Is Atheism a Neurological disorder? Possible prenatal test

[Settrah]

This thread is absolutely hilarious to me. Does the OP truly, honestly believe that atheism is a disorder? Seriously?

Atheists/agnostics simply realize that deities and creation myths are no longer necessary in a world where practically all known phenomena can be explained in a completely naturalistic manner. It's a logical, natural thought process that occurs when one isn't influenced from a young age to follow any religion, receives a modern education, and/or is able to access a wide variety of information about the world (the internet).

As a person who was raised religious but became atheist, it's very easy to realize that everything you were taught as a child is bullshit.

Hell, this doesn't just apply to theism vs atheism.

[Kautharr]

Prove it. Thinking that you were came from a single celled organism sounds like you're not in the healthiest shape to me.

Well, you know, the same can be said about thinking there's a man in the sky than can do literally anything in the world, because he created it. I'm just saying that believing that also kind of sounds like you're not in the best shape.

Nice try Mr. Dawkins but they're not in the sky. No one knows where heaven is.

[Zoice]

Oh the irony! You're saying that persecuting people for their beliefs is rude yet you're branding atheists as mentally ill!

No, seriously though. Atheism is NOT a neurological disorder.

Prove it. Thinking that you were came from a single celled organism sounds like you're not in the healthiest shape to me.

Sounds like you're very poorly educated. Sounds about right.

[Godular]

Well, you know, the same can be said about thinking there's a man in the sky than can do literally anything in the world, because he created it. I'm just saying that believing that also kind of sounds like you're not in the best shape.

Nice try Mr. Dawkins but they're not in the sky. No one knows where heaven is.

Irrelevant. Interesting you should fixate on that particular aspect of the comment in order to produce some semblance of a counterpoint.

[The Assorted Saharan Outposts]

Well, you know, the same can be said about thinking there's a man in the sky than can do literally anything in the world, because he created it. I'm just saying that believing that also kind of sounds like you're not in the best shape.

Nice try Mr. Dawkins but they're not in the sky. No one knows where heaven is.

Well, still, same concept. Believing in a man who created the world, and all of those other stories also sounds like you need some medical help. I'm not trying to be offensive here, I'm just saying that the same can be said to religious people.

[Anfra]

Prove it. Thinking that you were came from a single celled organism sounds like you're not in the healthiest shape to me.

Sounds like you're very poorly educated. Sounds about right.

Pretty much this.

[Alvecia]

Well, you know, the same can be said about thinking there's a man in the sky than can do literally anything in the world, because he created it. I'm just saying that believing that also kind of sounds like you're not in the best shape.

Nice try Mr. Dawkins but they're not in the sky. No one knows where heaven is.

You mean they lost it! How will anyone get to SuperFunHappyLand^tm now!?

[Wallenburg]

Summer comes early this year. I forecast a high chance of xenophobia and bigotry, different opinions with frequent outbursts patriotic remarks by President Donald Trump. Weather advisory for June: stay inside, shut your windows, do not play golf.

Funny. Ridiculously misinformed, but funny nonetheless.

Prove it. Thinking that you were came from a single celled organism sounds like you're not in the healthiest shape to me.

Rejecting basic reality sounds far less reasonable than having passed middle school science classes.

[Esternial]

Prove it. Thinking that you were came from a single celled organism sounds like you're not in the healthiest shape to me.

We're not here to give you a basic education.

It's kinda sad one would even have to resort to NSG to get one. Doubt our degrees would be worth a nickel.

[Hakons]

Nice try Mr. Dawkins but they're not in the sky. No one knows where heaven is.

Well, still, same concept. Believing in a man who created the world, and all of those other stories also sounds like you need some medical help. I'm not trying to be offensive here, I'm just saying that the same can be said to religious people.

When the world was created, God was not a man. We were made in His image, but we were not the same as God. It's also important to remember events in the Old Testament can be symbolic. The first four books (the ones with creation, the flood, tower of babel, ect) were passed down through oral tradition until they were written by Moses. The Bible doesn't say when the universe was created, it just says God was the one that created it. That is what I believe: I don't know when the world was made, I just know it was made by God.

No, it does not make you mentally ill to believe your God can do maricals. However, it's just as ludicrous to claim atheists are mentally ill.

[The Assorted Saharan Outposts]

Well, still, same concept. Believing in a man who created the world, and all of those other stories also sounds like you need some medical help. I'm not trying to be offensive here, I'm just saying that the same can be said to religious people.

