Why Are Non-Theists Interested in Religion/Sacred Scriptures?

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BetteTheRed

BetteTheRed

Resident Heretic
Pronouns
She/Her/Her
In response to a statement I made casually in Room For All, about being in a congregation in which the Team Leader of the Faith Formation and Christian Education team is a non-theist (me), Paradox asked me the following, which I am happy to answer here. Pavlos and chansen might have ideas, as would mendalla.

"I respect your position Bette but I am curious. What makes you as interested in the Bible as you are?

And what is your position on Jesus? There are so many ways we can view the guy. I have agnostic leanings myself, but I take Jesus seriously and cannot ignore his belief in God."

Why I am as interested in the bible, in particular, is my early deep immersion into literature in English. I was reading by age 3, at an adult level by about 7, and partly due to the paucity of deep stuff for young early readers, I was particularly into fairy tale compilations. The first authors I fell in love with as a young adult were Margarets Lawrence and Atwood and Robertson Davies. You can't read literature in English, historically, without some basic level of knowledge of Abrahamic stories.

Another part of my history is that, although raised by a lapsed Catholic and an atheist, I was an active member of an evangelical Lutheran church from age 4 to 15.

But in the end, I have no beliefs about "Godde" that are remotely theistic. The Universe and Everything is as far as I can go. I don't deny a certain undercurrent of thin places in time/space, but I could as well be Wiccan, for all it means.

I think a person named Yeshua, possibly from Nazareth, existed. He might have been a great prophet. But if I don't believe in God, per se, I'm hardly going to believe in a GodMan.

And this person, Jesus, clearly had some sort of "belief" in a monotheistic God, but what that means, especially in light of the fact that two Jews produce at least three theological opinions every time, is that maybe my vague non-belief in a macro-benevolent Unity, to which we return as a drop to an ocean, is probably okay.
 
While my own beliefs are a bit vague and fluid, spiritual/religious/theological ideas fascinate me, along with philosophical ones. They are, in the end, attempts to wrestle with where we fit into the universe on a subjective, emotional level. Not in the way science uses a method to understand the functioning of the universe, but in how we as people (species and individuals) relate to that universe and each other. They can help us make decisions and understand each other. Sadly, they cause a lot of grief, too, given the human propensity to use any kind of belief system or ideology as a tool to enforce conformity. I am likely someone who could be religious if I found a religious belief that fit my own understanding of reality. And some do come close. But it is definitely more about an ongoing journey than finding a destination right now. And so my interest in religion and religious texts continues.
 
I became interested in religion because I couldn’t understand the strong hold it had on my friends and their families. My friends came from all different backgrounds, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Sikh, Hindu, and yet all seemed affected by it in similar ways. Religion didn’t just guide their beliefs; it seemed to influence their emotions, often causing anger or a sense of superiority, and sometimes even division among them. This was hard for me to understand, especially since I always thought people could live together peacefully and respect each other.

I started to dig deeper, even though I really appreciated the art, music, and culture that came from religion. But the conflict and hatred I saw between different beliefs continued to bother me. To me, religion seemed like it should bring people closer, but instead, it often led to tension and misunderstanding. Eventually, I came to believe that religion, instead of helping people grow, actually put limits on them. I felt true freedom would come from realizing these boundaries and seeing religion for what it is, rather than letting it divide us. I just hope that one day, others will see it that way too.
 
My old stock answer was that I find religion to be the ultimate straight man, and I suppose I still do, but I think my newer answer would be more nuanced.

I think I'm just wired to not believe and not put value in religious faith. Maybe with a different genetic makeup and/or a different upbringing, I'd be right there in the pews with you. Or perhaps I'd still be an atheist, but disinterested in all aspects of faith and never would have found this place.

Instead, I find it fascinating from an anthropological perspective. I've said before how people assume I must want to be religious because I talk about religion, and how that's like saying because I am a student of WW2 that I must want to be shot at.

Maybe it just comes down to how you interpret information. I know I'm odd in lots of ways, and a very literal person. I understand many take a more metaphorical approach to faith, but I don't see that working, either. I couldn't force myself to believe the literal versions, and I don't see the value in the metaphors. Perhaps I'm just dead inside.

I had a couple of ugly run-ins with faith growing up, some funny exchanges with religious friends that helped me see the humour in it, and an appreciation for the "new atheist movement" of the early 2000s and the clever books of the period that ruffled so many religious feathers. That's how I ended up at the old WC.

But honestly, many of you are boring. You believe, but you don't force those beliefs on others. You seem to want to do good for others, and not just because God or Jesus. Utterly boring. Nothing to make fun of in that. If that describes you, please know I find you annoyingly pleasant and useless as a straight man.

Let us pray: "God, please give me back a blackbelt or AC33 or Stephen Booth. Someone who's arrogance gives me licence to have a little merriment."
 
