Ask your difficult questions of an Atheist.

Discussion in 'Religion & Philosophy' started by tecoyah, May 24, 2019.

  1. tecoyah

    tecoyah Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    May 15, 2008
    Messages:
    28,370
    Likes Received:
    9,298
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    I figured since some Christians do this and avoid actually answering, I would both poke fun at them and possibly dispel their "Atheism is Religion" fixation.

    Ask Away.
     
  2. Paul7

    Paul7 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2012
    Messages:
    15,854
    Likes Received:
    11,608
    Trophy Points:
    113
    How did the first non-life become life, unaided?
     
  3. DaveBN

    DaveBN Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2018
    Messages:
    10,178
    Likes Received:
    5,625
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Derideo_Te and FreshAir like this.
  4. Paul7

    Paul7 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2012
    Messages:
    15,854
    Likes Received:
    11,608
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Last edited: May 24, 2019
    Ritter and kazenatsu like this.
  5. Bear666

    Bear666 Banned

    Joined:
    May 8, 2019
    Messages:
    609
    Likes Received:
    181
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Do not know, and if people are honest no-one else does. Including the various religions.
     
    ECA, Polydectes, FoxHastings and 8 others like this.
  6. DaveBN

    DaveBN Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2018
    Messages:
    10,178
    Likes Received:
    5,625
    Trophy Points:
    113
    We don’t have all the answers. Probably never will. There are limits to human understanding. Keeps things exciting.
     
  7. Frank

    Frank Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2016
    Messages:
    7,391
    Likes Received:
    1,348
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Bingo!

    That is the correct answer.
     
    FoxHastings and Derideo_Te like this.
  8. Swensson

    Swensson Devil's advocate

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2009
    Messages:
    8,180
    Likes Received:
    1,080
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    What are some things a non-religious society should or could learn from religion and religious societies?
    What are some things non-religious people should or could learn from religion and religious people?
     
  9. yardmeat

    yardmeat Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2010
    Messages:
    65,816
    Likes Received:
    36,671
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Huh, been a while since I looked at it that way. There really wouldn't be any sense of accomplishment or adventure otherwise I guess.
     
    DaveBN likes this.
  10. Thought Criminal

    Thought Criminal Well-Known Member Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2017
    Messages:
    18,135
    Likes Received:
    13,224
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Why do only atheists who denigrate Christians get promoted by the media?

    At least, that's what I see. I don't see any atheists mocking Muslims, or Buddhists, ir even crystal worshippers. I never see the media present atheists who are respectful of other people's beliefs.

    Whyizzat?
     
    Injeun likes this.
  11. DaveBN

    DaveBN Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2018
    Messages:
    10,178
    Likes Received:
    5,625
    Trophy Points:
    113
    All the best adventures journey into the unknown.
     
  12. DaveBN

    DaveBN Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2018
    Messages:
    10,178
    Likes Received:
    5,625
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Do you frequent US media? If so, it makes sense that the atheists you see, at least those being presented because they are atheists, would be talking about Christianity. It’s the primary religion in the country. I’m sure you would see different trends in different regions.

    The reason you don’t see more positivity or respect? Negativity is sensational and sells. Simple as that.
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2019
    Thought Criminal likes this.
  13. yardmeat

    yardmeat Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2010
    Messages:
    65,816
    Likes Received:
    36,671
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Most of the "big names" in celebrity atheism have heavily criticized Islam, New Age religions, etc. Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, they've all gone after non-Christian religions too. In fact, I can't really think of any well-known atheist that has ONLY criticized Christianity.
     
    Lucifer, Mr_Truth, Derideo_Te and 3 others like this.
  14. tecoyah

    tecoyah Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    May 15, 2008
    Messages:
    28,370
    Likes Received:
    9,298
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Likely you are seeing what you want to see, as I have not noted what you claim. In fact I have not seen an atheist proclaim his beliefs in the media unless doing so for a show that is intended to do so. I find it likely you are creating a persecution complex that does not exists outside your mind. It may also be that you live in a place where Christianity is the .largest religion and loud, which will make it more common in every way....including disagreement.
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2019
    FoxHastings, Derideo_Te and DaveBN like this.
  15. tecoyah

    tecoyah Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    May 15, 2008
    Messages:
    28,370
    Likes Received:
    9,298
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Likely through Chemical reaction combined with energy input inside a lipid membrane, but I do not actually know and am okay with that.
     
