Atheism

[This_person]

Since atheism is nothing but the religion of nothingness, I believe it deserves a thread in this community.

I seek atheists to discuss not their understanding of other people's religions, but their understanding of their own. I see many atheists continually ridicule the religious in this community, but fail to ever really explain themselves. I would appreciate as respectful and open a dialogue on atheism as you have on other people's religions.

To start, I would like to ask the atheist on what they base their faith that there is no higher power.

 

[ferdberfel]

Atheism is not the religion of nothingness, it is freedom from religion. Faith defies logic. As an atheist myself, I have faith in science and logic, something I can verify.

I have sought the answer in many religions, diversions, drugs, and other escapist routes. The faceless, nameless deity does not exist, what does is myself. My socialized id and superego are quite capable of helping my ego make educated, moral decisions without harming others and providing a pretty decent experience for myself. I don't need to be told that if I live my life according to someone's ancient tenets I will be granted access to heaven. That may have been an effective way to control an uneducated populace 1,000 years ago, today it makes no sense.

I don't need to be told that my religion is the best and all others are evil. I have no religion and only seek to live my life without religion, jingoism, patriotism or any other social construct that promotes the few while excluding the many.

I don't need to be told I am weak and need to trust in the unseen being and the teachings and social constructs created by a certain sect to guide my life. I am quite capable of making a decision on my own without consulting the magic 8 ball or praying to a non-existent deity.

 

[vraiblonde]

To start, I would like to ask the atheist on what they base their faith that there is no higher power.

Saying I have "faith" that there is no God is like saying I have "faith" that there is no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy. I usually don't discuss it much because...what's to discuss? If someone asks I just say I don't believe in God. If they tell me I'll go to Hell, well, I don't believe in that either, so...

:shrug:

I rarely get a lot of flak for being an atheist because I try not to be disrespectful of people's religious beliefs. When they say they'll pray for me, I say, "Thank you." Can't hurt, right? And if it makes them feel like they're doing something productive, great. I have no anger at "Merry Christmas", nor do I get all pissed off about "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, nor do nativities at Christmas send me over the edge, and I bow my head if I'm somewhere that a prayer is happening.

I mean, what do you want to know?

 

[This_person]

Atheism is not the religion of nothingness, it is freedom from religion. Faith defies logic. As an atheist myself, I have faith in science and logic, something I can verify.

I have sought the answer in many religions, diversions, drugs, and other escapist routes. The faceless, nameless deity does not exist, what does is myself. My socialized id and superego are quite capable of helping my ego make educated, moral decisions without harming others and providing a pretty decent experience for myself. I don't need to be told that if I live my life according to someone's ancient tenets I will be granted access to heaven. That may have been an effective way to control an uneducated populace 1,000 years ago, today it makes no sense.

I don't need to be told that my religion is the best and all others are evil. I have no religion and only seek to live my life without religion, jingoism, patriotism or any other social construct that promotes the few while excluding the many.

I don't need to be told I am weak and need to trust in the unseen being and the teachings and social constructs created by a certain sect to guide my life. I am quite capable of making a decision on my own without consulting the magic 8 ball or praying to a non-existent deity.

After the contradictory first paragraph everything you wrote was about your perception of various religions. It is my goal here to leave other religions out and discuss atheism.

To use your words, you believe in a freedom from other religions so I assume this would be acceptable to you.

You say your faith (a proof we're talking a religion here) is in science and logic, something you can verify. How have you verified the origins of life, or the reasons mankind is sentient and the animal kingdom apparently is not?

 

[This_person]

Saying I have "faith" that there is no God is like saying I have "faith" that there is no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy. I usually don't discuss it much because...what's to discuss? If someone asks I just say I don't believe in God. If they tell me I'll go to Hell, well, I don't believe in that either, so...

:shrug:

I rarely get a lot of flak for being an atheist because I try not to be disrespectful of people's religious beliefs. When they say they'll pray for me, I say, "Thank you." Can't hurt, right? And if it makes them feel like they're doing something productive, great. I have no anger at "Merry Christmas", nor do I get all pissed off about "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, nor do nativities at Christmas send me over the edge, and I bow my head if I'm somewhere that a prayer is happening.

I mean, what do you want to know?

You generally are not the kind in here attacking others for their beliefs

However, I would say there's a big difference between God and Santa. We know who puts out the presents, but we have no proof of the formation of the universe, or how water and chemicals turned into sentient life. We have a lot of theories, some conflicting yet certain observations support multiple theories.

You don't strike me as a person certain you are correct and that everyone else is wrong, but why nothing? What drives your certainty?

 

[vraiblonde]

You generally are not the kind in here attacking others for their beliefs

However, I would say there's a big difference between God and Santa. We know who puts out the presents, but we have no proof of the formation of the universe, or how water and chemicals turned into sentient life. We have a lot of theories, some conflicting yet certain observations support multiple theories.

You don't strike me as a person certain you are correct and that everyone else is wrong, but why nothing? What drives your certainty?

