Where to go from here?

[Ahriman]

You will never find an atheist who doesn't think the universe spontaneously came from nothing, and that all life is accidental. That's what atheists believe.

Charming.  Simply charming.

*I* believe that there never was pure "nothing" at any point in the history of the universe and whatever may have preceded it.  I believe that the subatomic building blocks of matter/energy have always existed in one form or another.

I also know enough about biology and chemistry to outright laugh at the idea of life being "accidental."  Life is an aggregate of processes and structures based on very simple initial chemical compounds (e.g. water, ammonia, methane), which are based on very common elements (hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen) that behave in predictable manners due to such factors as atomic valence.  It's the very antithesis of "accidental."

Seriously, Ahriman, why do you lie about people?  You can't read my mind.  You don't know what I know or what I believe.  With the two sentences you've posted above you have amply demonstrated to my satisfaction that you don't give a flying fuck about the truth.  Grow up.

Then you're not an atheist.

[Astreja]

Then you're not an atheist.

I know that I am an atheist. I also know that you're a liar. Go slander the Holy Spook or something.

[T.J.]

Everybody look out! Ahriman is now an expert on who is and isn't an atheist.

[Peebothuhlu]

At work.

Everybody look out! Ahriman is now an expert on who is and isn't an atheist.

Well, yes.

It's obviously down to the sekrit handshakes and weekend societal BBQ practices.

---

At work.

Nah......atheists definitely believe the universe came into existence from nothing, for no reason.

Hello.

Would you like to try going 'Three for three'?

I identify as a 'Non-theist' in that I see nothing to indicate amything supernatural about our surrounding reality.

Given my "Layman's" understanding of cosmology I'm happy with the current models/ideas presented to myself.

As for the "Before" side of things I've seen many ideas presented. Non of them from a natural perspective involved 'Nothing'.

Cheers.

[Angrboda]

In Hindu iconography, paintings illustrating the godhead with many faces is a symbolic representation of omniscience. If Ahriman were a god, he'd be portrayed as a god with many asses, and a head up each of them.

[LadyForCamus]

 That is simply untrue.

Can it possibly be that after all this time you remain so ignorant over something so basic?  

One more time; an atheist is a person who does nor believe in god(s)  NOTHING ELSE IS IMPLIED OR MAY BE INFERRED.

Beliefs about the origin of the universe come under the headings of Cosmology and Physics. Nothing to do with atheism.

As well as being agnostic about god, I'm also agnostic about the creation of the universe. IE I cannot claim to know and so have no belief.

I'd really appreciate it if in future you would try to refrain from telling me what I do or do not believe, other than the existence of god(s) There's a good chap.

You will never find an atheist who doesn't think the universe spontaneously came from nothing, and that all life is accidental. That's what atheists believe.

You are a lazy, boring troll. *yawn*

[Simon Moon]

Charming.  Simply charming.

*I* believe that there never was pure "nothing" at any point in the history of the universe and whatever may have preceded it.  I believe that the subatomic building blocks of matter/energy have always existed in one form or another.

I also know enough about biology and chemistry to outright laugh at the idea of life being "accidental."  Life is an aggregate of processes and structures based on very simple initial chemical compounds (e.g. water, ammonia, methane), which are based on very common elements (hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen) that behave in predictable manners due to such factors as atomic valence.  It's the very antithesis of "accidental."

Seriously, Ahriman, why do you lie about people?  You can't read my mind.  You don't know what I know or what I believe.  With the two sentences you've posted above you have amply demonstrated to my satisfaction that you don't give a flying fuck about the truth.  Grow up.

Then you're not an atheist.

You must be a troll, because no one can be this dumb. I guess you might be mentally ill.

Atheists are people that are not convinced gods exist. FULL F'N STOP.

There are no other beliefs, dogma, or doctrine that all atheists believe, besides the disbelief in the existence of gods. The only single thing that all atheists have in common, is we disbelieve gods exist.

[R00tKiT]

Erased.

[ToTheMoon]

Where do you really go from here? I've come to the conclusion that there are no gods, no heaven, no hell, no afterlife, and that when I die I'll either rot in the ground or be cremated and just cease to exist. That the universe just came into being with no specific purpose, so now what? Or does there even need to be a 'now what?'

That's pretty much it, there doesn't need to be a "now what".

You don't need to join a club, you don't need to start studying science if that's not your thing, you don't need to read the works of prominent atheists (or theists) unless you're interested in how they think and how they arrived at their conclusions.

I'd also avoid the implication that atheists have a better grasp of science than theists do. Sure, science can debunk a few specific claims that some religions make (like the Genesis account, we know that's not how planetary formation works, or how to tell if a woman cheated on you, that's not how human biology works) and render other claims dubious at best (like the concept of an eternal Hell which seems silly and made up for a being supposedly capable of creating sophisticated star systems that are in a constant state of gradual change), but it doesn't definitively prove or disprove gods, afterlives or "the divine" in general.

[brewer]

That's pretty much it, there doesn't need to be a "now what".

You don't need to join a club, you don't need to start studying science if that's not your thing, you don't need to read the works of prominent atheists (or theists) unless you're interested in how they think and how they arrived at their conclusions.

I'd also avoid the implication that atheists have a better grasp of science than theists do. Sure, science can debunk a few specific claims that some religions make (like the Genesis account, we know that's not how planetary formation works, or how to tell if a woman cheated on you, that's not how human biology works) and render other claims dubious at best (like the concept of an eternal Hell which seems silly and made up for a being supposedly capable of creating sophisticated star systems that are in a constant state of gradual change), but it doesn't definitively prove or disprove gods, afterlives or "the divine" in general.

Welcome to the forum new entity. Can I talk you into creating an introduction thread?