"Why Is It That Atheists Don't Believe In God?"

[PureX]

I take it that you never actually met an atheist, then.

There are plenty of them here, just ask them.

 

[ChristineM]

I don't see what this specific beef with some Christians has to do with atheists being atheists. Are you trying to claim that the irrationality of the one somehow rationalizes the irrationality of the other?

No, he is saying atheist dont believe any gods exist, Christians dont believe any gods but the one they worship exists. The difference between the two (god count wise) is less than 1/4000%.. and that excludes the 33 million Hindu gods

 

[ChristineM]

Atheism is based on the very irrational assumption that "if it exists, I (the atheist) would be able to know it", and "you (the theist) would be able to prove it to me". And since neither of these absurd criteria has been met, the atheist then assumes non-existence by default (and then lies about having done so by pretending to be merely 'undecided').

Nope atheism is based on the simple and rational fact that no evidence for god or gods exist.

 

[blü 2]

Atheists don’t accept God but have man made systems brought peace and prosperity to all? It seems the rich and powerful benefit most in all man made systems but what about the rest of us?

I'm strongly for social justice and the level playing field. So, officially, are most kinds of most religions. Yet all the major advances in that direction ─ abolition of slavery, universal free education, electoral franchise for all citizens, women's rights, financial assistance for the disabled, the aged, the unemployed, and (in the US by the slimmest of margins) universal health care,have been achieved by government, not religion. Socialist principles have been behind nearly all the successes ─ these are points that by and large have been opposed by the right. Believers are found both on the right and on the left, underlining that religion as such is not the engine of social reform.

By discarding the idea there could be a God we are also depriving ourselves for instance of any divine system that such a God may reveal to us. What if there is a God and He revealed to us a system that is divine and free from corruption?

If there is a real god, [he] still lacks a meaningful definition, so that the concept is wholly unclear in reality. But putting that aside, the fact that many or even all lack belief in a god, or that particular god, wouldn't prevent that god from doing good. Or ill. Or whatever the nature of that god might turn out to be.

 

[Trailblazer]

Ahh right, you were writing with so much enthusiasm i though perhaps you had personal knowledge.

No, I have no personal knowledge.

Entirely up to you. I see the evidence of unnecessary suffering as evidence no compassionate god exists.

I certainly wonder about that too and the jury is out as far as I am concerned.

Perhaps the difference between me and you is that I do not think I can determine what suffering is necessary vs. unnecessary, since I am not omniscient. In other words, some suffering might *seem* unnecessary to me, but it might have a purpose I do not know about. I try to leave it at that.

 

[ArtieE]

I don't see what this specific beef with some Christians has to do with atheists being atheists. Are you trying to claim that the irrationality of the one somehow rationalizes the irrationality of the other?

I don't understand what you mean. I just point out that people who don't believe in the existence of 99.99% of all gods can hardly claim that atheists are wrong for not believing in the existence of gods.

 

[ChristineM]

No, I have no personal knowledge.

I certainly wonder about that too and the jury is out as far as I am concerned.

Perhaps the difference between me and you is that I do not think I can determine what suffering is necessary vs. unnecessary, since I am not omniscient. In other words, some suffering might *seem* unnecessary to me, but it might have a purpose I do not know about. I try to leave it at that.

So what is the purpose of childhood leukaemia.

Why is it that lizards can grow new limbs but gods favoured [SIC] animals can't?

 

[PureX]

No, he is saying atheist dont believe any gods exist, Christians dont believe any gods but the one they worship exists. The difference between the two (god count wise) is less than 1/4000%.. and that excludes the 33 million Hindu gods

This really has nothing to do with atheist ideology, however. It's an argument against a specific religious dogma. Yet atheists keep bringing it up as if it somehow justifies or rationalizes their otherwise clearly irrational reasoning for being atheist.

 

[PureX]

I don't understand what you mean. I just point out that people who don't believe in the existence of 99.99% of all gods can hardly claim that atheists are wrong for not believing in the existence of gods.

Anyone claiming that anyone is wrong is just blowing smoke, because no human possesses the capabilities needed to make such a determination.

 

[ArtieE]

This really has nothing to do with atheist ideology, however. It's an argument against a specific religious dogma. Yet atheists keep bringing it up as if it somehow justifies or rationalizes their otherwise clearly irrational reasoning for being atheist.

I am an atheist because I have found no good reason to become a theist. Where is the irrational reasoning?

 

[ChristineM]

This really has nothing to do with atheist ideology, however. It's an argument against a specific religious dogma. Yet atheists keep bringing it up as if it somehow justifies or rationalizes their otherwise clearly irrational reasoning for being atheist.

First error, atheism is not an ideology.

No, it an argument that no evidence for gods exist

What is irrational about learning from evidence and lack thereof? And i believe it was you who brought it up in misrepresentation of atheism

 

[ArtieE]

Anyone claiming that anyone is wrong is just blowing smoke, because no human possesses the capabilities needed to make such a determination.

Aren't Christians claiming that atheists are wrong?

 

[ChristineM]

Anyone claiming that anyone is wrong is just blowing smoke, because no human possesses the capabilities needed to make such a determination.

Yet you claim atheism is irrational, you therefore vocally think its wrong. I can see your smoke from here.

 

[Trailblazer]

So what is the purpose of childhood leukaemia.

I do not know. I said it might have a purpose I might not know about, so that means I do not know the purposes for everything. There might be no purpose for it at all. It might just be something we have to accept and endure, but I think we will know more after we die.

Why is it that lizards can grow new limbs but gods favoured [SIC] animals can't?

Only God knows the answer to that.

 

[PureX]

First error, atheism is not an ideology.

Yes, it is. And I laid out the ideology in post #51.

No, it an argument that no evidence for gods exist

That's not an argument. It's just an opinion based on ignorance.

What is irrational about learning from evidence and lack thereof?

There is nothing to be learned from a lack of information except that we lack information. And yet the atheist bases his 'default position' solely upon it. Which is quite irrational, especially for people who claim to be so beholding to logic and reason and evidence.

 

[PureX]

Aren't Christians claiming that atheists are wrong?

I don't know. Some probably are. But I don't see what this has to do with why atheists are atheists.

 

[PureX]

Yet you claim atheism is irrational, you therefore vocally think its wrong. I can see your smoke from here.

I said atheism is irrational. I did not say it was "wrong". You are seeing and reading whatever you want to see, because it suits your bias.

So be it.

 

[Trailblazer]

There is nothing to be learned from a lack of information except that we lack information.

True.

 

[ArtieE]

That's not an argument. It's just an opinion based on ignorance.

When Christian monotheists don't believe in the existence of 99.99% of all gods, is that just an opinion based on ignorance too?

There is nothing to be learned from a lack of information except that we lack information. And yet the atheist bases his 'default position' solely upon it.

What do Christian monotheists base their position that 99.99% of all gods don't exist on?

 

[ArtieE]

I said atheism is irrational. I did not say it was "wrong". You are seeing and reading whatever you want to see, because it suits your bias.

So be it.

I am an atheist because I have never found a good reason to become a theist. What is irrational about that?