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I grew up in a non-religious household. I have a science career track. I study a good amount of science. I didn't know much about religions. When I was young, I

I grew up in a non-religious household. I have a science career track. I study a good amount of science. I didn't know much about religions. When I was young, I consider myself an atheist. I enjoy reading history. Sometimes, I end up reading some religious material. I'm reaching the middle of my life. I gradually transition into religious beliefs. It's somewhat an awkward and unexpected journey. There's so much mystery in life. When you were young, you think you understand a lot. You can study anything. But you'd slowly find yourself clueless. No book can describe the experience of having and raising children. I'm not sure if I'd go back to atheism towards the end of my life. I did meet people who go that route. It's kind of interesting to see. Maybe, we just bounce around.

ceilingcorner 6y ago
A little philosophy inclines man's mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy brings men's minds about to religion. - Francis Bacon I’ve had the same experience myself. I’d reckon it’s because ‘atheism’ in the modern western sense is really just a kind of aimless post-Christian pseudo-humanism. Its amorphousness doesn’t lend itself well to providing any deeper meaning to life.
- goto11 6y ago
  Because atheism is not a religion. It is literally just the lack of belief in any religion. It is not an ethical system or philosophy or ideology or explanation of anything beyond that. Atheism just means you have too seek meaning somewhere else than in religion. It does not in itself provide that meaning.
  - ceilingcorner 6y ago
    The concept of contemporary atheism is directly traceable from Christianity, the enlightenment, and western civilization as a whole, just like other ideas such as democracy or human rights. The term ‘atheism’ makes no sense in a Buddhist context, for example. Fundamentally, the word ‘religion’ is just misunderstood by most people, or ascribed only to a narrow institutional or literalist sort of belief. Much of what one believes is unconscious or behavioral, rather than explicitly stated in words. Many/most of the people whom call themselves atheists today (especially the so-called New Atheists) also tend to still maintain this Christian ethical and political heritage (belief in democracy or the essential equality of human life, for example), even if they don’t realize the origins of their beliefs. Many of these beliefs can be described as ‘humanist’. Hence my calling them ‘post-Christian pseudo-humanists.’
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
    - goto11 6y ago
      I can believe there is a correlation between atheism and democratic/humanistic values, at least among modern western intellectuals. But Pol Pot was also an atheist, so it is not like it follows by necessity. I'm really just pointing out that atheism does not imply any particular philosophy beyond the rejection of religion. The grandparent comment sounded to me a bit like "I tried not believing in Santa Claus, but it didn't really give my life meaning." Well no, but it's not supposed to!
technothrasher 6y ago
There's so much mystery in life. When you were young, you think you understand a lot. You can study anything. But you'd slowly find yourself clueless. This realization as I got older actually pushed me more toward atheism. I realized none of the religions actually got you any closer to solving any of life's mysteries. They just inserted rediculous answers without any good reason to believe them. Now, my atheism isn't the young person's "crusading atheism". It's just simply my current inability to believe that a god or gods are the answer. I'm stuck there until there's a better reason than, "we can't explain a lot of stuff, so therefore we can just insert the supernatural and call it explained."
- dnprock 6y ago
  I wouldn't say religion makes a lot of sense. They don't answer all. Science sure answers a lot. Religion has some useful ideas. Praying is a form of meditation that calms the mind. Fasting seems to work better than most diets we've known. Having children increases long-term survival. These common religious practices are actually long-term scientific thinking. I thought it's pretty ridiculous that God created the world in 7 days. But then I learned most of the Big Bang happened in less than 1 second. There's good knowledge that we overlook because it is considered religious.

ceilingcorner 6y ago

A little philosophy inclines man's mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy brings men's minds about to religion. - Francis Bacon I’ve had the same experience myself. I’d reckon it’s because ‘atheism’ in the modern western sense is really just a kind of aimless post-Christian pseudo-humanism. Its amorphousness doesn’t lend itself well to providing any deeper meaning to life.

goto11 6y ago
Because atheism is not a religion. It is literally just the lack of belief in any religion. It is not an ethical system or philosophy or ideology or explanation of anything beyond that. Atheism just means you have too seek meaning somewhere else than in religion. It does not in itself provide that meaning.
- ceilingcorner 6y ago
  The concept of contemporary atheism is directly traceable from Christianity, the enlightenment, and western civilization as a whole, just like other ideas such as democracy or human rights. The term ‘atheism’ makes no sense in a Buddhist context, for example. Fundamentally, the word ‘religion’ is just misunderstood by most people, or ascribed only to a narrow institutional or literalist sort of belief. Much of what one believes is unconscious or behavioral, rather than explicitly stated in words. Many/most of the people whom call themselves atheists today (especially the so-called New Atheists) also tend to still maintain this Christian ethical and political heritage (belief in democracy or the essential equality of human life, for example), even if they don’t realize the origins of their beliefs. Many of these beliefs can be described as ‘humanist’. Hence my calling them ‘post-Christian pseudo-humanists.’
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
  - goto11 6y ago
    I can believe there is a correlation between atheism and democratic/humanistic values, at least among modern western intellectuals. But Pol Pot was also an atheist, so it is not like it follows by necessity. I'm really just pointing out that atheism does not imply any particular philosophy beyond the rejection of religion. The grandparent comment sounded to me a bit like "I tried not believing in Santa Claus, but it didn't really give my life meaning." Well no, but it's not supposed to!

technothrasher 6y ago

There's so much mystery in life. When you were young, you think you understand a lot. You can study anything. But you'd slowly find yourself clueless. This realization as I got older actually pushed me more toward atheism. I realized none of the religions actually got you any closer to solving any of life's mysteries. They just inserted rediculous answers without any good reason to believe them. Now, my atheism isn't the young person's "crusading atheism". It's just simply my current inability to believe that a god or gods are the answer. I'm stuck there until there's a better reason than, "we can't explain a lot of stuff, so therefore we can just insert the supernatural and call it explained."

dnprock 6y ago
I wouldn't say religion makes a lot of sense. They don't answer all. Science sure answers a lot. Religion has some useful ideas. Praying is a form of meditation that calms the mind. Fasting seems to work better than most diets we've known. Having children increases long-term survival. These common religious practices are actually long-term scientific thinking. I thought it's pretty ridiculous that God created the world in 7 days. But then I learned most of the Big Bang happened in less than 1 second. There's good knowledge that we overlook because it is considered religious.