Happy Atheist Forum

yo. so check it out. just wondering if those who arn't into God think there is something at lease supernatural, or spirtual, or whatever term is fitting. somthing we can't see basically...

or is there nothing you've experienced or a friend has that's showed it might exist.

Hi. I think everyone here would agree that the fact that there are still a zillion things to find out is what makes living on this planet so fabulous. Calling something supernatural just means that you don't understand it yet. Spirituality for me is about a personal journey to find an inner calm/contentedness and has no bearing on or influence by otherworldly elements.

Quote from: "lifeatlast"yo. so check it out. just wondering if those who arn't into God think there is something at lease supernatural, or spirtual, or whatever term is fitting. somthing we can't see basically...

"Supernatural" works for me. I used to believe in God because I used to be a Christian. Now I don't believe in anything supernatural, if you mean it in that sense.
 

Quote from: "lifeatlast"or is there nothing you've experienced or a friend has that's showed it might exist.

I'm not sure what I could experience that would "show it might exist". So far no, but if I did, it wouldn't matter to me. If I experience something I don't understand, I'm fine with that. I like not knowing sometimes. Kind of going with what weedoch said, it makes life exciting. I don't believe in the supernatural, and whether or not it exists is irrelevant to me. Basically, I don't believe and I don't care. Sounds childish maybe, but that's how I see it.

Quote"Supernatural" works for me. I used to believe in God because I used to be a Christian. Now I don't believe in anything supernatural, if you mean it in that sense.

i used to think i was christian. then i really became one. there is a difference....not being mean. just seeing if you might know the difference...
 

QuoteI'm not sure what I could experience that would "show it might exist". So far no, but if I did, it wouldn't matter to me. If I experience something I don't understand, I'm fine with that. I like not knowing sometimes. Kind of going with what weedoch said, it makes life exciting. I don't believe in the supernatural, and whether or not it exists is irrelevant to me. Basically, I don't believe and I don't care. Sounds childish maybe, but that's how I see it.

that's alright. what about 'ghosts'? how do you feel about them? or think they are...

Quote from: "lifeatlast"

Quote"Supernatural" works for me. I used to believe in God because I used to be a Christian. Now I don't believe in anything supernatural, if you mean it in that sense.

i used to think i was christian. then i really became one. there is a difference....not being mean. just seeing if you might know the difference...

I used to think I was a Christian as well. Then I really became one. Then I became an atheist. It's possible, though you may disagree.  I used to tell people the same thing you just told me. I know the difference. I believed in Jesus Christ as my savior with all of my heart and soul. He was my life and everything I had. I truly loved Him and believed everything I was taught from the Bible. I never understood how someone could not believe in Him. Now if you're going to say that I couldn't have truly believed if I "turned my back on Him", please, I've already heard it.
 

Quote from: "susangail"

Quote from: "lifeatlast"I'm not sure what I could experience that would "show it might exist". So far no, but if I did, it wouldn't matter to me. If I experience something I don't understand, I'm fine with that. I like not knowing sometimes. Kind of going with what weedoch said, it makes life exciting. I don't believe in the supernatural, and whether or not it exists is irrelevant to me. Basically, I don't believe and I don't care. Sounds childish maybe, but that's how I see it.

that's alright. what about 'ghosts'? how do you feel about them? or think they are...

I think they make nice stories (that always scare me to death...) but I don't think they're any more than stories.

I don't believe in anything that could properly be called supernatural or spiritual.  I love nature and feel a certain connection to it, to some that may be a spiritual feeling; I just call it appreciation.

I think that alot of it is crap.But I am probley wrong.Ghosts aren't ghosts but figment of our imagination.We want so much to believe in life after death that sometimes seeing and hearing things we can't explain becomes well a ghost.After I lost my mom I swore I could smell roses,but I know it was just me hoping that there is more to death.It's a very scary thing to think that we just cease ...that life is null in the end.I would hope to think if there is more thenjust us in the universe,that they would have been curious enough to contact us.Unless there is another race out there just like us wanting to but unable.As for cryptozoology who knows we.We think we've seen them all then find another new animal.

