Environment:
1. What is the predominate belief of your family and friends?
My friends are predominantly agnostic or atheist, but there are a few active Jews, Christians and Muslims, and a Sikh. My own family are nominally protestant, my in-laws are active Roman Catholics. In this part of the world, that is a recipe for trouble.
2. What is your general location? (If U.S. please use northwest, northeast, etc.)
Scotland, where Catholic and protestant shall never mix...
3. Have you changed your beliefs in the past?
I dabbled with Christianity when I was about 14. I came away from it disappointed. Very disappointed.
4. What is your highest level of education?
Post-graduate.
Cosmology/Physics:
5. Many people have argued that the “big bang” implies a finite universe. Some people (myself included) believe that a finite universe tends to have more theistic leanings. How would you respond to this?
A universe that has a finite timespan (as predicted by the second law of thermodynamics) needs to be finite in size. I would think that a God that wanted to show off how brilliant their creation was would build an infinite steady-state universe. At least I would, if I were God...
6. If you have not already answered above- do you believe in a finite or eternal universe?
Finite.
7. How would you respond to the fine tuning argument?
I don't anthropomorphise the universe and put humanity at the centre of it, so the fine-tuning argument doesn't really float my boat.
Biology:
8. Do you believe in IDT (Intelligent Design Theory), TOE (Theory of Evolution), or other? (Seems like a weird question but there are some atheists that believe that we were designed by aliens)
I believe that we are a product of evolution, and that the mechanism of evolution is natural selection.
9. Based on the question above, what would you say are the general points that back up your belief in this?
The vast body of peer-reviewed scientific evidence to support that theory.
10. How does a belief in [response above] relate to an atheist/agnostic belief?
I don't have an atheist/agnostic belief. My atheism is an absence of belief, not a belief.
Other:
11. Do you believe that morals are relative/preference? Please Explain
Neither one nor the other. IMHO, morals and ethics are an emergent property of whatever society or community you live in, or are brought up in.
12. Is your belief partly due to something that you may not be able to explain to others?
I don't have a belief: my atheism is a lack of belief. Your question, however, illustrates perfectly that yes, it can be difficult to explain my lack of religion or faith to others who do have faith. They want to know what I believe in instead of God, but I don't believe in anything instead of God.
1. What is the predominate belief of your family and friends?
My friends are predominantly agnostic or atheist, but there are a few active Jews, Christians and Muslims, and a Sikh. My own family are nominally protestant, my in-laws are active Roman Catholics. In this part of the world, that is a recipe for trouble.
2. What is your general location? (If U.S. please use northwest, northeast, etc.)
Scotland, where Catholic and protestant shall never mix...
3. Have you changed your beliefs in the past?
I dabbled with Christianity when I was about 14. I came away from it disappointed. Very disappointed.
4. What is your highest level of education?
Post-graduate.
Cosmology/Physics:
5. Many people have argued that the “big bang” implies a finite universe. Some people (myself included) believe that a finite universe tends to have more theistic leanings. How would you respond to this?
A universe that has a finite timespan (as predicted by the second law of thermodynamics) needs to be finite in size. I would think that a God that wanted to show off how brilliant their creation was would build an infinite steady-state universe. At least I would, if I were God...
6. If you have not already answered above- do you believe in a finite or eternal universe?
Finite.
7. How would you respond to the fine tuning argument?
I don't anthropomorphise the universe and put humanity at the centre of it, so the fine-tuning argument doesn't really float my boat.
Biology:
8. Do you believe in IDT (Intelligent Design Theory), TOE (Theory of Evolution), or other? (Seems like a weird question but there are some atheists that believe that we were designed by aliens)
I believe that we are a product of evolution, and that the mechanism of evolution is natural selection.
9. Based on the question above, what would you say are the general points that back up your belief in this?
The vast body of peer-reviewed scientific evidence to support that theory.
10. How does a belief in [response above] relate to an atheist/agnostic belief?
I don't have an atheist/agnostic belief. My atheism is an absence of belief, not a belief.
Other:
11. Do you believe that morals are relative/preference? Please Explain
Neither one nor the other. IMHO, morals and ethics are an emergent property of whatever society or community you live in, or are brought up in.
12. Is your belief partly due to something that you may not be able to explain to others?
I don't have a belief: my atheism is a lack of belief. Your question, however, illustrates perfectly that yes, it can be difficult to explain my lack of religion or faith to others who do have faith. They want to know what I believe in instead of God, but I don't believe in anything instead of God.
"I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw." ~ Hamlet, Act II, Scene II.
"I don't mean to sound bitter, cynical or cruel; but I am, so that's how it comes out." ~ Bill Hicks.
"I don't mean to sound bitter, cynical or cruel; but I am, so that's how it comes out." ~ Bill Hicks.
