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submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by Subject6051@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

I am Ganesh, an Indian atheist and I don't eat beef. It's not like that I have a religious reason to do that, but after all those years seeing cows as peaceful animals and playing and growing up with them in a village, I doubt if I ever will be able to eat beef. I wasn't raised very religious, I didn't go to temple everyday and read Gita every evening unlike most muslims who are somewhat serious about their religion, my family has this watered down religion (which has it's advantages).

But yeah, not eating beef is a moral issue I deal with. I mean, I don't care that I don't eat beef, but the fact that I eat pork and chicken but not beef seems to me to be weird. So, is there any religious practice that you guys follow to this day?

edit: I like religious music, religious temples (Churches, Gurudwara's, Temples & Mosques in Iran), religious paintings and art sometimes. I know for a fact that the only art you could produce is those days was indeed religious and the greatest artists needed to make something religious to be funded, that we will never know what those artists would have produced in the absence of religion, but yeah, religious art is good nonetheless.

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[-] nayminlwin@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 year ago

The way I talk to monks. In Theravada buddhism, monks are treated as a class above average humans. We had to special wording when speaking with them to be reverent, kind of like when speaking with nobles, royals and whatnot in Europe.

Still awkwardly doing that around most monks when I'm with my family, just out of respect for them. There are a few close monk friends that I can talk to normally though.

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[-] PeWu@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago

I'm just wondering if souls exist. I hope they doesn't.

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[-] booty@hexbear.net 8 points 1 year ago

But yeah, not eating beef is a moral issue I deal with. I mean, I don't care that I don't eat beef, but the fact that I eat pork and chicken but not beef seems to me to be weird. So, is there any religious practice that you guys follow to this day?

No more half measures walter

go vegan

[-] Subject6051@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 year ago

https://www.slurrp.com/article/why-india-has-the-worlds-lowest-meat-consumption-per-person-1670058643313

Also, I am not having as much effect on the environment by eating meat. I eat once or max twice every month. Not every day like some americans (soap opera americans)

[-] machiabelly@hexbear.net 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The american expectation is to have meat with every meal. Bacon/sausage with breakfast, ham sandwich with lunch, then a roast or steaks for dinner.

Americans will literally view a plate of food without meat as a snack. Like, its not a meal unless there is meat. Meat is very inexpensive here because soy and corn are heavily subsidized. All animal products are roughly half the price of what they would be without the subsidies.

[-] Subject6051@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago

go vegan

nah I love meat! Can't live without it. I thought I would eat factory manufactured meat, but that sounds like just a bunch of fucking chemicals bunched into one. I thought they would just grow meat like in the lab, but no. Pretty misleading ads out there.

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[-] meyotch@slrpnk.net 8 points 1 year ago

Music, especially singing in groups. Once I shrugged off the religious trappings associated with music, it turns out there are very many wonderful songs that have nothing to do with God. The feeling of oneness transcends religion, and is a human experience that we all need to feel once in a while.

[-] Nahvi@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

Biblical wisdom mostly. Certain parts definitely don't hold up to modern morality, but there is a lot well-thought-out advice buried in it that has helped people in Judeo-Christian areas for thousands of years.

One of the Proverbs in particular comes to mind: "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." Hard to argue against the inherent wisdom in such a statement.

Also, like you, I have an appreciation for old churches and some religious art.

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[-] Haus@kbin.social 8 points 1 year ago

I don't buy into all the soul mumbo-jumbo, but it makes for good stories. Also, the Catholics made some good music back in the day.

[-] over_clox@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Yeah, about that...

Catholics used to castrate the choir boys so their voices wouldn't change.

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[-] Subject6051@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

damn, yes another thing I like is the religious music too. I have heard Richard Dawkins say he likes the bible for it's old English poems etc.

not only of Hindus but muslims have some nice songs as well. My muslim friend was laughing after I was humming a quite nice muslim prayer song (Hindi), long ago, but that moment was quite funny.

[-] Metafalls_@beehaw.org 8 points 1 year ago

Ex-muslim here. I am not practicing most of its rituals other than zakat, as I feel like its one of those act that transcends any beliefs.

