Hi, I'm new here. I live in the US "Bible Belt" and it's hard to totally relax with friends when you're pretty sure they'd like you less if they found out you were agnostic. So I'd like for there to be a few people here I could just "shoot the breeze" with. I think this is the only part of this website where general talk, non-debate, is encouraged. Right?
My position is that I just plain don't know about powerful, invisible beings. Except COVID-19 viruses! But you know what I mean.
I've tried religions, but I just can't feel sure enough about what they're saying, even the most basic things, to not feel like I'm faking it. Honesty is one of the best things about me, and it's valued in the major religions, so maybe if there is a God He would appreciate my honesty more than my faking. I don't reject God or religion; it's just beyond my ability to honestly believe it.
I've read the major religions' claims to have proof, or at least good evidence, but each says the other's evidence is fake, so I can't get anywhere that way. I'm still reading though. It's an important matter to me. But why oh why do the two with the largest following have to each say that the other is dangerously wrong? How are we supposed to make our way through that???
Maybe I can start a new religion called "Honest-ism." Actually I don't think I have the charisma to gather a group. But the religion would read scriptures from the major religions, and maybe the minor ones, then say a prayer admitting that we don't know and asking God, if He's there, to step in and tell us somehow. Then we'd have lunch and talk about our lawns and pets and stuff. And we'd feel pretty good about having done all we could, and wait for enlightenment.
My position is that I just plain don't know about powerful, invisible beings. Except COVID-19 viruses! But you know what I mean.
I've tried religions, but I just can't feel sure enough about what they're saying, even the most basic things, to not feel like I'm faking it. Honesty is one of the best things about me, and it's valued in the major religions, so maybe if there is a God He would appreciate my honesty more than my faking. I don't reject God or religion; it's just beyond my ability to honestly believe it.
I've read the major religions' claims to have proof, or at least good evidence, but each says the other's evidence is fake, so I can't get anywhere that way. I'm still reading though. It's an important matter to me. But why oh why do the two with the largest following have to each say that the other is dangerously wrong? How are we supposed to make our way through that???
Maybe I can start a new religion called "Honest-ism." Actually I don't think I have the charisma to gather a group. But the religion would read scriptures from the major religions, and maybe the minor ones, then say a prayer admitting that we don't know and asking God, if He's there, to step in and tell us somehow. Then we'd have lunch and talk about our lawns and pets and stuff. And we'd feel pretty good about having done all we could, and wait for enlightenment.