Atheism/Theism/Agnosticism on the dope. A Poll.

In My Humble Opinion
21

1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?
Solid 100% theist.

2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?
Evangelical Christianity

3. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?
4. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?
5. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.
N/A

6. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins?
Yes. I agreed with atheist philosopher Michael Ruse and atheist evolutionary biologist H. Allen Orr, both of whom said that this book was an embarassingly sophomoric attempt at philosophizing.

7. If not, why?
N/A

8. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?
9. ditto, the koran?
10. ditto, the torah/talmud?
N/A

11. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
Yes. Multiple degrees in science and engineering, including a doctorate.

12. Do you like Animals?
Yes. However, I don’t see the significance of that particular question.

13. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
Yes.

14. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
Much more than fair.

15. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
It is much more than a guess, and much more than even an educated guess. It refers to a detailed model that is designed to explain a set of scientific observations.

22

  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?
    Agnostic. Right at this moment, anyway.

  2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?

  3. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?

  4. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?

  5. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.
    Every religious text I have had the oppourtunity to read has been far too compelling to justify completely blowing off religion. Basically, I’m trying to keep my mind and my options open.

  6. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins?

  7. If not, why?

  8. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?

  9. ditto, the koran?

  10. ditto, the torah/talmud?

  11. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
    Still in university.

  12. Do you like Animals?
    Yes. I have three pets.

  13. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
    I guess so.

  14. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
    Yeah, “fair” is probably a good description. Took it in high school but studying humanities in university.

  15. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
    A construction meant to explain a certain set of phenomena using available empirical data.

  16. Eerily enough, yes. Homemade cinnamon ice cream
    Do you think there is anything substantial to the claim that atheism is becoming a religion? Namely, that many of its most vocal, pedantic adherents are as intolerant as the religions they denounce, with a slavish devotion to science as the source of all knowledge and goodness in the world?

23

  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?
    Theist. Some disagree with my self-definition though.

  2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?
    I roll my own. It’s a pantheism but not affiliated with anything I can point to

  3. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins?
    I read part of it. The God to which he refers bears no resemblance to anything I consider to be real. I’m not his intended audience.

  4. If not, why?
    See above

  5. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
    MSW :smiley:

  6. Do you like Animals?
    Usually. I like some of them to tickle and scritch and wrestle with, and I like some of them cleaned and roasted until well-done with some vegetables on the side.

  7. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
    Yes

  8. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
    I think so

  9. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
    An explanatory framework that organizes empirical data into a model or description

  10. Because I like doing this: Add your own question for the following poster.
    Sure! If you are an atheist, do you believe that there was ever anything real in human experience such that its description led to the belief-systems we call religion, as opposed to our species largely embracing ideas that never had any substantive merit?

Oh and the extra-credit one:

Do you think there is anything substantial to the claim that atheism is becoming a religion? Namely, that many of its most vocal, pedantic adherents are as intolerant as the religions they denounce, with a slavish devotion to science as the source of all knowledge and goodness in the world?

For some people it is becoming a politicized cause which they are fervent about, and which has central meaning for them. It’s not theistic and religion usually means an institutionalized theism of one sort or another so I would not call it that.

24
  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?

Atheist.

  1. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?

  2. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?

When I was around 19.

  1. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?

No one event. Just a lot of sleepless nights considering the nature of everything.

  1. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.

  2. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins?

  3. If not, why?

  4. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?

Oh, my, yes. I was raised rather religiously, and I was a pretty adherent Christian right until the moment I wasn’t.

  1. ditto, the koran?

The devil wrote that book.

  1. ditto, the torah/talmud?

The jews are nice people, can’t wait for their homeland to burn to the ground so jesus can come back!

  1. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?

neg

  1. Do you like Animals?

Yes. Except the ones that might eat me.

  1. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?

Yeah, probably. Antidepressants help.

  1. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?

I do now. In the Christian schools I attended through 8th grade, evolution was presented to me in wholly incorrect terms. "If whales turned into chickens turned into racoons, why are there no whale-chicken-racoons?"

  1. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?

A possible explanation for any of the mechanics of reality that either hasn’t been proven yet or cannot be realistically proven.

  1. Because I like doing this: Add your own question for the following poster.

Why do you think that, even today, blind faith in an unconfirmable idea is regarded as a positive attribute? “He has a lot of faith,” is generally a compliment some people would rather hear about themselves than "he has a lot of knowledge."

Previous question: If you are an atheist, do you believe that there was ever anything real in human experience such that its description led to the belief-systems we call religion, as opposed to our species largely embracing ideas that never had any substantive merit?