When the world was created, God was not a man. We were made in His image, but we were not the same as God. It's also important to remember events in the Old Testament can be symbolic. The first four books (the ones with creation, the flood, tower of babel, ect) were passed down through oral tradition until they were written by Moses. The Bible doesn't say when the universe was created, it just says God was the one that created it. That is what I believe: I don't know when the world was made, I just know it was made by God.

No, it does not make you mentally ill to believe your God can do maricals. However, it's just as ludicrous to claim atheists are mentally ill.

I'm not implying that a religious man or woman is mentally ill, but I'm just saying that also calling someone who believes that we have no god and that we evolved is something that can easily be turned back on yourself. If you say an atheist is mentally ill for believing we evolved, an atheist can shoot it right back at you and say you're mentally ill because you believe in a god.

[Esternial]

Well, still, same concept. Believing in a man who created the world, and all of those other stories also sounds like you need some medical help. I'm not trying to be offensive here, I'm just saying that the same can be said to religious people.

When the world was created, God was not a man. We were made in His image, but we were not the same as God. It's also important to remember events in the Old Testament can be symbolic. The first four books (the ones with creation, the flood, tower of babel, ect) were passed down through oral tradition until they were written by Moses. The Bible doesn't say when the universe was created, it just says God was the one that created it. That is what I believe: I don't know when the world was made, I just know it was made by God.

No, it does not make you mentally ill to believe your God can do maricals. However, it's just as ludicrous to claim atheists are mentally ill.

"know" is a strong word for something you have absolutely no proof for. You certainly believe it was made by God.

That said, if mankind was made by God, God sucks at making mankind because our bodies, our biological functions and metabolic pathways contain many redundancies and flaws.

So either there is no God, or God is incompetent and not as infallible as some people believe.

[MERIZoC]

Prove it. Thinking that you were came from a single celled organism sounds like you're not in the healthiest shape to me.

We're not here to give you a basic education.

It's kinda sad one would even have to resort to NSG to get one. Doubt our degrees would we worth a nickel.

Excuse me, I have a degree in snark and another in pedantry from NSG university, so you'd better think twice about messing with me, especially since you made a typo.

[Esternial]

We're not here to give you a basic education.

It's kinda sad one would even have to resort to NSG to get one. Doubt our degrees would we worth a nickel.

Excuse me, I have a degree in snark and another in pedantry from NSG university, so you'd better think twice about messing with me, especially since you made a typo.

:p

Gah! My reputation besmirched!

You'd best be looking over your shoulder from now on. I'm watching...waiting for you to commit a logical fallacy.

[Godular]

Excuse me, I have a degree in snark and another in pedantry from NSG university, so you'd better think twice about messing with me, especially since you made a typo.

Gah! My reputation besmirched!

You'd best be looking over your shoulder from now on. I'm watching...waiting for you to commit a logical fallacy.

I've got a lambskin glove and foam rapiers if y'all wanna duel.

[Hakons]

When the world was created, God was not a man. We were made in His image, but we were not the same as God. It's also important to remember events in the Old Testament can be symbolic. The first four books (the ones with creation, the flood, tower of babel, ect) were passed down through oral tradition until they were written by Moses. The Bible doesn't say when the universe was created, it just says God was the one that created it. That is what I believe: I don't know when the world was made, I just know it was made by God.

No, it does not make you mentally ill to believe your God can do maricals. However, it's just as ludicrous to claim atheists are mentally ill.

I'm not implying that a religious man or woman is mentally ill, but I'm just saying that also calling someone who believes that we have no god and that we evolved is something that can easily be turned back on yourself. If you say an atheist is mentally ill for believing we evolved, an atheist can shoot it right back at you and say you're mentally ill because you believe in a god.

My 2nd paragraph showed I was in agreement with that

When the world was created, God was not a man. We were made in His image, but we were not the same as God. It's also important to remember events in the Old Testament can be symbolic. The first four books (the ones with creation, the flood, tower of babel, ect) were passed down through oral tradition until they were written by Moses. The Bible doesn't say when the universe was created, it just says God was the one that created it. That is what I believe: I don't know when the world was made, I just know it was made by God.

No, it does not make you mentally ill to believe your God can do maricals. However, it's just as ludicrous to claim atheists are mentally ill.

