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Exploring Atheism
- Thread starter maro
- Start date
Autodidact
Intentionally Blank
This is a bit broad and hard to get a handle on, maro, could you narrow your question down or maybe break it into several questions?
Maro, keep in mind that the term "atheist" covers a very wide spectrum of beliefs. Just as there's no single "theist" point of view on all the issues you mention, there's no single "athiest" viewpoint either.
Trey of Diamonds
Well-Known Member
I've noticed this, it's almost like there's denominations within atheisim.
Magic Man
Reaper of Conversation
For those of you not familiar with the context here, this is a quote from me in response to the question of whether or not the idea of the universe becoming what it is by way of random unintelligent processes.
I think it is reasonable that the universe was not created by an intelligent being. We, as humans, need to see patterns in things to understand them. We see things as a certain design, and then assume that that design is inherent. It is not necessarily. If a big rock is formed into the shape we would call a chair by precipitation and natural forces, we still would see it as a chair, whether or not it was meant to be.
Trey of Diamonds
Well-Known Member
Ok, I know Im not an atheist but I think this may be related to the question.
My theory for God, the Devil and the Universe is as follows. The universe is comprised of positive and negative energies. These energies coexist and are all around us.
Religion is merely mankind sensing these energies and trying to conceptualize them. Positive energy has become symbolized by the term God and negative energy symbolized by the term Satan.
Now some might say that if I believe all that I should consider myself an atheist, however, I think that question is dependant on whether or not you think the positive and negative energies are sentient or self aware. Could the energy fields that exist throughout the universe have an intelligence? I think its just as possible as it not having an intelligence.
Many would say that makes me an Agnostic rather than an Atheist or a religious person and for many years I considered myself one. Now I consider myself a spiritual being in search of knowledge instead of answers.
Anyway to the original question, I think the universe was created as a byproduct of these two energy sources. As to their intelligence, if they are, I truly doubt they have much interest or consciousness of us. An intelligence that spanned the entire universe would be so alien as to be incomprehensible to human beings. Then again, that is one of the descriptions of God from the bible
My theory for God, the Devil and the Universe is as follows. The universe is comprised of positive and negative energies. These energies coexist and are all around us.
Religion is merely mankind sensing these energies and trying to conceptualize them. Positive energy has become symbolized by the term God and negative energy symbolized by the term Satan.
Now some might say that if I believe all that I should consider myself an atheist, however, I think that question is dependant on whether or not you think the positive and negative energies are sentient or self aware. Could the energy fields that exist throughout the universe have an intelligence? I think its just as possible as it not having an intelligence.
Many would say that makes me an Agnostic rather than an Atheist or a religious person and for many years I considered myself one. Now I consider myself a spiritual being in search of knowledge instead of answers.
Anyway to the original question, I think the universe was created as a byproduct of these two energy sources. As to their intelligence, if they are, I truly doubt they have much interest or consciousness of us. An intelligence that spanned the entire universe would be so alien as to be incomprehensible to human beings. Then again, that is one of the descriptions of God from the bible
See cosmology, biology, and anthropology ...
maro
muslimah
Very intersting Trey
I am looking forward for your thoughts on my comments , i also would like to know your thoughts on life ...Apparently , both human beings and Mountains ,for example are energy...however ,"life" still makes a distinction between both
do you think it's possible to communicate with the positive energy of the universe through Praying ,Trey ?
I once read that atoms can make unpredictible choices between alternative possiblities according to the laws of quantum mechanics , as if they have some sort of mind or intelligence..Have you considered that Trey ?
Is it possible that this universal Energy is somehow designed to ensure the existance and welfare of Humans according to the Anthropic principle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ?
I am looking forward for your thoughts on my comments , i also would like to know your thoughts on life ...Apparently , both human beings and Mountains ,for example are energy...however ,"life" still makes a distinction between both
maro
muslimah
You can only mention the Broad lines of your beliefs as a beginning , Auto
9-10ths_Pinguin said:
No problem Pinguin , I am interested in a diversity of thoughts
mball1297 said:
Are you saying that there is no design in the universe or in living organisms ? There is no real system and integration as it seems to be ?
