What do Atheists Want?

[Kfox]

If some parts of the bible are historically accurate (or can be determined by archaeology), then perhaps the flood has some merit?

Naaw; The flood claims are physically impossible.

 

[Audie]

It has nothing to do with atheism as such nor religion as such.

Deep

 

[RestlessSoul]

What ... they fly planes into buildings ... or protest violently outside women's health clinics ... or what is it they do?
I hope it is not using words and reason, that's despicable.

Rigid and inflexible adherence to dogma can manifest itself in all sorts of ways. Using extreme cases to demonise a whole group of people, is one technique of the ideological extremist. Abandoning reason while claiming to be the voice of it, is another.

Your smearing of a whole religion by unreasonable association with an act of terrorism is worthy of the Daily Mail, btw.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Deep

Well, I take that as some form of sarcasm. Or is that to deep?

 

[Altfish]

Rigid and inflexible adherence to dogma can manifest itself in all sorts of ways. Using extreme cases to demonise a whole group of people, is one technique of the ideological extremist. Abandoning reason while claiming to be the voice of it, is another.

Your smearing of a whole religion by unreasonable association with an act of terrorism is worthy of the Daily Mail, btw.

I didn't associate an act of terrorism with a whole religion; I was trying to ascertain from you what despicable acts atheists have committed in the name of atheism and I was giving examples of previous atrocities carried out in the name of religion.
You have given no examples of "Abandoning reason while claiming to be the voice of it" or how this "Rigid and inflexible adherence to dogma can manifest itself...". Please give some evidence to substantiate your claims

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

I didn't associate an act of terrorism with a whole religion; I was trying to ascertain from you what despicable acts atheists have committed in the name of atheism and I was giving examples of previous atrocities carried out in the name of religion.
You have given no examples of "Abandoning reason while claiming to be the voice of it" or how this "Rigid and inflexible adherence to dogma can manifest itself...". Please give some evidence to substantiate your claims

Well, I can find it. But you will simply retreat into that atheism is only a negative and never a part of an overall worldview.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I didn't associate an act of terrorism with a whole religion; I was trying to ascertain from you what despicable acts atheists have committed in the name of atheism and I was giving examples of previous atrocities carried out in the name of religion.
You have given no examples of "Abandoning reason while claiming to be the voice of it" or how this "Rigid and inflexible adherence to dogma can manifest itself...". Please give some evidence to substantiate your claims

I was referring to intransigence in the tone and manner of discourse, not to atrocities or acts of terrorism. Examples of the former are all over this forum. Indeed, by bringing atrocities into a discussion about dogma, you just provided one yourself.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

I was referring to the tone and manner of discourse, not to atrocities or acts of terrorism. Examples of the former are all over this forum. Indeed, by bringing atrocities into a discussion about dogma, you just provided one yourself.

But we can find examples of atheism integrated into a world view and the use of violence and terror. The problem is that is not relevant because the dogma is that atheism is nothing but lack of positive beliefs in gods.

 

[Jacob Samuelson]

I don't know what happens when we die. I believe we die,

Death should be understood by how we live. What happens when we live should be the biggest question right?

 

[Jacob Samuelson]

You don't need religion to have a value system

How is value determined? We buy a $1 item say a pencil because we believe that a pencil's materials and supply and demand equal $1 to us. Yet say that pencil was used to draw world renowned cartoons like Peanuts. Is that pencil still worth $1 if the artist decides to sell it. What gives that pencil value? What gives us value?

 

[Revoltingest]

Which is precisely why I have a hard time believing you can be atheist and still a participant in this forum. There has to be a reason you are answering my question if you are atheist. What is it?

Conversation with people of different views is
interesting. It's why we're here. I find it hard
to believe that this is hard to believe.

 

[viole]

The truth is, whether you believe in God or not, you will die. I'm sorry for the spoiler alert to some of you. When that happens, will Atheists and Theists get what they want? I can only speak as a theist. What do Atheist think?

