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Questions You've Always Wanted to Ask Atheists

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by thepandaboss, Jan 24, 2016.

  1. Irisviel

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    "what happened before the big bang" is a question that soon might be redundant as the big bang has a strong competition in scientific theories.

    The answer to "what was before" is that we don't know. There is however no reason to invent a God of any sort to explain the "don't know" part. It's just illogical to claim that if we cannot explain something, then there must be a deity involved. A lot of things are not yet (or never to be) understood because of scientific limitations.
    And that would be my atheist point of view.
     
    #21 Irisviel, Jan 25, 2016
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2016
  2. armydude

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    This is the problem with atheism. It explains nothing. The universe always has been? What a copout answer. Matter doesnt come from nothing, so until science can tell me why there was matter in the first place, I'll believe in a higher power.
     
  3. Martin

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    The problem with that is you then just encounter the same origin question when asking yourself about a higher power, and thus religion explains just as little.

    If there is a God, where did they come from? An omnipresent, omnipotent being doesn't just come from nothing either, and yet nobody knows where they came from. The belief in a higher power may offer a narrative for the origin of the universe, but it merely shifts the conversation to then trying to explain the origin of that figure, thus leaving you with the same theoretical dilemma.

    The thing I appreciate most about atheism is its ability to hold its hand up and say 'we don't know'. It's slightly frustrating not having an answer to such an interesting question, but I would also rather be told the current truth on something rather than just try and fill in the blanks myself with any random narrative that tickles my pickle. Religious people take a leap of faith that, whilst I appreciate and respect, I just can't muster up that level of trust and power to. I need concrete answers to something, rather than just being told a story and the essence of that being 'there's no observable evidence but trust me'. I'd rather wait for that evidence instead of putting my trust in a theory that can never really be substantiated (at least in this lifetime).
     
  4. Invidia

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    What do you think is the role of political Atheism - that is, Atheism not just as a personal belief, but as an instrument to counteract opposing forces that influence society (such as "Abortion is unforgivable because God")?

    Also, related to that, what do you think about some of these political Atheists being pretty extreme and offensive? I've heard things such as "agnostics are just atheists without balls", "Muslims are cavepeople", and so on.
     
  5. Irisviel

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    Theists on the other hand say that God "has always been". Same thing pretty much.

    But, I believe this isn't a thread to discuss if God exists, just to see what atheists have to say about it.
     
  6. AwesomGaytheist

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    And I can counter that by saying that I'd rather put my faith in something that has empirical evidence and been demonstrated over time instead of in an invisible person.
     
  7. kageshiro

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    I like geology.. my heaven probably looks like hell
     
  8. imnotreallysure

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    Why is the idea of the universe having always been, less feasible than the idea of some higher power having always been? If something requires a creator then something or someone must have created the creator in the first place - and the idea of supernatural beings who oversee everything creating one another in order to create us, is more absurd to me than the idea that the universe has simply always been there.

    Simply believing that 'God' created the universe because your brain can't comprehend anything else is a pretty big cop out.
     
    #28 imnotreallysure, Jan 25, 2016
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2016
  9. beastwith2backs

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    Ok, this is slowly turning into Youtube...can we not go there guys?

    Ok let me ask an actual question..or two?

    1. If you're Atheist, then obviously you believe your morals don't come from god or a higher power. Do you believe they cone from yourself? If so, then aren't they subjective? For example, there is this person you went to highschool with, who bullied the living daylights out of you, and made your life miserable everyday. You have come to hate them so much that you actually wan't to kill them. And so, what's stopping you? The fact that you might go to jail for manslaughter? What if that wasn't so? What if this was the purge? ( i'm fully aware of how unlikely that is to ever happen, but for the sake fo this example, just go with it.) would you still do it? Most likely not, because you still have your basic human morals. But where does that come from huh?

