Is there such a thing as an atheist?

[IntoTheVoid]

Why is it a waste of time to wonder about our origins? Richard Dawkins, for example, has devoted his lifetime to this question, as has every evolutionary scientist. The only people I know who don't wonder about this question are those who have no interest in science. I am deeply interested.

NL's last point, 'Where are we going?' is, as he suggests, of little concern to most atheists. Most of us think the question is resolved, but some atheists are inclined, nonetheless, to think about an afterlife. They don't buy into notions of heaven or hell, and they don't think rewards and punishments come into play, but they are not all prepared to abandon completely prospects of continued existence after death.

I should've been clearer. I will not waste any time or effort in this life worrying about an afterlife.

A lot of christians seem like they can't wait for the end times, and are not focussing on this life at all. Unless of course it's an action that may affect their afterlife.

Their ambition seems to be death and what's beyond.

Mine is enjoying this life and who I have around me.

 

[deepthought]

Last night I did view the Julia Sweeny video - 2 hours long time to commit. So I am trying to make headway on your response to my blog and I do understand that an atheist does not believe there is a God. But it is like sitting on a fence and a big truck is coming right at you. One must decide if they will hop off the fence to not get hit or sit there and see what happens. So by not making a choice you really are.

I like hanging out on this thread with you guys sometimes you are nicer to me than some of the Christians and I am sad to have to say that not the hanging with you guys, but the way the Christians treat people they don't understand. I wish more of us Christians would really be more like Jesus as He knew how to reach people on their level. That is what I strive for myself.

Very well said. We can all hope for a better world.

 

[homwardbound]

And that is how we all, learn, especially when it does not get heated and dogmatic trying to force rather just love each other and their opinions, giving food for thought to each other. I mean all of us here are here, and getting along, planning harm to another is plain wrong and if one reads the story of Noah, one sees what God was angry at.
With the people that, planned wrong against others for their own gain

Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 6:6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Fast forward, to do wrong to others is what God is not well about, and if I were God I understand this, and you?
So with free choice and to not take that away, what if God gave a way to Love all, as that video points to

So through God's Mercy to all through Son Christ at the cross is for you and all, to come to life and love, as what I see you have been doing in the debate and I thank you

This is looking worryingly like a resolution!!

Then by this account, can we accept that Atheists do exist and do no harm to others of faith-whatever by the decision or existence? If they do no intentional ill unto others, and we are wrong and there is a god, he would love them and as such so should those who believe, and if there is not it wouldn't matter to anyone apart from the society within which they exist. Good grief, peace in our times! [/QUOTE]

Thank you deep thought, I see it this way the rain, rains down on all, good or bad, and life is life here on earth and life here makes no judgment to who the rain should fall on whether Atheist or not.
So since the rains fall on all, there is no respect of persons is there?
See God and God's love now to all, no dogma from me, god loved and loves me so much that I am free to love all no matter what they think and or beleive. This is what I see God has shown me. How can I not love back to all in response?
You do have deep thought and I see what you are against is the dogmas of people that bring with them their basket of eggs and show you their basket and want you to fit in their basket of eggs, and for me I am not an egg gatherer or have a cookie cutter to cookie cut others into what I know to be truth. God just loves me, and all the world, people have intermingled with this and corrupted it, causing I am right and you are wrong scenarios that keeps evil alive
If one wants the fire to go out, do not add wood. Just love each other and learn from each other, what harm is there in love?

 

[deepthought]

I would like to say that evolution is not an acceptable theory, even if I was not a Christian. You know that there would be billions of fossils showing the stages of evolution, if it were real. Not only that, but one would need to explain how we have many of the "beginning" species and the "currently last evolved" species, but do not have allof the variations still alive today.

Ok. Can I enquire as to the depth of paleontological research you have conducted into the formation and discovery of fossils? Have you ever spoken to palaeontologist? They can be lovely people. I know a few personally who are also call themselves christians. This reasons for lack of a complete fossil record can vary dramatically but most important is that fossils only form under ideal circumstances. An observation which is confirmed today in a laboratory.

