Atheism Discussion Thread

[Albrenia]

Damnit, that other 'why do you believe what you believe' thread was pretty good stuff, but people got it locked by getting too antsy I guess.

Here's hoping it gets unlocked once heads have cooled.

EDIT - and it was just unlocked. Spooky.

[New Emeline]

Damnit, that other 'why do you believe what you believe' thread was pretty good stuff, but people got it locked by getting too antsy I guess.

Here's hoping it gets unlocked once heads have cooled.

EDIT - and it was just unlocked. Spooky.

Are you mayhaps clairvoyant?

[The Grims]

But there is no meaning to life. When you die, you die. Nothing. Black. Very mediocre, I imagine. So, you attack those that give life the wrong meaning, be it the liberal capitalist system or religion or both.

Well, you can ascribe your own meaning to your life - be it to defend your country, advance humanity's knowledge, get as many new skins as possible in Overwatch, etc.

So - do the resident atheists actually do that ? Live their life to the fullest of their desires, knowing that when they die it is all over and no second chances or heaven awaits them ?

[New Emeline]

Well, you can ascribe your own meaning to your life - be it to defend your country, advance humanity's knowledge, get as many new skins as possible in Overwatch, etc.

So - do the resident atheists actually do that ? Live their life to the fullest of their desires, knowing that when they die it is all over and no second chances or heaven awaits them ?

This atheist does.
Although, being an agnostic atheist, it's more like "when I die there probably isn't a heaven.

[Albrenia]

Well, you can ascribe your own meaning to your life - be it to defend your country, advance humanity's knowledge, get as many new skins as possible in Overwatch, etc.

So - do the resident atheists actually do that ? Live their life to the fullest of their desires, knowing that when they die it is all over and no second chances or heaven awaits them ?

I also get a nice boost of self-esteem and arrogance when I do a good deed. After all, I'm not buying my way into Heaven or avoiding Hell, I'm doing good just to feel warm and fuzzy and help people.

[Big Jim P]

So - do the resident atheists actually do that ? Live their life to the fullest of their desires, knowing that when they die it is all over and no second chances or heaven awaits them ?

I also get a nice boost of self-esteem and arrogance when I do a good deed. After all, I'm not buying my way into Heaven or avoiding Hell, I'm doing good just to feel warm and fuzzy and help people.

Even altruism is a selfish act.

[Albrenia]

I also get a nice boost of self-esteem and arrogance when I do a good deed. After all, I'm not buying my way into Heaven or avoiding Hell, I'm doing good just to feel warm and fuzzy and help people.

Even altruism is a selfish act.

Yeah but I get to enjoy it now and not after I die.

[The Grims]

So - do the resident atheists actually do that ? Live their life to the fullest of their desires, knowing that when they die it is all over and no second chances or heaven awaits them ?

This atheist does.
Although, being an agnostic atheist, it's more like "when I die there probably isn't a heaven.

Hmm. I have to admit I do not - I still go to my rather dull 9 till 5 job and spend waaaay too much time watching netflix and playing silly computergames...

Any tips ?

[New Emeline]

This atheist does.
Although, being an agnostic atheist, it's more like "when I die there probably isn't a heaven.

Hmm. I have to admit I do not - I still go to my rather dull 9 till 5 job and spend waaaay too much time watching netflix and playing silly computergames...

Any tips ?

Tips on what?

[Albrenia]

This atheist does.
Although, being an agnostic atheist, it's more like "when I die there probably isn't a heaven.

Hmm. I have to admit I do not - I still go to my rather dull 9 till 5 job and spend waaaay too much time watching netflix and playing silly computergames...

Any tips ?

Maybe look around for a local charity (religious or not, doesn't matter if you can see them doing good) and volunteer or make a donation if able? It's surprising how much good local charities can do even with small amounts of help, and it's never wasted time either.

[Big Jim P]

Even altruism is a selfish act.

