A questions to atheists

[DeepThinker]

I still have to ask is this going anywhere as a discussion? What are you really trying to establish from the answers you get?

Norm

he answers this in his post commenting on my own above

 

[fromdownunder]

he answers this in his post commenting on my own above

I take it you mean this:

"Exactly what Im talking about. Just how strong your belief is that there is no God (some atheist would almost kill for it ) it would be stupid not to push this button"

I still don't get the whole thing then. I have said at least four times on this thread that I would push the button, and gave reasons, and all I got back was variations as to "why would you push it?"

You seem to understand what he is saying, maybe you could explain it to me.

Because I still don't see any point behind it other than would you die to protect your loved ones?. Well daahhh! Of course I would, and so would, I suspect 99% of the population, theist or non-theist.

Norm

 

[DeepThinker]

I take it you mean this:

"Exactly what Im talking about. Just how strong your belief is that there is no God (some atheist would almost kill for it ) it would be stupid not to push this button"

I still don't get the whole thing then. I have said at least four times on this thread that I would push the button, and gave reasons, and all I got back was variations as to "why would you push it?"

You seem to understand what he is saying, maybe you could explain it to me.

Because I still don't see any point behind it other than would you die to protect your loved ones?. Well daahhh! Of course I would, and so would, I suspect 99% of the population, theist or non-theist.

Norm

I think he is questioning how sure you are that there is no God, dont mean to offend if im wrong, thats just the way it seems to me

 

[Mortensen]

I take it you mean this:

"Exactly what Im talking about. Just how strong your belief is that there is no God (some atheist would almost kill for it ) it would be stupid not to push this button"

I still don't get the whole thing then. I have said at least four times on this thread that I would push the button, and gave reasons, and all I got back was variations as to "why would you push it?"

You seem to understand what he is saying, maybe you could explain it to me.

Because I still don't see any point behind it other than would you die to protect your loved ones?. Well daahhh! Of course I would, and so would, I suspect 99% of the population, theist or non-theist.

Norm

You don't understand. If you are sure that there is no god, that there is no doubt, you wouldn't have pushed the button. That is a fact. If you deny it, you haven't open you mind further enough

 

[DeepThinker]

You don't understand. If you are sure that there is no god, that there is no doubt, you wouldn't have pushed the button. That is a fact. If you deny it, you haven't open you mind further enough

I think someone is about to get very angry at that reply

 

[fromdownunder]

You don't understand. If you are sure that there is no god, that there is no doubt, you wouldn't have pushed the button. That is a fact. If you deny it, you haven't open you mind further enough

I lack a belief in God and an afterlife. I have said this before on this very thread, but:

You obviously don't have children, so you cannnot possibly know what it's like. You can call it whatever you want, (some people call it love) but I accept that most of us are hardwired through evolutionary processes to protect the people closest to us.

Doubt does not come into play. Instinct, through over 100,000 years of hominid natural selection and social development and structure does.

I wil die one day anyway, so again, if I were to die immediately, and my children live, then genetically, part of me survives, and perhaps survives through my children's children and so on.

I know it's not permanent, because one day the sun will go nova, and sometime after that, the Universe will die a heat death (through the increase of entropy) and everything will cease. Nothing is permanent.

To live a purely selfish and personal "damn you I'm alright mate!" type of life is the most closed minded selfish attitude one could have, and is certainly, from an evolutionary point of view, a complete dead end.

Norm

 

[DeepThinker]

I lack a belief in God and an afterlife. I have said this before on this very thread, but:

You obviously don't have children, so you cannnot possibly know what it's like. You can call it whatever you want, (some people call it love) but I accept that most of us are hardwired through evolutionary processes to protect the people closest to us.

Doubt does not come into play. Instinct, through over 100,000 years of hominid natural selection and social development and structure does.

I wil die one day anyway, so again, if I were to die immediately, and my children live, then genetically, part of me survives, and perhaps survives through my children's children and so on.