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Alex_G
Enlightner of the Senses
The way i see it from an atheistic perspective is that we owe the universe a bit better than the stale explanations that ive encountered in many religions. What science has achieved in the last few hundred years is astronomical and exponential. In perspective with the widely agreed estimate for the universe's age, it makes it even more spectacular that such achievments occurred in this minute fraction of time. Answers that yet to be unravelled are plentyful, maybe some impossible, but yet i still find all the religious, creationistic explanations lacking.
Magic Man
Reaper of Conversation
Yes, that's basically what I'm saying.
Autodidact
Intentionally Blank
maro: I can't answer because your question is too broad. Life, the Universe and all that? 42. What exactly are you asking?
darkendless
Guardian of Asgaard
We have evolved, we see parts of ourselves in other mammals. The only missing link in the chain is the first one, how did it all start.
I wonder if the atheist theory was scientifically proven [and accepted], what would theists do? Doesn't that kinda kill off the whole "created the world in 7 days" thing?
Dunemeister
Well-Known Member
Indeed. Perhaps even miraculous.
whereismynotecard
Treasure Hunter
My answer is this:
I don't know, and making stuff up isn't any better than just admitting that the answer will never be known.
I don't know, and making stuff up isn't any better than just admitting that the answer will never be known.
gnomon
Well-Known Member
Positing the ineffable in order to understand the universe is irrelevant.
That, to me, is the basic meaning of atheism.
maro
muslimah
Fortunately enough , I am a medical student , I have studied Physiology , Anatomy , Histology and biochemistry....And i know that what I saw there was not only a design....but a miracuolous one....IF you are not able to explain that Design through Atheism...You can just Say : I Don't Know instead of denying it
darkedleness said:
Haven't you heard of the fall of Darwinism and the rise of the Intelligent design - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ?
McBell
Admiral Obvious
Wow.
And you believe that all the flaws in human "design" are from God?
Seems to me that Darwinism is nothing more than a theory to explain the why's of the already excepted evolution theory.
Intelligent design is really nothing more that creationism with the words 'God' and 'Creator' changed to 'designer.'
It does not surprise me to find people leaving the idea of evolution for creation.
It is human nature to ratify ones beliefs instead of doing honest research.
Not to mention that creation is much simpler than evolution to understand.
However, i do find it extremely comical the fact that creation and evolution are about different stages of life.
Creation being about how life began, like abiogenesis, where as evolution is not concerned with the beginning of life, but merely an attempt to explain the diversity of life we currently have on the planet.
I also find it amusing how creationists must prey upon the ignorance of their audience in order to even stay afloat.
If their position was as clear cut correct as they would like others to think, then why do they feel that it cannot stand upon its own merits?
Why do they have to act like politicians and flat out lie about what evolution is and says in order to convince others that they are right?
But enough of my ranting.
Trey of Diamonds
Well-Known Member
I think it is possible to tap into the energy and manipulate it. Communication I'm not sure of. If the energy is self aware and has what we would call intelligence, would the ramblings of human beings make sense to it? Are you able to understand the chemical communications of ants as they go about their daily lives? And yet are they capible of manipulating you? Will you not move when bit?
Quantum Mechanics is lots of fun but I think if I understood the math it would scare the hell out of me so I pretty much stick with the science fiction aspect. Better to be entertained than driven mad.
I don't think so. I think the energy exists so that the universe can exists and the two are mutually dependant. But what came first, the energy or the universe?
What you are calling life is limiting. You are saying that a bear is life and a mountain is not but is that true. It meets our definitions of life but could the universe use different definitions? Would it consider a planet alive? A solar system? If you were at a level where you considered a solar system a living being, what would the creature on a planet be? Fleas? Bacteria?
darkendless
Guardian of Asgaard
Intelligent design will kill off the worlds ability to reason. There is no design, no designer, just us, and the world around us.