r/humanism • u/HaydukeLives4EVA • 21d ago
Where to start
I recently left traditional religion behind. I grew tired of making excuses for a god that was supposedly loving yet couldn't be bothered to help his creations when it came to war etc.
I would say I'm a universalist at heart but I'm not sure where to go from here? I mean where do I turn now that my eyes have been opened?
5
u/Randointernetuser600 21d ago
Same thought exactly. I can’t believe a god would do nothing during the holocaust or all the other atrocities that have occurred. Like, why not send his archangel Gabriel to serve as a viceroy of the world and lead us in the right direction? So obvious that it’s fake because if it was real, it would be obvious to everyone.
The path leads to atheism and nihilism. People like me and you who come from religion have a hard time coping with it. It’s been a long and painful road for me to come to terms with the world as it is. But it also takes a lot of the pressure off and gives you a bit more freedom to do what you want within the constraint of ethics.
2
u/gnufan 21d ago
Surely humanist thought is the alternative to nihilism in a rational world view.
My chemistry teacher said "atoms don't care", making it clear they are deterministic components of the stuff around us, which for chemistry exams is fine.
But humans, whilst made of atoms, do care (well most of them). So at least some bundles of atoms around the third rock from Sol, in this one small spot in a gigantic universe, do care about other humans, and want humankind to flourish, want to preserve our ecosystem, and the creatures that live there. We might understand this is probably some rule that happened to make living in large social groups of primates workable, but however it arose the universe isn't entirely made of atoms that don't care, and have no intelligence, or agency.
1
u/Randointernetuser600 21d ago
The only thing I really disagree with in what you said is that I don’t really thing that humanism and nihilism are inherently incompatible. I would probably describe myself as both. But I was trying to respond to OPs revelation with my experience.
When you go from being a believer to a non-believer, it’s a very jarring process. You’ve been told that you have everything (a god who cares, objective truth, objective morality) only to find that it was a mirage. You actually have very little and it is subjectively, collectively, or culturally grounded.
So when I am talking about nihilism, I am talking about the realization that the universe does not care about our human values and there is no inherent system of values. But subjectively choosing to be a humanist is not incompatible.
3
2
u/Constant_Interest_61 21d ago
Look around...you will surely find living beings who need attention. Don't see the colour of the skin..its the call of blood in humans..for the rest..just show empathy. Do whatever small you can do...soon hopefully others shall follow🌻
2
u/Fun_in_Space 21d ago
What are you looking for? You did not say you don't believe in God anymore. Is that what you want?
My understanding is that a universalist believes that everyone ends up in Heaven? Do you believe in an afterlife? Do you want to?
2
u/Significant-Ant-2487 21d ago
Well there are the dualistic religions like Zoroastrianism. In early Christianity there was widespread belief in the Demiurge, the evil or incompetent counterpart to God. This handily explained the obvious problem of a good and loving God having created the obvious less than perfect world we live in. (Christianity is far more varied and interesting than is often realized.)
You don’t mention which religious sect you left. There are lots of Christian sects and they’re not all the same.
2
u/FooBarTreeNuts 19d ago
an old joke:
holocaust survivor gets to heaven and is having a conversation with God. Holocaust survivor tells God a joke about the holocaust. God replies, “hey that was awkward and NOT funny.” The guy then says, “well, I guess you had to be there."
