Good reason to be an atheist?(moved from Christian Appologetics)

[juvenissun]

It always matters whether it is true or not. And it always matters if one has intellectual integrity or not.


eudaimonia,

Mark

We can not find the truth anyway. So, what you do?

 

[Penumbra]

The problem is not that you judge information from other as speculation.
The problem is on YOU. If you do not speculate, you do not have much to say or to do. How many times do you say "I don't know" in a day? The amazing thing is that you will continue to say that till your death.

I'll be accumulating more information until I die. Some things I will never know, and I'm comfortable with that. I'm not going to make up false truths for myself.

Would it be nice if you can find something that answer questions in a confirmative manner? It does not matter whether it is true or not.

You said in your last paragraph that I'll be saying "I don't know" till I die. But, under this scenario, I'll be lying to myself till I die. Which is better?

We have a fundamental, and apparently irreconcilable difference in how we perceive our world. I'd rather learn as much as I can, and admit what I don't know. You'd rather have an answer, even if it is false. That's not something I want, sorry. (Plus, no religion I've learned of even comes close to answering all questions I have.)

-Lyn

 

[JGG]

Anything lasts through history must have a very good reason. For example, we can not prove the existence of ghost. But the story of ghost started with the beginning of human being. And today, there are much money and intelligence devoted to the study of ghost.

Wow. What do they actually study? Ectoplasm? Ghost droppings?

What does that say to you about the possibility of having ghost? Are you kidding yourself by simply dismiss the idea?

Who said that I have dismissed the idea of ghosts? I don't believe in ghosts. Present me with some credible evidence of ghosts and I will reevaluate, but right now I am not convinced that they are real.

My point? I suggest you to pick up one of the unknown, life-concerning question, and start to look into it. Because it matters to YOU.

I already gave a list. Why do ghosts and UFO's matter to you?

 

[Penumbra]

Wow. What do they actually study? Ectoplasm? Ghost droppings?

People that 'study' ghosts usually use those little machines that record white noise in a room, and then go around in a supposedly haunted place asking questions, and then later check to see if anything showed up on the recording. Usually what shows up is either nothing, or something that sounds creepy, but is not clear enough to know for sure what it is.

They also use cameras, and sometimes try to catch ghosts on camera. (Sometimes thermal cameras, too.)

Also, let's say a house owner reports that one door is always slammed shut by ghosts, they'll put a motion sensor camera near that door.

They have shows about this. Once in a great while someone catches something interesting, but it's not enough for me to believe in ghosts so far.

-Lyn

 

[trt]

The reason why I became Atheist is because i want to STAND for a few things pertaining to us all as "Non Christians."

 

[Eudaimonist]

They are logic speculations.

Since the speculation has already started on the existence of ghost, why not expand it to the next step?

Because these sorts of speculations are empty and useless, given the paucity of the evidence.

We can not find the truth anyway. So, what you do?

We very often can find the truth. But what we do is to reject unsupported claims until there is enough evidence to give a proper evaluation.

So far, we may reject claims that there are ghosts. Given what we know, we may conclude that they don't exist. If new evidence supports their existence, we may revisit the issue.

Since I was an atheist before. I found it does not make sense to be an atheist.

You are damaging your credibility. Atheists are unique individuals. You weren't just any atheist, you were you.

I completely believe that it might not have made sense for you to be an atheist, or that you couldn't make sense out of life as an atheist, but that doesn't apply to any other atheists. You make the classic error of assuming that we are just like how you were.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[SiderealExalt]

We do not know the truth anyway. So what we choose is what we want to choose.

You just make a self contradicting statement.

 

[SiderealExalt]

There are many scientific studies about after-life issues.

Psuedo science=/=Science.

 

[SiderealExalt]

We can not find the truth anyway. So, what you do?

This statement is also self contradictory.

 

[Dharma Wheel]

Take it one at a time:

Why should the earth be round? (we see the fact, but we do not know why!)

Because the Bible is wrong? It clearly identifies it as flat.

Seriously though the Earth is round due to gravity. You see gravity pulls with equal strengths and thus it causes the warter, the land etc. to be rounded.