"know" is a strong word for something you have absolutely no proof for. You certainly believe it was made by God.

That said, if mankind was made by God, God sucks at making mankind because our bodies, our biological functions and metabolic pathways contain many redundancies and flaws.

So either there is no God, or God is incompetent and not as infallible as some people believe.

Belief and knowledge are intertwined. I know Jesus is my Savior and that He loves me and you. I believe that I will be saved.

There is more to life than emperical evidence. Billions across the world profess their love of Jesus, and billions more of Yahweh and Allah. Each one has a story to tell, an argument for why they believe. They have anecdotal evidence of being reassured when all indications should make them panic.

Lastly, man was not created to be perfect. The only way to have a test of faith is to have trials along the way. In fact, if we were perfect in anything, why should we press on? Being imperfect allows us to try and push forward in many more things than just spirituality.

To end my speaking from the soap box, I just want you to know you're loved.

[Mahdistan]

When the world was created, God was not a man. We were made in His image, but we were not the same as God. It's also important to remember events in the Old Testament can be symbolic. The first four books (the ones with creation, the flood, tower of babel, ect) were passed down through oral tradition until they were written by Moses. The Bible doesn't say when the universe was created, it just says God was the one that created it. That is what I believe: I don't know when the world was made, I just know it was made by God.

No, it does not make you mentally ill to believe your God can do maricals. However, it's just as ludicrous to claim atheists are mentally ill.

"know" is a strong word for something you have absolutely no proof for. You certainly believe it was made by God.

That said, if mankind was made by God, God sucks at making mankind because our bodies, our biological functions and metabolic pathways contain many redundancies and flaws.

So either there is no God, or God is incompetent and not as infallible as some people believe.

I don't actually know of any religion that claims humans were made perfect. I don't know how many other religions justify it, but Islam justifies it as that only God can be perfect, simply because that is how God willed it to be. It's not a black and white issue that two choices can fulfill, and no one's claiming that people were supposed to be perfect.

[Quokkastan]

Well, you know, the same can be said about thinking there's a man in the sky than can do literally anything in the world, because he created it. I'm just saying that believing that also kind of sounds like you're not in the best shape.

Nice try Mr. Dawkins but they're not in the sky. No one knows where heaven is.

Are you suggesting that the omnipresent God is not in the sky?

Heresy.

[Godular]

I'm not implying that a religious man or woman is mentally ill, but I'm just saying that also calling someone who believes that we have no god and that we evolved is something that can easily be turned back on yourself. If you say an atheist is mentally ill for believing we evolved, an atheist can shoot it right back at you and say you're mentally ill because you believe in a god.

My 2nd paragraph showed I was in agreement with that

"know" is a strong word for something you have absolutely no proof for. You certainly believe it was made by God.

That said, if mankind was made by God, God sucks at making mankind because our bodies, our biological functions and metabolic pathways contain many redundancies and flaws.

So either there is no God, or God is incompetent and not as infallible as some people believe.

Belief and knowledge are intertwined.

They really aren't. Knowledge requires evidence of some form, whereas belief is as well supported as a random opinion.

I know Jesus is my Savior and that He loves me and you. I believe that I will be saved.

You believe these things. You do not know.

There is more to life than emperical evidence. Billions across the world profess their love of Jesus, and billions more of Yahweh and Allah. Each one has a story to tell, an argument for why they believe. They have anecdotal evidence of being reassured when all indications should make them panic.

Argumentum ad populum. Just because several thousand people say the invisible dragon in my garage exists despite zero evidence of its existence doesn't mean it actually exists in any greater fashion than a fanciful anecdote. Same as 'God', really. Without evidence to support its existence, there is no cause for me to acknowledge that this entity is any more extant than ninja unicorns or divine platters of pasta.

[Acarn]

My final take on this, no Atheists are in no way mentally ill for being atheists. Are their mentally ill atheists? Sure. Depression, schizophrenia, etc. But there are also mentally ill theists as well. As a muslim I personally believe in Allah. But i respect and accept the beliefs of Atheists

[Mahdistan]

My 2nd paragraph showed I was in agreement with that



Belief and knowledge are intertwined.

They really aren't. Knowledge requires evidence of some form, whereas belief is as well supported as a random opinion.

I know Jesus is my Savior and that He loves me and you. I believe that I will be saved.

You believe these things. You do not know.

