The Need To Question Atheism

by The wanderer 142 Replies latest jw friends

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  The wanderer

  The Need To Question Atheism

  This need to question atheism stems from the fact there are some individuals
  on this board that subscribe to such. The questions stated are not for some
  “firefight”, but rather, why individuals feel the way they do.

  Your Description Of What An Atheist Is And Is Not

  For the sake of clarity, I am not an individual that subscribes, supports or approves
  any religion. I am seeking your perspective on atheism and if there are any differing
  viewpoints or opinions about it.

  Respectfully,

  The Wanderer
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  Seeker4

  I am an atheist. To me, that means that I see absolutely no evidence that would cause me to believe in a supernatural creator - of any sort - be it Zeus, Jehovah, Thor, Satan, etc. Therefore I have a lack of belief that any god exists. Most people are a-theists to the vast majority of gods, and theists with reference to one god - usually Allah, Jehovah, Jesus, etc.

  If a supernatural creator were to provide evidence of its existence, I would then accept that proof.

  It's much the same as my view of the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. These are mythological creatures, as it were. Gods and demons are also mythological creatures. They are constructs of the human imagination, but do not have an actual existence in the physical or spirit worlds. If the Easter Bunny were to take today to reveal his or her actual existence, I would then have to consider the evidence and perhaps change my view.

  S4
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  The wanderer

  Dear Seeker4:
  
  Just so that we connecting on this issue. "Are you
  saying that if there was proof that God existed
  you would reconsider your position?" (Based on
  the Easter Bunny analogy.)
  
  I ask this question because I want to know if the
  "belief" of atheism leaves open the possibility of
  a Creator or Designer. Not neccessarily the one paint-
  ed up by religion.
  
  Respectfully,
  
  The Wanderer
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  DanTheMan

  To say I'm an atheist doesn't really capture it perfectly, because I'm not rejecting "God", because "God" is really a nonsense comfort word, undefineable in any real-world way.

  Where is God? What is it made of? How did it come into existence?

  You see what I mean?
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  Little Drummer Boy

  Seeker4, lol, I just posted on the other thread from WAC about who's an atheist. I hadn't looked at this thread yet. Funny though that I posted almost exactly what you just did here!

  Laters.
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  kwintestal

  If I told you that I had a garden, and the garden grew because several invisible leprechauns came daily and maintained the garden but didn't leave any evidence that they were ever there, like footprints or the odd tool, and it was only because of them that the garden grew and thrived ... you'd think I was crazy. The burden of proof would be on me to prove to you that this was so, not the other way around. Why should I give god a free ride and just believe in him when there is no evidence left behind that he made the earth. The burden of proof is on believers to provide evidence of his exsistance. So far, science has done nothing but the opposite.

  Kwin
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  fullofdoubtnow

  I'm an atheist because I do not see any concrete evidence of the existence of a loving god, which is how the bible describes him.

  I do however, accept that I may be wrong, and there could be a god after all, but I would take a lot of convincing of his existence nowadays.
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  kwintestal

  I ask this question because I want to know if the
  "belief" of atheism leaves open the possibility of
  a Creator or Designer. Not neccessarily the one paint-
  ed up by religion.

  I must say that even Richard Dawkins has stated that if provided with hard evidence of God's exsistance he would believe in him. I'd be happy with a burning bush talking to me or Lake Ontario parting in two the next time I'm late to an appointment in Toronto (that'd be a great short cut). But then maybe there's a reason stuff like that stopped happening 3500 years ago (like it didn't happen).

  Kwin
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  The wanderer

  Dear Kwin:
  
  I see your point, but what would be the
  meaning of life then?
  
  What does atheism say about life? Does
  it take the "we are 'recycled' into the
  something else approach?"
  
  Respectfully,
  
  The Wanderer
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  Seeker4

  LDB - Yeah, I was just reading the other thread on who is an atheist as well!

  Wanderer:

  Yes. If we suddenly had evidence that a god/creator existed, I would absolutely reconsider the idea. I think nearly all atheists would. We don't have a belief in gods because there is no evidence. If the evidence appears, we'd take a look at it. If it was compelling, we'd believe.

  It's just that there has never been any evidence, compelling or otherwise. And if this god turned out to be like the Jehovah of the Bible - what a horror that would be! It's one thing to worship an imaginary psychopath, and quite another to have a real psychopath demanding your worship!

  S4