Let's answer CARM's Questions for Atheists

[Thumpalumpacus]

CARM has a list of questions for atheists in their website. I found it a nice exercise to go ahead and answer them and I think it would be nice if people here post their answers as well, I think it will be good to see each other's points of views on these things, maybe discuss about them, etc. Here are the questions:

1. How would you define atheism?

The lack of belief in god(s).

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)?

I behave in such a manner as to comport my actions with reality. Whether there is or isn;t a god or gods rarely enters into that thought process. In other words, the question presuppositions my behaving according to the valuations of believers, when in fact I have a different set of criteria I look at in deciding anything.

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?

Yes, unless they're confronted with folk who wish to buttress their faith by seeking the agreement of strangers by way of preachments.

4. How sure are you that your atheism properly represents reality?
5. How sure are you that your atheism is correct?

These two questions are really the same, so they'll get one and only one answer: pretty goddamned sure.

6. How would you define what truth is?

That depends on what sort of truth you're asking about: is it a mathematical truth? An emotional truth? A physical truth? "Truth" has different dimensions to it.

7. Why do you believe your atheism is a justifiable position to hold?

Because in the face of no evidence, extraodinary claims ought to be discarded.

8. Are you a materialist or a physicalist or what?

Well, I think that material effects have material causes.

9. Do you affirm or deny that atheism is a worldview? Why or why not?

It is not a worldview, because it does not prescribe or describe anything other than an opinion on the existence of god(s).

10. Not all atheists are antagonistic to Christianity but for those of you who are, why the antagonism?

I'm antagonistic to believers of any stripe who deign to lecture me without listening. I'm cool with those folks who understand that faith is a private matter and, like cocks, ought not be waved around in public.

11. If you were at one time a believer in the Christian God, what caused you to deny his existence?

I don't "deny" his existence. I find it incredible due to a lack of evidence.

This is a loaded question and should be reworded, btw.

12. Do you believe the world would be better off without religion?
13. Do you believe the world would be better off without Christianity?

Yes.

14. Do you believe that faith in a God or gods is a mental disorder?

No.

15. Must God be known through the scientific method?

Anything that interacts in reality leaves evidence. The scientific process should be able to analyze that evidence.

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?

By asking how an immaterial being can have material effects. Propose a mechanism by which such an occurrence might come to pass, then we can do some logicky sciency stuff.

17. Do we have any purpose as human beings?

I do, how about you?

18. If we do have purpose, can you as an atheist please explain how that purpose is determined?

By the individual hiuman will.

By the way, your denial of this argument reveals the true purpose of your religion, to denigrate every man and make him kowtow to your god -- or more accurately, his intermediary. Do you hate yourself?

19. Where does morality come from?

From the minds of animals.

20. Are there moral absolutes?

I don't think so ... and neither do you.

21. If there are moral absolutes, could you list a few of them?

See above.

22. Do you believe there is such a thing as evil? If so, what is it?

The intentional infliction of harm upon another living being would qualify, to my mind.

23. If you believe that the God of the Old Testament is morally bad, by what standard do you judge that he is bad?

By the standard I just explicated above.

24. What would it take for you to believe in God?

Evidence.

25. What would constitute sufficient evidence for God’s existence?

Material results that can be confirmed by a nonbeleiver, or by machine sensors.

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?

I don't think there'd be any difference. People are people.

28. Do you believe in free will? (free will being the ability to make choices without coercion).

Yes, unlike you.

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?

Wait, "neuro-chemical laws of the brain"? What are those? That sounds like something someone pulled out of their ass trying to stick nonbelievers into a quagmi -- oh, wait.

Also, look up "emergent properties".

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?

I don't believe either of the two required antecedents, so thankfully, I don't have to answer this meaningless question.

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?

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That was like walking a mile for a glass of water, goddamn.