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

In My Humble Opinion
81

  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?
    Athiest. Well, logically I don’t think it possible to know, and am taking the bad side of Pascal’s wager (if I remember it right), because I’m betting against infinite agony, according to Christian beliefs. But I think it is practically much more sound to be athiest than it is to be confident there’s no elephant in the basement, and that latter one is plenty sound as it is.

  2. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?
    About as early as I can remember considering religion, which has always seemed too laughably stupid to even give much serious consideration except as fascinating pathology to gawk at in other people.

  3. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?
    No one thing or event, or not even just a few.

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

  5. ditto, the koran?
    Parts. It’s pretty damn flowery, though. I also studied a little Arabic and tried to read little bits and pieces in Arabic, though that was quite a chore.

  6. ditto, the torah/talmud?
    Some.

  7. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
    A Bachelor of Arts degree.

  8. Do you like Animals?
    O my yes, a dozen cats all very well cared for. Just half near worked myself to some kind of breakdown trying to save one with chronic renal failure.

  9. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
    Hard to say. Probably not. The world can be pretty grim.

  10. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
    Yes, I think so, even some of the tricky bits like epigenetics.

  11. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
    It means I wish I had happened to look it up shortly before taking this poll. But, I take it to mean a framework of explanation tying together various previous observations and predicting various subsequent observations, successfully enough that it is often used as a working explanation or understanding to support other scientific work.

  12. Because I like doing this: Add your own question for the following poster.
    Question: why aren’t the most recent posters adding questions? No, no, that’s not it. Um…
    Question: If Jesus could come back and see what his followers are up to, would he ever stop vomiting?

82

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

  2. If you are Atheist, When did you become one?
    I was always a doubter, but it solidified when I was about 11. So twelve years ago or so.

  3. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?
    There were a couple events that guided me, but there wasn’t any single catalyst.

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

  5. ditto, the koran?
    Yes.

  6. ditto, the torah/talmud?
    Yes.

  7. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
    No, but I do have a recently-obtained BA.

  8. Do you like Animals?
    Often I think I like animals more than people.

  9. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
    Right now, yes. I’m not terribly satisfied, but I know that’s my own damn fault and am taking steps to change it.

  10. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
    As much as a non-specialist can, yes. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I understand the basics of what happens and why.

  11. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
    It basically means someone said “I have observed these phenomena which are reasonably believed to be connected, and this is why it happens/how it happens/what exactly is happening/what significance it holds.” The scientific community then looks at the same things, over and over and over, and as they either fail to disprove it or actually prove it, it becomes accepted as a scientific theory. Basically, something built upon axioms which can be tested, observed, and is empirically based.

  12. Because I like doing this: Add your own question for the following poster.
    Question: If Jesus could come back and see what his followers are up to, would he ever stop vomiting?
    Eventually, because there are good people out there who do truly believe, and who do truly try to do good things because of that. Regrettably the Fred Phelps types are way louder than the Mother Theresa types, but the fact that there are two types is worth something. However, in case of rapture, I do want to be around when JC returns and discovers that they’re still fighting over that sliver of desert over there.

Question: is the universe flat, spherical, hyperbolic, or other?

83

Atheist

12

the rest… TLDR

84

Seriously? If you are not joking, It’d be interesting to hear how you DO define your beliefs/lack of beliefs. :slight_smile:

85

Bonus Question: I’ve never had a near dear experience, but I have had an experience in which I didn’t seem entirely confined to my body.

  1. I am a theist.

  2. I am a Christian, but open to other religious influences.

  3. No, I haven’t entertained the idea of reading The God Delusion by Dawkins.

  4. I haven’t read the Dawkins because I’m content with the directions that I find intuitively.

  5. Yes, I could put some puny letters after my name.

  6. I like some animals.

  7. I do consider myself contented for more than half the time I’m awake at the moment.

  8. I have a fair grasp (basic) of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?

  9. The word ‘theory’ in the scientific context means more than a simple idea. It bears almost the weight of fact though unproven. All experiments supposing that theory to be correct have been supportive.

Bonus question: Have you ever known something intuitively? If so, describe.

86

Bonus Question: I’ve never had a near dear experience, but I have had an experience in which I didn’t seem entirely confined to my body.

  1. I am a theist.

  2. I am a Christian, but open to other religious influences.

  3. No, I haven’t entertained the idea of reading The God Delusion by Dawkins.

  4. I haven’t read the Dawkins because I’m content with the directions that I find intuitively.

  5. Yes, I could put some puny letters after my name.

  6. I like some animals.

  7. I do consider myself contented for more than half the time I’m awake at the moment.

  8. I have a fair grasp (basic) of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?

  9. The word ‘theory’ in the scientific context means more than a simple idea. It bears almost the weight of fact though unproven. All experiments supposing that theory to be correct have been supportive.

