(September 11, 2020 at 9:57 am)rockyrockford Wrote:
(September 11, 2020 at 6:17 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: I tend to agree with Bertrand Russell that faith (as defined by the OP) is an intellectual dead end. In other words, once you possess ‘complete confidence and trust’ in any proposition, you’re stuck. Faith, absent evidence and reason, atrophies our ability - and even our desire - to learn new stuff.
Furthermore, religious faith (and it’s pretty plain that that’s what the OP is getting at) by its very nature creates insoluble conflicts. Muslims have faith that Mohammed was the last prophet. Mormons have a markedly different opinion. Both of these beliefs cannot be correct, primarily because they’re faith-based. It isn't like conflicting views about human evolution or the amount of dark matter in the universe - a belief held by faith is impenetrable to evidence and reason by its very nature.
Boru
thank you! excellent answer.
I understand the difference between "FAITH in God" and "FAITH the airplane won't fall from the sky". I'm sure you and I share the exact same faith that the when the light switch is flipped the light will come on, unless evidence (power outage) proves otherwise.
But where we would part is faith in an eternity. Is it safe to say, respectfully, that as an atheist, you have no hope, or faith, in any kind of life after death, and that after death the body just decays to dust.
Would it also be safe to say that as atheists you don't believe that inside you there is a soul that makes you an individual, but that individuality who you really are is made up in the brain.
I can't thank you enough again for this open conversation. If the rules allow, I'd appreciate if anyone can recommend some good books on atheism, I'd greatly appreciate it.
1. Yes, it is fair to say that I have no hope or faith in an afterlife of any sort.
2. It is safe for me to say that I don’t believe in a soul, as you seem to mean the term (I don’t presume to speak for other atheists). I believe that individuality is the sum total of an individual’s memories and experiences. So, yes - it’s fair to say that I believe that individuality is a consequence of brain function.
3. You’re very welcome.
Boru
‘But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.’ - Thomas Jefferson