Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk[1] No one is "up in arms". [2] You did, however, get some withering criticism ---from a fellow Christian. And ~ of course ~ [3] you have simply blanked out Ghost of a Duke's thoughtful contribution.
You start a thread about the benefits of atheism, and you have all the atheists up in arms.
Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke1. No moral absolutes, for sure. Atheists however are subject to moral codes within their given society.
Okay, rather than add to 'your list', let's dispel the 5 that already appear there:
2. No afterlife judgement, that's true. Only earthly judgement. That some escape judgement/justice altogether is just the reality of things. You don't have to like it.
3. An atheist has no inclination to be a God of their own universe, but they do get to be the dr ...[text shortened]... octopus, is another chap to be defined or scrutinised for living a life void of such an octopus?
Indeed. And if they were in the society of Nazi Germany they would have to subject themselves to the moral codes of Nazi Germany. Deutschland uber alles!
2. No afterlife judgement, that's true. Only earthly judgement. That some escape judgement/justice altogether is just the reality of things. You don't have to like it.
If Christianity is true, no one will escape judgement. You don't have to like it.
3. An atheist has no inclination to be a God of their own universe, but they do get to be the driver of their own vehicle.
But if they wanted to what would stop them? It's not like they would be competing with another God in the universe.
4. Atheists are open to development of truth. Some things remain pretty constant, but sometimes what is thought to be true today might be shown to be untrue tomorrow. Truth is intelligence driven, so the truth of a learned man is not on a par with the truth of a fool.
If you say your standard is evolving and getting better, then can you assert that it won’t evolve into something that contradicts what you believe now thereby demonstrating that your moral beliefs now were really wrong?
5. An atheist simply doesn't buy what you are selling. - If a chap declares the world was created by a giant octopus, is another chap to be defined or scrutinised for living a life void of such an octopus?
My cat doesn't buy what I'm selling, neither does my computer. Are they also atheists?
Originally posted by SuzianneSo if starting a thread on the benefits of atheism draws a gigantic target on my back, would my daughters lives be in danger if I started a thread on the harmfulness of atheism?
You're still a newbie here, so I suppose this can be written off as a newbie's exuberance, but even I find this kind of thing a bit heavy-handed. I, too, might have tried such a thread when I first came here (and in fact, I did author other threads just as aggressively offensive as this), but I would hope that I now have the benefit of being here long enou ...[text shortened]... arget on my back like this, and that is precisely the main effect of writing a thread like this.
Originally posted by SuzianneSaying that someone is giving themselves a colonoscopy with their own head must be your way of promoting pacifism. 😀
It figures that you would round out his list.
You're another one who is aggressively offensive.
You're not a newbie, though, so I guess we'll just chalk it up to you being an asshat.
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10 Feb 17
2 edits
Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk"My cat doesn't buy what I'm selling, neither does my computer. Are they also atheists?"
[b]1. No moral absolutes, for sure. Atheists however are subject to moral codes within their given society.
Indeed. And if they were in the society of Nazi Germany they would have to subject themselves to the moral codes of Nazi Germany. Deutschland uber alles!
2. No afterlife judgement, that's true. Only earthly judgement. That some escape ...[text shortened]... ?
My cat doesn't buy what I'm selling, neither does my computer. Are they also atheists?[/b]
Cats are deities, and know it, so they are theists.
Computers believe whatever we tell them to believe, using the LET command, so they are theists, and we are their gods.
An in-joke for old programmers:
http://media.salford-systems.com/pdf/spm7/BasicProgLang.pdf
10 Feb 17
Originally posted by JS357In hindsight I should have said a rock doesn't buy what I'm selling. Fair play.😵
"My cat doesn't buy what I'm selling, neither does my computer. Are they also atheists?"
Cats are deities, and know it, so they are theists.
Computers believe whatever we tell them to believe, using the LET command, so they are theists, and we are their gods.
An in-joke for old programmers:
http://media.salford-systems.com/pdf/spm7/BasicProgLang.pdf
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10 Feb 17
1 edit
Originally posted by FetchmyjunkAn atheist is defined as a 'person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.' - Therefore your cat and computer would qualify on the grounds of lacking belief in God, but fail also on the grounds of not being a person. (With the sentience to understand the concept of God).
[b]1. No moral absolutes, for sure. Atheists however are subject to moral codes within their given society.
Indeed. And if they were in the society of Nazi Germany they would have to subject themselves to the moral codes of Nazi Germany. Deutschland uber alles!
2. No afterlife judgement, that's true. Only earthly judgement. That some escape ...[text shortened]... ?
My cat doesn't buy what I'm selling, neither does my computer. Are they also atheists?[/b]
Edit: Obviously.
