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I have a hard time with either the term atheist or agnostic. The idea of creating a separate category - a "religion without religion" - I think misses the point, but perhaps it is in issue with syntax.

As a nonbeliever, but still deeply spiritual, I enjoy studying the teachings of religions, but I approach reading religious texts and reading about religions much in the same way I approach reading secular philosophy. In the same way that secular philosophy, religions are about the search for truth (but they often bring in sociological myth as a way to help us understand the distinction between "us" and "the other").

Even though Toaism isn't isn't really a theist religion, I have enjoyed reading Toaist texts the most. My quest certainly involves a certain amount of "self discovery" as one of your guests mentioned, what appeals to me about Toaism (and Buddhism) is the "emptying of self", and breaking off my resistence to "what is". Maybe I've been looking for a counterpart to the egoism that is American culture.

posted 2 years, 8 months ago
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