1. How would you define atheism?
Atheism: Lack of belief in deities.
2. Do you act according to what you believe (there is no God) in or what you don't believe in (lack belief in God)?
This question makes no sense. I act according to what I think is right. My belief or lack thereof has no bearing in my decisions.
3. Do you think it is inconsistent for someone who "lacks belief" in God to work against God's existence by attempting to show that God doesn't exist?
A: "Work against God's (sic) existence" assumes that there is one and that its existence can be threatened by non-belief. If such a being were real, I highly doubt anyone would consider it a god.
B: No. Theists have, by and large, been the first to discriminate against whoever they damn well pleased, in the name of their gods. When secular values started to take over, they blatantly lied, claiming that their "holy" books had been the cause.
4. How sure are you that your atheism properly represents reality?
I don't understand the question. If I had to guess, I'd say you meant to ask "How sure are you that there are no gods", but then question #5 also indicates this. For the sake of argument, I'll assume that this means what I think #5 means, and that #5 is the nonsensical one.
I'm 100% sure that, by my definition of the term, there not only are no gods, but can never be any gods.
5. How sure are you that your atheism is correct?
Assuming this to mean "How sure are you that you're an atheist?", I'm 100% sure.
6. How would you define what truth is?
Relative truths are the ones that are different depending on one's perspective. Absolute truths are the ones that are truth, regardless of the perspective. A sphere, for example, will always appear round, no matter which angle it's viewed from.
7. Why do you believe your atheism is a justifiable position to hold?
Because my definition of "perfect" - which is the only thing I would bow down to and worship willingly - cannot exist.
8. Are you a materialist or a physicalist or what?
To sum up one's worldview in one single word is idiotic for most people.
9. Do you affirm or deny that atheism is a worldview? Why or why not?
It's as much a worldview as not believing in Santa Claus (not the one who's on steroids, but the regular one). It's, at best, part of a worldview. It doesn't define the way we view the entire world.
10. Not all atheists are antagonistic to Christianity but for those of you who are, why the antagonism?
I'm not antagonistic toward any religion. I am antagonistic toward its believers who are buried so deep in their self-righteousness that they won't consider that maybe, just maybe, other people deserve freedom of thought and choice, to name a couple, not to mention banning of things that other people do that go against moral values that are not those of other people, but the believers' own. That's literally like wanting donut stores to close because you don't like them.
11. If you were at one time a believer in the Christian God, what caused you to deny his existence?
I didn't and don't. I concluded he doesn't exist. To deny something, it must first exist.
12. Do you believe the world would be better off without religion?
As in if religion had never existed? Probably. However, if you're asking me if every believer became an atheist overnight (by some kind of mass-brainwashing), then it depends on your perspective. To me, taking away someone's freedom of choice is a fate comparable to (if not worse than) death.
13. Do you believe the world would be better off without Christianity?
See above.
14. Do you believe that faith in a God or gods is a mental disorder?
It depends on the circumstance. If a believer has never seen evidence of his or her god's non-existence, then no. They are wrong, but don't suffer from a mental disorder. If, on the other hand, the believer literally chooses to stay away from information that will challenge his/her faith, then yes - they are delusional.
15. Must God be known through the scientific method?
It doesn't have to be, but any and all things that are real can be proven by it.
16. If you answered yes to the previous question, then how do you avoid a category mistake by requiring material evidence for an immaterial God?
Replace "God (sic)" with "Santa Claus", and you might get it.
17. Do we have any purpose as human beings?
Intrinsic purpose? No. Only life can give life purpose. Nobody and nothing else can do it for us. The existence of a god who might have a plan for us doesn't make our lives any more purposeful, unless we choose to accept fulfilling that plan as being our purpose. However, an omnimax deity with a plan would effectively end all purpose for everything. We would have no purpose in the sense that everything had been predetermined.
18. If we do have purpose, can you as an atheist please explain how that purpose is determined?
We determine it.
19. Where does morality come from?
Emotion-driven "logic" and society.
20. Are there moral absolutes?
No.
