Athiest in society

[EKKC]

atheist here

if there really was a god, then he probably meant to have a bunch of nonbelievers (us atheists) on earth anyway. doesnt he always work in his own mysterious, unexplained way? so to you religious people: why bother changing what god meant to do?

 

[vi edit]

I don't beleive in Karma in the textbook sense where it's a punishment through some sort higher power reward or punishment for your actions.

But I do believe that many people who live particular lifestyles or surround themselves with certain types of people or activities have much higher chances of having something related to their lifestyle/activies happen to them.

For better or for worse. People that surround themselves with negative people and activities will have higher chances of something "bad" happening. Those who surround themselves with positive influences have a better chance of having something "good" happen to them.

 

[ghostman]

Originally posted by: rudeguy

Originally posted by: Kadarin

Originally posted by: rudeguy
Why not do those things? If there is no heaven or hell, why not tear it up?

Not everyone has chosen to base their sense of morality on the fear of going to Hell.

So what is it based on?

I lived life for a long time with no direction. Basing all my decisions on what I wanted and thought I needed. That way of life sucked.

Dr. Jung talks about this a lot. Most people wander through life feeling unfulfilled and are constantly looking to fill a void they feel within themselves. He calls it a spiritual void. People throw themselves into work, sports, gardening, raising wild coconuts...those are all fine hobbies but nothing to live your life around. True fulfillment comes when you are basing your decisions on something greater than yourself.

I would never dream of forcing my beliefs on another person but I do think its important to share my experiences.

Sorry. Not to nitpick, but my English teacher made a point of correcting me every time I used the word "most". It drove me nuts, but it seems more sensible now. "Most" requires you to have knowledge of a majority. When people use the phrase "most people," it would require that the person using it knows the majority of people in the world. It would be more appropriate to use the word "many" which could be any amount of people.

I point that out not to be as ass, but because it's relevant in what you're currently saying. I don't disagree with you that religion fills a void for many people. I see subway preachers all the time, describing how they used to be a drug addict and were saved by Jesus. But not even Dr. Jung (no clue who he is) can claim that most people wander life with a void, much less claiming how true fulfillment can be attained by most people. I think religion has its place. It helps to provide community, hope and purpose to some people. But not everyone needs religion to provide that.

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: vi edit
I don't beleive in Karma in the textbook sense where it's a punishment through some sort higher power reward or punishment for your actions.

But I do believe that many people who live particular lifestyles or surround themselves with certain types of people or activities have much higher chances of having something related to their lifestyle/activies happen to them.

For better or for worse. People that surround themselves with negative people and activities will have higher chances of something "bad" happening. Those who surround themselves with positive influences have a better chance of having something "good" happen to them.

I really like the way you put that.

That is basically what I believe, however I believe that God is the mysterious force that makes those things happen.

 

[Oyeve]

IMO, stating you are an athiest is equivalent to saying you believe in god/gods. If you have to STATE you are anything means you want to spread your belief and let people know your belief, and doesnt religion do the same?

I myself follow no religion or belief, all I know is I am here and just am.

 

[yours truly]

maybe God has abandoned us, and started work on Earth2

i wouldnt blame him/her, i would have given up on humanity along time ago

 

[jonks]

I prefer to think the fucked up planet we live on with people doing all sorts of unbelievably evil things to each other is NOT being done under the watchful, yet grossly negligent, eye of the benevolent creator of all existence.

 

[magomago]

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: rudeguy
Why not do those things? If there is no heaven or hell, why not tear it up?

Not everyone has chosen to base their sense of morality on the fear of going to Hell.

So what is it based on?

A selfish, but socially convenient construct called "The Golden Rule".

I really don't like being punched in the face, so I don't do it to you. I don't like being stolen from, so I don't do it to others. I appreciated it when people open the door for me and lend a hand, so I do it for them. It's very simplistic set of guidelines that many people have imbedded into their behavior that help us function as a soceity.

It's not perfect. Somepeople may like getting kicked in the crotch. Other people may enjoy doing everything for themselves and want no assistance. Others may want it, but are too selfish to either return the favor or stop themselves from doing something they don't want done to themselves.