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[-] Africanprince99@lemmy.one 7 points 1 year ago

I used to be deeply religious, I even got tattoos.

Haven't covered them up because the symbology is pertinent.

Listen to some religious music, I like some classical Christian music.

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[-] Ilovethebomb@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 year ago
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[-] RaspberryRobot@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Personally, I was raised muslim, but now I don't eat pork (or meat in general) for ethical/environmental reasons rather than religious.

[-] crazyminner@lemmygrad.ml 7 points 1 year ago

This weird irrational fear when I'm reading religious texts, or hearing religious songs that I may go back or something.

Like I know rationally that that will never happen, but for some reason a part of me is afraid if I listen to to much of it I will fall back into it or something.

It almost feels how "sinning" used to feel when I was religious. Like an irrational fear of doing something "bad".

[-] purahna@lemmygrad.ml 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I was born and raised atheist/agnostic, never set foot in a church before 18 besides weddings. Still am, never doubted it. Maybe I believe in like Spinoza's god or something but definitely no Abrahamic God.

Something I've learned is that among many other things, a certain holy quality to persecution has definitely permeated the western consciousness and it 100% has me second guessing myself often. The christliness of being persecuted, made a martyr, and suffering for your cause carries a moral quality that I have absolutely not freed myself from, even though there's nothing automatically morally good or bad in suffering and being made a victim for fighting for a cause.

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[-] Floey@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago

That's interesting because I only became a vegan long after I became an atheist and I think if it happened the other way around there wouldn't have been such a delay seeing as so many Catholic religious feasts in my culture have an entire roasted animal as a centerpiece. That would have definitely forced me to confront my religion. It's weird too because we are taught that we are stewards of animals and to take advantage of them in such ways seems contradictory to the faith.

Something that has stuck with me though is religious music, especially the stuff with darker vibes. Music targeted at a religious demographic with religious messaging like Christian rock is not what I'm taking about, just the classics that we used to sing in church and choir. I also enjoy religious precessions, I don't see them as cultish rituals as I think a lot of atheists do. There is something meditative about processes like the giving and receiving of communion.

[-] luthis@lemmy.nz 6 points 1 year ago

"Good must prevail even if you suffer directly for it."

In every day life, this is voting for parties that would increase my taxes but provide benefits for a greater number of people. Giving to charity, supporting the creators I like directly (as much as possible, Patreon still takes their cut). Using FOSS/privacy based software instead of the mainstream data syphons. Encouraging repair instead of replace, doing car maintenance for friends.

[-] rfaelens@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

The Belgian minister of Justice (Koen Geens, Christian party) wrote a column about Christianity, where he nicely summed up what it means to be a good Christian:

Try to align every decision and action with your system of morality, and be consistent in this.

Even as an atheïst/humanitarian, this is a constant struggle. It nicely sums up how we need to weigh our options and consciously try to do the right thing. To me, it was a profound observation.

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[-] Zacryon@feddit.de 6 points 1 year ago
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[-] AceFuzzLord@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago

Not 100% sure this answers the question, but here goes.

Closest I can say that stuck with me, as someone born in a Christian household would be the original Veggietales and how some of the messages have stuck with me. You take away the Christian aspect from some of the messages and you get messages that I think could still apply to a general audience.

  • Small people can do big things (Dave and the Giant Pickle)

  • Despite your differences, you can still be friendly with others (Are You My Neighbor)

  • You should forgive others (God Wants Me To Forgive Them!?!)

I may not follow them to a tee but I am at least somewhat trying.

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[-] the_lone_wolf@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago

I was born in a Hindu family, i don't believe in God but i really like and keep deities statues and pictures as Art. I also read religious text bcz i found there are lots of good things which can be learned from it and i am also fascinated about how old these scriptures are and still tells about lots of good things about human mind, life and society.

[-] kristina@hexbear.net 5 points 1 year ago

i like hanging the bit about jesus telling people to respect gender divergence over people's heads

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this post was submitted on 17 Sep 2023
322 points (95.0% liked)

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