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

Penumbra · Jul 12, 2009

juvenissun said:
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.

This is common among theists. They often assume that someone who lacks a religion is that way because she has not looked deep into many religions, and is ignorant of what they teach. You don't know me, and you don't know how seriously I've looked into them.

I am reasonably knowledgeable about many major world religions. I've looked into them rather thoroughly in proportion to the number of years I've been on Earth. I've taken classes on them in college, I've read major holy texts like the Bible, Qur'an, and Bhagavad Gita, and I've talked to believers of many, many religions. I also spent the first 2/3rds of my life as a Catholic, praying and going to church and so forth.

-Lyn

juvenissun · Jul 12, 2009

Dharma Wheel said:
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.

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.

I am not talking about facts. We have many poor people. That is a fact. But the key question is WHY are they poor? Atheist has no answer to it. Buddhism should have a deep, systematic explanation to that.

The earth is round because the interior of the earth is hot. The moon is also round. But the moon was probably never hot enough to make itself into a round globe according to the current theory.

Penumbra · Jul 12, 2009

juvenissun said:
I am not talking about facts. We have many poor people. That is a fact. But the key question is WHY are they poor? Atheist has no answer to it. Buddhism should have a deep, systematic explanation to that.

The earth is round because the interior of the earth is hot. The moon is also round. But the moon was probably never hot enough to make itself into a round globe according to the current theory.

No, the earth is round due to its own gravity. It's hot because the pressure of all the rock pulling in on itself raises the temperature, and because it is still cooling from when it was formed. The moon's core is hot as well.

-Lyn

juvenissun · Jul 12, 2009

Super_Rational said:
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.

Give you an example:

A Child's Encounter with the Devil: An Unusual Near-Death Experience with Both Blissful and Frightening Elements

Journal of Near-Death Studies, Vol. 20, Issue: 2, Winter 2001. pp. 87-100

Bonenfant, Richard J.

juvenissun · Jul 12, 2009

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

By saying that, you are as arrogant as those "religious people".

Be humble.

trt · Jul 12, 2009

I answered your question and that's all I have to say on this particular thread. Thank you

juvenissun · Jul 12, 2009

Penumbra said:
This is common among theists. They often assume that someone who lacks a religion is that way because she has not looked deep into many religions, and is ignorant of what they teach. You don't know me, and you don't know how seriously I've looked into them.

I am reasonably knowledgeable about many major world religions. I've looked into them rather thoroughly in proportion to the number of years I've been on Earth. I've taken classes on them in college, I've read major holy texts like the Bible, Qur'an, and Bhagavad Gita, and I've talked to believers of many, many religions. I also spent the first 2/3rds of my life as a Catholic, praying and going to church and so forth.

-Lyn

I was very confused when I was young. There are so many religious teachings and everyone would probably take a life-time to only get start to understand. What should I do?

I tell you, there is no other way. Just take one and dip into it. That is the biggest decision to make. More critical than taking a major, or finding a spouse. Just browsing here and there (taking a course, for example) will lead you to nowhere.

juvenissun · Jul 12, 2009

trt said:
I answered your question and that's all I have to say on this particular thread. Thank you

Good luck.

juvenissun · Jul 12, 2009

Penumbra said:
No, the earth is round due to its own gravity. It's hot because the pressure of all the rock pulling in on itself raises the temperature, and because it is still cooling from when it was formed. The moon's core is hot as well.

-Lyn

Have you heard a type of rounded cosmic object which is very loose in nature? A particular type of asteroid is an example. Another one may be the moon Miranda of Uranus. (density is only 1.2 when compare to 3.5 of our moon. )

Penumbra · Jul 12, 2009

juvenissun said:
I was very confused when I was young. There are so many religious teachings and everyone would probably take a life-time to only get start to understand. What should I do?

I tell you, there is no other way. Just take one and dip into it. That is the biggest decision to make. More critical than taking a major, or finding a spouse. Just browsing here and there (taking a course, for example) will lead you to nowhere.

I'd rather just read up about many of them and keep an open mind and only accept something as truth if it is shown to be true.

With the thousands of gods in existence, picking one doesn't put the odds in your favor. Its thousands against one. It's playing the lottery for truth.

