I'm A "Scathing Atheist." Ask Me Anything.

Do you think there is anything more to who we are, than simply who we are? Does any aspect of us persist after death?

Originally posted by HairlessApe

Originally posted by hotel1

Originally posted by HairlessApe

Originally posted by hotel1
Do you believe there is anything out there greater than yourself?.

That depends on your definition of "greater than myself." Could you be more specific?

Do you for instance believe in the forces of chance, destiny, karma, and such like?.

Chance is a mathematical probability and can be scientifically verified. Karma... The belief that good things happen to good people... Is true in my opinion to some extent, but that's only because I believe that humans generally want to treat one another fairly - it does not come from an external force or anything supernatural. Destiny, no. I do not believe in anything supernatural. If something we think is supernatural today is later explained by science, it is no longer supernatural.

I see, Would it be fair to say that you consider an individual to be master of their own fate.

I have been wanting to write a few threads about this and still might depending on your answers as I would like more than one Atheist opinion.

I have heard that Atheist tend to have a few points higher I.Q. but far lower empathic abilities. Do you have empathy?

And I am extremely curious about this one, growing up in an Atheist household.
Do you believe in an afterlife? If not why not?

reply to post by HairlessApe

Have you ever experienced

• anger against God, or at the concept of God (two very different things, I know),
  
  
• resentment at the idea of God's judgement (and/or punishment),
  
  
• a sense that the absence of (belief in) God leaves a mental or emotional gap that wants to be filled,
  
  
• the lack of a personal moral compass, or
  
  
• sadness at having nobody to thank for good luck, or unexpected good things that have happened to you?

I share your persuasion, incidentally, though I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'scathing'.

Are you an atheist or are you an anti-christian? The difference being that atheists believe there is no god and are content with it, while anti-christians believe there is no god, but use the same belligerent/manipulative recruitment techniques that many christians use to force their beliefs on others.

For the record, I belong to no particular religious affiliation, including atheism.

Originally posted by rickymouse
How can you believe that there is nothing intelligent structuring this universe? Even chaos has structure, it has a defined path. I wouldn't want to live in the world of Pan.

How can I believe it? A distinct lack of scientifically verifiable evidence.

As I stated previously, it isn't that I WISH to live in a world without a god, it's simply that I look at the facts and make no assumptions. I believe only what is verified. I WANT to live in a universe in which I am supreme ruler, have infinite power, and all of my friends and family have perfect lives. But that doesn't exist.

Originally posted by caterpillage
Do you think there is anything more to who we are, than simply who we are? Does any aspect of us persist after death?

All of the carbon and iron in your body was formed in the cores of high-mass stars billions of years ago. You are a product of the universe - the only one we know of that can recognize itself as a product of a universe. So yes, an aspect of us does continue on after death. Just as an aspect of us existed before we were born, in another form.

Originally posted by hotel1

Originally posted by HairlessApe

Originally posted by hotel1

Originally posted by HairlessApe

Originally posted by hotel1
Do you believe there is anything out there greater than yourself?.

That depends on your definition of "greater than myself." Could you be more specific?

Do you for instance believe in the forces of chance, destiny, karma, and such like?.

Chance is a mathematical probability and can be scientifically verified. Karma... The belief that good things happen to good people... Is true in my opinion to some extent, but that's only because I believe that humans generally want to treat one another fairly - it does not come from an external force or anything supernatural. Destiny, no. I do not believe in anything supernatural. If something we think is supernatural today is later explained by science, it is no longer supernatural.

I see, Would it be fair to say that you consider an individual to be master of their own fate.

Depends on your definition of fate.

Originally posted by rickymouse
How can you believe that there is nothing intelligent structuring this universe? Even chaos has structure, it has a defined path. I wouldn't want to live in the world of Pan.

I wouldnt either; to successfully breed with Pan Id have to have cloven hooves (goat) (HIPPO) (camel), be a minatour or a centaur, or the phantom mythical Unicorn that plays the accordian.

Originally posted by caterpillage
Do you think there is anything more to who we are, than simply who we are? Does any aspect of us persist after death?

You are asking an Athiest this Trick question?

Originally posted by Astyanax
reply to post by HairlessApe

 

Have you ever experienced

• anger against God, or at the concept of God (two very different things, I know),
  

Yes, because of deaths in my family when I was young. I think most people have anger towards their idea of god at one point or another. It caused me some confusion, but it was not ultimately the reason for my conversion to atheism.

resentment at the idea of God's judgement (and/or punishment),

If this question related directly to Christianity - then yes. I've read the Bible, and God's judgement is quite unjust. The Christian/Jewish God admits this several times throughout the Bible.

"Exodus 32:14 (King James Version)
14 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people."

a sense that the absence of (belief in) God leaves a mental or emotional gap that wants to be filled,

I have not experienced such a gap - perhaps because I was always more concerned with friends, family, and girls than god. There are many resources in life which can make a person feel fulfilled. A belief in God is option for this.

the lack of a personal moral compass, or

A would argue that the morality of a secular humanist is often more socially justifiable than the morality of a conservative Christian - though I don't wish to fight about it. Morality is subjective, and all we would be doing it arguing a matter of opinion.

sadness at having nobody to thank for good luck, or unexpected good things that have happened to you?
I share your persuasion, incidentally, though I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'scathing'.

