Hi everyone!

I'm not sure whether this is the right place to post this, but I'd really appreciate some answers to some/all of the following questions. I'm interested in how an average atheist thinks about these topics. It would be great if you could give some explanation for your answers. I'm coming from a protestant worldview.

1. Does God exist?
2. Where did the universe come from?
3. Does my life have a purpose?
4. Why do people suffer?
5. Is there life after death?
6. Can I distinguish right from wrong?
7. Can people know truth?

Sorry for being point form. 

(June 25, 2015 at 9:59 pm)Louis Chérubin Wrote: Hi everyone!

I'm not sure whether this is the right place to post this, but I'd really appreciate some answers to some/all of the following questions. I'm interested in how an average atheist thinks about these topics. It would be great if you could give some explanation for your answers. I'm coming from a protestant worldview.

1. Does God exist?
2. Where did the universe come from?
3. Does my life have a purpose?
4. Why do people suffer?
5. Is there life after death?
6. Can I distinguish right from wrong?
7. Can people know truth?

Sorry for being point form. 

1. NO, neither does Allah or Vishnu or Thor Or Apollo or Yahweh
2. The big bang, 
3. Yes, the purpose you give it. But in the cosmic timescale we are all a mere blip.
4. Because reality is messy and not always pleasant.
5. What did life feel like for you before you were born? That should answer the question of what happens after you die.
6. Would it be ok for me to cut your nuts off or punch you in the face without your consent? 
7. Yes, we know what gravity is, we know the speed of light, we know what DNA is, most certainly we can find truth.

(June 25, 2015 at 10:09 pm)Brian37 Wrote:

(June 25, 2015 at 9:59 pm)Louis Chérubin Wrote: Hi everyone!

I'm not sure whether this is the right place to post this, but I'd really appreciate some answers to some/all of the following questions. I'm interested in how an average atheist thinks about these topics. It would be great if you could give some explanation for your answers. I'm coming from a protestant worldview.

1. Does God exist?
2. Where did the universe come from?
3. Does my life have a purpose?
4. Why do people suffer?
5. Is there life after death?
6. Can I distinguish right from wrong?
7. Can people know truth?

Sorry for being point form. 

1. NO, neither does Allah or Vishnu or Thor Or Apollo or Yahweh
2. The big bang, 
3. Yes, the purpose you give it. But in the cosmic timescale we are all a mere blip.
4. Because reality is messy and not always pleasant.
5. What did life feel like for you before you were born? That should answer the question of what happens after you die.
6. Would it be ok for me to cut your nuts off or punch you in the face without your consent? 
7. Yes, we know gravity exists, we know the speed of light, we know what DNA is, most certainly we can find truth.

1. No.
2. We don't know yet.
3. Probably not.
4. Mainly because of other people.
5. Of course not.
6. I don't know you.  Can you?
7. Only if they put down their stupid fucking bibles.

Sigh.

We do have a search function. There are current threads, even, that are almost exactly titled to some of your questions. Just hit "Today's Posts, and you'll find yourself swimming in answers.

Hi Louis. How about telling us what you think of those things first? As the resident prophet, I'm pretty sure what you'd say; but if you don't actually say it and complete the prophecy I'll just end up with a headache. You don't want that, do you?

(June 25, 2015 at 10:09 pm)Brian37 Wrote:

(June 25, 2015 at 9:59 pm)Louis Chérubin Wrote: Hi everyone!

I'm not sure whether this is the right place to post this, but I'd really appreciate some answers to some/all of the following questions. I'm interested in how an average atheist thinks about these topics. It would be great if you could give some explanation for your answers. I'm coming from a protestant worldview.

1. Does God exist?
2. Where did the universe come from?
3. Does my life have a purpose?
4. Why do people suffer?
5. Is there life after death?
6. Can I distinguish right from wrong?
7. Can people know truth?

Sorry for being point form. 

1. NO, neither does Allah or Vishnu or Thor Or Apollo or Yahweh
2. The big bang, 
3. Yes, the purpose you give it. But in the cosmic timescale we are all a mere blip.
4. Because reality is messy and not always pleasant.
5. What did life feel like for you before you were born? That should answer the question of what happens after you die.
6. Would it be ok for me to cut your nuts off or punch you in the face without your consent? 
7. Yes, we know what gravity is, we know the speed of light, we know what DNA is, most certainly we can find truth.

Thanks for your answers! Two follow-up questions:
1. Since the universe started with the big-bang, where did cellular life (evidence of design) come from?
2. Your answer to question 6 implies that there is such a thing as right and wrong. Where do you think these concepts come from? You've probably heard the argument that "right" and "wrong" implicitly refer to a higher standard. What's your response to that?

In answer to question 6, I'm gonna say the same thing that I said in another thread the other day

This whole conversation about "How can atheists be moral?" says more about religious people than it does atheists. If you seriously think you can't be moral without the teachings of the Bible, then that means you are a plebeian child who has to have their hand held through life. No ability to think for oneself. Sorry to be blunt, but it's true. Yes, we have morals, we just use our brains and come to our own conclusions on what is moral, instead of being told what to think.

God is a mythical being too, we can't say for sure he doesn't exist, but it is as likely he exists as it is likely werewolves, vampires and faeries exist. He is as mythical as they are.

Tell us your answers first.
It may not be worth responding.

Welcome to the public religious toilets anyway.
We are here for you!  Let it out!   Tell us something which we've heard a million times before.
If/when you're ready to see past the "truth" of the bible, we'll talk.

(June 25, 2015 at 10:34 pm)Yeauxleaux Wrote: God is a mythical being too, we can't say for sure he doesn't exist, but it is as likely he exists as it is likely werewolves, vampires and faeries exist. He is as mythical as they are.

If by "God" we're talking about the bible character as the proper noun suggests, and the mythology is supposed to be a true and accurate account of its actions - made the Sun and Moon as lights, the stars as tiny lamps fixed to the dome of the sky "for signs and seasons", man from dust and woman from a bone, etc - we can say with confidence that that god doesn’t exist. Not in a Universe like this.