Yeah but I get to enjoy it now and not after I die.

Exactly.

[The Grims]

Hmm. I have to admit I do not - I still go to my rather dull 9 till 5 job and spend waaaay too much time watching netflix and playing silly computergames...

Any tips ?

Maybe look around for a local charity (religious or not, doesn't matter if you can see them doing good) and volunteer or make a donation if able? It's surprising how much good local charities can do even with small amounts of help, and it's never wasted time either.

Oh, I already do all that.And shop for my old neighbour, care for several sick family members, often donate to the local beggars
etc. etc. All kinds of good christian behaviour - except I am not a christian.

But is that not a waste of time as well if this life is all I have ?

[New Emeline]

Maybe look around for a local charity (religious or not, doesn't matter if you can see them doing good) and volunteer or make a donation if able? It's surprising how much good local charities can do even with small amounts of help, and it's never wasted time either.

Oh, I already do all that.And shop for my old neighbour, care for several sick family members, often donate to the local beggars
etc. etc. All kinds of good christian behaviour - except I am not a christian.

But is that not a waste of time as well if this life is all I have ?

How is it a waste? Do you want more from your life?

[Albrenia]

Maybe look around for a local charity (religious or not, doesn't matter if you can see them doing good) and volunteer or make a donation if able? It's surprising how much good local charities can do even with small amounts of help, and it's never wasted time either.

Oh, I already do all that.And shop for my old neighbour, care for several sick family members, often donate to the local beggars
etc. etc. All kinds of good christian behaviour - except I am not a christian.

But is that not a waste of time as well if this life is all I have ?

Fuck no. Making the world and life a little better is one of a few things we can do that has any real meaning at all, to me. All empires will fall, all fame will pass, all history will be forgotten and all things will end, but making life a little better for our fellow living beings, even in the short term, will always matter, even after we are all gone.

Also have a truckload of fun on the way.

[Big Jim P]

Maybe look around for a local charity (religious or not, doesn't matter if you can see them doing good) and volunteer or make a donation if able? It's surprising how much good local charities can do even with small amounts of help, and it's never wasted time either.

Oh, I already do all that.And shop for my old neighbour, care for several sick family members, often donate to the local beggars
etc. etc. All kinds of good christian behaviour - except I am not a christian.

But is that not a waste of time as well if this life is all I have ?

After shoveling my elderly neighbors car out from under a couple of feet of snow, someone (it was Pope Joan most likely) commented that I live a more Christ-like life than most christians.

[The Grims]

Oh, I already do all that.And shop for my old neighbour, care for several sick family members, often donate to the local beggars
etc. etc. All kinds of good christian behaviour - except I am not a christian.

But is that not a waste of time as well if this life is all I have ?

How is it a waste? Do you want more from your life?

Yes. Especially when watching stupid netflix series or playing silly mmos (at which I am not even very good) I do wonder if I should not do more. Get the most of every single second.

I also find that taking care of others and being nice does not really offer the grand feeling of living a nice life - it feels more like an obligation without reward.

[New Emeline]

How is it a waste? Do you want more from your life?

Yes. Especially when watching stupid netflix series or playing silly mmos (at which I am not even very good) I do wonder if I should not do more. Get the most of every single second.

I also find that taking care of others and being nice does not really offer the grand feeling of living a nice life - it feels more like an obligation without reward.

What is it that you want to do? What is stopping you?

[Alvecia]

Statistically, some have to. But outliers don't contradict a trend.

What defines right/left wing in this context ? Angela Merkel for instance is famous for being pro immigration of refugees ("wir schaffen das") - a stance that many descibe as leftist; while her party - the Christlich Demokratische Union - is generally perceived to be centrist-right economically.

For the record, in my head I was only really using the vague, conceptual notions of either wing of the political spectrum.But I suppose given the examples I was using, right wing would be something along the lines of the GOP, and left wing would be defined by however those studies regarding higher education I mentioned defined it

[Freaneet]

Based on that post, I think you have a cheek to accuse people of being hateful...

