Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by J Roman on May 5, 2012 at 9:32pm

Atheist dont believe in a diety, one God, Posiedon, Thor, Satan, Animal Spirits, The Virgin Mary etc etc.

I would think Atheism would offer a clear concious without fear of reprucssions about an afterlife or reincarnation, and some moral societal guilt for not keeping some affiliation with an organized religion. AND just think of all the money you save.

Permalink Reply by Peyton Quinn on May 5, 2012 at 11:16pm

There is an important 'hiden assumption' here that is touched on though.

That assumption has to do with the concept of a 'soul'. Some here apparently belive in a "soul" that is 'part of our being' and that persists after our bodie's life functions terminate in death.

It appears some feel this soul is 'immortal' and that is it continues on through time without end.

Now is this soul 'self-aware' and does it retain any memory of a previous life etc is also a question.

It may surprise some but science is recently leaning toward the potential existence of a 'life force' through Quantun entanglement that might be called a "soul".

In the experiments several surgeons placed numbers and objects at heights in the operating room that were not visble by a patient on the OR table,

Yet after 'near death experiences' physiologically speaking, that is 'clinical death' occured and the patients 'came back' they were later questioned about what they saw.

The experiemntal design and controls were such that I can not personnaly see these experments as "proof of anything' one way or another. Yet several of the patients corectly identified the numbers and objects when they said they ' left their bodies' and floated above their own bodies.

One person was able to correctly read and report the printing on the operating room light source correctly.

Permalink Reply by Jacob Bauer on May 6, 2012 at 11:42am

What does atheism have to offer?

What a bizarre question.

Permalink Reply by Titus Techera on May 6, 2012 at 11:54am

Most people, if not all, are brought up into some religion. Of course, the accidents of birth are not exactly destiny. But if an adult is to renounce the faith of his fathers, so to speak, a decent respect for the opinions of mankind requires that he should declare the causes that impel him to the separation. Indeed, the question goes further to ask without frippery, whether atheism can be founded from reflection & choice or must be merely the child of accident & force.

Permalink Reply by Jacob Bauer on May 7, 2012 at 8:23pm

An explanation is one thing, but asking what it has to offer (presumably emotionally or what have you) is something else entirely.

I suppose that's one of the great divides between the religious and non-religious. To me, I see this question as if somebody walks up and asks, "You don't think there is enough evidence to prove life on other planets... well how does that improve your gas mileage?"

It's a complete non-sequitur.

Permalink Reply by Elliott Jason Ridgway on May 10, 2012 at 12:17pm

Well said...

Permalink Reply by Titus Techera on May 8, 2012 at 12:02am

I believe the meaning of 'what does atheism have to offer?', if comparable to 'what does the faith of Christ the resurrected have to offer?', has to do not with seeking the advantage in this or that matter, but with guidance how to live one's life.

A man who has no faith is probably never going to read the Bible to understand why it is said to teach a wise teaching. But the Bible teaches any man who wants to learn about what kind of being the human being is. It teaches where man stands in the world & what his purpose is. The Bible  tends to make a difference between the requirement of obedience & faith & the requirements of understanding.

Thus Deuteronomy 4-6: But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day. Behold, I have taught you statutes & judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore & do them; for this is your wisdom & your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, & say, Surely this great nation is a wise & understanding people.

The other peoples could not possibly be asked to judge of the Jewish laws by recourse to divine authority, for they do not know the God of Israel. They would be judging of those laws as anyone who is without faith, so there must be a standard of judging the goodness of laws that does not depend on faith. That much & that far the clever man can learn without faith. The Bible has the advantage of presenting to him a serious view of the world that does not excuse or hide the flaws in man, but aims to show him as he is. Indeed, in presenting men who believe in God, the Bible might teach you what these kinds of men are & why they believe...

Permalink Reply by Peyton Quinn on May 8, 2012 at 10:57pm

"Indeed, the question goes further to ask without frippery, whether atheism can be founded from reflection & choice or must be merely the child of accident & force."

I agree it is the same as being a 'deist' of any othe religion really. Its has to do largely with where you are born when how yourpliable mind is then sold what religon you are born into.

Atheist, though we have not defined that term really, would seem to have a greater personal Choice though than those brought up in other religons. An atheist might later become a chrisitan, jew or Islamic, Buddhist etc,  but none of the latter have that choice really as a rule.

Permalink Reply by Rick Shelton on May 10, 2012 at 12:20pm

"a decent respect for the opinions of mankind requires that he should declare the causes that impel him to the separation" 

Why should anyone declare the reasons he/she renounces his/her faith?  It is a personal choice and no one needs to know the reasons.  They may wish to tell their immediate family (especially mother and father) but no one else needs to know.

Permalink Reply by Native Son on May 6, 2012 at 12:01pm

"...They do have Sundays free.

 ...Catholics dress up for Mass,

    Athesists just take a pass,

    and watch football in their underpants."

 

-Atheists Don't Have No Songs, Rare Bird Alert  -Steve Martin

Permalink Reply by Herb Munson on May 6, 2012 at 5:41pm

Hey, finally a straight forward answer to the question. :)

Permalink Reply by J Roman on May 7, 2012 at 7:39am

 

 I thought my answer was pretty straight fwd.

 

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