Question for atheists.

[Looncall]

"Jesus" closed his eyes and saw something inside him
"Buddha" closed his eyes and saw something inside him
"Muhammed" closed his eyes and saw something inside him
"Nanak" closed his eyes and saw something inside him
Almost all "Starter's of religions" closed their eyes and saw something inside them.

Don't you think this "Closing the eyes" is common ?

An interesting observation about human psychology, no more.

 

[chinu]

An interesting observation about human psychology, no more.

So.. don't you think one should understand it more and more until this interesting observation may become an uninteresting ? or it's already an uninteresting for you ? tell me..

 

[ImmortalFlame]

You mean one should clear the type of atheists in the starting of post ? or there should be seperate sections for different type of atheists ?

Well, one should always be clear from what definition they are operating, so as not to confuse people.

But, before continueing i just want to know that what do we call the people who believe in this thing ?

It doesn't really matter, call them what you will.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Question for atheists.
What makes you SURE that there's isn't any God ?

I've yet to hear a clear, consistent, coherent definition of what "god" is, so until then, there isn't anything to believe exists.

 

[Falvlun]

Question for atheists.
What makes you SURE that there's isn't any God ?

From what I can tell, most atheists aren't sure that there isn't any God. They just find that hypothesis improbable and unsupported, and therefore, have no reason to believe it.

Just like if someone claimed that aliens made the pyramids. Is it possible? Sure. Are you positive that they didn't? No. Do you think it likely that they did? No. Why? Because there is no evidence.

 

[Falvlun]

I've yet to hear a clear, consistent, coherent definition of what "god" is, so until then, there isn't anything to believe exists.

To be honest, I find this to be a pretty BS answer. You have a general understanding of what the word God means, and I don't understand what so many people on this forum get out of pretending that they don't.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

To be honest, I find this to be a pretty BS answer. You have a general understanding of what the word God means, and I don't understand what so many people on this forum get out of pretending that they don't.

Yes, and my understanding of peoples' various concepts of gods is that they're unclear, inconsistent, and incoherent. Sort of like the people who irrationally develop grudges, and then repeatedly, and misguidedly, feel the need to take out their petty frustrations on various, random posts of the person they hold the grudge against.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

How do you know ? or how can you say so ?

Because I know

 

[MysticSang'ha]

I am as sure of God existing as I am of aliens, angels, fairies, unicorns, hobbits, elves, and dragons existing.

It's not to say that they're bad ideas or anything. It's also not to say that I can't find inspiration from these examples - I can. But to say that God exists, IMO, is rather presumptuous given that such a claim cannot be falsified in the natural realm.

Oh, hey....I think Game of Thrones is cool too. Lots of things to contemplate about there, but I hope nobody asks me if I'm SURE that Khal Drogo isn't waiting outside my front door.

 

[9Westy9]

Question for atheists.
What makes you SURE that there's isn't any God ?

I'm not sure (that God doesn't exist)

 

[Falvlun]

Yes, and my understanding of peoples' various concepts of gods is that they're unclear, inconsistent, and incoherent. Sort of like the people who irrationally develop grudges, and then repeatedly, and misguidedly, feel the need to take out their petty frustrations on various, random posts of the person they hold the grudge against.

I didn't know that I had a grudge against you. I actually like your posts and we tend to be on the same side of most issues. I guess you learn something new every day.

EDIT: But if you are interested, I did open a thread to discuss the issue of whether it is a reasonable defense to claim that you have no idea what is meant by the word "god".

 

[billthecat]

My position is very simple: I don't believe there is a God, but I don't claim to know, or "be sure", that there ISN'T a God. Therefore, it is a misrepresentation of my position on the matter to ask me "why are you sure there isn't a God?"

You say that being an atheist means you don't believe there is a God. You aren't SURE there isn't a God, you just don't believe there is. That is Practical Atheism. And that distinction is something I learned today. Thank you for taking the time to explain that.

I do not think most atheists, and certainly not the more assertive and vocal ones on this site, are Practical Atheists.

If one believes something but isn't SURE about it, I would think that person wouldn't feel justified in denigrating those who don't share that belief. That is not the case on this site. After being here for a couple of weeks, it is obvious from even a cursory skimming of these sorts of threads that those who believe in God - especially people who say they are Christians - are belittled and condescended to and their intelligence and common sense rejected outright.

What sort of atheist is that?

 

[Willamena]

Question for atheists.
What makes you SURE that there's isn't any God ?

