Forums → WEPR → Your views on athiesm.

News flash, science is considered a religion, look it up in a dictionary.

No it's not.

The problem I have with many atheists is that they tend to make it their mission to sway theists. Generally, I don't see a point in them doing this. However, freedom of speech and the flow of ideas, no matter how crazy, are always important. Atheism isn't even crazy, so it shouldn't be looked at as if it was some sort of cultist movement.

don't try to disprove OR PROVE religion, cuz you will ultimately fail.

Many theists and even agnostics feel that it is impossible to disprove God. However, this all stems from a misconception of what qualifies as proof.

The reason we don't believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster or poke dotted green and blue flying elephants is because there is no evidence supporting the existence of either one. The lack of evidence is evidence in itself.

We can even apply why it's important to accept lack of evidence as evidence.

Let's say a man took his dog for a walk around the neighborhood. When he gets home, he goes to bed. He wakes up and finds policemen at his door. He is arrested for the murder of his neighbor. Rather than proving the man is the murderer, they tell the man that he must prove his own innocence.

"I was walking my dog last night."

"Prove it."

"I... don't know how."

Luckily, that's not how things work in many civilized countries, not any more at least. There are quite a few loopholes in my story, I'm sure, but the message should remain clear. Lack of evidence should not be evidence to prove something did happen, but evidence against it happening.

If you use lack of evidence to justify your belief in God, then that's your problem. Just remember that as soon as that illogical form of thinking leaks to the real world, it will turn and bite you in the rear.

Overall athiests are logical, but a majority of them really have no idea what they're talking about half the time they speak about religion.

I have been told that it's not healthy to always think logical and that people should think illogically once in a while. I do not believe this. I believe we should accept illogical thinking once in a while, but we should not strive to think illogically ever. It's going to happen, so you may as well accept it if it's not causing any harm.

Most theists are very logical thinkers. They believe in God, despite lack of evidence, yet they apply scientific theory to the rest of their lives. This is where atheists get a bad rep. Many people believe that if you aren't harming someone else through your religion, you shouldn't have to put up with people trying to pull you out of theism. This is only true to a point. I believe everyone has a right to free speech, but it can be taken too far. The same holds in the other extreme when theists try recruiting people into their church.

So let's try to rap this up can we? We have enough religion/atheism/creationism vs. evolution threads hanging around as of now.

Bahh, faith is useless. It proves nothing and only serves to leave you stuck when the things you had so much 'faith' in, turn out to be wrong.
We cannot see the effects of God in the world, only the effects of a human mindset

you cannot disprove faith, deal with it.

I want to point out here, referring to the OP, that the qualities pointed out do not apply to all and only atheists. Arrogance, talking about things you don't know about, pretentiousness towards those who don't share your views - all of these are just personality flaws. They have nothing to do with atheism.
From my end, I see those personality flaws literally every day from Christians (granted, I do live in the Bible Belt). There's a guy who stands on the corner with an amp and sings really badly about Jesus. He's so sure that he's right and every atheist is wrong that I've seen him actually become belligerent towards people.
But the simple fact is that we need to stop seeing certain attributes that a group happens to have and associating it with that group. And many of there personality flaws are just called different things in different contexts.
I will say though, as an atheist, that nothing pisses me off more than someone trying to "save" me or help me find Jesus. It's having to deal with this kind of thing every day that, for me, makes it hard to tolerate being around deeply religious people. It's a give and take, and all the giving isn't coming from one side.

Your one of the good posters here. I can see it.

God could be there, or he could not be there

So now you're agnostic, not Christian?

I want to point out here, referring to the OP, that the qualities pointed out do not apply to all and only atheists. Arrogance, talking about things you don't know about, pretentiousness towards those who don't share your views - all of these are just personality flaws. They have nothing to do with atheism.

This.

Being an atheist does not MAKE someone a jerk. They should be seen as a jerk before an atheist, rather than an atheist and therefore a jerk.

This is why i say debating religion as a whole is retarded.

This. Unless it is done right. Scientifically (it is a meta science, after all).

And just another note:

"I have faith that it will not rain tomorrow"

The human mind is a fantastic thing. If you really believe in something, it will be true for you. If someone was really up on that it wouldn't rain tomorrow, had the faith that it wouldn't, and there is no way it could actually rain... Then they won't acknowledge the rain, even if they are standing in the middle of it.

TOPIC
So, what are your views on athiesm?
Because useless discussion on faith and religion does not go here.

Overall athiests are logical, but a majority of them really have no idea what they're talking about half the time they speak about religion.

Forgot to quote this part. Sorry.

Many theists and even agnostics feel that it is impossible to disprove God. However, this all stems from a misconception of what qualifies as proof.
The reason we don't believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster or poke dotted green and blue flying elephants is because there is no evidence supporting the existence of either one. The lack of evidence is evidence in itself.
We can even apply why it's important to accept lack of evidence as evidence.
Let's say a man took his dog for a walk around the neighborhood. When he gets home, he goes to bed. He wakes up and finds policemen at his door. He is arrested for the murder of his neighbor. Rather than proving the man is the murderer, they tell the man that he must prove his own innocence.
"I was walking my dog last night."
"Prove it."
"I... don't know how."
Luckily, that's not how things work in many civilized countries, not any more at least. There are quite a few loopholes in my story, I'm sure, but the message should remain clear. Lack of evidence should not be evidence to prove something did happen, but evidence against it happening.
If you use lack of evidence to justify your belief in God, then that's your problem. Just remember that as soon as that illogical form of thinking leaks to the real world, it will turn and bite you in the rear.
Overall athiests are logical, but a majority of them really have no idea what they're talking about half the time they speak about religion.
I have been told that it's not healthy to always think logical and that people should think illogically once in a while. I do not believe this. I believe we should accept illogical thinking once in a while, but we should not strive to think illogically ever. It's going to happen, so you may as well accept it if it's not causing any harm.
Most theists are very logical thinkers. They believe in God, despite lack of evidence, yet they apply scientific theory to the rest of their lives. This is where atheists get a bad rep. Many people believe that if you aren't harming someone else through your religion, you shouldn't have to put up with people trying to pull you out of theism. This is only true to a point. I believe everyone has a right to free speech, but it can be taken too far. The same holds in the other extreme when theists try recruiting people into their church.
So let's try to rap this up can we? We have enough religion/atheism/creationism vs. evolution threads hanging around as of now.

cool story bro.

So now you're agnostic, not Christian?

you can define me as a catholic, I beleive there is a god.

I don`t think you can prove, or disprove him.

I BELEIVE. I have faith. I am a catholic, not a good catholic though mind you.

Being an atheist does not MAKE someone a jerk. They should be seen as a jerk before an atheist, rather than an atheist and therefore a jerk.

never said it did, i just said most athiests i have met, were dipshits.

cool story bro.

I win.