Mar 26 2012: Every culture in the world since time immemorial pays homage to a higher power because they needed to explain the then incomprehensible world around them. Someone had to interpret why lightning and thunder occasionally appeared, or why the drought ruined the crops. I'm pretty sure we're capable of explaining those phenomena now (before you jump at the opportunity, no we don't know everything yet nor do we have to know everything now).
Which is more beneficial? Whoever offers to pray for me will not change a single thing except for wasting their own time. The condescending one has no effect on anyone either.
Sadly the following questions you posted are not relevant to the previous topic. I'd rather be complimented. I'd rather be in the company of positive energy most of the time. Thank you for asking, but those answers don't relate to what we're talking about. Now, good and evil are difficult concepts, but surely anyone would like a nice dose of 'goodness' more. At the same time, you are equating a believer to possessing inherent goodness, which is nothing but nonsense. I could similarly establish a nonsensical argument against religion by asking you: Which is more beneficial - a person who offers to aid you through empirical means or one who discounts your capability for empathy and living life to the fullest based on your lack of belief in something they believe in?
It is a far too one-sided an argument and cannot be believed to apply.
About your last point, I refer you back to my last post. People aren't thinking about pink unicorns because their existence is not an argument that is brought into question all the time. You and I have been writing about pink unicorns quite a bit now, does not mean I acknowledge their existence. I don't have a relationship with any deity just because I have to express my disbelief in them fairly often or because I hear about them on the news. Once again, thinking of and crediting unicorns doesn't make them real.
Mar 25 2012: So, as I am one who does not believes in deities of any kind, would you say that I am your definition of a 'true' atheist. I truly believe it to be so and I am not just saying it to get a rise out of you. I have never seen anything to convince me otherwise and I wholeheartedly believe there to be no deities whatsoever.
Now, I am a part of the UNICEF team in my university. I volunteer to accompany elderly people who have no longer any friends nor family to talk to. I am an academically successful student headed for a cum laude degree with an inquisitive mind regarding the endless beauty of our world. I speak four languages because I believe a fuller linguistic comprehension allows me to connect with people more, both in understanding others and in explaining my own views to the best of my abilities. I exercise regularly and refrain from harming substances to keep myself in great shape to allow me to experience the world any which way I want. I love my family, my friends, my passions and the world. Yet here I stand, telling you that I believe there is no god. Once I leave this amazing, wondrous planet full of so many mysteries yet to be solved, so many places to visit, so many people to meet and experiences to be had, I will not move on to an afterlife. I will die and that will be the final period to my story.
Now please, please tell me that I remind you of a machine, how I am but a collection of chemical reactions and responses to external stimuli. Judging by the tone of your definition, you would also believe me to be inferior to you, if not personally then at least by quality of life. I'm a true atheist, I don't believe in the spiritual soul and I am certain that my life is as swell as yours. What does that say about this whole argument?
Mar 25 2012: Richard, the 'brain in a jar' argument doesn't apply as easily as you make it seem. While it is true that it cannot currently be proven true or false, the fact is irrelevant. No one is trying to claim that we are in deed brains in a vat and the statement doesn't affect anything. On the other hand, established major religions have billions of supporters who claim that their one and only religion is infallibly true. It's the good old 'burden of proof' argument. As long as believers want to convince other of their religion's monopoly on truthfulness, there needs to be some form of proof.
Now, at the same time, if someone believes in an indefinable deity outside the realm of organized religion, that's where I give up my efforts to seek evidence. If you simply believe in a higher power, go ahead. Call it Yahweh and we're going to have a discussion.
Mar 24 2012: I need to give thought to every major religion in the world because they are prevalent in our society. If there was a boom in pink-unicorn-in-blue-jeans believers, I would have to speculate on the reasons behind that as well.