Bonus question: Yankees or Red Sox?

87

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

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

N/A

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

Twice , actually. Once in my early teens, then in my mid teens I embraced my Catholicism again. Somewhere in my late twenties I began to question things and learned to think critically. It was a process.

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

Not any one thing, as explained above.

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

N/A

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

N/A

  1. If not, why?

N/A

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

Yes, some. I attended bible school as a child and I own a bible.

  1. ditto, the koran?

No.

  1. ditto, the torah/talmud?

Some Talmud. I once thought seriously about converting to Judaism.

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

  2. Do you like Animals?
    Very much so. More than people , in fact.

  3. 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?

Yes.

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

Just as the dictionary says: the analysis of a set of facts,

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

I have none at the moment.

88

1, I’m an Atheist, of the Save-The-Whales-& Poor Africa, recycle-and-reduce-your-garbage-variety.

  1. If you are Atheist, When did you become one? Raised as one, as are most people in the Netherlands. I did attend church regularly as a kid with a Protestant friend’s family.

  2. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible? More parts of it then the average Christian, I think. Also, I read a lot of books *about *the Bible, both written by believers and atheists. I like the subject. Right now, I’m reading a book about the lives of several saints, for fun.

  3. Ditto, the koran? No. Too culturally different.

  4. Ditto, the torah/talmud? Insofar as it is the Old testament, yes.

  5. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name? Masters degree in Psychology.

  6. Do you like Animals? Yes, and I am politically active to grant animals some basic rights.

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

  8. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection? Yes, and I have worked as a biologist for over a decade.

89

Atheist, n/a (used to be diet-Catholic), 12, no one thing, n/a, n/a, n/a, bits of it, no, no, bachelors and masters, some of them, no, yes, testable body of related concepts and provisional laws largely self-consistent explaining range of natural phenomena, who makes the best steak tartare in London?

90

For what it’s worth, Charlemagne was taught to us as a French king back in (French) high school. I still remember the “Flower-bearded King” fondly, because he had the easiest date of them all : crowned in 800. Good, solid number, that. Not like stoopid Charles Martel, who I never could remember stopped the Moors in 732.

91

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 specific religion anymore, so I guess I will say that I’m just a Christian
**6. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins? ** No

7. If not, why? From the few parts of it that I’ve seen quoted, and from what I’ve heard from others, it seems very confrontational. I don’t try to tell anyone else what they should believe, and I expect the same respect for my own beliefs.
11. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name? I have a B.S. in Psychology and a M.Ed.

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? I would say so. I have good days and bad days, but for the most part I’m happy with my life.

14. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
I think so. I learned about it in Biology classes.

15. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you? I think it’s a way of explaining natural phenomena that could be disproven, but hasn’t been disproven yet.

92

  1. Theist

  2. Roman Catholic

  3. N/A

  4. N/A

  5. N/A

  6. No.

  7. What for? I’ve read Lucretius, David Hume, any number of smarter atheists and skeptics than Dawkins.

  8. N/A

  9. I’ve read bits and pieces of the Koran

  10. I’ve only read bits and pieces of the Talmud. Much more of the Torah, which is (obviously) part of Christian Scripture, too.

  11. Nope. Just a bachelor’s in economics.

  12. Yes.

  13. Contented? Yes, far more often than not. Deliriously happy? Only occasionally.

  14. Yes

  15. In common sage, it means an untested, unproven idea that may explain or solve a problem. In scientific usage, it means a model that explains a scenario. To a layman, “theory” tends to mean what “hypothesis” means to a scientist.

  16. Do you really think, deep down, that if everybody else were as smart and well-informed and logical as you, they’d HAVE to agree with you?

93
  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?

Atheist

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

Around high school.

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

Not any one thing. I just started realizing all the little problems I had with religion added up to religion being silly and irrational.

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

Yes, but not much. There’s a lot of Christianity in the culture, so I believe I have a loose grasp on the principles.

  1. ditto, the koran?

Nope. I have a couple Muslim friends, so I have some of the gist.

  1. ditto, the torah/talmud?

No.

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

Yes.

  1. Do you like Animals?

Yeah, but I believe we should take care of human problems before we concern ourselves with animal problems. That said, I am very much against animal cruelty and have strong leanings towards vegetarianism. I just haven’t had that final push to convert.

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

Absolutely.

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

Yes.

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

One of the linchpins of science is disprovability. All scientific theories are theories because we are open to the idea that further information could improve, change or discredit the way we currently look at the world. Theories provide the best current view of how we think the universe works. Religion is not open to this possibility and is one the key reasons why I don’t believe in it.