I know it's not permanent, because one day the sun will go nova, and sometime after that, the Universe will die a heat death (through the increase of entropy) and everything will cease. Nothing is permanent.

To live a purely selfish and personal "damn you I'm alright mate!" type of life is the most closed minded selfish attitude one could have, and is certainly, from an evolutionary point of view, a complete dead end.

Norm

Bah I was wrong.

 

[fromdownunder]

I think someone is about to get very angry at that reply

I posted before I read this. Have you ever thought about becoming a professional mind reader?

Edited to add: That is me in angry mode. If a really posted what I thought, I would be banned.

Regards

Norm

 

[DeepThinker]

I posted before I read this. Have you ever thought about becoming a professional mind reader?

Edited to add: That is me in angry mode. If a really posted what I thought, I would be banned.

Regards

Norm

hehe

 

[Mortensen]

I lack a belief in God and an afterlife. I have said this before on this very thread, but:

You obviously don't have children, so you cannnot possibly know what it's like. You can call it whatever you want, (some people call it love) but I accept that most of us are hardwired through evolutionary processes to protect the people closest to us.

Doubt does not come into play. Instinct, through over 100,000 years of hominid natural selection and social development and structure does.

I wil die one day anyway, so again, if I were to die immediately, and my children live, then genetically, part of me survives, and perhaps survives through my children's children and so on.

I know it's not permanent, because one day the sun will go nova, and sometime after that, the Universe will die a heat death (through the increase of entropy) and everything will cease. Nothing is permanent.

To live a purely selfish and personal "damn you I'm alright mate!" type of life is the most closed minded selfish attitude one could have, and is certainly, from an evolutionary point of view, a complete dead end.

Norm

I can accept that the instinct to prodect your children can come before reason.

 

[fromdownunder]

I can accept that the instinct to prodect your children can come before reason.

I think I would put "reason" in the same category as "morality", and argue that neither exist per se, but are all part of human survival mechanisms. But, that's for a separate thread, and it's nearly One O'Clock in the morning here, so I'm going to bed.

Norm

 

[starelda]

Yes, I'd push the button.

 

[meebs]

You don't understand. If you are sure that there is no god, that there is no doubt, you wouldn't have pushed the button. That is a fact. If you deny it, you haven't open you mind further enough

i'd push the button.

i think the matter of any god's existance is irrelevant before it comes to saving lives. so what if i didnt exist anymore or know anything anymore. one day, when i have kids and i'd have to save their lives or in fact any groups of peoples lives really, especially children, i'd push the button.

 

[droskey]

Yes I would push it. At least I hope that I would have the guts to push it.

Cheers.

 

[maniaco]

yea i'd push it, without a doubt...still don't see the point in the question tho *rolls eyes*

 

[MartinM]

I can accept that the instinct to prodect your children can come before reason.

One cannot make a reasoned personal decision without taking one's instincts and emotions into account. One can be a rational agent without being a Vulcan.

 

[Roxy641]

You know that you will die a sertain death within short time. Survival is no option at all. Your family is also doomed to die, if you not press a sertain button. This button will save your dear ones lives, but also take your own life instintly. Would you push it?

I'd certainly consider pressing the button.

Roxy641

 

[Foolish_Fool]

I'm a true skeptic. I would laugh and say "This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Followed shortly by "... *&^%*&%$&^%#$^!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

[Namaste]

You know that you will die a sertain death within short time. Survival is no option at all. Your family is also doomed to die, if you not press a sertain button. This button will save your dear ones lives, but also take your own life instintly. Would you push it?

It depends on many different things. Are my family members suffering from debilitating diseases or terminal conditions? If so then maybe I wouldn't press it.

That being said, it's not a valid question. I've had time to sit here at my computer and think about the answer whereas in the above situation I would have to make a quick judgement on the spot under pressure. It's impossible to know whether you actually would or not, but you can make a guess and state what you wish you would do in such a situation.

 

[Kleptin]

Your little "experiment" has a flaw. Does being an Atheist mean that I don't love my family? That I don't value the lives of many of my loved ones over my own?