Atheist’s point of living is the same as most people,they were born to live now, not after they are dead. To live now only after one dies doesn’t make sense.
If Genesis is true and the punishment for sin is death(not an eternity of suffering or a loss of soul as some believe) then even that seems to point that his life is to be lived well, to survive this life in the best way is to co-operate with the good of others as well as one’s self.
You agree religion is a myth. There is no chance it might be true. You agree there is no rational basis for believing in it. No evidence of any kind. Aren’t you saying the same thing he is, only with different words? What am I missing here?
No, you don’t digress, you’re getting pretty close to stalking.
And I’d appreciate it if you would cut it out.
Feel free to call me out should yous wish, and I will decide whether or not I care to respond.
But trailing me around the forums just to post that you think I am a dick is quite dickish on your part - and I believe not what is expected on these forums.
They want something to believe in to make them morally superior to the guy next to them.
At least that has been my experience. YMMV.
Fine. But the things you said about me in “that other dog-related thread” were pretty low.
I’m perfectly willing to bury the hatchet.
Olive branch extended.
If you wish to revisit that thread or start a new one, I’m fine with that.
Otherwise, I have no desire to look for opportunities to exchange unpleasantries with you.
I’d rather just move forward and forget the whole affair. I don’t want to continue an internet feud with you or anyone else, for that matter.
Of course, and if you really think about it it is terrifying.
I find the idea of eternal, black sleep comforting, actually. If my belief in God renders any afterlife I may receive as something beyond that, then it’s just a bonus as far as I’m concerned.
I haven’t been to church in at least 10 years and I’m not really sure that I would call myself a Christian, but I do believe that there is some sort of higher power out there. I couldn’t explain why or how I came to have this belief, and I can offer no proof. Maybe that makes me ignorant.
Well, no shock that we disagree on most of these points. Doubt there is any chance of either of us changing each other’s minds. I do appreciate your willingness to express your thoughts, tho.
The fact that you may consider some laws to be independent of morality (and I note others would disagree with you as to drugs) does not mean that all laws are independent. Does this not reflect a set of ethical beliefs/a morality/a system of values independent of religion?
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Quite utilitarian of you. Do you draw no distinctions between actions depending on whether they resulted from intentional choices, as opposed to being based on apparent delusions or simple blind luck?
If the “science of the supernatural” is “trivial”, then why is not the belief itself? Isn’t what is truly important whether someone is “leading a good life”? Why does it matter whether one is leading such a life because they believe God wishes it, or whether they simply believe that is the right thing to do?
Well, this reminds me of the criticism of communism. In theory it sounds like a heck of a system - too bad it simply does not work in practice with our species! When discussing the merits of religion, I believe it is definitely relevant to consider the degree and extent to which the apparnet practice comports with the purported theory.
It doesn’t make you ignorant, but it suggests you’ve never tried to explain (if only to yourself) why you believe it. Have you?
Such an unfocused belief confuses me far less than folks who believe in some specific, very detailed version of the supernatural.
I really don’t know. I look at the world around me and my gut reaction is that it isn’t all random and that something or someone out there is responsible for it. I can’t really explain it better than that.
While I personally do not have this type of reaction, I can understand it.
What I CANNOT understand is why so many people think this “something or someone” insists that they wear certain attire, eat a special diet, perform certain rituals at certain times, etc.
Morals precede laws.
A nation may adopt a common moral code, but it is rarely the case that nations form around a moral standing. The United States is rather rare in this circumstance as opposed to people in say France or Iran who are bound by geography.
This is just the language I speak to atheists in.
A good life is what matters. But we aren’t questioning whether or not atheism is a valid lifestyle, but whether or not Christianity is.
Christianity is not a political system in the way that communism is a political system. Christianity works just fine with our species. Perfect performance is a ridiculous standard to hold it to.
Not all varieties of Christianity teach this, and those that do vary considerably as to what a “good life” entails.
Those of us who are not Christian would beg to differ.
There seems to be two classes of people - those who are comfortable with there being no reason for all this, and those who aren’t. For the latter class, I don’t think there is anything wrong or ignorant about believing in a higher power for comfort. You said believe, not know, you didn’t offer any unsubstantiated claims about the world, and your higher power isn’t interested in my sex life and hasn’t deputized you to monitor it. So it’s all good.
Yeah, but where did this higher power come from? I’m very uncomfortable with the idea of a god just randomly appearing out of nothingness. Maybe some kind of super-god… but, where did…
I never said it did. Follow the thread of the conversation.
Of course you would, but that’s because you expect it to deliver something it isn’t intended to deliver.