Atheism

[vraiblonde]

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.

Upon finding out that I'm an atheist, my dad said, "But...who do you pray to? "



I didn't know how to respond to that.

 

[Larry Gude]

So where does this leave Solipsists?

Where they are now. :shrug:

 

[Wishbone]

Where they are now. :shrug:

As long as we all agree none of you are real.

 

[Larry Gude]

As long as we all agree none of you are real.

That's not possible if we're not real.

 

[vraiblonde]

As long as we all agree none of you are real.

I'm real. The rest of you are in question.

 

[This_person]

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.

I'm not sure those things equal sentience, though. But, regardless, it is certainly different to kill a mouse than a person (unless the person is still in the womb), right?

 

[This_person]

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.

Why not?

Perhaps we understand religions the same.

 

[This_person]

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.

So, you agree God is a possibility? Whether it is by the King James Version, or just a higher-order intelligence, beyond the universe, it is possible?

 

[vraiblonde]

But, regardless, it is certainly different to kill a mouse than a person

Depends on the person.

 

[vraiblonde]

So, you agree God is a possibility? Whether it is by the King James Version, or just a higher-order intelligence, beyond the universe, it is possible?

Anything is possible. Not probable, or even likely, but possible.

Why are you trying to validate your religious beliefs? Are you having doubts?

 

[This_person]

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.

But, atheism is - for most - not a lack of belief in anything at all. That's indifference. Atheists, for the most part, fully believe in something - the lack of any deity of any kind in any way shape or form and that science will explain all (someday, hopefully) and will eventually disprove any deity.

That's a belief, in an unproven claim. A belief in an unproven (and, frankly, unprovable) claim is faith. Faith is religion.

 

[Wishbone]

Greetings Programs!

 

[This_person]

Depends on the person.

Well, er, there is that.

 

[This_person]

Anything is possible. Not probable, or even likely, but possible.

Why are you trying to validate your religious beliefs? Are you having doubts?

I'm not trying to validate my beliefs, but we spend a great deal of time in this community discussion various religions, and I felt it was only fair play to equally discuss atheism. Every thought should get equal time of support and skeptical thinking.

 

[kwillia]

I'm not sure those things equal sentience, though.

"sentience - able to perceive or feel things" matches what I posted.

But, regardless, it is certainly different to kill a mouse than a person

Of course humans kill other species and by that same token sometimes humans are killed by other species.

But, regardless, it is certainly different to kill a mouse than a person (unless the person is still in the womb), right?

I personally believe killing a fetus in womb is indeed killing a human baby. I'm not sure why you even added this part because IMO it's a new segue.

 

[Toxick]

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 was very much like this before I became a Belieber.

It irritated me no end that there are groups and cliques and forums - and back in the lazy hazy days of Usenet, a newsgroup hierarchy - dedicated to atheism. I never could understand why those people gathered together an identified themselves by what they don't believe. I never felt the urge to go into a bar with a group of non-unicorn-believing friends, and chat the night away about how we are logical intellectual powerhouses because we don't believe in unicorns, and how stupid people simply believe in unicorns, because they need a crutch.

I never felt the need to inject myself into conversations of believers and point out their logical fallacies and generally be a atheist flavored douche-bag.


Much like I don't now feel the need to tell atheists they're going to hell, or demand proof that God doesn't exist.




The simple fact is that one's belief, or lack thereof, is an extremely personal thing (to most people). It is often closer to their heart than their very own spouses, and in some cases, their children. And if anyone thinks that showing up and poking at that belief with a rhetorical stick is going to illicit anything but a hostile response is absolutely oblivious to human nature, or willfully ignorant of it.

 

[vraiblonde]

It irritated me no end that there are groups and cliques and forums - and back in the lazy hazy days of Usenet, a newsgroup hierarchy - dedicated to atheism. I never could understand why those people gathered together an identified themselves by what they don't believe. I never felt the urge to go into a bar with a group of non-unicorn-believing friends, and chat the night away about how we are logical intellectual powerhouses because we don't believe in unicorns, and how stupid people simply believe in unicorns, because they need a crutch.

I don't understand it either, unless they really aren't sure but they *want* to be an atheist because it sounds cool, so they surround themselves with bots and blather their talking points endlessly to try and keep themselves convinced. Kind of like Democrats.

 

[stgislander]

Greetings Programs!

I love that movie.

 

[Clem72]

I'm not trying to validate my beliefs, but we spend a great deal of time in this community discussion various religions, and I felt it was only fair play to equally discuss atheism. Every thought should get equal time of support and skeptical thinking.

As an Indifferentalist, my response is....Meh.

 

[This_person]

"sentience - able to perceive or feel things" matches what I posted.

Of course humans kill other species and by that same token sometimes humans are killed by other species.

I personally believe killing a fetus in womb is indeed killing a human baby. I'm not sure why you even added this part because IMO it's a new segue.

I think sentience requires more than simply some evidence of emotions. Flies will move instead of being swatted; is that proof of being self-aware? Grass emits a self-healing chemical when cut; does that prove self-preservation? Is grass sentient?

The killing thing was based on how humans view animals vs humans. If you hit a deer with your car, it's not vehicular homicide. If you're eaten by a mountain lion while hiking we don't hold a trial to protect the lion's rights.

The abortion comment was simply pointing out exactly what you said, but the law disagrees.