Why are Atheists Atheists?

Originally posted by GreatTech
I praise Lincoln for opposing slavery but I criticize the way he tried to eliminate it: war is even more abhorrent than slavery.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:9

I'm not American so please dont take this personally but of your current and former presidents how many that believed in God have sent your country to War. More than the Atheists? The answer to that question i think you will find is yes.
Arent we involved in a war now that was originally being fought due to WMD's, then to overthrow a despot, and which now continues in an effort to bring about Democracy.
Is war more abhorrent than a country on the otherside of the world not having the same political system as your country.
Your arguments are flimsy at best GreatTech.

Originally posted by GreatTech
Even the Hebrews were slaves for a time, but this terrible condition went away with time.

"For remember that you too were once slaves in the land of Egypt, and the Lord, your God, ransomed you." Deuteronomy 15:15

There are many other references to slavery in the Bible regarding slavery, especially regarding former Hebrew slavery to the Egyptians.

actually, there is absolutely no evidence to support the claims of exodus of the hebrews being enslaved.

GreatTech,

It looks like your question is attracting a lot of people who disagree with your views.

Come on now, tell us all your true motivation in starting this discussion (if you know the reason, of course).

Was it ....

a) You think everyone else in the world is dumber than you ?
b) As a pious person, you feel bound to force others to believe in your god. Whatever the cost. (Which would make you no better than any other terrorist who hides behind a god)
c) You naively believe that if everyone believed in your god that all the negative aspects of human nature would be eliminated.
d) You are so arrogant that you feel that anyone who disagrees with your views is stupid.
e) You just wanted to start a war.
f) You wanted to demonstrate your own ignorance.
g) You think you are god, or at least one of his mightiest emissaries - (there are wards full of these people in hospitals all over the world)
h) You fervently believe in the myth of your own arrogant superiority (much as the Romans and the Nazis did, really)
i) Some other reason.

Come on GreatTech, fess up - just why did you start this S***fight in the first place?

And isn't it part of Chistian dogma that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones? Get your own house in order before you start accusing others.

The Winged Wombat

[edit on 16/3/07 by The Winged Wombat]

Originally posted by GreatTech
The future that atheists see is so bleak and uninspiring that I do not see how any true leader can be an atheist.

Which one are you going for GreatTech, heaven or hell? (both equally disgusting)

I have no problem with the fact that death is final. (Although if I consider that my body will provide minerals for plants, which in turn will feed herbivores and so on, I can really say I’m part of the miracle of life! eternaly!)

I must say that for someone who used to be atheist, you really don’t know anything about it. Are you sure you weren’t just atheist by default? Were you just confused? How do you know that you're not confused now?

And you still haven’t answered my question from page 9,
Dionysus died for your sins, why don’t you believe in him? Why do you dismiss him?

Originally posted by GreatTech
"Murdering" God through disbelief is the greatest imaginable sin.

“Murdering” in the name of god is divine!!!


[edit on 16/3/07 by ConspiracyNut23]

Originally posted by ConspiracyNut23

Which one are you going for GreatTech, heaven or hell? (both equally disgusting)

[edit on 16/3/07 by ConspiracyNut23]

You links are not correct because they are considered biased. And the text is quite superficial in terms of there representations of the afterlife.

Originally posted by ConspiracyNut23
And you still haven’t answered my question from page 9,
Dionysus died for your sins, why don’t you believe in him? Why do you dismiss him?

Duh durrr....? Because Dionysus is not in the Bible and the Bible is the infallible word of God.

God->Bible
Bible->God

See?

You can't argue with someone whom embraces such circular logic. GreatTech is lost within his own delusions. Trying to have a meaningful discussion with such fundamentalists like him is the same as trying to teach the General Theory of Relativity to a dog.

Until he opens his eyes and realize that the Bible is a work made by man and not God, it is utterly futile!

Originally posted by Selmer2
You links are not correct because they are considered biased. And the text is quite superficial in terms of there representations of the afterlife.