No, I am definitely a boring atheist who won't be attending marches and seeking like minds. I don't feel oppressed by Christians and other religious types, therefore don't need a support group.

I am absolutely a person who is certain I am correct and that everyone else is wrong - don't you read my posts in here???

I've had on-again off-again flirtations with God and church, gone back and forth over the years mostly because I *wanted* to believe. Most of my friends believed in God and it's part of our culture. Plus I like church - I like the community aspect of it and the positive affirmation, which is why I like Joel Osteen and get hostile when someone wants to pick on him.

It makes way more sense to me that things evolved over millions of years into what they are now, and they continue to evolve, than that some omnipresent being just went *poof* and here stuff was. But that's mechanics - I am way more interested in spirituality and that aspect of religion, the part of "God" or whatever you choose to call it that makes you behave and be a decent person, responsible for your behavior and how you contribute to your little corner of the world.

 

[acommondisaster]

Evolved from what?

 

[Larry Gude]

...and the animal kingdom apparently is not?

But, that's simply not true.

 

[Kyle]

As an agnostic I don't worry about it one way or the other, however, I can tell you that I have encountered more than a dozen Athiests over the years that express a zealotry for Athiesm comparable to any religion.

I try to avoid them just as much as the Jehovahs Witnesses at my door or the guy trying to save everyone on the subway.

 

[vraiblonde]

Evolved from what?

Heat, energy, molecules. :shrug: The cliche response is, "So where did God come from?" but that has no answer so it becomes a boring discussion fast.

 

[This_person]

But, that's simply not true.

Please elaborate.

 

[This_person]

No, I am definitely a boring atheist who won't be attending marches and seeking like minds. I don't feel oppressed by Christians and other religious types, therefore don't need a support group.

I am absolutely a person who is certain I am correct and that everyone else is wrong - don't you read my posts in here???

I've had on-again off-again flirtations with God and church, gone back and forth over the years mostly because I *wanted* to believe. Most of my friends believed in God and it's part of our culture. Plus I like church - I like the community aspect of it and the positive affirmation, which is why I like Joel Osteen and get hostile when someone wants to pick on him.

It makes way more sense to me that things evolved over millions of years into what they are now, and they continue to evolve, than that some omnipresent being just went *poof* and here stuff was. But that's mechanics - I am way more interested in spirituality and that aspect of religion, the part of "God" or whatever you choose to call it that makes you behave and be a decent person, responsible for your behavior and how you contribute to your little corner of the world.

I think you're the perfect type of atheist, in my opinion. You allow others to believe as they will and respect other's beliefs.

From the "poof" perspective, though, I wonder where you believe the stuff that makes up the universe originated.

 

[This_person]

Heat, energy, molecules. :shrug: The cliche response is, "So where did God come from?" but that has no answer so it becomes a boring discussion fast.

In your estimation, is there anything beyond the known universe? We currently believe time and space are intertwined, so the corollary to that is there was some point where no space or time existed. Are there dimensions beyond our current comprehension external to our universe?

 

[This_person]

Please elaborate.

Larry?

 

[kwillia]

Larry?

I'm not Larry (whew), but I can jump in. There are many other species that express conscious experiences, such as empathy, perspectives, feelings, beliefs, and desires. It is not unique to humans.

 

[Larry Gude]

I'm not Larry (whew), but I can jump in. There are many other species that express conscious experiences, such as empathy, perspectives, feelings, beliefs, and desires. It is not unique to humans.

You're like me at least a little because that's what I would have said.

 

[Larry Gude]

I think you're the perfect type of atheist, in my opinion. You allow others to believe as they will and respect other's beliefs.

From the "poof" perspective, though, I wonder where you believe the stuff that makes up the universe originated.

That right there is THE primary problem with religion. Religion says you can't just allow others to believe as they will and respect their beliefs.

 

[Wishbone]

So where does this leave Solipsists?

 

[vraiblonde]

In your estimation, is there anything beyond the known universe? We currently believe time and space are intertwined, so the corollary to that is there was some point where no space or time existed. Are there dimensions beyond our current comprehension external to our universe?

I have no idea. My common sense says of course there is, but it's entirely possible that we're it. There is a great deal we don't know about our universe, let alone what's beyond, and "God" is a handy explanation for the unexplained. I will not even pretend to be smarter than the explorers, astronomers, and physicists.

Since I'm not wrapped around Christianity or any other modern religion, I am free to explore ancient religions and see their parallel to what people believe today. Belief systems are fascinating, and they don't really change a lot over the years because humans don't really change a lot.

 

[Clem72]

Since atheism is nothing but the religion of nothingness, I believe it deserves a thread in this community.

I seek atheists to discuss not their understanding of other people's religions, but their understanding of their own.

What bothers me about SOME theists is their need to codify atheism, to make it a belief. Atheism is a lack of belief, I don't need rigor and structure to not believe something. Asking an atheist about their religion is like asking an only child what they got their sister for her birthday. It doesn't make sense.

*caveat- this is for most atheists, not the in your face I have a rabid need to disprove your belief in god atheist.