You have the golden rule wrong. The golden rule is "do unto others as you would like done to you".
What you described in the first example is "don't do to others what you don't want done to yourself" and actually appears in Confucian Philosophy. It is sometimes called the "Chinese Golden Rule". the second example is also the Chinese Golden rule; your example of the door is the golden rule as we know it.
Although they are similar, the actual implications create huge differences. I think in a world that we live in, the latter is far more practical and realistic.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: Oyeve
IMO, stating you are an athiest is equivalent to saying you believe in god/gods. If you have to STATE you are anything means you want to spread your belief and let people know your belief, and doesnt religion do the same?

I myself follow no religion or belief, all I know is I am here and just am.

Sounds like you are a Nihlist

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: Oyeve
IMO, stating you are an athiest is equivalent to saying you believe in god/gods. If you have to STATE you are anything means you want to spread your belief and let people know your belief, and doesnt religion do the same?

I myself follow no religion or belief, all I know is I am here and just am.

Sounds like you are a Nihlist

No, I have morals. Look up the word.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
As the atheist was walking through the woods.

He said to himself. "What majestic trees, what powerful rivers, and what beautiful animals!"

As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder & saw that the bear was closing in on him. He looked over his shoulder again, & the bear was even closer. He tripped & fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw & raising his right paw to strike him. At that instant the Atheist cried out, "Oh my God!"

Time Stopped.

The bear froze.

The forest was silent.

As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. "You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to cosmic accident." "Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"

The atheist looked directly into the light, "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian."

"Very Well," said the voice.

The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed. And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke: ?Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty??

Wow, that's almost ridiculous enough to be in the bible.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: vi edit
I don't beleive in Karma in the textbook sense where it's a punishment through some sort higher power reward or punishment for your actions.

But I do believe that many people who live particular lifestyles or surround themselves with certain types of people or activities have much higher chances of having something related to their lifestyle/activies happen to them.

For better or for worse. People that surround themselves with negative people and activities will have higher chances of something "bad" happening. Those who surround themselves with positive influences have a better chance of having something "good" happen to them.

Well, yeah.
And if I surround myself with water, I have a better chance of getting wet. 😛

 

[meltdown75]

ugh. of all the subforums they created, to think if they could have just made ONE MORE, we could keep all of these trolls in the same frickin spot.

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: ghostman

Originally posted by: rudeguy

Originally posted by: Kadarin

Originally posted by: rudeguy
Why not do those things? If there is no heaven or hell, why not tear it up?

Not everyone has chosen to base their sense of morality on the fear of going to Hell.

So what is it based on?

I lived life for a long time with no direction. Basing all my decisions on what I wanted and thought I needed. That way of life sucked.

Dr. Jung talks about this a lot. Most people wander through life feeling unfulfilled and are constantly looking to fill a void they feel within themselves. He calls it a spiritual void. People throw themselves into work, sports, gardening, raising wild coconuts...those are all fine hobbies but nothing to live your life around. True fulfillment comes when you are basing your decisions on something greater than yourself.

I would never dream of forcing my beliefs on another person but I do think its important to share my experiences.

Sorry. Not to nitpick, but my English teacher made a point of correcting me every time I used the word "most". It drove me nuts, but it seems more sensible now. "Most" requires you to have knowledge of a majority. When people use the phrase "most people," it would require that the person using it knows the majority of people in the world. It would be more appropriate to use the word "many" which could be any amount of people.

I point that out not to be as ass, but because it's relevant in what you're currently saying. I don't disagree with you that religion fills a void for many people. I see subway preachers all the time, describing how they used to be a drug addict and were saved by Jesus. But not even Dr. Jung (no clue who he is) can claim that most people wander life with a void, much less claiming how true fulfillment can be attained by most people. I think religion has its place. It helps to provide community, hope and purpose to some people. But not everyone needs religion to provide that.

I was using Jung's words when I said most, not my own. Dr. Jung was one of the top psychiatrists in the world in the early 20th century. He was more than qualified to use the term most.

He once told a man, much like the drug addict in the subway, that the only chance he had to save his life was to have a spiritual awakening. The man did just that and learned that he also had to spread the message in order to maintain. This message has been passed to millions of people now.

