The Growth of Atheism and What it Means for Our Future

Originally posted by gentledissident
There is no faith in not believing. Belief requires faith because an unprovable entity is introduced where there was none.

Flawed.

Do you have faith that your parents will not remove you from existence?
Do you have faith in your siblings capability to protect you?
Do you have faith that your children will succeed?
Do you have faith in your abilities to love?

How do you know how to trust someone? Do you have faith in them?

Originally posted by Section31

Originally posted by gentledissident
There is no faith in not believing. Belief requires faith because an unprovable entity is introduced where there was none.

Flawed.

Why?

Were you just walking around on the planet when someone came up to you and said there is an invisible purple dragon floating over us? When you asked them to prove it, did they reply "Faith"? Well, it happened to me. True story bro.

Originally posted by Section31 Do you have faith that your parents will not remove you from existence?
Do you have faith that in your siblings capability to protect you?

That was never guaranteed while they were alive. I'm pretty confident I'm safe now that they're dead.

Originally posted by Section31

Originally posted by guitarplayer
reply to post by Equinox99

 

What books do you read? Where do you get your ideas from? Did they fall out of the sky or did you read a book or see a film that influenced you in what you believe?

I gave you the first star. Why?

You cannot answer your questions without saying, "I believe science is correct because 'I have faith' in the person who has written them".

I BELEIVE THAT GOD GAVE THE PERSON THE BRAINS TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD BEEN HIDDENED BY GOD UP TO THAT TIME.

What that means is that you believe in something, and that is why your philosophy is the same thing as religion.

You have faith in a bigger explanation for your existence, which you cannot completely comprehend without help.
THE HELP THAT I HAVE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE WORD OF GOD.
Link: Brainy Quote

Science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths. ~ Karl Popper

In so far as a scientific statement speaks about reality, it must be falsifiable; and in so far as it is not falsifiable, it does not speak about reality. ~ Karl Popper

Hmm... Interesting philosophy.

The tools tools used for war were create through the use of science. Regardless about religion's existence, mankind would have killed themselves anyway.

edit on 6/13/2011 by Section31 because: (no reason given)

Originally posted by Section31
Flawed.

Do you have faith that your parents will not remove you from existence?
Do you have faith in your siblings capability to protect you?
Do you have faith that your children will succeed?
Do you have faith in your abilities to love?

How do you know how to trust someone? Do you have faith in them?

Atheism is about the lack of faith that god exists not about other things that people have faith in.

Of course we all have faith but not all have faith in the existence of god.

reply to post by guitarplayer

Can you separate my words from your words?

I want to see your reply.

There's more openly atheist people for the same reason there's more openly homosexual people. We have become slightly less ignorant as a species.

Originally posted by Section31
Do you have faith in your siblings capability to protect you?
Do you have faith that your children will succeed?
Do you have faith in your abilities to love?

How do you know how to trust someone? Do you have faith in them?

edit on 6/13/2011 by Section31 because: (no reason given)

Ah, you added some more questions.

My siblings are/were nasty and vile. They were control freaks who brought about their own demise. No, I didn't trust them.

I don't know if my kid will succeed. I know that she is growing up in a far from ideal system. I tell her this and giver her survival tips, but I know I may have to support her for a long time.

I explained earlier that love is my enjoyment of those who make me happy. I'm appreciative of laughter and beauty. I find everyone attractive and most people humorous.

I don't trust anyone. I'm just always prepared to compensate for someone else's failure. Some people come through more often than others. Those are the ones I tend to rely on more.

Originally posted by kanetaker
I have been an atheist for about 13 years I was raised religious but I have always loved science my whole life and the more I learned the more it seemed to me that the science was the truth and the bible was just a bunch of fairy tales written to control people.

Then I hope you are a better scientist than ancient literature scholar...

At this point in the debate, I am going to hold off on replying. After going back through the last few pages, two posters have names that start with the letter 'G'. Since I was not paying attention to the momentum, I got confused about which person was an Atheist and who was a Christian.

One person replied with an Atheist answer, but they were using it to support a religious perspective. As a result of posts getting crossed, I had lost tract of who is on first, second, and third.

My apology for the mix up. It is getting late here, so fatigue could very well be contributing.

Edit--
What I will say is that it is okay to have different philosophies on life. Blaming religion for a world based upon man's motivations to survive is foolish. Its all psychological.

Psychology dictates that mankind focuses on only three motivations. We are driven by the need for safety, food, and reproduction.

Religion is one out of a billion tools, which we use to personalize our existence.

Regardless about your choice of weapon, religion or science, the main motivation is to survive a world of cruelty. Humanity lives a harsh and dark existence. If people want to give meaning to that existence, I have no problem with their rationalizations. Why/ I do it myself.

reply to post by kro32


Most well-thought, non-religious folk are more Agnostic (The existence of a god is unknowable...) then Atheist,..

Accepting the reality of the ignorance is the path of rational, free-thinking entities...that path will lead somewhere...

Religious folk are trained to dwell on the unknowable... that makes them think they are enlightened...that path leads nowhere...which is where religious folk thrive...

Originally posted by Section31
reply to post by guitarplayer

 

Can you separate my words from your words?

I want to see your reply.

edit on 6/13/2011 by Section31 because: (no reason given)

You asked
I gave you the first star. Why?

1.You cannot answer your questions without saying, "I believe science is correct because 'I have faith' in the person who has written them".

What that means is that you believe in something, and that is why your philosophy is the same thing as religion.

2.You have faith in a bigger explanation for your existence, which you cannot completely comprehend without help.
.

1.I BELEIVE THAT GOD GAVE THE PERSON THE BRAINS TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD BEEN HIDDENED BY GOD UP TO THAT TIME.

