Spirituality
21 Mar 06
21 Mar 06
1 edit
Originally posted by KaboooombaThe majority of people understand that the only thing making a person an atheist is his/her lack of belief in the supernatural (specifically one or more Gods/creators). Thus, the atheist is in contrast to a christian, but also any other believer, such as a jew or muslim.
what's that saying around? ummm... what you think don't change what is. and another... you become where you live.
However, that doesn't mean the atheist is opposed to everything that has been morally defined within such a religion, since the morals are not necessarily tied to a specific religion, but are derived from social interaction quite unattached to religion. So, in short, the atheist is not necessarily in contrast to a christian, morally. You can find atheists who share a lot of values with christians, but not their belief in a divine creator.
21 Mar 06
I will echo what others have listed. I find the honesty refreshing. Note that's it is only an honest position because I have thus far found god-belief unsupportable. If at some point, I find a god or gods that do not require an arbitrary faith statement to be believed in, then I would reconsider.
Basically, as an atheist it is quite easy for me to become a theist, given reasonable evidence. I am not pinned to any concrete position, and so I am comfortable with discovery. Theists, particularly those who believe heinous punishment awaits heretics, have an extremely hard time accepting data that does not fit into their worldview. As a result at some point, they will usually attack physical evidence to support an arbitrary mythology.
21 Mar 06
Originally posted by telerionLike all evidence, it may not always mean what people say it does.
I will echo what others have listed. I find the honesty refreshing. Note that's it is only an honest position because I have thus far found god-belief unsupportable. If at some point, I find a god or gods that do not require an arbitrary faith statement to be believed in, then I would reconsider.
Basically, as an atheist it is quite easy for me to be ...[text shortened]... lt at some point, they will usually attack physical evidence to support an arbitrary mythology.
The physical aspect of it is what it is, the truth about it may not be
what people claim it to be. All who debate about anything will do
that, that is true for the theist or the antheist.
Kelly
21 Mar 06
Originally posted by KellyJayWhile it is true that we all may interpret physical data differently (possibly incorrectly), the atheist has the advantage of not being constrained by any statement of faith.
Like all evidence, it may not always mean what people say it does.
The physical aspect of it is what it is, the truth about it may not be
what people claim it to be. All who debate about anything will do
that, that is true for the theist or the antheist.
Kelly
Any theist that posits a god for whom the laws of the universe have no authority and who may reshape or alter any outcome upon whim, has made physical data irrelevant in the question of existence. There is no state of nature such that his/her god cannot exist.
In reality however, many of these theists try to harmonize their god with all the physical evidence without appealing immediately to what amounts to magic (or my goddunnit). What nearly always results is a desperate distortion of the data, which crumbles (when pressed) to the first solution (goddunnit). It is this inherent dishonesty that the atheist can comfortably avoid, without resorting to an arbitrary faith statement (goddunnit).