Theism does not solve that problem, either. You could be wronged even if God exists. Actually, you are extremely likely to find a God that has nothing to do with what you believe in. Hopefully, for us both, She has not a Hell.

ciao

- viole

 

[Jacob Samuelson]

We don't believe in there being God(s), I guess an atheist could believe in an afterlife, but that such thing wouldn't come from a God. But I would imagine that it is the few rather than the many who would believe that to be the case.

So an atheist doesn't want anything from God(s), in the same way as you probably wouldn't want anything from big foots, if you don't believe that they exist. In general atheists are interested in finding out, challenging or being skeptical about the truth made by religions, as a direct result of how they impact ours and other people life.

Your perspective is assuming that Theist believe Bigfoot created the universe, which is how you are comparing the two. I don't want anything from Bigfoot because Bigfoot has no pretensive application to my life whether he existed or not. God on the other hand has much more application on his existence to Theist and to Atheist. Discovering a new species of animal is great news but does it really give me purpose to everyone's life. No. So I don't believe your statement holds true that Atheist would want nothing out of God in the same manner we would Bigfoot. Would you value afterlife if it existed? Maybe that is a better question for you.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Death should be understood by how we live. What happens when we live should be the biggest question right?

Well, yes. But that we is hard to deal with because who are we and how do we relate to the world? But I try to live as me and as a part of we in this world.

 

[viole]

No, but e.g. philosophical naturalism/materialism/physicalism is. You are more that just an atheist. You have an overall worldview like the rest of us. You are not just a negative as I don't believe in gods. You are a positive as you have positive beliefs/claims like all other humans with a sufficient cognition.

So, are all philosophical vies are religious? If not, what is the discriminant property that makes some philosophical positions religious, while others are not?

If yes, why did someone invented the word, if “philosophical position” would have been sufficient?

Ciao

- viole

 

[Jacob Samuelson]

I find it hard
to believe that this is hard to believe.

It isn't hard to believe because Theist are here for very similar reasons, knowing they won't get people to accept their views but are interested to see how different people are. Of course, it doesn't explain why you are Atheistic. You don't just live this life because it is interesting. You choose to not believe something because it fulfills a want. I just want to know what that is specifically.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Your perspective is assuming that Theist believe Bigfoot created the universe, which is how you are comparing the two. I don't want anything from Bigfoot because Bigfoot has no pretensive application to my life whether he existed or not. God on the other hand has much more application on his existence to Theist and to Atheist. Discovering a new species of animal is great news but does it really give me purpose to everyone's life. No. So I don't believe your statement holds true that Atheist would want nothing out of God in the same manner we would Bigfoot. Would you value afterlife if it existed? Maybe that is a better question for you.

Well, as an atheist I am properly an odd one out, because I have no problem with religion as such. I just believe differently than a religious person. But that says nothing, because there are all kinds of religion and atheists have all kinds of worldviews other than being atheists.

 

[RestlessSoul]

But we can find examples of atheism integrated into a world view and the use of violence and terror. The problem is that is not relevant because the dogma is that atheism is nothing but lack of positive beliefs in gods.

I’m happy to allow atheists to define atheism for themselves. But as with all philosophical and theological positions, there will inevitably be a broad range of definitions.

I do get the point that one cannot reasonably define one’s world view purely by a negative.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

So, are all philosophical vies are religious? If not, what is the discriminant property that makes some philosophical positions religious, while others are not?

If yes, why did someone invented the word, if “philosophical position” would have been sufficient?

Ciao

- viole

No, not all philosophical views are religious, but all world views likely are. At least for some academic definitions of religion.

 

[Jacob Samuelson]

Well, yes. But that we is hard to deal with because who are we and how do we relate to the world? But I try to live as me and as a part of we in this world.

I think that is what fascinates Theists about Atheists. We 'Try'. Try to live. Theist ask Why Try? For What? Why do we exist if but soon to not exist? Humans, unlike animals, are burdened with Why? Are we wrong for that differentiation?