-Lyn

Penumbra · Jul 12, 2009

juvenissun said:
Have you heard a type of rounded cosmic object which is very loose in nature? A particular type of asteroid is an example. Another one may be the moon Miranda of Uranus. (density is only 1.2 when compare to 3.5 of our moon. )

How does the difference in density correlate to the discussion of uniform gravity causing a nearly spherical shape in a large enough body?

-Lyn

Super_Rational · Jul 12, 2009

juvenissun said:
I am not talking about facts. We have many poor people. That is a fact. But the key question is WHY are they poor? Atheist has no answer to it.

Are you saying there's only a spiritual explanation to why people are poor? So you really aren't capable of thinking of a non-religious or non-spiritual reason why? Think hard.

Super_Rational · Jul 12, 2009

juvenissun said:
Give you an example:

A Child's Encounter with the Devil: An Unusual Near-Death Experience with Both Blissful and Frightening Elements

Journal of Near-Death Studies, Vol. 20, Issue: 2, Winter 2001. pp. 87-100

Bonenfant, Richard J.

Did you even read any of it, or just fish for a good-sounding title? There was no conclusion to support what you are saying. Quoting from it: "However, I was impressed by the apparent authenticity of Scotts experience and do not feel justified in dismissing the possibility that some component of the experience reflects interaction with an alternate reality."

Pretty vague & unconclusive. Try again.

Super_Rational · Jul 12, 2009

juvenissun said:
By saying that, you are as arrogant as those "religious people".

Be humble.

Be a little more skeptical, less gullible. The scenario I was referring to shows that those guys have no clue what they are doing other than using a "fancy gadget" with blinking lights. They don't understand the underlying principles. If pointing out an obvious, laughable flaw means you think I'm arrogant, then so be it.

juvenissun · Jul 12, 2009

Penumbra said:
I'd rather just read up about many of them and keep an open mind and only accept something as truth if it is shown to be true.

With the thousands of gods in existence, picking one doesn't put the odds in your favor. Its thousands against one. It's playing the lottery for truth.

-Lyn

No. It is more likely only two: Christianity or Buddhism.
Unless you also consider the violent Muslim.

The established religion is still far better than other odd religions.

juvenissun · Jul 12, 2009

Penumbra said:
How does the difference in density correlate to the discussion of uniform gravity causing a nearly spherical shape in a large enough body?

-Lyn

A spherical cosmic body demands either a fluid (gas or liquid) body/cover or a solid body which has been melted by its own heat.

Of course, the gravity is the background cause. But there is more than just that. Gravity could put together pieces loosely and may not be spherical. So, for example, if we take off the ice cover of the Titan or Europa, we may not see a spherical solid core.

juvenissun · Jul 12, 2009

Super_Rational said:
Are you saying there's only a spiritual explanation to why people are poor? So you really aren't capable of thinking of a non-religious or non-spiritual reason why? Think hard.

I did not say "only". In fact, I suggested "better".

And it better not be a reason which is "spiritual" only. Otherwise, I don't think the religion will fly. If you study Buddhism, you know it is, in fact, not spiritual at all. It is very practical.

juvenissun · Jul 12, 2009

Super_Rational said:
Did you even read any of it, or just fish for a good-sounding title? There was no conclusion to support what you are saying. Quoting from it: "However, I was impressed by the apparent authenticity of Scotts experience and do not feel justified in dismissing the possibility that some component of the experience reflects interaction with an alternate reality."

Pretty vague & unconclusive. Try again.

It is an example. The whole journal of 20 volumes are dedicated to this type of thing. I do not need to study it because I already have the answer. I used it to demonstrate that people ARE serious about it. It is an academic journal and is peer reviewed. Those articles are funded researches.

ArteestX · Jul 12, 2009

juvenissun said:
Remember, atheism does not have an answer. Religion has answer, true or not.

juvenissun said:
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.

Believe something even if it isn't true. I think that sums up your argument quite nicely.

SiderealExalt · Jul 12, 2009

juvenissun said:
No. It is more likely only two: Christianity or Buddhism.
Unless you also consider the violent Muslim.

The established religion is still far better than other odd religions.

To you anyway, the popularity or ethical code of a religion is separate from whether it is true or not.

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

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... and God saw that it was good.

... and God saw that it was good.

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... and God saw that it was good.

... and God saw that it was good.

... and God saw that it was good.

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