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

In your opinion, could you ever be converted to the other way of thinking? For example, God comes down and moves the planets around. Or an atheist sits you down and provides an excellent scientific explanation for how the world works.

94

Jjimm?

No thanks? No acknowledgment? Nothing? Next time I see your “why doesn’t someone answer my question?”, I might not take the time and thought to accomodate you.

95

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

  2. If you are Agnostic, explain why you are Agnostic.
    I consider it irrelevant. If there is an underlying ultimate truth, then it’s still the truth regardless of my opinion or perspective.

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

  4. Do you like Animals?
    Yes, somewhat. I don’t have or want pets though.

  5. Be honest here: Do you consider yourself contented for more than half of the time you’re awake?
    Generally, yes. Though I do have dark days.

  6. Do you have a fair grasp of the concept of Evolution and Natural Selection?
    Fair, yes.

  7. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
    A posit which is best supported by the observed evidence. The truth to the extent that it’s known, though subject to change based on increased evidence.

In your opinion, could you ever be converted to the other way of thinking? For example, God comes down and moves the planets around. Or an atheist sits you down and provides an excellent scientific explanation for how the world works.
With sufficient evidence, yes, my mind could be changed. Again though, the workings of my mind would be largely irrelevant, as the truth would still be the truth no matter what I think.

  1. Because I like doing this: Add your own question for the following poster.
    What is the search for God or Meaning besides a desire for anesthesia against life’s pains.?
96

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

  2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?
    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon)

  3. If you are a Theist, have you entertained the idea of reading “The God Dellusion” by Richard Dawkins?
    I’m a few chapters into it (on audio). It’s fairly unimpressive so far.

  4. Do you have any qualifications that allow you to put letters after your name?
    No, my major was Computer Science, and higher degrees are actually a problem if you’re not a researcher.

  5. Do you like Animals?
    Yes, especially with BBQ sauce.

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

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

  8. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
    A consistent and predictive model which has been shown to explain observed phenomena and predict something new that has since been observed (gravity, evolution, relativity, etc.)

97

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

**3. If you are Atheist, When did you become one? **
I’ve been one all my life.

4. If you are an Atheist and if there was one thing/event that caused you to be an Atheist, what was it?
There wasn’t one.

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

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?
No.

12. Do you like Animals?
I don’t dislike animals…

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?
Hopefully.

15. What does the word ‘theory’ in the scientific context mean to you?
The best working model of a phenomenon that makes testable predictions and is backed up by evidence, that we have so far.

16. Because I like doing this: Add your own question for the following poster.
Do you believe in free will?

**What is the search for God or Meaning besides a desire for anesthesia against life’s pains.?**Um… A desire to actually know the nature of the universe? If there is some kind of an ultimate truth out there, I’d like to know it, even if it was depressing. The pursuit of knowledge is always a good thing.

98

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

2. If you are theist, which religion do you belong to?
I was raised a methodist, but it didn’t take.

**3. If you are Atheist, When did you become one? **
I can remember when in my early teens wanting to believe in god, seemed like a good idea and most of the other people around me seemed to.

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

8. If you are an Atheist, have you read the Bible?
I’ve tried, but see number 4 above

9. ditto, the koran?
See number 8

10. ditto, the torah/talmud?
See number 9.

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

12. Do you like Animals?
Many of them are delicious.

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

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?
The best working model of a phenomenon that makes testable predictions and is backed up by evidence, that we have so far.

16. Do you believe in free will?
Yes.

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

Have you ever considered going to Burning Man?

99
  1. Are you Atheist, Theist, or Agnostic?

Atheist

[I’m deleting the not applicable questions here]

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

I’ve been an Atheist for most of my life. Tried agnosticism for a year or so a few years back but it just didn’t work for me.

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

Yes.

  1. ditto, the koran?

No. I have vague plans to do so, mostly because I don’t believe some of the claims I hear about it.

  1. ditto, the torah/talmud?

No.

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

No.

  1. Do you like Animals?

Yes.

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

On average? Probably. Certainly not more than 70%.

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

Yes, I think so.

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

A (non-discredited) theory is an attempt at explaining the mechanisms of whatever it’s about that’s consistent with the facts as far as we can tell, and can be falsified (but hasn’t) - which means it has some predictive power; and that usually means it can tell us something new.

  1. Ever had a near death experience?

No. Sorry :slight_smile:

Bonus question:

If your an agnostic: what’s your definition of agnostic?

100

Also:

  1. Do you believe in free will?

Yup. I’m not sure about the definition of free will, but in the practical everyday life, it usually works fine.

  1. Have you ever considered going to Burning Man?

Yes, but considering I live some way away, I’ll probably won’t get there soon.