Ask an Atheist.

This Thread is to be for Information and Answer and Questions.

As one of the outspoken Atheist on ATS, I thought this thread would be fitting, if Mods will be so kind to let it be.

I would be extremely disheartened if I find this thread to become nothing but hate talk, and personal jabs at people, for that is not the purpose.

It should be a discussion of what questions you would pose to an Atheist, as I'm sure there are a large amount of them around, and many that can't be filed down one by one.

I would also like to see a thread come about called Ask A Theist, as I couldn't post that, as I'm Atheistic, so it wouldn't be fitting.

From questions of "What made you become an Atheist" to "What if" type of questions are accepted and mostly all will be accepted.

Other Atheists may join in to answer, and Theists feel free and feel you won't because you won't, be attacked for your beliefs. Feel free to post your questions without fearing a arrogant comment coming at you.

Atheists, do not answer questions with other questions, just answer the question if you do decide to participate in my thread . Leave your questions for whom ever outspoken or spoken Theists makes a Mirror Thread.

I am extremely excited to see what questions are cast about, and would enjoy a very good talk.

Debates are accepted, and almost everything is, excluding hate talk, personal attacks, and well I need not explain because you know what is right/wrong. You just know.

*This thread if Kicked off well, will infact possibly end my countless threads questioning theists with evidence and questions, as they can all be spoken here, or in a mirror thread, and I anticipatorily and hesitantly hit the post thread button*

I have one.

Why must you provoke them?

reply to post by ZombieOctopus


I feel it's worth provoking.

Worth a good discussion.

If you can't see this so be it.

I have a question.

Why do atheists and theists not get along so well together when in all actuality, we're all searching for the same thing - the truth?

I might be overlooking some of the more evangelical types of athiests/thiests. However, aren't we all just trying to learn more about the world around us and the life that we're living?

p.s. I am religious and open to questions as well. I just don't take questions concerning modern day church because I myself do not quite agree with their views.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Why do you not think it silly to consider anything which is beyond your limited perspective is by default false?

Doesn't really work all that well for the ostrich.




[edit on 8/10/2009 by badmedia]

I have a question.

What is the issue of God and homosexuality all about?

Originally posted by Agree2Disagree
I have a question.

Why do atheists and theists not get along so well together when in all actuality, we're all searching for the same thing - the truth?

I might be overlooking some of the more evangelical types of athiests/thiests. However, aren't we all just trying to learn more about the world around us and the life that we're living?

p.s. I am religious and open to questions as well. I just don't take questions concerning modern day church because I myself do not quite agree with their views.

 

Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

 

Thank you for your real, and honest question, it's does go appreciated, know that.

I have always personally felt that, Theists, (though I can speak from prior experience as one, not for the whole group) believe that God is the only answer, and there is no real need for questioning.

I find it that they propose an answer to literally everything, yet is extremely lacking for the rest of us, who aren't (no semantics please) non religious don't just accept.

As for us not getting along, i'm trying here for ATS at least, to wave some nice gestures, whether it be accepted I will not know. Whenever two sides disagree, there will almost always be some anger within the two sides against one another.

Did you ever belong to a religion? If so, did you believe in God while you were a member of that religion?

How hard was it for you to give up your belief in God? Did you ever have relapses?

Do you think there is any validity in using Religion as a means of keeping social harmony in a society?

and

Do you think it's easier for people to turn to atheism today, where God(s) and super-naturalism seem to be more irrelevant than ever before in history.

Originally posted by In nothing we trust
I have a question.

What is the issue of God and homosexuality all about?

I believe the question would be suited better for a mirror thread.

Although I would say that it was a judgement that was cast down by a people a long time ago, that didn't understand another persons orientation and found it evil in that point, because it doesn't help pro create, and justified it by saying a deity was against it.

As a christian, I can see the curiousity in every one of the threads he writes. If you're a christian, or spiritual, i might add, and rightly, ask him some questions.

I propose that you are of the mind that the scientific method doesn't run your life, so you don't rely on it. You can neither prove nor disprove what you believe. Going off of that, my accusation is that my faith is black and yours is white.
catch my drift?

