[Redeemed Papist]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

as am atheist, i don't believe in god because it's illogical to me, and it's more like magic. i feel that there are so many religions out there, any one of them could be right if i had chosen to believe there was a god, and i don't believe christianity is totally original in this matter. i value others' happiness above my own and i seek to preserve the well being of those who deserve it. and that would be anyone who is morally correct, including anyone of any religion, race, or sex. i don't judge. what makes me happy? happiness of myself and others, and morality. these are the most important things in my life. some say that atheism is completely based upon sexual desire and the will for freedom, but i look at nobody with lust. i wait for love. and i make sure that my freedoms, apart from any biblical restrictions, don't get in the way of anyone's happiness, well being, or future choices in life (that being my reference to moral influence). i hope this answers your question

Indistinguishable from a fluffy bunny Christian except for the fake claims to believe in God. Makes up its own morals. Thinks this is OK and without penalty. If we ever needed proof that false Christians may as well be atheists...

It's heartbreaking to see them all destined to burn with each other.

[The Atheeist View]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

and not all atheists are the same. without religion, we as individuals are free to go my our own moral codes. there are atheists who rob stores and kill people, and there are those who contribute to good causes and similar things.

[JustAnotherFatGuy]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

Please learn that which claim to know.

"Slavery existed in Africa well before the Atlantic slave trade and even before Islamic slave trade."
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_In_Africa

"Traditional African practices of slavery were altered to some extent beginning in the 7th century by two non-African groups of slave traders: Arab Muslims and Europeans."
fromhttp://autocww.colorado.edu/~blackmo...yInAfrica.html

See what TWO MINUTES ON GOOGLE can teach you?

Note the word: COUNTRIES.

So before you go down condescending on me what Google can do actually read the post carefully.

In any case that does not invalidate my point, since slavery happened in its greatest during the European Colonization of Africa.

[Didymus Much]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

...i value others' happiness above my own...

You're either a saint or a liar, and saints don't exist.

... and i seek to preserve the well being of those who deserve it...

And how do you determine who "deserves it", WITHOUT judging?

... and that would be anyone who is morally correct...

ie. matches your own, personal morals. Or are you claiming that there is such a thing as absolute morality?

...i hope this answers your question

By giving a whole bunch of meaningless, feel-good, New Age vacuous crap?

Hardly.

[JustAnotherFatGuy]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

What's wrong with slavery?

So you think Slavery is OK? Lets establish this 1st.

[Didymus Much]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

...In any case that does not invalidate my point, since slavery happened in its greatest during the European Colonization of Africa.

No, your point is right here:

...Why did they have a normal life until The Colonizing powers turned up and introduced disease, poverty, slavery so on?

And as you also STATED that disease and poverty DID NOT EXIST in Africa until those nasty Europeans showed up, until you prove those points you have no credibility.

[Rev. M. Rodimer]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

Note the word: COUNTRIES.

So before you go down condescending on me what Google can do actually read the post carefully.

In any case that does not invalidate my point, since slavery happened in its greatest during the European Colonization of Africa.

Dear friend:

The "countries" didn't exist before the European colonization.

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

Mary,

I am not an Atheist...

Thank you Fat Guy, for taking the time to answer my question. I appreciate it. I have a few follow-up questions if you don't mind.

and for someone to call themselves an Atheist they must be very well educated to have a basis as to why deny God. Simply saying that "such and such could not happen" and that "science proves it" is NOT being educated. By educated i mean someone who has studied the Bible, and not just the Christian belief, but also Islam, Budhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Taoism etc. and has come to the conclusion that God cannot exist.

You're saying a true atheist would have studied thoroughly and found it impossible to disprove the existence of God?

The kids you see in schools and all over calling themselves Atheist are just actually following a trend and have not really denied God himself, more like they are just fitting in the group.

If they have not denied God, but have not accepted Jesus as their LORD and Master, is there any functional difference? They'll go straight to hell the moment after they take their last breath anyway, for the punishment of having been born human and therefore depraved and full of horrendous sin. I mean, what's the difference if they don't actively try to disprove God's existence but don't accept God's Grace either?

Some quotes from philosophers and others (please do not see this as me trying to prove something, this is why some people may actually not believe in God):

Name:Quote

Epicurus: Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

Marie: Man created God in his image : intolerant, sexist, homophobic and violent.

Unknown: "If god doesn't like the way I live, Let him tell me, not you."

Napoleon Bonaparte: Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet

Giulian Buzila: History teaches us that no other cause has brought more death than the word of god.

Justin Brown: An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An Atheist believes that deed must be done instead of a prayer said. An Atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanishe.

Justin Brown: If the Bible is mistaken in telling us where we came from, how can we trust it to tell us where we're going?

Very interesting quotes. They make me sad because they miss the point of the sacrificial gift of Jesus' crucifixion. Surely in their research they came across the historical event of Christ's death and resurrection. How can anyone walk away from that?

Now to answer your question. It is no different to be Atheist to anyone else, after all the human body functions the same in every person with only slight differences. It is not incredibly lonely either in any way. Think about it this way: you are likely to still fall in love, still have children, and still able to make friends.

