Atheists: Do you feel good about your beliefs?

[Veceria]

I'm not really an Atheist (Ignostic here), but yes, I feel good about my beliefs.

[Hurdegaryp]

Feeling good, looking great? If so, please continue.

[Conserative Morality]

I'm a devout Christian and I've never understood how someone could happily live as an atheist who believes that they won't go to heaven. When I say atheists I don't mean Buddhists or anything, I mean the ones who think that death is the end.

Are you happy thinking that?

Yep.

Does it make you feel more intelligent?

Nope. I have other reasons for feeling intelligent. My atheism doesn't really factor into my ego.

Would you LIKE there to be a God?

Hell no. If there were a God, it would be necessary to kill Him.

[Dyakovo]

His point isn't that atheists don't have beliefs, but that atheism lacks belief.

In that context it makes no sense to ask an atheist, AS an atheist, about his atheist beliefs. Quite silly, that proposition.

Atheism is the belief that God does not exist. If you are asking about the belief that God does not exist, then it makes perfect sense.

No, atheism is the lack of belief in a deity or deities.

[Dyakovo]

"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE! KILL! MAIM! BURN! BREAK THEIR BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACKS!"

Khornate worshippers are a religion too, should they be respected?

I was talking about christians, pal. But, anyway, yes. No man should ever be mocked about his religion because we have freedom of religion.

Freedom of religion doesn't mean freedom from criticism.

[New Rogernomics]

Atheism is not a belief system, it is a lack of one.

[Torcularis Septentrionalis]

Yes, I am happy with that. Heaven is a ridiculous notion. Perfection is a ridiculous notion. Perfection would be boring.
Not to mention, a deity that assigns you to eternal paradise or eternal damnation based on what you did in finite life? ESPECIALLY if it's based on some jerkwad deity that punishes you for not believing in him? That's plain stupid.
Then there's always the fact that there's no proof, at all, in any way, under any circumstance, that would suggest the existence of a deity or an afterlife or reincarnation or anything else. I don't believe in lying to myself just for the sake of making me feel better when someone dies. No, I'm not going to see them again. No, I'm not going to frolic with them in paradise. No, I'm not going to live to be 100, then be youthful and perfect in the afterlife. It's not true. My view of death may be more sad, but you know what? It makes me appreciate what I have NOW. I know there's nothing beyond what I have in this life. I will never know another life. I have to make the best out of the time I have now to make sure I make an impact on those around me, and those around the world, because I sure as hell won't be doing it when I'm dead. I don't sit and think, "Well, I have an eternal life after this one," because I don't. I have a short time in existence, and for fucks sake, when I'm gone I want a wikipedia page.

Edit: No, it doesn't make me feel more intelligent. But it does make me feel more honest.
No, I do not want a god to exist. Gods, as they are described, have every worst trait of humanity. They are bigger murderers than Hitler, they are more jealous than any human could ever be, and they are more annoying than the mudkip meme. As they are described, they invent ridiculous morals that don't make sense, shun you for the traits that they gave you as a human, test you without need, punish you for stupid reasons, and worst of all, make no fucking sense.

[CVT Temp]

I think that life is too short, but I'm not sure whether eternal life is good or not. I don't necessarily buy that it would be absolute torture, but I don't know as it would be endless win either. I would like an indefinitely long lifespan though, and given my age, I'm very likely to live to see it. No religion needed. Further, unlike the false promise of heaven, this would actually exist.

I would also like the world to be more just and ethical, but here being an atheist also helps, because it motivates me to actually bring about a just world in reality, rather than pretend that it will all be sorted out in the afterlife.

Other than these, I see little trouble with a godless universe in terms of being unnerving or depressing.

[Geilinor]

"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE! KILL! MAIM! BURN! BREAK THEIR BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACKS!"

Khornate worshippers are a religion too, should they be respected?

I was talking about christians, pal. But, anyway, yes. No man should ever be mocked about his religion because we have freedom of religion.

Why are Christians specially immune from criticism?

[Norstal]

I was talking about christians, pal. But, anyway, yes. No man should ever be mocked about his religion because we have freedom of religion.

Why are Christians specially immune from criticism?

Maybe Christians should pray for their immunity first.

[Ashmoria]

I'm a devout Christian and I've never understood how someone could happily live as an atheist who believes that they won't go to heaven. When I say atheists I don't mean Buddhists or anything, I mean the ones who think that death is the end.

Are you happy thinking that? Does it make you feel more intelligent? Would you LIKE there to be a God?

