Why are you an Atheist?

[TheIncorporation]

...yeah...

I mean, it's not like I don't doubt religion, it's just that's what I've been raised with and I still haven't seen a compelling reason why to dismiss it. I'm already fairly skeptic. Not so much rational. And humanism? Bah. Humans are kind of stupid. We run around killing each other. I've been doubting my worldview for a while, but I've researched a large amount on both sides and still see no compelling reason to drop faith.

I have to admit, the discussion and debate part seems important.

But why would you want to view your life as this:

Eat, sleep, drink, be merry, die. Non-existence.

It's just so...pointless.

Just because you're an atheist doesn't necessarily mean you don't believe in some sort of afterlife/reincarnation. God just isn't really a part of the equation.

....wait. What? The most rational atheist view is that when you die, your brain stops functioning, you have no soul, you die and cease to exist after some pain.

I mean, how can you do afterlife and reincarnation but not believe in a deity?

[TheIncorporation]

I mean, it's not like I don't doubt religion, it's just that's what I've been raised with and I still haven't seen a compelling reason why to dismiss it. I'm already fairly skeptic. Not so much rational. And humanism? Bah. Humans are kind of stupid. We run around killing each other. I've been doubting my worldview for a while, but I've researched a large amount on both sides and still see no compelling reason to drop faith.

I have to admit, the discussion and debate part seems important.

But why would you want to view your life as this:

Eat, sleep, drink, be merry, die. Non-existence.

It's just so...pointless.

Humanism means focusing on humanity, believing that we are responsible for our own actions. Humanism means that we should rely on ourselves to fix our problems. It's much better than praying to a sky daddy because you're too lazy to do anything yourself.

Wait, no.

It's wrong and stupid to just pray and not act.

No. You pray, then you act to resolve the problems and the situations.

Have you drawn all these conclusions for Christians you've met? If so, I sincerely apologize.

[Mavorpen]

Things in books aren't automatically true.

You stated there is NO reasoning behind it. I told you to read a book about it, thus exposing your post as bullshit.

[Unchecked Expansion]

I mean, how can you do afterlife and reincarnation but not believe in a deity?

By being a Buddhist?

[Eleutheria]

This is something quite common amongst believers, because they are so used to being sheltered and not having their believe criticised they presume that any critisism is said in anger, critisism that if said about a restraunt or about a television show would be considered mild. Of course I dont hate you believers, I am close to hating the catholic church and members of its hierachy, but not the individual lay members

I don't really like the Catholic church as much either. Ugh, the Pope.

As said above, Atheists are fine, I just seriously dislike the ones that argue about it and look down on religious beliefs.

I have to admit I do look down on religious beliefs as being sinister and infantile, maybe thats wrong of me, but i just see that those beliefs have caused more harm than good, its natural that i'd want others to come round to my point of view, and lets be honest we all get a little imflammatory when talking about religion, however I try to conduct my debates with a level of courtesy, us atheists find it just as horrible when some theists brand us as evil or as mad.

[Aglorea]

Okay then.

Cornelius Tacitus, 115 AD.

"Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed."

That really only tells us a few things: by 64 AD there was a group of Christians in Rome large enough to be recognized and they were, at least to an extent, distinct from the Jews. It references the origin of the sect, but it's worth pointing out that it does not mention Jesus. Christus, the latin version of Christós, which at that time was not considered a name. Rather, it was a word meaning "the Messiah."

[Mavorpen]

....wait. What? The most rational atheist view is that when you die, your brain stops functioning, you have no soul, you die and cease to exist after some pain.

I mean, how can you do afterlife and reincarnation but not believe in a deity?

See Buddhism and Jainism.

[Ifreann]

Just because you're an atheist doesn't necessarily mean you don't believe in some sort of afterlife/reincarnation. God just isn't really a part of the equation.

....wait. What? The most rational atheist view is that when you die, your brain stops functioning, you have no soul, you die and cease to exist after some pain.

I mean, how can you do afterlife and reincarnation but not believe in a deity?

Atheist isn't the same as Vulcan. Atheists can believe in anything other than a god and still be atheists.

[TheIncorporation]

Well, I mean, it's not like I don't find some of the beliefs the Catholic Church holds immoral or unethical. Like in the Middle Ages, what they did was unacceptable. And large churches that spend money on giant buildings with unnessecary rooms and equipment...no, I don't like those.

Then why, precisely, shouldn't we criticize them?

Feel free to.

I meant the athiests like Mavorpen: The ones that think you're a moron, that all religious belief is stupid and you're a moron if you believe in it, all Christianity ever leads to is destruction and death, and that go out of their way to prove to you that all your beliefs are wrong.

[Dumb Ideologies]

....wait. What? The most rational atheist view is that when you die, your brain stops functioning, you have no soul, you die and cease to exist after some pain.

I mean, how can you do afterlife and reincarnation but not believe in a deity?

Atheist isn't the same as Vulcan. Atheists can believe in anything other than a god and still be atheists.

Except Bigfoot.

[Mavorpen]

Wait, no.

It's wrong and stupid to just pray and not act.

No. You pray, then you act to resolve the problems and the situations.

Have you drawn all these conclusions for Christians you've met? If so, I sincerely apologize.

No, I've drawn this conclusion from nearly Christian I've read about, seen, met, etc. with the exception of charities that are religious in nature.

[Hossaim]

This is the one thing I have against atheism.