I think that, before science came along, anything unexplainable was attributed to a god. That bright ball in the sky? God. Weather changing? God. Lightning storms? God. These things are passed down over time until they’re eventually replaced with real answers, but the story remains. I think a lot of the extraordinary things that happened in the bible are probably manifestations of unexplainable things that happened. Like, say, people being struck dead instantly, maybe someone died suddenly of a heart attack or aneurysm, and to somebody watching it seemed like they were fine and then suddenly dead. That story would get told and retold until it became a fact that “god can strike people dead!” The first time there was a solar eclipse, people probably really freaked out, and suddenly total darkness was added as one of god’s powers (such as right after jesus’ crucifixion).

25

The questions are ‘somewhat’ biassed. The obvious one that is missing is If you are monotheist, then what led you to believe in a single deity in preference to many and what does it mean to you?

26

  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?
    Some days I lean more towards atheism, some days agnosticism. Kind of like Cazzle said, I’m a pessimistic agnostic or an unsure atheist.

  2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?

  3. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?
    I suppose I’ve always been one. My dad was raised Catholic, but is nonpracticing and recently became aware of his atheism, whereas my mom is Christian for the values only and never insisted on us chil’uns going to church.

  4. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?
    I went to Bible camp when I was about 12. I felt terribly guilty because I didn’t believe deep down everything they preached. So when I got home, I sat down and read the Bible for a few days before realizing that I thought it was all mythological bullshit.

  5. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.
    **I certainly don’t believe in the Christian god as it just feels like a whole lotta mythology to me, but I don’t deny that a God may indeed exist that resembles nothing a human could possibly imagine. **

  6. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins?

  7. If not, why?

  8. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?
    Parts and I intend to read it in whole some day.

  9. ditto, the koran?
    See above.

  10. ditto, the torah/talmud?
    See above.

  11. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
    Not yet.

  12. Do you like Animals?
    Yes. Especially cats.

  13. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
    Recently, no, but generally yes.

  14. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
    I like to think I do.

  15. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
    A scientific explanation for how something in nature works with plenty of evidence. Also, it’s disprovable but hasn’t yet been disproved.

  16. Why do you think that, even today, blind faith in an unconfirmable idea is regarded as a positive attribute? “He has a lot of faith,” is generally a compliment some people would rather hear about themselves than “he has a lot of knowledge.”
    **I think that happens in situations of extreme religious indoctrination to the point where knowledge (ala the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil) is seen as dangerous to faith. Faith is the essence of most religions and it is believing in something without evidence to prove it. Faith with evidence is not faith at all, which I suppose may explain why knowledge is considered bad. **

My question: What are you listening to right now?

27

  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?
    I am best described as an agnostic Deist.

  2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?
    See above.

  3. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?
    I adopted my current belief system more or less wholesale when I was 11.

  4. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?
    The thought process that went into writing an essay on the origin of life for a religious studies class.

  5. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.
    I’m humble enough to recognize that I’m probably wrong, and the agnostic label general fits in with my view of the universe. Essentially, I believe that either there’s no god, or that if god exists it’s off doing god-things in other places and is either way unconcerned about us.

  6. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins?

  7. If not, why?

  8. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?
    Most of it.

  9. ditto, the koran?
    Selected passages only.

  10. ditto, the torah/talmud?
    Hard to read the Bible without it.

  11. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
    er… B.S.?

  12. Do you like Animals?
    Tasty and cuddly- what’s not to like?

  13. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
    Yes.

  14. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
    Yes.

  15. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
    Proven beyond a reasonable doubt, if not proven absolutely.

  16. Because I like doing this: Add your own question for the following poster.
    Is the idea of a limited god much more plausible than the idea of an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent one?

A Time To Kill on TNT in the next room.

28

1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?
Atheist.

3. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?
I don’t think I was ever really not one. I had a moderately religious upbringing, but I realized at an early age (preteen) that I really didn’t buy any of it.

8. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?
Cover to cover twice, individual books far more often. I’ve struggled through much of the Gospels in the original Greek. I was a Religion Major in college.

9. ditto, the koran?
I have one which I’ve occasionally picked up and skimmed, but have not made an honest effort to read all the way through.

10. ditto, the torah/talmud?
The Torah is part of the Bible, so yes. I’ve also read some of the Talmud, but not all of it.

11. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
No.

12. Do you like Animals?
Yes.

13. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
Very much so.

14. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
Yes.

15. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
An explanation (not a mere hypothesis) for a phenomenon or set of phenomena supported by evidence and which makes falsifiable predictions.

Is the idea of a limited god much more plausible than the idea of an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent one?
Depends on how limited. Is a human being a limited God?

My question: If you’re an atheist, what will you say if you find out you’re wrong after you die, and you find yourself standing in front of God?

If you’re a theist, what will you say if you find out your own religion is false, and some religion completely at odds with your own is the correct one?

29

Double post.

30

You didn’t answer my question.

31

I did now. Check my edit.

32

  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?
    Theist

  2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?
    Christian

  3. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?

  4. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?

