Ask an atheist

[cardgame]

I fixed thy post, for you cannot "Discover" the absense of something, especially something that does in fact exist

dis·cov·er/disˈkəvər/Verb
1. Find (something or someone) unexpectedly or in the course of a search.
2. Become aware of (a fact or situation).

 

[Zack]

Do you believe in brain-washing then?

You know that religious people are generally worse at this than non-religious folk. I still completely disagree with SG-17 here, but don't act like religious parents never "brainwash" their kids, because they do on a worse level.

 

[kiwitt]

As mentioned in my "Help for an Atheist going to church" ... I think it is fine for an Atheist to go church and listen to the "message of love" by Jesus, and not have to believe in God.

 

[cardgame]

No, "Fundies" think it will actually gain the person something, or spare them of some punishment, or something. Atheist proselyting only tears families and people apart.

Whiskey Lord's conversion may enlighten you...

au contraire, I seek to free people from their bonds. I and others have expressed on this forum that we felt very liberated and free when we discovered there was no god.

To expand upon this, an infographic in ragecomic form.

This is what some of my friends and acquaintances are like.

As you can see, everything is better without.

 

[NetGear]

Cardgame: For most ppl it does tend to turn out alright tho. And they end up living their lame normal lives. So it pays to be positive than negative. Even if your reasoning is way off, it beats everyone being cosumed by worries of having job and gf 24/7. And I suppose that's the key secret to success of religion. Religion truly is the opium of the masses.

So in the end religion is like a feather that dumbo uses to fly. Its totally useless. It could be harmful, but in many practical cases people do try, even if they believe in the bs that god will provide for them. They don't really follow thru with their actions so it all works out.

 

[SG-17]

Again, I'm not sure how you can brainwash some one into atheism.

Indeed, you can't brainwash someone into their default state, only out of it.


The default state being here the lack of the a belief in gods. You aren't born believing in a god.

 

[El_Machinae]

Does this bother you a lot? A little? Not at all? Do you encourage it?

Naw, it doesn't really bother me. I don't really care. The Christian faith is fairly benign, as long as there's someone available to neuter the bad bits. As well, it gives her more things to do, and knowing Christian theology is a benefit in later society (to understand allusions, etc.)

Plus, when the last time you've heard of a parent saying "you be good, or I won't let you go to church this week!"? She enjoys going, because she helps out with the kids.

I figure she can shuck the faith when she gets older. I don't expect her to become loopy about it. Kids don't know enough about the world to know if Christianity is true or false, so I only have to watch out for her getting adamant regarding moral or historical errors. I'm decently atheist, but I think that some forms of Christianity are basically harmless. She's not at the stage where the faith can hurt her education, so ehn.

 

[CELTICEMPIRE]

Again, I'm not sure how you can brainwash some one into atheism.

because Atheism is so Ratiaonal any thinking man would never question it

 

[Brian Shanahan]

Do you believe in brain-washing then?

If I did I'd have stayed Catholic.

 

[Mocap]

So after reading Camus' Myth of Sisyphus... why, atheists, do you not have more fun in your life? (because most of the atheists I've met didn't seem to be having all that much fun.) Shouldn't you be bar tending in Hawaii or backpacking in South America or something? You've only got forty to seventy years left to explore the world, why are you wasting it in front of the computer?

 

[JollyRoger]

So after reading Camus' Myth of Sisyphus... why, atheists, do you not have more fun in your life? (because most of the atheists I've met didn't seem to be having all that much fun.) Shouldn't you be bar tending in Hawaii or backpacking in South America or something? You've only got forty to seventy years left to explore the world, why are you wasting it in front of the computer?

We only do not have fun when wasting precious time around non-atheists.

 

[Leoreth]

Simple answer: we do. Doing this travel the world bit is an overused midlife crisis cliche.

I can of course only speak for myself but I'm doing exactly what I want to at this time of my life.

And, because your post seems to imply that: atheism doesn't mean nihilism.

 

[NetGear]

So after reading Camus' Myth of Sisyphus... why, atheists, do you not have more fun in your life? (because most of the atheists I've met didn't seem to be having all that much fun.) Shouldn't you be bar tending in Hawaii or backpacking in South America or something? You've only got forty to seventy years left to explore the world, why are you wasting it in front of the computer?

Cause im getting paid to be in front of a computer right now.

So i can afford to goto hawaii and backpacling sa. Duh.

 

[Perfection]

So after reading Camus' Myth of Sisyphus... why, atheists, do you not have more fun in your life? (because most of the atheists I've met didn't seem to be having all that much fun.) Shouldn't you be bar tending in Hawaii or backpacking in South America or something? You've only got forty to seventy years left to explore the world, why are you wasting it in front of the computer?

Designing medical devices is way more fun than bartending.

 

[warpus]

As mentioned in my "Help for an Atheist going to church" ... I think it is fine for an Atheist to go church and listen to the "message of love" by Jesus, and not have to believe in God.

I find it hard to do in a catholic church due to all the rituals you go through - feel a bit hypocritical and/or insulting whether I engage in them or not

 

[Japanrocks12]

Atheists have all the fun. They do sinful things without the slightest tinge of guilt all the time.

 

[warpus]

So after reading Camus' Myth of Sisyphus... why, atheists, do you not have more fun in your life? (because most of the atheists I've met didn't seem to be having all that much fun.) Shouldn't you be bar tending in Hawaii or backpacking in South America or something? You've only got forty to seventy years left to explore the world, why are you wasting it in front of the computer?

Atheist here. I went backpacking in South America two and a half years ago.

I ran into a bunch of religious people on my trip; I have no idea what the hell they were doing there.

 

[kiwitt]

I find it hard to do in a catholic church due to all the rituals you go through - feel a bit hypocritical and/or insulting whether I engage in them or not

Yeah ... I don't do the communion.

 

[warpus]

Yeah ... I don't do the communion.

That is a good example of what I mean - but there's also all the kneeling, the hanging your head in shame, sitting, standing, asking God for forgiveness, etc. If I do it I feel silly because I "know" that the entity I'm supposed to be pleasing with the rituals doesn't exist.. if I don't then I look like a jackass.

On top of it all every single mass is exactly the same - so if you go once you know exactly what to expect the next time around. There is a short part where the priest improvises a bit and talks about something specific (and different each week).. If the whole mass as a bit more like that - a bit about the message and far less about the rituals and the same thing over and over and over, I would not be opposed to going for Christmas or Easter, or whatever.

 

[Leoreth]

I find it hard to do in a catholic church due to all the rituals you go through - feel a bit hypocritical and/or insulting whether I engage in them or not

Once when I attended the mass with my family (my mother's half comes from the rural Catholic milieu), I made a point out of not kneeling down for prayer.

Afterwards one of my aunts turned to me, incredulously: "You Lutherans don't do that as well, do you?"