Do atheists have better chances of knowing the truth about God?

[Jan Ardena]

Wynn,


the question doesn't really make any sense,

jan

 

[wynn]

the question doesn't really make any sense,

In context, of course it does.
Just read some of the replies of some people who profess to be atheists: they believe that they are better equipped to "know the truth about God" than theists.

Surely this is an interesting stance for an atheist to take, no?

 

[Jan Ardena]

In context, of course it does.
Just read some of the replies of some people who profess to be atheists: they believe that they are better equipped to "know the truth about God" than theists.

Surely this is an interesting stance for an atheist to take, no?

I suppose if God was a potatoe, then farmers would most likely a better chance of discovering the truth of God.

Do you see how silly it is?

The individual atheist is not interested in God, hence they are atheist.
Atheism, is equivilent to a baby/toddler, with regards to God.
They simply want to discard all notions of God, regardless of belief, or truth.

I suppose the hidden idea presented here, is that atheists are rational, scientific, evidence based, and if God exists, these people, due to not dancing round the fire singing ''onga-bonga'' to their god, are most likely in a position to to see clearly.

This, to me, is clearly a misconception.


jan.

 

[Balerion]

I suppose if God was a potatoe, then farmers would most likely a better chance of discovering the truth of God.

Do you see how silly it is?

The individual atheist is not interested in God, hence they are atheist.
Atheism, is equivilent to a baby/toddler, with regards to God.
They simply want to discard all notions of God, regardless of belief, or truth.

I suppose the hidden idea presented here, is that atheists are rational, scientific, evidence based, and if God exists, these people, due to not dancing round the fire singing ''onga-bonga'' to their god, are most likely in a position to to see clearly.

This, to me, is clearly a misconception.


jan.

Atheism has nothing to do with an interest in God, it has to do with a belief in God. Because there is no evidence for such a being, the atheist does not believe in it. Also, there are mounds of evidence to say that religion is man's first attempt at something like philosophy, a crude answer to the questions that were at the time unanswerable. In this way, religion is like alchemy; we have better, more effective alternatives today, and there is no reason to believe in what is essentially the crayon-scrawling of humanity's infancy.

I've noticed a trend here: theists on this forum refuse to acknowledge what atheism really is, opting instead to misrepresent it as a pseudo-religion in its own right. It's an interesting trend, but one that speaks to the lack of intellectual maturity of the theistic posters here.

 

[Jan Ardena]

JDawg,

Atheism has nothing to do with an interest in God, it has to do with a belief in God.

I didn't say ''atheism'' has anything to do with interest in God.

Because there is no evidence for such a being, the atheist does not believe in it.

There is evidence of God, you just don't accept it in any way.
Just google evidence of Gods' existence.

Also, there are mounds of evidence to say that religion is man's first attempt at something like philosophy, a crude answer to the questions that were at the time unanswerable.

Where?

In this way, religion is like alchemy; we have better, more effective alternatives today, and there is no reason to believe in what is essentially the crayon-scrawling of humanity's infancy.

Huh???
Alternative to what exactly?
It is precisely nonsense like this that makes the question of this thread, pointless.

I've noticed a trend here: theists on this forum refuse to acknowledge what atheism really is, opting instead to misrepresent it as a pseudo-religion in its own right. It's an interesting trend, but one that speaks to the lack of intellectual maturity of the theistic posters here.

So what is ''atheism'' if not part of some religious ideololgy?
Atheist camp, atheist church, atheist womens group, kids for atheism, atheist music, atheist recipe's, the atheist empire.....
This life is all there is, we are purely material beings, we will not let a divine foot in the door........
Ever heard of satanism, the part that totally agrees with atheism?


jan.

 

[spidergoat]

There is evidence of God, you just don't accept it in any way.
Just google evidence of Gods' existence.

That's only because your alleged evidence is flawed and phoney. Can't you understand that?

 

[Grumpy]

wynn

Just read some of the replies of some people who profess to be atheists: they believe that they are better equipped to "know the truth about God" than theists.

Surely this is an interesting stance for an atheist to take, no?

It comes from having no preconceived notion about what a god could actually be. Having no belief in any god means the Atheist doesn't have to fight the cognitive dissonance a theist would have to go through to replace his preconceptions with the reality. I admit that it is possible that should solid evidence of a god's existence be found that one of the thousands of sects and dominations could turn out to be right, but the odds aren't good. If god revealed himself at some ancient time and established the first religion then the most ancient religion would seem more likely to be true. But that leaves all the Judaic ones out of the running by several thousand years.

In addition there would be some theists mentally incapable of facing the revelation that what they have believed so firmly throughout their life was false. A skeptic who is used to the idea that what we think we know today could be shown to be completely wrong by future discoveries. It's the difference between looking backward to gain new knowledge and looking forward to gain new knowledge.

Grumpy

 

[Jan Ardena]

That's only because your alleged evidence is flawed and phoney. Can't you understand that?

Example please?


jan.

 

[Balerion]

J

I didn't say ''atheism'' has anything to do with interest in God.

