Ask an atheist

[timtofly]

What does a default state entail? How do you know what a child believes. I am not afraid of my child hearing about what happened millions of years ago. I have told my child it is still a theory, however you seem to want to filter out what your child hears, thus brainwashing. I understand that you all think I am a typical religious nut, but you will probably know as much about me as you do your child....

A child is born believing a lie is ok..... Would it be ok with you they lie all the time?

I know what a child believes because I was a child once.

I assume you are talking about either the formation of the Earth, the Big Bang, or Evolution. As such the way you say it is "still a theory" makes me think that you don't really know what a scientific theory is. Watch this video at about the 1 minute mark.

Link to video.

It isn't filtering what they hear, they will be exposed to religion no matter what. It is telling them what is scientifically accepted and what is complete and utter falsities.

Thank you for the video. It was kind of hard when google adds kept popping up "read a christian womans blog", but I did enjoy it. It also points out how much you do not know about me.

Concerning my child; I left it as "still a theory" whatever happened millions of years ago. I did not insert anything else into the equation. This may be misleading, but IMO it makes them think about it before accepting it as biblical truth.

You may have been a child once, but your experience is yours not your childs. Even having 3 children, I realize that each one is different and each one has a totally different perspective.

Each of these quotes fills me with utter confusion. If this were a debate would I have won?

1) Filter out? How, where, when? If you attempt to block any world experience, you are a filter.

2) Why do you presume to know what I think about you? I do not have to presume, you provided me with a video, I presume you had a reason to do so.

3) Why? A child will lie as self protection, it is their nature no matter how trusting you feel you have made them to be to you.

4) Why would you assume that??? When I ask a question I am not assuming anything, I am trying to get a response.

A child is influenced by the docile threat of not getting presents for Christmas. Imagine what the prospect of going to hell does to it. With a threat like that presented before them it's really hard for them to be rational about what to believe.

This isn't "brainwashing" but it is unfair to the child.
"There are other theories out there apart from what mommie and daddie believe but they're a sure ticket to the express elevator to hell .... going down. But you make up your own mind ok sport?"

Growth comes in not leaving your mind in any rut of "belief" or "knowledge". It is the ever changing and introduction of new experiences that develope into perspectives which turn into opinions. And even opinions are not set in stone else the same rut.

I am irrational in my beliefs and that will probably never change, thus anything I post (assuming no one has figured that out yet) must take that into consideration. If I say anything that makes sense, it is not me....

 

[El_Machinae]

Why not? Just ingrain in them the ultimate "truth" that anybody claiming one or the other is ignorant and self-righteous and immature. You can even make it seem Barbarian.

Yeah, good point.

 

[SuperJay]

Question for the atheists:

How do you feel about prayer at things like city council meetings? Does it bother you? Would you like to see it restricted?

Have you met disapproval of your beliefs by your family? Community? What's the worst reaction you've faced?

I'm more agnostic than athiestic but I'll crack at this:

RE: Prayer at city council meetings - if I were on the council, that would make me uncomfortable. If it were my city's council, that would make me uncomfortable. I have no problem with members of the council praying on their own time (even together), but in during official council business or formal meetings, religion should not play any part.

RE: Disapproval - no, I haven't personally met any strong disapproval from my own family, certainly not my immediate family members. Both of my parents believe in God but are fairly relaxed about it. My brother probably believes in God but is trending more toward agnosticism. I'm probably the only one of the four of us that self-identifies as non-Christian (we went to a Methodist church growing up), but religion doesn't play a major role in any of our lives.

In my extended family, it's generally accepted that we don't all share the same beliefs, but I can tell my mom's sister (whose family is Catholic) thinks I'm a little odd when it comes to religion. One of my cousins on my dad's side is VERY devout, but she's an awesome person and is very loving and accepting of everyone regardless of their beliefs. I myself do not make an issue of religion at all - I accept and love my family members because we all tend to respect our religious and political differences. (I don't refuse to go my cousin's daughter's baptism in a Catholic church, for instance. That ritual doesn't have personal meaning for me, but it's important to them, and I attend because they're family and they're doing what they feel is right for their child.)

 

[Gogf]

What does it mean for something to be "good"?

 

[emzie]

What does it mean for something to be "good"?

Good is good because it's better than bad. And yes, that's a serious answer.

 

[SG-17]

Question for the atheists:

How do you feel about prayer at things like city council meetings? Does it bother you? Would you like to see it restricted?

Have you met disapproval of your beliefs by your family? Community? What's the worst reaction you've faced?

I think it is ridiculous and is obviously in violation of not only the US Constitution but many State Constitutions as well. It should not happen at all.

Example:
Link to video.


My dad doesn't care, my mom doesn't know (she is a pretty devout Lutheran). People who I've been friends with for a long time don't care, even though one jocularly tells me that I'm going to hell anytime I say anything blasphemous (which is often). Most people who are more than acquaintances but not quite friends don't care. I haven't had a particularly bad reaction from anyone that I regularly or even occasionally interact with (which is uprising considering that Pennsylvania is basically the Texas of the North). The worst that has happen was during an Atheist Alliance meeting on campus (which for the most part is awesome, the only place to meet like-minded women ) the campus' own "Christian Defenders" rush into our meeting once and were shouting like the madmen that they are. We had the campus police arrest them though. That was a really odd thing because normally we get the campus' Christian Crusaders (we convinced them to change that next semester) to come to our meetings and have civil discussions.

