Why Atheism is being promoted by TPTB

reply to post by snowspirit


if you live for the philosophy of "what if"

philosophize this,

What if God exists?
and you stay an atheist.

dont come ringing the bells saying but

What if God doesn't exist?
then all you would have done is lived a very positive life.

Peace

The correct answer is that TPTB want atheism because atheism is a moral and ethical vacuum. In that vacuum, they will be free to retrain you to believe anything they want you to believe. Read 'Brave New World' for more info.

reply to post by ShadowZion


What a huxsterish proposition.

Many Christian apologetics suggest such a sleasy wager for submitting to their belief structure, or at least belief in their theory of a deity:-

"Pascal's Wager"

Pascal's Wager (or Pascal's Gambit) is a suggestion posed by the French philosopher, mathematician, and physicist Blaise Pascal that even if the existence of God cannot be determined through reason, a rational person should wager as though God exists, because living life accordingly has everything to gain, and nothing to lose.

Compare that to the "Atheist's Wager"

You should live your life and try to make the world a better place for your being in it, whether or not you believe in god. If there is no god, you have lost nothing and will be remembered fondly by those you left behind. If there is a benevolent god, he will judge you on your merits and not just on whether or not you believed in him.

So

Which is more courageous?

Which is more honest?

Which is more noble?

Originally posted by ExistentialNightmare

What a huxsterish proposition. Many Christian apologetics suggest such a sleasy wager for submitting to their belief structure (etc etc.)

"Atheist's Wager"

You should live your life and try to make the world a better place for your being in it, whether or not you believe in god. If there is no god, you have lost nothing and will be remembered fondly by those you left behind. If there is a benevolent god, he will judge you on your merits and not just on whether or not you believed in him.

Bitter, hateful people who rant and demean people of faith won't be remembered fondly. Sorry.

reply to post by Observer99

Bitter, hateful people who rant and demean people of faith won't be remembered fondly. Sorry.

Bitter, hateful people who rant and demean people won't be remembered at all. Sorry.

reply to post by Observer99

Bitter, hateful people who rant and demean people of faith won't be remembered fondly. Sorry.

No need to be sorry; I agree with you.

I, personally, support an individual's freedom to believe whatever he or she wishes......but on a forum, where discussion and debate is occuring, faith or beliefs systems should not be expected to be exempt from criticism or philosophy enquiry.

Originally posted by Observer99
Bitter, hateful people who rant and demean people of faith won't be remembered fondly. Sorry.

Possibly.

But rational, intelligent people who point out the irrationality of faith-based beliefs will be celebrated.

reply to post by Cantmakedisup


This Athiests good, Christians bad reversal is the same argument as the OP. I feel the lines are blurry between the two. All the atheists saying they are more ethical withou God in their life and that those who folllow God are hyopcritcs and worse.

What is the point of all of this?

God or not? It's about finding purpose in life and being a positive contributor to our world. We need kindness, love, understanding and compassion for others and our planet.

Why is their so much venom against Christianity and againt Atheism. We are all one people. TPTB are the ones clouding our judgement and poisoning our food and water, killing others and propagating a controlled fear based society. We need to focus our attention on healing our world and awakening others.

As a Christian... I do not judge others regardless of their religious beliefs. I want us all to be free. I live a life of freedom and I live with love for others... I am sure many Atheists have the same benevolent intentions.

Let's help our world and brethren...

Royal

reply to post by ExistentialNightmare


Pascal's Wager (or Pascal's Gambit) is a suggestion posed by the French philosopher, mathematician, and physicist Blaise Pascal that even if the existence of God cannot be determined through reason, a rational person should wager as though God exists, because living life accordingly has everything to gain, and nothing to lose.