That is why I am not afraid to share my views.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: rudeguy

Originally posted by: ghostman

Originally posted by: rudeguy

Originally posted by: Kadarin

Originally posted by: rudeguy
Why not do those things? If there is no heaven or hell, why not tear it up?

Not everyone has chosen to base their sense of morality on the fear of going to Hell.

So what is it based on?

I lived life for a long time with no direction. Basing all my decisions on what I wanted and thought I needed. That way of life sucked.

Dr. Jung talks about this a lot. Most people wander through life feeling unfulfilled and are constantly looking to fill a void they feel within themselves. He calls it a spiritual void. People throw themselves into work, sports, gardening, raising wild coconuts...those are all fine hobbies but nothing to live your life around. True fulfillment comes when you are basing your decisions on something greater than yourself.

I would never dream of forcing my beliefs on another person but I do think its important to share my experiences.

Sorry. Not to nitpick, but my English teacher made a point of correcting me every time I used the word "most". It drove me nuts, but it seems more sensible now. "Most" requires you to have knowledge of a majority. When people use the phrase "most people," it would require that the person using it knows the majority of people in the world. It would be more appropriate to use the word "many" which could be any amount of people.

I point that out not to be as ass, but because it's relevant in what you're currently saying. I don't disagree with you that religion fills a void for many people. I see subway preachers all the time, describing how they used to be a drug addict and were saved by Jesus. But not even Dr. Jung (no clue who he is) can claim that most people wander life with a void, much less claiming how true fulfillment can be attained by most people. I think religion has its place. It helps to provide community, hope and purpose to some people. But not everyone needs religion to provide that.

I was using Jung's words when I said most, not my own. Dr. Jung was one of the top psychiatrists in the world in the early 20th century. He was more than qualified to use the term most.

He once told a man, much like the drug addict in the subway, that the only chance he had to save his life was to have a spiritual awakening. The man did just that and learned that he also had to spread the message in order to maintain. This message has been passed to millions of people now.

That is why I am not afraid to share my views.

Yea, screw drug rehab. Everyone just needs to have a "spiritual awakening". Bahahaha. I wish you had to take a test before you could vote.

 

[SampSon]

really?

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: FuryofFive

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: FuryofFive

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: FuryofFive
explain my hypocrisy??? the fact i accept others for what they believe. but get told that i dont deserve someone or deserve to goto hell because i dont believe in a hippy who lives in the sky.
i think its you who needs to do some explaining before you throw "hypocrisy" out. i was simply saying that society as a whole tends to bend around the religious groups.. laws are made because of religious people... why cant i buy booze on sundays?? because of some religious person.
and im a hypocrite because i simply asked if anyone else felt that the acceptance didnt go both ways.

flying spaghetti monster, hippy who lives in the sky?

you see, you can ridicule others for believing, but they aren't supposed to judge you. that's being a hypocrite.

flying sphagetti monster was a book...do ur research

hippy in the sky could be a freakin book. that doesn't change who you were referring too and who you were ridiculing.

i wasnt ridiculing anyone. shows how much u know. the dude who wrote the book, wrote it based on a situation that happened where he lived

Mosh is right, you are being a hypocrite.

You are ridiculing people - this has nothing to do with a book and you know it.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: FuryofFive

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: FuryofFive

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: FuryofFive
explain my hypocrisy??? the fact i accept others for what they believe. but get told that i dont deserve someone or deserve to goto hell because i dont believe in a hippy who lives in the sky.
i think its you who needs to do some explaining before you throw "hypocrisy" out. i was simply saying that society as a whole tends to bend around the religious groups.. laws are made because of religious people... why cant i buy booze on sundays?? because of some religious person.
and im a hypocrite because i simply asked if anyone else felt that the acceptance didnt go both ways.

flying spaghetti monster, hippy who lives in the sky?

you see, you can ridicule others for believing, but they aren't supposed to judge you. that's being a hypocrite.

flying sphagetti monster was a book...do ur research

hippy in the sky could be a freakin book. that doesn't change who you were referring too and who you were ridiculing.

i wasnt ridiculing anyone. shows how much u know. the dude who wrote the book, wrote it based on a situation that happened where he lived

Mosh is right, you are being a hypocrite.

You are ridiculing people - this has nothing to do with a book and you know it.

ehh, take out the "hippy in the sky" and replace it with "God" and the post is still truth.

