I have made many a light-hearted jibe about Christianity (or religion in general) on this blog.
I cannot bring myself, though, to say I'm an Atheist.. Mainly because I'm under-educated.
I choose not to read books which suggest the Bible is full of shit, because any book can be full of shit, including a book suggesting the Bible is full of shit (and I'm guessing that the enlightened among you are thinking that makes me highly ignorant for saying that, and you'd be right).
When I was around 12 years old, I went through what must have been a pre-teen crisis. I decided to seek out attention in a variety of ways, one of which was to be baptised. My mother purposely chose not to have my brother or me Christened as babies.
Anther attention-seeking activity included spraying my hair with 2 bottles of Sun-In (peroxide) turning it a rusty-iron colour. Team that hair colour with a giant blue shirt belonging to my dad, a marker-pen thick slick of eyeliner, and a very tight, very long black skirt, and I'm ready for my school photo.
The baptism was an anti-climax. Bible study classes were boring, and any questions I asked the vicar were answered with "read the Bible - you'll find all the answers".
I did read the Bible, it's a good read, I wrote down a lot of the quotes and still have the book. Alongside crude drawings of dresses I had designed, are quotes like "I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you".
I suppose a lot of what appealed to me at the time centred around 'love'. I've yet to meet an Atheist who believes love doesn't exist (outside the survival of the human race realm).
Sitting on the fence with regards to religion is not something I'm proud about. Having said that, I struggle to commit to anything because I challenge every fleeting thought, suggestion by others, idea, action, feeling....
Get a group of people together in any setting, and a loud-mouth control freak with an army of followers, a rebel, and a quiet outsider will emerge.
In the workplace, there will always be someone who talks a good game, captivates everyone, but does very little else. What motivates people to shy away or follow?
Religion aside, I found this video interesting. If you can bear to spare ten minutes, I know that is a MASSIVE amount of time in internet terms. Maybe like a six hour shift at a components factory with no toilet break
Deep question, perhaps...but, what motivates you to perform well?
Blogging?
Money?
Religion?
I would put my motivtion down to a quest to find 'the answer' and I know I'll never find it. Even though I don't doubt for a second that the answer is 42. yes, Sarah - you said it best.
Who judges whether or not we perform well? Think about those clever little bankers....
I cannot bring myself, though, to say I'm an Atheist.. Mainly because I'm under-educated.
I choose not to read books which suggest the Bible is full of shit, because any book can be full of shit, including a book suggesting the Bible is full of shit (and I'm guessing that the enlightened among you are thinking that makes me highly ignorant for saying that, and you'd be right).
When I was around 12 years old, I went through what must have been a pre-teen crisis. I decided to seek out attention in a variety of ways, one of which was to be baptised. My mother purposely chose not to have my brother or me Christened as babies.
Anther attention-seeking activity included spraying my hair with 2 bottles of Sun-In (peroxide) turning it a rusty-iron colour. Team that hair colour with a giant blue shirt belonging to my dad, a marker-pen thick slick of eyeliner, and a very tight, very long black skirt, and I'm ready for my school photo.
The baptism was an anti-climax. Bible study classes were boring, and any questions I asked the vicar were answered with "read the Bible - you'll find all the answers".
I did read the Bible, it's a good read, I wrote down a lot of the quotes and still have the book. Alongside crude drawings of dresses I had designed, are quotes like "I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you".
I suppose a lot of what appealed to me at the time centred around 'love'. I've yet to meet an Atheist who believes love doesn't exist (outside the survival of the human race realm).
Sitting on the fence with regards to religion is not something I'm proud about. Having said that, I struggle to commit to anything because I challenge every fleeting thought, suggestion by others, idea, action, feeling....
Get a group of people together in any setting, and a loud-mouth control freak with an army of followers, a rebel, and a quiet outsider will emerge.
In the workplace, there will always be someone who talks a good game, captivates everyone, but does very little else. What motivates people to shy away or follow?
Religion aside, I found this video interesting. If you can bear to spare ten minutes, I know that is a MASSIVE amount of time in internet terms. Maybe like a six hour shift at a components factory with no toilet break
Deep question, perhaps...but, what motivates you to perform well?
Blogging?
Money?
Religion?
I would put my motivtion down to a quest to find 'the answer' and I know I'll never find it. Even though I don't doubt for a second that the answer is 42. yes, Sarah - you said it best.
Who judges whether or not we perform well? Think about those clever little bankers....
Ha, I really enjoyed reading this post. I am actually one of those atheists but I choose to avoid religion rather than enter into arguments with those who believe in it. Mainly because I believe in freedom of choice. I love those RSA animate videos. Have you seen the Ken Robinson education one? I think you'd like it.
ReplyDeleteHello Lucy:
ReplyDeleteAs Christians we find faith the hardest bit of it all!! It is also very personal and, in our view, people approach God, or indeed nothing at all, in very individual ways which 'work' for them. Although we do attend church, as you will possibly know from a recent post, we are never over enthusiastic about organised religion.
What motivates us? Life!
I'm an Atheist who is fascinated by religions and I do like the odd debate with people who have chosen a faith....and sometimes they are very odd debates. I think I lost god around the age of 11.
ReplyDeleteI reckon life itsel if a motivator..we're here and we should get on with it.