I also like how shallow your reading of Nietzsche must have been, to misinterpret him so thoroughly. Either that or the misinterpretation is willful. It even makes me question whether you have read his works at all, or just rely solely on mindless gossip and hearsay to form your opinion on him.

While I wouldn't agree with Freaneet's condemnation of Nietzsche's entire corpus (I love both Anti-Christ and Thus Spake Zarathustra) it's not a misinterpretation. There's a lot in Nietzsche which is vitriolically misogynistic and classist.

Precisely.

[Freaneet]

Oh, I already do all that.And shop for my old neighbour, care for several sick family members, often donate to the local beggars
etc. etc. All kinds of good christian behaviour - except I am not a christian.

But is that not a waste of time as well if this life is all I have ?

After shoveling my elderly neighbors car out from under a couple of feet of snow, someone (it was Pope Joan most likely) commented that I live a more Christ-like life than most christians.

At least Christ wasn't an Ayn Rand basher like you.

[The New California Republic]

While I wouldn't agree with Freaneet's condemnation of Nietzsche's entire corpus (I love both Anti-Christ and Thus Spake Zarathustra) it's not a misinterpretation. There's a lot in Nietzsche which is vitriolically misogynistic and classist.

Precisely.

Exactly. You misinterpreted it. You tarnished all of his works with the same brush.

[Ava Ire]

I was raised pretty devout in the Christian faith (Seventh-Day Adventist to be exact). However, I gradually kinda... grew away from God during my late adolescence. The reasons being that I just don’t feel God’s presence in my life anymore. As in, I simply don’t feel like he’s actually there.

It does kinda hurt for me to reject religion. Feels like I’m disowning a part of my past. Maybe I can pick up the pieces and find my own spirituality. If something happens in the future that brings me back to God, that would be swell I guess. But for now?...

...I think I’m agnostic, not exactly atheist, because I don’t say “There definitely is no god at all,” but I do now say “there could possibly be a god, just most likely not the Abrahamic one I grew up believing in.”

A very reasonable position to take.

Yeah. Even though I still feel something in the back of my head telling me that there must be SOMETHING out there that’s bigger than humanity and this world, I guess my more, so-called, “rational” mind has pulled me towards a more agnostic/borderline atheist view.

[Godular]

A very reasonable position to take.

Yeah. Even though I still feel something in the back of my head telling me that there must be SOMETHING out there that’s bigger than humanity and this world, I guess my more, so-called, “rational” mind has pulled me towards a more agnostic/borderline atheist view.

The part of me that would think ‘there MUST be SOMETHING out there’ is crushed rather handily whenever I look up at the sky at night. We’re made of sploded stars, yo.

Seriously how is that not awesome?

[Ava Ire]

Yeah. Even though I still feel something in the back of my head telling me that there must be SOMETHING out there that’s bigger than humanity and this world, I guess my more, so-called, “rational” mind has pulled me towards a more agnostic/borderline atheist view.

The part of me that would think ‘there MUST be SOMETHING out there’ is crushed rather handily whenever I look up at the sky at night. We’re made of sploded stars, yo.

Seriously how is that not awesome?

It is an awesome notion.

I used to look up at the stars and I interpreted it as evidence of an intelligent creator, so really I do understand the religious point of view in that regard.

[United Imperial Systems]

The part of me that would think ‘there MUST be SOMETHING out there’ is crushed rather handily whenever I look up at the sky at night. We’re made of sploded stars, yo.

Seriously how is that not awesome?

It is an awesome notion.

I used to look up at the stars and I interpreted it as evidence of an intelligent creator, so really I do understand the religious point of view in that regard.

Understanding a viewpoint is one thing, one has to see if it's actually based on something, never liked the "God of the gap" argument.

but it doesn't stop anyone from getting lost in the night sky.