Why are Atheists...Atheists?, page 6

reply to post by MatrixProphet

For many years i was an extreme atheist, very close-minded about anything I couldn't perceive within the range of my own limited senses. Fortunately, I was not raised with any religion, but I followed scientism (which is just another belief system with it's own dogma). The only difference between both close-minded forms of this is that there's no drive to proselytize the scientism belief system. Please note that I understand that manymost followers of religious belief systems do not proselytize. Some of my extreme mindset had to do with my son's autism, and anger at the classic image of a caring diety. A number of events have occurred that have changed this mindset (and they had to be rather extreme for someone like me--I will go to great lengths to find a logical and normal answer. Some of what I experienced so defied this that I was forced to study it further, and upon doing so found that science (which was what I trusted) has discovered much to reveal a far larger picture than the a close-minded skeptical mindset can explain. I am an open-minded skeptic, which is, for me, the best and most logical approach. If I had to place a label on my beliefs, it would be pantheist. I believe there is a universal intelligence which is not external to me, does not need or care if I 'worship' it or not, etc. I view difficult/negative experiences as necessary for me to learn, and understand not only how little I know, but the learning process is completely blocked by the belief that one already knows everything. If one wanted to use the generic ter 'god' to describe this universal intelligence which exists in and of everything/everywhere/everywhen, its simply a matter of semantics. I avoid doing so to avoid confusion (that I am not making reference to a separate diety. It has irritated some to the point that I've been asked if I believe I'm "God", and I have answered in the affirmative. I then ask them if they are not 'God', and therefore separate from 'God'--to which I have either been greeted with silence or a 'no' without any further discussion. It is impossible for me to associate with those who believe they are better than I because they have a belief system which assures them that they know everything (or more than I) and are therefore superior. I hope this observation/perspective adds to the topic.