The RSA films are excellent.
xxxxx
The thing with religion is that it wants it both ways. It expects you to have faith and not sit on the fence but also expects you to believe in highly unbelievable stuff that you suspect was written by a bunch of control-freak blokes a long time ago with over-active imaginations and too much of a bossy attitude towards women.
ReplyDeleteThat said, they knew how to write. At my dad's funeral the other week the language of the Prayer Book service was beautiful, calming and serene.
I'd say not a lot motivates me. I really can't pinpoint what it is - perhaps it's attention, that would be the most likely thing. and with attention comes rewards - sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAs far as religion goes - I think of this quote from Hamlet - "There are more things in heaven and earth Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosopy". I like not knowing everything. Atheists can be just as arrogant and zealous as their religious counterparts. I gave up religion aged about 6 when I realised it was all about rules. I do like the bible, there are some great quotes and some genuinely good advice, there's also a lot of crap. Generally with religion I ignore it, apart from an art point of view
Yeah for me I watched the whole video ;P which I found super interesting especially since I am a self motivated commission only salesperson and there were quite a few points in this video that pertain to me. Some very interesting ideas indeed. Money is not what motivates me at work but all the interesting people I get to speak with daily~ that keeps me going.
ReplyDeleteI am not religious in the I worship Jesus kinda way, but I also don't care if anyone else is. I feel like our creator, whoever that is,lives inside each and everyone of us and when we are feeling that we are able to be happy and give and receive love.
What motivates us my dears is LOVE, that is what life is about!
Mum was Christian, Dad was an atheist, I went to a C of E school until I was 11 and was given the choice of continuing to attend church and I chose not to. I don't mind whether people follow a religion or not as long as they don't lecture me about it. I do have a love of Hinduism but that's just the cool gods, the incense and the elephants.
ReplyDeleteI only managed half a shift at the components factory, money has never interested or motivated me. Blogging is brilliant for spurring me on to finish projects but I think I'm just a motivated person. I couldn't sleep at night if I hadn't achieved something during the day, even if it's just 30 minutes of exercising and a skirt being re-hemmed. I feel like I'm wasting me life if I don't do something. xxx
I find churches very calming places and think it must be amazing to just have that peace and belief, with no need to struggle or argue or play devil's advocate with oneself. Unfortunately that's not something I have - and like many people, I'm put off by many aspects of organised religion. I'd say I'm probably agnostic. It's not particularly comfy here on the fence, but there you go.
ReplyDeleteI am very hard on myself generally, as far as my behaviour goes, so that motivates me. The one part of Catholicism which always appealed to me was the idea of confession - not the regular, find something small to confess, {'oh I was jealous of my friend Lucy's erudite post'/'I swore'/'I was greedy'} kind of thing, but the idea that if you had a guilty conscience it could be magically assuaged was very appealing to me.
I set myself my own standards, I guess that motivates me. I'm not achieving what I think I could at the moment, which is a slightly depressing, but we've discussed this previously.
x
It's all about perspective, incentive and reward. Can I sleep at night. Can I look myself in the mirror.
ReplyDeleteAnd the answer, as you well know, is always 42.
Best year of my life.
Sarah xxx
I enjoyed that video very much and those things he explained...purpose, mastery, self-direction..yes, those motivate me. Hugely.
ReplyDeleteSo does genuine, heartfelt praise and appreciation. Money? Not so much.
I wouldn't call myself religious at all. Christian, yes, But not religious.
I just believe in God, believe in the Bible, and live my faith as simply and uncomplicatedly as I can. Not very good at it though. Wish I could exercise more self-control over my tongue - such a nasty thing, my big mouth.
But definitely not on the fence. I know what I believe and Who I believe in. But I don't go to church - they are generally just places for other people to feed you their own interpretations and force tradition and ridiculous, man-made rules upon you. Haven't much time for churches and organised religion.
Well, I'd better put my atheist cards on the table. It's all about the evidence for me, there is none, so I might as well believe in fairies or pixies or aliens. When someone shows me the evidence, I'll re-evaluate! I understand the psychological need for faith, for a framework, for a "this isn't all there is" belief. But that's what religion is, the answer to a psychological need and cutural/social phenomenon. And I'm opposed to faith-based education in a big way. Schools should teach about all faiths in a fair and even-handed way, but not indoctrinate the young.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what motivates me. I'm fairly slovenly and unambitious and a great big slacker, really, who could happily fritter away hours doing little of any use. In fact, I do, regularly. Autonomy, mastery, purpose... I know I should have them, but I don't seem to! The basics are covered which keep the family show on the road, but otherwise I'm really lazy. A faithless, cynical, lazy arse! Don't hate me... xxxx
'...talks a good game, captivates everyone but does very little else'. Yep, that would describe me I think - all my colleagues seem to think that I am always doing fantastical things at work when in fact I think I'm doing a thoroughly shit job....
ReplyDeleteLucita,
ReplyDeleteI am very more spiritual than religious ,but my sisters seem to say I am really religious.
My Mama always dragged us to church when I was younger, as we got older we choosed our own way.
I was baptized, done my first communion but I did not do my confirmation before marriage. I do want to marry at a big ass church in England.
Faith,good energies and love always motivate me (prayer and spiritual water always seems to work to keep the bad spirits away)
P.S.
would love to go car booting with you amor.
Besonoes
What a very interesting topic to deal with. Thanks for sharing your own point of view. Hope to read more on your blog
ReplyDelete