Purpleprose - Try thinking of atheism as the assertion, "I think all the gods humans have told me about are made up, and I see no reason to assume that some other version would instead be correct/real."
As they pointed out to you, repeatedly, many of us are also agnostics (myself included, as you can see in my tagline), in that we think the question simply cannot be answered by humans. Doesn't stop people from making up stories about this fictional uber-Alpha-Male.
Religion is a manifestation of our chimpanzee brains (so to speak), in which we've been conditioned by hundreds of thousands of generations of tribal society living that we need an Alpha authority, in which we can go into the purely fantastical in our ability to Project hypothetical ideas and tell stories, and the actions of a few self-appointed clergy "leaders" using those concepts to manipulate the others (including themselves, most of the time) into thinking they should have that right of social control.
A modern atheist simply looks at that process, observes that human pattern-seeking tendency as a pattern in itself, and thinks, "Yep. All made up." It's just that simple.
As they pointed out to you, repeatedly, many of us are also agnostics (myself included, as you can see in my tagline), in that we think the question simply cannot be answered by humans. Doesn't stop people from making up stories about this fictional uber-Alpha-Male.
Religion is a manifestation of our chimpanzee brains (so to speak), in which we've been conditioned by hundreds of thousands of generations of tribal society living that we need an Alpha authority, in which we can go into the purely fantastical in our ability to Project hypothetical ideas and tell stories, and the actions of a few self-appointed clergy "leaders" using those concepts to manipulate the others (including themselves, most of the time) into thinking they should have that right of social control.
A modern atheist simply looks at that process, observes that human pattern-seeking tendency as a pattern in itself, and thinks, "Yep. All made up." It's just that simple.
A Christian told me: if you were saved you cant lose your salvation. you're sealed with the Holy Ghost
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
