A question for atheists

[Roman]

I'm glad you caught the tongue in cheek part.

What do you do for fun, (Q)?

This is lower Ship Creek, and awesome little river near my house. Not a picture of me, but I've run the river a few times:

 

[Dinosaur]

None of the atheists I know (including myself) pray or acknowledge god when they have problems.

 

[Crunchy Cat]

Hmmmmm, I have been engaging in this for yrs then

In the past mainly during school assembly! I'd be doing some sort of trapeze act on the hanging flourescent lights!

Now add meditation to that. It's this shit.

 

[Theoryofrelativity]

God's a grander expanse of hope. It takes the unknown, the future, the uncertain, and puts it the hands of one force. 4 am and I'm solo on a mountain top. It's the dead of winter, I'm underdressed, no gear. Wind howls over icy rocks and I trigger small avalanches. Things are pretty clutch. And when I think "God, don't let me die up here my mom can't find my body," I know there's no God. There's no help coming. There wouldn't be any help if I fell. In the spring, maybe a hiker would find my broken corpse, sockets picked clean by ravens. But that still doesn't change the fact that that's what I feel when under extreme duress. An intense desire that dawn doesn't find my body in a snowchoked gulley. The phrase "God, please..." isn't an appeal to God-capital-G, it's more of an expression of "Dont' die don't die don't die. Don't die." Anthropomorphized fate, I guess.

.

Thank you for that very lengthy reply Roman, you surprise me, you ARE a thinker despite what you say, as this is a thoughtful and helpful reply. My reasonning for reinforced hope (with a God thrown in) is as follows:

(This was in reply to Wes)

I think there is a distinct difference tho to praying or asking for help (may not necc pertain to a God as Crunchy mentioned) and hope. To me to hope something will be ok, is kind of a pessimistic hit and miss process, I cannot get comfort other than while 'I am hoping I have not yet lost hope'. When 'asking for help' the 'hope' is reinforced. I guess myself the type of person I am, I do see all possible outcomes when evaluating the success of a situation, so if it is a particulalrly bad situation and the expected outcome is NOT good, then hope alone for me would not suffice as within myself I would believe the worst case scenario is the logical one, so in cases like this, I would have to reinforce that hope, that something outside the logic of the situation, can intervene or assist. Does this make sense? This is my personal way of thinking. Basically for me, to believe in something 'more' provides me with an extra 'solution' that otherwise has not presented iteself to the problem. As Crunchy says, this 'feeling' makes me feel 'happier, reassured, comforted' and yes again as crunchy said probably addictive and hence I do not ever wish to lose this belief. It helps me greatly in times of crisis.

Not that diffrent really, I just feel I guess with my belief as you say 'may the force be with me', I am aware as Crunchy pointed out the effects that psychology has on 'geeing' yourself in this way. Example, I have been in few tough situations where I required additional strength, much more than a mere woman (or man for that matter) can have in the ordinary sense, so I have this thing I say (a mantra if you like) "Give me the strength of 10 strong men." I get from this some sort of mad adrenalin rush (I guess akin to what martial artists do with their pre fight preps etc) that from that adrenalin I do get the extra strength to do the seemingly impossible. Witnessed many times. I think without the reinforcing belief that 'something' will actually assist me with this 'request' it wouldn't give me the neccessary 'buzz' to get that adrenalin to the level required to have the desired effect. So while I do believe in God I am aware that most of the effects of what happens as crunchy again said are about myself, but then my belief in god does not involve a deity its much more a case of 'we are one..we are God' I see all humans as connected and possessing one consciousness. I will refrain from calling it universal consciouness as I have heard that term but not fully read up on it so not sure it fits with my beliei on that score.

Anyway great comments and interesting life oh and hot bod lol

 

[Theoryofrelativity]

None of the atheists I know (including myself) pray or acknowledge god when they have problems.

This thread is not so much about a belief in God but more a case of what do you do as athesists when in cases of extreme crisis and distress.

Meanwhile some interesting info has been put forward regarding the human 'need' for an omnipotent being and reasons why some may have this 'need' less than others. It's an interesting thread, please read the very helpful comments put forward so far.

 

[Theoryofrelativity]

Instead of just 'hoping', I tend to take them to a doctor. Being the kind of guy I am, I also like to research the specific problem to see what the general outcome is. It also provides me with the ability to understand what doctors are saying, what options the patient has and so on.

I'm sure some would prefer to sit down and hold their hands near their mouths. My way certainly appears to be more beneficial in the long run.

.

I would do all the above research and assist practically also (and have) I don't think believers in a god just pray, that's a little narrow of a view.

 

[Theoryofrelativity]

Yup, and yup.


My mind is usually totally consumed by the situation when I'm experiencing a great crisis.

Do you have an inner strength that helps you get through this crisis or do you fall apart, what holds you together and no I'm not implying only god can do that! I am interested in the atheist mind set, very much so.

 

[Roman]

but then my belief in god does not involve a deity its much more a case of 'we are one..we are God' I see all humans as connected and possessing one consciousness. I will refrain from calling it universal consciouness as I have heard that term but not fully read up on it so not sure it fits with my beliei on that score.

