confusion

Chapstiquelova · 07-30-2007, 03:06 PM

Ok, I know this woman, and she told me idk maybe 2 years ago her beliefs...but anyway I was very confused and wanted to know if ya'll could help me understand...She has made it clear that she doesnt believe in God nor does she want to be talked to abot God..and thats kool with me.
but anyway..
She said she prays..and so i said what to? and she says i pray to nothing.
I said in whos name? No ones.
She said she prays for rain, or sunshine or whatever but she believes that there is no god whatsoever.
Does anyone understand her? is she an agnostic?
Also I think she believes in evolution, but like i said i think its been about 2 years. Agnostic? or atheist?

Thanks ya'll

Gettin' In Tune · 07-30-2007, 03:38 PM

As my little cousin's T-shirts says, "Labels are for jars and not people."

It is not up to me to label your friend. IMO, it seems that she is not a theist and lies somewhere as a non-theist, diest, agnostic, atheist. Ultimately it is up to her to cultivate her beliefs and label herself. Some people have no interest in cultivating their beliefs and that is ok.

People pray for all sort of reasons. Personally I pray, but I do not pray to an exteranl entity. My pray is a combination of meditation and cultivation.

Chapstiquelova · 07-30-2007, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gettin' In Tune

As my little cousin's T-shirts says, "Labels are for jars and not people."

It is not up to me to label your friend. IMO, it seems that she is not a theist and lies somewhere as a non-theist, diest, agnostic, atheist. Ultimately it is up to her to cultivate her beliefs and label herself. Some people have no interest in cultivating their beliefs and that is ok.

People pray for all sort of reasons. Personally I pray, but I do not pray to an exteranl entity. My pray is a combination of meditation and cultivation.

I'm not into labeling her,,,Just understanding her.
And thanks...

Gettin' In Tune · 07-30-2007, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chapstiquelova

I'm not into labeling her,,,Just understanding her. And thanks...

I really cannot help. I can only suggest that you talk to her directly to have a better understanding.

Chapstiquelova · 07-30-2007, 04:55 PM

Thank u....See I would but like she doesnt appreciate it when i bring those things up...lol.....but seriously Thank u anyway.

Gettin' In Tune · 07-30-2007, 05:17 PM

If she does not want to talk about it, then you have to respect her decision. If there is a respectful (or clever ) way to find out why she does not want to discuss these things, then you might have a better understanding.

Chapstiquelova · 07-30-2007, 06:08 PM

Thanks that helps a lil more.

Gettin' In Tune · 07-30-2007, 09:27 PM

This is just a thought, since I have been reading Thomas Paine.

IMO, religious institutions often pervert and pollute what "god" is and what "god" is not. Many people are aware of this and commit infidelity. “Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving: it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe” (T. Paine, “Age of Reason”).

Many people become aware of their own “infidelity” and drop out of favor to truly pursuing what “god” is….if “god” exists. Then they “cherry pick” what they like about “god” and religion and keep that and personalize it.

Perhaps, your friend just likes to prayer, but has personalized it to herself and not to a religious God, or the God you subscribe, or “god”.

Here is a cute story. I was talking to my 11 year old (half) brother about religion, god, and prayer. I am a little concern, since my step-mother’s behavior makes me concern. He wonders about “god” and is aware of how “weird” organized religion sometimes is. Then we talked about prayer.

He said, “Sometimes God hears your prayers and sometimes he doesn’t.” (He sounds a little confused). I told him, “Don’t prayer to God, but prayer to your inner self. For example, when you lie awake at night, don’t prayer to God to become a better skate-boarder, but pray to yourself to become better skate-boarder.”

Then he interjected with excitement, “I did that once when I was like 8, and the next day I was landing tricks like a 14 year old.”

Moral of the story, is that he is confused. He is inquisitive on what “god” is or is not…if “god” exist, but realized how “weird” religion can be. He sees the gap in praying to God: sometimes God answers prayers and sometimes God does not. My brother, like your friend, is confused and it is due the perversion and pollution of organized, revealed religion.

Just a thought and my own opinion.

Chapstiquelova · 07-31-2007, 01:00 PM

Thank u...Maybe that is what she is doing then.

Aaron · 07-31-2007, 09:37 PM

She prays because she believes in something. She doesn't know what it is yet, so she calls it nothing.

Telling you god doesn't exist may be her way of saying "god, as religion knows him doesn't exist".