Personally if I was atheist I'd be depressed as hell going through life thinking like that. What are your opinions?

no im fine with death being the end. i dont see any sense in deluding myself that there is some happy happy place in the clouds.

sure i would love there to be some loving god who wants the best for me but there is no evidence that any such thing exists and plenty of evidence that if there is a god he doesnt care about us at all.

[Czechanada]

I was talking about christians, pal. But, anyway, yes. No man should ever be mocked about his religion because we have freedom of religion.

Freedom of religion entitles you to believe what you want, and the State not being able to forbid you from going to church, or mosque, or synagogue. It doesn't prevent you from me not respecting your religion, and it doesn't entitle you to violate others' rights because of your own religion (Khorne worshippers kill everything they see in the name of Khorne).

Yeah, if we couldn't make fun of religion, I'd having nothing to post about anymore.

[Farnhamia]

Freedom of religion entitles you to believe what you want, and the State not being able to forbid you from going to church, or mosque, or synagogue. It doesn't prevent you from me not respecting your religion, and it doesn't entitle you to violate others' rights because of your own religion (Khorne worshippers kill everything they see in the name of Khorne).

Yeah, if we couldn't make fun of religion, I'd having nothing to post about anymore.

Oh, I'm sure you'd find something.

[Blouman Empire]

An eternity of kumbaya? That would be hell.

Mmm, I would concur, hell is a fiery place, maybe that's your punishment if sent to hell sitting around a fire and singing kumbaya.

Seriously, even granted that, with a finite number of sentient minds, you would eventually tire of talking to all of them

Perhaps, but we could play Dungeons and dragons for all eternity.

I'm a tenth level vice president. *points for the reference*

I have given clear examples of the aspects of it I would find torturous, and you have not disputed any of them.

I'm pretty sure I have and I also consider them to not be as bad as you make it out to be and that

Again with the projection. I'm not the one afraid of death here. I am, somewhat afraid of dying, but that's another matter.

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

And I am not afraid of death nor have I ever stated that I am.

I have simply stated that IF there were and afterlife I would like it to be like that.

You, meanwhile, are so pessimistic regarding the prospect of your own oblivion, that you are clinging to what could quite possibly be the very worst experience there is just to escape it.

I am quite happy.

And it is not my opinion, it is what the best science available suggests.

It is your opinion that it would be terrible to see the fate of the universe.

I'm not pessimistic about anything least of all my death so I would kindly thank you to stop making it up.

[Blouman Empire]

What's to be depressed about ? It's a Christian conceit to believe that non-Christians, especially atheists must be unhappy in their other belief system.
We live in the now, the being. What came before and what comes after are total unknowns. Why worry about such things ? Caring for those around us, those we love or we barely know, be they human or non-human, as well as ourselves that is what matters. Primum non nocere, and do unto others as as thou wilt have done unto thee.

I think it is a human thing, after all I see people say the same thing on a number of issues. "How can someone be happy with TV in their life" and "How can someone be happy when they refuse to eat bacon"

[Blouman Empire]

I'm still not clear on what 'beliefs' I supposedly have as an Atheist.

Do you believe in love after love?

Gold

[Zephie]

I'm not an atheist. I'm a free thinker.

[Farnhamia]

Do you believe in love after love?

Gold

I believe in gold both before and after love.

[Imsogone]

Gold

I believe in gold both before and after love.

and during, don't forget during.

[Ifreann]

I believe in gold both before and after love.

and during, don't forget during.

I don't wish to suggest that she is motivated by financial avarice more than romantic love, but in my experience she has no time for impoverished urban youths, especially not those of African or Pacific Islands descent.

[Imsogone]

and during, don't forget during.

I don't wish to suggest that she is motivated by financial avarice more than romantic love, but in my experience she has no time for impoverished urban youths, especially not those of African or Pacific Islands descent.

I believe in equal opportunity discrimination.

[Blouman Empire]

Atheism is the belief that God does not exist. If you are asking about the belief that God does not exist, then it makes perfect sense.

No, atheism is the lack of belief in a deity or deities.

So what's it called if you believe there is no God.

And what is it called if you don't believe in God but also don't believe that God doesn't exist

[Farnhamia]

No, atheism is the lack of belief in a deity or deities.

So what's it called if you believe there is no God.

And what is it called if you don't believe in God but also don't believe that God doesn't exist

NationStates General.

[Tlaceceyaya]

No, atheism is the lack of belief in a deity or deities.

So what's it called if you believe there is no God.

And what is it called if you don't believe in God but also don't believe that God doesn't exist

1: Gnostic Atheism, or 7 on the spectrum of theistic probability.
2: Agnostic Atheism, or 4-6 on the spectrum of theistic probability.

[The God-Realm]

It's the price to pay to be awake.