Should some atheists take the time to study religion/rituals/magic ect.?

[Theweirdtophat]

People seem to think it's all fantasy but why would people extensively practice something that produces no results? Does that make any sort of logical sense? If it didn't produce anything they wouldn't have done it to begin with. And as far as gods go, why would people waste time building temples, writing hyms and books about gods that don't exist. There's a force behind it.

And don't mention fictional characters because some will say "Well people have made statues to Superman and he doesn't exist. lolz" But no one pretends that Superman actually interacted with humanity, now do they? These religious scriptures do, and it never occurs to anyone that maybe these deities exist or at least existed at one point in time? Rather than dismiss it and act as if they don't exist only because they aren't right in front of your face.

 

[Koldo]

People seem to think it's all fantasy but why would people extensively practice something that produces no results? Does that make any sort of logical sense? If it didn't produce anything they wouldn't have done it to begin with. And as far as gods go, why would people waste time building temples, writing hyms and books about gods that don't exist. There's a force behind it.

And don't mention fictional characters because some will say "Well people have made statues to Superman and he doesn't exist. lolz" But no one pretends that Superman actually interacted with humanity, now do they? These religious scriptures do, and it never occurs to anyone that maybe these deities exist or at least existed at one point in time? Rather than dismiss it and act as if they don't exist only because they aren't right in front of your face.

At what point is it fair to dismiss something ?
How much time do I have to spend looking into something to dismiss it ?

 

[Deathbydefault]

I feel as if not enough take the time to participate in it.They tend to think it materialistic ways but there has always been more to it than just materialism. If atheists took the time to look into it, there'd be no such thing as an atheist. Rather, many just dismiss it because it's not found in their text books. There is evidence for it, and experiencing it introduces the evidence. Not having evidence, doesn't mean it doesn't exist or it is false. If we never discovered dinosaurs, does that mean dinosaurs never existed? No, that'd be absurd. Dinosaurs always have existed whether we discover it or not.

Just because you can't see something, it doesn't mean it isn't there.

Please click Here.

 

[Quintessence]

At what point is it fair to dismiss something ?
How much time do I have to spend looking into something to dismiss it ?

However much time you want. I get dismissive of team sports like football after spending not even thirty seconds looking at it.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

It just seems strange to deny the very life force that's in us. Even if you don't believe in gods, most atheists don't even believe in souls. I ask, how can you not believe in the force that animates you? Ask those with near death experiences as they will have a frame of reference. Unless you think all are making it up for no reason.

It's like saying you have no cells in you. The soul is energy. It all breaks down to distinct energy. As I said, what can't be explained can be experienced. So experience it. I did.

 

[dust1n]

People seem to think it's all fantasy but why would people extensively practice something that produces no results? Does that make any sort of logical sense? If it didn't produce anything they wouldn't have done it to begin with. And as far as gods go, why would people waste time building temples, writing hyms and books about gods that don't exist. There's a force behind it.

And don't mention fictional characters because some will say "Well people have made statues to Superman and he doesn't exist. lolz" But no one pretends that Superman actually interacted with humanity, now do they? These religious scriptures do, and it never occurs to anyone that maybe these deities exist or at least existed at one point in time? Rather than dismiss it and act as if they don't exist only because they aren't right in front of your face.

• Apollo Quiboloy (1950–) is the founder and leader of a Philippines-based Restorationist church, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name, Inc. He has made claims that he is the "Appointed Son of God."
• Alan John Miller (1962–), more commonly known as A.J. Miller, a former Jehovah's Witness elder and current leader of the Australia-based Divine Truth movement.[43] Miller claims to be Jesus Christ reincarnated with others in the 20th century to spread messages that he calls the "Divine Truth." He delivers these messages in seminars and various forms of media along with his current partner Mary Suzanne Luck, who identifies herself as the returned Mary Magdalene.[44]
• David Shayler (1965–) was a former MI5 agent and whistleblower who, in the summer of 2007, proclaimed himself to be the Messiah. He has released a series of videos on YouTube claiming to be Jesus, although he has not built up any noticeable following since his claims.[45][46][47]
• Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez (1990–). In November 2011, he fired nine shots with an Romanian Cugir SA semi-automatic rifle at the White House in Washington D.C., believing himself to be Jesus Christ sent to kill U.S. President Barack Obama, whom he believed to be the antichrist.[48][49]
• Lightning Deng (2014), a woman whom the Chinese Eastern Lightning cult believe to be the reincarnation of Christ.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_claimed_to_be_Jesus