21. If there are moral absolutes, could you list a few of them?
(Skipping since I answered "No." to the previous one)
22. Do you believe there is such a thing as evil? If so, what is it?
Something that is intrinsically or absolutely evil? No. Something that I consider evil? Yes. To me, evil is basically what sadistic psychopaths do.
23. If you believe that the God of the Old Testament is morally bad, by what standard do you judge that he is bad?
My own.
24. What would it take for you to believe in God?
If there is a god, it would know.
25. What would constitute sufficient evidence for God’s existence?
See above.
26. Must this evidence be rationally based, archaeological, testable in a lab, etc., or what?
See above.
27. Do you think that a society that is run by Christians or atheists would be safer? Why?
It depends on the kind of christians and the kind of atheists. Anti-theists with a burning desire to destroy religion and its followers would make a bad society. Similarly, christians with a burning desire to convert everyone by any means necessary would make a bad society.
28. Do you believe in free will? (free will being the ability to make choices without coercion).
This issue has not yet been determined. Please ask again at a later time.
29. If you believe in free will, do you see any problem with defending the idea that the physical brain, which is limited and subject to the neuro-chemical laws of the brain, can still produce free will choices?
See above.
30. If you affirm evolution and that the universe will continue to expand forever, then do you think it is probable that given enough time, brains would evolve to the point of exceeding mere physical limitations and become free of the physical and temporal and thereby become "deity" and not be restricted by space and time? If not, why not?
You're trying to mix evolution and physics, and failing badly. Yes, the universe seems like it will keep expanding forever, but, if that's the case, it will eventually suffer what's commonly known as "Heat Death". Regardless, even if it didn't, what you describe is impossible. There's no way to "exceed mere physical limitations and become free of the physical and temporal". You will always be bound by the laws of physics and logic, same as everything else.
31. If you answered the previous question in the affirmative, then aren't you saying that it is probable that some sort of God exists?
By others' definitions, sure. A pantheist's god definitely exists - it's everything. By my definition, though, I wouldn't bow in front of those gods to tie my shoes.
Atheism: Lack of belief in deities.
2. Do you act according to what you believe (there is no God) in or what you don't believe in (lack belief in God)?
This question makes no sense. I act according to what I think is right. My belief or lack thereof has no bearing in my decisions.
3. Do you think it is inconsistent for someone who "lacks belief" in God to work against God's existence by attempting to show that God doesn't exist?
A: "Work against God's (sic) existence" assumes that there is one and that its existence can be threatened by non-belief. If such a being were real, I highly doubt anyone would consider it a god.
B: No. Theists have, by and large, been the first to discriminate against whoever they damn well pleased, in the name of their gods. When secular values started to take over, they blatantly lied, claiming that their "holy" books had been the cause.
4. How sure are you that your atheism properly represents reality?
I don't understand the question. If I had to guess, I'd say you meant to ask "How sure are you that there are no gods", but then question #5 also indicates this. For the sake of argument, I'll assume that this means what I think #5 means, and that #5 is the nonsensical one.
I'm 100% sure that, by my definition of the term, there not only are no gods, but can never be any gods.
5. How sure are you that your atheism is correct?
Assuming this to mean "How sure are you that you're an atheist?", I'm 100% sure.
6. How would you define what truth is?
Relative truths are the ones that are different depending on one's perspective. Absolute truths are the ones that are truth, regardless of the perspective. A sphere, for example, will always appear round, no matter which angle it's viewed from.
7. Why do you believe your atheism is a justifiable position to hold?
Because my definition of "perfect" - which is the only thing I would bow down to and worship willingly - cannot exist.
8. Are you a materialist or a physicalist or what?
To sum up one's worldview in one single word is idiotic for most people.
9. Do you affirm or deny that atheism is a worldview? Why or why not?
It's as much a worldview as not believing in Santa Claus (not the one who's on steroids, but the regular one). It's, at best, part of a worldview. It doesn't define the way we view the entire world.
10. Not all atheists are antagonistic to Christianity but for those of you who are, why the antagonism?
I'm not antagonistic toward any religion. I am antagonistic toward its believers who are buried so deep in their self-righteousness that they won't consider that maybe, just maybe, other people deserve freedom of thought and choice, to name a couple, not to mention banning of things that other people do that go against moral values that are not those of other people, but the believers' own. That's literally like wanting donut stores to close because you don't like them.