  5. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.

  6. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins? Started reading it (or another book of his, can’t remember) and was put off by his assertion that religious people are brain damaged. I’m done with him.

  7. If not, why?

  8. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?

  9. ditto, the koran?

  10. ditto, the torah/talmud?

  11. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name? Not yet. Working on a BSc.

  12. Do you like Animals? What does this have to do with anything? Yes, love 'em all, and not just the tasty ones.

  13. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake? I am happy probably 99% of my day. The other 1% is reserved for minor annoyances with the dog.

  14. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection? Yes

  15. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you? An attempt to unify observations and experiments to create a scientific law. Laws are solid and irrefutably proven, theories are works in progress.

  16. Because I like doing this: Add your own question for the following poster.
    What’s the best thing that happened to you today?

I’m interested in truth. If I learn for myself (key point) that my religion is false, I will go in search of the truth. I’ve done it before, so I can do it again.

33

1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?

Theist

2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?

I don’t really “belong” to any particular religion, but if you had to pin me down, it’d probably be Quaker.

  1. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?

  2. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?

  3. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.

6. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins?

No.

7. If not, why?

I just don’t like Dawkings, having been exposed to him as a talking head on MSNBC. He’s a conservative apologist, and I don’t feel moved to read anything by him. Besides, I’m currently reading *Dreams of My Father *by Barack Obama.

  1. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?

  2. ditto, the koran?

  3. ditto, the torah/talmud?

11. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?

No.

12. Do you like Animals?

Yes. Most of them.

13. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?

I wish you had said “content”, rather than “contented”. The latter confuses me a little bit, but of the former, I would say honestly yes.

14. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?

Yes.

15. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?

An hypothesis that has been tested and has not been proven false.

No. Quite the opposite.

My question: For atheists, which of the following would most likely convince you of His existence? (A) Doing sky shows with spectacular images? (B) Defying the laws of physics? (C) Contacting you personally? (D) Changing your brain such that you suddenly and inexplicably believe in Him?

34

This is wrong, just so you know. Laws are not more proven than theories. No amount of proof can turn a theory into a law.

Also Richard Dawkins does not say in The God Delusion that “religious people are brain damaged.”

35

1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?
Atheist (of the non-strong variety)

2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?
I was raised Church of England

**3. If you are Atheist, When did you become one? **
1995

4. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?
I called myself agnostic before, but it was when I was in a temple in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam dedicated to a brand-new religion, it occurred to me that “people will believe any old shit”, followed by the realisation that all philosophical arguments in favour of religion are based on there being only one - e.g. Pascal’s Wager - and don’t take into account the many conflicting and contradictory other religions out there. Any residual agnosticism crumbled away.

5. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.
I was confirmed into the C of E aged 14. Unfortunately for the church, taking the classes meant I actually thought about the issues for the first time, rather than attending church by rote. The effect of thinking about it meant that I awoke the day after my confirmation, an unbeliever.

6. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” [sic] by Richard Dawkins?

7. If not, why?

8. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?
Yes.

9. ditto, the koran?
Not much. It’s boring.

10. ditto, the torah/talmud?
No.

11. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
Yes, but not a standard degree.

12. Do you like Animals?
Love them. Particularly cats.

13. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
Depends on my life circumstances. Right now, yes indeed.

14. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
Yes.

15. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
A model that is put forward to explain something, that has enough credibility in the first instance to be tested in order to falsify it. Some theories are robust enough after years of testing that after time they may be taken for all intents and purposes to be the truth, e.g. gravity, quantum mechanics, evolution.

16. For atheists, which of the following would most likely convince you of His existence? (A) Doing sky shows with spectacular images? (B) Defying the laws of physics? © Contacting you personally? (D) Changing your brain such that you suddenly and inexplicably believe in Him?
This is a bit tricky, because answer D precludes the other three. C would NOT convince me - I would assume hallucination/insanity. A and B could also be explained as the former, though if it were a shared experience, one may assume that either the people who shared it were similarly deluded (unlikely) or solipsistically that my insanity is causing me to hallucinate the reactions of others (still unlikely but a bit less). So, D.

16. Theists: once and for all, can you put forward a convincing pro-belief argument that doesn’t ignore any of all of the other religions in which you don’t believe?

36

[quote=“Lobsang, post:1, topic:507439”]

I apologise if such a poll has already been conducted.

  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?
    atheist, but I believe that prayer and meditation can help people focus on goals

  2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?