  16. tecoyah

    tecoyah Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    May 15, 2008
    Messages:
    28,370
    Likes Received:
    9,298
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Societies and Cultures would certainly be more peaceful if they followed many of the concepts of religion, as would religious people in general. Trying to pick individual rules or laws however would create the same problems they all have with each other already. Every human is an individual so, Though Shalt Not Kill seems clear enough for everyone.
     
    DaveBN likes this.
  17. Distraff

    Distraff Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2011
    Messages:
    10,833
    Likes Received:
    4,092
    Trophy Points:
    113
    There are trillions of trillion of possible chemical reactions in trillions of trillion of environments in the trillions of trillions of planets in existence in who knows how many universes. You can't assert that at least one or a right combination of them won't produce a simple self-replicating structure with nucleotides and/or amino acids.
     
    FoxHastings, Derideo_Te and tecoyah like this.
  18. Distraff

    Distraff Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2011
    Messages:
    10,833
    Likes Received:
    4,092
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I see a lot of atheists like Richard Dawkins and Bill Maher attack Islam all the time. In fact some of Islam's fiercest critics are atheists. The media mainly promoted celebrities and politicians, almost all of whom aren't openly atheists and don't openly attack Christianity. Atheists don't attack Buddhism because its more of a philosophy than a religion, has historically been very peaceful, and is geographically far away from where most atheists live.

    https://www.theguardian.com/books/2...ncelled-over-his-abusive-speech-against-islam
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2019
  19. Thought Criminal

    Thought Criminal Well-Known Member Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2017
    Messages:
    18,135
    Likes Received:
    13,224
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Its most definitely not what I want to see.

    It could be, because I feel so strongly embarrassed by such instances, that they tend to stick out.

    I don't recall seeing a person who, once identified as an athiest, wasn't on a show strictly to denigrate Christians. It's likely that there are people, who don't get identified as being atheists, who get on those shows and just talk about issues.

    More than anything, I wish that we, as members of society, could find it in ourselves to be more respectful of each other.

    I don't like that the public perception of athiests is that of being a bunch of hateful and disrespectful people who lack the ability to behave in a civil manner. A thread posted for the purpose to "poke fun" at a group of people is a prime example.

    Your "Dog is my co-pilot" bumper sticker will not help anyone get over their fear of the dark. It only reinforces their low opinion of us. I'd like for us to stop earning that low opinion.
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2019
  20. Distraff

    Distraff Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2011
    Messages:
    10,833
    Likes Received:
    4,092
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Usually when a show brings on an atheist as an atheist they are usually there to debate about atheism and religion, and that religion is usually Christianity, since Christianity is the dominant religion to the show's viewers.
     
  21. Thought Criminal

    Thought Criminal Well-Known Member Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2017
    Messages:
    18,135
    Likes Received:
    13,224
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I know that Bill Maher is critical of Islam. I also know that he takes a lot of heat for it.

    This is the first time I've heard that he's an atheist.
     
  22. Distraff

    Distraff Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2011
    Messages:
    10,833
    Likes Received:
    4,092
    Trophy Points:
    113
    He is openly atheistic and probably the only person in the media who is an outspoken atheist. Virtually all the major atheists have attacked Islam, and hard. Just google major atheists and then google their comments on Islam. Atheists have gotten major heat from the media because of their attacks on Islam.
     
  23. Frank

    Frank Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2016
    Messages:
    7,391
    Likes Received:
    1,348
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Ahhh...so you make blind guesses about the true nature of Reality...and you want people to be "respectful" of those blind guesses....so you call them "beliefs" instead of blind guesses.

    I see.

    Yup...I see why you use "beliefs" instead of "blind guesses."
     
    FoxHastings and Derideo_Te like this.
  24. tecoyah

    tecoyah Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    May 15, 2008
    Messages:
    28,370
    Likes Received:
    9,298
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    The main reason THIS Atheist reacts to Christians here would be the claim of fact in their "Belief".
    Secondary to that is the attacks on Atheism that almost REQUIRE reaction even though I know its Trolling.
    Third would be my history in the Church indicating error in their interpretation.
    …..There is also the entertainment value.
     
    Lucifer, Derideo_Te and FreshAir like this.
  25. Thought Criminal

    Thought Criminal Well-Known Member Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2017
    Messages:
    18,135
    Likes Received:
    13,224
    Trophy Points:
    113
    What I see is not a blind guess. I think you misread my post.

    What I see is: Here is (insert name here), an atheist. He's here to mock Christians. Welcome to the show, Mr. (name).
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2019

Share This Page