Happiness and sadness are just parts of life. You can't have one without the other. I'm assuming this God you're talking about is responsible for my happiness... If that's the case, when I'm sad who do I have to blame? God. Luck is probability, easily explainable using mathematics. That's my take on it, anyways.

Originally posted by scolai
Are you an atheist or are you an anti-christian? The difference being that atheists believe there is no god and are content with it, while anti-christians believe there is no god, but use the same belligerent/manipulative recruitment techniques that many christians use to force their beliefs on others.

For the record, I belong to no particular religious affiliation, including atheism.

I'm an atheist. I'm anti-theist, which is all anti-all-religions.

Christianity is the one with which I am most familiar, because it is the dominant religion where I live. That is why I speak on Christianity more than other religions. It's nothing personal.

Originally posted by HairlessApe

Originally posted by hotel1

Originally posted by HairlessApe

Originally posted by hotel1

Originally posted by HairlessApe

Originally posted by hotel1
Do you believe there is anything out there greater than yourself?.

That depends on your definition of "greater than myself." Could you be more specific?

Do you for instance believe in the forces of chance, destiny, karma, and such like?.

Chance is a mathematical probability and can be scientifically verified. Karma... The belief that good things happen to good people... Is true in my opinion to some extent, but that's only because I believe that humans generally want to treat one another fairly - it does not come from an external force or anything supernatural. Destiny, no. I do not believe in anything supernatural. If something we think is supernatural today is later explained by science, it is no longer supernatural.

I see, Would it be fair to say that you consider an individual to be master of their own fate.

Depends on your definition of fate.

Rephrase; solely responsible for the direction their life takes and its circumstances.

Do you believe the external world outside of your mind is real?

Do you believe the age of the universe is what it is claimed to be, and that it wasn't created five minutes ago with the appearance of age?

Do you believe that other minds are real?

If so, why?

Originally posted by hotel1

Originally posted by HairlessApe

Originally posted by hotel1

Originally posted by HairlessApe

Originally posted by hotel1

Originally posted by HairlessApe

Originally posted by hotel1
Do you believe there is anything out there greater than yourself?.

That depends on your definition of "greater than myself." Could you be more specific?

Do you for instance believe in the forces of chance, destiny, karma, and such like?.

Chance is a mathematical probability and can be scientifically verified. Karma... The belief that good things happen to good people... Is true in my opinion to some extent, but that's only because I believe that humans generally want to treat one another fairly - it does not come from an external force or anything supernatural. Destiny, no. I do not believe in anything supernatural. If something we think is supernatural today is later explained by science, it is no longer supernatural.

I see, Would it be fair to say that you consider an individual to be master of their own fate.

Depends on your definition of fate.

Rephrase; solely responsible for the direction their life takes and its circumstances.

For the most part, yes. Obviously circumstances arise in life that are beyond our control, but other than that, yes, I believe people guide their own life journeys.

Originally posted by HairlessApe

Originally posted by scolai
Are you an atheist or are you an anti-christian? The difference being that atheists believe there is no god and are content with it, while anti-christians believe there is no god, but use the same belligerent/manipulative recruitment techniques that many christians use to force their beliefs on others.

For the record, I belong to no particular religious affiliation, including atheism.

I'm an atheist. I'm anti-theist, which is all anti-all-religions.

Christianity is the one with which I am most familiar, because it is the dominant religion where I live. That is why I speak on Christianity more than other religions. It's nothing personal.

I have no faith or belief in any organized religion but am not an anti-thiest, I just dislike anything organized, I would have had a problem as potencially being asked to be the 13th disciple (son yung moon, Joseph Smith, Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin potencial). To ask an Athiest if they believe in hell would be asking a mortician if they gain financially by anothers bodily death (ITS NOTHING PERSONAL) would be the correct answer.

Originally posted by followtheevidence
Do you believe the external world outside of your mind is real?

Do you believe the age of the universe is what it is claimed to be, and that it wasn't created five minutes ago with the appearance of age?

Do you believe that other minds are real?

If so, why?

Yes, yes, and yes. Because of scientifically verifiable and/or empirical evidence. I can't disprove the idea that nothing exists outside of myself, but it is for the exact same reason that I cannot prove the non-existence of an all-powerful entity that controls the universe.

My question would be ...

Of which belief sets do you hold the most interest in?

After all cultural sociology, anthropology, and philosophy is a science of thought if you will. Of which things in these areas, do you hold interest in or are drawn to?

Cirque

reply to post by HairlessApe

Most people who are genuinely atheist have tried to find their faith at one point or another. When I was a child my family went to both Catholic and nondenominational churches.

You mean you were required to go. What a mind job. Being required to practice religion before even knowing what the words meant. I hated that.

I knew when I was 4 or 5 that Santa wasn't real,

Thats the other false religion they force feed you before you are old enough to know. Why do parents do that?

I've looked into just about anything that had material available to me. And yes, I have read the Bible

So now you are finally ready for it to find you? Are you going to let it? Or are you going to keep the door closed because of all your early experiences? These things don't keep to our schedule.

Why do you think your opinion matters?