Why Are You Not an Atheist?

[Cooky]

Why Are You Not an Atheist?

What good is there in Atheism, please?
Regards

I do wonder too, because I did a survey once and over 90% said they "did not" feel liberated by their atheism.

To my suprise, some ex-religious Atheists said they felt a sense of loss but would still not turn back.

...But I made friends with many Atheists, and never tried to ask them to become theists -that's not my prerogative. Likewise, I don't think many Atheists would really care one way or another if I abandoned my theism. I wouldn't expect any 'congratulations' on that, LOL.

 

[Jumi]

I do wonder too, because I did a survey once and over 90% said they "did not" feel liberated by their atheism.

To my suprise, some ex-religious Atheists said they felt a sense of loss but would still not turn back.

I can imagine that is natural human psychology. I too miss my days as atheist, but it's still not possible to go back to go back to being one. It's a matter of honesty at that point, more to oneself.

...But I made friends with many Atheists, and never tried to ask them to become theists -that's not my prerogative. Likewise, I don't think many Atheists would really care one way or another if I abandoned my theism. I wouldn't expect any 'congratulations' on that, LOL.

I think most people don't really care that much as long as you're a good person whether you believe like they do or not. I also don't care if someone is theist or atheist and wouldn't feel a need to congratulate people either way.

 

[sayak83]

You for sure are not smart enough to
"Judge nature".

And how you can judge the god you clain to
worship?

There are bacteria that eat salt, but, really,
the entire histoty of life is kill to eat.

If you dont like that it is YOUR issue, something
about you, your prob., not something askew with
reality.

Buraruuuhm!

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I am not an atheist because I find the case for theism to be more compelling.

What (or which) “case for theism” did you find compelling?

 

[BilliardsBall]

And that would magically change your nonsensical statements
into something else?

Such faith in your beliefs!

Say what you like about me, but biblical Christianity isn't based on faith, but on truth... and love. God REALLY loves you.

 

[Audie]

Say what you like about me, but biblical Christianity isn't based on faith, but on truth... and love. God REALLY loves you.

I think I have you figured out-

1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them

Sorry-ah, but we do not detect much interest in truth,
on your part.

 

[Audie]

What (or which) “case for theism” did you find compelling?

Of course, some find the talk of used
car salesmen to be compelling.

 

[Audie]

Buraruuuhm!

Whatevs, means nothing to me.

 

[sayak83]

Whatevs, means nothing to me.

I was pointing to autotrophic life, that does not need to kill other life to live.

 

[Audie]

I was pointing to autotrophic life, that does not need to kill other life to live.

I do have a degree in biology.

The no-kill is of course, by no means true of
all such.

And of course, there are degrees of "Kill".
Accessories to murder, and all.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

Whereas nature cannot.

There are other life forms that think as well. Even plants have something akin to pain and can message each other through fungal networks that stretch for miles. We are all parts to a whole.

 

[Cooky]

There are other life forms that think as well. Even plants have something akin to pain and can message each other through fungal networks that stretch for miles. We are all parts to a whole.

Yes. I once read that certain plants can detect snail slime, and once one does, neighboring plants produce certain chemicals that repel snails... So communication takes place between plants!

Plants "Eavesdrop" on Slimy Snails

Plants Communicate to Warn Against Danger

It's all so fascinating. Also, in Catholicism, we believe that plants actually have souls. Mortal souls, albeit, but souls none the less.

Do plants have souls?

...But no, when I slam nature, I'm not slamming other forms of life like plants, etc. I'm slamming the physics, or the 'rules' of nature that I see as unloving - that we all, unfortunately, have to go by.

 

[Audie]

There are other life forms that think as well. Even plants have something akin to pain and can message each other through fungal networks that stretch for miles. We are all parts to a whole.

They can also analyze what kind of insect is attacking
them, and produce a chemical attractant to call in
predators.

("accessories to murder", for those who think plants
weaveth not, nor do they sew)

 

[BilliardsBall]

I think I have you figured out-

1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them

Sorry-ah, but we do not detect much interest in truth,
on your part.

With you, I don't need to practice. I already know you will say mean things, each time you address me. Please put me on ignore, if I bother you this much.

 

[Apologes]

What (or which) “case for theism” did you find compelling?

Why Are You Not an Atheist?

 

[Audie]

With you, I don't need to practice. I already know you will say mean things, each time you address me. Please put me on ignore, if I bother you this much.

Well, perhaps you dont need to practice, but, you are
not big on performing, so how is one to know?

Describing your actions exactly as they are is
"mean".

It would be so easy to get people to stop being
"mean" to you. See if you can guess how.

 

[GoodbyeDave]

Some-one asks theists why they are not atheists, so the atheists all come to tell us why they are. Why am I not surprised?

Incidentally, I've just noticed that Audie makes more posts per day than the Donald does tweets. There should surely be some sort of award! Of course, the comparison may not be entirely fair, as he does have to find time to play golf.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Why Are You Not an Atheist?

What is it about " a fair number of arguments from Natural Theology" that you found convincing?

 

[tayla]

I'm not trying to imply that there are no reason for being a theist.

I'm just curious what folks feel justifies their theism. What knowledge a person personally has to justify a belief in God.

Atheism is unsatisfying. For example, what is the nature of the subjective experience of consciousness? Is it physical? If so, what laws of nature describe it?

Certainly the electrons buzzing around in the brain with their electrostatic forces and quantum mechanic wavefunctions collapsing are physical, describable by physics (I call this the physical realm). But consciousness and its contents (ideas and such) are not describable this way. Therefore, these are not physical (I call this the spiritual realm, anything not in the physical realm).

And so, using this simple observation, it is worthy of belief that there are things outside of the physical realm. And it seems like, since there is the sense of purpose and direction in our mind, there is a master divine being having the same attributes. And it seems like there must be a purpose for existence, for being, for reality to exist. God provides the reason.

One problem, I think, is that atheists seem to only focus on the Christian concept of God which is clearly wrong.

 

[Nakosis]

One problem, I think, is that atheists seem to only focus on the Christian concept of God which is clearly wrong.

That's fair perhaps, I don't. I focus on my lack of knowledge.

I can understand a certain comfort, certainty that belief brings. I just wouldn't know what to base that belief on. I could imagine any God I wanted. However I wouldn't really assume any reality to that imagining since it would just be a product of my mind.

A lot of subconscious ideas about God bubble up to my conscious awareness many which feel reasonable of what "God" might be like. I don't really know the source for these thoughts and ideas. It'd be easy to accept these thoughts as divine whisperings. Especially since the source is not part of my conscious awareness.

I've been a part of many different religions. Subconsciously all that religious ideology is still there. I've really know idea whether these arise from this mostly forgotten religious ideology or a spiritual message from the divine. I'm very suspicious of it being the former. So I choose not to rely on it.