A few questions

[Eilonnwy]

1. Do you think it is possible to know why the universe exists?

I don't know, but I do know there doesn't have to be a why. It can just exist.

2. How do you think morality can exist without objective authority or verification?

Because it's evolutionary advantageous. Morals are displayed in some other animals, like our close ape relatives. The idea that being good to your species helps propagate your species is not hard to understand. We can agree that murdering is wrong based on the idea that we don't want to be murdered ourselves. Morals that come from an authority figure are weak morals in my opinion. If your morals are based on the fact that you think you will go to hell if you don't listen, well that to me is the height of immorality. Morals are based on people to people interaction and very subjective, but it has one basic principal. Do onto others as they would have you do onto them. (Notice the difference, I'm not citing Jesus's supposed golden rule)

3. If there is no afterlife, what motivation would/should anyone have for living any particular way, such as trying to live ethically, civilly, healthily, or any specific way?

Because this is the only life you have. I like being alive and knowing my friends, interacting with people, and enjoying books, TV, games, etc... The meaning my life has is the one I give it, and knowing there is no afterlife doesn't make life less valuable, it makes it infinitely more valuable. Let's say the afterlife is like a delicious cake. If you know that you will have as much delicious cake as you want and that the one you have now is not the only one you will have, doesn't that make it less valuable? But on the other hand, if you know this is the only cake you will ever have and that you can be almost certain you won't have one again, wouldn't you want to savor it? Wouldn't you want to make sure it lasts and that you enjoy it as much as possible? And wouldn't I be willing to make an agreement to not steal someone's cake or destroy it so that no one will steal or destroy mine? Life is so valuable because it's the only one we know we have absolutely, so why wouldn't we want to make it the best we possibly can?

4. If there is no afterlife and no essential or ultimate meaning to existence, why should an atheist care if someone believes in a religion and, indeed, if believing in a religion would make their life easier, would that bother you as an atheist?

If someone chooses to believe in a religion, that is their choice and I would never take away their right to do so. However, wouldn't believing in things that we can determine are most true infinitely better? Dealing with life in terms of reality helps us to make the correct decisions. Beliefs determine our actions, and if people are making incorrect choices on superstitions, isn't that something we would want to prevent? Especially if those erroneous beliefs lead to shootings at abortion clinics and terrorists flying planes into skyscrapers. Children today die because their parents refuse to believe vaccines are safe or that their prayers can cure cancer. Religion is a security blanket that refuses to let people deal with reality on reality's terms. I'd much rather people deal with the world the way it is rather than hiding behind their scriptures and prayers. I reject the notion that religion makes life easier. Religion tells you that you're a lowly sinner and you need to constantly appease a sky bully so that you don't burn in hell forever. It lies to you and gives you false hopes. It pretends it has all the answers, when really it stunts intellectual growth and honesty. It prevents people from recognizing their own potential by making everything good in their life the result of god, but everything that is bad their own fault. It is also interesting to note that based on studies, the secular nations are the healthiest and that the most religious nations and impoverished and war torn.

5. Can you be absolutely certain, without a doubt, that God or something supernatural does not exist?

I would say that it's impossible to know anything with absolute certainty. I reject it. For all we know we could be living in a matrix-like world. How could we know? We don't, and it doesn't matter. What matters is what we do know and what we have. Just because we can't know with absolute certainty doesn't mean we can't make judgment calls based on the most current and accurate information we have. The evidence for God and Jesus is lacking, in other cases extremely suspect, and then in other cases contradictory. Based on my own inquiry I have come to the conclusion that it is more likely than not that God and Jesus do not exist and that until they are proven with accurate and falsifiable evidence, it is more logical to reject the claims of God. Being able to make judgments calls based on our current information and willingness to change our mind should the evidence show us otherwise is the best thing we can do intellectually and morally. I don't claim absolute knowledge, but I do my best to make the most accurate decisions based on the best available evidence.