QuoteI used to think I was a Christian as well. Then I really became one. Then I became an atheist. It's possible, though you may disagree.  I used to tell people the same thing you just told me. I know the difference. I believed in Jesus Christ as my savior with all of my heart and soul. He was my life and everything I had. I truly loved Him and believed everything I was taught from the Bible. I never understood how someone could not believe in Him. Now if you're going to say that I couldn't have truly believed if I "turned my back on Him", please, I've already heard it.

no i believe it's possible.  so then back to the OP, do you still deny that there is a 'void' in all haminity? a spiritual gap? this is most curious.....

QuoteI think they make nice stories (that always scare me to death...) but I don't think they're any more than stories.

ok no prob. what about witchcraft. they have powers. (not harry potter!!!) but real, i'll curse you witches. how do you feel about them? and their 'power'?

Quote from: "lifeatlast"

Quotebut real, i'll curse you witches. how do you feel about them? and their 'power'?

They just think they have power but it is only in their imagination.  I've spoken with people who practice magick and even they, when pressed, admit their efforts are hit and miss.

There's a big difference between supernatural/spiritual and "currently unexplained," as weedoch alluded to.  

On the other hand, I'm conflicted about ghosts (or whatever term you'd like to use) as I have multiple firsthand experiences with it. Still trying to figure that one out.

Quote from: "lifeatlast"

Quote from: "susangail"I used to think I was a Christian as well. Then I really became one. Then I became an atheist. It's possible, though you may disagree.  I used to tell people the same thing you just told me. I know the difference. I believed in Jesus Christ as my savior with all of my heart and soul. He was my life and everything I had. I truly loved Him and believed everything I was taught from the Bible. I never understood how someone could not believe in Him. Now if you're going to say that I couldn't have truly believed if I "turned my back on Him", please, I've already heard it.

no i believe it's possible.  so then back to the OP, do you still deny that there is a 'void' in all haminity? a spiritual gap? this is most curious.....

Umm... you've lost me. Do you mean a "'void' in all humanity"? I'm sorry, what are you asking?

Quote from: "lifeatlast"

Quote from: "susangail"I think they make nice stories (that always scare me to death...) but I don't think they're any more than stories.

ok no prob. what about witchcraft. they have powers. (not harry potter!!!) but real, i'll curse you witches. how do you feel about them? and their 'power'?

Nope, "real" witchcraft and their "power" are as real to me as Harry Potter and his wand. I sense a pattern coming, and to clear things up I'll say it again: I don't believe in anything supernatural. That includes gods, ghosts, witchcraft, an afterlife, the soul, etc.

For a long time I had wanted to believe in the supernatural because it opened up the door to everything fantastic.
Worlds within worlds within worlds of possibilities.
But simple reality set in.

Occam's Razor set the standard. "All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best."

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof."
and
"In science, the burden of proof falls upon the claimant; and the more extraordinary a claim, the heavier is the burden of proof demanded. The true skeptic takes an agnostic position, one that says the claim is not proved rather than disproved. He asserts that the claimant has not borne the burden of proof and that science must continue to build its cognitive map of reality without incorporating the extraordinary claim as a new "fact." Since the true skeptic does not assert a claim, he has no burden to prove anything. He just goes on using the established theories of "conventional science" as usual. But if a critic asserts that there is evidence for disproof, that he has a negative hypothesisâ€"saying, for instance, that a seeming psi result was actually due to an artifactâ€"he is making a claim and therefore also has to bear a burden of proof." (Marcello Truzzi)

And nothing, nothing, nothing from esp to voodoo, ufos to cryptozoological beasties, and spirits and demons to god, et al, ad nauseum has stood up to the simple concept of proof. Repeatedly verifiable proof.

Nope. No supernatural. In fact, the last issue of Skeptical Inquirer had three good essays on why the supernatural isn't so "super".

I don't believe in ghosts or anything of that sort, but i do believe there is a spiritual aspect to our world. Not really sure what, but just something that connects people.

