Before you close this Lost let me say something, I'm just curious to see that if beliefs and age are intertwined in any way, thus I'm just wondering the age of all the My God regulars.

I myself am a weak atheist, naturalist and an evolutionist and I'm 15. (gasp!)

I would think so. Barring a 70 year study to be sure, it makes sense that people are going to care more about what comes after this life when this life is close to it's end, as opposed to someone all full of youthful invincibility.

Very true, when we're young we are filled with, as you so eloquently put it 'youthful invincibility' and as we progess in life we learn the error of our ways. But this shouldn't support the pipe dream that we live on after death.

On a side note, you never said your beliefs/age.

Fifteen. Atheist/agnostic.

On a related note, studies have shown that the higher education level you have, the less likely it is that you'll be religious. Interesting, no? It appears that the less educated (and younger?) are more likely to believe in the Bible or religion in general.

Edit: Whoa, you're 15 too, Paradise? Neat! http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif) We really ARE similiar, it appears. :O

[This message has been edited by Twisted_Ferret (edited 08-23-2005).]

quote:Originally posted by Paradise Lost:

I myself am a weak atheist, naturalist and an evolutionist and I'm 15. (gasp!)

I'm not 15, but the other parts fit my beliefs perfectly.

quote:Originally posted by Twisted_Ferret:

On a related note, studies have shown that the higher education level you have, the less likely it is that you'll be religious. Interesting, no? It appears that the less educated (and younger?) are more likely to believe in the Bible or religion in general.

You're right, it's not interesting. It only makes sense that as one ages they gain more and more of the ability to think for themselves.

When someone is young, they can't help what beliefs they are forcefed. Although I have no problem with people trying to teach their own children about their religion, I think when the kids reach a certain age they should take a serious look at themselves. Not to say that I think abandoning their faith is a good thing, or even something I'd want...

I just think they should gather the courage to find themselves, and their own beliefs instead of continuing to blindly follow something that was shoved down their throats. Ya know... find something that may suit them a bit better.

quote:Originally posted by Twisted_Ferret:

On a related note, studies have shown that the higher education level you have, the less likely it is that you'll be religious. Interesting, no? It appears that the less educated (and younger?) are more likely to believe in the Bible or religion in general.

Actually, there are studies that show that it is not education level that is the big separator, but income level... over $150,000 dollars (if i recall) is when belief takes a dive. (Although, i have to admit, right from the start, that i can not find any poll right now, to back up my claim... of the polls that i've found, none mention income level. But i have seen it in the past)

I did look at the Harris poll, and i dont see income level.

Just one question reguarding the education level: Is the lower percentage of belief a result of intelligence or a result of having their Faith "attacked out of them"?

Another thing this poll fails to address is what extent the faith was before going to college.

Or, of the believers that have a post-graduate degree; how many had lost Faith, only to 'get it back' later in life (implying that their faith may return later in life? (as seems to be the possible case of one of our fellow Totse members.. to whom it may concern, sorry if i'm mistaken)



This is just a side-light, that i thought was interesting (the last paragraph):

http://www.rae.org/polls.html

quote:Originally posted by xtreem5150ahm:

Actually, there are studies that show that it is not education level that is the big separator, but income level... over $150,000 dollars (if i recall) is when belief takes a dive. (Although, i have to admit, right from the start, that i can not find any poll right now, to back up my claim... of the polls that i've found, none mention income level. But i have seen it in the past)

I did look at the Harris poll, and i dont see income level.

Just one question reguarding the education level: Is the lower percentage of belief a result of intelligence or a result of having their Faith "attacked out of them"?

Another thing this poll fails to address is what extent the faith was before going to college.

Or, of the believers that have a post-graduate degree; how many had lost Faith, only to 'get it back' later in life (implying that their faith may return later in life? (as seems to be the possible case of one of our fellow Totse members.. to whom it may concern, sorry if i'm mistaken)



This is just a side-light, that i thought was interesting (the last paragraph):

http://www.rae.org/polls.html

<LI>Concerning income: I guess when some people are filthy rich, they don't need God for happiness, healing, etc.