Why would people practice something extensively with no results? Good point. These people must all be reincarnation of Jesus Christ on Earth. Why would people waste time building temples and writing hymns to these people? Must be something there.

No smoke without fire and all.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

• Apollo Quiboloy (1950–) is the founder and leader of a Philippines-based Restorationist church, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name, Inc. He has made claims that he is the "Appointed Son of God."
• Alan John Miller (1962–), more commonly known as A.J. Miller, a former Jehovah's Witness elder and current leader of the Australia-based Divine Truth movement.[43] Miller claims to be Jesus Christ reincarnated with others in the 20th century to spread messages that he calls the "Divine Truth." He delivers these messages in seminars and various forms of media along with his current partner Mary Suzanne Luck, who identifies herself as the returned Mary Magdalene.[44]
• David Shayler (1965–) was a former MI5 agent and whistleblower who, in the summer of 2007, proclaimed himself to be the Messiah. He has released a series of videos on YouTube claiming to be Jesus, although he has not built up any noticeable following since his claims.[45][46][47]
• Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez (1990–). In November 2011, he fired nine shots with an Romanian Cugir SA semi-automatic rifle at the White House in Washington D.C., believing himself to be Jesus Christ sent to kill U.S. President Barack Obama, whom he believed to be the antichrist.[48][49]
• Lightning Deng (2014), a woman whom the Chinese Eastern Lightning cult believe to be the reincarnation of Christ.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_claimed_to_be_Jesus


Why would people practice something extensively with no results? Good point. These people must all be reincarnation of Jesus Christ on Earth. Why would people waste time building temples and writing hymns to these people? Must be something there.

No smoke without fire and all.

You're exaggerating to prove your point. Which means your point isn't that valid, because if it was, you wouldn't resort to exaggeration. I'm not going to pretend that every leader was right. There are some that aren't spiritual at all and just jump on the bandwagon in order to manipulate others. Some are greedy and cult like I'm referring to ancient times where Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and various Pagan religions existed where the deities were said to exist, make us what we are, help us build monuments ect. You focus so much on the fakes and imposters you assume every religion is like that. Such as with psychics. You focus so much on the scam artist psychics and dismiss all of them when there ARE real psychics out there.

 

[dust1n]

You're exaggerating to prove your point. Which means your point isn't that valid, because if it was, you wouldn't resort to exaggeration. I'm not going to pretend that every leader was right. There are some that aren't spiritual at all and just jump on the bandwagon in order to manipulate others. Some are greedy and cult like I'm referring to ancient times where Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and various Pagan religions existed where the deities were said to exist, make us what we are, help us build monuments ect. You focus so much on the fakes and imposters you assume every religion is like that. Such as with psychics.

Ah, good point. No one ever scammed people or lied about religion in ancient times. By the way, Apollo there has thousands and thousands of Philippine followers. Why would they follow him if they weren't getting results... if there wasn't something there.

You focus so much on the scam artist psychics and dismiss all of them when there ARE real psychics out there.

An example of a real psychic being?

 

[Deathbydefault]

It just seems strange to deny the very life force that's in us. Even if you don't believe in gods, most atheists don't even believe in souls. I ask, how can you not believe in the force that animates you? Ask those with near death experiences as they will have a frame of reference. Unless you think all are making it up for no reason.

It's like saying you have no cells in you. The soul is energy. It all breaks down to distinct energy. As I said, what can't be explained can be experienced. So experience it. I did.

