[Serious] Why are you an Atheist?

[maxolla]

New to this site and actually atheism. I’m here to know more about atheism and how people convert to it. My questions are below. If you have time please take a moment to help me understand more of the atheist view. These questions are intended for those who espouse the atheist view but if you are from another belief system feel free to answer.

What do you consider as prime reality?

What is the purpose of history or does it serve a purpose?

How did human existence begin?

What is morality?

Where do you decide what is right and wrong?

What do you believe in with absolute certainty?


Thanks in advance.

Max

What is prime reality ?
I think I have a pretty good notion of reality and I'm unaware of any other realities.

If history is the study of past events then the purpose of studying those events would be to hopefully not repeat mistakes and also hopefully repeat the good things we learned that worked well.

Human existence began when we became a separate species from our cousins on the evolutionary branches of the tree of life.

Morality is making a conscious assessment of the consequences if our actions as it relates to well being.

I decide what is beneficial to well being (right) and what harms well being (wrong).

There are lots of things that I believe with absolute certainty.
Most of them are quite common.
I am wearing shoes on my feet.
I am replying to this using my phone.
I am currently sitting on my couch.

None of your questions have anything to do with atheism.

I have some questions for you about your theism.

Do you think owning other people as slaves is morally good ?
NO

Do you have a divine way to measure things that are as accurate as a tape measure or any scientific instruments ?
I’m not sure of what divine way is?

How did you determine that the god you worship is good ?
Through what I believe is his creation.

Do you have any moral character or intellectual honesty ?
I aspire to both.

That should do it.

Max

[The Grand Nudger]

I'm amazed at the number of people who come here with these "assignments" who don't seem to be the slightest bit interested in doing passable work.

[maxolla]

New to this site and actually atheism.  I’m here to know more about atheism and how people convert to it.  My questions are below.  If you have time please take a moment to help me understand more of the atheist view.  These questions are intended for those who espouse the atheist view but if you are from another belief system feel free to answer.

What do you consider as prime reality?

What is the purpose of history or does it serve  a purpose?

How did human existence begin?

What is morality?

Where do you decide what is right and wrong?

What do you believe in with absolute certainty?


Thanks in advance.

Max

1. I'm not sure what "prime" reality means. While I can understand the literal definitions of those words, this isn't a term I'm familiar with in day-to-day usage. I suspect this is some sort of Christian apologist terminology, used to cloud an issue in obscurity.

2. I suppose different people see different purposes for history or the study of human history. I suppose that history can teach us something about human nature.

3. I don't know.

4. Morality is how we distinguish what is "right" and "wrong," and is highly subjective.

5. Each person has to decide for themselves what is right and wrong.

6. I believe that I exist, with absolute certainty.

edit: Keep in mind that literally none of this has to do with atheism. Atheism is, in the broadest sense, a lack of belief in any god or gods. That's it. Outside of that, there are plenty of atheists who believe in an objective morality, or believe that religion provides morality for plenty of people, hell we even have a man who calls himself an atheist, here on the forum, that seems to love Christianity and Christian thought more than most Christians do. Atheists make up a very broad, diversified group, and not all of us hold the same views. In fact, a look at the 'politics' section of the forum will show you how many ideas us atheists differ on.

Hell, visit almost any section of the forum besides the 'atheism' and 'religion' sections, and you'll see that most of us have differing views on a wide range of subjects. Some of us even disagree on what the definition of atheism is, and plenty of us have differing views on religion. So, to be honest, none of this is going to help you "understand the atheist worldview."

I think what “prime reality” represents is a catch all for coherency. Christians would say, for the most part that prime reality is God as a basis for reality. Naturalists and existentialists might say something more like “based fully on what we can perceive with our physical senses”. Prime is just the highest order of or primal.

I’m not in this for a gotcha I truly want to understand where people come to the conclusions of how they see the world and existence.
If you are willing could you tell me how long you have been an atheist. Have you believed in anything in the past before coming to the conclusion that there is no God?