    2. Why are all these "new atheist" speakers ( richard dawkins, sam harris, daniel dennet a la; ) so...redneck-ish now? At first they strated out aounding all intellectual, but now they sound like old racist grandpas who use religion (islam) as a good reason to justify their anti-arab racism, and american imperialism over the middle east( specifcally iraq) they say that islam causes religious extremism, but i don't think that's the case, at all. I think that poverty cause religious extremism, because it gives people sonething to hope on in times of despair. Just look at it like this. It's only in the poorest countries in the world where people are super religious. In the southeastern united states, in most of sub saharan africa, in the northern middle east except turkey, and such. How ever what causes people to burn people in iron cages, isn't necesarily their religion( they just use that as an excuse, just like how kings use religion as an excuse to rule countries in the middle ages.) they're doing it because america, the biggest terrorist state in historu( let's face it) is being imperialistic on those regions. They're colonizing them, because these "new atheist professors say that they deserve to, because their religion is "backwards" and so is their culture. (Just to be clear i am in NOOOOOOOO way saying what Isis is doing is right, it's the wrong way to respond to all this, but that's besides my point) these new atheists are basically using their " religion" is backwards" as a good reason for america to invade Iraq. But honestly, this isn't about islam. This is about Arabs. Look at this way. When you think of muslims, do you think of a brown guy in a white gown, with his wife covered in a black abaya, or do you picture an indonesian couple at a resort having fun? All in all, i think what they are doing is mo different from how the british 100 years ago, came and inavaded africa because they were " a lower race" and their "culture was savage" and leaving that way of thinking in those africans descendandts minds up till this day.

    So the question is, why do " new atheists" support such a horrible way of thinking?
     
  10. Quem

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    Morality is subjective in my opinion. What I find to be "morally correct" may be something that someone else disagrees on. For instance, I find it okay to have sex with my boyfriend. However, some people find same-sex sexual activity to be inmoral.

    I think there's not such a thing as "good" and "bad", it's more of a spectrum really.

    If religion is the only thing that stops you from killing, then I'm afraid to say that I think you're pretty messed up. I think it's something that's more or less hardwired, or we came to think this way via society. Either way, killing won't solve anything. Assuming I'm in such a situation, what would killing do? Some act of revenge? Would that TRULY make me happy? No, it wouldn't, I personally find no joy in harming others.

    It might come as no surprise that I'm also against the death penalty. The same applies there: killing for me is not an answer. It doesn't solve any kind of problem.

    I have two things to say about this:

    1. Redneckish is your opinion. Some may agree with that, some may not. I personally think they're nothing close to being redneck.
    2. I couldn't care less about those people. Yes, they have done things for the atheist community, but they are just people. They sometimes say things that I like, but sometimes they say things that I don't like. It's how it is. They're not special people in my opinion.

    Your argument may sound pretty decent, but can easily be debunked. The very existance of wealthy religious extremists for one (which is subject to a definition as to what exactly is "religious extremist") proves you wrong. Secondly, poor people don't necessarily have to be "religious extremists". If poverty causes religion, in what way? A simple correlation doesn't imply a causation.

    Are they? If so, I'm happy to inform you that there are atheists who think we shouldn't invade Iraq..

    I'm not aware that they do. Yet, let's say they do for clarity's sake. So what? People say all kinds of things. If you think that that's the "atheist way of thinking", then you're very off the mark.
     
  11. beastwith2backs

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    Ok one, religion isn't what's stopping ME from killing someone, i was just giving an example, and two, i know some atheists don't support the iraqi invasion. I was referring to the "new atheists" as they call themselves. And i already mentioned why i think poverty could cause people to be more religious extremist, you made a goid point with the rich religious extremists, but however, keep in mind that some of them like osama bin laden and the taliban used to be allies of the USA in the 80's during the cold war, believe it or not.

    ---------- Post added 25th Jan 2016 at 10:45 AM ----------

    And also, i didn't say that religion is what could stop soneone from killing another, what i said was that, we all have basic human morality and where would that come from. You said society, or were just wired that way. But what about ancient cultures that thought being a warrior and having the most kills was like, the best thing ever? Were they just wired that way, or was it society? Didn't they ferl guilt for taking so many innocent lives?
     
  12. Quem

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    I couldn't care less about those "new atheists". I can't speak for all, but I think most don't care much. I find the "new atheist" label quite absurd to be fair. One either believes in at least one deity, or in none. What makes one a "new atheist"? I think it doesn't make that much sense, but that's me.

