A few questions for atheists

[Butterbean]

1.  Does human suffering play a big part in you considering yourself an atheist?

2.  Do you believe in free will?

3.  Do you believe in personal responsibility?

[columbusdude82]

1. Yes, more generally, all suffering, and more generally still, the problem of evil.

2. Yes

3. Yes

Just because I don't talk to imaginary friends doesn't mean I am a total savage, you know

[Butterbean]

Just because I don't talk to imaginary friends doesn't mean I am a total savage, you know

I don't think you're a savage coldude!

1. Yes, more generally, all suffering, and more generally still, the problem of evil.

By the problem of evil do you mean that you believe that evil exists?

[columbusdude82]

I don't think you're a savage coldude!

Why, thank you

By the problem of evil do you mean that you believe that evil exists?

By "problem of evil," I mean all the suffering, death, pain that goes on. Why would a loving god allow that. Either he is able to help, but unwilling... or he is unable to help in the first place. Why does a loving god allow bad things to happen to good people. Why does a loving god allow tsunamis and Katrinas. Why does a loving god not cure cancer.

I know the standard apologetics answers to these questions, and I must say I find none of them convincing.

[Deedee]

1. No, I just don't think that the obese, bald man picking his nose in the car at the light this morning was in any way, shape, or form, created in any God's image. I also don't believe I came from the rib of such a hapless creature.

2. Yes.

3. Yes.

[loco]

1. No, I just don't think that the obese, bald man picking his nose in the car at the light this morning was in any way, shape, or form, created in any God's image. I also don't believe I came from the rib of such a hapless creature.

2. Yes.

3. Yes.

Deedee,
are you an atheist?

[Deedee]

Deedee,
are you an atheist?

I have my belief system, which is incredibly similar to what was written in an article Candidate posted not so long ago. I think it was from the New York times. But no, I don't think we achieve everlasting life by giving ourselves to the spirit of Jesus Christ.  I respect the religious views of others, though.

Except the Discovery Institute people... 

[loco]

I have my belief system, which is incredibly similar to what was written in an article Candidate posted not so long ago. I think it was from the New York times. But no, I don't think we achieve everlasting life by giving ourselves to the spirit of Jesus Christ.  I respect the religious views of others, though.

I'm not familiar with that article.  What you posted above makes it seem like you are non-Christian, but not necessarily an atheist.  Do you believe there is no god and no spiritual realm?  Didn't you say that you are a Christian/Lutheran/Protestant, or is that what you used to be?

Except the Discovery Institute people... 

 

[ATHEIST]

1.  Does human suffering play a big part in you considering yourself an atheist?

2.  Do you believe in free will?

3.  Do you believe in personal responsibility?

1) yes, but its eaily not the majority

2) yes, but its hard within regards to religion

3) yes, absolutely. personal responsibility also includes staying true to the religion. i know many Christians who allow themselves certain sins that are mentioned in the bible, but still go to church evey sunday. the blatant disregard to the sin given that they know or believe the sin is not important or is guarantees to be forgiven anyway is a slap in the face to the bible.

[Dos Equis]

I have my belief system, which is incredibly similar to what was written in an article Candidate posted not so long ago. I think it was from the New York times. But no, I don't think we achieve everlasting life by giving ourselves to the spirit of Jesus Christ.  I respect the religious views of others, though.

Except the Discovery Institute people... 

You're not Lutheran? 

[Deicide]

1.  Does human suffering play a big part in you considering yourself an atheist?

2.  Do you believe in free will?

3.  Do you believe in personal responsibility?

1. Human suffering less so. I will just take a line from a film I like a lot.

Get with it. Millions of galaxies of hundreds of millions of stars, and a speck on one in a blink. That's us, lost in space. The cop, you, me... Who notices?

And yet I am to believe that some local fertility deity in a barren desert in a tiny land on this myopically small mudball of a planet is the author of the entire universe? Not buying it.

2. I am not a physicist or a neuroscientist but increasingly the findings of these disciplines seems to allude to the distinct likelihood that free will is an illusion. The more these sciences progress, the more free will seems to be an invention of imaginative theologians.

3. Even if free will is an illusion, the basic premise of societal intergration and interaction is one of personal responsibility. Until there is conclusive evidence one way or the other we have to assume that we are responsible.

[MMC78]

1.  Does human suffering play a big part in you considering yourself an atheist?

In part.  Human suffering leads me to reject traditional western religions. 

2.  Do you believe in free will?

The jury is still out for me on this.

3.  Do you believe in personal responsibility?

Yes.

[Hedgehog]

I have my belief system, which is incredibly similar to what was written in an article Candidate posted not so long ago. I think it was from the New York times. But no, I don't think we achieve everlasting life by giving ourselves to the spirit of Jesus Christ.  I respect the religious views of others, though.

Except the Discovery Institute people... 

Here's a friendly suggestion:

How about you try to openly try to take a stand for something, for once.

Instead of dodging the issue, trying to please each and everyfcuking one.

One thing you're not, and that is a dumb fcuk. You're quite intelligent.

So either you're an Atheist. Or you're not.

Are you afraid that STella won't "like" you anymore if you flat out say you're an Atheist? Or what is the problem?