[Shell B]

Are you just going to keep asking questions? Are you working towards some elaborate "Comforting" gotcha moment?

Anyhow, I have so much work to do, I'll have time to construct ethics when I'm dead, which answers both your questions. But seriously, personal ethics are considerations rooted in basic values, and I got those probably in equal parts from being human and thus wired accordingly, and my upbringing and cultural background.
When I'm dead, my thoughts and memories will be lost in time like tears in the rain, and all the parts my wife doesn't want to keep will be donated to science. Says so on the card in my wallet.

I’m asking questions for the purpose of understanding not a gotcha.  You’re right...some explanation is in order.  I ask the first 6 questions to get a basis point for what someong believes about reality (worldview).  Many have answered with glib answers to some of the questions, which is a basis for discovery in itself.  Of course everyone is answering with  freewill to say whatever the choose but the fact that some people decide to make a joke of some of the questions while answering seriously to others tells me that there is something deeper or hidden in the joke answers.  

My reasons for asking these questions is because I’m taking a class on philosophy called Contemporary Worldviews and one of my assignments it to find some people with a varying worldview from my own and learn about their view.

Specifically what I’m trying to understand is how the atheist view is formed.

What you might think of a joke is actually serious. My answers were genuine.

I was born an atheist. That's how it happens.

[EgoDeath]

I think what “prime reality” represents is a catch all for coherency. Christians would say, for the most part that prime reality is God as a basis for reality.  Naturalists and existentialists might say something more like “based fully on what we can perceive with our physical senses”.  Prime is just the highest order of or primal.

This first part you've written here makes little to no sense to me. I'm not sure what you even mean by "prime reality is God as a basis for reality." That just sounds nonsensical, grammatically and conceptually, so I'm not sure what to say to that.

I’m not in this for a gotcha I truly want to understand where people come to the conclusions of how they see the world and existence.
If you are willing could you tell me how long you have been an atheist.  Have you believed in anything in the past before coming to the conclusion that there is no God?

Well, forgive us for being a bit skeptical. I'm nearly convinced that we have at least one so-called atheist here who is actually a Christian. Though, I argue with people on the merit of their ideas, if I'm arguing, and not on who they may or may not be pretending to be. So, essentially, a Christian pretending to be an atheist, on this forum, would gain quite little from such undercover work, as logically fallacious ideas will be pointed out as such no matter who authors them. Bad ideas are bad ideas, whether they come from Christians, atheists, Scientologists or anyone else, given that we can agree on what the word "bad" means within the phrase "bad ideas."

Though, some people may argue that a Christian could come here, pretend to be an atheist, and spout off ideas heard in Christian apologetics, while presenting them as secular ideas, to try and sort of "turn the tide." Though, once again, I doubt such an individual would have much success, as, sometimes, us atheists here have about as much in common with one another as an orange does with the planet Pluto. Sure, they both appear to be round, but Pluto isn't a planet, if you catch my drift.

Anyway, I digress. I've self-identified as an atheist since I was in my early teens... maybe fifteen or fourteen? I'll give you a different answer depending on what day you ask me, because I honestly don't remember how old I was, but I can remember a general time period. Certainly no earlier than fourteen and no later than sixteen. And, I'm not sure what you mean by, "Have you believed in anything in the past before coming to the conclusion that there is no God?"

Do you mean to ask if I believed in god at some point, or if I believed in ghosts, or vampires, or something else? I'll assume that's what you meant. The answer is... No, not really. I don't think I ever really believed in god; I certainly tried to convince myself that I did, though. And it wasn't for lack of trying. I spent many a night in my bed, praying to god, asking him to come to me, to reveal himself to me, praying for minutes and minutes on end... sometimes upward of fifteen, twenty minutes. Now, that may not sound like a lot to you, but it was a lot of time to my eight, nine and ten year old brain, certainly. So, I certainly tried, hard as hell, to believe in god and to have god reveal himself to me. It never happened. Big surprise.

