I'm an apatheist.
I don't believe in any gods, but I also feel very strongly that any decent god wouldn't leave us struggling to figure out if they exist or who they are and demand that we believe in them. Belief on scant evidence isn't a virtue. Any god like that wouldn't be worth worshipping. (And a good god sure as hell wouldn't choose a sexual predator as a prophet.)
Given the world that we live in (with little to no direct evidence for a god), I just don't think it is important to answer the question of whether a god exists or not. The question is moot.
How do you label yourself regarding your belief?
Re: How do you label yourself regarding your belief?
Ubi Dubium Ibi Libertas
My blog: http://untanglingmybrain.blogspot.com/
My blog: http://untanglingmybrain.blogspot.com/
Re: How do you label yourself regarding your belief?
As Hagoth referenced above, I am one of those using the term hopeful agnostic. I like the mythology of Jesus and parts of the LDS history. The community has been a net positive for me, so I stick around, but know it isn't for everyone.
What I am hopeful for, though, has changed to some degree: I don't hope the Joseph Smith and Book of Mormon origin stories are literally true. If they are, as others allude, I might have more problems with deity. lol
But I hope there is something after this, that my closest relationships can endure, and we all continue to learn and grow in some respect. Some being organizing it that'll help me understand it all sounds nice sometimes, too.
What I am hopeful for, though, has changed to some degree: I don't hope the Joseph Smith and Book of Mormon origin stories are literally true. If they are, as others allude, I might have more problems with deity. lol
But I hope there is something after this, that my closest relationships can endure, and we all continue to learn and grow in some respect. Some being organizing it that'll help me understand it all sounds nice sometimes, too.
Re: How do you label yourself regarding your belief?
"How do you label yourself regarding your belief?"
A few years ago, I called myself a Pagan Christian (or Christian Pagan), but I presently have no label for myself. I believe in God. I believe the Book of Mormon is from God (and blasts the current leaders of the LDS Church). I believe in Jesus as the Son of God - but I'm not comfortable with "Christian" because so many of them seem hollow and full of vanity, and are quite narrow-minded when it comes to beliefs that are not their own.
I'm just a human seeking for all the truth I can find, while becoming more and more able to let everyone else believe what they will without thinking I'll be eternally punished if I can't bludgeon someone into believing my way. I think at this point, I have no sacred cows.
A few years ago, I called myself a Pagan Christian (or Christian Pagan), but I presently have no label for myself. I believe in God. I believe the Book of Mormon is from God (and blasts the current leaders of the LDS Church). I believe in Jesus as the Son of God - but I'm not comfortable with "Christian" because so many of them seem hollow and full of vanity, and are quite narrow-minded when it comes to beliefs that are not their own.
I'm just a human seeking for all the truth I can find, while becoming more and more able to let everyone else believe what they will without thinking I'll be eternally punished if I can't bludgeon someone into believing my way. I think at this point, I have no sacred cows.
There are 2 Gods. One who created us. The other you created. The God you made up is just like you-thrives on flattery-makes you live in fear.
Believe in the God who created us. And the God you created should be abolished.
PK
Believe in the God who created us. And the God you created should be abolished.
PK
Re: How do you label yourself regarding your belief?
Totally dependent on the situation! But often I'll label myself as some sort of Mormon.
The last time I ran into the JWs, I told them that I was a Mormon, and that I wasn't interested in what they had to say. They left me alone after that.
Whenever I'm talking to LDS missionaries I usually tell them that I'm a member, and that I'm the apostate that their mission president warned them about. A couple of years ago a pair of mishies wanted to re-teach me. I said that I was OK with that, but that they should not expect me to give textbook answers, and that I'd appreciate the opportunity to teach them a bit of church history. I said that they should probably get the OK from the DLs or ZLs. They never came back to see me.
If someone (non-LDS) wants to talk about religion, and I feel so inclined, I tell them that I'm a Mormon High Priest in good standing, and offer to explain anything that they would like to know about Mormonism. Of course they'll get my slant on it, but I tell them upfront that I'm not orthodox, and, if the mood strikes me, that neither am I orthopractic. It's a bit of wool pulling, of course, because some people don't really know the meaning of 'orthodox', and probably have never heard the word 'orthopractic', but they sound slightly impressive. Eventually I usually explain that the 'in good standing' part means only that I have never been disfellowshipped or excommunicated, and I admit to them that I'm an atheist.
Inside, I'm an apatheist, pretty much as described by fetchface.
The last time I ran into the JWs, I told them that I was a Mormon, and that I wasn't interested in what they had to say. They left me alone after that.
Whenever I'm talking to LDS missionaries I usually tell them that I'm a member, and that I'm the apostate that their mission president warned them about. A couple of years ago a pair of mishies wanted to re-teach me. I said that I was OK with that, but that they should not expect me to give textbook answers, and that I'd appreciate the opportunity to teach them a bit of church history. I said that they should probably get the OK from the DLs or ZLs. They never came back to see me.
If someone (non-LDS) wants to talk about religion, and I feel so inclined, I tell them that I'm a Mormon High Priest in good standing, and offer to explain anything that they would like to know about Mormonism. Of course they'll get my slant on it, but I tell them upfront that I'm not orthodox, and, if the mood strikes me, that neither am I orthopractic. It's a bit of wool pulling, of course, because some people don't really know the meaning of 'orthodox', and probably have never heard the word 'orthopractic', but they sound slightly impressive. Eventually I usually explain that the 'in good standing' part means only that I have never been disfellowshipped or excommunicated, and I admit to them that I'm an atheist.
Inside, I'm an apatheist, pretty much as described by fetchface.
aka malkie