> > The opposite of faith is non-existence. [ducking! :-) ]
> > Reed
> YES! To me this is the crux.
> What we must change is to get people to have faith in themselves and to
> find in themselves everything that is needed to find peace and happiness.
Yes -- but I wouldn't call that faith -- that is self-confidence;
experience, or if you want a religious dimension it is the recognition of
our "soul"
> It is our belief that we must look outside for things (both material and
> spiritual) to sustain us that is the false belief.
Jesus had what little he did say on this issue right -- but he did not go
far enough and say "Thou are God" -- you ALREADY have enlightenment, if you
would just realize it.
"The Kingdom of God is within you" Luke 17:21
By the way, while I remember, I'd like to recommend to all of you the Bible
Gateway:
You can search the entire Bible for any string of text, or about any topic,
you can view the same verse in multiple different translations, or even in
different languages, if you so prefer.
The most excellent resource on the Bible I have ever found -- I cannot
recommend this site more highly!
> As a theist I think that as a child of God I have a connection through Him
> to everyone else. As a Buddhist I know that I need no priest to accomplish
> my own enlightenment.
>
> If the atheists can find the same connection, then we are on the same wave
> length even if we have the opposite belief.
What other way is there for us?
Seriously, though, this is what freethinking is all about, and what atheism
too leads to, in the end.
Not finding a crutch without, from the Church, we must go within to find
the needed support.
"An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support."
[John Buchan (1875-1940) British author, statesman]
And this is hammered home in the definition of a freethinker:
freethinker, n.: a person who forms his opinions about religion
independently of tradition, authority, or established belief.
As a "spiritual" freethinking atheist, I can assure you that *I* have found
that connection.
What I'm worried about is that most Christians -- who I think get to this
kind of point ANYWAY[1] -- despite being told that God is outside of them
-- are living in a system which is really not that helpful spiritually, and
which requires all sorts of things that are not so nice on the side.
Why burden yourself?
ERiC
[1] Most Christians end up with a relationship with the "Holy Ghost" -- I
don't think it's healthy to call that spiritual feeling a being, but I
cannot deny it is probably the same thing.