A couple of questions.

[Nikodemus]

Work on sentence structure ...

I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was being critiqued on my sentence structure. I'll certainly be more careful in the future, so I don't offend such a discerning and discipline minded person such as yourself.

 

[Autodidact]

its no use to believe in god since if he does exist and he treats me diffrent because im an atheist he is a petty god and if he treats me all the same as any worshiper then whats the use of acknowlaging him

Kind of a reverse Pascal?

 

[Nikodemus]

So you're an agnostic then?

No, I have developed my own set of beliefs, which I may share at some point.

 

[Autodidact]

Well take Ignaz Semmelweis for example. He wanted his staff to wash their hands before they operated on patients. He was locked in an asylum for his crazy ideas, because people at the time had no way to see, taste, touch, smell, etc...bacteria. So I wonder what people who became atheists because there is no proof of God say to people who say that just because there is no proof that we can measure now, that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

I guess I would say: They laughed at Einstein, they laughed at Edison, and they laughed at Bozo the Clown. The fact that an idea is ridiculed or rejected is not significant support for its being correct.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was being critiqued on my sentence structure.

Your being critiqued on adolescent incoherence. You just manage to express it on a number of levels.

 

[Nikodemus]

Your being critiqued on adolescent incoherence. You just manage to express it on a number of levels.

And you manage to express derisive behavior very well. Good for you! I hope it makes you feel all superior and smug. :clap

Now you will have to excuse me as I really don't care what your opinion is of my writing skills or my coherence or lack thereof.

 

[Autodidact]

Another thing, Niko. Your question presupposes a very odd God, that would result in an odd theology. What you're positing is that God exists, and supremely powerful and loving God, but created us and the reality we live in in such a way that we could not know Him. Why would God want to do that?

 

[Magic Man]

Your being critiqued on adolescent incoherence. You just manage to express it on a number of levels.

If this wasn't intentional (and it doesn't seem to be from where I stand), I suggest you not criticize others for their grammar mistakes while making such mistakes yourself.

 

[Yerda]

If this wasn't intentional (and it doesn't seem to be from where I stand), I suggest you not criticize others for their grammar mistakes while making such mistakes yourself.

Yet here you are - drifting from past to present to past tense in one sentence. And you a linguist.

 

[Autodidact]

I have a question. Why do people start threads and then disappear?

 

[Women_Of_Reason]

Well take Ignaz Semmelweis for example. He wanted his staff to wash their hands before they operated on patients. He was locked in an asylum for his crazy ideas, because people at the time had no way to see, taste, touch, smell, etc...bacteria. So I wonder what people who became atheists because there is no proof of God say to people who say that just because there is no proof that we can measure now, that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

I`m still not sure that I got your point but if you want to live your life on "if`s" and "maybe`s", go ahead, be my guest...

 

[LuisDantas]

Why would belief in God be something to actively pursue? I think of it as an aesthetical preference, myself.

 

[Nikodemus]

I have a question. Why do people start threads and then disappear?

People? No idea. Myself? Wife, three kids, and working pretty much around the clock so I and others can keep our jobs.

 

[Naturalist_Atheist]

Was your decision to become an atheist based on the lack of evidence of God or on the strife rampant in the world or on the corruption in most of the world's major religious hierarchy? Or other of course.

And....

If it was based on lack of evidence, what do you say to people who tell you that one hundred and some odd years ago there was no way to see, feel, taste, touch, etc... germs or bacteria, but they are a fact.

This is not an attack. Not at all. I'm a very curious person as you will all get to know. I simply want to understand all points of view as much as possible.

Thanks.

Becoming an atheist wasn't so much a decision as it was a defaulted position. I don't choose to disbelieve in God(s) because I like it that way or because I don't like the idea of God(s). I am convinced of it. Wether I like the outcome or not, I am a slave to reason. If something is proposed to me, and I find it to be convincing and it makes sense to me I must believe it to be true. I cannot be convinced of something and then choose something in opposition.

I stopped beleiving in God shortly after I was old enough to engage in abstract thought. Nothing really caused me to choose this belief. The concept of a creator simply did not make sense to me. I don't think I even knew what an atheist was when I first knew I lacked beleif in God(s) I didn't know about evolution or the Big Bang theory either. I just knew I felt stupid talking outloud to myself while on my knees praying in my room.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Becoming an atheist wasn't so much a decision as it was a defaulted position. I don't choose to disbelieve in God(s) because I like it that way or because I don't like the idea of God(s). I am convinced of it. Wether I like the outcome or not, I am a slave to reason.

No axioms? Nonsense ... :no:

 

[Naturalist_Atheist]

No axioms? Nonsense ... :no:

Elaborate?

 

[Caladan]

My 'lack of belief' is rooted in that logic, progressive, science friendly and pro academic reason defeated my wishful thinking.

Watching the effect of religious strife did not necessarily enhance my lack of belief, but rather made me think that if God exists, people simply lack the state of mind to honestly relate to such a thing. instead they have bought the version that was sold to them for the price of their freedom.

If a God exists, I believe its more in the sense of The sum of all there is, the Soul of the universe. and not that big guy upstairs that frowns on our sexual preferences and whether we decide to idolize this book, or that revolutionary.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Why would belief in God be something to actively pursue? I think of it as an aesthetical preference, myself.

What is aesthetical about that? Kill those who do not agree to you, or those who do not agree to you are fools?

 

[jrbogie]

Was your decision to become an atheist based on the lack of evidence of God or on the strife rampant in the world or on the corruption in most of the world's major religious hierarchy? Or other of course.

And....

If it was based on lack of evidence, what do you say to people who tell you that one hundred and some odd years ago there was no way to see, feel, taste, touch, etc... germs or bacteria, but they are a fact.

This is not an attack. Not at all. I'm a very curious person as you will all get to know. I simply want to understand all points of view as much as possible.

Thanks.

it was a lack of evidence that made me an atheist. however later in life i realized that the human mind is not capable of knowing either way whether or not god exists. indeed as a true agnostic, i don't think that we can ever really know anything. einstein thought this way as well and what's good for old al is good for dumb me.

 

[Imagist]

Was your decision to become an atheist based on the lack of evidence of God or on the strife rampant in the world or on the corruption in most of the world's major religious hierarchy? Or other of course.

A combination, but mostly lack of evidence.

If it was based on lack of evidence, what do you say to people who tell you that one hundred and some odd years ago there was no way to see, feel, taste, touch, etc... germs or bacteria, but they are a fact.

I would say that they are wrong. A hundred years ago, it was possible to see that sugar water got cloudy after a few days, feel your skin grow sores from smallpox, and taste the difference between grape juice and wine. As for touch: can you do that now?

Furthermore, the greater knowledge we have about microorganisms now was discovered through scientific inquiry, not through religion. In fact, religion has yet to provide any such discoveries.