What do atheists believe lies beyond the grave ( nothing?) and as an atheist how do you account for near death experiences?

also

Why do most atheist look to science for answers when most scientists are religious? and do you personally believe in evolution (even with all the evidence for it being fabricated, such as mismatched bones)

i myself would consider myself a corss between an atheist and a pagan of sorts, so im just curious what you make of the above questions.

thanks.

Originally posted by Kaytagg
Did you ever belong to a religion? If so, did you believe in God while you were a member of that religion?

How hard was it for you to give up your belief in God? Did you ever have relapses?

Do you think there is any validity in using Religion as a means of keeping social harmony in a society?

and

Do you think it's easier for people to turn to atheism today, where God(s) and super-naturalism seem to be more irrelevant than ever before in history.

On a scale of 1-10, about a 7-8, 10 being it'd kill you for reference.

I've had times before we're i've caught myself in terrible situations and having no help asked a deity any deity for help, but caught myself, and said let's just see how it works out without his help 9 out of 10 times, it helped without a prayer. Lately through deaths of family members and friends I have not felt any comfort even slightly thinking their in gods hands or any hands. I have no relapses, except for the almost month long nightmares of me dying and being burned in hell, I have insomnia now, yet I know it's just from my indoctrination that I must overcome.

Religion has a good side to it, The one thing I loved about going to church, Methodist, Baptist, although churches have there political views and such that differ and cause a bit of anger, the community can be pretty nice. I loved going and seeing people that were for the most part friends, even if you didn't know them. Although I suppose joining a bowling club would be just about the same.

I think it is easier for more to turn to agnosticism then to atheism, atheism is a belief in no deity at all, yet people naturally yearn for a purpose and belonging and ultimate parent that they can turn away from organized religion, but not from the concept itself.

Reply to post by Republican08

Have you had prior experience with theists who do not associate with modern day church?

I believe these are the people that don't rationalise God as an answer for everything.

Imo, the whole topic is subjective to perception. That's why modern day church has struck a nerve with me.

You have undoubtedly met those that say 'because thats the way God made it' or whatever. I believe these people need to take a look at themselves separate from the church. Are those their opinions or are those the churches opinions? I believe that is where athiests and theists lose common ground.

Once the thiests learn to rationalise their beliefs, not the churches, with an athiest(who can open mindedly accept things, because neither the existence or lack thereof of a creator can be proven), that is when the real debate and eventual acceptance of different beliefs will arise.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Originally posted by phi1618
What do atheists believe lies beyond the grave ( nothing?) and as an atheist how do you account for near death experiences?

also

Why do most atheist look to science for answers when most scientists are religious? and do you personally believe in evolution (even with all the evidence for it being fabricated, such as mismatched bones)

i myself would consider myself a corss between an atheist and a pagan of sorts, so im just curious what you make of the above questions.

thanks.

There is nothing in my view beyond the grave, and I'd say in any atheists view, that you don't go anywhere, it's a tough concept, and scary one I deal with daily, but I know there is nothing.

NDE, there one of the things that baffled me, i've had a NDE before, and there was no light in a tunnel with family members, no looking down from above me, nothing like that. There was a 'lapse' in time, I suppose a coma patient would feel that way to.

A hallucination of the mind trying to understand what is happening, the mind is extraordinarily powerful and influencal thing, misinterpretations can be understandable, I'll find some documents from doctors about this in a bit.

I can find studies saying that atheist are better scientist then theist and vice versa, so i'll leave this question on the dryer. For now at least.

Appreciate your contribution.

Originally posted by Agree2Disagree
I have a question.

Why do atheists and theists not get along so well together when in all actuality, we're all searching for the same thing - the truth?

I might be overlooking some of the more evangelical types of athiests/thiests. However, aren't we all just trying to learn more about the world around us and the life that we're living?

p.s. I am religious and open to questions as well. I just don't take questions concerning modern day church because I myself do not quite agree with their views.

 

Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

 

I have always worried about one possibility and that is the "one world religion / new age" movement which has already planned to do away with both of us.. after they have achieved their goal.

www.libertyforlife.com...

sianews.com...

www.thetruthseeker.co.uk...

