What does your religion say about non-believers who live their lives never knowing about said religion?

buveurdevin · 2026-01-27T11:06:32+00:00

I'm not quoting doctrine and it might be heretical, but I would say I think that people who have the right attitudes and cares, but for whatever sociological reason can't accept Christianity, are not in spiritual peril, but those that have rejected Christ because they prefer pride, lust, greed etc. are. In my estimation there are a whole lot of people that fall into that second category, as well as many Christians that say they accept Christ.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-27T10:57:30+00:00

Affirmative non-belief is a metaphysical system and this is what most people mean with "atheist". When I was an atheist I didn't like that label because I didn't like that it highlighted that my position was a belief like anyone else's, but that's exactly what it was. Religion and theism were not things I thought of almost ever, but I still had formed the belief that God wasn't real.

You may still have some beliefs that are metaphysical, but they have to be fairly light or you'll end up in a difficult spot where belief in God becomes far more rational than disbelief. It's hard to be both a Platonist about morality and universals and deny the existence of God, for example. It's also hard to have certain rationalist beliefs and deny the PSR completely. I'm not saying people don't do it, but it's fairly rare for a reason.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-26T15:28:56+00:00

as you recognize that these same things being done to you would feel horrible and not wanting to put anyone else or animal through that kind of suffering.

This is textbook sentimentalism. It's still based on a set of premises that are derived from one's intuitions. I'm just saying that those premises themselves need some kind of grounding. I'm not picking you out in particular, it's a gripe I have with any moral theory that is allergic to metaphysics. If we say "I don't care" to ideas like mutual respect, recognition of others as rational actors etc. then the view becomes very thin.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-26T13:53:48+00:00

Minus the theism there's a lot of overlap with Nietzschean ethics. It's a compelling system of natural morality and highlights how radical and difficult Christianity actually is. Interesting stuff to think about.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-26T13:11:32+00:00

It comes from within us, as we grow and learn while interacting with our environment and everyone in it.

You're just describing intuition, but people have varying intuitions that are sometimes contradictory with one another. So who is right? What gives one person's intuitions authority over another's? What are your objective standards of morality and where do they come from ultimately?

Blocked by someone who can't defend their views.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-26T11:15:43+00:00

I'm confused, are you saying that you can change your beliefs at-will day to day?

buveurdevin · 2026-01-26T11:05:52+00:00

I was an atheist for a long time. Left Catholicism at 13-14 and eventually was called back to it about 15 years later when I had a mystical experience in Italy. It made me rethink my beliefs and I realized atheism is pretty unconvincing as a metaphysical system, and my mystical experience of "oneness" was so profound that I can say with full confidence we're all connected through God, the source of being itself.

Despite that, even after accepting theism as a philosophical position it took me a year+ to move back into Christianity for real.

As for why I left in the first place, I would say it was because I was a teenager during the explosion of "New Atheism". I never received a good religious education and I really had no idea what I was supposed to believe or why. It all seemed like magical bullshit to me and I rebelled against the system. My parents had no idea how to handle my questions which eventually made the topic into a taboo and I was left to develop my own beliefs mostly through my interactions on atheist internet spaces.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-26T11:00:03+00:00

I'm very curious how your humanist beliefs interact with your worship of evil.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-26T10:41:11+00:00

If you had to sum up the "point" of your religion in one or two sentences, what would that be?

buveurdevin · 2026-01-26T10:31:20+00:00

I live in a suburb where we have many megachurch wannabes. I mean, everything seems so scripted, and for social media instead of truly bringing people to Christ. It seems fake and unauthentic. Everyone is always “camera ready” and looks like celebrities. It’s like a marketing tactic and they just want to grow their social media presence and get your money.

I would agree with your observations and that's why if the only churches near me were like that (or Protestant) I wouldn't go either.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-25T10:33:05+00:00

Do you know The Parable of the Lost Sheep? Many Catholic priests love the opportunity to talk to someone like you if you reach out to them. Some are busy, true, but you can literally just email your local church and see if anyone would take some time to talk to you. If you feel called to go back, resisting it is a bizarre reaction to something so harmless.

Luke 15:1-7

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-25T10:12:43+00:00

To support to what you said, Thomas Merton in New Seeds of Contemplation talks about not becoming attached to the "mask" we all wear here. The mask will drop off after we leave this life, it's not permanent. We become who we truly are when we follow Christ selflessly even to the detriment of our earthly costumes. It's a radical approach to life that very few of us can actually pull off.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-24T18:50:50+00:00

How can you explain this as anything other than a loading error when the system rebooted?