C'mon Deeds.

It's just the Internet, it ain't that serious.

[Deedee]

Here's a friendly suggestion:

How about you try to openly try to take a stand for something, for once.

Instead of dodging the issue, trying to please each and everyfcuking one.

One thing you're not, and that is a dumb fcuk. You're quite intelligent.

So either you're an Atheist. Or you're not.

Are you afraid that STella won't "like" you anymore if you flat out say you're an Atheist? Or what is the problem?

C'mon Deeds.

It's just the Internet, it ain't that serious.

I know it's just the internet, which is why I save my real passion and fury for those irl. Your post is rather odd, Hedgie, since I did answer questions on a thread for atheists.  I would think that this, plus the other comments I've made on this board would indicate that I am an atheist. I hope STella does like me regardless, but I haven't hidden anything from her.  I've had lots of longwinded, pages long arguments with people... Bruce comes to mind immediately, so I'm also surprised at what you think is my wishy washiness.

Since you express interest though,    I consider myself part of Christian culture because that's what I grew up with.  Like a good Lutheran Protestant I believe that fresh air and fortitude are the cure alls for everything.  I would feel completely at home living within a Christian religious community, whereas I would feel completely out of place in an observant muslim community. Do you not agree that religious teachings do affect us from a cultural aspect, even if we discard the religion?

I believe that the earth itself is a giant "living" being, and consider it my "god" so to speak, although I realize how prosaic that sounds. I also have terrible and frightening premonitions about things... not lost keys or kittens... but deaths and stuff.  It leads me to believe in some human hive connectivity, and other realms of consciousness, but I don't dwell on it as I can't explain it. 

[Butterbean]

1. Human suffering less so. I will just take a line from a film I like a lot.
 

What film is that from T?

I hope STella does like me regardless,  

Of course Deeds

I also have terrible and frightening premonitions about things... not lost keys or kittens... but deaths and stuff. 

I would be interested in hearing more about this if you are inclined to share

[OzmO]

I also have terrible and frightening premonitions about things... not lost keys or kittens... but deaths and stuff.

Do you have Fatalist tendencies?

[Colossus_500]

I have my belief system, which is incredibly similar to what was written in an article Candidate posted not so long ago. I think it was from the New York times. But no, I don't think we achieve everlasting life by giving ourselves to the spirit of Jesus Christ.  I respect the religious views of others, though.

Except the Discovery Institute people... 

Deedee, everyone will achieve everlasting life.  It's where we spend the life of eternity that is in question. 

[columbusdude82]

Deedee, everyone will achieve everlasting life.  It's where we spend the life of eternity that is in question. 

Got evidence?

[Colossus_500]

Got evidence?

In my father's last days before he died, he was in and out of consciousness.  On two different occasions, it appears that my dad was talking to individuals who could not be seen with the naked eye.  My uncle was sitting in the room with my dad, and my dad looked up at something (someone) and said, "I know who you are.  I'm not ready yet."  And the night my dad died, my mom and my oldest brother were thinking that my dad had passed on a couple of different times, and they shouted his name.  At one point, my dad said to another person not visible to anyone else in the room, "Lord, I want to come, but they keep calling me back." 

I know that's not enough for you, C-dude.  But it's enough for me, especially when I've heard similar instances from others and their loved-ones who have passed on.

[columbusdude82]

In my father's last days before he died, he was in and out of consciousness.  On two different occasions, it appears that my dad was talking to individuals who could not be seen with the naked eye.  My uncle was sitting in the room with my dad, and my dad looked up at something (someone) and said, "I know who you are.  I'm not ready yet."  And the night my dad died, my mom and my oldest brother were thinking that my dad had passed on a couple of different times, and they shouted his name.  At one point, my dad said to another person not visible to anyone else in the room, "Lord, I want to come, but they keep calling me back." 

I know that's not enough for you, C-dude.  But it's enough for me, especially when I've heard similar instances from others and their loved-ones who have passed on.

I am feeling rather charitable today, so I am gonna let this one slip...

[Colossus_500]

I am feeling rather charitable today, so I am gonna let this one slip...

I appreciate that, bro.   

[Butterbean]

In my father's last days before he died, he was in and out of consciousness.  On two different occasions, it appears that my dad was talking to individuals who could not be seen with the naked eye.  My uncle was sitting in the room with my dad, and my dad looked up at something (someone) and said, "I know who you are.  I'm not ready yet."  And the night my dad died, my mom and my oldest brother were thinking that my dad had passed on a couple of different times, and they shouted his name.  At one point, my dad said to another person not visible to anyone else in the room, "Lord, I want to come, but they keep calling me back." 

I know that's not enough for you, C-dude.  But it's enough for me, especially when I've heard similar instances from others and their loved-ones who have passed on.

Ro = 

[Colossus_500]

Ro = 

Thanks, Buddyro.   

[OzmO]

I am feeling rather charitable today, so I am gonna let this one slip...

That's a sign of God beginning to reach you.

It's ok, deny it all you want.  I know what you think.

It's ok.   

[columbusdude82]

That's a sign of God beginning to reach you.

It's ok, deny it all you want.  I know what you think.

It's ok.  

Man, what is happening to me? I must be going all soft!