As far as ghosts or spirits and things of that nature... I sort of bought into the idea of there being ghosts, though even when I was young, my mind seemed to lean to a "more scientific" explanation for ghosts. I remember, vaguely, some very lenient explanation of how ghosts could possibly exist, as a phenomenon that people actually see, hear and experience in the world, by some "expert." He talked very broadly about magnetic fields and how they could interact with certain people's brains and cause hallucinations and so on and so forth. He also talked about how the combination of a certain person's brain chemistry and certain magnetic fields could "unlock" a doorway into the spirit world. When I discussed this explanation with my father, he completely shut me down. He told me that "that's not how it works" and proceeded to tell me about how ghosts are lost spirits who didn't make it to heaven, and that's that, mister!

My dad's absolute "certainty" about what ghosts were, in that moment, made me wholly skeptical, along with a number of other behaviors I observed in my parents, extended family and other religious folks in general.

Well, as they say, the best way to become an atheist is to read the Bible. I suppose that holds true in many instances.

[The Grand Nudger]

You might use the term god, but ofc a person who doesn't believe in gods just says "and whatever that depends on".

That's the thing higher order than whatever it is we can see. More fundamentally, your experience of reality, prime or otherwise, is functionally identical to mine. It makes absolutely no sense to pretend as if there is any meaningful difference between us, or your average atheist/theist on the street, on this count.

[LastPoet]

I did't like the cracker, it stook to the roof of my mouth|

(why do I need to justify unbelief?

[maxolla]

I think what “prime reality” represents is a catch all for coherency. Christians would say, for the most part that prime reality is God as a basis for reality.  Naturalists and existentialists might say something more like “based fully on what we can perceive with our physical senses”.  Prime is just the highest order of or primal.

This first part you've written here makes little to no sense to me. I'm not sure what you even mean by "prime reality is God as a basis for reality." That just sounds nonsensical, grammatically and conceptually, so I'm not sure what to say to that.

I’m not in this for a gotcha I truly want to understand where people come to the conclusions of how they see the world and existence.
If you are willing could you tell me how long you have been an atheist.  Have you believed in anything in the past before coming to the conclusion that there is no God?

Well, forgive us for being a bit skeptical. I'm nearly convinced that we have at least one so-called atheist here who is actually a Christian. Though, I argue with people on the merit of their ideas, if I'm arguing, and not on who they may or may not be pretending to be. So, essentially, a Christian pretending to be an atheist, on this forum, would gain quite little from such undercover work, as logically fallacious ideas will be pointed out as such no matter who authors them. Bad ideas are bad ideas, whether they come from Christians, atheists, Scientologists or anyone else, given that we can agree on what the word "bad" means within the phrase "bad ideas."

Though, some people may argue that a Christian could come here, pretend to be an atheist, and spout off ideas heard in Christian apologetics, while presenting them as secular ideas, to try and sort of "turn the tide." Though, once again, I doubt such an individual would have much success, as, sometimes, us atheists here have about as much in common with one another as an orange does with the planet Pluto. Sure, they both appear to be round, but Pluto isn't a planet, if you catch my drift.

Anyway, I digress. I've self-identified as an atheist since I was in my early teens... maybe fifteen or fourteen? I'll give you a different answer depending on what day you ask me, because I honestly don't remember how old I was, but I can remember a general time period. Certainly no earlier than fourteen and no later than sixteen. And, I'm not sure what you mean by, "Have you believed in anything in the past before coming to the conclusion that there is no God?"

