No problems with atheism then...

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

In another thread I tried to start a discussion on what problems there might be with atheism.

The only problem I've ever had due to my atheism was my father's intolerant attitude and aggressive sniping over many years,but the old prick is dead now,no more problem.


Atheism is only lack of belief in God(s). OF COURSE it is contentious if one happens to be a theist apologist. IF one is an atheist,it is not through choice,and should not be at all problematic for the individual as far as I can see..Of course there are also neurotic exceptions. Perhaps former Catholics with a vestigal Catholic conscience,or people who are under the mistaken impression that my personal beliefs are any of their fucking business.

My atheism is an EFFECT of my skepticism,not a CAUSE of anything..My skepticism does cause me some problems as I have a disconcerting habit of asking for evidence of outrageous claims. EG a fundy recently said to me " there is more evidence for the existence Jesus Christ than for Julius Caesar, No,really, I swear.

People not in public life are not used to being challenged, makes 'em feel threatened and they get upset. I rarely defend my atheism. I have neither the emotional need nor the intellectual obligation:I make no claims and could not care less what others believe as long as they stay out of my face.

I hope that answers your question. I voted 'no problem' in your poll.

[Faith No More]

If an atheist sees a problem with atheism, that is the fault of the atheist, not atheism itself. Seeing how atheism is simply a lack of belief, it cannot provide emotional or spiritual support nor should we force it to. As stated before, atheism is only one tiny part of a person's beliefs, and trying to organize it as a cohesive community distorts its meaning. To me, organizing atheists is like organizing people with brown hair. One common little attribute is not worthy of an organization.

[Godnose]

The scientific community make great strides on a daily basis. Believers don't care. They believe because they want to believe. They're happy. Good for them.

If it matters so little to you then I don't understand why you bother to express your atheism.

Why shouldn't I? People express their beliefs constantly. Everywhere, everyday, I see and hear about God, and Allah, and Jesus, and Mary, and prayers, and blessings, and miracles... on and on and on. I should have the right to express the fact that I do not believe any of it is true. If my atheism has given me a 'cause', it is personal freedom. I don't go around trying to de-convert them and I expect the same in return.

Sure you have the right. I just don't understand why you bother. You are an atheist, you are free, you say you think anyone who has religion "doesn't care" so why do you bother to express yourself so vehemently on a forum like this? At the same time you seem to condemn me for suggesting there may be any problems arising from atheism. It seems a double standard. You insist on your right to express your belief (wha'ever!) but do your best to undermine my right to express mine, by implying I am a deceitful liar and making out I'm a troll or whatever. That strikes me as weird and somewhat defensive attitude (albeit disguised as aggressive).

Only saying.

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In another thread I tried to start a discussion on what problems there might be with atheism.

The only problem I've ever had due to my atheism was my father's intolerant attitude and aggressive sniping over many years,but the old prick is dead now,no more problem.


Atheism is only lack of belief in God(s). OF COURSE it is contentious if one happens to be a theist apologist. IF one is an atheist,it is not through choice,and should not be at all problematic for the individual as far as I can see..Of course there are also neurotic exceptions. Perhaps former Catholics with a vestigal Catholic conscience,or people who are under the mistaken impression that my personal beliefs are any of their fucking business.

My atheism is an EFFECT of my skepticism,not a CAUSE of anything..My skepticism does cause me some problems as I have a disconcerting habit of asking for evidence of outrageous claims. EG a fundy recently said to me " there is more evidence for the existence Jesus Christ than for Julius Caesar, No,really, I swear.

People not in public life are not used to being challenged, makes 'em feel threatened and they get upset. I rarely defend my atheism. I have neither the emotional need nor the intellectual obligation:I make no claims and could not care less what others believe as long as they stay out of my face.

I hope that answers your question. I voted 'no problem' in your poll.

That answers the question why you are an atheist, which is not what I meant to ask. It doesn't answer the question whether there are any problems arising from your atheism, or with atheism in general.

[Shell B]

Now, either get on and follow the thread I've tried to set up, or I'm getting out of here, because frankly I've got better things to do than arse about with a bunch of egotistical burks who are only intent upon puffing themselves up and pretending to be something they are not.

That makes me wish people would stop posting in your thread. Your attitude sucks. Pretty odd approach for a "new" guy.

[Godnose]

If an atheist sees a problem with atheism, that is the fault of the atheist, not atheism itself. Seeing how atheism is simply a lack of belief, it cannot provide emotional or spiritual support nor should we force it to. As stated before, atheism is only one tiny part of a person's beliefs, and trying to organize it as a cohesive community distorts its meaning. To me, organizing atheists is like organizing people with brown hair. One common little attribute is not worthy of an organization.

