Evil Atheists

[little_monkey]

If I were to meet an atheist who presents as a happy, confident, solvent individual, beautiful family, good friends etc (you get the picture) who went on to tell me the secret of his success in life was to lie, cheat, steal and stab others in the back at every opportunity, take no prisoners and give no quarter, be ruthless with strangers and only protect family and loved ones. How could I tell him that his behavior was "wrong" or "evil" using an atheistic worldview? "The tears of strangers are only water" would be an apt motto for this individual.

All I would say to your "friend" is that one day he will be the victim of someone lying, cheating, stealing and stabbing. That his behavior becomes a model to be emulated by others, and does he want to really live in a world in which everyone else is lying, cheating, stealing and stabbing?

[The Grand Nudger]

Looks like this thread was a vehicle for you to make sweeping generalizations and derogatory remarks, I don't see anything even approaching a dialogue here.

[Darwinian]

Yes, we're devious characters who simply cannot be trusted. I mean, how fiendish of us not to answer your question in a way that you are personally completely satisfied with.

[frankiej]

This reminds me of the CARM debate 2008 when Edwin Kagin is demolished when faced with the question of Logic, he continuously goes off on tangents about anything but the question put before him, embarassing for Mr Kagin, but a common tactic employed by atheists i'm beginning to see...

Or, people who has been brainwashed, like yourself, can't accept it if an actual answer is given... You already have it built into you that we are wrong, so how can you really expect to fully understand any answer we give.

[Epimethean]

Please don't feed the troll.

[StatCrux]

If I were to meet an atheist who presents as a happy, confident, solvent individual, beautiful family, good friends etc (you get the picture) who went on to tell me the secret of his success in life was to lie, cheat, steal and stab others in the back at every opportunity, take no prisoners and give no quarter, be ruthless with strangers and only protect family and loved ones. How could I tell him that his behavior was "wrong" or "evil" using an atheistic worldview? "The tears of strangers are only water" would be an apt motto for this individual.

All I would say to your "friend" is that one day he will be the victim of someone lying, cheating, stealing and stabbing. That his behavior becomes a model to be emulated by others, and does he want to really live in a world in which everyone else is lying, cheating, stealing and stabbing?

At last an attempt to answer the question. He would simply respond by saying that you're making the assumption that the welfare of others makes any difference to him or his family, he's quite happy living in that kind of world, thats how it is, survival of the fittest, why should he care about the welfare of others, they are merely evolved machines just trying to survive, of no consequence to his well being or his families. Nothing wrong with that is there?

[Cinjin]

Regarding OP:

It's the same ole stupid morality question. My answer is always the same now. I don't have to answer a question that isn't qualified. In other words, when you can show me that your people, who supposedly hold the moral high ground, are actually acting morally right as a whole, I will only then consider answering your ridiculous and biased question. Clearly, being a christian does not mean an automatic dose of how to be moral. Rather the opposite.

**Knocks your arrogant christian ass off your high horse and reminds you of the pedophilia, theft, rape, child murder and money laundering REGULARLY seen from your "moral christian community" **

[frankiej]

why should he care about the welfare of others, they are merely evolved machines just trying to survive, of no consequence to his well being or his families. Nothing wrong with that is there?

Without caring about the well being of others, we wouldn't have gotten this far.

[DaveD]

If I were to meet an atheist who presents as a happy, confident, solvent individual, beautiful family, good friends etc (you get the picture) who went on to tell me the secret of his success in life was to lie, cheat, steal and stab others in the back at every opportunity, take no prisoners and give no quarter, be ruthless with strangers and only protect family and loved ones. How could I tell him that his behavior was "wrong" or "evil" using an atheistic worldview? "The tears of strangers are only water" would be an apt motto for this individual.

All I would say to your "friend" is that one day he will be the victim of someone lying, cheating, stealing and stabbing. That his behavior becomes a model to be emulated by others, and does he want to really live in a world in which everyone else is lying, cheating, stealing and stabbing?

At last an attempt to answer the question. He would simply respond by saying that your making the assumption that the welfare of others makes any difference to him or his family, he's quite happy living in that kind of world, thats how it is, survival of the fittest, why should he care about the welfare of others, they are merely evolved machines just trying to survive, of no consequence to his well being or his families. Nothing wrong with that is there?

Nothing wrong at all, apart from the fact that it's complete and utter bollocks.
That we are "evolved machines just trying to survive" isn't a problem, but the addition of "merely" is. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
One of the means of survival is cooperation, something your hypothetical atheist seems incapable of. He sounds as ignorant as any theist, and is very atypical. In fact, I would advise him to skip to the end of L. Frank Baum's story immediately and acquire a brain, for his own good.

[StatCrux]

Regarding OP:

It's the same ole stupid morality question. My answer is always the same now. I don't have to answer a question that isn't qualified. In other words, when you can show me that your people, who supposedly hold the moral high ground, are actually acting morally right as a whole, I will only then consider answering your ridiculous and biased question. Clearly, being a christian does not mean an automatic dose of how to be moral. Rather the opposite.

**Knocks your arrogant christian ass off your high horse and reminds you of the pedophilia, theft, rape, child murder and money laundering REGULARLY seen from your "moral christian community" **

As I have already stated earlier in this thread, my beliefs have zero relevance to the question asked. It seems to be the standard response given by atheists to simply ignore the question and reply with some off the peg anti-Christian response, totally irrelevant to the question. The question is trying to find the basis for a common morality when each individual has a differing view. My personal beliefs should have absolutely no bearing on anyones response to the question. The problem seems to be that in order to answer the question you first need to borrow from the prevailing morality that exists from years of theism and this is what you are desperate to avoid. Can you answer the question without falling into ad hominem attacks (trolling accusations) or avoidance by asking how Christianity is superior? both avoiding the question and not relevant..