Atheism

[Ayersy]

It's funny you say that... In the non-christian struggles forum I am currently trying to explain that atheism is not a religion or a belief system, but it doesn't seem to be working. Oh well. The best one can do is continue to be polite and as clear as you can be in your explanations. You may not convince the person you are talking with, but perhaps those reading but not posting might understand.

Inevitably it always ends up the same way.

"Define belief."
"Define God."
"Define life."
"Define spirit."
"Define define."
"Define!"

 

[brinny]

If you have a question, challenge, or anything that has to do with atheism/ christianity you can post it here i am a true atheist i want to not only learn more about this subject, but study why people will believe certain things along with putting my thoughts open for questioning, please take this seriously, if you want to bash me and call me names go ahead i have been an atheist for a while now and i live in the bible belt, so please ask/state away.....

do you fear dying?

 

[DannyOcean]

brinny, I don't really fear dying. I certainly don't want to die anytime soon, because life is awesome. But when it happens, it happens.

 

[brinny]

brinny, I don't really fear dying. I certainly don't want to die anytime soon, because life is awesome. But when it happens, it happens.

Life is awesome. Then you die. Sounds a bit abrupt.

 

[DannyOcean]

It is, in a sense. But that's the way it is. You have to look at things based on what you believe is true, rather than what you wish is true. I'm sure many atheists wish there was an afterlife, much in the same way they wish Megan Fox was their girlfriend. But we go with what we've got.

 

[nicknack28]

I sincerely do not wish to make this topic become a crowd but I would be happy to offer my responses to questions as well. I happened across these forums today with the interest of holding religious discussions with others but did not wish to limit myself to only non-religious forums (there's not a lot of progress in simply agreeing with people all the time).

So, like Danny and Atheist_JC, I'd love to give my own responses. I don't want to just barge in, however, so let me know if that's not preferred.

 

[brinny]

I sincerely do not wish to make this topic become a crowd but I would be happy to offer my responses to questions as well. I happened across these forums today with the interest of holding religious discussions with others but did not wish to limit myself to only non-religious forums (there's not a lot of progress in simply agreeing with people all the time).

So, like Danny and Atheist_JC, I'd love to give my own responses. I don't want to just barge in, however, so let me know if that's not preferred.

Barge in

 

[nicknack28]

Alrighty! I would say that I don't fear death, but I'd be abso-fracking-lutely petrified of the pain that would accompany it. That's really what frightens me. It would be depressing to learn of my imminent death but the idea of me no longer existing doesn't really conjure up any emotion. It's a little confusing sometimes to imagine your consciousness not existing, but that's just 'cause I can't conceptualize in my head very well unless I reduce down to mere scientific terms.

 

[brinny]

Alrighty! I would say that I don't fear death, but I'd be abso-fracking-lutely petrified of the pain that would accompany it. That's really what frightens me. It would be depressing to learn of my imminent death but the idea of me no longer existing doesn't really conjure up any emotion. It's a little confusing sometimes to imagine your consciousness not existing, but that's just 'cause I can't conceptualize in my head very well unless I reduce down to mere scientific terms.

i gotta say, your spontaneity is delightful. Thanks for joining in.

i used to be terrified of dying.

 

[brinny]

If you have a question, challenge, or anything that has to do with atheism/ christianity you can post it here i am a true atheist i want to not only learn more about this subject, but study why people will believe certain things along with putting my thoughts open for questioning, please take this seriously, if you want to bash me and call me names go ahead i have been an atheist for a while now and i live in the bible belt, so please ask/state away.....

What do you want on your gravestone?

 

[Tinker Grey]

"All dressed up and nowhere to go."

 

[nicknack28]

I'd probably just have an extremely relevant inside joke of some sort, the kind that may engender a "[wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth]?..." but grab a giggle from my family.

 

[brinny]

 

[Lord Emsworth]

OK, thanks. Now I want to ask, what is it that the true atheist is not believing in, which you are labeling with the word 'god'?

That is an excellent question. I would just say that I have absolutely no idea. Is there even any such generally agreed upon, coherent and meaningful idea anywhere? I don't think so.

For example, I might say that an aglarfist is someone who does not believe in glarf and understands why they think this way and not because others tell them why. However, what is the glarf they don't believe in? I would have to define that to make myself understood, and it wouldn't help at all if I said it was the same as phang or grawp.

A unicorn is a one-horned critter of some type, probably a horse-like critter, maybe one which can only be approached by virgins. So an a-unicornist is someone who doesn't think unicorns exist, and a unicornist is someone who does think there are some.

But keep in mind, no serious Unicorninst believes that a unicorn really is a critter with a horn on its head, or that it can only be approached by virgins. Ultimately, unicorns are way beyond us, and the stuff about the horns, the virgins, the clover shaped hooves, or any other of the hippomorphisms (?did I do it right?) are just flawed metaphors to describe what we can never fully grasp.

 

[brinny]

That is an excellent question. I would just say that I have absolutely no idea. Is there even any such generally agreed upon, coherent and meaningful idea anywhere? I don't think so.





But keep in mind, no serious Unicorninst believes that a unicorn really is a critter with a horn on its head, or that it can only be approached by virgins. Ultimately, unicorns are way beyond us, and the stuff about the horns, the virgins, the clover shaped hooves, or any other of the hippomorphisms (?did I do it right?) are just flawed metaphors to describe what we can never fully grasp.

Are you in the Matrix Lord Emsworth?

 

[Lord Emsworth]

do you fear dying?

Do you mean being dead? No, not at all.

Or do you literally mean the process of dying? If so, well, am not a big fan of pain and suffering and if there is any of it involved then yes, I do fear dying a death full of pain and suffering. If it is a quick and painless way of dying, then no, not at all.

 

[brinny]

Originally Posted by brinny
do you fear dying?

Do you mean being dead? No, not at all.

Or do you literally mean the process of dying? If so, well, am not a big fan of pain and suffering and if there is any of it involved then yes, I do fear dying a death full of pain and suffering. If it is a quick and painless way of dying, then no, not at all.

do you find dying (minus the suffering) abrupt?

 

[Lord Emsworth]

Are you in the Matrix Lord Emsworth?

No, that's Keanu Reaves.


ETA: I am in Hamlet, however.

 

[brinny]

Originally Posted by brinny
Are you in the Matrix Lord Emsworth?

No, that's Keanu Reaves.


ETA: I am in Hamlet, however.

he's not the only one in the Matrix

 

[Lord Emsworth]

do you find dying (minus the suffering) abrupt?

No, not necessarily. Imagine someone who dies after a long coma.