<LI>Concerning lower % of belief: I would think that most believers stand firm in their beliefs. Although some have been swayed from God through argument - obviously, since your other option was through being "attacked out of it".

<LI>Concerning regaining one's faith: I wouldn't know. I don't have faith, and I'm not that fellow totse member yuo spoke of.

quote:Originally posted by xtreem5150ahm:

Just one question reguarding the education level: Is the lower percentage of belief a result of intelligence or a result of having their Faith "attacked out of them"?

Both. The intelligence and education "attacks" unreasoning faith. http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif)



[This message has been edited by Twisted_Ferret (edited 08-27-2005).]

I am a positive atheist, naturalist, humanist, and strong supporter of evolution. And I'm 33.

Paradise Lost-

Reading you describe your beliefs reminded me ALOT of the Brights:

http://the-brights.net/

And I did *gasp* at your age. This is a great topic!

I had an unusual amount of familial shuffling while growing up, and I had the misfortune of being exposed to Catholicism, Pentacostals, Southern Baptists and a fair amount of self-proclaimed Hedonists.

Having believed in each and every one of these belief systems at some point in my life, it didn't seem to thwart any freethinking efforts on my part as an adult. Neither did the jump in my payscale.

Yeah, fine, don't gasp at MY age. I don't care. It doesn't bother me that everyone on totse ignores me.

http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif)

*ignores Twisted_Ferret*

I'm 19 and I'm atheistic in the sense that I don't believe in gods/goddesses. But I believe in the paranormal as a natural occurence (as opposed to being magical), and I also think we'll find the Truth sometime in the future as technology and science progresses.

quote:Originally posted by Clarphimous:

*ignores Twisted_Ferret*

I saw that one coming. :P

Abosolutey, there's a definate corrolation. The closer people become to unhealthy ages the more open to religion they become, it has to do with becoming closer to death. People know that when they get older they become closer to death and therefore, the afterlife(if there is one).

If the person believes that there is one or that there possibly is one, then they'll become more likely to "choose a side". With this progression of age they'll also become more susceptible to the idea(l)s of religion because it brings them comfort (unless they think they're going to a hell of some sort).

Atleast that's what I've always thought.....

[This message has been edited by Metalligod (edited 08-28-2005).]

While I would doubt that I'm the one xtreem is tlaking about, I have fallen under similiar circumstances. I was a firm Believer in Christ until I notice that there was a nagging issue of disagreeance between what I felt was true and what the Bible propose. So, I took a step back from the faith to examine it and myself a bit and found that we were incompatable with each other.

That's also when I discovered my love for philosophical and theological study, as I ahd the strong background in Bible study leading me into every religion out there. No faith as of yet (weak atheist), but I've been warming up to believing in more of a patron god way. Not so much about belief in their existence as actually things but more as pure embodiments of traits I admire or desire. My philosophical study has kept me from accepting this as a possibility, however, as I am a humanist above everything else.

And while I think evolution is real and that the big bang happened, I don't pretend to assert them as fact or even true belief. There isn't enough proof, so it is all just hunches and the words of dead men.

And while we will have an answer someday, I do not see how validating our previous existence provides us any stronger basis for the future. It is illogical to assert so. The powerful and beautiful facet of faith is that is faith, not verifiable fact. If we prove God to be real, believing in Him would have no positive effect. It would be like believing in Totse.

Oh, and I'm 16, for this study. On one hand, I don't agree with the assertation that upon getting older, people are more susceptable to religion. If anything, they are more resistant to change. It is the tenacity of the elderly of any age of Mankind that have made them legendary.