No, I'm sorry, you didn't say that. You said instead that the atheist is not interested in god, which is why he's an atheist. This statement is no more correct than the first.

There is evidence of God, you just don't accept it in any way.
Just google evidence of Gods' existence.

I've had this debate before. This is no evidence whatsoever for the existence of god. There is nothing about the universe that even suggests a god is required, and certainly nothing that suggests one exists.

Where?

Take your own advice and Google it.

Huh???
Alternative to what exactly?
It is precisely nonsense like this that makes the question of this thread, pointless.

You are not quite so dense as you portray yourself. I think you know precisely what I meant. But if I must appeal to your caricature to get through to you, so be it: I mean that there are better alternatives to religion, to faith. Science presents better (and even more beautiful) solutions to questions the holy texts attempt to answer in their puerile way. And certainly there are better modern guides for morality than the holy texts which condone murder and demand mindless prostration and capitulation.

So what is ''atheism'' if not part of some religious ideololgy?
Atheist camp, atheist church, atheist womens group, kids for atheism, atheist music, atheist recipe's, the atheist empire.....
This life is all there is, we are purely material beings, we will not let a divine foot in the door........

Certainly you can tell the difference between a religious ideology and an intellectual position based on evidence and reason. There are no such things as atheist churches; atheists by nature are not organized, despite the best efforts of atheism's greatest champions. If atheism were, as you say, a religious ideology, then it would have a collective voice, a political identity. And yet it doesn't.

[quote[Ever heard of satanism, the part that totally agrees with atheism?


jan.[/QUOTE]

Oh noes! You've figured out our secret!

 

[Jan Ardena]

JDawg,

No, I'm sorry, you didn't say that. You said instead that the atheist is not interested in god, which is why he's an atheist. This statement is no more correct than the first.

Well that told me. Heh?

I've had this debate before. This is no evidence whatsoever for the existence of god. There is nothing about the universe that even suggests a god is required, and certainly nothing that suggests one exists.

And you should know? Heh?

Take your own advice and Google it.

I have. And it says the same thing you say, as though it is forgone conclusion.
Let me know when one of you actually has evidence.

You are not quite so dense as you portray yourself. I think you know precisely what I meant.

I know what you'd like to mean.

But if I must appeal to your caricature to get through to you, so be it: I mean that there are better alternatives to religion, to faith.

For you, maybe.
Why do you wish to force your worldview down others throats?

Science presents better (and even more beautiful) solutions to questions the holy texts attempt to answer in their puerile way.

I wasn't aware they were at loggerheads.
Do you understand the Holy Texts?

And certainly there are better modern guides for morality than the holy texts which condone murder and demand mindless prostration and capitulation.

There you go again with the insults. Mindless?

Here is the prime definition of murder: Law . the killing of another human being under conditions specifically covered in law.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by condoning murder.

Certainly you can tell the difference between a religious ideology and an intellectual position based on evidence and reason.

No I can't.
What is the difference?

There are no such things as atheist churches; atheists by nature are not organized, despite the best efforts of atheism's greatest champions.

You're having a larf. Right?

If atheism were, as you say, a religious ideology, then it would have a collective voice, a political identity. And yet it doesn't.

Ever heard of satanism, the part that totally agrees with atheism?

Oh noes! You've figured out our secret!

Ah! Humour. The great diffuser, and shifter of positions and responsibilities, right up there with insults.


jan.

 

[Balerion]

JDawg,




Well that told me. Heh?





And you should know? Heh?

Piffle.

I have. And it says the same thing you say, as though it is forgone conclusion.
Let me know when one of you actually has evidence.

No, you've simply dismissed it because it doesn't jibe with your childish beliefs. Faith is the suppression of reason for the sake of belief, as you so inarticulately demonstrate.

For you, maybe.
Why do you wish to force your worldview down others throats?

Again, you can't be so ignorant as to think atheism is a worldview. There are no revealed truths to atheism, no guides for living. It's simply an intellectual position on the god question. What about that is being forced upon you?

(side note: I find it hysterical that a theist would complain about a worldview being forced upon them, considering forcing their worldview on others is precisely what they do)

I wasn't aware they were at loggerheads.
Do you understand the Holy Texts?

Care to phrase the question in a less ambiguous manner?

There you go again with the insults. Mindless?

Yes, mindless. You're accepting something without evidence. Hence, faith, and not reason.

Here is the prime definition of murder: Law . the killing of another human being under conditions specifically covered in law.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by condoning murder.

Poor word choice on my part, but you know exactly what I meant. Let's say killing, then.

No I can't.
What is the difference?

Of course you can. Don't play stupid.

Unless it's not an act, of course...

You're having a larf. Right?

Obviously not. Where are all these atheist churches and the atheist vote that every politician is after?

Ah! Humour. The great diffuser, and shifter of positions and responsibilities, right up there with insults.

jan.

I'm sorry, did you expect a serious response to a comment that equates atheism to satanism? It seems you're the one having the larf.