On the lunacy of free will

[Spongebob]

I don't believe I've ever heard of someone using their own ignorance as an excuse for not responding to questions about their own self or being honest in a discussion. But stupid people often do spout nonsense as if they have a PhD. One must be pretty lonely and desperate to do such things.

[Ahriman]

I don't believe I've ever heard of someone using their own ignorance as an excuse for not responding to questions about their own self or being honest in a discussion.  But stupid people often do spout nonsense as if they have a PhD.  One must be pretty lonely and desperate to do such things.

I would say, with your long-winded explanations and preaching, you're the one who talks as if you have a PhD.

[Astreja]

If most people believe in something, how likely is it that they're all wrong?

Wrong beliefs can be passed down from generation to generation, and taught to children before they have critical thinking skills.

If billions of people believe that the sun rises in the east, and you can look to the east and see the sun rising, the belief is almost certainly correct.

If billions of people believe that there's such a thing as life after death, but none of them can produce scientific evidence for it, it's probably a myth that came about as a reaction to the fear of dying, and there's a high probability that all of them are wrong.

A large number of proponents does not make something true. It depends entirely on the claim itself, and whether it's supported by evidence.

[Ahriman]

Evidence doesn't matter. Karma and reincarnation are real things. Atheists try to worm themselves out of the karmic contract by pretending they don't believe in anything supernatural. But of course, if atheists really believed this life is all they will ever experience, they wouldn't be wasting their precious time posting on online forums. So they clearly don't believe what they say they believe. And I'm really not sure why atheists have such a fetish for evidence.

[arewethereyet]

Evidence doesn't matter. Karma and reincarnation are real things. Atheists try to worm themselves out of the karmic contract by pretending they don't believe in anything supernatural. But of course, if atheists really believed this life is all they will ever experience, they wouldn't be wasting their precious time posting on online forums. So they clearly don't believe what they say they believe. And I'm really not sure why atheists have such a fetish for evidence.

If we are wasting our time posting here, what are you doing?

[Ahriman]

Evidence doesn't matter. Karma and reincarnation are real things. Atheists try to worm themselves out of the karmic contract by pretending they don't believe in anything supernatural. But of course, if atheists really believed this life is all they will ever experience, they wouldn't be wasting their precious time posting on online forums. So they clearly don't believe what they say they believe. And I'm really not sure why atheists have such a fetish for evidence.

If we are wasting out time posting here, what are you doing?

Well I don't believe this life is all I'll ever get, for one thing.

[arewethereyet]

If we are wasting out time posting here, what are you doing?

Well I don't believe this life is all I'll ever get, for one thing.

As usual - a non-answer to the question.

[Spongebob]

If we are wasting out time posting here, what are you doing?

Well I don't believe this life is all I'll ever get, for one thing.

Perhaps she meant what are you doing on this forum if it's such a terrible place filled with long winded people who are wrong all the time?

Evidence doesn't matter. Karma and reincarnation are real things. 

Actual evidence is objective and can be demonstrated/tested.  Neither Karma or reincarnation can boast those characteristics.  You are welcome to believe either or both are real, but this is simply a belief and not a known quantity.  You can't demonstrate either.  You can't test either.  You do not KNOW they exist.

Atheists try to worm themselves out of the karmic contract by pretending they don't believe in anything supernatural. But of course, if atheists really believed this life is all they will ever experience, they wouldn't be wasting their precious time posting on online forums. So they clearly don't believe what they say they believe. 

Wow, you continue to reset the bar for your ignorance.  So you feel that posting on a forum is a waste of time.  Then why are you so eager to do so?  The answer is that clearly we get something of value out of communicating with others of our own kind.  And yours is probably the stupidest anti-atheist argument I've ever heard.

Here's one that actually makes far more sense.  Why do atheists even discuss religion if they don't believe in it?  Answer: because it is so prevalent throughout society that it affects us as much as it affects Christians like you and we also like communicating with Christians to dispel all of the nonsense they believe about atheists.  I participated on a Christian/Atheist board for over 10 years where atheists and Christians engaged in discussions intended to help them understand atheism better.

