Atheism?

[Deadskins]

I am Atheist #truestory

How do you explain everything that is? #truequestion

I don't have to explain anything

Well, not if you have no intellectual curiosity.

Intellectual curiosity?

I think blindly following stories in the greatest fictional novel ever written is not exactly intelligent.

Note: The bible is the most shoplifted book of all time.

Who said anything about the Bible? I'm talking about the existence of God. The greatest scientists the world has ever known have almost all, uniformly, believed in the existence of God. I was just wondering how an atheist believes everything was created, if not by a supreme being.

[Irn-Bru]

Side note: thank you for splitting this thread, Deadskins.

The greatest scientists the world has ever known have almost all, uniformly, believed in the existence of God.

Is that really true? It certainly hasn't been true of the 20th and 21st centuries. But perhaps you mean that there are only a few of those who would be counted among "the greatest scientists the world has ever known," and the rest of that group have nearly uniformly believed in God. Therefore recent atheist scientists would be the exception to the historical rule.

But even this is problematic. There were a large number of atheists in the ancient world, for example, and a lot of them were the people most advancing science. And since the Enlightenment I'd wager that the greatest scientists were at least, say, 50/50 on theism.

But even if the ratio was more like 80/20, your claim here would have some problems.

Hmm.

[Deadskins]

God does not play dice with the universe.

So Einstein was wrong when he said, "God does not play dice." Consideration of black holes suggests, not only that God does play dice, but that he sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen.

However, if we discover a complete theory, it should in time be understandable by everyone, not just by a few scientists. Then we shall all, philosophers, scientists and just ordinary people, be able to take part in the discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason -- for then we should know the mind of God.

Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who sets the planets in motion.

The gift of mental power comes from God, Divine Being, and if we concentrate our minds on that truth, we become in tune with this great power. My Mother had taught me to seek all truth in the Bible.

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.

I would say here something that was heard from an ecclesiastic of the most eminent degree; ‘That the intention of the Holy Ghost is to teach us how one goes to heaven, not how the heaven goes.’

Perhaps it would be easier for you to demonstrate some great scientists who are/were atheists.

[andyjens89]

Perhaps it would be easier for you to demonstrate some great scientists who are/were atheists.

Sagan (pantheist), Hawking... I don't know. I'm not an atheist (far from it, actually) but those names came off the top of my head pretty quickly

Here's a big ass list

[Irn-Bru]

Hawking is an atheist. For a while he played the good agnostic, saying we can't really know one way or the other (e.g., in his Universe in a Nutshell), but since then he's become more bold in asserting that we don't have any good reason to think God exists (e.g., his most recent book on M-theory).

In addition to andyjens's list, there's this YouTube video, which includes a large number of very important scientists. (It also makes the fallacious inference that the greater one's intelligence, the more likely one will be an atheist.)

[Deadskins]

Sagan never denied the existence of God, he just never saw empirical evidence to support it. But he was intellectually curious about the subject, which I don't believe ATX is, and was the reason I started this spin-off thread.

[Deadskins]

There is also a big difference in being an atheist, and rejecting religious dogma. I'm not convinced that all the scientists listed on the wiki page are atheists, so much as can't define God using the scientific method.

[Irn-Bru]

There is also a big difference in being an atheist, and rejecting religious dogma.

I agree. In fact I think that might be the most common error that atheists make in attacking theism. On the one hand, they talk about how there's no reason to think God exists. But on the other, if one brings up the classical arguments for the existence of God, they will shift to talking about the Bible or the way extremist Muslims act or some other thing that's entirely irrelevant to the question of whether there is a God at all. (Hitchens and Sam Harris make their living off this move.)

I'm not convinced that all the scientists listed on the wiki page are atheists, so much as can't define God using the scientific method.

Well, perhaps that's the case. Let's say this is true: wouldn't you still have to adjust your original claim that almost all the greatest scientists uniformly believe in the existence of God?

[Deadskins]

There is also a big difference in being an atheist, and rejecting religious dogma.

I agree. In fact I think that might be the most common error that atheists make in attacking theism. On the one hand, they talk about how there's no reason to think God exists. But on the other, if one brings up the classical arguments for the existence of God, they will shift to talking about the Bible or the way extremist Muslims act or some other thing that's entirely irrelevant to the question of whether there is a God at all. (Hitchens and Sam Harris make their living off this move.)

I'm not convinced that all the scientists listed on the wiki page are atheists, so much as can't define God using the scientific method.

Well, perhaps that's the case. Let's say this is true: wouldn't you still have to adjust your original claim that almost all the greatest scientists uniformly believe in the existence of God?

I suppose, but when making that claim, I was thinking about those names I could come up with off the top of my head as "greatest scientists," not really thinking about great scientists in general. Perhaps I should have said famously great.

[ATX_Skins]

Albert Einstein was an Atheist.

[ATX_Skins]

Sagan never denied the existence of God, he just never saw empirical evidence to support it. But he was intellectually curious about the subject, which I don't believe ATX is, and was the reason I started this spin-off thread.

I'm actually glad you brought this up in it's own thread.

To just throw it out there for you no. You are right, I don't believe in anything. I have always been curious about religion though, but not like you are thinking. I have always wondered how people can be so naive as to worship, invest, kill or do good "in the name of God".

As an Atheist I feel it is important to educate myself on many religions. I have lived all over the world so I am fortunate to experience so many different views. Enough to know, it's not and will never be for me. Technically I decided religion was not for me when I was 11, or 12 I can't really remember.

[Deadskins]

Albert Einstein was an Atheist.

