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.