I've had a few near death experiences, three heart attacks, two of which were serious, and 2 attempted suicides.
Not once have I seen or felt anything that would lead me to believe I have a soul or will go somewhere when dead.

You do not know a soul exists, nor can you prove it.
If you could then that would be Earth-shattering news and you would have more money then you'd ever need.
What you're thinking of is more than likely an effect presented by your brain, and you've simply misinterpreted it.
As seems to be the case with many.

 

[outhouse]

I ask, how can you not believe in the force that animates you?

Because it DOES not animate you, that is YOUR unsubstantiated rhetoric. We don't believe in mythology.

Scientifically a soul does not exist outside fantasy and imagination and ignorance to the functions in the human brain.

 

[outhouse]

you've simply misinterpreted it

To the point of it being a question of honesty for many.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Because it DOES not animate you, that is YOUR unsubstantiated rhetoric. We don't believe in mythology.

Scientifically a soul does not exist outside fantasy and imagination and ignorance to the functions in the human brain.

Jumping onto the bag wagon here, but it doesn't need to be supernatural. It doesn't need to be religious, philosophical, or spiritual. We don't even need to use the terms soul, spirit, gods, goddess, and so forth.

We are made up of energy, how can one deny that? That energy keeps our hearts, bodies, and so forth going, how is that not worth seeing more into it than just nothing but cells and atoms? Religion is gratitude for living. It's placing respect and gratitude for the Energy (no matter the name or stories describing it) that keeps us going. It's being thankful for life.

How can that be fantasy and imagination? Sometimes I think other atheist are caught up in religious terms, supernatural, and the like. I know that when someone is suffering from clinical depression (I did before), then we find no gratitude in life because we want to, to one extent or another, not be here. The rest of us seem to for Some Odd Reason seem to want to (our bodies heal without us needing to push it to) live. What is behind that reason, there are many. Maybe it is our devotion to family. We want to see our children grow to old age. Maybe it's devotion to self. We want to live the best and healthiest life we can live. Maybe its career. We want to be satisfied in our life, our work, and be productive. Maybe its freedom...and the list grows. What is behind our motivation to have these things? Is it God, could be. Is it the spirits, could be. Is it our ancestors, could be.

That is not the point. The point is many people DO have these motivations, I will say. Everything has a cause. Every cause has an affect. How is that fantasy and imagination?

That's religion to the layman's atheistic point of view. I don't understand, as many people who are religious feel likewise, how atheist just don't see there are "causes" to every action; this is in its bare bone language.

What gives?

 

[Koldo]

It just seems strange to deny the very life force that's in us. Even if you don't believe in gods, most atheists don't even believe in souls. I ask, how can you not believe in the force that animates you? Ask those with near death experiences as they will have a frame of reference. Unless you think all are making it up for no reason.

It's like saying you have no cells in you. The soul is energy. It all breaks down to distinct energy. As I said, what can't be explained can be experienced. So experience it. I did.

It should be fairly simple to understand why many people reject all the woo woo.

 

[Quintessence]

What gives?

Perhaps a lot of confusion about maps and territories, and making the mistake of going "since X is not on my particular reality map of the territory (or I describe the territory they call X as a Y instead), X isn't a thing at all."

 

[gsa]

Why would atheists and scientists dismiss rituals and magic and such things as fantasy when the greatest scientists such study things. How come no one finds it strange at all that scientists, people who study facts in life and teach it to others, mess around with rituals, religions and magic, if there' is no proof of such things being real?

First off, the greatest scientists did LOTS of study into paranormal and supernatural claims. Guess what? Nada. Nothing replicable, certainly, and very little that even warranted further investigation. And there are so many studies, I mean so many, showing that scientists are on the whole far more skeptical of religious claims than the general public. So who are these greatest scientists who believe in this nonsense? Francis Collins and Deepak Chopra? Rupert Sheldrake? Who?

