How much does your lack of belief effect your life?

[Dysphemist]

It seems to me that in many cases my atheism has a greater effect on my life than theism does for other people. There are people I know, who I'm close to, who I had no idea even believed in God until recently (I just assumed they were apathetic atheist/agnostic). Though I've noticed that the god that these people believe in has little to no impact on what those people do. I'm not looking for a response from Christians who say that these people aren't 'true Christians' because it doesn't change the fact that they believe.

I think that my atheism (previously my agnosticism also) has had a much larger impact on my life and lead me to much more than the theism of the Christians around me has for them. I strongly assume that I think about my lack of belief more than they think about their belief.

It may seem contradictory or ridiculous to ask the question (I can anticipate answers along the lines of 'how can lacking belief in something effect you?'), but I know that my atheism has greatly affected the way I think, feel and act.

Has anyone else felt the same way?

ETA: Sorry about the poll question. I didn't have room to add on the end of it "in comparison to the theism or theist's you know" (or something like that). Also, I live in Australia where cultural/apathetic Christianity seems to be a big thing; I don't know what it is like overseas.

[Mashuna]

I get to have a nice lie in on a Sunday morning.

[Zep]

Not in the slightest.

PS. This is a null poll. It has no Planet X option.




Oh I get it! The Planet X option is "Planet X does not believe in you, so you don't know it exists."! Groovy!

[Akhenaten]

What geneeee said. Although I live in a nominally christian country, the vast majority of people I know don't attend church, don't worship at home and give no thought to their religion at all until it comes time to quiz me about how I could possibly be a godless heathen. I MUST believe in something is their only argument, and I'm the one who has to think long and hard in order to construct detailed refutations.

I consider this to be a positive effect.

Further, it seems that I have to put a lot more thought into answering questions for myself about a whole range of subjects where a theist simply accepts that goddidit.

I consider this to be a positive effect.

I never get invited to weddings, christenings and funerals. And, like Mashuna, I get to sleep in on Sundays.

I consider this to be a positive effect.

These are just off the top of my head, and likewise, I can't think of any negative effects other than I feel a bit miffed that some people keep blaming me for monotheism.


Thanks for the poll. I find this relevant to my interests. :)

[Cainkane1]

I've discovered that telling a stranger in a bar that I'm an atheist causes an argument.

[Dave Rogers]

Having been brought up in a generally atheist family, in a country (the United Kingdom) where atheism is regarded as a perfectly ordinary belief system, I find it a little difficult to say how atheism has affected my life any more than, for example, how the absence of faster-than-light travel has affected my life. I don't get excluded from weddings or funerals, even from religious relatives, possibly because none of my extended family are stupidly vindictive in that particular way. I celebrate Christmas along with everybody else because December is pretty depressing and it's a good way to cheer everyone up. I have too many children to get much of a lie-in on Sundays. As far as I can tell, I differ from the average British non-churchgoing tokenist Anglican only in that the social functions I attend centre more on steam engines than on religion, although there's a long-standing tradition for the same people to be active in both.

If you really want to know whether it makes a difference, you'll need to ask me when I'm dead.

Dave

[quarky]

its all about the after-life thingy. Seems to give some people an edge in their attitude.

Though I can imagine an atheist version of an after-life. Perhaps i'll describe it.

[Autolite]

Actually, I feel that my Atheism/Skepticism has somewhat of a detrimental effect socially. As I've mentioned in a previous thread, "I really wish that I could believe".

I have no Atheist friends in my social circle, so in that respect there is a sense of isolation. I have friends who range from hard core RC or Seventh Day Adventist to Wiccan, and I always find myself having to tailor my every word so as not to offend or provoke heated argument. I am very rarely allowed the luxury of expressing how I "really feel" about certain subjects without instigating a fight.

The other distressing fact is that because every one of my friends seems to believe in woo of some form or another, (god, ghosts, witches, psychics or dowsing), I have to contend with the notion that either I'm nuts or everyone else that I know is... :boggled:

[GStan]

.... I celebrate Christmas along with everybody else because December is pretty depressing and it's a good way to cheer everyone up. ....Dave

Is that a weather-related comment? Because from what I've seen, it seems like seasonal affective disorder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder) could be a year-round ordeal in the UK. For years, I've enjoyed watching the British Open (I think you snobs just call it The Open :D ) golf tournament on TV. It takes place in July. Maybe its just the camera angles, but there is absolutely no evidence, at least through the TV, that the UK has any months that would not qualify as depressing. I don't know how you chaps can stand it. :p

In any case, Merry Christmas!

[/OT]

[Dunstan]

It has pretty much no effect on my life, other than my participation here or the brief flashes of annoyance I get when I read about some bit of religious lunacy or First Amendment violation.

[Mister Agenda]

I started an atheist Meetup and joined the Unitarian Universalists and spend a lot more time on debate forums, so I'd say it has had a significant effect on my life. If I went back to my alma mater (USC, the Gamecock one) I'd certainly join the college Pastafarians, wish they'd have been around back when I was a college student.

