Agnosticism, Theism (including Deism) or Atheism: Who is Right?

I think I am an Agnostic. Yet on the Triond Forum it is clear that others are either deeply religious (Theists) or Atheists. Who, if anyone, is right?
I reckon I am an Agnostic. Some say I am not, but I cannot remember why. Especially after two double whiskies lol. Basically I will believe fully in God if someone introduces me to Him (or Her!). Or, if someone acts as a witness should God suddenly make an appearance. As for Jesus actually being the son of God, I’m open to offers. I do prefer the old Testament to be honest. God and Jesus could of course be aliens: I’m all for life in space, as all my friends know.

Agnosticism for me
I was brought up in a scientific age. Yes, we even had Science in the 1950s! We were taught to be rational and test out all our theories. Rationality is something I achieve occasionally. Prove to me that God exists and I am happy. The Darwinian “Deists” have tried but...

Deeply religious Theists
At least one of my friends is a Born Again Christian. Something about Christ flowing into him and making him explode with joy! Better not say too much about this. Sorry, I have to be sceptical. It must be wonderful to be so certain about such things. “Theism” includes all sorts of religions: Christianity, Islam, not certain about the others. God (of some sort) says what is Good, and off you go. Simples. Some say the Universe is so wonderful that it Must be created by God.

Atheists unite
My mate Rob Stoakes says he is an Atheist. He will be chuffed at being mentioned here. He says I just sit on the fence. The universe is clearly all an accident, he insists. Everything operates by the laws of Science, logically. Yet how can any Atheist be so sure? How can anyone disprove the existence of God?

What I think
Sorry for being unChristian but all I can ask, is what’s in it for me? The Atheist view seems rather negative. I cannot think of anything the Atheists are offering me. At least all the Theists say I might have immortal life. The Agnostics argue that immortality might be “discovered”, one way or another. What gets me is that these Theists and Atheists can be so Certain...I remain Open Minded, and open Hearted!

With Thanks to Bill M Tracer for explaining Theism\Deism to me, and Kim Therapist (Arvin) for her tolerant support.

Tags: Religion, Christianity, Theism, Deism, Atheism, Agnostic, belief

PS 13\8\14 - Something to believe in? This - http://www.immortal-jellyfish.com/

Careers Work: advice, help, counselling, guidance and information

(As published on Triond, Wikinut and Bukisa. Yep, that's ME on the left)

I worked for Humberside Careers service, latterly called Connexions, for 24 years. We provided careers guidance and counselling, plus help with job seeking skills, all for free. Now my old office is in North East Lincolnshire. I got my Careers Diploma at Trent Nottingham. Here is my take on Careers work: career choice , guidance, counselling, information and advice.

I was a Careers Adviser for the Humberside service in England, UK, for 24 years. So, I have been mulling over whether to write an article about career choice and advice. After all, I might as well put all that experience to good use.
Using Google for careers advice, information and guidance

Today I Googled words like careers, counselling, connexions etc. Well, in the UK the Connexions Service (of which careers is a part) still exists and they have their own national website. There is a rider on it, though, that their views may not quite match those of our newish Coalition government. However, they still run their Jobs 4 U database, which is based on a good model built by COIC and associates from about the 1970s. Connexions is for 13-19 year olds BUT its job information is good for people of any age.

Simply put: want information? Google it. The web is an excellent source of information, dare I say sometimes better than a human adviser’s memory. Jobs 4 U cannot surely have a monopoly any more (if ever) on information. I could not find any sign of a coordinated careers service in the states, sorry guys. Some American Universities do have a service though.

See a Careers Adviser or Worker for help, counselling, choice making skills

Actually I preferred to call myself a Careers Worker rather than adviser. More than that, I often operated as a “counsellor”. People don’t like to think of themselves as being “counselled” as it implies there is something wrong with them. So I never told anyone they were being counselled. It is all about helping wherever help is needed.

This is what the Trent Nottingham Careers Course trained me to do (amongst other things). Professors Carl Rogers and Gerard Egan gave us “client-centred”, “non-directive counselling, which is all about being helpful. All that happens is that you share your thoughts with your careers worker so that you can decide your career and get on the right path towards your goal. Of course, thinking a bit before you see that worker doesn’t do any harm. Yet a problem shared is a problem halved. Only humans can do this.

Naturally, Ken Roberts and his structural-functionalist supporters will turn round and say, nice, but what about a job. Well Connexions does advertise job and training vacancies. So does Job Centre Plus or whatever in the UK. When I worked for Connexions, however, I always felt this was our Achilles Heel. Of course, there is always Google...

Further thoughts

Another possible Achilles Heel, if you can have two, is that some see the client-centred approach as a cop-out. A CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) counsellor I worked with (called Paul Martin) certainly dismissed Rogers and company as any good. Then again some Careers Advisers might use some CBT with clients.