For example:
Both my grandfather and his sister were on the brink of death. My grandfather's wife overheard him talking in his sleep and saying "No, it's all right. You go on ahead. I'm not quite ready yet." The next day, his sister had passed on. He lingered for a few days and then died himself.

And has anyone ever heard stories about mothers of teenagers who suddenly woke up in the middle of the night the moment their kid got in a car wreck?

I think there's some merrit to that. Maybe it's all coincidental, but I think that there's something that can't be seen, but can tie people together. I think that the idea of gods comes from people trying to personify these connections and make them sentient. I find that ridiculous, but I still think there are things in this world that can't be proven.

Quote from: "Happysmiley"I don't believe in ghosts or anything of that sort, but i do believe there is a spiritual aspect to our world. Not really sure what, but just something that connects people.

For example:
Both my grandfather and his sister were on the brink of death. My grandfather's wife overheard him talking in his sleep and saying "No, it's all right. You go on ahead. I'm not quite ready yet." The next day, his sister had passed on. He lingered for a few days and then died himself.

And has anyone ever heard stories about mothers of teenagers who suddenly woke up in the middle of the night the moment their kid got in a car wreck?

I think there's some merrit to that. Maybe it's all coincidental, but I think that there's something that can't be seen, but can tie people together. I think that the idea of gods comes from people trying to personify these connections and make them sentient. I find that ridiculous, but I still think there are things in this world that can't be proven.

Heard lots of stories over the years, but never saw any evidence. Everything is a friend of a friend or a relative told me that so-and-so said....like your story. They're good stories and they make some people feel better, but there is never any evidence for what you describe.

Quote from: "Happysmiley"I don't believe in ghosts or anything of that sort, but i do believe there is a spiritual aspect to our world. Not really sure what, but just something that connects people.

For example:
Both my grandfather and his sister were on the brink of death. My grandfather's wife overheard him talking in his sleep and saying "No, it's all right. You go on ahead. I'm not quite ready yet." The next day, his sister had passed on. He lingered for a few days and then died himself.

And has anyone ever heard stories about mothers of teenagers who suddenly woke up in the middle of the night the moment their kid got in a car wreck?

I think there's some merrit to that. Maybe it's all coincidental, but I think that there's something that can't be seen, but can tie people together. I think that the idea of gods comes from people trying to personify these connections and make them sentient. I find that ridiculous, but I still think there are things in this world that can't be proven.

It's easy to see these things when you're always looking for them.Mothers worry all the time anyway,so it seems natural that this would happen.Of course not everything can be proven but we sure try  

Quote from: "Smallville"For a long time I had wanted to believe in the supernatural because it opened up the door to everything fantastic. Worlds within worlds within worlds of possibilities. But simple reality set in.

This reminds me of passages from "The Demon Haunted World - Science as a Candle in the Dark" from Carl Sagan. The basic theme of the book is that people should put their efforts in the true wonders that science and pursuit of truth can reveal, instead of the empty pursuit of religion/witchcraft/superstition. If only we as a human race could put the kind of effort into biochemistry, physics, and astronomy that we have put into faith in miracles, ghosts, or whatever, imagine the 'worlds within worlds' that could be discovered. It's a really exciting thought.

No, nothing as far as a different reality goes. But sure, we all have some sort of sense of wonder that I guess you could call spiritual. Things like crying at a movie or to music, being moved by the beauty of nature, wondering about the cosmos and just what more is yet to be discovered, or being engrossed in a great book, etc. Of course those things can be rationally explained, but that doesn't make it any less moving or "spiritual".

I don't question emotion and things that I don't understand and try to dissect it and explain it away, because I know everything has a sound reason being it. I just enjoy the moment and take it for what it is. I know, scientifically speaking, why I get scared if I'm in a dark forest at night, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the moment for what it is. So I guess in that vein you can call me spiritual.

But real ghosts, spirits, gods and other invisible things? No, not real, just mankind's pathetic attempt to explain something that's not (or wasn't) fully understood, when just enjoying the wonderment of it would have sufficed.