Posts: 30
Threads: 1
Joined: January 5, 2015
Reputation:
0
Atheism, A Grim Position?
January 5, 2015 at 8:07 pm
Hello, I'm new to the forum. Full disclosure: I'm currently a non-traditional theist. However, I have considered atheism a few times but it seems to be such a grim position. Let me explain.
As I understand atheism, these would be a few of its tenets:
There is no ultimate meaning. Therefore, all lives and events are ultimately meaningless.
There is no ultimate basis for value. Therefore any moral position is ultimately arbitrary and logically, equally defensible. This means that things like genocide, pedophilia, torture, etc. are equally defensible to any other moral position.
There is no ultimate intentionality associated with/in reality. Therefore, all events, actions, thoughts and behaviors are determined by chance and necessity. Thus, an individual's thoughts and actions are determined solely by prior causal events and chance.
At least for me, if I take these atheist positions to their logical conclusion this all seems psychologically pretty grim.
I'd be interested in comments why this is not necessarily the case.
Posts: 13122
Threads: 130
Joined: October 18, 2014
Reputation:
55
RE: Atheism, A Grim Position?
January 5, 2015 at 8:10 pm
(This post was last modified: January 5, 2015 at 8:10 pm by abaris.)
Why not introduce yourself in the appropriate secition of the forum.
Here's the short answer to you insinuation. Wrong on all counts. Browsing the boards will give you the long answers, since all this has been discussed before.
Posts: 67288
Threads: 140
Joined: June 28, 2011
Reputation:
162
RE: Atheism, A Grim Position?
January 5, 2015 at 8:10 pm
(This post was last modified: January 5, 2015 at 8:15 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
Welcome aboard.
Quote:There is no ultimate meaning. Therefore, all lives and events are ultimately meaningless.
Nothing to do with atheism. Whatever meaning there may be, god isn't a candidate.
Quote:There is no ultimate basis for value. Therefore any moral position is ultimately arbitrary and logically, equally defensible. This means that things like genocide, pedophilia, torture, etc. are equally defensible to any other moral position.
Nothing to do with atheism. Whatever basis there may be, god isn't a candidate.
Quote:There is no ultimate intentionality associated with/in reality. Therefore, all events, actions, thoughts and behaviors are determined by chance and necessity. Thus, an individual's thoughts and actions are determined solely by prior causal events and chance.
Nothing to do with atheism. Whatever "intentionality" exists, god isn't a candidate.
An atheist is free to propose meaning, basis for value, and "intentionality" -in fact many do. The only thing off the table -if we're talking atheism, is "god" being the answer to those three things.
Atheists don't believe in god, full stop.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Posts: 7085
Threads: 69
Joined: September 11, 2012
Reputation:
84
RE: Atheism, A Grim Position?
January 5, 2015 at 8:14 pm
(This post was last modified: January 5, 2015 at 8:14 pm by rexbeccarox.)
Atheism is lack of belief in a deity or deities. No tenets there.
Posts: 9176
Threads: 76
Joined: November 21, 2013
Reputation:
40
RE: Atheism, A Grim Position?
January 5, 2015 at 8:20 pm
Your meaning in life is derived from you. My meaning in life is derived from me. Yours is not mine, and mine is not yours. If you've decided that christianity is your meaning in life, then fine. It's a personal thing.
The idea that the bible is some sort of moral guide would be laughable, if it wasn't so sad. You have a deity that believes killing people is the best way to solve problems. Slavery and rape are fine, under some circumstances, yet two men who love each other is an abomination. When you star with that kind of stuff, it kind of overshadows the nicer bits about loving they neighbor as yourself. Especially when you're supposed to hate yourself.
I hope you learn a thing or two about atheists while being here. Mainly that we're often pretty cool people who don't need a genocidal narcissist to keep us in line. We do good because we like doing good. Not because we feel like we need the guy that created hell to save us from hell.
Posts: 455
Threads: 14
Joined: December 2, 2014
Reputation:
21
RE: Atheism, A Grim Position?
January 5, 2015 at 8:24 pm
Yep, we don't have a list of philosophical concepts or explanations which one must accept to be an atheist. It's simply a state of non-belief in supernatural entities/gods. Anything further is up to you.
"We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~ Benjamin Franklin
Posts: 67288
Threads: 140
Joined: June 28, 2011
Reputation:
162
RE: Atheism, A Grim Position?
January 5, 2015 at 8:27 pm
(This post was last modified: January 5, 2015 at 8:29 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
Supernatural entities are fine, atheists can and do believe in ghosts. Granted, the group that doesn't believe in gods seems to have hefty overlap with the group that doesn't believe in ghosts.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Posts: 2962
Threads: 44
Joined: March 22, 2013
Reputation:
39
RE: Atheism, A Grim Position?
January 5, 2015 at 8:27 pm
Nothing says "meaning" like sucking up to a monomaniacal deity for eternity. Good times indeed.
Welcome to the forum OP! And let the grimness of atheism infuse your being! Mwhahahahaha!
Posts: 69247
Threads: 3759
Joined: August 2, 2009
Reputation:
259
RE: Atheism, A Grim Position?
January 5, 2015 at 8:28 pm
Quote:As I understand atheism, these would be a few of its tenets:
You understand nothing.
Posts: 23918
Threads: 300
Joined: June 25, 2011
Reputation:
151
RE: Atheism, A Grim Position?
January 5, 2015 at 8:28 pm
Hell I wouldn't even tell him the secret handshake after such a dismissive post.
|
![[Image: Bumper+Sticker+-+Asheville+-+Praise+Dog3.JPG]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-d-3rfdI7nG0%2FTerwtFyFXoI%2FAAAAAAAACak%2F7kFSmHeVrng%2Fs320%2FBumper%2BSticker%2B-%2BAsheville%2B-%2BPraise%2BDog3.JPG)
