Atheist, are you one??

[Sir Honkers]

To slightly paraphrase cicci, the purpose of life is itself. You think other animals sit 'round philosophising on the meaning of it all, just enjoy it why you've got it.

[scoundrel]

Originally Posted by loosegoose

To slightly paraphrase cicci, the purpose of life is itself. You think other animals sit 'round philosophising on the meaning of it all, just enjoy it why you've got it.

That would depend on how high they have climbed on Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

[howerd]

Originally Posted by supkev

How can I be a Athirst when God created everything,

Perhaps you can't be an atheist. We cannot chose what we believe or disbelieve in which case you may be just as 'fixed' in what you consider factual or unwarranted but at least I'd believe in a god if someone could supply a demonstrable reason to do so.

Originally Posted by supkev

I think it takes more faith to believe there isn't?

Do you? Does it also take more faith to not believe other unwarranted claims too like the Loch Ness Monster or Santa Claus then? I can't see how saying 'I don't believe you' is a position of faith seeing as it's a response to a claim rather than a claim in & of itself.

Originally Posted by supkev

Wait till you find out The Earth is really flat and we are under a Great Big Dome?

Errr... what?

Originally Posted by supkev

No one ever went to the Moon we can't leave The Earth or it's Atmosphere.

And you 'know' this how?

Originally Posted by supkev

Have you ever seen a real picture of The Earth from Space or was a Matte Painting or CGI?

Yes & the clouds were moving too & that was long before CGI could ever do that sort of thing.

Originally Posted by supkev

Everybody knows that this is it Mankind has run out of time, it's in the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars.

Errr.... do they? How exactly?

Originally Posted by supkev

You better put your Faith in Jesus the Christ instead of Atheism or your FUCKED!

Well as I've pointed out atheism isn't a claim it's the response to a claim but if gentle Jesus meek & mild will see to it that I roast in eternal agony I guess I am fucked because Mohammed said something similar if I don't worship Allah too & Hindus believe I could reincarnate as a worm or worse if I don't buy into Shiva & all those Hindu gods too. Well they can't all be right but they certainly can all be wrong so if I'm going to worry about any of these threats I'll need a pretty compelling reason to think any one of them isn't simply a scare story invented to convince the gullible. Got anything that couldn't simply be another claim? I rather doubt it. Surprise me. I like surprises!

[hoss]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

That would depend on how high they have climbed on Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

I don´t need Maslow`s hierarchy. I don´t need hierarchies at all. I´ll never understand people´s desire for a higher being to bow down to.

[Paddy Bog]

Blaise Pascal's wager that it is a safer bet to believe in God than not makes a lot of sense. If there is a God and you believe while living a good life then you win the ultimate jackpot of eternal life. If you don't believe and are a bad news person and there is a God you are in trouble. If there is no God then none of it matters and how will you never know anyway. The meaning of life is quite simple: You should leave the place in better shape than when you got here. On a personal note if there is a God and He is a kind and loving father it is doubtful many of His children will be damned even if they don't believe in God.

[SoIGotTheGroov]

Fapping over porn and believing in God, how cute...

[Sir Honkers]

I'm more of an apatheist than anything else. My big issue is not whether or not God exists, but rather, why is the god that so many people seem to believe in such an vindictive, mean-spirited arsehole. Why would anyone worship a god that's going to send you to hell forever if you're gay. Gees! Lighten up dude!
And how come people who say that bible is the literal word of God, skip the parts where it says that it's okay to beat your wife and sell your children into slavery...oh and the bit about how women should shut up and make the sammiches...although now that I think of it...

[limbodan]

Originally Posted by Paddy Bog

Blaise Pascal's wager that it is a safer bet to believe in God than not makes a lot of sense.

This is a terrible wager. First, one can't just choose to believe something. If you think you can, then I (hypothetically) challenge you to choose to believe that you can fly and then demonstrate that you really believe it by jumping off something from a great height without a parachute. Second, since people can't choose to believe something, that leaves pretenders. What do you think God would make of those people? Third, which God? Which denomination of which religion? You've got thousands of options. You're far more likely to get it wrong, than get it right. What if God is looking to reward people who do not believe in him/her/it on faith and instead demand evidence of existence? Wouldn't it be safer to be an atheist in that case?

[vinceprince]

Originally Posted by Paddy Bog

Blaise Pascal's wager that it is a safer bet to believe in God than not makes a lot of sense. If there is a God and you believe while living a good life then you win the ultimate jackpot of eternal life. If you don't believe and are a bad news person and there is a God you are in trouble. If there is no God then none of it matters and how will you never know anyway. The meaning of life is quite simple: You should leave the place in better shape than when you got here. On a personal note if there is a God and He is a kind and loving father it is doubtful many of His children will be damned even if they don't believe in God.

An (albeit extremely unlikely existing) all knowing God is just as likely to send you to eternal damnation for just treating faith as a cynical insurance policy and underestimating his all knowing powers.

These 'Gods' seem very vain and jealous, constantly demanding 'worship' a bit like Trump and are more likely to punish you for choosing the wrong 'God' than not believing any at all.

[Paddy Bog]

Ah, my friends you are mistaking religion, which was made by man, and God who has always existed for the believer. "I am that I am." (Exodus 3:14) The simple explanation is that there is only one God and people call Him, Her, It by many different names. That is where the problem comes from as people shaped religion. People believe that God acts like them. I often wonder if it all began when Ugh the sun worshiping caveman met Zug the moon worshiper and killed him for being a heretic. Or was it actually a fight over hunting grounds and the religious argument was a convenient excuse? "You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me." (Nahum 1:2) Or is it all about jealous people who hate others? Religion is still tied up in politics, economics, and social beliefs. Just because you have "Gott Mit Uns" on your belt buckle or shout "Allah Akbar" doesn't mean God is on your side as you slaughter different or nonbelievers, but try telling this to Nazis or Muslim fanatics. One more thing; I don't know what is out there in the supernatural or science department. The idea of a creator God sounds just as strange to me as a lightning bolt hitting a puddle containing amino acids and creating life.