As it stands, I've yet to have anyone condescendingly tell me that they're praying for the pink unicorn to save me, neither has anyone in a pink unicorn suit approached me in the bus, asking me to attend one of their weekly 'All things equine' sermons or picking up a conversation by asking me whether I care about my family (because the pink unicorn sure does). If writings of the unicorns ideology were to then demand a ban on gay marriage and abortion - writings which the staunch believers would determinedly stand by - I'd probably ponder the unicorn-faith's legitimacy as well.
You don't question the existence of unicorns because you don't have 80% of the world's population beating you to a pulp with incessant claims that the unicorns are out there and that you should let either the pink, purple or turquoise one into your heart.
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A reply on Conversation: This Question is for the people that believe in god. (Atheist views also please)
Which is more beneficial? Whoever offers to pray for me will not change a single thing except for wasting their own time. The condescending one has no effect on anyone either.
Sadly the following questions you posted are not relevant to the previous topic. I'd rather be complimented. I'd rather be in the company of positive energy most of the time. Thank you for asking, but those answers don't relate to what we're talking about. Now, good and evil are difficult concepts, but surely anyone would like a nice dose of 'goodness' more. At the same time, you are equating a believer to possessing inherent goodness, which is nothing but nonsense. I could similarly establish a nonsensical argument against religion by asking you: Which is more beneficial - a person who offers to aid you through empirical means or one who discounts your capability for empathy and living life to the fullest based on your lack of belief in something they believe in?
It is a far too one-sided an argument and cannot be believed to apply.
About your last point, I refer you back to my last post. People aren't thinking about pink unicorns because their existence is not an argument that is brought into question all the time. You and I have been writing about pink unicorns quite a bit now, does not mean I acknowledge their existence. I don't have a relationship with any deity just because I have to express my disbelief in them fairly often or because I hear about them on the news. Once again, thinking of and crediting unicorns doesn't make them real.
A reply on Conversation: This Question is for the people that believe in god. (Atheist views also please)
Now, I am a part of the UNICEF team in my university. I volunteer to accompany elderly people who have no longer any friends nor family to talk to. I am an academically successful student headed for a cum laude degree with an inquisitive mind regarding the endless beauty of our world. I speak four languages because I believe a fuller linguistic comprehension allows me to connect with people more, both in understanding others and in explaining my own views to the best of my abilities. I exercise regularly and refrain from harming substances to keep myself in great shape to allow me to experience the world any which way I want. I love my family, my friends, my passions and the world. Yet here I stand, telling you that I believe there is no god. Once I leave this amazing, wondrous planet full of so many mysteries yet to be solved, so many places to visit, so many people to meet and experiences to be had, I will not move on to an afterlife. I will die and that will be the final period to my story.
Now please, please tell me that I remind you of a machine, how I am but a collection of chemical reactions and responses to external stimuli. Judging by the tone of your definition, you would also believe me to be inferior to you, if not personally then at least by quality of life. I'm a true atheist, I don't believe in the spiritual soul and I am certain that my life is as swell as yours. What does that say about this whole argument?
A reply on Conversation: Science is a religion
Now, at the same time, if someone believes in an indefinable deity outside the realm of organized religion, that's where I give up my efforts to seek evidence. If you simply believe in a higher power, go ahead. Call it Yahweh and we're going to have a discussion.
A reply on Conversation: This Question is for the people that believe in god. (Atheist views also please)
As it stands, I've yet to have anyone condescendingly tell me that they're praying for the pink unicorn to save me, neither has anyone in a pink unicorn suit approached me in the bus, asking me to attend one of their weekly 'All things equine' sermons or picking up a conversation by asking me whether I care about my family (because the pink unicorn sure does). If writings of the unicorns ideology were to then demand a ban on gay marriage and abortion - writings which the staunch believers would determinedly stand by - I'd probably ponder the unicorn-faith's legitimacy as well.
You don't question the existence of unicorns because you don't have 80% of the world's population beating you to a pulp with incessant claims that the unicorns are out there and that you should let either the pink, purple or turquoise one into your heart.