I like to think that my beliefs about gods are Reflective, but I'm not always sure.
I do not rely on a god to get me up in the morning. I rely on my alarm clock.
I do not rely on a god to pay my bills. I go to work.
I do not rely on a god to keep me and my family safe. I educate myself and take precautions.
When I make an important decision such as where I should live or if I should keep my job or who I should marry I do not wait for an indication from a god. I devote time into the important task and make the decision after careful consideration.
I attempted to make this list a wide range of things including some trivial and some major aspects of my life.
Therefore, since I do not leave such things "in the hands" of any god... I think I am an atheist.
Well, atheism is something that is a matter of belief, not a matter of action. If you don't believe there is a god, you are an atheist; if you do believe there is a god, you're a theist. It doesn't matter how much weight you give to your belief (if any at all) when making decisionsbeliefs are beliefs; actions are actions.
What strikes me as odd is that I think most people do the same thing as I describe above.
I don't know anyone who relys on a god to wake them up in the morning so they don't use an alarm.
I don't know anyone who relys on a god to pay their bills so they don't work.
I don't know anyone who relys on a god to keep themselves or their family safe so they don't educate themselves and take precautions.
I don't know anyone who relys on a god for important decisions in their life so they don't devote any time and careful consideration into those tasks.
And yet... many people seem to say they do believe in a deeply personal and involved god.
Again; it is perfectly possible to
believe in a god while still
acting independently. At the same time, I know many religious people who would credit God with all of the things you mention: God kept them living so they could wake up; God got them a job so they could pay their bills; God keeps their family safe by providing means to take precautions; God answers their prayers and tells them how to respond to important questions.
Is your belief about gods Reflective or Directive?
Neither. I don't let my belief in God dictate how I live my life and I don't let how I live my life dictate my belief in God.
Jon
Love your enemies!
™ Version 4.2
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