  3. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?
    was always one, I think

  4. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?
    There was not one thing. I grew up among born-again Methodists and I never could get with the program. My atheism is reinforced by things like this: My brother sends me glurge which states explicitly that the country has been going to hell ever since we stopped allowing prayer in the schools. (1) It’s not prohibited, anybody can pray, anywhere, nobody can stop you (2) Really, were things just peachy from Jesus right on to 1960? (3) Seriously, how can anybody believe this?
    Sometimes I think my brother doesn’t even read these things and just says, “Hmm, it seems to be pro-God, so I will forward it to everyone I know.”
    So…things like this, many things like this, all my life. Everyone I grew up with will accept the email and agree that outlawing prayer in the school was a Bad Thing. I have no idea why I feel differently, but this kind of thing really points out that I do feel differently.

  5. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.

  6. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins?
    How come I can’t answer this one? No, I haven’t.

  7. If not, why?

  8. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?
    Yes (and why can’t theists answer this one? I’d like to know)

  9. ditto, the koran?

Some, not much

  1. ditto, the torah/talmud?
    some, not much–the torah is the first five books of the bible, right? I’ve read those.

  2. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
    Yes

  3. Do you like Animals?
    Mammals, yes. Fish, yes. Insects, not so much.

  4. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
    Yes

  5. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
    No (I am not interested)

  6. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
    Something not proven, although it may be accepted.

  7. Because I like doing this: Add your own question for the following poster.
    What’s for lunch?

37

  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?
    Atheist

  2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?
    N/A

  3. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?
    I had no religious upbringing. I was exposed to several religions by childhood friends - Christadelphians, Jehovah Witnesses, Baptists. I was naturally curious and liked to hear about what they believed in, but I never had any actual religious belief myself. I didn’t define myself as atheist until much later, because it never occurred to me that I needed to define my lack of religion in any way.

  4. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?
    N/A. As stated, I had no religious upbringing, so it was more likely that I would need an event to cause me to be theist rather than the other way around.

  5. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.
    N/A.

  6. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins?
    N/A.

  7. If not, why?
    N/A.

  8. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?
    Bits of it. It’s a pretty boring read.

  9. ditto, the koran?
    No.

  10. ditto, the torah/talmud?
    No.

  11. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
    Bachelor of Arts in Education.

  12. Do you like Animals?
    I love animals.

  13. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
    Yes, I’m a very contented person.

  14. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
    Yes.

  15. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
    That the hypothesis has been proven to be the most likely reason, due to alternate reasons being disproved.

  16. Because I like doing this: Add your own question for the following poster.
    Who’s a pretty boy?

38
  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?
    Short answer: atheist. Long answer: I hadn’t heard of ignosticism until now, but that would appear to fit me pretty well. Before that, I’d call myself a strong/positive atheist with regard to any god who supposedly intervenes in this universe, and a strong agnostic (asserting that it’s totally unknowable) toward any god who’s allegedly beyond this physical reality
  2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?
  3. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?
    **Somewhere between 12 and 14 years of age. **
  4. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?
    **No specific moment; just a long childhood (raised Catholic) spent fascinated with scientific explanations and frustrated with religious explanations of things.
    **5. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.
    I started hanging out with nitpicky philosophy majors and I have a vivid imagination.
  5. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins?
  6. If not, why?
  7. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?
    I haven’t read it cover-to cover, but I’m very familiar with the New Testament, the main stories that are part of Western canon, and most of the parts that come up in controversies today. 
  8. ditto, the koran?

No
10. ditto, the torah/talmud?
No
11. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
No–I’m still in college.
12. Do you like Animals?
**Yes. **
13. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
No.
14. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
Yes. This is one of my biggest interests, and since one of my majors is biology, it would be pretty pathetic if I didn’t.
15. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
A testable model or explanation of a phenomenon that is supported by a large body of evidence and has predictive value.
16. What’s for lunch?
Most of a pineapple and some leftover pizza, probably.
17. Because I like doing this: Add your own question for the following poster.
Do you feel that your belief system is well-represented (quality or quantity) on these boards? Do you wish that the religious climate here were different, or do you like it as it is?

39
  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?

Theist

  1. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?

I don’t belong to a religion.

  1. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?

NA

  1. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?

NA

  1. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.

NA

  1. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins?

Not really.

  1. If not, why?

I’ve read a bit of Daniel Dennett’s ‘Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomena’ which seemed like a whole lot of bloviating with a nugget of a good point, Dawkins seemed like this book but with extra bloviating. It seems like one of those books where you don’t need to read anymore than the premise to know what it says.

  1. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?

NA

  1. ditto, the koran?

NA

  1. ditto, the torah/talmud?

NA

  1. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?

No

  1. Do you like Animals?

I like particular animals. Otherwise animals exist I neither like nor dislike them.

  1. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?

No

  1. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?

More or less.

  1. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?

A scientific idea that is in the process of being tested or has been tested to a degree of satisfaction and is subject to a peer review process.

  1. Because I like doing this: Add your own question for the following poster.

Ok

  1. Have you ever seen a Toucan in the wild?
40

People seem to have stopped answering the bonus questions. I’d like mine addressed. Maybe I should start a GD, if I have time.