Do you mean to ask if I believed in god at some point, or if I believed in ghosts, or vampires, or something else? I'll assume that's what you meant. The answer is... No, not really. I don't think I ever really believed in god; I certainly tried to convince myself that I did, though. And it wasn't for lack of trying. I spent many a night in my bed, praying to god, asking him to come to me, to reveal himself to me, praying for minutes and minutes on end... sometimes upward of fifteen, twenty minutes. Now, that may not sound like a lot to you, but it was a lot of time to my eight, nine and ten year old brain, certainly. So, I certainly tried, hard as hell, to believe in god and to have god reveal himself to me. It never happened. Big surprise.

As far as ghosts or spirits and things of that nature... I sort of bought into the idea of there being ghosts, though even when I was young, my mind seemed to lean to a "more scientific" explanation for ghosts. I remember, vaguely, some very lenient explanation of how ghosts could possibly exist, as a phenomenon that people actually see, hear and experience in the world, by some "expert." He talked very broadly about magnetic fields and how they could interact with certain people's brains and cause hallucinations and so on and so forth. He also talked about how the combination of a certain person's brain chemistry and certain magnetic fields could "unlock" a doorway into the spirit world. When I discussed this explanation with my father, he completely shut me down. He told me that "that's not how it works" and proceeded to tell me about how ghosts are lost spirits who didn't make it to heaven, and that's that, mister!

My dad's absolute "certainty" about what ghosts were, in that moment, made me wholly skeptical, along with a number of other behaviors I observed in my parents, extended family and other religious folks in general.

Well, as they say, the best way to become an atheist is to read the Bible. I suppose that holds true in many instances.

I would say that all makes pretty good sense. What were some of the behaviors that you witnessed in Christians, family or otherwise that caused your skepticism towards belief in God?

---

I’m asking questions for the purpose of understanding not a gotcha.  You’re right...some explanation is in order.  I ask the first 6 questions to get a basis point for what someong believes about reality (worldview).  Many have answered with glib answers to some of the questions, which is a basis for discovery in itself.  Of course everyone is answering with  freewill to say whatever the choose but the fact that some people decide to make a joke of some of the questions while answering seriously to others tells me that there is something deeper or hidden in the joke answers.  

My reasons for asking these questions is because I’m taking a class on philosophy called Contemporary Worldviews and one of my assignments it to find some people with a varying worldview from my own and learn about their view.

Specifically what I’m trying to understand is how the atheist view is formed.

What you might think of a joke is actually serious. My answers were genuine.

I was born an atheist. That's how it happens.

I would say “my bad” but I don’t know that I was referring to your answers. And in any event I meant nothing by it other than my perceptions.

---

What do you consider as prime reality?
Optimus

What is the purpose of history or does it serve a purpose?
HISTORY, n. An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools.
(The Devil's Dictionary)

How did human existence begin?
A Hypotheticalosaurus took a dump on a magical fungus .

What is morality?
Whatever I say is!

Where do you decide what is right and wrong?
The shitter.

What do you believe in with absolute certainty?
Hendrix is the greatest!

Hendrix is not the greatest. Its a well know fact that SRV took over that spot...by a mile or so.

[no one]

Keep dreaming!
Hendrix is the greatest because of what he did, he completely changed the way people looked at the instrument. Quite simply put, there is guitar work before the emergence of Hendrix, and then there is guitar work after. Admittedly, there are tons of guitar players that manipulate the fretboard better than Hendrix. However, not a single one has had the impact as he has.

I am paraphrasing here, I believe it was Entwistle who said:
Hendrix is not a great guitar player. Jeff Beck is a great guitar player. Eric Clapton is a great guitar player. Hendrix, is a force of nature.

Stevie himself admitted he just copied Jimi.

[Paleophyte]

What do you consider as prime reality?

All reality shows are pretty much equally horrible.

What is the purpose of history or does it serve a purpose?

History doesn't have a purpose because they went extinct a long time ago.

How did human existence begin?

As a singularity some 13.8 billion years ago.

What is morality?

How concerned should I be that you need to ask this question?

Where do you decide what is right and wrong?

The corner of Wabash and Lake.

What do you believe in with absolute certainty?

Penguins.