Sounds similar to Wessism. We are wes, et cetera.

People can do some pretty amazing stuff. It's explained differently all over, and hardly quantified by science (so most tend to ignore or discredit it), but 'god' or 'chi' or 'chakras' making people do nutso stuff is a very real phenomenon. Though I feel that chi or chakra would be a more accurate conceptialization than the god one.

(Q), where'd you run off to? You never told me what you do for fun. Don't tell me it's evangelize for your non-Entity!

 

[Hapsburg]

When a relative is ill, or in an accident, do you merely hope they will get better? When sitting exams you merely hope you will do well?

I guess, yeah. Pretty much, yep.

I have asked these questions of atheists before and they have admitted asking God to help, "please God..etc" to which I ask them 'what god, you don't believe', they then look confused. As do I.

Desperate people do desperate things in times of crisis. As the old saying goes, "There are no atheists in foxholes".

What runs through your minds in times of great personal crisis

Panic. Fear. Sometimes hunger.

 

[Theoryofrelativity]

Desperate people do desperate things in times of crisis. As the old saying goes, "There are no atheists in foxholes".

erm or theists, explain?

 

[c7ityi_]

erm or theists, explain?

o8w9 ry98f ya945w eroaiew rwr.

 

[(Q)]

Desperate people do desperate things in times of crisis. As the old saying goes, "There are no atheists in foxholes".

Another myth dispelled:

http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/atheist9.htm

http://www.atheistfoxholes.org/

 

[(Q)]

People can do some pretty amazing stuff. It's explained differently all over, and hardly quantified by science (so most tend to ignore or discredit it), but 'god' or 'chi' or 'chakras' making people do nutso stuff is a very real phenomenon. Though I feel that chi or chakra would be a more accurate conceptialization than the god one.

Or, more precisely, believers do nutso stuff, that is a real phenomenon. It has nothing to do with gods or chis or chakras - but I would accept chili beans.

And yes, what people imagine can't be quantified by science, or anything else for that matter, although they will always attempt to quantify it with blind faith.

But then, anything can be quanitified with blind faith.

 

[SnakeLord]

I would do all the above research and assist practically also (and have) I don't think believers in a god just pray, that's a little narrow of a view.

I don't honestly care what believers do or do not do, I merely answered the question posed. I do not "just hope", I am an active person as opposed to a "just hope" kind of person.

 

[(Q)]

This thread is not so much about a belief in God but more a case of what do you do as athesists when in cases of extreme crisis and distress.

Yeah, and you've been given full answers six ways to Sunday, what more do you need?

The problem is that you start from the pretence that gods exist, which is why you'll never understand the mindset of an atheist.

 

[Theoryofrelativity]

I don't honestly care what believers do or do not do, I merely answered the question posed. I do not "just hope", I am an active person as opposed to a "just hope" kind of person.

so what do you do when there is no 'hope'? Have you ever had a loved one die of terminal cancer, when hope was not an option?

 

[SnakeLord]

so what do you do when there is no 'hope'?

Say goodbye.

Have you ever had a loved one die of terminal cancer, when hope was not an option?

Not cancer specifically no, but my answer is the same as above. On the reverse of that I would question why a religious person would yell for help to the being that created that cancer with the express purpose of killing people, (currently 1 in every 3 people).

 

[Theoryofrelativity]

Say goodbye.



Not cancer specifically no, but my answer is the same as above. On the reverse of that I would question why a religious person would yell for help to the being that created that cancer with the express purpose of killing people, (currently 1 in every 3 people).

Apparantly you believe that this non existant god gives people cancer?
This is not my belief. I do not blame pink unicorns for cancer, why do you blame God?

 

[SnakeLord]

Apparantly you believe that this non existant god gives people cancer?
This is not my belief. I do not blame pink unicorns for cancer, why do you blame God?

The "apparently" is unwarranted - I am an atheist.

However, from a religious man's {general} perspective god is the creator of all. Why stop short?

Humans, furry little kittens, plants and trees, mountains and the solar system.. Surely you'd have to include pubic lice, bot fly's, cancer and so on?

So, from a religious perspective: Did god create everything (Including cancer)? If so..

I would question why a religious person would yell for help to the being that created that cancer with the express purpose of killing people, (currently 1 in every 3 people).

 

[Theoryofrelativity]

The "apparently" is unwarranted - I am an atheist.

However, from a religious man's {general} perspective god is the creator of all. Why stop short?

Humans, furry little kittens, plants and trees, mountains and the solar system.. Surely you'd have to include pubic lice, bot fly's, cancer and so on?

No?

I have no expectations of pink unicorns? Why do you have expectations of God?

The different religions do not all share the same views on God either.
This is not my view.

Why do atheists seek to 'explain' the nature of God? I do not seek to explain the nature of pink unicorns? Other than myth. I know your view is based on your knowledge of religions definitions of God, but surely the whole point of non belief in God means these views are irrelevant and invalid and not worthy of comment? If you told me pink unicorns had healing powers, I'd say 'really? have a nice day' I would not engage in argument on something so ridiculous.
Although that said if followers of pink unicorns were having some sort of 'say' in how I lived my life I guess I would have something more to say.