[Minarvia]

Unless I'm on this forum I almost never think about it. Why would I? I don't spend much time thinking about IPU's or FSM's or any other so-called deities unless I'm here or the subject occassionally pops up in a conversation I'm near, which is seldom.

I have enough to do in my life that I don't spend every other moment thinking "I lack a belief in this or that" otherwise the list would go on forever. But coming here and mostly lurking is an interesting diversion for me sometimes.

[RandFan]

Only when I'm discussion religion. After I left religion I would have said in a number of ways it had a negative effect but that would be the same for quiting drinking or smoking. I've adjusted now and when I do think about it I'm very happy not to be controled by the whims and spurious beliefs of dead people.
I'm a happy atheist. :)

[quarky]

No-God could become a God in time.

Seems like God was invented as a reasonable explanation for observations; like science is now. No-God could be brought into existence if it isn't careful.

I can almost see him now, in all of his splendid non-existence.

[arthwollipot]

I found that religion affected my life, when I was religious, more than atheism does now. When I was religious, I was required to attend church, study the bible, go to meetings, pray, proselytise, abstain from certain behaviours or studies, and so on. And on. There were actually quite a lot of things that I was not allowed to do.

These days I have no such restrictions. I can do what I like, say what I like, masturbate without guilt...

[gumboot]

It doesn't appear to have any real impact on my life. I never even think about it. I cannot say the same for my pathological hatred of organised religion...

[Damien Evans]

Is that a weather-related comment? Because from what I've seen, it seems like seasonal affective disorder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder) could be a year-round ordeal in the UK. For years, I've enjoyed watching the British Open (I think you snobs just call it The Open :D ) golf tournament on TV. It takes place in July. Maybe its just the camera angles, but there is absolutely no evidence, at least through the TV, that the UK has any months that would not qualify as depressing. I don't know how you chaps can stand it. :p

In any case, Merry Christmas!

[/OT]

UGH.:mad:

It's definitely not the "British Open". It's not "The Open" either. It's called The Open Championship. Why do so many people have trouble accepting that?

[cj.23]

No Planet X option, and i can't vote anyway as I believe in a God or two

cj x

[quarky]

I found that religion affected my life, when I was religious, more than atheism does now. When I was religious, I was required to attend church, study the bible, go to meetings, pray, proselytise, abstain from certain behaviours or studies, and so on. And on. There were actually quite a lot of things that I was not allowed to do.

These days I have no such restrictions. I can do what I like, say what I like, masturbate without guilt...

Can you masturbate in public?

[The Man]

Anyone can, you just have to be willing to take the ramifications.

[arthwollipot]

Can you masturbate in public?I have no moral reason not to.

[RandFan]

Anyone can, you just have to be willing to take the ramifications.I'm willing to take it like a man.

[KingMerv00]

Skepticism has had a major impact. Atheism has not.

When I first declared myself "atheist", I adopted an undeserved swagger and an inflated ego. I'd say it greatly affected my life back then but now I look back and hang my head in shame. I was arrogant and condescending. I was one of THOSE atheists.
More recently, it is what I am not who I am. I love discussing philosophy with friends and atheism is a fun and controversial point of view to have. Otherwise, it has little to no impact on my life.

[arthwollipot]

Interesting that we have a fairly even spread across the poll. I would not have expected that.

[devnull]

I can masturbate and not feel bad afterwards.

Also, babies taste good with pasta sauce.

[tanstaafl28]

It doesn't appear to cause me any effects.

[Careyp74]

Not in the slightest.

PS. This is a null poll. It has no Planet X option.




Oh I get it! The Planet X option is "Planet X does not believe in you, so you don't know it exists."! Groovy!

Beat me to it. I was going to choose D. There is no Atheism on Planet X

[CurtC]

I chose "no," because "yes" would be overstating it. I've been an atheist since I was about 20, which was 27 years ago. For the first 20 years or so, it made no difference, it hardly ever came up.

Then kids came and started school. Now the only way it affects me is through the kids - I'm not allowed to be a volunteer in the Cub Scouts, and I have to manage the message they hear in the Scouts. Other kids invite them to church "youth group," and I let them go, but try to make sure that they're exposed to all the ideas out there.

So it's not a big deal. People I work with generally know of my atheism, I'm open with friends when/if the subject even comes up. My siblings know, but it's not a big deal. My mom does NOT know, nor did my dad (he died earlier this year).

[Blackadder]

Atheism has little effect on my life, but the conversion from lukewarm theist with strong Christian parents into an atheist adult did have a strong influence on my life, and is some way it still has...

[kbm99]

At one time it had little impact, but since my best & oldest friend became a 2-day-a-week churchgoer it's been more of an issue. Not that he proselytizes me or any of our other non-theist friends by any means, but it's still a complicating factor.