Pick up one thing you know the best to see if I can give you a question which you must say: I don't know.

Not my point. If you had read my post you would realize that I am saying we have science facts (such as the Earth being round etc.) not that we know everything about the universe.

 

[Super_Rational]

Trust science for what? Trust my after-life to science? Sure not.
Science works on something, but not on other things. That is where the problem is.

Science doesn't make predictions about superstitions (well, other than they are a crock). So I guess you're right.

 

[Super_Rational]

Would it be nice if you can find something that answer questions in a confirmative manner? It does not matter whether it is true or not.

I guess that settles that. Hard to argue with someone who only wants the warm fuzzies.

 

[Super_Rational]

There are many scientific studies about after-life issues.

No. No there are not. Maybe attempts to study near death experiences, but nothing even so much as confirming the existence of an afterlife. Especially nothing describing the nature of it. But why are you on the side of science now? Is it b/c you think it supports your view this time? You were railing against earth scientists earlier.

 

[Super_Rational]

We can not find the truth anyway. So, what you do?

That's because you're stuck reading an ancient book.

 

[Super_Rational]

People that 'study' ghosts usually use those little machines that record white noise in a room, and then go around in a supposedly haunted place asking questions, and then later check to see if anything showed up on the recording. Usually what shows up is either nothing, or something that sounds creepy, but is not clear enough to know for sure what it is.
-Lyn

My personal favorite are the electromagnetic "energy" detectors that go crazy when they get next the house's circuit breaker. Clueless people.

 

[juvenissun]

I'll be accumulating more information until I die. Some things I will never know, and I'm comfortable with that. I'm not going to make up false truths for myself.

You said in your last paragraph that I'll be saying "I don't know" till I die. But, under this scenario, I'll be lying to myself till I die. Which is better?

We have a fundamental, and apparently irreconcilable difference in how we perceive our world. I'd rather learn as much as I can, and admit what I don't know. You'd rather have an answer, even if it is false. That's not something I want, sorry. (Plus, no religion I've learned of even comes close to answering all questions I have.)

-Lyn

If you do not touch religion, you will certainly die with a bunch of I-don't-knows. It you become a theist, you MAY NOT die with a lie, but with some answers.

To me, the turning thought is the acceptance of life after death. Without that, you do not need religion. And I hope you don't wait till the time is coming than begin to be serious about it. It is a very hard thing to do for young people.

 

[juvenissun]

Wow. What do they actually study? Ectoplasm? Ghost droppings?



Who said that I have dismissed the idea of ghosts? I don't believe in ghosts. Present me with some credible evidence of ghosts and I will reevaluate, but right now I am not convinced that they are real.



I already gave a list. Why do ghosts and UFO's matter to you?

I don't care about ghost. I already have answers to it. (They do exist)

But UFO is more serious. Before I get my personal experience of it, one thing to watch is the discovery from SETI research people. If they heard nothing, then UFO is not that serious.

If you are serious, you study it on yourself. Any reference given to you by anyone is not useful. It is not that hard with all the information tools available today.

 

[juvenissun]

The reason why I became Atheist is because i want to STAND for a few things pertaining to us all as "Non Christians."

You should know by doing that, you also stand as Non-Religious.
What is the reason for you to against Buddhism? or Daoism?

 

[juvenissun]

Because these sorts of speculations are empty and useless, given the paucity of the evidence.



We very often can find the truth. But what we do is to reject unsupported claims until there is enough evidence to give a proper evaluation.

So far, we may reject claims that there are ghosts. Given what we know, we may conclude that they don't exist. If new evidence supports their existence, we may revisit the issue.



You are damaging your credibility. Atheists are unique individuals. You weren't just any atheist, you were you.

I completely believe that it might not have made sense for you to be an atheist, or that you couldn't make sense out of life as an atheist, but that doesn't apply to any other atheists. You make the classic error of assuming that we are just like how you were.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Could you share one atheistic truth with me. I promise I will not attack it like people attacking religion.

 

[juvenissun]

Psuedo science=/=Science.

No. People will not spend money on psuedoscience. They are trying to find something important.