Not every transitional form appears in the fossil record, because the fossil record is not complete. Organisms are only rarely preserved as fossils in the best of circumstances, and only a fraction of such fossils have been discovered. Paleontologist Donald Prothero noted that this is illustrated by the fact that the number of species known through the fossil record was less than 5% of the number of known living species, suggesting that the number of species known through fossils must be far less than 1% of all the species that have ever lived.[SUP][38][/SUP]
Because of the specialized and rare circumstances required for a biological structure to fossilize, logic dictates that known fossils represent only a small percentage of all life-forms that ever existed—and that each discovery represents only a snapshot of evolution. The transition itself can only be illustrated and corroborated by transitional fossils, which never demonstrate an exact half-way point between clearly divergent forms.[SUP][39][/SUP]
The fossil record is very uneven and, with few exceptions, is heavily slanted toward organisms with hard parts, leaving most groups ofsoft-bodied organisms with little to no fossil record.[SUP][38][/SUP] The groups considered to have a good fossil record, including a number of transitional fossils between traditional groups, are the vertebrates, the echinoderms, the brachiopods and some groups of arthropods.[SUP][40]

[/SUP]

 

[homwardbound]

And that is how we all, learn, especially when it does not get heated and dogmatic trying to force rather just love each other and their opinions, giving food for thought to each other. I mean all of us here are here, and getting along, planning harm to another is plain wrong and if one reads the story of Noah, one sees what God was angry at.
With the people that, planned wrong against others for their own gain

Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 6:6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Fast forward, to do wrong to others is what God is not well about, and if I were God I understand this, and you?
So with free choice and to not take that away, what if God gave a way to Love all, as that video points to

So through God's Mercy to all through Son Christ at the cross is for you and all, to come to life and love, as what I see you have been doing in the debate and I thank you

This is looking worryingly like a resolution!!

Then by this account, can we accept that Atheists do exist and do no harm to others of faith-whatever by the decision or existence? If they do no intentional ill unto others, and we are wrong and there is a god, he would love them and as such so should those who believe, and if there is not it wouldn't matter to anyone apart from the society within which they exist. Good grief, peace in our times! [/QUOTE]

Oh yes not only Atheists, but all kinds of labels of others out there in this world, and none of these choices are caused by Father, God. For the creator of all this mess here on earth did not cause this mess, Mankind did in his selfishness that still goes on today.
So we all go here and there and learn about God, in a building, gathering, whatever and we see evil done in the name of God

And I am here to say that it is not God. It is selfishness that uses God's name in vain as their catalyst to get what they want as if God is a vending machine, and is the wrong use of the creator and personally makes me sick, when others use others for their own gain, wrong motive
so hope you are seeing past the people that are not well, claiming to be well as they use God to gain self satisfaction.
You know them by their fruits and this is the people that God came here for in the form of the Son to give us new life in Spirit of God and not harm anyone ever as Noah was counted righteous for, For he loved all, just as God truly does love all.
Why else would Son have come do all those miracles and willingly die? When he could have refused to, and with all that magic, raising others back to life, healing the sick, he sure could have right?
Yet he did not why?

 

[homwardbound]

I go back and forth between atheism, agnosticism and universalism. I'm not lying to myself when I say "this God stuff makes absolutely no sense"

It is not easy to unravel, and the creator of all, wants to unravel it for you, it starts with Faith that someone or something created it all.
Now to me this is known as God, and God is the center of all:
Kind of like a teeter totter, you on one side and me or another on the other side here in life and we are up and down like a yo-yo are we not? Note: God the creator of all ius in the center of that teeter totter and is never up or down, God is stable. So when I saw this, I asked to be stable with Father and Father revealed this stability to me through Son. So Iam stable in this that God not just love me, better and deeper than that All
If you start from the premise that God just love you, and God does then you will grow in this love leaving all dogmas behind, and be free to be the person you are, overflowing in love to all

 

[Percepi]

Last night I did view the Julia Sweeny video - 2 hours long time to commit. So I am trying to make headway on your response to my blog and I do understand that an atheist does not believe there is a God. But it is like sitting on a fence and a big truck is coming right at you. One must decide if they will hop off the fence to not get hit or sit there and see what happens. So by not making a choice you really are.

I like hanging out on this thread with you guys sometimes you are nicer to me than some of the Christians and I am sad to have to say that not the hanging with you guys, but the way the Christians treat people they don't understand. I wish more of us Christians would really be more like Jesus as He knew how to reach people on their level. That is what I strive for myself.

Alright, I apologize if I seemed frustrated.

Apples and Oranges. What is your goal?A Christian that devotes their time to protesting abortions is trying to stop the murder of babies, not support it. I guess my question is what is your pay off? Are you trying gather information or just make people upset. If a Christian tries to convert an Atheist, it makes sense. But I guess I don't understand why an Atheist would want to convert a Christian. Are you trying to save us time? More people to hang out with? Get backing on a ridiculous ideas like big bang and evolution?

"I don't know," is a perfectly honest and acceptable answer. That is to say, if you don't understand why an atheist would spend their time debating theists, or spend their time on a Christian website, don't jump to conclusions just so you have an answer.