In knowing "god," I know that saying either, "There is a God," or "There is no God," is not saying anything. So the myth of Eris and Aneris enters the picture.

In the beginning there was VOID, who had two daughters; one (the smaller) was that of BEING, named ERIS, and one (the larger) was of NON-BEING, named ANERIS. (To this day, the fundamental truth that Aneris is the larger is apparent to all who compare the great number of things that do not exist with the comparatively small number of things that do exist.)

Eris had been born pregnant, and after 55 years (Goddesses have an unusually long gestation period-- longer even than elephants), Her pregnancy bore the fruits of many things. These things were composed of the Five Basic Elements, SWEET, BOOM, PUNGENT, PRICKLE, and ORANGE. Aneris, however, had been created sterile. When she saw Eris enjoying Herself so greatly with all of the existent things She had borne, Aneris became jealous and finally one day she stole some existent things and changed them into non-existent things and claimed them as her own children. This deeply hurt Eris, who felt that Her sister was unjust (being so much larger anyway) to deny Her her small joy. And so She made herself swell again to bear more things. And She swore that no matter how many of her begotten that Aneris would steal, She would beget more. And, in return, Aneris swore that no matter how many existent things Eris brought forth, she would eventually find them and turn them into non-existent things for her own. (And to this day, things appear and disappear in this very manner.)

Principia Discordia - Page 56

So I am quite safe in saying that there "is no God," because Aneris will always steal away anything Eris can make.

 

[Falvlun]

What sort of atheist is that?

The kind that gets a jolt out of belittling other people?

It's not like that sort of person is restricted to atheists. Many religious people like to tell everyone who doesn't belong to their religion how wicked and wrong they are.

Though, in all fairness to the bully atheists, it's not the belief itself, usually, that is belittled, but the way in which it is defended (i.e. with logical arguments that are anything but, with horrible scholarship regarding the source texts of their religions, and at least in the case of creationists, the denial of well established science.)

 

[billthecat]

The kind that gets a jolt out of belittling other people?

It's not like that sort of person is restricted to atheists. Many religious people like to tell everyone who doesn't belong to their religion how wicked and wrong they are.

Though, in all fairness to the bully atheists, it's not the belief itself, usually, that is belittled, but the way in which it is defended (i.e. with logical arguments that are anything but, with horrible scholarship regarding the source texts of their religions, and at least in the case of creationists, the denial of well established science.)

Point taken. Mostly.

I think the attacks on the person and not just the belief are prevalent.

Using logical arguments to support my Faith that God does exist is more difficult than using logical arguments to support the faith that He does not - especially when only things tangible would be accepted as proof.

One is reminded of the ancient wisdom of the theatrical release of 1995 The Santa Clause: Just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

 

[ImmortalFlame]

You say that being an atheist means you don't believe there is a God. You aren't SURE there isn't a God, you just don't believe there is. That is Practical Atheism. And that distinction is something I learned today. Thank you for taking the time to explain that.

I do not think most atheists, and certainly not the more assertive and vocal ones on this site, are Practical Atheists.

I would like to hear how you can justify that claim. Most of the atheists I've met, and I would say the majority of atheists on these forums, fit that description rather handily.

If one believes something but isn't SURE about it, I would think that person wouldn't feel justified in denigrating those who don't share that belief.

I don't think that really has anything to do with it. Denigration of people for believing things that you think are foolish to believe does not depend on your level of certainty regarding that particular belief. In other words, you don't have to assert (or know) that a claim is false in order to find people who believe that claim is true absurd.

That is not the case on this site. After being here for a couple of weeks, it is obvious from even a cursory skimming of these sorts of threads that those who believe in God - especially people who say they are Christians - are belittled and condescended to and their intelligence and common sense rejected outright.

I think you're being somewhat hyperbolic. Can you find any particular instances of condescension and belittling that were not in some way warranted?

 

[billthecat]

Can you find any particular instances of condescension and belittling that were not in some way warranted?

Define warranted.

 

[ImmortalFlame]

Define warranted.

Well, for example, if there were insults or insinuations thrown out beforehand, or arguments made that were patently absurd, etc. I suppose it depends what you mean by "belittling" anyway. Can you give an example of what you are talking about and the context of it?

 

[Straw Dog]

Figure of speech in which expression is used to refer something

Could it be that God is a metaphor for that which transcends all human comprehension yet forms the foundation of reality at the same time?

 

[Ouroboros]

Don't you think this "Closing the eyes" is common?

Did you hear about the guy who closed his eyes and walked into a bar?

He ended up with a headache and nine stitches.