There is more to life than emperical evidence. Billions across the world profess their love of Jesus, and billions more of Yahweh and Allah. Each one has a story to tell, an argument for why they believe. They have anecdotal evidence of being reassured when all indications should make them panic.

Argumentum ad populum. Just because several thousand people say the invisible dragon in my garage exists despite zero evidence of its existence doesn't mean it actually exists in any greater fashion than a fanciful anecdote. Same as 'God', really. Without evidence to support its existence, there is no cause for me to acknowledge that this entity is any more extant than ninja unicorns or divine platters of pasta.

Whether you chose to recognize it or not, there is evidence supporting religion, just not the kind non-believers prefer. Look at both the Bible and the Quran; both filled with prophecies, and while I won't speak for the Bible, I can assure you that numerous prophecies in the Quran have been fulfilled. So, considering that a book recorded by someone in the 7th century contains testimony predicting the modern State of Israel, mass sectarianism in Islam, environmentally-damaging machines, and the downfall of Byzantium, not to mention Ahadith which mention specific Islamic Terrorist organizations by their actions, aesthetics, and even leader, as well as the Mongol invasions, and dozens of others, it is not totally unreasonable to think that maybe the book is right. If someone keeps telling you something is going to happen, and then it happens, then you're liable to start believing that person.

And perhaps, rather than telling the thousands of people seeing this invisible dragon that they're simply wrong for seeing something, you should begin to look into why they think there's such a being there, especially if they have an explanation of their own written down in books, that anyone can obtain and read. Atheists almost never approach religious people on their own home turf, the scriptures, because most simply don't know them. And yet they expect all religious people to play their game of 'empirical evidence'.

[Godular]

They really aren't. Knowledge requires evidence of some form, whereas belief is as well supported as a random opinion.



You believe these things. You do not know.



Argumentum ad populum. Just because several thousand people say the invisible dragon in my garage exists despite zero evidence of its existence doesn't mean it actually exists in any greater fashion than a fanciful anecdote. Same as 'God', really. Without evidence to support its existence, there is no cause for me to acknowledge that this entity is any more extant than ninja unicorns or divine platters of pasta.

Whether you chose to recognize it or not, there is evidence supporting religion, just not the kind non-believers prefer. Look at both the Bible and the Quran; both filled with prophecies, and while I won't speak for the Bible, I can assure you that numerous prophecies in the Quran have been fulfilled. So, considering that a book recorded by someone in the 7th century contains testimony predicting the modern State of Israel, mass sectarianism in Islam, environmentally-damaging machines, and the downfall of Byzantium, not to mention Ahadith which mention specific Islamic Terrorist organizations by their actions, aesthetics, and even leader, as well as the Mongol invasions, and dozens of others, it is not totally unreasonable to think that maybe the book is right. If someone keeps telling you something is going to happen, and then it happens, then you're liable to start believing that person.

And perhaps, rather than telling the thousands of people seeing this invisible dragon that they're simply wrong for seeing something, you should begin to look into why they think there's such a being there, especially if they have an explanation of their own written down in books, that anyone can obtain and read. Atheists almost never approach religious people on their own home turf, the scriptures, because most simply don't know them. And yet they expect all religious people to play their game of 'empirical evidence'.

I would dissect and eviscerate your silly post more thoroughly had I not just turned off my computer and nickel-and-diming a post straight to hell is bloody difficult on an iphone. I will however point out two things:

1. Claiming prophecies have been fulfilled is like saying it is an accomplishment if some random gent claims that the sun will rise in a roughly easterly direction sometime before noon the next day. You'll pardon me if I find scientific theories both better supported and more accurate in their predictive power.

2. Looking into why so many people 'believe' is simple enough. There is substantial extant infrastructure behind a religion's practitioners indoctrinating children before they are old enough to question such things. This arrangement is so prevalent that a great variety of parents and churches take issue with exposing children to different cultures and viewpoints. One simply need to look at how certain groups take issue with homosexuality, women's rights, or even the teaching of evolution.

Flailing about trying to justify an argument from popularity as 'there must be SOME reason for it' does you no favors.