Maybe one could think that perhaps they studied to to get a better grasp of reality. That by focusing on materialism you're only getting half the information and that studying the spirtual side as well gives you a better frame of reference when it comes to science. Life force can actually be applied and has been demonstrated to perform physical means. How do you explain martial artists breaking wood or blocks of ice or stone with their hands, when martial artists gather their energy to perform such a strike?

Studies have shown that a novice, given proper instructions, can do the same thing that any martial arts expert claims. And what is this better grasp that the paranormalists and supernaturalists promise? Better living through reading both horoscopes and the entrails of sacrificed critters? And why would anyone think that was at all reliable in the absence of confirmation bias?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Perhaps a lot of confusion about maps and territories, and making the mistake of going "since X is not on my particular reality map of the territory (or I describe the territory they call X as a Y instead), X isn't a thing at all."

Good point.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

I've had a few near death experiences, three heart attacks, two of which were serious, and 2 attempted suicides.
Not once have I seen or felt anything that would lead me to believe I have a soul or will go somewhere when dead.

You do not know a soul exists, nor can you prove it.
If you could then that would be Earth-shattering news and you would have more money then you'd ever need.
What you're thinking of is more than likely an effect presented by your brain, and you've simply misinterpreted it.
As seems to be the case with many.

It depends on what you mean by "near death experience" I'm talking about. Did your heart stop or were you in serious conditions but still technically alive? Where you are dead as in you don't have a heartbeat and aren't responding but your soul isn't totally disconnected from your body. And I know from other people's experiences that when they have experiences, they usually see their relatives, and/or, they feel like they are floating up and actually see their body and when they come back to life, the soul is pulled towards the body like a magnet.

I know souls exist. Because energy is animating my body and everything else. There are disembodied spirits, too, like ghosts and people have seen such things. I honestly don't think every single one of them are making it up for the "lulz". There is truth in some of their claims. Can I prove it, no. But I already know such energy exists. I don't have to prove anything to anyone. Your opinion won't change that.

 

[Deathbydefault]

It depends on what you mean by "near death experience" I'm talking about. Did your heart stop or were you in serious conditions but still technically alive? Where you are dead as in you don't have a heartbeat and aren't responding but your soul isn't totally disconnected from your body. And I know from other people's experiences that when they have experiences, they usually see their relatives, and/or, they feel like they are floating up and actually see their body and when they come back to life, the soul is pulled towards the body like a magnet.

I know souls exist. Because energy is animating my body and everything else. There are disembodied spirits, too, like ghosts and people have seen such things. I honestly don't think every single one of them are making it up for the "lulz". There is truth in some of their claims. Can I prove it, no. But I already know such energy exists. I don't have to prove anything to anyone. Your opinion won't change that.

I've had my heart stop twice, yes.
That is what many call death, but people are really dead when their brain stops functioning.
There is no coming back from that.

At the times I didn't have an emotional connection to anyone, as it was before I found my girlfriend.
So I didn't see anyone, I didn't see anything. I just woke back up.

I assure you that you more than likely know no such thing.
You probably think you know, and are having a misconception.

 

[outhouse]

We are made up of energy, how can one deny that?

No one said we are not. A rock is made up of energy by your account.

That energy keeps our hearts, bodies, and so forth going, how is that not worth seeing more into it than just nothing but cells and atoms?

Because your moving goal post for what exist ONLY in the brain, and trying to create something that does not exist outside mythology.

How can that be fantasy and imagination?

Because when something does not exist, and people say it does, and they don't have a shred of evidence outside ancient mens mythology, it is fantasy and imagination.


Here's a thought. Provide credible evidence, there is none to date with our advanced knowledge JUST IN HISTORY we see ancient mans ignorance for what the conscious mind actually is.

They attributed and created invisible things and concepts they thought controlled every positive and negative aspect of ones being due to their severe ignorance.



The difference between me and you, may be that I don't keep making ancient mens mistakes, by attributing things to gaps in my knowledge or mythology.

 

[outhouse]

I know souls exist.

LOL

NO YOU DONT

You have faith and nothing more. At this time souls FACTUALLY do not exist scientifically outside mythology.