To you, belief in God might appear to be the only justifiable reason to discuss such topics. But that doesn't mean it actually is the only reason.

 

[homwardbound]

But if we ain't going to live forever then we have wasted our lives wondering about 'what ifs, whens and whys'

So if we are not going to live forever by God's Mercy. We are still in our sins and might as well eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we might die?

And that is true if there never was a resurrected Christ? Too many witnesses that saw Chirst back alive in that day, and heard the truth about Father's love given to us through Christ. Love conquers all
And truthfully God the creator of all, known best through Christ is love beyond measure just read 1 Cor 13:4-13, this is the type of Love that God gives you, if you believe this you will recieve
Love form God to you and all the world

 

[homwardbound]

Almighty God is a God of Love but also a God of Justice. Excellence of character requires that He be full of both love and justice.

God loves righteousness and hates iniquity (sin, wickedness, etc.). See Psalm 45:7, Hebrews 1:9. Almighty God has many excellent attributes and love is one but justice is another. It is good to communicate the whole story and all the attributes of God.

Yes that is true, and so he gave his Son and has offered all Mercy through Son. today is the day to take it and trust it and love all as God has already done through Son
So when the time comes for justice, truly Justice will be served in righteousness will it not? For all by that time all will ahve made their choice as to beleive or not believe consciously knowing what there choice entails. Therefore there will be no excuse for any one. God gave his Son for us and Son did what Father wanted , and Father wanted and wants to give Mercy to all. Maybe today is the day to receive this and be set free, to trust God over the stress and worry of this world?

 

[homwardbound]

You have to already believe there's a God to believe John 3:16 to be true.

Yep, true one does, and as you believe here and now, how are you doing with that? Are you free, relieved of stress?
truthfully in Father through Son this is what he came to do is set us free to love all, in Spirit and truth. God has taught me through standing no matter what has come against me, and through it all I am content in all things that have happened or might ever happen, I am at peace, hoping you are as well. Only you can answer that within you
Thank you

 

[Cycel]

Hello Timeline, nice to chat with you, and welcome to the forum.

I would like to say that evolution is not an acceptable theory, even if I was not a Christian. You know that there would be billions of fossils showing the stages of evolution, if it were real.

Billions of fossils? I don't know how many have been cataloged, but I imagine it is at least tens of thousands. Many of them do show stages in evolution. I don't know why some of you keep denying this, but I guess it must be because you simply don't want to look at the evidence. I may be wrong, but it may be that you are only looking at creationist sources for your information on evolution. You need to look at what the evolutionists have on offer. Trust me Timeline, there is an enormous amount of fossil evidence for the very thing you say doesn't exist.

Not only that, but one would need to explain how we have many of the "beginning" species and the "currently last evolved" species, but do not have allof the variations still alive today.

Creationists sometimes assert that they want to see all of the intermediary forms for every animal alive today before they will accept the reality of evolution. They ask the impossible. Timeline, I see that you live in the USA. I live in southwestern Ontario where the passenger pigeon once existed in the billions, yet I have not heard of a single fossil of this bird ever being found. I would not be surprised that some do exist, buried somewhere, but try to find one. Considering their former numbers shouldn't we be finding their remains everywhere? That's what a creationist would seem to want to claim, but in deciduous forests plants and animals only fossilize under rare conditions. That's why you won't find their remains.

Check out the following book by Donald Prothero, Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why it Matters. He presents the fossil evidence you deny exists.

Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters - Donald R. Prothero - Google Books

 

[homwardbound]

I think this is an invalid comment. This topic has come up time and time again but here we go again:

There are people on both sides of the belief divide who investigate and ask questions. From Scientists (both christian and atheist) and biblical scholars and archaeologists. Further more, these people tend to have a very human desire to understand the world around them. Whether this is within the worlds of mythology or science the motivations are the same. To accept something without asking any questions is not faith, it is walking blind. Now I had a religious upbringing and education. Religion, it never made sense to me, even though for those early years, the education I had implied there was no choice. Needless to say I discovered there was a choice that made more sense to me. To be a part of a community where questioning things is not regarded as a sin was beyond liberating. So, to this day, that need to understand maintains. I can;t understand why people can't see clearly the logical universe that I and many others perceive. Ho you do not need religion or faith to be a good person. So to attempt to understand, here I am.