You make it sound like there's no reason not to be an atheist.

Atheists still wake up and have a purpose in life just like a Christian, although that purpose maybe different to yours. Not everyone who is Atheist is a drug user and a sinner as they say, then again not every Christian is perfect. I mean take a look at the Churches in Belgium and what they were doing to the alter boys, not just abuse but also chemical castration and so on.

The chemical castration of which you speak was done by catholics and they are not Christian. No True Christian™ behaves in a depraved way. (Matthew 7:16)

If we continue (and i am not trying to infringe your belief and please forgive me if i am, i am sincerely just trying to open/explain to you another way others may take) then after lots of research it comes down that the Bible is essentially a code of morality.

You say you are not an atheist, but then deny the Holy Word of God as having been divinely inspired and infallible in every way! It certainly explains why you provided so many quotes that make Christianity sound ignorant and foolish.

So what i am trying to say that Atheists still have morals and can still be good people

How? How can someone who denies the Holy Spirit know Truth? "I am the way and the truth," Jesus said (John 14:6) One who denies Jesus denies truth, they have nothing left to believe but random information, never knowing if it is a truth or a lie.

Offcourse a lot of it is all about your childhood and upbringing

I was raised in a catholic family, taught cannibalism and to worship Mary and still I found my LORD and Master. God makes Himself known (Psalm 9:16) and yet even you have missed His message. You may say you're not an atheist, but you are no different than one. You believe the same things they believe, you deny the same things they deny. Why bother calling yourself Christian at all?

Thanks for the chat!

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

as am atheist, i don't believe in god because it's illogical to me, and it's more like magic.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7

i feel that there are so many religions out there, any one of them could be right

Really? So you believe magic underwear could be real and reincarnation is a possibility? When I killed a fly this morning, that could have been Dick Clark?!?

i hope this answers your question

Not really. As you don't value the wisdom of the LORD, your values are already screwed up, so how would you decide what to value and what not to care about? Is it random? Do you wake up one morning and decide to care about the happiness of somebody new each day? What do you consider bringing happiness to someone? Like, to an atheist, is not raping someone considered a kindness or is that considered "fun" and therefor kind to poke random people? Do you love your mother? Do you know what love is?

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

The lives of atheists are "fine", like native Hawaiians before America. The lives of Christians? "Fabulous!" Just like Hawaiians thanks to America.

A most interesting and insightful post! How can anyone deny the superior value of Christianity's influence on a society?


Thank you Reverend!

[Redeemed Papist]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

So you think Slavery is OK? Lets establish this 1st.

I personally would find being a slave degrading and unacceptable. However, God and Jesus were at home with slavery so people who end up being slaves must be slaves in accordance with God's will. Perhaps there's a very good reason why I'm not a slave.

[Billy Bob Jenkins]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

Mary,

I am not an Atheist, and for someone to call themselves an Atheist they must be very well educated to have a basis as to why deny God. Simply saying that "such and such could not happen" and that "science proves it" is NOT being educated. By educated i mean someone who has studied the Bible, and not just the Christian belief, but also Islam, Budhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Taoism etc. and has come to the conclusion that God cannot exist. The kids you see in schools and all over calling themselves Atheist are just actually following a trend and have not really denied God himself, more like they are just fitting in the group. Some quotes from philosophers and others (please do not see this as me trying to prove something, this is why some people may actually not believe in God):

According to the online dictionary, someone need not fit into your narrow description of an atheists in order to be one. All that is necessary is to disbelieve the proposition that there is one or more gods. This is quite distinct from the adoption of the belief that there are no gods. An atheist can be someone who believes there are no gods, or an atheist can be someone who merely lacks a belief in any gods. (See below.) This means that anyone who lacks a belief in gods of any kind is an atheist. Babies are atheists, because they do not believe in any gods. They are consequently damned to Hell if they die before they hear the Good News and implement the teachings of the Bible.

a·the·ist

   [ey-thee-ist] Show IPA
noun a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings.


dis·be·lief

   [dis-bi-leef] Show IPA
noun 1. the inability or refusal to believe or to accept something as true.

2. amazement; astonishment: We stared at the Taj Mahal in disbelief.

[Bobby-Joe]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

I personally would find being a slave degrading and unacceptable. However, God and Jesus were at home with slavery so people who end up being slaves must be slaves in accordance with God's will. Perhaps there's a very good reason why I'm not a slave.

More to the point slavery is Jesus' tough love for the non-producer 47% who mouch of society. Until you chain these lazy dead beats to their lathes and put a whip across their back they are going to whine about pay and want to go on vacation.

[Cbeck29]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

And what do atheists think about death? Is there an atheist afterlife, or do tey believe that a person ends with death? What a sad belief system

[Redeemed Papist]

Re: What is it like to be an atheist?

More to the point slavery is Jesus' tough love for the non-producer 47% who mouch of society. Until you chain these lazy dead beats to their lathes and put a whip across their back they are going to whine about pay and want to go on vacation.

Absolutely!

God's wisdom is sometimes hard to take in; especially if you have been raised with artificial ideas of what's "fair" based on secular God-hating.