Defiant Atheist, though I adore the hell out of Asatru and alot of Buddhism and Taoism. But those are more of a philosophical/psychosomatic type of thing. I'm fine with the idea that nothing comes after this life, but I have to admit both reincarnation and Valhalla seem like wonderful choices. Seriously, it's not like you'll be sentient to worry about whatever comes after this one. But I'm no going to cling to life either.

A friend of mine is afraid of that fact that knives exist ever since he became an atheist. I'd rather give up everything to make one last point than cowardly cling to life.

quote:Originally posted by SurahAhriman:

Defiant Atheist, though I adore the hell out of Asatru and alot of Buddhism and Taoism. But those are more of a philosophical/psychosomatic type of thing. I'm fine with the idea that nothing comes after this life, but I have to admit both ....



..... I'd rather give up everything to make one last point than cowardly cling to life.

One thing that gets to me about evolutionists is that they miss the concept of time and space maintaining the equilibrium over all existance. Light and dark; mass and energy;

It is possible to put life in a spectrum of self worth/pride/the attainment of goals:

THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING TO REPLACE THAT SELF-WORTH.

"timothy leary -

A http://www.totse.com/bbs/smile.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/smile.gif) Exactly. The function of human life in the industrial age was to be a worker. Unemployment was dread. You lost your hope and pride if you didn't have a job. Well, the motto in the new age is, "Only robots and serfs and people in worker states work." The function of human life is to grow and evolve. We're here to simulate each other. The whole function of human life is now to be an author of your own experiences.

The mind and soul and god are all woven unrepelled by "function"!



Bo - Ya

C'mon, xtreem. A Gallup Poll?

You can find a thousand other polls that would support science on that subject. Here's just one:

http://tinyurl.com/9oqm9

I am 16 y/o... agnostic.

Later in life I would want to pursue finding out more spiritual knowledge, but don't know where to go...

To Osiris89

Begin with: http://www.ghg.net/redflame/rational.htm

A dose of: http://www.erowid.org/spirit/traditions/buddhism/buddhism_four_truths.shtml

and the option of: http://www.erowid.org/spirit/meditation/meditation_essay1.shtml

But most importantly: http://www.deism.com/Einstein1.htm

I hope these links help!

There is no correlation. As people age, they abandon their beliefs just as much as they gain new ones. It all depends on the person.

Shit, Andy Rooney is an athiest, and wasn't born that way. If there was a correlation, surely his wrinkled old ass would have found Jesus by now.

Why would you think I'd close this?

I'm 22. I was raised jewish and uphold judaic traditions, but consider myself an agnostic.

Cheers,

Lost

wow, I am resurrecting this relic of a thread ... cough cough , so be it .... I grew up catholic and attended religion classes (catechism) until high school... but I also studied 2 years of latin ... 9th & 10th grade , where we translated roman myths. Then in my second year at the Univ. of Colorado ... I took a class in ancient literature where we read the annotated bible ... and damn if all of the ceremonies in the bible where they sacrifice a lamb for their god, didn't match nearly word for word , a roman sacrificing a lamb for his god.... at that point I realized the bible was written by ancient minds and any association with modern science was suspect.

never bothered to post in this topic before, but i might as well now, i'm 15, pantheist/buddhist

Well in a few months I'll be 24.

I'm a soft atheist with pantheistic tendencies.

quote:Originally posted by xtreem5150ahm:

Actually, there are studies that show that it is not education level that is the big separator, but income level... over $150,000 dollars (if i recall) is when belief takes a dive. (Although, i have to admit, right from the start, that i can not find any poll right now, to back up my claim... of the polls that i've found, none mention income level. But i have seen it in the past)

I saw a piece on that same study, 150k sounds about right. On the other hand I've seen studies that show positive correlation between religion and wealth, by influencing demographic behaviour, social contacts, transmission of values etc. I take such wide sweeping studies with a pinch of salt really.