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: Ocguy31


Yea, screw drug rehab. Everyone just needs to have a "spiritual awakening". Bahahaha. I wish you had to take a test before you could vote.

Have you ever been to drug rehab? All drug rehab does is pump you full of drugs to take care of the withdrawals. Guess what they recommend you do in the long term?

Go to NA/AA. And guess what the point of NA/AA is. To have a spiritual awakening.

 

[jonks]

Originally posted by: rudeguy

Originally posted by: Ocguy31


Yea, screw drug rehab. Everyone just needs to have a "spiritual awakening". Bahahaha. I wish you had to take a test before you could vote.

Have you ever been to drug rehab? All drug rehab does is pump you full of drugs to take care of the withdrawals. Guess what they recommend you do in the long term?

Go to NA/AA. And guess what the point of NA/AA is. To have a spiritual awakening.

Natch, because the best time to shanghai people into a religious conversion is when they hit rock bottom. To a guy who blows people in a public restroom for $5, joining a church might sound like a swell idea.

 

[0roo0roo]

because they are saved. by that logic you are unsaved...heathen or worse.
the good they ascribe to their religion the less good the unsaved can be

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: jonks

Originally posted by: rudeguy

Originally posted by: Ocguy31


Yea, screw drug rehab. Everyone just needs to have a "spiritual awakening". Bahahaha. I wish you had to take a test before you could vote.

Have you ever been to drug rehab? All drug rehab does is pump you full of drugs to take care of the withdrawals. Guess what they recommend you do in the long term?

Go to NA/AA. And guess what the point of NA/AA is. To have a spiritual awakening.

Natch, because the best time to shanghai people into a religious conversion is when they hit rock bottom. To a guy who blows people in a public restroom for $5, joining a church might sound like a swell idea.

That's actually funny.

I was responding to Ocguy's statement that they should go to rehab. I have been to rehab. Never inpatient, but I talk with people on a daily basis that have.

Religion, politics and sex are three things that no 2 people on earth will ever agree 100% on. A lot of people shy away from those subjects, I personally like the debate.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: rudeguy

Originally posted by: jonks

Originally posted by: rudeguy

Originally posted by: Ocguy31


Yea, screw drug rehab. Everyone just needs to have a "spiritual awakening". Bahahaha. I wish you had to take a test before you could vote.

Have you ever been to drug rehab? All drug rehab does is pump you full of drugs to take care of the withdrawals. Guess what they recommend you do in the long term?

Go to NA/AA. And guess what the point of NA/AA is. To have a spiritual awakening.

Natch, because the best time to shanghai people into a religious conversion is when they hit rock bottom. To a guy who blows people in a public restroom for $5, joining a church might sound like a swell idea.

That's actually funny.

I was responding to Ocguy's statement that they should go to rehab. I have been to rehab. Never inpatient, but I talk with people on a daily basis that have.

Religion, politics and sex are three things that no 2 people on earth will ever agree 100% on. A lot of people shy away from those subjects, I personally like the debate.

Religious people love to argue about religion, because they have a few buzz words they can always fall back on.

When someone points out something illogical, (someone coming back from the dead, for example) they say "Well you have to have faith"

When someone points out how violent and strange Bible/Gawd/Koran is by quoting a passage, you say "Oh, you are just taking that out of context"

 

[imported_Imp]

I'm not an atheist, I believe in god, just not in religion. No idea what the term is; don't think it's agnostic.

Anyways, I could careless if you believed in one god or another. It's when you start imposing that crap on me when I start firing back.

 

[fishjie]

Originally posted by: Aberforth
I dunno why some people call themselves as atheists. To become an atheist you have to understand every bit of this universe and not draw blind conclusions. By not believing you are not gaining anything special from the public or the intellect, in the same way believing doesn't make anyone good citizens. Religion has got nothing to do with God, as every religion is formed by men. In fact no man can be a true follower unless he experiences certain truths himself, which has happened before and will happen again.

actually, you gain the fact that you are not weighed down by stupid idiotic dogmas and beliefs in fairy tales with no evidence. yeah i'd say its a healthy benefit.

religion has nothing to do with god, because god is imaginary. belief in imaginary things is bad for your health. ditching that belief is good.