I once ran into a belief system that declared, don't tell them anything ... and thus the virtue of the matter was placed out of reach!

My difficulty was we were hiring out as trouble shooters and thus causing a lot of trouble ... some of it while trying to uncover what the alternate had covered up and thus the enigma ... and the exponential growth thereof ... out of the the children of gods ... scattered unknowns ... and thus for the lucid ... so much to uncover!

Sometimes one does this as a type of spy in the church ... and one species of apple was a spy ... it is a long myth that goes on and on ... an app let? Without the "L" it is just ET! That's up there ... beyond ...

From there things got thick, dense and more difficult ... so as mortal we may die for the ultimate answer ... a rather disturbing situation is it naught? Nothing to a lot of physicists ... they ignore essence of freshness ... thus a flack between physician and homeopath that hints at body mind connections ... more that is yet beyond, ahead of us ... as we strive to defeat humanity by whatever means that is in us ... an onus? Respect that responsibility that may come as a revelation that you are somewhat to blame for our arrogant ignorance ... something you come to know with the passé ... that's time it is shy and doesn't sho wits hand until late in the game ... that's life on how we are stunned on first basis ... the ground of being is like a neutrally wired item ... medium, or mediocre ... well man or just augured ...

There's a science item about a man used to make a well in Norway toxic ... a human trait? Try to put that together ...

When is that mind, psyche, soul complex ... is it beyond stupid? I am directed that I am not to tell yah because you'll lose it and rant ... I was raised in that kind of dissonance, even in mother's church of thick business ... thus I was ill disposed to be isolated ... by autocratic autonomy ... they just didn't know me!

Now to date I've bee dressed down by several church authorities even some moderators that judge without knowing me ... it is like Machiavelli declared ... sad it is ... rendered to the saddes tate of being sated ... present state; sate 'n and not wishing any more physicians abuse ... in essence alloyed to what's beyond ... alien eh? Then there was the myth of the Stranger of Galilee and how that essence was prodigal, wasted ... tightly robed contrary to the adornment law about coveting unnecessarily ... it is a hiding process that requires considerable dirt creation ... thus more words that we could image to obscure the perspective ...

Imagine the glorious state ... sublime? Thus sublimated ... it is all laid out unconsciously ... it appears like the fit of a cat ... Kat herein? Few observed ...

When the human sol is bared there's generally not much there as they lost it in some darker function ... excitement? Keep it kohl, Dhal let it float ... and some tongues will flap ... the hours of discontent and the grab is on ... rationale? Unknown ... must be redden dah ... Devine blush arose ... thorny? There'll come that time ... the pain causing you to lose it ... so it goes ... like well you know'sit ... that site!
 
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What better way to understand the history and culture of the world than by reading its historical texts?

Thus I am interested in what it written in all of the "holy books", scriptures, bibles, etc, as by reading them we better understand the views of others, and know their thinking, reasoning, and beliefs.

This is part of the key of finding common ground and shared understanding. Certainly we may disagree with much, possibly even most of the dogmatic structures to be found, but there are still valuable truths to be found in many religious texts that can reveal wise contemplations about the mysteries of life, the universe, and everything.

If only people of all faiths were encouraged to become more familiar with the actual beliefs of other faiths, they would see how much they hold in common.

If only we could embrace our commonality, rather than squabble over petty differences.
 
Kindred Seer said:
What better way to understand the history and culture of the world than by reading its historical texts?

Thus I am interested in what it written in all of the "holy books", scriptures, bibles, etc, as by reading them we better understand the views of others, and know their thinking, reasoning, and beliefs.

This is part of the key of finding common ground and shared understanding. Certainly we may disagree with much, possibly even most of the dogmatic structures to be found, but there are still valuable truths to be found in many religious texts that can reveal wise contemplations about the mysteries of life, the universe, and everything.

If only people of all faiths were encouraged to become more familiar with the actual beliefs of other faiths, they would see how much they hold in common.

If only we could embrace our commonality, rather than squabble over petty differences.
Click to expand...

Yet there is a faction that doesn't like anything that is alien to them ... a sticker! There they are seized ...
 
Kindred Seer said:
Certainly we may disagree with much, possibly even most of the dogmatic structures to be found, but there are still valuable truths to be found in many religious texts that can reveal wise contemplations about the mysteries of life, the universe, and everything.
Click to expand...
Now the book that answers that question, I have read.
 
Mendalla said:
Praise be to the holy name of Douglas Adams... :love:
Click to expand...
Now that was a hoopy frood who really knew where his towel was.

Those are the books we should be basing a religion around. A sperm whale died, not for your sins, but because it was infinitely improbable. Not to worry, it did not die alone because it had a bowl of petunias with it.
 
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