Yes and the rich man in Matt 19 regarded doing the Law seeing it as good and even loved others, obeyed it from birth on, asked Jesus about this, and Jesus replied with do the Law and the man said he had so far, knew in his own heart he needed more so asked what he must do more?
Jesus said give up all your worldly possessions and that man couldn't, neither could I or even the disciple who heard this and watched that rich man walk away sad.
they then asked how is it possible fro anyone to enter the kingdom of Heaven? I mean they even heard Jesus also say that if you sin, and it was your hand cut it off, better for part of you to enter heaven than all of you go to hell

See the stringency under Law? Was Jesus showing us our inability to be perfect under Law?
So he answered and said "with man it is impossible" but with "God all things are possible"
Could Christ have been talking about his going to the cross? Dying and coming back to life to give us new life, in our Spirits?

 

[homwardbound]

I think here is a classic example of the unobtainable absolute and borderline arrogance which causes people to want to debate. There is no way that this can be known by any human. Hoped? Yes of course. Desired? Very much so. But known? No. As a result, should it be questioned? In my eyes, of course. Furthermore, this frequesntly quoted sentiment implies that the faith relies upon bribery or fear approach to establish and maintain it's following. Do what I say....live forever. Don't do what I say.... suffer forever.

Considering the beautiful sentiment by the young lady in the video it's a shame more of you don't follow her lead.

When one knows they are loved how can that one not love back?

 

[homwardbound]

How, exactly, do you imagine this will happen? My great grandmother, the Jehovah's Witness, shared this same belief and my aunt remembered her father teasing his mother about this. Once, at the supper table, he suggested Jesus was waiting till everyone owned their own TV before returning. Her indignant reply was that Jesus wouldn't need televisions for everyone to see his return. Was she right? How will Jesus make himself known to all the world?

Of course I know how both of you came to this belief, for it is written, “Behold, he is coming with the clouds! Every eye shall see him, and among them those who pierced him; and all peoples of the world shall lament in remorse. So it shall be. Amen” (Rev. 1:7 NEB).

I recognize that most versions translate ‘peoples’ as ‘tribes’. So possibly tribes is closer to the original meaning, though now-a-days there are not so many tribes anymore. I would point out that the author of Revelation includes ‘those who pierced him’ among future witnesses of his return. I suspect this may mean those who drove in the nails as well as he who thrust his spear in Christ’s side. I believe this shows the author expected Christ would return during the lifetime of those who placed him on the cross, unless you prefer to demonstrate otherwise?

I would ask you to explain how, “Every eye shall see him, and among them those who pierced him” if this event occurs two thousand years after their deaths?

There is Spiritual and physical. Thoughts are they physical? Are thoughts always alive?

 

[homwardbound]

Homewardbound, thanks for posting this girl's confessional. It is a message worth spreading.

Cycel

Then Brother spread it and I thank you

 

[Percepi]

Yep, true one does, and as you believe here and now, how are you doing with that? Are you free, relieved of stress?
truthfully in Father through Son this is what he came to do is set us free to love all, in Spirit and truth. God has taught me through standing no matter what has come against me, and through it all I am content in all things that have happened or might ever happen, I am at peace, hoping you are as well. Only you can answer that within you
Thank you

I am at peace with myself. I feel loved and I do love.

You can argue that the love I hold is different than that held by Christians. Fair enough, but the love I hold is genuine - and if anyone paints the love held by atheists to be meaningless, unhappy, unfulfilled, or unwarranted, know they are wrong.

Far too often, Christians preach that one can not love without first loving God. The create this image that love is impossible to obtain - in general. When atheists point out that they are loved and they do love, they often change their tone, "We're referring to a different kind of love". If that's true, then let's not make atheism look to be something in which one lives a miserable, unhappy, life.

 

[homwardbound]

Sorry I was trying to explain it from the perspective of a theist. I assure you, I hold no opinion that we were 'given' any of our attributes beyond genetics and environmental influence. Though in school my teachers did use the word 'Stubborn' To describe the younger me all those years ago. I'm happy with that title

And this reminded me of this verse: yuo are absolutely correct
John 3:6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
Is is there born again, that is what Jesus said he came to do, was put us out of our misery (flesh selfishness) and rebirth us in Spirit and truth which is love to all

 

[homwardbound]

I would like to say that evolution is not an acceptable theory, even if I was not a Christian. You know that there would be billions of fossils showing the stages of evolution, if it were real. Not only that, but one would need to explain how we have many of the "beginning" species and the "currently last evolved" species, but do not have allof the variations still alive today.

If man evolved from Ape, why is man not still evolving from Ape?

 

[IntoTheVoid]

If man evolved from Ape, why is man not still evolving from Ape?

If man came from dust why is there still dust?

 

[Percepi]

If man evolved from Ape, why is man not still evolving from Ape?

If most Americans come from European decent, why are there still Europeans?