Um, no, he wasn't.

[KazooSkinsFan]

To just throw it out there for you no. You are right, I don't believe in anything. I have always been curious about religion though, but not like you are thinking. I have always wondered how people can be so naive as to worship, invest, kill or do good "in the name of God".

As an Atheist I feel it is important to educate myself on many religions. I have lived all over the world so I am fortunate to experience so many different views. Enough to know, it's not and will never be for me. Technically I decided religion was not for me when I was 11, or 12 I can't really remember.

To Irn-Bru's earlier point, you're confusing religion with God

[Deadskins]

To just throw it out there for you no. You are right, I don't believe in anything. I have always been curious about religion though, but not like you are thinking. I have always wondered how people can be so naive as to worship, invest, kill or do good "in the name of God".

As an Atheist I feel it is important to educate myself on many religions. I have lived all over the world so I am fortunate to experience so many different views. Enough to know, it's not and will never be for me. Technically I decided religion was not for me when I was 11, or 12 I can't really remember.

To Irn-Bru's earlier point, you're confusing religion with God

Exactly.

[ATX_Skins]

Albert Einstein was an Atheist.

Um, no, he wasn't.

It's technical, but he never believed in a personal God.

[ATX_Skins]

To just throw it out there for you no. You are right, I don't believe in anything. I have always been curious about religion though, but not like you are thinking. I have always wondered how people can be so naive as to worship, invest, kill or do good "in the name of God".

As an Atheist I feel it is important to educate myself on many religions. I have lived all over the world so I am fortunate to experience so many different views. Enough to know, it's not and will never be for me. Technically I decided religion was not for me when I was 11, or 12 I can't really remember.

To Irn-Bru's earlier point, you're confusing religion with God

How about I have always been interested in figuring out why people worship, invest, kill or do good "in the name of religion".

I do not believe in God or Religion. I do know the difference. Some feel as though God is a representation of theory, not a man in the clouds.

I have some free time today so if anyone would like to defend religion, by all means I would love to hear what you have to say.

[Countertrey]

I have no particular bone to gnaw on here. I have no particular religious belief. I am, at times, offended by the closed minds of certain sects. The Constitution does not protect me from being offended... nor should it. I work against any effort to impose their values on the rest of us. I also work against any effort to impose values on them... Make no mistake... antitheism is as closed minded as any fundamentalist Christian cult.

[SkinsJock]

doubting is believing

I've just never had a 'good' explanation for how the world came to be, if not for 'something'

'believing' is easier than the alternative



it's really a shame that some have no faith

[langleyparkjoe]

Not a knock towards any of you but God first, everything else in life is second.

[Cappster]

I have no particular bone to gnaw on here. I have no particular religious belief. I am, at times, offended by the closed minds of certain sects. The Constitution does not protect me from being offended... nor should it. I work against any effort to impose their values on the rest of us. I also work against any effort to impose values on them... Make no mistake... antitheism is as closed minded as any fundamentalist Christian cult.

This has to be the second thing we've agreed on. Is this setting a trend? haha. I feel the same way. Objectivity is lost especially when religious beliefs, or lack thereof, is interjected into Constitutional reasoning. I consider myself a believer in the teaching of Jesus, but do not believe in the concept of religion or as I see it, a way to control the masses by "the word of God." Close minded radicals are bad for mankind no matter what alliance the claim.

[Cappster]

Not a knock towards any of you but God first, everything else in life is second.

But who is God? Is your God the same as other Gods? Why are Gods different? Who are people referencing when the word of God is spoken?

Those are just some of the questions I ask myself. I am not denying the existence of a higher being, but I do question the division among humanity about who or what God really is.

[KazooSkinsFan]

To Irn-Bru's earlier point, you're confusing religion with God

I do not believe in God or Religion. I do know the difference. Some feel as though God is a representation of theory, not a man in the clouds.

I have some free time today so if anyone would like to defend religion, by all means I would love to hear what you have to say.

You say you know the difference, but you are only arguing against religion, as per your last sentence. As an atheist, you're not saying you don't believe in them but making an assertive statement they don't exist, and you're not backing that up at all.

[ATX_Skins]

Not a knock towards any of you but God first, everything else in life is second.

God first you say? Not family? Not personal responsibility?

[ATX_Skins]

To Irn-Bru's earlier point, you're confusing religion with God

I do not believe in God or Religion. I do know the difference. Some feel as though God is a representation of theory, not a man in the clouds.

I have some free time today so if anyone would like to defend religion, by all means I would love to hear what you have to say.

You say you know the difference, but you are only arguing against religion, as per your last sentence. As an atheist, you're not saying you don't believe in them but making an assertive statement they don't exist, and you're not backing that up at all.

What would you like to discuss Kaz? What is your religion? Let's start there.

BTW, no. It is quite possible that these characters from the past existed. Jesus could very well have been a man walking the Earth at some point in time. A very poor, uneducated and oppressed area of the Earth at that time as well. But the factual evidence exists that when a person dies, for that length of time, they will parish. The evidence religion expresses is in essence folklore and should be treated as such.

[ATX_Skins]

Not a knock towards any of you but God first, everything else in life is second.

But who is God? Is your God the same as other Gods? Why are Gods different? Who are people referencing when the word of God is spoken?

Those are just some of the questions I ask myself. I am not denying the existence of a higher being, but I do question the division among humanity about who or what God really is.

God is presumably the creator of all that is. In theory God is the same for all. A creator. God basically, created the universe and by however that happened, it is referred to as God. This is how I have understood it from reading the google machine.