is the future more or less bleak for the atheist? (page 2)

JamesThomas

Heathen, I would agree.

Atheists who replace the hollow left by extracting beliefs in a wrathful god with beliefs in a cruel political ideal, are only superficially different. They both worship a conceptual abstract outside themselves. The name of the sacred cow may have changed but the story seems to pretty much remain the same.

j

heathen

IMO there is only one religion that focuses on the negative aspect of the world we live in . The WTBTS . Most religionists are quite content with the world the way it is and do not condemn it . Sure some do complain about the decline of moral attitudes but for the most part think they can simply get involved with politics and support democracy to make things better .

peacefulpete

A complication is that according to two studies done in the 70s and 90s the majority of converts to Fundementalism are people who previously felt disillusioned with institutions like religion and politics while grieved by the injustices, therefore when exiting they probably feel even less optimistic than the general public. It takes considerable effort to consider the future potential dispite the short sightedness of most policy makers.

Pistoff

Why does this have to be either or?

I see belief as a continuum; I believe in a higher power, but not necessarily one that is planning a better life for me; I want THIS life to be as good as it can be.

And I rely on my higher power for strength to get there.

The future can be bleak or not for either the believer or the atheist; to me it depends on what they do with their belief.

But I really am annoyed with the increase of end of days type believers who don't care about this earth, since they will soon be "raptured".

Sooner the better I say; MOVE ON you fundies!!

heathen

Pistoff --- What do you mean by, just don't care about the condition of the earth ? I don't care who you are you are not going to make the world a better place . The best most people can do is survive and try not to be a bad infuence or become corrupted by their own desires . I do see some people trying to help where needed such as catastrophes or where others are going hungry , granted they could do more but again they tend to be corrupted by their own comfort and pleasures . The return of christ and his kingdom is a hope that eventually the suffering will be over and all people found to be blameless are invited for eternal blessings . I don't believe in a rapture but that christ returns to earth to rule the nations with an iron scepter .

Qcmbr

As a 'Theist' I think my future is brill, rather similar to my present and my past. The best thing about being a believer is knowing why I'm here, where I'm going and what things I can decide to do. No disrespect for aethiests but they currently hold the sway in the UK and we are seeing the complete and total dismantling of the family here - now that is bleak!

doogie

I don't care who you are you are not going to make the world a better place

this is just what i was thinking.

when i was still a believer, i didn't think it was possible for humans to eventually make the world a better place. now, i look at the past and i see that for centuries, humans have been doing just that. there's no reason for me to believe that they will not continue to improve the world.

i assume you're probably speaking more of an individual improving the world, but i'm talking about the the potential of humans as a species. i do agree with you that neither you nor i can make any meaningful changes to the world. but for me, to look at the future from the perspective of the whole rather than the individual makes the inability of the individual to effect improvement absolutely irrelevent. it makes my (and yours) insignificance in the big picture of things unimportant.

i just feel that we occupy a significant and necessary time in human history. since i believe that humans will succeed, there's no reason for me to feel bad about my own personal insignificance.

BrendaCloutier

Granted, I will be long gone before we reach our full potential as a species

Actually, I think we are close to reaching our full potential, if it hasn't passed, already.

I have decided I'm an agnostic. I believe in a god-entity. But not as a diety, one to be worshipped.

I also believe in a higher consciousness. With Buddhist leanings.

Buddhism is the ultimate agnostic religion... actually not a religion, but a life-practice.

When you have a life-practice that is of peace, then maybe there is hope

mnb77

my point was just that i wonder if atheists are actually better equipped than theists to see the good (both present and future) in human society rather than focus on the negative aspects.

when you say this, I think that most theists do look only at the bad, but I, being a theist dont focus on the bad the human society has given us, but i rather focus on the present oppotunities (good) and the furture hope of what is to come (typically good)--(Christian-jew. pt of view)

heathen

I suppose you mean making the world a better place is convenience and luxury ? I'm talking more of eliminating the hunger and all people being equal , the end of all illness and suffering even death . These things no society will ever accomplish but that is the hope involved with the christian belief . In comparison your faith is wasted .

is the future more or less bleak for the atheist?

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