As for the connection with age and beliefs, I think you can adapt the saying on political affiliations to it, how if you're not a liberal when you're young you have no heart, and if you're not conservative when you're old you have no brains.

At a very young age, it's MASSIVELY more likely for a kid to believe in god, I'm talking under 12 years old, due to idealism, lack of scepticism in the world and so on.

Then when kids grow up a bit and start thinking for themselves more, many people reject religion purely on intellectual grounds, you can't deny that many atheists are infected with a slight degree of superiority complex over people who believe in god. And with some good reason, the mainstream religions contain many, many logical inconsistencies, and when it comes down to it they are outdated. They are obsolete, because they were created in an age when people were less critical, less intellectual, and knew less about the world.

The problem though is that atheists reject religion itself and the notion of god outright, instead of simply the specific religions that are flawed. I think there is a need for a new religion, one that applies to both sides of the brain rather than just the emotional, because the current vacuum of suitable religions has created a rift in society between people who believe only the logical arguments of science, or only the emotional arguments of religion. A small number of people are able to integrate piecemeal aspects of logical and religious thought, but in doing it on their own it creates some failure (i.e. New Age nonsense), and some success that is yet unappealing to the masses due to it's inaccessability (some attempt at drawing together parallels in Buddhist/Hindu thought and modern physics).

I was atheist, a devout sceptic of anything that couldn't be observed or proved in a laboratory. Magic mushrooms and lsd opened my mind, the emotional revelations and experiencing consciousness outside the confines of a personal ego (sense of individual self), forced me to reevaluate my previously close-minded beliefs about the universe. I'm now 22 and somewhere between agnostic and panentheistic (different from pantheistic).

IMO, disbelief/extreme belief in the religion one was raised with happens when you hit your teen years. You become rebellious, you start going through tough shit, and either you rebel against the fundamentals you were brought up with or you cling to them even tighter, some kind of pillar to help you out. It also just comes naturally to question stuff as you get older. You lose your innocence and you look around, you're tired of the dried up nonsense you're parents keep feeding you, and so you look to alternatives. If you're intelligent enough, you'll understand those alternatives, and realize that they make more sense than, in my case, Christianity.

And that is the story of my emergence to the greater enlightenment that it is damn hard to find some sort of belief system. I'm 19 and I'm still looking. Right now, I consider myself an athiest/agnostic, toss in a bit of Buddhism, Islam, hedonism (I consider it a belief system) and a touch of Greek/Norse mythology, and you have a salad of completely non-related and occasionally contradictory beliefs which make up my current belief system.

End.

18 year old atheist and have been atheist for about 9 years. (I was a very skeptical child)

And now for some family history concerning belifes and age...

I was baptised Anglican, but that was as far as most of my religious education went. I did have some exposure from the older generations of my family, most who were extreamly devout, due to my great gandfather being an Anglican minister.

My mother's generation are mostly only Anglican by name - I assume a very religiuos upbringing caused most of them to rebel and not actually follow the religion.

But my Grandmother is an interesting case. Being the daughter of a minister, she was very devout, even more so after the death of her 1st husband - much to the horror of her children.

But sometime after the death of her 2nd husband, she became completly Atheist. (Which utterly shocked me.)Just goes to show there is no age at which your belifes are set.

14

Atheist who worships athena

(Athena as the ultimate symbol of questioning and logic)

19 year old skeptic/atheist.

I was raised catholic, had catholic schooling K-12. around 16 i lost my faith, kept trying to believe anyway cause it was too damn hard in that environment, and if you believed in other things (or nothing) you really did not fit in. as soon as i graduated i quit going to mass and reevaulated my life. i became a skeptic, questioning everything. i felt religion held me back, and i gave up any practicing of it.

now i'm happier and more fulfilled. i look to myself for fulfillment rather than some outside source. i have to be the one to change my life, not some divine force lightyears away.

16. Monotheistic.

Not Christian, to be clear, and maybe if I'm bored I'll type out the full extent of my beliefs someday, but I'll try to save you all the pain.