Pascal's Wager does not appear to be an accurate proclaimation. For me, when following God I have had alot to lose by worldly standards and often times little to gain in the eyes of the world. To forsake riches, wealth, personal satisfication, glory, ego, lust and love of women is a lot to lose if you follow God. Only through knowing and feeling God's love can these rational losses (offerings) be given without remorse, regret, or resentment. Following a righteous path is filled with hardship and sacrifice and the easy way though it brings more temporal rewards does not have the same spiritually lifting deep felt benefits.

God's blessings can be seen and felt if you have open eyes and an open heart....

reply to post by GoldenVoyager

God's blessings can be seen and felt if you have open eyes and an open heart....

No, no they can't. You can tell yourself there is invisible blessings, but there is nothing there but the void.

I'm good without God anyway.

reply to post by ExistentialNightmare


You can feel the Holy Spirit. It is unlike anything you have ever felt when it fills you. God's healing power can also be seen and felt. I know this from 1st hand experience and I am sure I am not alone.

My best friend at work is an Atheist after saying he believed in Christianity a long time ago. He is 42 and having health issues. His trials and tribulations are being amplified as his Atheism isn't given him hope and reassurance. He is so against Christianity and any belief in any afterlife that his own potential demise brings him to a very dark place.

I am happy that you feel strong and secure without God, but deep down I think we all beckon for something more and a belief that life has meaning...

I searched long and hard and am blessed to have been touched by His hand. I can only offer you my knowledge and experience that there is something much more out there... what it all means is still a puzzling mystery to me, but there is an unseen positive divine force... that does not have to be invisible once you come to know that this force is real.

Unlike most of American society, I do not lie to my kids about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, but I do teach them about Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

reply to post by GoldenVoyager

You can feel the Holy Spirit.

Explain how? By what sensory perception.

Or perhaps "Extrasensory perception" ( What psychics, fortune tellers, mediums and astrologists claim to have)

Or perhaps it's all cold-reading? Perhaps it's word conjuring. Off-loading human characterists onto the void or a non-existing character and naming that character, void or nature as "GOD"?

God's healing power can also be seen and felt.

Tell that to the many dying from starvation or disease; do their prayers help? Can God's healing power been seen and felt?

I know this from 1st hand experience and I am sure I am not alone.

Maybe you need a bigger sample size.

Unlike most of American society, I do not lie to my kids about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, but I do teach them about Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

Even though his existence can't be proved and many of his alledged preaching was immoral?

We can't prove Socrates existed but his words and wisdom don't come with supernatural strings attached, his moral philosophy doesn't come with hellfire, or judgement. And we don't have to believe he was the Son of God to appreciate his wisdom.

Originally posted by Regenstorm


Atheism is a "all Clear"-Sign for taking no responsibility for "your" actions. It's a free ticket for egoism, narcissism, cheating, lying, violence, vulgarity and indecent behavior. Because according to atheists there is no life after death, it's just this one time that you are here. So "you" want to have as much fun as possible regardless of the consequences for the rest of the world/people. Right?

uh, i think it's quite the opposite. if one is an atheist, he or she can't claim that some supernatural entity is behind their actions. also, people can construct their own moral codes, you know, they don't have to get them from ancient books. anyway, religion is constantly used to justify the things that you claim atheists have a lust for - like violence.

OP
You're creating a false dichotomy, where if one does not believe in God, then they must be an immoral person.
That's utter nonsense.

I would actually say that Atheists take more personal responsibility than you do. They behave the way they do based on what they feel is right. God doesn't need to tell you what's right. If one doesn;t know that cheating, lying and killing is wrong then they have more problems than their lack of faith. How is one taking personal responsibility for their behavior if the sole reason for it is fear or deterrence? Behaving morally because God is watching is hypocritical. It isn't really "good" if you aren't choosing it for yourself, but rather choosing it because you're taught it is the Christian way and the wrath will be upon you. That's silly.

Atheists keep it simple. They know what's right and wrong and they hopefully choose right more often than wrong. Same as you. They just only believe what they see.

The media is only pushing common sense on the issue. No one is trying to take God away from you.