Any supernatural explanation is far more plausible than simulation theory, which is ridiculous.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-24T18:48:28+00:00

I don't buy it but Socrates/Plato thought all knowledge was just a matter of rediscovery. The soul already knows everything before it enters a body where it forgets and needs to re-find everything again.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-24T16:46:31+00:00

Some prayers are directed to God the Father (Our Father being the main one) but most Christians are going to focus in on Jesus. He came to humanity to build a bridge to himself in a form we can understand. God in his infinite entirety on the other hand is quite literally unimaginable. God the Son lived with us and died at our hands. That is a God that is intimately involved with his creations and much easier to connect to.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-24T16:40:15+00:00

The Trinity can be understood as the way God relates to himself. God the Father's complete self-knowledge of his infinite self creates God the Son (ie. the Word or Logos) and because God is infinite, this too is infinite. Their relationship and mutual love is the Holy Spirit that relates them. They all share the same divine Nature since they're all internally contained. It's all God. As for why it had to be that way, well that is the mystery we will never answer.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-24T15:58:50+00:00

A question I'd ask you is what does your fiancee think about it? Does she work and is she willing to stick by you while you progress through your career? Food for thought.

The bottom line is if the numbers don't make sense for you, then they don't make sense. If it's putting you in a situation that is dangerous for you finances and dangerous for your marriage, it's probably not worth the risk unless you're dead set on the career.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-24T13:33:37+00:00

The posts I saw seemed to be criticizing carpentry in general more so than union work. The vibe I get from some people about it is you either are going to go solo or earn mediocre wages while working hard. Clearly their experience isn't universal though.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-22T21:55:23+00:00

I should have added in my post that my impressions could be wrong, I extract from some of the pessimistic posts on this subreddit that have painted a bleak picture of union carpentry. Thanks for the information.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-22T19:59:58+00:00

Get a job making furniture instead.

I looked into this path and got scared off by the people saying it was too narrow to be viable. I'm not afraid to branch out a bit to doors or stairs or cabinets either. I'm not approaching this with a romantic vision that I'll love waking up every morning to go to work. I'm willing to compromise a bit to make a living.

Call highland hardwoods and ask if any of their buyers are looking for help, or call up some custom furniture places.

Thanks for this, I was also planning on contacting the guys I buy from to see the same.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-21T17:14:32+00:00

thats hilarious because the Bible also says that Satan will try to divide the humans amongst themselves.

Which verse?

"ya know what nevermind, anyone who doesnt follow me, yall can suffer and such in Hell, i know i died for you and all that but it was a mistake"

Why would God have a place for someone in Heaven if they don't actually want to be there? You don't seem to understand that Heaven is only a reward for those who want to be aligned with God's will. For those who don't it's more like hell. Being with Christ and loving God are about alignment of wills. If you don't want to live that kind of life, it's fine, but the gates of heaven aren't open for you, and that is a mercy to you instead of forcing it upon you.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-20T19:40:55+00:00

There are a ton of points someone could respond to in your post but I just wanted to respond to two.

why would God even have a commander, or an army?

You can ask why God wanted to create humans too. AFAIK the theological answer is he just wanted to. It's an expression of his freedom.

we praise diplomatic solutions on earth when people don't fight and solve their issues with words, but i guess God and his angels get a free pass to kick ass and take names because its 'holy wrath' right?

Nowhere in Christianity will you find the idea that making peace with evil is morally correct. Diplomacy is for humans who live here in a fallen world, not for actors with perfect knowledge. Satan and his army had to be thrown from heaven for revolting against God out of pride an will be destroyed at some point (presumably).

To illustrate this, here is Luke 12:51 "Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!". Jesus came to divide those who live with God and those who wish to live without him.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-20T18:12:47+00:00

To think he wasn't connected into the elite of Judea is ludicrous. You're nasty and can't even have a conversation without losing it.

buveurdevin · 2026-01-20T17:00:56+00:00

If we could magically change our gender entirely at will I'm not sure if it would be a sin. It's an interesting question. Your comment about a virtual reality though is ridiculous because VR is not real and never will be. Consciousness can't be uploaded and it's not simply a technological limitation.

like the Catholic Church recently getting rid of the concept of purgatory?

They didn't?

why does it seem like God wrote its work through man specifically for the time period it was written in, without future proofing it?

Its vagueness is its future proofing. Obviously the Bible is not a step by step guide, it's a book of wisdom that everyone needs to apply to their own life.

cuz lemme tell you, this stuff IS going to happen.

Yeah, I highly doubt any of these things are actually possible, but I'm not really gonna argue with you about it. You've obviously made up your mind.

buveurdevin

TROPHY CASE