Hands up if you are an atheist - Page 2

I agree with leftwood.

I don't think idea of "atheism" can be applied, it's just another philosophical idea. Agnosticism, on the other hand, makes more sense. I think all atheists are agnostics, because they can't PROVE God exists and they can't DISPROVE it either.

So until then, you're just stuck in the middle, minding your own business - whether that be living the habitual life or going out joining the bandwagon and killing people in the name of whatever religion applies to your interest.



Speaking of religious views of life..

Taoism says, "Shit happens."
Atheists say, "I don't believe this shit!"
Agnostics say, "What is this shit?"
Jews say, "Why does shit always happen to us?"
Catholics say, "If shit happens, you deserve it."
Protestants say, "Let shit happen to someone else."
and the Muslims, ah me coming from this faith, say..
"If shit happens, it's the will of Allah"

What a shitty thing to say

This may have been discussed countless times, but in a nutshell,in short points, what are the reasons that you ppl do not beleive in God?

I've encountered nothing to make me think he's there.

In your question angel you must also ask or specify in believing in a particular religion and or "version" of god if you will, since that is one of the main points to that debate, otherwise most will tell you that either don't know for sure and doubt most perceptions of god while even possibly believing in a higher power or even a creating force or entity, or you will hear someone take a stance against any idea of any god probably because it leaves a bad taste in their mouth or they are prescribing to a theory that really doesn't explain why either.

Astarte: you are right that in some ways agnosticism is the more logical approach. However for me there are two reasons I label myself atheist and not agnostic.

One is that I see religion as being very much an invention of mankind. The whole concept of there being a God has been created by man, and the way in which God is defined precludes the possibility of ever proving his/her/its existence or nonexistence. So you're correct that in the absence of any proof of existence or nonexistence the logical approach would be to say "I don't know". However I see that more as being by default, because of the definition of God. If I define an entity and I say one of its defining qualities is that you can't prove if this thing exists or not then sure you can say I don't know maybe, maybe not. But I just created this definition out of thin air.

The other reason I label myself an atheist is more of a philosophical approach to life. That is that to me the world, the universe, is just so much more beautiful and richer without the existence of a higher entity to explain it all. The fact that all of this runs on its own if you will. That it needs no higher entity to explain it all, and that the rules of nature do a perfectly good job is just so much cleaner and so much more free.

YOU CAN'T HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS IDEA OF GOD WITH SUCH A LIMITED LANGUAGE SUCH AS ENGLISH.

It's like,
attempting to explain a painting.
Everyone sees it differently.

I'm still kind of drunk, though.

Well its not just God. Words are just so meaningless when you think about it, for everything.

Yeah, well said.
Well leftwood, I don't beleive in religious Gods. And I think Peopl who are religious, as well as people who aren't don't what thier talkin about reageding God. God is not some seperate being, thinking, judging etc. U can't discuss God. The only way to experiance It (i.e God), is to experiance ur inner self.
'u' are God, not ur personality, but the true U.

Locut, u alked about laws of nature, well, it's the same thing as God. God doesn't necceassrily have to be a being.

.

One would think that believing something means the believer exists.

How can I experiance my true self if I don't know wheather I exist or not? Well, for a fact I know that I don't exist! I know that 'I' am just an illusion, a product of the mind, although knowing that u'r perception of urself is unreal can be quite unnerving.

You exist, m'kay?

Maybe nothing else exists, but, you exist.

Yes, I exist, but it is not real. My true essence is real, but this cover of personality made by the brain, that is not the true me.

Yes, you don't know *what* is you.

But you know you're there.