this post was submitted on 17 Sep 2023
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I am Ganesh, an Indian atheist and I don't eat beef. It's not like that I have a religious reason to do that, but after all those years seeing cows as peaceful animals and playing and growing up with them in a village, I doubt if I ever will be able to eat beef. I wasn't raised very religious, I didn't go to temple everyday and read Gita every evening unlike most muslims who are somewhat serious about their religion, my family has this watered down religion (which has it's advantages).

But yeah, not eating beef is a moral issue I deal with. I mean, I don't care that I don't eat beef, but the fact that I eat pork and chicken but not beef seems to me to be weird. So, is there any religious practice that you guys follow to this day?

edit: I like religious music, religious temples (Churches, Gurudwara's, Temples & Mosques in Iran), religious paintings and art sometimes. I know for a fact that the only art you could produce is those days was indeed religious and the greatest artists needed to make something religious to be funded, that we will never know what those artists would have produced in the absence of religion, but yeah, religious art is good nonetheless.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I was born in a Hindu family, i don't believe in God but i really like and keep deities statues and pictures as Art. I also read religious text bcz i found there are lots of good things which can be learned from it and i am also fascinated about how old these scriptures are and still tells about lots of good things about human mind, life and society.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)
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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

What an interesting question!

I was raised Protestant by an exmo and a lapsed catholic. I still like some of the music, and I think a lot of Christian mythology is really interesting. Jesus occupies a β€œcool dude” role in my belief system, but he’s not the main focus.

I was a pretty devout practicing pagan for a while after leaving Christianity.

Now I just kinda do my own thing, loosely cribbed from the parts of Christianity that I like and some chaos magic stuff and some kemeticism and whatever else seems cool. I kinda focus on nonduality and go from there.

I really enjoy the idea of ritualistic worship, but that attraction feels like the kind of chemical attraction in my brain that would have taken place whether I was raised in a church or not.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I was raised in a Buddhist family and we all celebrate christmas til this day. Just the part with the tree and the gifts, none of the other religious stuff that comes with Christmas.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

I was raised Catholic and left it at a young age and spent a lot of time uprooting the brainworms so I don't think there's much left. However, whenever I can't find something I really need and start getting stressed, I'll still recite, "Dear St. Anthony, please come around, my X has been lost and cannot be found." It's a useful way to calm down and focus instead of freaking out and panicking.

Other than that, I still retain a lot of the theology I learned in high school, and I can still sometimes get a little opinionated about various things even though I have no dog in the fight.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Still love me some good Gospel music.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Buddhism's concept about Karma seems pretty cool and I still view it as the most reasonable religion out of the ones I know of.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I call myself an atheist simply because I don't believe that any current religious institution has the correct answer.

I've had mystical experiences and my own reasoning tells me that there is far more to the world than we are able to experience or even imagine.

But none of it corresponds to any religions I know of. The closest is maybe Buddhism, but I don't think it's the right choice for me.

And I'm not even sure if there are any Buddhist organisations out here in the norwegian countryside.

Guess I'll just have to go through my existential crisis on my own. shrug-outta-hecks

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Greetings from an Ex-Hindu Atheist. I was never really into Religious Banter that much even as a small kid. But I would say the major propelling force that made me become an Atheist would be my curiosity and eagerness to study science. Science answered all those questions Religion could not and my treatment by my super religious parents helped me not to retain any religious superstitions. Their berating only gave me more strength to continue my study of science and legitimized my standings.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

I like a lot of religious art (architecture, paintings, music...). Some of it is certainly the result of historical patronage, but plenty is the result of genuine religious inspiration and even ecstasy. I often think that art is the only real redeeming quality of religion!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I am vegetarian because I cannot see meat as anything other than a dead animal. I respect the view points of non vegetarians, but I cannot accept it for myself.

Also, I love Sufi music, even if it mostly praises god. Also, I love visiting old temples.

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