like i said mate i'm just a bit fed up with the religious debate... Thought this place was a safe place for the non religious to share, but again and again it's turning into religious debate...
I've had this religious debate with aa people...
Seriously it does my head in,..
Why do we keep having to explain why we don't believe in the invisible pink unicorn?
I've had this religious debate with aa people...
Seriously it does my head in,..
Why do we keep having to explain why we don't believe in the invisible pink unicorn?
Big Idiot Man Child
Join Date: May 2004
Location: La
Posts: 5,664
Originally Posted by spark42
Like i said mate i'm just a bit fed up with the religious debate... Thought this place was a safe place for the non religious to share, but again and again it's turning into religious debate...
I've had this religious debate with aa people...
Seriously it does my head in,..
Why do we keep having to explain why we don't believe in the invisible pink unicorn?
I've had this religious debate with aa people...
Seriously it does my head in,..
Why do we keep having to explain why we don't believe in the invisible pink unicorn?
Dude, it's the Easter Bunny we were talking about. I don't know where you got the pink unicorn thing.
Yer after me Lucky Charms are ya?
They're always after me Lucky Charms !!!
You know what... maybe a secular thread where religion talk is not "allowed" is like telling someone "don't think about camels". And then all they can think about is camels.
I'm going bonkers tonight. My fiance is visiting me and he doesn't really get what's going on inside my head with my work on staying sober... and I can't seem to explain it. And I haven't been attending meetings because between school and work I don't feel like I can sneak off for anything else, ditto with spending too much time on the internet.
So basically, I'm a mess, albeit sober still (although there was a moment in New York last weekend where all I could see was bars and I could just about taste vodka in my throat). Y'all can talk about pink unicorns or green leprochauns or AA or your favorite porn sites, whatever, I'm just glad to be able to be in the presence of people walking the same path.
I'm going bonkers tonight. My fiance is visiting me and he doesn't really get what's going on inside my head with my work on staying sober... and I can't seem to explain it. And I haven't been attending meetings because between school and work I don't feel like I can sneak off for anything else, ditto with spending too much time on the internet.
So basically, I'm a mess, albeit sober still (although there was a moment in New York last weekend where all I could see was bars and I could just about taste vodka in my throat). Y'all can talk about pink unicorns or green leprochauns or AA or your favorite porn sites, whatever, I'm just glad to be able to be in the presence of people walking the same path.
Never settle.
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Under immense pressure
Posts: 1,505
This is the "anything goes secular spirituality thread." Seems unlikely there wouldn't be some mention of religion on it. I just pick my battles; I've gotten bored with religious debate cuz it never goes anywhere and I end up just ignoring all of it.
Now, for my Randy Travis... yeah I'm still sittin' alone diggin' up bones....
Now, for my Randy Travis... yeah I'm still sittin' alone diggin' up bones....
Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 753
Did some good reading in Smart Recovery and LifeRing books yesterday - was feeling my own joy in sobriety slipping.. maybe like you were feeling in NY SelfSeeking.. I use the writings from both of those programs for support a lot.
The Smart Recovery handbook has one page dedicated to the benefit of abstinence over moderation and every time I read it I find myself thinking "duh...." It is such simple stuff but years of trying to think of excuses to moderate will take more than a few months of sobriety thinking.. The very simple one that got to me yesterday was something like "because with abstinence you get to feel what you are like without altering substances"... For me this means really valuing what sobriety is - i.e. going TOWARD sobriety rather than AWAY FROM alcohol.
So much for my thought for the day - it worked for me yesterday to realign my own path and somehow today I feel happier.
Hey all you - love being here with all of you... Do need this forum a lot! :ghug
The Smart Recovery handbook has one page dedicated to the benefit of abstinence over moderation and every time I read it I find myself thinking "duh...." It is such simple stuff but years of trying to think of excuses to moderate will take more than a few months of sobriety thinking.. The very simple one that got to me yesterday was something like "because with abstinence you get to feel what you are like without altering substances"... For me this means really valuing what sobriety is - i.e. going TOWARD sobriety rather than AWAY FROM alcohol.
So much for my thought for the day - it worked for me yesterday to realign my own path and somehow today I feel happier.
Hey all you - love being here with all of you... Do need this forum a lot! :ghug
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