You're often in people's faces about it. Is it because you want to "convert me", or are you merely pitying me? Why do you pity me if I'm happy in believing in God?

...I just don't get it.

Now, I'm not saying I don't do the same thing, but if you guys were better people, you probably wouldn't do it, thus showing that you guys are superior. I fail to see such a thing.

I pity your for believing in delusional being and not grasping reality.

[TheIncorporation]

I mean, how can you do afterlife and reincarnation but not believe in a deity?

By being a Buddhist?

...I don't know a thing about Buddhism. At all. Might look into it a bit.

And I've always assumed Atheism=Vulcans.

Atheism=Rationality, there is no spirituality, logic and science are king.

[Mavorpen]

Feel free to.

I meant the athiests like Mavorpen: The ones that think you're a moron, that all religious belief is stupid and you're a moron if you believe in it, all Christianity ever leads to is destruction and death, and that go out of their way to prove to you that all your beliefs are wrong.

I like how you came to this conclusion by reading posts where I said no such thing. Nice example for Christianity: taking everything out of context and believing any criticism is bashing.

[Delemont Septentrio]

Just because you're an atheist doesn't necessarily mean you don't believe in some sort of afterlife/reincarnation. God just isn't really a part of the equation.

....wait. What? The most rational atheist view is that when you die, your brain stops functioning, you have no soul, you die and cease to exist after some pain.

I mean, how can you do afterlife and reincarnation but not believe in a deity?

Why would a deity be necessary for that? The universe is a very mysterious place, I might not be 'me' again but I doubt there is such a possibility as 'nothing'. Nothing is something. I believe I have some sort of soul if you will, and that I am just here as a learning experience in this specific life like all other lives I may have lived. But that's just me.

[Mavorpen]

...I don't know a thing about Buddhism. At all. Might look into it a bit.

And I've always assumed Atheism=Vulcans.

Atheism=Rationality, there is no spirituality, logic and science are king.

Atheism means without belief in a deity or deities. Period. There are philosophies that are the result of Atheism, but Atheism is simply the lack of belief in a deity or deities.

[Tlaceceyaya]

By being a Buddhist?

...I don't know a thing about Buddhism. At all. Might look into it a bit.

And I've always assumed Atheism=Vulcans.

Atheism=Rationality, there is no spirituality, logic and science are king.

It is rational and logical to have emotion. But not to let it control your life. If you're looking for a vulcan, go check out FST.

[TheIncorporation]

Feel free to.

I meant the athiests like Mavorpen: The ones that think you're a moron, that all religious belief is stupid and you're a moron if you believe in it, all Christianity ever leads to is destruction and death, and that go out of their way to prove to you that all your beliefs are wrong.

I like how you came to this conclusion by reading posts where I said no such thing. Nice example for Christianity: taking everything out of context and believing any criticism is bashing.

I'm sorry for using you as an example, I just couldn't think of any other names.

I've met some atheists like that, though.

[Dumb Ideologies]

By being a Buddhist?

...I don't know a thing about Buddhism. At all. Might look into it a bit.

And I've always assumed Atheism=Vulcans.

Atheism=Rationality, there is no spirituality, logic and science are king.

We also don't believe in the divine right of kings, so the entire universe collapsed into a black hole of contradiction centuries ago.

[Eleutheria]

Then why, precisely, shouldn't we criticize them?

Feel free to.

I meant the athiests like Mavorpen: The ones that think you're a moron, that all religious belief is stupid and you're a moron if you believe in it, all Christianity ever leads to is destruction and death, and that go out of their way to prove to you that all your beliefs are wrong.

But in some ways its important that we do ridicule what we believe to be immoral, because if you shelter someone they dont think about why they believe what they do, if you ridicule someone they have to justify it and therefore think about it. All this unecessary respect towards believs that you find to be evil is destructive to free-thinking enquiry.

[Ceannairceach]

Then why, precisely, shouldn't we criticize them?

Feel free to.

I meant the athiests like Mavorpen: The ones that think you're a moron, that all religious belief is stupid and you're a moron if you believe in it, all Christianity ever leads to is destruction and death, and that go out of their way to prove to you that all your beliefs are wrong.

Who are a vast minority in a group that has no defining majority.

[Mavorpen]

I'm sorry for using you as an example, I just couldn't think of any other names.

I've met some atheists like that, though.

The thing is, I don't like the religion. I have no problem with the followers (unless of course they use the Bible to justify wrongdoings).

[Ceannairceach]

By being a Buddhist?

...I don't know a thing about Buddhism. At all. Might look into it a bit.

And I've always assumed Atheism=Vulcans.

Atheism=Rationality, there is no spirituality, logic and science are king.

And you are wrong. Each atheist, likely, has a different view of everything, with the exception being a universal lack of belief in a deity.

[Aglorea]

By being a Buddhist?

...I don't know a thing about Buddhism. At all. Might look into it a bit.

And I've always assumed Atheism=Vulcans.

Atheism=Rationality, there is no spirituality, logic and science are king.

That's one misconception about atheism that I find myself having to explain over and over (that's not a jab at you, I'm just saying I can understand your confusion as it is a very common mistake). Atheism means, simply, that there is no belief in a deity/god. That's it, nothing else.

[Ifreann]

Things in books aren't automatically true.

You stated there is NO reasoning behind it. I told you to read a book about it, thus exposing your post as bullshit.

Bollocks did you. How is my post bullshit because you can't explain your weird anti-alien-religion views?