Your core beliefs (religious/life phil/spiritual/ethical)

[Lada]

No. Sexual frustration and loneliness for example are feelings that come about by themselves. You don't make yourself lonely.

Consсiously or unconsciously everydoby does. I think psycologists can give better answer, but feeling "lonely" is your inner thing like many others and it can't simply come out of nowhere, there are inner reasons for it to come. Some people feel lonely living in a big family, some people feel OK living alone, and some of them even don't need friends.

I'm sorry but just isn't that easy.

It's not easy but it's not complicated either, otherwise many people couldn't build their life.

there is no inherent meaning in life, no objective morality and no right and wrong thing to do

that's why life is interesting, otherwise it shouldn't be created at all.

and that life is essentially negative

as it is essentially positive.

knowing and feeling are two different worlds.

I agree and I know what I say. According to my experience life is dual, so I'm unable to understand people who describe it like you.

So please stop trying to diagnose me and cure me, especially given that you're doing it wrong.

I'm not a doctor and never tried to cure anyone. This is an open forum and everyone has a right to write what they think is right. My opinion is only mine and I don't impose it.

[md0]

I think that the harm principle has become one of my core beliefs. Is been a process inside me ever since I began thinking about the society in a mature way.

There's also my rejection of metaphysical beings or powers, which is the grounds on which I reject the notion of God.

I don't know if this thread is also asking for core political views. Not as in specific ideologies, but more fundamental pieces like how is power concentrated/diffused etc.

[mōdgethanc]

Man, so much negativity in this thread. This may be of interest to some.

[Ludwig Whitby]

I agree and I know what I say. According to my experience life is dual, so I'm unable to understand people who describe it like you.

I think I've argued succesfully against the dual experience of life. And here's the kicker! I am able to understand people like you, because you're 90% of the people I've met! And I know that your way of thinking doesn't cut it for me.

So please stop trying to diagnose me and cure me, especially given that you're doing it wrong.

I'm not a doctor and never tried to cure anyone. This is an open forum and everyone has a right to write what they think is right. My opinion is only mine and I don't impose it.

You told me to stop thinking about the meaning of life, even though you don't understand me... You gave me advice about something you admit to have no understanding of. You are free to express your opinion and I have asked politely (I wrote please) that you refrain from giving me such advices. We could debate about the arguments I've put forth if you wish.

Man, so much negativity in this thread. This may be of interest to some.

I guess you mean me. A quick glance and I recognize a lot of people I've read and some principles I agree with.

Though I'd rather the society revert to using the Dionysian extatic mind-altering and orgiastic rituals as existential therapy instead of therapy by philosophy.

[mōdgethanc]

I guess you mean me

Not in particular.

Though I'd rather the society revert to using the Dionysian ecstatic mind-altering and orgiastic rituals as existential therapy instead of therapy by philosophy.

Existential therapy isn't really based on existentialism as a philosophy beyond its most basic principles, AFAICT. Psychedelic therapy may interest you, though.

[Danysh]

It's been a long time since I posted anything here, but now when I read back over what I wrote many years ago I see just how close-minded and delusional I was. It took me sinking into a deep depression in order to stop trying to convince myself that homosexuality is evil. And once I finally let myself act on my attraction to men and start dating, I felt absolutely no guilt or feeling that it was wrong. After I realized that the Mormon church was wrong about that, I finally started trying to resolve the doubts and questions I had had over the years but had pushed aside. I discovered just how dishonest the church has been about its origins and history, just how much harm it has caused and continues to cause in the world. I realized that the feelings that I thought were "the Holy Spirit" and that I had based my entire worldview on are simply emotions that can be explained psychologically and are not an accurate indicator of truth.

I know describe myself as an atheist. I do not believe in the God of the Bible, Quran, or Book of Mormon. I believe that there are possibly higher powers/more intelligent beings than us somewhere in the universe from which life on Earth originates, but until we've got scientific evidence of such I don't really care. I believe it's possible and have some hope that there is some kind of life after death, but I live my life as if death will be the end (which I now realize doesn't mean I have no purpose).

Most of my moral values haven't changed too much. I still try to do service for people around me, be kind and forgiving, and not engage in violence of any kind. I keep the civil laws of the place where I live. I no longer prohibit myself from consuming alcohol, coffee, or tea, but I'm responsible and moderate in my use. I no longer believe that all sex outside of an opposite-sex marriage is immoral. I personally choose to only have sex with someone that I'm in a committed relationship and who I have an emotional as well as physical connection with, as that is what is makes me happy, but I believe that two consenting adults should be able to do as they wish.

I'm happy and at peace with my life, my moral values, and my sexuality.

[vijayjohn]

Glad to hear that, Danysh!

[Varislintu]

Wow, that's like a text-book account of how deconversion seems to happen in modern people in the USA, Danysh! (I don't mean that in any kind of negative way, in case it comes across like that.)

Seems like the gay-acceptance (or should I say non-acceptance) issue is one really big thing that's driving the young generation away from conservative religious denominations in the USA.

[linguoboy]

I'm happy and at peace with my life, my moral values, and my sexuality.

That is fucking awesome. Thanks for coming back and letting us know.

[dkatbena]

The real identity of individual dictates what he/she wants to do even if he/she joins different groups of religions/teachings.usually religion and philosophies are mechanisms for most types of pretenders to manipulate everything just to get what they want.

[linguoboy]

That's why this quote from scholar of religions Reza Aslan really resonated with me:

There is a fundamental misunderstanding among these critics of religion in that they believe, first and foremost, that people get their values, their morals from their scripture, when in reality the exact opposite is true. You bring your morals and your values to the scriptures; you don’t extract them from them. You learn that on day one of the study of religion — day one, that’s the first thing that you learn!

This is definitely my experience. Very few people I know have changed any of their core values on being presented with a new philosophy; instead, their receptiveness to any particular metaphysical view is predicated on how much it coincides with the values they already hold.