What's so great about atheism anyway?

[Godnose]

I like mine with milk large mug (Irish ancestry I think) and you can bring it out to the terrace darlin'

Do you like it frothy? I gotta great frother ma'am.

You do?? WONDERFUL!! Then I will have a Vienna-latte with added double-cream and choc-cinammon please.

Here is your coffee ma'am. I also took the liberty of adding a couple of Viennese slices, for your delectation. And I so apologise for having taken soooo long ma'm, and please excuse me if I don't sit down.

(I'm British you know)

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But you know all this, why do you ask?

Do you not think it important to keep questioning the basis of one's belief system?

If atheism was a belief system then sure, but it isn't. And again, you know this too, so again, why do you ask?

I believe there is no god. Why is that not as much a "belief-system" as would be "I believe there is a god"?

And I continue to assert the benefit of continuous questioning of one's beliefs.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

I believe there is no god. Why is that not as much a "belief-system" as would be "I believe there is a god"?

It is,and just as valid, being faith based. IE without evidence.

In all seriousness, I really can't decide if you are simply a rather silly,but moderately bright adolescent,a gormless adult, a troll or a poe.

Purely academic you understand, I'm pretty much done with you regardless;you're to easy,no challenge at all.

[Godnose]

I think I would rather be honest with myself...tried being a BS aritst a few times in the past 30-40 years and I always get into trouble with it. Don't know what you are whinging about...the rest of the forum are not dismissing you out of hand..

Yeah, but BS got me my house, pension and all this sh1t. And I like having them!

Re the other thing, wow, that's a relief!

Of course China and USSR are/were atheist ... they both persecute(d) religious folk relentlessly. That's simple historical fact - look it up!

Did that is why I can say you are in error in your assumptions or have read erroneous material.

If you say so, but you might wanna check this out.

Rhythm you ask "whats the important stuff beyond science and existence?" Fvcking h*ll. How's about love for a start. Then there's peace, charity, hope, not to mention freedom, suffering, ... Jeez the list is fvcking endless. Science is merely the framework within which all the other stuff takes place.

Love is just a word

Aw, how sad is that!

Go get yourself some kids. Then you'll see.

Cinjin, I think I love you.

And I think the more you berate me the more I will love you. That's just the kind of guy I am.

Good to hear you are making friends godnose :

Aah, "friends" is not precisely how I would describe any relationship that might be developing between Cinjin and myself.

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I believe there is no god. Why is that not as much a "belief-system" as would be "I believe there is a god"?

It is,and just as valid, being faith based. IE without evidence.

In all seriousness, I really can't decide if you are simply a rather silly,but moderately bright adolescent,a gormless adult, a troll or a poe.

Purely academic you understand, I'm pretty much done with you regardless;you're to easy,no challenge at all.

You are forced to take the this "evidence" route in order to defend your professed atheism. But then can you disprove my good neighbour Oswald's contention that there might well be a large but invisible green onion hovering right above your head all the time?

Re my status, of the given options, "gormless adult" is probably the closest fit. (I never really got the "gorm" thing).

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I think I must be drunk.

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Or maybe he's just a clown, who knows..?

[Napoléon]

Why does this guy remind me of Ronald Macdonald? Oh yeah, that's right, he's a fucking clown!



Dum dum dummmmmmmm.

[THWOTH]

[...]
Nah, there's nothing special about atheist. Being right about science and existence and stuff doesn't necessarily make you right about the really important things. Make the whole world atheist, there would still be wars and slaves and rapes and oppression and all the other shite. Why would it change just because no-one thinks there's gods any more? Could well even make things worse...

What are 'the really important things' which atheist aren't necessarily right about?

Are you not implying that atheism should be about or in some way responsible for challenging and/or ending injustices like slavery, sexual assault and authoritarianism - and if so why?

Of course we may limit the definition of an atheist to someone who 'thinks there's no gods any more' (nor were there ever), but in doing this atheist also eschew the self-declared authority of religious institutions and traditions along with their concomitant sets of beliefs and practices. So, in some respects, the atheist stands against and challenges a religious authoritarianism which demands that all must believe and do as the celestial dictator demands, as well as decrying the sexual discrimination inherent in many of the world's apparently automatically moral belief systems and the inclination of some of the fervently religious to oppress and harry those of different faiths or of no faith at all.

I suppose then we might say that even though atheism does nothing explicitly to challenge or end injustice it at least removes the self-righteous religious justification for oppressing others, seeking dominion over others, and controlling others by force on the dubious authority of an imaginary sky daddy concocted many, many years ago to comfort violent, ignorant and superstitious goat-herders (and sim.). Promoting an atheistic outlook as a reasoned and reasonable response to religious assertia in some way seeks also to limit or diminish the pernicious influences and immoral justifications for action proffered and/or demanded by the votaries of many so-called religious authorities.

I guess I answered my own question there then.

[Godnose]

...
Are you not implying that atheism should be about or in some way responsible for challenging and/or ending injustices like slavery, sexual assault and authoritarianism - and if so why?

Yes. Because with knowledge comes responsibility.

... ... ... I guess I answered my own question there then.

Yup.
And probably better than I would've

[Kayenneh]

Or maybe he's just a clown, who knows..?

Ah, love is in the air

[Ace Otana]

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What's so great about atheism anyway? I know it's "The Truth" and everything, but so what? We atheists keep going on about the awful things done in the name of various religious cultures, but atheism hasn't exactly been all sweetness and light. The whole USSR thing was atheist wasn't it? And they had those lovely gulags with which to teach their people "The Truth". Isn't the Chinese regime atheist too? Life there hasn't exactly been a bed of roses for free thinkers, has it?

Nah, there's nothing special about atheist. Being right about science and existence and stuff doesn't necessarily make you right about the really important things. Make the whole world atheist, there would still be wars and slaves and rapes and oppression and all the other shite. Why would it change just because no-one thinks there's gods any more? Could well even make things worse...

There you go. Chew on that!

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Right....
Atheism has got fuck all to do with politics, science, law making or any other nonsense. Stalin was a sick fuck, end of. Atheism is simply the position or stance if you will on the claim that theists have put forth. You have many many many fucking times confused atheism for something else. IT'S JUST LACK OF BELIEF IN GAWD OR GAWDSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's got FUCK'ALL!!! to do with anything else! Bloody hell man!

Now what's so great about atheism: There's no dogma, no tenets, no church, no demands, no expectations and no funny stupid crazy bullshit beliefs.
Other than that it isn't great. Just a response to a very stupid claim put forth by mentally unstable wack jobs.

Atheism is just a point of view, that is it. Add anything else to it and you are no longer talking about atheism. End of.

[Godnose]

Religion is not the same as belief in deities. Religions can be atheistic. Please stop conflating the two, they are not synonymous.

Wow!

Ain't that almost EXACTLY what I bin saying in my threads about "problems with atheism"? You better go check them out again, folks!

How is that the same as you have been saying? And if you have been saying this before, then why do you keep confusing the two?

"can be" implies an option. And I always like to keep my options open, if possible.

[KichigaiNeko]

For rednose god

[youtube]FjTB6EG3xGo[/youtube]

so where is my Vienna Latte?