SATCHMO

I am an atheist.

Okay, I'm a very soft atheist, but nonetheless I lack a believe in god(s), which qualifies me for the club, although it's a club that I rarely attend. I just get the transcripts from the meetings.

The truth is, I have an issue with atheism, mainly atheists, and it's not that they lack a believe in a god(s), it's that their posture is one defiance and resistance toward the positive aspects of religion without any sort of compassion or understanding towards those who do have faith, although quite understandably so. I hate the cold analytical perspective of materialism, the notion that if it can't be perceived directly through the senses, or has no evidence to back it, it doesn't exist. I wish that there was a tendency in atheism to choose to fill in the void of "lack of belief" with something greater, more positive, and beneficial to human kind, an eager curiosity, something that begs the question, "if not God, then what". Usually this question gets tossed about in the argument over how the universe began, but I would like to see it venture further into other areas with a genuine sense of curiosity for what truly lies beneath the psychology of the religious experience, both in its practice and as religion as a map of ultimate reality in general.

Obviously I've made a lot of broad generalizations about atheists that don't hold true to all who carry the card, but it was done to challenge or call out the strong voices of the forum (you know who you are) and really speak to this side of the issue.

These are some of the questions that I have:

Is it possible to distill the positive aspects of religion/spirituality? To objectively explore spiritual practice as a mental hygiene tool, one that has positive benefits to it's practitioners?

Can we come, will we come to an objective understanding of what spirit is and understand it's dynamic?

When people speak of God, is there something that exists in reality that word points toward, not necessarily an anthropomorphic, autonomous deity, but something else entirely?

What do we make of the religious experience? Is it simply a psychological aberration because it's subjective? If it's an induceable state and it brings joy, is that not a strong argument for trying to attain it, or duplicate it?

That's all I got for now. I'll be playing my own form of devil's advocate with everybody, which will be much more insightful and productive than arguing with an actual religious person. If you are a Christian, or religious person be careful what you post, because I'll delete it if you create frivolous arguments. This is a thread of suspending one's current perspective and that means both sides of the issue. Anyways, carry on.