Connexions is primarily a 13-19 service and I’m not sure whether they see “Adult” clients to any great extent. In the UK that means you may have to try Jobcentre Plus (who once employed OGUs (Occupational Guidance Units). Indeed an OGU led me to the Careers Service in 1980.
Some Advisers use Careerscape, Kudos and other computer programmes to help with making choices and getting information. In the past we used CASCAID and the Morrisby profile – special tests to help this process. Enough for now.

Invisible Man | Authspot

Invisible Man Authspot A poem about loneliness in a crowd.

Invisible Man | Authspot

Invisible Man Authspot A poem about loneliness in a crowd.

Who or What is God?

Most of us have heard of God. Some claim to believe in Him or Her, some not to. A few will sacrifice their lives for God. Me, to be honest I’m something of an Agnostic: show me God please.

Yet that is a discussion for later. Others are Atheists who argue that there cannot be any God.

Christians, Moslems and similar faiths believe in God. The Romans, Ancient Greeks and others prayed to a whole host of gods. The ancient Egyptians once believed in Ra, the sun god. They also revered Isis the moon goddess. At least you can see the sun and the moon. You can feel the warmth of the sun. In a way the sun is a good choice for a god because we know that without it there would be no life on Earth. Sticking with the Egyptians (fairly randomly), they also had an Earth god called Geb and a sky goddess named Nut. All quite logical.

Of course the great limitation of sun gods and the like is that they do not seem to have any sentience, intelligence or special powers. On the other hand the Christian God is variously described as being superhuman, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, eternal, ultimate Goodness, Love and the Creator of all Existence (of which The Universe is a significant part). Plus other qualities and powers which are described elsewhere. Without trying to sound cynical or anything, He or She must therefore (logically) be my first “View” here. Must have the best marketing department too.

It is written that Man was made in God’s image. That implies that Man is an imperfect version of God. It is also said that he sacrificed his son Jesus for us. Being a selfish so and so, what I like most is that He offers us Eternal Life. I gather that is a deferred gratification however. I am open to correction here, but I understand that the payoff comes on Judgement Day.

So who or what is God? Well, most of what I have described and more, I reckon. Some talk of a universal force. The “Star Wars” films had something, with, “May The Force be with you.” Or rather, a Multi-Universal Force! Think Infinite Eternity and then some more. Imagine being outside the Space-Time-Continuum, then keep going. For me, The Big Bang and Evolution fit in nicely as part of The Formula, The Plan. God is Great. All that matters to me, though, all due respect, is that I want Eternal Life.

How to Regain Paradise.

When I was eighteen I decided that The Priority in Life is simply to Survive. I cherish life. The blunt fact that we all Die eventually fills me with sorrow and resentment. If ever I talk of suicide, send me to a shrink. I Love Life. Yet surely there has to be more to life than survival and existence.

That is where our great religions come in. They try to teach us what is Good, what is valuable and worthwhile. Religions also warn us of the other side of the coin: Evil. Yet when you consider everything, Goodness is born from logical common sense. “Thou shalt not kill”: well, of course not! Stealing is not too clever either. And so on. What is needed to preserve and cultivate life is often quite obvious. Love is the key. Yet sometimes “doing the right thing” is very difficult: e.g. the police sniper shooting someone who is about to murder some people. It is comforting to have God’s backing, but the bottom line is whether an action enhances someone’s life in some way. We talk of humanitarianism here, but I would call this “Lifism”: cherishing and maintaining all life-forms.

So, picture your Paradise (“Regained”). I visualise a universe teeming with life: rampant vegetation, plenty of water, animals roaming the plains and swinging through the trees. Innumerable trees. Towering mountains, sweeping savannas, golden beaches and swelling oceans. I see finely designed citadels dotted upon the landscape. People of all colours and creeds going about their business, happy in the knowledge that they are safe, housed and well fed. No wars, strife; no haves and have nots. Here in Britain we seldom have the weather, but surely we can manage the rest. Sure, I am an Idealist, but at least I have something to aim for. Yet we can all aim together. Conservation, yes, but really we need more. We need to actively cultivate people and life in general.

Just look at the world and try to acknowledge all that is good. There are some very bright intelligences around, especially amongst the young. Enjoy your arts, sports, technological wizardry, and so forth. That glass there is not half empty, but half-full. Feel your Inner Strength, be Positive. (Eastern Wisdom is great for this). Love Life indeed. You only live once (in this form). “Carpe diem: seize the day.” Then keep seizing.

As someone told me, touch everything that you can. Do not stay aloof. Get in there and participate. Do not mull over the meaning of life too much. Just Do.