Do You Often Come Across People Who Aren't Religious?  This is a question for those in Nigeria:

Do you often meet people who aren't affiliated with a religion or set of beliefs or does Nigerian society pressurise people into hiding behind one religion or another?

Nope. Even armed robbers are religious in Nigeria!

That reminds of a very sad story someone told me about some armed robbers:

A night bus travelling from Calabar to Lagos and was apprehended by some armed thieves. The thieves asked the passengers if they had paid tithes; those who had were left with all their money intact, unfortunately those who didn't were made to pay 'a tithe' to the thieves.

The saddest part of this story is that the guy who told it to me said (with a smile on his face) that this was an example of "God looking after his people"-  I guess he'd never heard of the Holocaust.

I think the Holocoust never stopped.

exu:

That reminds of a very sad story someone told me about some armed robbers:

A night bus travelling from Calabar to Lagos and was apprehended by some armed thieves. The thieves asked the passengers if they had paid tithes; those who had were left with all their money intact, unfortunately those who didn't were made to pay 'a tithe' to the thieves.

The saddest part of this story is that the guy who told it to me said (with a smile on his face) that this was an example of "God looking after his people"- I guess he'd never heard of the Holocaust.

Strangely, or maybe not so strange afterall, many christians are bizarrely gleeful when it comes to a perceived punishment from YHVH, on unbelievers, apostates etc, it really is cringeworthy. Remember that thread about "God", that involved several christians extolling a God who would senselessly kill hundreds of people on the Titanic just because of an innocuous statement by a guy who wasn't even on the ship. Yet many christians wonder why they are viewed with derision.

Tai Solarin is the most famous Nigerian atheist. He was very influential vocal about his beliefs (or unbeliefs). After he died, imaginative newspaper editors reported on how his ghost came back to warn his family about the afterlife.

There are but very few. We should remember that people don't take lightly to non-religious individuals. You're branded "keferi" and an outkast even important people like Solarin are not spared with Fani-Kayode's impertinently calling him Godless and unworthy of Obasanjo's attention. But I do know of the NIGERIAN HUMANIST STUDENTS SOCIETY inspired I think by Tai solarin and the Nigerian Skeptics Society.

About Tai Solarin:
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/richard_carrier/Tai_Solarin.html

Well worth a read, even for the religiously inclined

Not interested, i guard my heart against what i read.

Just think how much better the world would be if more people thought like this:

Tai Solarin wrote: ‘ My allegiance is to man. Locally to the Nigerian; universally to humanity.’

Its a shame that Tai's ideas haven't had much influence in Nigeria.

lioness:

Not interested, i guard my heart against what i read.

Self-imposed ignorance. So sad

'blacks hold onto their God just as the drunken man holds on to the street lamp post--for physical support only'.

Great article on Tai, He remains one of the few Nigerians that i truly admire (along with Fela )

Whats this supposed to mean Nferyn

[Not interested, i guard my heart against what i read.

Self-imposed ignorance. So sad /quote]

lioness:

Whats this supposed to mean Nferyn

Exactly what it reads.
I try to learn and understand opinions that differ from mine, you do not seem to seek that kind of knowledge.

@Inferyn and lioness

do you guys want to turn this part of the forum into a boxing ring
ok! Bring it on! I'm here to judge your points. just kidding guys, you dont have to start digging on each other! Together Everybody Achieve More (thats what they called TEAM) and learning never ends! go guys!

Am sorry Nferyn that i don't share your ideas or your "classical/logical" way of reasoning.
And i also don't think that gives you any right to refer to my post as "self imposed ignorance". Thereby referring to me as having accepted ignorance.

The fact that i guard my heart on what i read doesnt mean i don't accept or don't have knowledge. Neither have i rejected knowledge.
I think it was a rude thing to say and i believe i can be rude too.  So u better watch your mouth man!  

@ whitesoftx,

I dont want trouble but why should Nferyn call me "self imposed ignorance". Just because i refused reading his attachment. I think it was rude. The fact that someone doesnt share your views doesnt mean u condem their post or start calling them names. I have watched Nferyn do that alot on this forum. I wont take that shit from him.


NFERYN, you just got on my last nerve pal.

We can not be here and read you guys chew each other around

@inferyn
I think lioness deserves a light apology for that, remember I'm not part of the admin but 'life is for everyone and "for one's self"'.

@lioness
sorry dude. If he really get on your last nerver, why dont you UNDO it and change to the first nerve either

One Love NL

We can not be here and read you guys chew each other around

@inferyn
I think lioness deserves a light apology for that, remember I'm not part of the admin but 'life is for everyone and "for one's self"'.

@lioness
sorry lady. If he really gets on your last nerver, why don't you UNDO it and change to the first nerve instead

One Love Nairaland

@ lioness

I appologise for being too frank and sounding off rude. It's calling a spade a spade and I am sorry because it is certainly not my intention to offend you.
I stand by what I said, but you really do not need to read more into it than that. It does not imply anything whatsoever about your qualities as a human being, only that you shut yourself off from this specific knowledge.

@ Nferyn

I accept your apology cos i clearly understand the inability of one to use appropriate words for precise expression of thoughts. And of course the adamant nature of the human race associated with its egostic being will find a counter attack a slight and would therefore resolve to insults as a head way - this doesnt not apply to all humans though.

extremely minute; and we are the worse for it.

The idea of people blocking themselves from knowledge is something that makes one sad.

otokx:

extremely minute; and we are the worse for it.

Really, otokx?

Seun,

Am a software Engineer. I dont think i need another degree in medicine, banking, or Law Ok. I believe in God and I dont see any knowledge in reading about a guy who doesnt believe in God. The only knowledge am going to acquire from there is doubt and confusion and i personally dont need that S*&T Ok.
Now if you dont see the sense in this, then your the sad case

[
Posted on: Yesterday at 10:21:33 PM
Posted by: Seun
Insert Quote
The idea of people blocking themselves from knowledge is something that makes one sad. /quote]

What if your belief in God is wrong?

Before i believed in God, i tried him out to see if He really works. In the past, i have read articles and listened to those who didnt beileve. I t didnt make any sense to me.

So what if i was supposed to be a doctor, do i drop my degree/profession in software engineering and go back to school
No man knows ALL the truth Seun. Life is a matter of choice. I have made mine, make yours.

Don't you think it's bad to make a firm decision on a serious issue and then run away from all evidence to the contrary? Imagine a judge that says "I think the client is guilty" and then goes ahead to support his "faith" by simply refusing to entertain any evidence to the contrary, no matter how solid. Would you like to be tried by such a judge? Don't you think such a judge is rather silly?

yeah its bad. Thats why i listened and read artilcles on not believing in God before i started believing in God.
Been there, Done that u might say.
Seun, Do you believe in God

lol yeah Seun, if thats what works for you.
As long as u know what you in for.