I was vaguely raised Catholic (christened, church when I wanted to go, vacation bible school), and enjoyed the pomp and mystery of it (transubstantiation is a mind-boggling concept for a kid, and kinda cool, in the abstract), but never really bought into the dogma. Turned my back forever when faced with confession -- if there *is* anything out there, I didn't want an intermediary human standing between me and whatever.
And in the ensuing years, I've drifted further and further away. I simply don't get the desire to believe that so many others have. I don't have that desire, never did. And guess what, my life isn't a barren wasteland. It's possible to live happily enough without religion. I *do* get the social aspect, but not the spiritual or moral aspects. I don't need a book(s) written by other humans to dictate such matters to me.
I waver between agnosticism and atheism. I certainly don't believe in any higher power, because I see no proof for one (science answers most questions I have). But as you point out, it's hubris to state definitively that I know how the universe works -- there's more to know than we've discovered yet. Who knows, maybe Lovecraft was on to something and we'll find an Elder God when the ice caps melt....
(and I'm glad to hear of other families who thoroughly enjoy Easter and Christmas w/out the religious aspects -- that's how my family's always been).
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Date: 2011-09-12 03:29 am (UTC)And in the ensuing years, I've drifted further and further away. I simply don't get the desire to believe that so many others have. I don't have that desire, never did. And guess what, my life isn't a barren wasteland. It's possible to live happily enough without religion. I *do* get the social aspect, but not the spiritual or moral aspects. I don't need a book(s) written by other humans to dictate such matters to me.
I waver between agnosticism and atheism. I certainly don't believe in any higher power, because I see no proof for one (science answers most questions I have). But as you point out, it's hubris to state definitively that I know how the universe works -- there's more to know than we've discovered yet. Who knows, maybe Lovecraft was on to something and we'll find an Elder God when the ice caps melt....
(and I'm glad to hear of other families who thoroughly enjoy Easter and Christmas w/out the religious aspects -- that's how my family's always been).