Good does not exist? Then they have no right in complaining about being persecuted. They have no right in combating being burned at the stake by theists, because we all know that if there is no good, it does not matter what we do." "I am attempting to get the discussion of why people choose to be athiests. I want an honest discussion as to why people choose athiesm. I do not want a shallow, God does not exist answer either. Tell me what this belief has going for it? What makes it better then theism? More civilized and scientific then theism? How does it benefit society? How does it benefit psychology?
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What makes it better then theism?
It doesn't postulate absurdities. Plus, you get free beer.
More civilized and scientific then theism?
It allows skepticism.
How does it benefit society?
I don't know, you tell me what theism has done to society.
How does it benefit psychology?
Well, it's better saying "I can do it, maybe" than "Oh, I can't do it, God help me.
More civilized and scientific then theism?
Definitely.
How does it benefit society?
By removing all the "my god says to kill anyone who doesn't worship him" violence in the world.
How does it benefit psychology?
For a start, helping people realize that they are responsible for their own actions and that they need to treat their fellow humans with decency.
"Good does not exist? Then they have no right in complaining about being persecuted. They have no right in combating being burned at the stake by theists"
You, sir, have just admitted you are a moral monster, held only in check by fear of holy punishment.
We would do well to give you a wide birth before you go all VTech (I can only hope you go off in church, and not near rational people).
I am attempting to get the discussion of why people choose to be athiests.
Haven't chosen. I just looked on the evidence and at the moment this seems to be the most sensible option.
Tell me what this belief has going for it?
It's not a belief, it's a lack thereof.
What makes it better then theism?
It's not neccessarily better; it would actually be nice to believe there's a heaven waiting for me. But I have no source telling me that other than the Bible, and that's so riddled with factual errors I won't trust it with my entire lifestyle.
More civilized and scientific then theism?
Civilized is in part a subjective opinion but more scientiffic? OOOOOOH YEAH.
How does it benefit society?
I have no idea. But very few of the things we find important i society correlate with religion. People do what they want to do. If religion agrees, they use it as a tool, if it disagrees they ignore it.
How does it benefit psychology?
Uh... dunno.
Why is it better? Why is it more civilized (the scientific part is obvious; not basing your life on something that doesn't make sense makes it easier to look for answers that do make sense)? How does it benefit society? How does it benefit psychology?
Because it avoids the creation of a society in which theists like you think it's perfectly alright to burn other people at the stake. Because it makes it easier to develop a sense of right and wrong; as opposed to theism (or at least some religions) which leads people to think that the only reason they shouldn't do bad things is because they will be punished for it by an external supernatural being.
You yourself have just admitted that you are so hindered by your belief in god that you can not see any reason not to kill people unless there is something else watching you and judging you for your actions. You have apparently been prevented from developing the moral sense to see value in other human lives for their own sake, and that is one of the main 'dangers' of many religious views as far as society and psychology are concerned.
Then there is the whole issue of making illogical decisions, based on superstition, which negatively impact society...
Luckily, most theists aren't extremists so immersed in their fantasies that they are separated from all reason. Most theists are good people who wish fundies would stop making them look bad. And thank goodness, because otherwise humanity would be in deep trouble.
Well, "God does not exist" is a pretty good answer whether you like it or not.
Atheism does have a lot going for it, though. No religious objection to scientific or medical research (e.g. stem cell research), no wars fought on religious grounds, no stupid "goddidit" answers to replace intelligent discussions, and no need to waste precious fucking time going to church to listen to bullshit on a regular basis.
Without religion the World Trade Center would still be standing, the shit in Northern Ireland would never have happened, the Holocaust would never have happened, the Dark Ages would never have happened, etc etc.
And you ask what the benefits are?!
How does it benefit society?
Qui bono? Who benefits - or do you mean how does it benefit you?
It doesn't. It is what it is. Though some people are making a living explaining it, no priests are gaining power and money through atheism.
Your religion has no bearing on what we consider good or bad. History provides us with proof that all the laws and concepts of good in the Bible have been with us for over 4000 years. Since the Torah reaches back only 2700 and repeats concepts found in Hinduism and the teachings of many others, Christianity loses all claim to teaching the world of these beliefs.
Todays Christians are in fact a result of society, not it's leader. This is why you have uniquely different versions of it around the world. From the Christian light of Englands Anglicans to the Batshit Insanity of American Fundamentalism.
Dear Jiggles, no-one can CHOOSE what to believe. We have a duty to collect relevant information, and then accept that reality is real. Whether you like or not is irrelevant. Really really liking a belief does not make it true, and pretending that something is certain when you know it is not, is simply misguided.
It's not WHAT you believe that bothers me - though it is, to our knowledge, false. It's the unquestioning certainty of your belief. It's taking pride in ignorance, and the astonishing notion that arrogant ignorance is somehow a virtue.
atheist creed: I dont believe in God(s).
its not hard to understand, its not complicated, it says nothing about morality, creation or anything else.
As an atheist I get sundays off and dont have to contribute 10% of my weekly pay to support a minister.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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