So you don't support the idea of secular society then? You are perfectly happy to have laws that are framed on the basis of religious beliefs of others, and so on? Good for you, but I'm not, and I think loads of other atheists aren't either - and that makes it political, and that requires organising. But that's OK, you are entitled to keep your head firmly planted in the sand if that's what you want to do.

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Now, either get on and follow the thread I've tried to set up, or I'm getting out of here, because frankly I've got better things to do than arse about with a bunch of egotistical burks who are only intent upon puffing themselves up and pretending to be something they are not.

That makes me wish people would stop posting in your thread. Your attitude sucks. Pretty odd approach for a "new" guy.

If people want to post to this thread only in order to disrupt it then I'd prefer them not to post here. I'm more interested in having a positive and constructive discussion with a few rather than loads of fractious nonsense from many.

[Shell B]

If people want to post to this thread only in order to disrupt it then I'd prefer them not to post here. I'm more interested in having a positive and constructive discussion with a few rather than loads of fractious nonsense from many.

No one has posted in this thread only to disrupt it. You have been intentionally baiting people and making insulting remarks. Furthermore, this a community that has established workings, so it really doesn't matter what you would "rather." The moment I posted in here, you had something negative to say. Double standards are cowardly. You might want to try having the conversation while not expecting a higher standard from others than that which you expect from yourself. I might also add that your topic has been completely addressed, both in this thread and your other thread on precisely the same topic.

[Faith No More]

So you don't support the idea of secular society then? You are perfectly happy to have laws that are framed on the basis of religious beliefs of others, and so on? Good for you, but I'm not, and I think loads of other atheists aren't either - and that makes it political, and that requires organising. But that's OK, you are entitled to keep your head firmly planted in the sand if that's what you want to do.

Not what I said, but feel free to put words in my mouth. You keep complaining that no one will have a serious debate with you and then proceed to be a complete dick. You have definitely shown to be more interested in being combative that having a conversation. You're either a complete idiot or a troll. Either way, you've garnered your last response from me.

[Rainydays]

The only ''problem'' I am aware of is the following:

People (well christians) point to some philosopical problem and then say ''God did it.''

The atheist says ''There is some other explanation or I don't know.''

The christian says the ''God did it answer'' is superior. Then the christian is happy to have ''won the discussion'' with the joker answer.

However when you look closely this is no problem. For starters people can freely not believe in any God without a problem. Second, God joker replies do not count, until you prove God first.

That's the only thing I can think of. You will not get anywhere with such a bad explanation of the OP.

[MilesTailsPrower]

In another thread I tried to start a discussion on what problems there might be with atheism. What I had in mind was some kind of general discussion on the basis that (in common with every other proposition under the sun) there are some problems associated with atheism. I had hoped that people would be interested to identify them, discuss their natures, and possible solutions.

To try and kick start the discussion I proposed the way I found it impossible to find atheist-based help to deal with particular dilemma that I experienced some years ago and had therefore gone to a local minister of church, who I had found to be extremely helpful. However it turned out that people proved to be far more interested in berating me for my failure to find an atheistic solution to my problem than they were in entertaining any possibility that there may in fact be any possible problems inherent in atheism.

I am not quite sure whether this unfortunate and (to my mind) somewhat savage response was mainly caused by my having chosen a bad initial example, or whether it is because the participants are unable to even contemplate any possibility that there might be any problems whatsoever with atheism.

Ever hopeful (and trusting the emotion of "hope" is permitted within current atheist dogma) I have decided to open the same subject again in a new thread but without any example of my own. Instead I ask others to propose anything that you might consider to be a problem with atheism, which may then perhaps be discussed in a more civilised (and possibly intelligent) manner than was my initial experience.

So ... over to you ...

Atheism is when you don't believe in god, there isn't a problem with that. You're having a problem with some atheists in general, not the atheism.

[Rayaan]

I find atheism totally convincing. It is such a pity therefore that so many atheists suck.

That is what you wrote in your signature, Godnose, which pretty much sums up what you are doing here: You are saying that atheism is totally convincing while, on other hand, posting rude comments to atheists about how much they suck and all the other problems that you can think of, to make it seem as if atheists are loners and isolated just because they don't have their own communities.

It doesn't sound like you're a smart and polite atheist either. So, even if the statement "so many atheists suck" is true, then I think you're one of them as well. Hehe.