2.THE HELP THAT I HAVE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE WORD OF GOD FIRST AND WHEN IT COMES TO MORE TECH STUFF I READ OTHER BOOKS.

reply to post by HunkaHunka


The fact he views science and the Christian bible as a either or scenario argues against that.

Originally posted by guitarplayer
1.I BELEIVE THAT GOD GAVE THE PERSON THE BRAINS TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD BEEN HIDDENED BY GOD UP TO THAT TIME.

2.THE HELP THAT I HAVE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE WORD OF GOD FIRST AND WHEN IT COMES TO MORE TECH STUFF I READ OTHER BOOKS.

Cool. Thanks for clearing that up. I agree with your logic.

I got completely messed up. I apologies.

reply to post by Ricola


good god, that makes sense. lolz.

reply to post by coastlinekid


As do atheists. Who also attempt to absorb agnosticism through semantic twists. Which annoys the heck out of me. I neither deny or accept the idea so am by no means a atheist. BS about it being a simple lack while actively seeking to deny aside.

My point is, both sides minds are firmly shut in simular albeit contradictory fashions.

reply to post by Watcher-In-The-Shadows


I'm sorry dude, I don't understand what you just said,... "semantic twists"?...the last thing honest Atheist or Agnostic folk are accused of being is semantic...that is the realm of the superstitious,... or religious folk...rational entities communicate with language in an honest fashion... the interpretation of the words used in that communication may be up for discussion,... but they are not presented in a deceptive fashion the way religious entities communicate...

Originally posted by Section31
reply to post by guitarplayer

 

Can you separate my words from your words?

I want to see your reply.

edit on 6/13/2011 by Section31 because: (no reason given)

If you have given me a star by mistake please have the PTB take it back...OK?

Originally posted by Watcher-In-The-Shadows My point is, both sides minds are firmly shut in simular albeit contradictory fashions.

I am 100% open to proof of a deity.

Originally posted by gentledissident

Originally posted by Watcher-In-The-Shadows My point is, both sides minds are firmly shut in simular albeit contradictory fashions.

I am 100% open to proof of a deity.

What would that take? A big voice from heaven? Not going to happen.

Originally posted by nicolee123nd
If you ever get into a religious conversation with an atheist, at one point the person almost always says "I was raised Christian..." How come you never hear a person say "I was born an atheist..."? This simple notion is evidence that the population of atheists is growing -- religious people are changing their minds!

In America, studies showed that 8% of people were atheist/agnostic/nonreligious in 1990 source That means that the non-faithful population has skyrocketed to almost double in 18 years!

But, why? In my opinion, it has a lot to do with the less restraint that Christianity has on people nowadays (in America, at least). It's now less taboo to doubt God, compared to 60 years ago where if your thoughts even wondered you'd be damned to Hell.If you think back to the pre-1950s, many people considered it taboo to even not attend church every Sunday, to support homosexuality, to have an abortion or even use birth control, etc. The Christian Church had a much stronger hold on us back then. And now that people have the power to think freely, they may realize that they've put their faith in something that they now realize isn't so legitimate.

Some people may see the growth in nonreligious people as a bad thing, weather it's for the sake of their religion or that they just don't like atheists. But I see this as a good thing. I'm an atheist, and I'm gonna admit, I think religion is holding us back from advancing, scientifically and spiritually.

An atheist population can become more scientifically advanced, mostly because religious activists won't get in the way. For example, the only reason evolution is a theory and not a law is because there are too many creationists in the equation. Face it, there's too much evidence and nothing to disprove evolution. Aside from evolution, there would be so much more scientific opportunities for the future, such as stem cell research, better birth control, origins of life on earth, searching for life on other planets, origins of the universe, and so much more. All because the Bible isn't stopping us anymore.

Without religion (Christianity in particular), we could have a better society overall. No longer would gays, women, blacks, and anyone else looked down on in some religions be considered lesser citizens. Kids wouldn't be bullied for their beliefs. It's a fact that, if there was no religion, most wars wouldn't have been fought. Some say 90% of wars are started because of religion, some say only 15%, but there is no way to tell really.



There's no debating that America is becoming less and less religious. Do you think this is good or bad? What would you say is up for the future?

Your ignorance of history and religion makes me sad.

Originally posted by nicolee123nd
Without religion (Christianity in particular), we could have a better society overall. No longer would gays, women, blacks, and anyone else looked down on in some religions be considered lesser citizens. Kids wouldn't be bullied for their beliefs. It's a fact that, if there was no religion, most wars wouldn't have been fought. Some say 90% of wars are started because of religion, some say only 15%, but there is no way to tell really.

I am guessing you auto atheist filter, filtered out the facts that Christianity is what led to the end of slavery, end of Jim Crow, helped get women the vote(contrary to popular beliefs back in the early 1900's the Women's Klu Klux Klan had more influence and power then feminist's[the two merged sometime in the 50's]) as the suffragettes(who hated feminist's, the suffragettes where right wing traditionalist's) where big on religion.

As per atheism, I don't think it is on the rise. It is just those who are biologically defective and can't feel spirituality are now more free to speak their minds(much to biologically functioning peoples dismay. While many people, in particular males, are deep sixing organized religion left and right.

Right now if it wasn't for women there wouldn't be organized religion in this Country because of how much the Church's alienated males in their zeal to appeal to feminist's.

P.S
if American atheist's aka Progressives had their way.. Just read "The Giver" and "Brave New World". Because that is were the future is if the future is atheist.

Also look up the fabled atheist Che Guevara:
www.slate.com... (I hate the website but I figure a lefty will take a lefty link easier)
www.independent.org...
www.therealcuba.com...

Look up the Soviet Union.