16, Atheist, but not in the normal sense of the word. I don't 'believe' in anything, I prove whatever comes along, but I am more open minded about some of the fringe beliefs until I can prove or disprove them myself. I have found that to many people throw away information without really testing it beyond simple logic. One of the problems with the Greeks was they relied heavily on logic and not on experimentation. Even psychology can seem stupid to outsiders who don't understand how and why it works.

I have more or less disproved Christianities dogma to myself, so I do not accept it as my truth or as a path of enlightenment. I use a lot of the ideas of Zen, but Zen isn't really a religion. It's more of a philosophy, a way of life.

Right now I'm trying different meditations and focusing techniques from Satanism. It's basically breathing exercises and mental pictures to help clear your mind and keep you alert.

From time to time I have had some '6th sense' feelings that kept me out of trouble, but it wasn't always right. It really hit or miss, but I wasn't as alert and focused as I am now. I'm still working on the most basic things, once I move up into advanced stuff I will prove or disprove it.

Edit: I just started trying to open my 3rd eye yesterday.

[This message has been edited by General Patton (edited 09-27-2005).]

From age 14-17 I was an athesit, two months after Turning 17, I ran back to God. Now, I'm one month from being 18.

I had planned long ago to get drunk and go to a club in Nasville when I turned 18, Now I'm planning a prayer meeting. God really does change people.

[This message has been edited by HellzShellz (edited 10-04-2005).]

All of my extended family are hardcore catholics, just not my mum and dad I went through all the motions of catholisism, but recently looked at it and thought "fuck this for a joke".

Might have been the same time I started getting into science.

30 - Mystic Solipsist

Divinity is within, all that is without is that which we have allowed to be, whether it challenges, aids, impedes, or has no ultimate bearing on our own existence and goals.

The ultimate power to shape our own reality, and reality as we know it, lies within the human mind and "soul". The Eye of the Beholder creates that which is beheld.

quote:Originally posted by HellzShellz:

From age 14-17 I was an athesit, two months after Turning 17, I ran back to God. Now, I'm one month from being 18.

I had planned long ago to get drunk and go to a club in Nasville when I turned 18, Now I'm planning a prayer meeting. God really does change people.



hah, god doesn't change people. People change people! That's like saying guns kill people.

quote:Originally posted by coolwestman:

hah, god doesn't change people. People change people! That's like saying guns kill people.

Trust me, when you know the Love of God, it changes you.

When you know the pain of a knife in your anus I'm sure that changes you too, but that doesn't make it religion.

It's just a feeling you subject yourself too...what you attach to that feeling symbolically becomes the button you return to to push when you jones for that feeling again. Like the mouse who was given the choice between a lever that dispensed food and a lever that dispensed cocaine...he starved to death, but was "happy" with his feeling. Do what you want, but don't get so wrapped up with your little "god" lever that you forget the "food" lever of reality.

When I was younger, I went through a stage where I decided there was no God. But now I'm older and wiser, and my expiriences have confirmed that God exists and loves us.

And also, Someone mentioned that the more education someone has, the less likely they are to be religious. Well, that is true, sort of. Belief in religion decreases with post secondary education, but thereafter increases with graduate and post graduate studies.

quote:Originally posted by p106_peppy:

When I was younger, I went through a stage where I decided there was no God. But now I'm older and wiser, and my expiriences have confirmed that God exists and loves us.

And also, Someone mentioned that the more education someone has, the less likely they are to be religious. Well, that is true, sort of. Belief in religion decreases with post secondary education, but thereafter increases with graduate and post graduate studies.

Alot of that is fear. I know physicists who are afraid of what they know. When you can disseminate the first three minutes of the universe, you don't really need God to explain shit. But in that case, what happens when you die?

