Being atheist, does it answer your questions?
Posted on: December 26, 2012 - 1:02pm
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Being atheist, does it answer your questions?
First of all, I want to say that I'm not in the position to defend theism/theists. Just want to know whether atheists in this forum have got their questions (regarding live, the universe, or any other puzzling inquiries) answered by becoming atheist, or at least you have got a quite satisfying answer.
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That is rich, I love it when they fall back on wikipedia while simultaneously demonstrating poor reading comprehension, especially when the quote they pull from wikipedia isn't even relevant to the point they are trying to make.
So holda2nd, do you have any evidence whatsoever of any of these supernatural beings you believe in or does it just make you feel good to believe in them? Life is too short to waste it believing in fantasies imo and there are many absolutely amazing things in this world to travel and see that are real rather than waste running around chasing ghosts.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
If you actually understood scientific theory means then you know that it has facts, it is an explanation of a phenomena or even that has facts, tested and proven hypothesis and law that explain the phenomena or event. Not a guess as you are still trying to make it seem.
How can you see and unseen being? that makes it a seen being not an unseen being, that's just a bit of a contradiction, however stating that supernatural beings are facts, doesn't make it a fact. Evidence that proves beyond a doubt they exist makes it a fact....you have just written nothing but drivel with this statement of yours. Of course there is no point in arguing with you, you made up your mind and refuse to discuss this as an adult, you are at least 2 steps behind the rest of us, not 1 step ahead. I have been to Asia, heard some nice stories, never been given any evidence that Unseen beings exist.
Naked assertion. If it is a fact then it should be easy to provide evidence. Please do so, if you wish to claim that as "fact."
How many things is it that you claim to see ? If we're ignorant, then please educate us by demonstrating proof or evidence.
What your really saying is that you have absolute no proof for these claims and that your relying on intuition.
Plus, I find it somewhat insulting to insinuate that atheists/skeptics have never visited "some" locations in Asia.
So again, please enlighten me, how did you "find" these people that helped you see things ? Where is your proof ?
Remember, that which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.
“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno
As we keep telling you, a scientific theory is NOT a fact, it is the accumulation of many facts. What Wiki says is that the big bang theory tells us about what happened just after the bang. We have plenty of facts from that instant onwards. What we do not know at this time is what happened immediately prior to the big bang. No one is pretending otherwise.
When i was 19-20, I believed in clairvoyance, precognition, spirits, etc. I grew up. Life is too short to waste it on claims that can not be supported by verifiable, repeatable evidence.
Sounds like you should stop watching so much Deepak Chopra.
edit: to clarify my meaning - sigh.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
Scientific theories are ideas that are supportable to some degree by facts, observations.
Whereas supernatural ideas have no such support - once you are prepared to accept the supernatural, you are into pure speculation. Anything goes, you have no sound basis for your beliefs, you haven't really reached the level of a scientific hypothesis.
'God' in no way provides an ultimate explanation for anything; the idea merely introduces a bigger mystery, namely how did such a 'being' come to 'be', or alternatively, why would 'reality' be structured so as to include or require the existence of such an entity, so much more beyond our comprehension than a purely naturalistic origin of "Life, the Universe, and Everything".
Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality
"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris
The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me
From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology
keeps telling you we cannot know what was going on pre-bang and you suggest this wiki quote is some sort of checkmate. Of what? It seems you don't bother to read any posts and if you do you don't understand what you are reading. Get it through your thick skull. No one knows what was happening before the big bang. Stop with the banal straw manning.
We are not defending your gormless assertion that science claims it can say something true about what went on before space and time existed. We don't know and nor do you. But we demand a standard of evidence and supernatural assertion does not cut it. When we have no evidence we maintain skepticism. Do you get it yet? No proof, no arguable truth.
You seem to be to the sort of person who coyly demands objective proof of something that can't be known and when they don't get it, consider themselves free to just make shit up. What do you think was happening pre-bang, holda? What's your great hypothesis? And are you satisfied with being the most irrational poster on the RRS boards? It sure seems so.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
Listen, monkey boy. A scientific theory is an interlocking system of hypotheses preferably across multiple disciplines, variously supported by relentlessly cross-checked data that is always open to improvement. Theories predict and explain, they don't assert absolute truth. It's not the same thing as my personal theory about who is RRS' silliest poster of the past 6 months, a theory that's at least partly subjective and unsupported by testable explanation. Please pay special attention to the last fucking paragraph of this definition.
