Athiest Interest in debate?

[johnnymapson]

What is the interest in debating athiesm in a christian forum site? I have read a lot of the athiest vs. christian debates and they always seem to come up pointless. I am not saying that an athiest could not be won to Christ through a debate so that could be a valid reason for a Christian, I am looking for the reason an "athiest" would bother or want a debate in a christian forum. thanks.

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

We just went through this in the GA forum.

I don't debate the religion or beliefs, so I cannot answer you. I debate minute points.

 

[HouseApe]

Same reason a Christian would debate a Hindu: to show him the error of his ways.

 

[jayem]

I've always been interested in religion and philosophy, especially ethics. And I like a good intellectual interchange. I don't expect to "convert" anyone to my way of thinking. I'd just like to have people think about what they believe, and I enjoy thinking about other people's ideas.

 

[Phred]

What is the interest in debating athiesm in a christian forum site? I have read a lot of the athiest vs. christian debates and they always seem to come up pointless. I am not saying that an athiest could not be won to Christ through a debate so that could be a valid reason for a Christian, I am looking for the reason an "athiest" would bother or want a debate in a christian forum. thanks.

I couldn't have cared less until it became apparent Christianity was being forced into my life. How much longer before everything below is true?

I can only watch TV that Christians approve of. As the majority they can boycott advertisers, thus changing the landscape. For cryin' out loud, Saving Private Ryan was not aired in several markets because of this sort of pressure.

My kids will be learning from a ciriculum influenced by Christians. Science is taking a beating unlike anything seen since Galileo was put in prison. Stickers on textbooks, perversion of what science really is...

I'm going to be judged in court according to Christian beliefs. If some Christians have their way I'd have to adhere to the First Commandment before I could avail myself of the First Amendment.

I could go on... but anyway, so I started to examine this Christian faith. I discovered that while Christians are easy to market to, they don't really have any cohesiveness. Catholics and Baptists... oil and water. Until you put them both in front of a atheist. Find a common enemy and you can align all 30,000 different Christian sects.

What's going on is a marketing scheme the likes of which the nation has never seen. "Family Values" brings in Christians from everywhere to fight against some mystery enemy. I say "mystery" because it's a complete mystery what person doesn't agree that a family is a good thing. Otherwise, "family values" is a meaningless phrase, one designed to rally Christians without mentioning God. Homosexuals are being portrayed as evil incarnate. They're out to get your kids! Say the word "liberal" and make sure you sneer when you say it.

Somehow, this concept of "you're with us or you're against us" has become rational. If it's not Christian, it's the enemy.

So why would an atheist come here and talk, argue, debate with Christians? To show you reason isn't the enemy. To stand up for what's right and moral, not what's institutionalized as such. To stand up for the rights of the minority and to try and point out that we're all human beings first, religious labels second.

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[lillies_and_remains]

What is the interest in debating athiesm in a christian forum site? I have read a lot of the athiest vs. christian debates and they always seem to come up pointless. I am not saying that an athiest could not be won to Christ through a debate so that could be a valid reason for a Christian, I am looking for the reason an "athiest" would bother or want a debate in a christian forum. thanks.

I am surprised by this question.

Why is it pointless to interact with people who you may not normally interact with? I don't know about you but I don't want to just be closed off in my own ignorance for my entire life.

And why is it that you only mention an atheist being converted to a christian? a christian being converted to atheism has just as much likelihood.

And anyway it is not just about trampling over the beliefs of others and converting them to your way of thinking, it is INTERESTING to debate with people to get a bigger view of the world and the people in it.

 

[Inside Edge]

What's going on is a marketing scheme the likes of which the nation has never seen. "Family Values" brings in Christians from everywhere to fight against some mystery enemy. I say "mystery" because it's a complete mystery what person doesn't agree that a family is a good thing. Otherwise, "family values" is a meaningless phrase, one designed to rally Christians without mentioning God. Homosexuals are being portrayed as evil incarnate. They're out to get your kids! Say the word "liberal" and make sure you sneer when you say it.

I think you're a bit paranoid. It's likely that the main reason "Christians" are so vocal about the things you listed is because they are not happening. A group with such a loud cry about such things is often a defensive group. Rather, I think you'll see a small groundswelling of diatribe and movements like you've described, and in a few more years things will settle back down to normal.

To show you reason isn't the enemy. To stand up for what's right and moral, not what's institutionalized as such.

Keep it up, then!

 

[johnnymapson]

So why would an atheist come here and talk, argue, debate with Christians? To show you reason isn't the enemy. To stand up for what's right and moral, not what's institutionalized as such. To stand up for the rights of the minority and to try and point out that we're all human beings first, religious labels second.

I could have probably worded the whole question better. It was mere curiosity. I don't know a whole lot about athiesm, and was trying to get a better grasp of it.

What is right and moral to an athiest. Or how would an athiest define morality? Thanks for all of the insight.

 

[Dennis Moore]

What is the interest in debating athiesm in a christian forum site?

Well, for one thing, to clear up basic theist misconceptions about nontheism ... such as how to spell atheism. But really, I'm here as a representative not of atheism, but of Secular Humanism. I like a lively discussion about these topics, and this seemed like a good place for lively discussion. If I leave a better impression of nontheists with my presence, then I'm happy. If I've made a few people think, so much the better.

 

[Dennis Moore]

I don't know a whole lot about athiesm, and was trying to get a better grasp of it.

I commend your search for knowledge.

What is right and moral to an athiest. Or how would an athiest define morality?

Ooh, you start out with the big ones! That's a debate in and of itself. But, as an atheist and Humanist, lemme see if I can offer insight ...

Morality, for an atheist, is pretty much the same thing as it is to a theist: a code of ethics and behavior, and a guide to interacting with others. Where we differ from theists is in where we think morality comes from; while theists believe that deities handed down morality, atheists tend to find morality in society itself, in successful interaction and application of certain apparent truths (such as the old "Do unto others ... "). As a Humanist, one of these core values is that life--being human--does itself have value, the highest value, for it is the only life we have. So a lot of Humanist morality centers around that tenet.

 

[David Gould]

I could have probably worded the whole question better. It was mere curiosity. I don't know a whole lot about athiesm, and was trying to get a better grasp of it.

What is right and moral to an athiest. Or how would an athiest define morality? Thanks for all of the insight.

Morality for me is simply the set of rules which a group has general agreement on.

And all moral rules are individual preferences.

 

[Eudaimonist]

What is right and moral to an athiest. Or how would an athiest define morality? Thanks for all of the insight.

Answers will vary, just as theists (Christians, Muslims, Hindus, some Buddhists, etc) will give different answers.

For my part, I see a proper (i.e. justified) morality as a code of values justfied by an ethical theory based on an investigation of the requirements of human flourishing. A proper morality isn't merely a social convention or following one's whims, but attempts to put wisdom into practice about what human beings actually need in order to grow and mature properly as unique human individuals.

 

[meebs]

I am looking for the reason an "athiest" would bother or want a debate in a christian forum. thanks.

Because i am interested in what people think

Also how some work their heads round their beleifs.

heh - and i was a christian when started on this site and im sorta hooked. Its a good place to debate or to air your ideas too, when everybody at home gets sick of you (well, in my case). Even not all atheists and agnostics and non beleivers agree, we debate each other. This site seems the best place for it. Ive been on others, but they are not done so well.

 

[MoodyBlue]

Somehow, this concept of "you're with us or you're against us" has become rational. If it's not Christian, it's the enemy.

...To stand up for the rights of the minority and to try and point out that we're all human beings first, religious labels second.

Well said. There does appear to be something of a conservative backlash occuring in society right now.

 

[StillSurviving]

An atheist might debate a theist in order to clear up misconceptions, and vice versa.

 

[lillies_and_remains]

What is right and moral to an athiest. Or how would an athiest define morality? Thanks for all of the insight.

To me nothing is right and nothing is moral because good and 'evil' do not exist, we have created labels for people and actions that we want to comend or condemn.
Obviously I don't go round attacking people and stuff cos nothing is right, so nothing is wrong. With the way our society has developed we need these contrived morals.

 

[kedaman]

To me nothing is right and nothing is moral because good and 'evil' do not exist, we have created labels for people and actions that we want to comend or condemn.
Obviously I don't go round attacking people and stuff cos nothing is right, so nothing is wrong. With the way our society has developed we need these contrived morals.

why do you need them?

 

[lillies_and_remains]

why do you need them?

Because our way of life is built around morals and to cast them aside would be to invalidate the way we live. We cannot go on living the way we do if we were to sweep out the foundations from underneath our feet: everything would collapse.

As we live in a hierarchy system that in turn demands a system of governing and control which come from morals: teaching people how to behave: we have been conditioned to believe for example that to kill is wrong and we will be punished for it. im not saying i object, im just looking at the bigger picture.

 

[kedaman]

Because our way of life is built around morals and to cast them aside would be to invalidate the way we live. We cannot go on living the way we do if we were to sweep out the foundations from underneath our feet: everything would collapse.

What's wrong with having everything collapse?

As we live in a hierarchy system that in turn demands a system of governing and control which come from morals: teaching people how to behave: we have been conditioned to believe for example that to kill is wrong and we will be punished for it. im not saying i object, im just looking at the bigger picture.

Sure we have been taught these things, but it doesn't really answer the question, why do you have to obey their laws?

 

[Self Improvement]

What is the interest in debating athiesm in a christian forum site? I have read a lot of the athiest vs. christian debates and they always seem to come up pointless. I am not saying that an athiest could not be won to Christ through a debate so that could be a valid reason for a Christian, I am looking for the reason an "athiest" would bother or want a debate in a christian forum. thanks.

Its fun and intellectually stimulating.