No more biased than any organized religion and its prophets. Besides, it quotes from the Bible itself. Is that the superficial text you’re refereeing to?

Selmer2, I get that the comparisons to the Borg are quite superficial, but I find the Bible description of heaven to be quite “bleak”.

Of course, each religion has conveniently recreated their own version of heaven. Sources? None. They made it up, they know that. More importantly, we know that. The only way to sustain this beliefs is an appeal to faith, a euphemism for ignorance.

Originally posted by VladTheImpaler
God->Bible
Bible->God

See?

All the spinning is making me quite dizzy.

Originally posted by BASSPLYR
I'm pretty ignorant, but wasn't the bible, torah and God's word OK with slavery?

Only if they came from neighbouring countries. Genocide was also a useful snactioned approach, but it had to include oxen and donkeys for full effect...

[edit on 16-3-2007 by melatonin]

I am Athiest because there is no proof that a god exists. Why beleive something with no proof? Why?

How about concentrating on living, having fun, and helping others instead of going around teaching people about something which has no proof?

The only persons brain whos underdeveloped is yours. Here are my reasons:
A: You CLEARLY want to argue about religion
B: You are insulting people which will cause my to put you on my ignore list and me insult you back.

The thread was intended to bring people closer to God.

REALLY? Seems to me you just made it to piss people off.

When I was an atheist, I ended up in the ICU of a hospital for two days and was near Soul death.

So because you were an Athiest you were a arrogent fool magically means other Athiests are. How logical.

1) Do you believe in Eternal Life?

No

2) If you do believe in Eternal Life, is it a "random accident" like the creation of this Universe?

There is no such thing as Eternal life as there is no proof of it, that's why we should enjoy the time we have on Earth and help others, instead of wasting time on a god.

Assume you were the President and wanted to inspire people about Life, would you tell them that when you die, you live no longer?

No, I am not retarded.

Are atheist Presidents more likely to start nuclear war because they feel no Afterlife consequences?

No. It only means they'll be more logical.

What is the cause of atheism? The government, teachers, parents, siblings, friends, strangers...? No, the cause of atheism is greed.

What is the cause of Religion? Nothing.

I have no idea why people beleive in gods with no proof.

GreatTech,

If you really want to know why atheists are atheists, I'll give you the answer.

Atheists are normal, enlightened, intelligent human beings, who question what they are told, evaluate the facts and evidence and make a rational decision. They have decided that there is no empirical evidence whatsoever to support the hypothesis of a god / creator. They accept that what humanity does not currently know about the universe is simply things we have not yet discovered. They accept that there is nothing particularly unique or special about the human species other than the fact that this species dominates this planet (By the way, if there were two intelligent species that shared this planet and humans were not the more dominant, would you still be sure that God had made us in His image?). This dominance may not hold true for the rest of the universe. They accept as individuals, and collectively, that they do not have any special right to this planet any more so than any other creature on this planet. They accept logically that, like every other creature on this planet, that when they die, there will be no afterlife. They understand that organised religion is run by people who pursue power, influence and riches by manipulating the beliefs and thoughts of other people, and that the only difference between the clergy and politicians is the vehicle by which they attempt to achieve that power. They can tell right from wrong, but do not need to be told which is which by a clergyman nor a 2000 year old disjointed piece of supportive fiction.

If you really want to bring people closer to god, then a) disprove the above and b) provide empirical, solid evidence (not just your personal belief) that a god exists, any god of anyone's belief.

Finally, I'll ask you this - If you were a member of a jury in a murder case, would you decide the outcome on the fact that the accused appeared to be a pious individual, or would you decide on the basis of the evidence? Atheists have decided on the basis of the evidence! This certainly does not make them any lesser persons that you think you are.

The Winged Wombat

For all atheists: how can you prove that you exist? The fact is that God exists and that you exist.

Atheists frequently defend their belief by "science". What do you think of Isaac Newton, a believer in God (wrote many papers on theology) and probably the most creative scientist in world history?