From Wiki:
"A scientific theory is "a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment."[1][2] Scientists create scientific theories from hypotheses that have been corroborated through the scientific method, then gather evidence to test their accuracy. As with all forms of scientific knowledge, scientific theories are inductive in nature and do not make apodictic propositions; instead, they aim for predictive and explanatory force.[3][4]
The strength of a scientific theory is related to the diversity of phenomena it can explain, which is measured by its ability to make falsifiable predictions with respect to those phenomena. Theories are improved as more evidence is gathered, so that accuracy in prediction improves over time. Scientists use theories as a foundation to gain further scientific knowledge, as well as to accomplish goals such as inventing technology or curing disease.
Scientific theories are the most reliable, rigorous, and comprehensive form of scientific knowledge.[3] This is significantly different from the word "theory" in common usage, which implies that something is unproven or speculative."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory
Ohhhh, look. That seems to be the objective proof we needed to prove slightly more than subjectively that you are a gigantic twit whose original post was a device designed to to encase your lunatic appeal to complexity. To wit: "Explain first cause or my freaky opinion is absolute truth."
You assert supernatural silliness and insist no one can deny it 'cause it's just true. Fuck me. I want back the 5 precious minutes of life I wasted trying to rationally communicate with you, holda, you gibbering mung bean.
Dear, oh dear.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
That is because the language in science is different than the language of the lay person.
"Theory" to morons who no nothing about science pull this bullshit argument.
"Theory" in science DOES NOT mean the same thing it does to the average Joe off the street.
"Theory" in science goes way beyond the mere "it feels good" and "I like it".
It is not the "layman's guess". It is the scientific observation based on data and testing.
"Theory" in science is not a mere guess or " I like it". It is fact, like gravity.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
I sense some level of trickery here. These threads get opened up with questions, like : How has being an Atheist helped your life ?" and then waited until there are a sufficient enough number of replies, to declare this victory of : "Well your answers all suck so therefore you must be wrong."
If a person wants to make a debate, IMO, then it would just be easier to state the position from the get go (i.e. I believe in many things and think anyone who does not is close minded) rather than to start out by asking questions like they are looking for some sort of an answer and discussion and then make their sly move.
If a person wants to debate, then lay the cards on the table and debate will be given.
If a person wants to ask questions, then ask away.
Shit, state it the way that it is.
“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno
yeah, we've already had that "luck." there's a czech gentleman here who claims to have all sorts of paranormal abilities. he's nice enough in most respects, but i'm afraid he's done nothing to convince anyone here of the validity of his claims.
"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson
I saw some unseen beings one time, when I left religion and started walking on the wild side.....I made a decision to never drop LSD again.
“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno
Not exactly. Being an atheist has a side effect of admitting you don't have all the answers, generally speaking.
I've never been a theist, can't honestly compare them from experience as a result.
That said, the answers I have found as an atheist make sense. No theist I've encountered has answers that make any sense.
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
You have a satisfying answer for the origin of the Universe?
To paraphrase South Park, I imagine what happens after you die is a lot like how things were before you were born.
Many people never transitioned from theism to atheism. I have, however, and it was the single greatest turning point in my life. I've never regretted it for a moment.
Aw geez I sound like a preacher, there's nothing special in it you are right. But it was the removal of something that was inhibiting, scaring, and confusing me.
Pick up any dictionary, any. And you will find that most words have more than one meaning.
Even the first word in the dictionary "A" has more than one meaning. It denotes the count of something else, but it can also be a grade of a paper denoting the quality of the essay "That person got an A on their paper. I want a car. Two different meanings and usages.
Now, "theory" as a word outside science is what you say, a mere guess.
"Theory" inside science is not the same word you stupidly and childishly want it to mean. "Theory" in science is FACTUAL. I am sorry you cant wrap your brain around it, but those are TWO completely different uses of the word.
What your doing would be as stupid as treating "pi" as food because it sounds like "pie".
"Which witch is which?"
Do humanity a favor and never teach a science class.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog