Any Downside to Atheism?

[Vile Atheist]

Sure I contributed and I could have been politer, but same goes for you, Storm; take some responsibility. And now here you are continuing to stir the pot with nothing but pure personal attacks.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Downsides to atheism? I guess the daily hangovers and occassional STD from having unprotected sex with so many strangers. But hey, that's what they invented aspirin and antibiotics for.

 

[Cobblestones]

I don't even believe in "God", Cobblestone. The AV is there for homophobs and homophobs alone.

Still, don't you think that the general idea that it is better to love than to hate applies to you?

 

[Jeremiah]

Still, don't you think that the general idea that it is better to love than to hate applies to you?

Hate? Mr.Stones, there is not a single person that I hate.

 

[Cobblestones]

Hate? Mr.Stones, there is not a single person that I hate.

Well, you may want to employ more kindness in your responses to Storm. You come off as being rather intolerant toward her which is a characteristic that your AV seems to repudiate.

 

[Jeremiah]

Well, you may want to employ more kindness in your responses to Storm. You come off as being rather intolerant toward her which is a characteristic that your AV seems to repudiate.

I am sorry but I don't really care what you think. I am already ignoring her so the conflict has been resolved, Cobblestones. You are the only one left with a problem here; get over it and move on. It is not your place to tell me how I should treat other members, if you have a problem with my behavior report it to the mods.

 

[mohammed_beiruti]

Maybe you should define "God."

no need for definition becaise it's clear;

If you sanctified something and you obeyed it's order then that somthing is your God.

don't dodge

 

[Kerr]

no need for definition becaise it's clear;

If you sanctified something and you obeyed it's order then that somthing is your God.

don't dodge

Must point out that the definition you stated is not the actual definition of a deity or god, and atheism deals with the actual definition. Anyway, do you think this is the god of all atheists or did I misunderstand?

 

[Cobblestones]

I am sorry but I don't really care what you think. I am already ignoring her so the conflict has been resolved, Cobblestones. You are the only one left with a problem here; get over it and move on. It is not your place to tell me how I should treat other members, if you have a problem with my behavior report it to the mods.

I am simply continuing the discussion about you AV and pointing out that you ought to practice what you preach if you really want people to take you seriously.

Cheers!

 

[Storm]

Does anyone else find it amusing that Jeremiah would rather put me on ignore than admit an error?

 

[nonbeliever_92]

Downsides to atheism? I guess the daily hangovers and occassional STD from having unprotected sex with so many strangers. But hey, that's what they invented aspirin and antibiotics for.

I thought that was just me.

 

[linwood]

The innate need is fulfilled by action whether we value it or not. However, the less we value it, the more likely we are to abandon it.

How is this a negative?

Also, it's just sad to me. Intellectually, I realize that not everyone shares my passion for religion in all its manifestations. Emotionally, however, I cannot grasp their disinterest. How can you not find Communion beautiful, for instance (that was rhetorical)? On that level, I just don't get it, and find it wholly depressing.

Communion with what?
We all find beauty in different places.

See, I see our entire society engaging in it less and less. COmmunal ritual, anyway, which is just as important as personal.

I find no importance in it whatsoever.
In fact I despise most communal ritual as shallow and fake.

The devaluation of myth is subtler. In this increasingly literalistic age, I see the great stories, whatever their source, dismissed as worthless. It's not limited to Biblical Literalism. People just seem to think that if it isn't factual, it isn't meaningful, in ever increasing numbers.

Actually I`d say with the rise of New Age religions we are increasing the importance of non-literal myth in one segment of society anyway.

But facts, useful as they are, are shallow truths. They can't explain who we are, much less inspire who we become. Mythos and Logos are both vital to our wellbeing.

Actually facts can and do explain who we are and influence who we become.
Far more than any myth can.

Mythos and Logos are vital to "your" well being.
Mine depends upon understanding the difference between myth and rationale and which holds most importance in my life.

To devalue objectivity in favor of myth in such a manner is when we truly get off track in our lives.

Facts, objectivity, are always and forever far more important than myth.
Myth is merely an often confusing method of understanding what those facts are.

 

[Storm]

How is this a negative?

It leaves the need unfulfilled.

Communion with what?

The Christian ritual.

We all find beauty in different places.

I know, I was just sharing my confusion.

I find no importance in it whatsoever.
In fact I despise most communal ritual as shallow and fake.

Which is precisely what I'm talking about.

Actually I`d say with the rise of New Age religions we are increasing the importance of non-literal myth in one segment of society anyway.

Hmmmm......

Actually facts can and do explain who we are and influence who we become.
Far more than any myth can.

How?

Mythos and Logos are vital to "your" well being.
Mine depends upon understanding the difference between myth and rationale and which holds most importance in my life.

To me, our well being is better served by at least appreciating our heritage. Whithout that, we are cut off.

To devalue objectivity in favor of myth in such a manner is when we truly get off track in our lives.

I'm not devaluing objectivity. I'm saying both are important, and we need to find a healthier balance.

Facts, objectivity, are always and forever far more important than myth.
Myth is merely an often confusing manner of understanding what those facts are.

Myth isn't about fact at all. Again you illustrate my concerns.

 

[linwood]

It leaves the need unfulfilled.

Only for those who have those needs in the first place.
We apparently don`t all have them in the same manner.

The Christian ritual.

The symbolic act of eating human flesh and drinking human blood should hold some beauty for me?