Originally posted by GreatTech
For all atheists: how can you prove that you exist?

Cogito ergo sum

i think, therefore i am
-descartes

as long as i am thinking, i know i exist. the rest of the world could merely be a delusion for all i know.

The fact is that God exists and that you exist.

if god's existence was fact it would be subject to scientific scrutiny
can you back up the hypothesis of god's existence?

Atheists frequently defend their belief by "science". What do you think of Isaac Newton, a believer in God (wrote many papers on theology) and probably the most creative scientist in world history?

did atheists ever say that we believe in science as a religion? science is a tool, a method. anyone can use it.
but there is no way to judge creativity on a scale, so that statement is bunk
and newton also wrote on the transmutation of matter (alchemy)...

i think newton was a great scientist.
his religion has no bearing on his standing as a scientist, is work as a scientist does.

Originally posted by GreatTech
For all atheists: how can you prove that you exist? The fact is that God exists and that you exist.

I think madnessinmysoul answered this best.

Originally posted by GreatTech
Atheists frequently defend their belief by "science". What do you think of Isaac Newton, a believer in God (wrote many papers on theology) and probably the most creative scientist in world history?

We do not need to "defend" our beliefs anymore than you need to defend yours, they are beliefs and are therefore indefensible.
Atheists do not define their beliefs with science, we are defined by what we believe, nothing more.

Not all scientists are atheists nor are all theists fundamental extremists, once again your point is moot.

Originally posted by madnessinmysoul

Originally posted by GreatTech
For all atheists: how can you prove that you exist?

Cogito ergo sum

i think, therefore i am
-descartes

as long as i am thinking, i know i exist. the rest of the world could merely be a delusion for all i know.

Rene Descartes was a genius philosopher and mathematician, and believed in God. He realized that there was higher level of thinking than what human's think, i.e. the creation of a Universe.

Study up on Descartes.

I can show you a picture of myself, can you show me a picture of your god?

Didn’t think so.

I notice you are quite selective in the questions you chose to answer… I guess that’s one way to keep your faith….

So again I ask you, how about Dionysus?

You state so many things as facts that are nothing more than your opinion.



Why don't you worship the banana above? Would you if Descartes did?



[edit on 16/3/07 by ConspiracyNut23]

Originally posted by GreatTech
Rene Descartes was a genius philosopher and mathematician, and believed in God. He realized that there was higher level of thinking than what human's think, i.e. the creation of a Universe.

Study up on Descartes.

i've read up on descartes, his attempts to prove the existence of god were futile (just like all the others)

descartes believed in god, so what?
over 5 billion people believe in god in one way or another, but truth isn't democratic.

Originally posted by ConspiracyNut23
I can show you a picture of myself, can you show me a picture of your god?

How about doing some research on blind people who believe in God?

Originally posted by ConspiracyNut23
So again I ask you, how about Dionysus?

[edit on 16/3/07 by ConspiracyNut23]

Dionysus falls into the category of mythology, although he was in the mind of a creative writer.

Originally posted by GreatTech

Originally posted by ConspiracyNut23
So again I ask you, how about Dionysus?

[edit on 16/3/07 by ConspiracyNut23]

Dionysus falls into the category of mythology, although he was in the mind of a creative writer.

it's quite arrogant to call the legitimately religious beliefs of one group mythology without acknowledging your own as such

the "author" that thought up dionysus believed in dionysus as much as you believe in jesus.

Originally posted by madnessinmysoul

Originally posted by GreatTech
Rene Descartes was a genius philosopher and mathematician, and believed in God. He realized that there was higher level of thinking than what human's think, i.e. the creation of a Universe.

Study up on Descartes.

i've read up on descartes, his attempts to prove the existence of god were futile (just like all the others)

descartes believed in god, so what?
over 5 billion people believe in god in one way or another, but truth isn't democratic.

If you believe that all attempts to prove that God exists are futile, then would it not be futile to prove that you or anyone else exists?