10 Feb 17
1 edit
Originally posted by Ghost of a DukeTo lack belief in God appears to be a defensive position since the assertive atheist positions are wrought with logical problems. If you says you "lack belief" in God, then it appears your goal is to maintain a position that is unattackable since then you have no position to attack.
An atheist is defined as a 'person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.' - Therefore your cat and computer would qualify on the grounds of lacking belief in God, but fail also on the grounds of not being a person. (With the sentience to understand the concept of God).
Edit: Obviously.
The problem is that "lacking belief" in God is an intellectual position made by a choice to "lack belief." Therefore, it is a position since it is the result of a choice. Any position held must have reasons, or it is not a position. It would be nothing. If you assert that you lack belief, you are asserting a position of lack of belief.
10 Feb 17
Originally posted by FetchmyjunkA lack of belief is caused by a lack of evidence. There, there's your reason.
To lack belief in God appears to be a defensive position since the assertive atheist positions are wrought with logical problems. If you says you "lack belief" in God, then it appears your goal is to maintain a position that is unattackable since then you have no position to attack.
The problem is that "lacking belief" in God is an intellectual positio ...[text shortened]... be nothing. If you assert that you lack belief, you are asserting a position of lack of belief.
Change our lack of belief by providing evidence. I double-dare you.
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10 Feb 17
Originally posted by FetchmyjunkLook, i've tried to speak plainly to you and will do so one more time, if you please take the time to consider reasonably what I write.
To lack belief in God appears to be a defensive position since the assertive atheist positions are wrought with logical problems. If you says you "lack belief" in God, then it appears your goal is to maintain a position that is unattackable since then you have no position to attack.
The problem is that "lacking belief" in God is an intellectual positio ...[text shortened]... be nothing. If you assert that you lack belief, you are asserting a position of lack of belief.
I completely get that God is a big deal to you, and for you to imagine a life without such a God would leave a big hole in somebodies life and something that would require an intellectual response. I don't have a problem with that. Of course, as a Christian, you feel that way.
If however you want to understand atheism, then why not listen to an atheist when he explains his atheism to you? God has 'never' been part of my existence. I have no experience of God or seen or heard anything that makes his existence a reality to me. Not having God has not however left a hole in my life that I have to try and fill, precisely because he has never been there in order for a void to exist.
In short, and sorry to be blunt, but God is not a big deal to me (as he is to you). People believe in many things that I am unconvinced by. All that is required from me is to say 'nah, i don't buy that' and to continue with my existence without the need for any further intellectual contemplation or adjustment. God is your belief, not mine. As an atheist i am simply confirming this. And that's where my atheism ends. Any other 'beliefs' I have in life are likely to be different from any other atheist, simply because my atheism has no greater depth to it than a life lived void of God.
10 Feb 17
Even from deities there are no moral absolutes. We must have a million different gods each one with their own set of morals and some diametrically opposed to one another so one says, Kill CHRISTIANS, the other says KILL MUSLIMS. Pretty odd coming from a god or other. Says to me no god, just a bunch of assshole humans setting up a power base.
10 Feb 17
Originally posted by FetchmyjunkThe Bible does not provide an objective standard for the conception of God. There are tens of thousands of denominations of Christianity having different conceptions of God that are based on the Bible. Some are vastly different.
Assuming that atheism is true, what would be the top 10 benefits of being an atheist? Here are a few that I can think of:
1. No moral absolutes, I can make up my own good and evil.
2. No afterlife judgement, I can do whatever the hell I want, if I don't get caught it's cool no need to worry about hell.
3. Freedom from the shackles of religion, si ...[text shortened]... ief I don't have to defend it against scrutiny.
6?
That's all I got, please add to the list.
Without an objective standard for the conception of God, Christians have no objective standard for morality
For example, many Christians believe the Bible indicates that one should be against capital punishment, yet many other Christians believe the exact opposite.
1. No moral absolutes, I can make up my own good and evil.
As do Christians.
2. No afterlife judgement, I can do whatever the hell I want, if I don't get caught it's cool no need to worry about hell.
As believe many Christians. They believe that their salvation is guaranteed and/or they are forgiven for the asking.
3. Freedom from the shackles of religion, since there is no God I can be the god of my own universe.
Since there is no objective standard for the conception of God, Christians end up being "the god of [their] own universe".
4. Since there is no spiritual truth, I can make up my own and my truth and it is just as valid as yours.
Since there is no objective standard for the conception of God, Christians end up making up their own truth.