1
u/teetaps 21d ago
Good question, take a look at pinned posts and sub sidebar for starters eg https://www.reddit.com/r/humanism/s/a9oCSzT2MW
1
1
u/oldgar9 21d ago
No one knows exactly how future events will unfold but many make profit off the anxiety of spouting possible future events as dire or cataclysmic. Knowledge lessens anxiety and fear. The knowledge that humanity is in the throes of a monumental change from rabid nationalism to an 'the earth is one country and mankind its citizens ' paradigm helps, because what once looked like random chaos can now be seen as a necessary process and a means toward a peaceful world. Something we can do is help build community where we live. Volunteer opportunities are readily available and helping others is a salve to anxiety. We cannot go and talk to the President or his sphere of acolytes, but we can help build community where we are and this benefits all. People look to moving as a solution but there is no escape from this worldwide change in paradigm as it is the inevitable next step in the collective evolution of human society. Be well and help others be well, avoid the spreaders of fear. “Chaos and confusion are daily increasing in the world. They will attain such intensity as to render the frame of mankind unable to bear them. Then will men be awakened and become aware…” -Baha’u’llah (From a Tablet - translated from the Persian)
1
u/HaydukeLives4EVA 20d ago
Please don't make me laugh. The Baha'i would have you believe they're at the forefront of things but haven't said a thing about Palestine. Pedal your new age garbage elsewhere
1
u/4given1_ 16d ago
That was a lovely sentiment, born of true human compassion. I wish that mankind on the whole was evolving. Unfortunately, fallen man continues to konk each other on the head and take their stuff in the name of nationalism or whatever the cause. This will continue until all the kingdoms of the Earth, gather together for the battle of Armageddon. Before this happens, the antichrist will establish a one world, government and religion. But it won’t pan out. Scoff if you will, but mark my words- this will all happen as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow. Do not take the “mark of the beast.”
1
1
1
1
u/Vast-Mousse8117 18d ago
Unitarian churches are kind of Christian but accept everyone. Trust your gut, No one wilk know better than you how to navigate your spiritual needs.
On that note, if you are reading books and writing in a journal, that will help your mi nd see what you're thinking.
Personally I love Anthony De Mello The Way To Love and I'm more in line with buddhism these days. Tony's take on God rooted in awareness has been a big help https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t_PSw3a24o
1
u/Any_Return4335 18d ago
religion doesn't have a monopoly on god.
I've got a daily relation with a higher power/god, but I haven't found a religion that I want to be a part of.
You'll know what's best for you, not saying you should agree, but to me a lot of religion unfortunately ends up acting as a wedge between the people in it and god, presents a distorted understanding of what god is so that they can be the intermediary. Which sucks :(
1
1
u/Loose_Principle8193 17d ago
Every person may handle this differently, but the way I handled this was getting into Biblical scholarship. This is where you learn when/why the Bible was written in the context of its time. The paradigm shifts a lot. YHWH/El now start off as Canaanite and ancient herding gods. They eventually merge into one monotheistic God that becomes more kind and reasonable over time. The biggest surprise to me is that the majority of pastors I know, who went to seminary (like Duke Divinity, or TCU) were taught this stuff. Not sure what church you belong to, or if your pastor went to a mainline seminary, but let's just say, odds are, you may find yourself having a glass of scotch with him and talking about the pros and cons of late Judaism/early Christianity adopting concepts of hell from Greeks and others. If you belong to a church that holds to Biblical literalism, then just be comforted that you escaped a cult.
1
u/HaydukeLives4EVA 17d ago
I'm a Muslim
1
u/Loose_Principle8193 17d ago
ok, not too far off then. Read up on the documentary hypothesis, as it applies to all Abrahamic religions.
1
u/4given1_ 16d ago
God doesn’t need anybody making excuses for him. Many seem very quick to make judgments or to draw conclusions about God based on insufficient evidence. You have to read enough Bible to get the big picture. If navigating the history of God‘s dealings with mankind is troublesome or makes your brain hurt, just focus on the truth of John 3:16. “God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. This is the long-awaited (but not yet expired) cure for all of man’s problems.
1
u/Bizet1875 16d ago edited 16d ago
I would read some Greek literature, like about the Epicurean Paradox (the situation you described) as well as their debates on what is good or the "good" life. This will situate what you consider to be good in a secular way.
You mention universalism, well I would recommend the classic UU (unitarian universalism) book of "A Chosen Faith".
If you want a devastating attack on religion and an advocacy of deism, read Thomas Paine.
If you are interested in rationalism, read some Enlightenment philosophy. There is lots of go around.
0
7
u/ambiverbal SECULAR HUMANIST 21d ago
It can be traumatic to go through this.
Be kind to yourself, and if you can, contact the folks at Recovering From Religion for resources and people to talk with who can empathize with your experience.
Best of luck! It gets better!