Fear and the power of suggestion is what makes people religious. And before anyone gwts on my case, spirituality is another matter.

quote:Originally posted by HellzShellz:

From age 14-17 I was an athesit, two months after Turning 17, I ran back to God. Now, I'm one month from being 18.

I had planned long ago to get drunk and go to a club in Nasville when I turned 18, Now I'm planning a prayer meeting. God really does change people.



Sounds like a very fun 18th birthday...is getting drunk or having fun an abomination in the eyes of loving god?

Age: 24

Present Beliefs: Weak agnosticism and evolutionism

Krishnamurti's thoughts influenced me quite a bit.

Some examples from wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/cndak



[This message has been edited by Darwinist (edited 10-06-2005).]

quote:Originally posted by p106_peppy:

And also, Someone mentioned that the more education someone has, the less likely they are to be religious. Well, that is true, sort of. Belief in religion decreases with post secondary education, but thereafter increases with graduate and post graduate studies.

Wrong:

http://tinyurl.com/iodq

See table two.

13/atheist

quote:Originally posted by elfstone:

Sounds like a very fun 18th birthday...is getting drunk or having fun an abomination in the eyes of loving god?

Haha. God has grace on me every day, but because I know he'll forgive me doesn't mean I should sin willfully. Not just that, My desire isn't in getting drunk anymore. My desire, is the things of God, not of the flesh. It's a decision I made on my own. What better way to celebrate my 18th birthday than to get a bunch of prayer warriors together, and feel the strong presence of God?

Sure, I could sin, but when you know sin is sin then it becomes sin to you and a judgement can be formed against you. Why would I risk God taking his hand off of me? Why would I risk loosing the anointing?

[This message has been edited by HellzShellz (edited 10-07-2005).]

quote:Originally posted by HellzShellz:

Haha. God has grace on me every day, but because I know he'll forgive me doesn't mean I should sin willfully. Not just that, My desire isn't in getting drunk anymore. My desire, is the things of God, not of the flesh. It's a decision I made on my own. What better way to celebrate my 18th birthday than to get a bunch of prayer warriors together, and feel the strong presence of God?

Sure, I could sin, but when you know sin is sin then it becomes sin to you and a judgement can be formed against you. Why would I risk God taking his hand off of me? Why would I risk loosing the anointing?



If that isn't living in fear of after-life repercussions...

Why is getting drunk a sin exactly? How is you having some fun on your birthday offensive to the creator of the universe? Fun, you know, doesn't equal sin. What kind of a petty God requires constant prayer and "removes his hand" when your activities don't include praising him?

I'm sorry, but I find it sad that at such a young age, you already find this life and "things of the flesh" (isn't flesh given by God too?) worthless. There's a lot of things worth to learn, live and do that aren't mentioned in the bible.

And wtf is a "prayer warrior"??

quote:Originally posted by Twisted_Ferret:

Yeah, fine, don't gasp at MY age. I don't care. It doesn't bother me that everyone on totse ignores me.

http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif)

Haha, well don't feel bad, i'm only 13, you get more credit than I http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif). Oh and also, I don't consider myself to be atheist, more agnostic. When I was 12 a good friend of mine, very smart, opened my mind up on alot of things and religion was one of those. I know everyone thinks i'm "To young to understand the concept of religion" so my parents are saying that I am "Too sweet to be agnostic" or as the so ignorantly like to call it atheist because they don't understand the difference between the two. I think they may interpret this as me rebelling like a "normal teen" so basicly I get no respect and get shit from my parents and siblings constantly, they're convinced i'm some devil worshiper, well not my dad..the more intellectual of the two, he actually thinks it's "healthy to question my religion, but I need to go back to God later in life, or as an adult if I continue to stay agnostic he will be worried about me" I guess im lucky to have him, somewhat.





[This message has been edited by sylph (edited 10-09-2005).]

18, Atheist.

Used to be christian but realised how inane religion is in today's society, and how little point it has now that science can explain most things.