"We shall unleash the Nihilists and Atheists, and we shall provoke a formidable social cataclysm which in all its horror will show clearly to the nations the effect of absolute atheism, origin of savagery and of the most bloody turmoil. Then everywhere, the citizens, obliged to defend themselves against the world minority of revolutionaries, will exterminate those destroyers of civilization, and the multitude, disillusioned with Christianity, whose deistic spirits will be from that moment without compass (direction), anxious for an ideal, but with out knowing where to render its adoration, will receive the true light through the universal manifestation of the pure doctrine of Lucifer, brought finally out in the public view, a manifestation which will result from the general reactionary movement which will follow the destruction of Christianity and atheism, both conquered and exterminated at the same time" (William Guy Carr, Pawns in the Game, p. xv-xvi)

[edit on 10-8-2009 by infolurker]

reply to post by Agree2Disagree


There few and far between. I'll tell you that, and if they make it their opinion it is there's and become estranged from the church as if they never attend church again or another, they will keep those opinions. The seeds are deposited into the ground already.

Circular conversation: God is real, why is god real, because the bible says it's so, well why do you believe the bible, because god made it... Circular at the basis.

If you haven't look at Whydoesn'tgodhealamputees website, I adore it.

So my question is unworthy of an answer?

Originally posted by phi1618
What do atheists believe lies beyond the grave ( nothing?) and as an atheist how do you account for near death experiences?

Humans are machines. The most complex machines ever known. Robots that run on chemical reactions. Being such, when a person dies, they don't "go" anywhere. That's a delusional thought. The chemical reactions simply stop happening in a way that creates order from disorder.

What happens when you turn a computer off? Where does the information cached in the RAM go? Where do the bits of information in the processor go? How does the information on the hard drive continue to be read?

Obviously it doesn't go anywhere. It just stops happening. No more power is running through your computer, so the process just stops.

The same thing happens when your body dies. Your brain/heart/lungs/etc just stop working. When that happens, the person dies, and in essence, the "computer" is turned off.

Does this bother you -- that dieing is so permanent? It should -- because there is nothing more important than preserving every life, at all costs. Unfortunately, people seem to write off the value of life, especially religious people, because they do not comprehend how fragile and temporary it is.

also

Why do most atheist look to science for answers when most scientists are religious? and do you personally believe in evolution (even with all the evidence for it being fabricated, such as mismatched bones)

i myself would consider myself a corss between an atheist and a pagan of sorts, so im just curious what you make of the above questions.

thanks.

I think people who complain about the scientific method (or science, for that matter) do not understand a thing about it. It's easy to complain and criticize from a perspective of ignorance, because you don't have to formulate a logical argument. You just speak your emotional piece and ignore any refutations -- because you are either incapable of understanding them, or simply do not want to put in the effort to learn something you consider a threat.

I know that I believe in evolution. It's one of the most robust scientific theories out there. Arguments against evolution typically come from a perspective of ignorance. When people don't know a thing about what they're talking about, it's easy to criticize, because they do not have to formulate a cohesive, logical argument. It's a bit like not knowing how to add, and saying 1+1 can't equal 2, because two 1's make 11 instead

I'm not interested in looking up the statistics, but I've always heard that most scientists are atheist/agnostic, not religious.

It has been a nice discussion. I don't really have any other questions. I can accept the views of others quite easily seeing as how everything to me is an issue of perception and understanding.

If you, or anybody else here for that matter, have questions for me I'd be more than willing to answer.

Thanks again for the brief but enjoyable discussion.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Originally posted by badmedia
Why do you not think it silly to consider anything which is beyond your limited perspective is by default false?

Doesn't really work all that well for the ostrich.




[edit on 8/10/2009 by badmedia]

It seemed antagonistic, and distasteful, nonetheless i'll have a crack at it.

We're not ostriches. Point 1

It seems silly itself to embrace and live the entire which is quite long and short life you have around an idea solely because it is deemed unthinkable.

IE Teapot theory.

Or stork theory, yet that can be disproven after years and years of trying to.

It was silly for people to believe in zeus, yet it is still being done.

I hesitantly say silly, only because the poster brought it up, it's not meant to be an attack on a person, not falling in that trap!