And I'm really not sure why atheists have such a fetish for evidence.

The only reason you don't understand is because you don't listen.  If fact, I suspect you don't even read all of the posts made in response to your drivel.  It's been explained to you before.  I've posted this myself.  And if you truly wanted to understand, all you would have to do is post the question and ask.   It's a forum for fucks sake.  Atheists are, for the most part, completely open about their beliefs and experiences that define them.

I would say, with your long-winded explanations and preaching, you're the one who talks as if you have a PhD.

Well, simple as you are, it might not be clear that not everything can be explained in a 5 word sentence.  And please show me exactly where I have "preached" at anyone.  What you appear to dislike are well constructed sentences that actually draw upon facts.  Maybe you think a lecture and a sermon are the same thing.  Well, I suppose you could say they are similar in that each is a sort of speech intended to inform people, but preaching is the exclusive territory of religion and since I don't promote religion, it seems ridiculous to characterize my posts as "preaching".  But I will sometimes accept lecturing as that is sometimes what I'm doing, just like right now.  But I do this knowing that it's wasted effort because you have self-identified as a now-it-all who is both dim witted and uninterested in learning.  So why not just go to a Christian forum and pester them instead.

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If we are wasting out time posting here, what are you doing?

Well I don't believe this life is all I'll ever get, for one thing.

If you do believe in Karma and reincarnation, then you must also believe that your behavior in this life will affect your next.  So, I would say you are steadily working towards that next life being a slug.

[Astreja]

Evidence doesn't matter. Karma and reincarnation are real things. Atheists try to worm themselves out of the karmic contract by pretending they don't believe in anything supernatural. But of course, if atheists really believed this life is all they will ever experience, they wouldn't be wasting their precious time posting on online forums. So they clearly don't believe what they say they believe. And I'm really not sure why atheists have such a fetish for evidence.

To me, evidence does matter -- a lot.  I'm successful precisely because I'm meticulous in confronting unpleasant truths and using fact-based methods to solve any problems that come up.

And I think karma and reincarnation are a crock.

I pity you, Ahriman.  I'm hoping that you're very, very young and that this is just some kind of weird slacker-dude phase you're going through.  If you're sincere about the things you've been telling us, with an irresponsible and apathetic attitude towards this life, I foresee a very rough ride for you.

And that's why I post on online forums:  To try to talk some common sense into people before they waste any more of the only life they will ever have.

[Spongebob]

You should also be honest here and admit that you have been intentionally deceptive. First you say you are not a Christian, that you don't believe in the Christian god. You also say you are an apostate (a Catholic that has rejected Catholicism). Then you backtrack and say you didn't really give everything up, just the rituals. Then you say you believe in Karma and reincarnation. Your beliefs are all over the place and make no sense at all. I can guarantee you no Catholic or Protestant would accept anything you are saying as acceptable. And no, I'm not trying to box you in; you can believe in whatever you like, but you can't just claim to be one thing that contradicts something else and then have the balls to criticism atheists in a way that just demonstrates that you know absolutely nothing about atheism. All of this just makes you look profoundly stupid.

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What I have found in my many years of Christian/atheist forum posting is that the vast majority of Christians have a very distorted sense of what an atheist is. Often they are afraid of the very idea and certainly have some fear related to talking about atheism. They simply don't have the frame of mind to understand it because all of their life they've been indoctrinated to love Christianity and fear anything else, and yes I meant to say fear anything else. Christians go to great effort to instill fear in young ones at the notion of living without god/Jesus. This is the primary way people are kept in line. They spread thick layers of love and candy and comfort all over that fear so it doesn't show, but its always there, deep down. Getting to that fear and exorcising it from your mind is the only way to get out of religion. That fear is irrational, unreasonable and completely fake. Its the boogey man in your closet when you were a kid.