[Mahdistan]

Whether you chose to recognize it or not, there is evidence supporting religion, just not the kind non-believers prefer. Look at both the Bible and the Quran; both filled with prophecies, and while I won't speak for the Bible, I can assure you that numerous prophecies in the Quran have been fulfilled. So, considering that a book recorded by someone in the 7th century contains testimony predicting the modern State of Israel, mass sectarianism in Islam, environmentally-damaging machines, and the downfall of Byzantium, not to mention Ahadith which mention specific Islamic Terrorist organizations by their actions, aesthetics, and even leader, as well as the Mongol invasions, and dozens of others, it is not totally unreasonable to think that maybe the book is right. If someone keeps telling you something is going to happen, and then it happens, then you're liable to start believing that person.

And perhaps, rather than telling the thousands of people seeing this invisible dragon that they're simply wrong for seeing something, you should begin to look into why they think there's such a being there, especially if they have an explanation of their own written down in books, that anyone can obtain and read. Atheists almost never approach religious people on their own home turf, the scriptures, because most simply don't know them. And yet they expect all religious people to play their game of 'empirical evidence'.

I would dissect and eviscerate your silly post more thoroughly had I not just turned off my computer and nickel-and-diming a post straight to hell is bloody difficult on an iphone. I will however point out two things:

1. Claiming prophecies have been fulfilled is like saying it is an accomplishment if some random gent claims that the sun will rise in a roughly easterly direction sometime before noon the next day. You'll pardon me if I find scientific theories both better supported and more accurate in their predictive power.

2. Looking into why so many people 'believe' is simple enough. There is substantial extant infrastructure behind a religion's practitioners indoctrinating children before they are old enough to question such things. This arrangement is so prevalent that a great variety of parents and churches take issue with exposing children to different cultures and viewpoints. One simply need to look at how certain groups take issue with homosexuality, women's rights, or even the teaching of evolution.

Flailing about trying to justify an argument from popularity as 'there must be SOME reason for it' does you no favors.

A Jewish state, machines which damage the environment, and another big one I didn't mention, space travel, are hardly random predictions. Then there's perhaps one of the most convincing of all, the Hadith predicting ISIS. Read this: http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread1043604/pg1

And someone has to convert before the religion can get to their children. Why did they convert? Because of what's recorded in these books, these recordings which have made pin-point accurate prophesies of events happening right now, from 1,400 years ago. And it's not as though I just left it at 'well, they do it, so it must be right!', that was connected to the point about why they think that way. Of course if you pull every religion apart and just look at individual points, some things won't make sense. It's the combination of factors that makes religion irrefutable.

[Neutraligon]

I would dissect and eviscerate your silly post more thoroughly had I not just turned off my computer and nickel-and-diming a post straight to hell is bloody difficult on an iphone. I will however point out two things:

1. Claiming prophecies have been fulfilled is like saying it is an accomplishment if some random gent claims that the sun will rise in a roughly easterly direction sometime before noon the next day. You'll pardon me if I find scientific theories both better supported and more accurate in their predictive power.

2. Looking into why so many people 'believe' is simple enough. There is substantial extant infrastructure behind a religion's practitioners indoctrinating children before they are old enough to question such things. This arrangement is so prevalent that a great variety of parents and churches take issue with exposing children to different cultures and viewpoints. One simply need to look at how certain groups take issue with homosexuality, women's rights, or even the teaching of evolution.

Flailing about trying to justify an argument from popularity as 'there must be SOME reason for it' does you no favors.

A Jewish state, machines which damage the environment, and another big one I didn't mention, space travel, are hardly random predictions. Then there's perhaps one of the most convincing of all, the Hadith predicting ISIS. Read this: http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread1043604/pg1

And someone has to convert before the religion can get to their children. Why did they convert? Because of what's recorded in these books, these recordings which have made pin-point accurate prophesies of events happening right now, from 1,400 years ago. And it's not as though I just left it at 'well, they do it, so it must be right!', that was connected to the point about why they think that way. Of course if you pull every religion apart and just look at individual points, some things won't make sense. It's the combination of factors that makes religion irrefutable.

A Jewish state already existed at the time, Machines that damage the environment already existed at the time, and I don't recall space travel. Not very hard to predict something when those things already existed....

[Ancient Pluto]

3 people voted "Yes, and also for Agnosticism."

Well screw you too, 3 people I'll never meet.

If you look at the statistics, you'll find that no atheists ever have abortions.

(that's because atheists never get laid )

Well, I doubt atheists would need abortions, as they'd also be pro-having-safe-sex since, in their beliefs, there's no being(s) upstairs to tell them no.

Correlation=/= causation

And the source...

Oh great, another wikipedia hater-- wait... that's not...
Mod edit: That was not needed.