    That doesn't have anything to do with poverty causing people to be religious extremists.. I don't see how what you're saying is relevant right now. :slight_smile:

    ---------- Post added 25th Jan 2016 at 10:45 AM ----------

    I don't know about ancient cultures, I didn't live at that time. I can't possibly tell whether they felt guilt or not for sure. Yet, I do think that there must've been some who didn't like killing others. I don't believe in reincarnation, so this life is the only life we've got. Killing some takes away that very life that one could've lived, you see? That's also why it doesn't seem like a nice thing to do. :slight_smile:

    "Morality" is observable in nature as well amongst several species. Most likely it has to do with genetics as well, but I'm no expert on that subject, sorry. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
  13. Benway

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    So, if you don't believe in anything does that mean that life is intrinsically meaningless? I mean, eventually all of... this will be forgotten and the sun will go supernova and engulf most of the solar system, systematically erasing humanity forever. I've always found that kind of depressing.
     
  14. beastwith2backs

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    @ querm guess you got me there. You won, no tea, no shade. Anyways, you're really good at defending what ypu think is right.
     
  15. Quem

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    I think that, in the very very very long run, life is indeed meaningless as all actions would be in vain. No matter what we do, it won't matter eventually. I don't see that as sad, it's just how it is. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

    However, on the short run, life is not meaningless in itself. What you do will pass on, whether you have kids or not. You will live (for some time) in the memories of others and your actions do determine parts of the future. =)

    Aww, well, it's not a matter of winning in my opinion. :lol: I'm explaining what I think about the things you say. Someone may shake his head and disagree completely, that's perfectly fine. (Yes, in case you were asking, I don't think there's (often) such a thing as an "objective truth")
     
  16. Kinky

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    1. Trying to have faith is too much effort.
    2. I take great comfort in knowing I'm insignificant, whatever my actions, good or bad, don't matter. No judgement.
    3. I don't feel the need to be saved by Jesus.
    4. The idea of Hell is ridiculous. Being punished for eternity for something you did in life is ridiculous. No matter how grave the crime, no one will remember it after billions of years!
     
  17. beastwith2backs

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    It's ok, i just din't like how you said i must be really messed up for basing my morality on religion. :frowning2:
     
  18. Quem

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    Awww no, of course not! (*hug*) Look, what I was trying to say was that this: "if the only thing that stops you from killing is religion, then I think it's pretty crazy". I cannot wrap my mind around how a religion is the sole cause of someone not killing others.

    I never meant to say that basing your morality on religion is bad or to be detested. Sorry if it came across like that. =\
     
  19. Benway

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    Right, but from what you're telling me even if I pass on a hundred thousand generations, the sun's still going to go supernova or the universe is going to go into a big crunch and eat itself from the inside out or some galactic cataclysm is eventually going to destroy this little plane of existence of ours and that after we die it ultimately means nothing so the best course of action would be to sterilize the entire human race now and let it die out before it can suffer all of that.
     
  20. Daydreamer1

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    Atheists "don't believe in anything", that's entirely wrong and a gross misconception spread by religious groups to "save" atheists.

    Atheism is simply the lack of a belief in a higher power, not "anything". While I don't claim to speak on behalf of the atheist community, we feel like we don't need religion to give us meaning and purpose. Those two things are entirely subjective and something you alone need to figure out for yourself. Yes, the ultimate outcome for our universe seems depressing, but that's part of nature. It's part of life. The cycle of life. This is why many agnostics, atheists, and others will stress the importance of cherishing life and living it to the fullest.

    We believe this is the only life you get, so live your life to the fullest to the best of your abilities. Live and do for today, because there might not be a tomorrow. Strive to seek happiness instead of waiting for supposed promises that are said to await you in an afterlife that might not be there.

    Oh, and the sun won't become a supernova. It's not massive enough to ever reach that point, but will become a red giant. But I'm sure well before that ever happens (a good few billion years from now), we've more than likely colonized other star systems.

    ---------- Post added 25th Jan 2016 at 01:20 PM ----------

    That's a pretty cynical view. I mean, if meaning has no purpose to you, then that's your take on the "ultimate question".

    There are many scientist who theorize that the Big Bang is the result of a previous Big Crunch; so perhaps we're in a revolving door, so with the death of our universe might birth a new one with the possibility of flourishing complex life just like ours.
     
    #40 Daydreamer1, Jan 25, 2016
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2016