11. If you were at one time a believer in the Christian God, what caused you to deny his existence?
I didn't and don't. I concluded he doesn't exist. To deny something, it must first exist.
12. Do you believe the world would be better off without religion?
As in if religion had never existed? Probably. However, if you're asking me if every believer became an atheist overnight (by some kind of mass-brainwashing), then it depends on your perspective. To me, taking away someone's freedom of choice is a fate comparable to (if not worse than) death.
13. Do you believe the world would be better off without Christianity?
See above.
14. Do you believe that faith in a God or gods is a mental disorder?
It depends on the circumstance. If a believer has never seen evidence of his or her god's non-existence, then no. They are wrong, but don't suffer from a mental disorder. If, on the other hand, the believer literally chooses to stay away from information that will challenge his/her faith, then yes - they are delusional.
15. Must God be known through the scientific method?
It doesn't have to be, but any and all things that are real can be proven by it.
16. If you answered yes to the previous question, then how do you avoid a category mistake by requiring material evidence for an immaterial God?
Replace "God (sic)" with "Santa Claus", and you might get it.
17. Do we have any purpose as human beings?
Intrinsic purpose? No. Only life can give life purpose. Nobody and nothing else can do it for us. The existence of a god who might have a plan for us doesn't make our lives any more purposeful, unless we choose to accept fulfilling that plan as being our purpose. However, an omnimax deity with a plan would effectively end all purpose for everything. We would have no purpose in the sense that everything had been predetermined.
18. If we do have purpose, can you as an atheist please explain how that purpose is determined?
We determine it.
19. Where does morality come from?
Emotion-driven "logic" and society.
20. Are there moral absolutes?
No.
21. If there are moral absolutes, could you list a few of them?
(Skipping since I answered "No." to the previous one)
22. Do you believe there is such a thing as evil? If so, what is it?
Something that is intrinsically or absolutely evil? No. Something that I consider evil? Yes. To me, evil is basically what sadistic psychopaths do.
23. If you believe that the God of the Old Testament is morally bad, by what standard do you judge that he is bad?
My own.
24. What would it take for you to believe in God?
If there is a god, it would know.
25. What would constitute sufficient evidence for God’s existence?
See above.
26. Must this evidence be rationally based, archaeological, testable in a lab, etc., or what?
See above.
27. Do you think that a society that is run by Christians or atheists would be safer? Why?
It depends on the kind of christians and the kind of atheists. Anti-theists with a burning desire to destroy religion and its followers would make a bad society. Similarly, christians with a burning desire to convert everyone by any means necessary would make a bad society.
28. Do you believe in free will? (free will being the ability to make choices without coercion).
This issue has not yet been determined. Please ask again at a later time.
29. If you believe in free will, do you see any problem with defending the idea that the physical brain, which is limited and subject to the neuro-chemical laws of the brain, can still produce free will choices?
See above.
30. If you affirm evolution and that the universe will continue to expand forever, then do you think it is probable that given enough time, brains would evolve to the point of exceeding mere physical limitations and become free of the physical and temporal and thereby become "deity" and not be restricted by space and time? If not, why not?
You're trying to mix evolution and physics, and failing badly. Yes, the universe seems like it will keep expanding forever, but, if that's the case, it will eventually suffer what's commonly known as "Heat Death". Regardless, even if it didn't, what you describe is impossible. There's no way to "exceed mere physical limitations and become free of the physical and temporal". You will always be bound by the laws of physics and logic, same as everything else.
31. If you answered the previous question in the affirmative, then aren't you saying that it is probable that some sort of God exists?
By others' definitions, sure. A pantheist's god definitely exists - it's everything. By my definition, though, I wouldn't bow in front of those gods to tie my shoes.
The truth is absolute. Life forms are specks of specks (...) of specks of dust in the universe.
Why settle for normal, when you can be so much more? Why settle for something, when you can have everything?
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Why settle for normal, when you can be so much more? Why settle for something, when you can have everything?
