Labels?

Labels (also known as tags) are words that identify the type of content that a post has.
Having labels on posts increases the functionality of this blog tremendously. Here's why:

In the early days of blogging, labels were not around. When browsing the blog for an old post, the archive section was all we had. Finding something specific would require patience, time, and then more patience. After a good dose of both, one would actually land on that old post that we were looking for.

Today, one post can be about anything. To make things more complex, most posts mention several different things. So, how to find those posts about a specific subject in a blog about lots of things?
You got it: labels.

Every time an article is posted in this blog, one or more labels will be assigned to it. This post for example, is all about the label concept. I have decided that all posts that mention the practical aspect and functionality of this blog would be the blog's guide. As such, this post is labeled guide.

The result is: when this blog becomes large enough to make browsing the archives a tedious task, one will be able to click the guide label (present in this post) and see all the tricks and tips about this blog. All posts about tricks and tips will be under the label guide.
The same will be possible for all other aspects and themes I hope to cover in this blog.

Search for the guide label at the bottom of this post and have fun with labels!

Trinity - Part I

As I grew up and suddenly religion became a subject of the most interesting conversations I have ever had, I soon took an interest in shortening the length of the initial part of the conversation. A pattern was evident, and that was the finding out about the other person. After knowing that the labels were out there, it became a lot simpler to ask which of the 3 main categories would they fall under.
As a non believer, I tend to look at people in one of three ways:

• Atheist
• Agnostic
• Theist

It seems to me so far that there are no more categories, only sub categories of those 3. As soon as a religious debate starts and in such debate a non believer side exists, the debate becomes a lot clearer once you know to whom of those 3 types are you debating with.

So, what exactly are these 3 categories? How do they sub divide? Why do I start off with these 3? That is what we will see in coming posts.

[Definition] Definitions

It is hard to write and at the same time guarantee that the readers will get exactly what you wanted them to. Correction: it is, to my knowledge, impossible to guarantee such result.
How great would I be if I had the gift of transmitting exactly what was on my mind?

Because of this limitation we, humans, have, I decided it would be wise to populate this blog with definitions. Not because I think they are absolutely necessary, but because I believe it helps to have quick access to what this blog considers an Atheist, an Agnostic, or even a Religious person.

These terms are easy, but in religion, there are plenty of hard ones to go around.
In this way, we will at least guarantee one thing: that the readers that started out like I did (not knowing much about the subject) will have a quick access to terms we may use in future posts.
Actually, I will be one of those... ;)

In this blog, we will have a "definiton" label.
Posts that refer to and only to one definition, will be labeled as such: as a definition.
May this post be a definition about what definition stands for around here. It is also part of our guide.

Note: For the perfectionists out there, definition also is: "a concise explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase or symbol". :)

[Quote] Albert Einstein on questioning:

In the previous post, I mentioned questioning. I wanted to question both sides of religion: the believer (which I was) and the non believer's side.
At some point in life I came across famous people's quotes.
One of the world's most intelligent human beings in history once said:

"The important thing is not to stop questioning."

I have to admit that once I found out about this quote, I felt really proud to have started my questioning early on in life.
To keep the questioning habit going: Have you been questioning anything lately? ;)

What if I am happy with Religion?

If the answer is yes, you are happy with it, you may not even be reading this. But in the event that you are happy being religious and you are reading this, then here is a thought, that changed my approach to religion during my teenage years, that I feel should be shared here.

People form their opinions and beliefs in an immense number of ways: experience, social events, opinions of others, influenced by friends, cultural pressure, coercion, you name it.
When it comes to our opinions about religion, a lot changes when compared to our beliefs about democracy, football, or chocolate.
Religion, is that one thing that comes to us by word of mouth all the time, before coming in any other form. It also comes to us, usually through someone we look up to: our parents.
It is very rare to find an adult without any religious beliefs that experiences and learns all or some religions and then decides one of them is the one.

At some point in my early teens, I decided that I should investigate why some people did not believe in God. I thought that if God had given me the ability to question things, then I should do it. I could even find out why not believing in Him was wrong. Maybe I could help people by bringing them into believing again once I knew the answer to their disbelief.

So, while I was happy with my religion, I decided that the worst thing that could happen, is that I would be the one being wrong. Being wrong would give me a have a chance to be right, and being right would be great. I love being right. I could not afford to be religious and wrong. I had to find out for myself.
Even though I hoped I was right to begin with, I knew at that point that trying to prove myself wrong would ultimately turn out a failure, and I would come out stronger and more religious on the other end of this journey.

And so it began. From that time forward, I started questioning everything. I told myself that would be the only way to actually think about religion: by knowing both sides of the story.

And we are live!

Any post with the "guide" label is intended to guide you through the inner workings of this website. Things like: what are labels, what do they mean, RSS Feeds, how to use them, etc.
Hopefully, "guide" posts should also inform you of any blog related feature that may show up in the future.
So if you happen to throw this blog's address to someone (thanks in advance!), leave them with the hint of clicking the label "guide" before moving on. It will make the experience better, I promise.

Welcome!

Welcome to Religious Faith Challenger.
Do you like challenges? Read on!

Before reading any further, one should be aware that this blog is all about sensitive subjects, conflicting opinions, and possibly offensive ones, depending on how much freedom you give others to think whatever they want about your beliefs.
Given that, I would say that part of this blog's mission statement is in its own header on top of the blog.
What is left to say is that this blog will aim at making you think about the non-religious way of thinking about the world. As a consequence of that, some will try to embrace it, some will try to avoid it. So if you are a fan of soul searching, pursuing different views, different beliefs and different ways to live life even if that changes nothing about you, this may be the blog for you.

If you are here as an Atheist, you will feel that we are preaching to the quire most of the times, but not all the time. You may get a surprising new approach to a few subjects.
As an Agnostic, you may find some challenges, but nothing overwhelming.
As a Religious person, you will see your beliefs in a new light, you will understand non believers better, and hopefully you will leave with whatever opinion you desire. But if you happen to come back, then the mission is accomplished, and our most dear and special welcome note goes to those who return.

Thanks for your time. Let's get this blog under way.