How?

This seems such a silly question to me.
Objective fact is and always has been a superior foundation for knowledge than myth ever was.
I could right endless essays on the confusion and suffering caused by individual human myth.

To me, our well being is better served by at least appreciating our heritage. Whithout that, we are cut off.

Some of us have taken great pains and made great strides in the endeavor to be cut off from our heritage.
The heritage of humanity isn`t especially positive.
I`m all for ditching it and finding something that works.

I'm not devaluing objectivity. I'm saying both are important, and we need to find a healthier balance.

But facts, useful as they are, are shallow truths.

That sounds a bit devalued.

Myth isn't about fact at all. Again you illustrate my concerns.

If you are right and myth isn`t about fact then it is completely worthless.

Myth is how we understand the "facts" of the world around us.
You`re saying that the myth of original sin holds no facts? no truth?

If human myth doesn`t at the very least attempt to explain the human condition then myth isn`t just valueless it`s negative.

 

[MSizer]

Babies always give me heartburn.

 

[Storm]

Only for those who have those needs in the first place.
We apparently don`t all have them in the same manner.

We all share the same basic psychological needs. Ritual is a deep one.

Bear in mind, I'm not talking about RELIGIOUS ritual. That's just the most common form we have now.

The symbolic act of eating human flesh and drinking human blood should hold some beauty for me?

If you'll go back and reread, I didn't say that it should. Intellectually, I understand that different people have different tastes. Emotionally however, I just don't grok how you can fail to appreciate it. It's like if someone told me sunsets were ugly. OK, not a big deal, but I don't get it.

This seems such a silly question to me.
Objective fact is and always has been a superior foundation for knowledge than myth ever was.
I could right endless essays on the confusion and suffering caused by individual human myth.

For knowledge, yes, uncontested.

For what to do with knowledge, not so much.

Some of us have taken great pains and made great strides in the endeavor to be cut off from our heritage.
The heritage of humanity isn`t especially positive.
I`m all for ditching it and finding something that works.

That just seems tragic to me.

Emotion aside, I think it greatly contributes to the current collective pathologies of our society.

That sounds a bit devalued.

OK, rereading it, it does. However, that was not my intent. We require facts to navigate the outer world. We require mythic truths to navigate the inner. I hold neither to be superior.

I'm just banging the mythos drum because it's being neglected.

If you are right and myth isn`t about fact then it is completely worthless.

Myth is how we understand the "facts" of the world around us.
You`re saying that the myth of original sin holds no facts? no truth?

If human myth doesn`t at the very least attempt to explain the human condition then myth isn`t just valueless it`s negative.

Fact =/= truth in the same way Christiantiy =/= religion. One is a form of the other, but not the only one.

Myth does speak to the human condition, but not in the bright, logical language of the intellect. It speaks on a shadowy, primal level that resonates much deeper. It speaks of things so profoundly visceral that to state them as bald fact strips them of meaning, as does ritual.

My concern on both points is that we are repressing this primal side of ourselves, probably due to its messiness. That can't end well.

 

[gnomon]

What are the negative consequences to atheism? I just don't see a downside.

One downside.

Listening to the absolute stupidity of other human beings who, in reaction to the mere word atheism, suffer an intellectual meltdown.

 

[dogsgod]

One downside.

Listening to the absolute stupidity of other human beings who, in reaction to the mere word atheism, suffer an intellectual meltdown.

Frubals

 

[Autodidact]

no need for definition becaise it's clear;

If you sanctified something and you obeyed it's order then that somthing is your God.

don't dodge

There's always a need for definition, especially with such a vague and controversial term. I've had people define it all sort of ways. So you define God as anything that you "sanctify" and obey? Anything that you treat as holy and obey? Aren't there many people who believe in a God who does not need to be obeyed?

Anyway, offhand I can't think of anything that I treat as holy and obey. I obey natural laws, but I really don't have any choice, do I?

 

[mohammed_beiruti]

There's always a need for definition, especially with such a vague and controversial term. I've had people define it all sort of ways. So you define God as anything that you "sanctify" and obey? Anything that you treat as holy and obey? Aren't there many people who believe in a God who does not need to be obeyed?

Anyway, offhand I can't think of anything that I treat as holy and obey. I obey natural laws, but I really don't have any choice, do I?

let us illustrate the following relation
servant ===> worship===> God.

what is the meaning of worship?

does it mean sanctify only?

or does it mean sanctify and obey?

it depends.

according to my religion My God "Allah" didn't create our universe for nothing

Qura'an Ch.21

16 We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them in play.

17 If We had wished to find a pastime, We could have found it in Our presence - if We ever did.

18 Nay, but We hurl the true against the false, and it doth break its head and lo! it vanisheth. And yours will be woe for that which ye ascribe (unto Him).

19 Unto Him belongeth whosoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those who dwell in His presence are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they weary;

and worshipping is meaning both
-to beleive that there is no God but Allah(sanctify)
-to follow his path (obey his rules).

Qura'an Ch.46
13. Verily those who say, "Our Lord is Allah," and remain firm (on that Path),- on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

this is my belief background.

as for natural law: yes we are slaves for the one who created them, we have no choice.

:Kerr

Anyway, do you think this is the god of all atheists or did I misunderstand?

it depends ,

there are some people spend threre lifetime to earn money and have fun.

then they act according to thier purpose, they follow the rules which leads to thier purpose.