 

[MobBoss]

I think it is ridiculous and is obviously in violation of not only the US Constitution but many State Constitutions as well. It should not happen at all.

Benjamin Franklin disagrees. Being someone who should know about separation of church and state better than anyone today, perhaps we should use his example.

 

[SG-17]

Benjamin Franklin disagrees. Being someone who should know about separation of church and state better than anyone today, perhaps we should use his example.

Well the law disagrees. As well taking the founder's original intentions without a few grains of salt 200 years after their deaths is a stupid and dangerous thing.

 

[Brian Shanahan]

Question for the atheists:

How do you feel about prayer at things like city council meetings?

Bad idea if carried out publically (if someone wants to pray privately thats not a problem).

Does it bother you?

Yes, and it always did (well as an adult)

Would you like to see it restricted?

Blanket ban. Church and state should not mix. It is good for both religion and secular state.

Have you met disapproval of your beliefs by your family?

No, lots of questions from my mother, as she wanted to see my reasoning. But total acceptance, apart from a bit of ribbing.

Community?

Not a problem there either, and I consort with nuns.

What's the worst reaction you've faced?

Being called cute by a girl I liked when I was twelve. I was too young to realise that she liked me too and was paying a compliment.

 

[emzie]

Question for the atheists:

How do you feel about prayer at things like city council meetings? Does it bother you? Would you like to see it restricted?

Have you met disapproval of your beliefs by your family? Community? What's the worst reaction you've faced?

Doesn't bother me.

My uncle was pleased when he found out I was an atheist, not a Muslim.

 

[MobBoss]

Well the law disagrees. As well taking the founder's original intentions without a few grains of salt 200 years after their deaths is a stupid and dangerous thing.

Actually, the law doesnt 'disagree'. Ben Franklin was instrumental in creating that part of 'the law', so I tend to think he has a far greater appreaciation for its meaning than you, or anyone else alive today. And yet, he was the man who initiated the practice of opening congress with prayer. As he may have well been a diest (some actually claim him as atheist) at the time, that simple little fact really blows very large and recognizable holes in your presumption that prayer contitutionally has no place or part in such proceedings. It was obviously allowable, and actually desirable, by one of the framers atheists usually point to in referring to separation of church and state (the other being Jefferson of course).

Sorry, you cant have your cake and eat it too in this case. If an opening prayer was good enough for guys like Ben Franklin, then its harmless enough for us today as well despite the fact that it really irritates atheists no end. My advice: learn some tolerance.

 

[Gogf]

Good is good because it's better than bad. And yes, that's a serious answer.

What does "better" mean other than "more good"?

 

[SuperJay]

If an opening prayer was good enough for guys like Ben Franklin, then its harmless enough for us today as well despite the fact that it really irritates atheists no end. My advice: learn some tolerance.

I assume you mean Christian prayer? How would you feel about an Islamic prayer asking for Allah's blessing prior to a session of whatever governing body?

 

[PeteAtoms]

Jesus, in the sermon on the mount declares:

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Public prayer is hypocritical and unnecessary.

The "freedom of religion" vs "the freedom from religion" argument is also hypocritical. The religious settlers of early America fled their home for they felt they were being religiously persecuted by a state religion they didn't adhere to. So they come to America to be free from that religion to practice as they see fit. They weren't being forced into the state religion.

The separation of church and state is obvious. How is it not understood that there cannot be any religious acknowledgements in the public sphere? Does no one know what "separate" means any more?

 

[emzie]

What does "better" mean other than "more good"?

More desirable, perhaps? "Good" is something that can only be defined in reference to itself. It's a comparative word. Good is good because it is good, which is better than bad.

 

[El_Machinae]

I don't mind people's prayers as long as it doesn't waste too much of my time and as long as they're not too verbose. It's mostly an irritation factor. I get worried about public figures being religious if the problem that they're dealing with is one where the solution is clouded by religious thinking.

My mom gets sad when she remembers that I'm apostate. She tries to reconvert me sometimes, but unfortunately she's of the evangelical breed, and their 'witnessing' style is fundamentally irritating. So, I have to be patiently polite.

What does "better" mean other than "more good"?

Not much.

"Good" is an extremely vague word. In what sense are you asking about the word?

Keep in mind that "tasty" is a type of "good". "The donut is good" means (mostly) "the donut is tasty".

The donut is better if I'm hungry. It would be even better if it was made more healthy without being made less tasty.

"Good" means different things depending on the context it's being used.

 

[MobBoss]

I assume you mean Christian prayer? How would you feel about an Islamic prayer asking for Allah's blessing prior to a session of whatever governing body?

I'm fine with it, and was fine with it when it was used to open congressional session as well. http://www.heraldsun.com/view/full_story/6446080/article-Duke-Muslim-chaplain-to-pray-at-U-S--House

 

[SG-17]

The separation of church and state is obvious. How is it not understood that there cannot be any religious acknowledgements in the public sphere? Does no one know what "separate" means any more?

Many Christians don't.


It was ruled unconstitutional in Hawaii and it is blatantly unconstitutional that any prayers are performed at the federal level as well. Not to mention hypocritical, like PeteAtoms pointed out. Any religious influence in government at all is a very dangerous thing and should be stomped out with the force of a thousand supermen.

 

[Maniacal]

Question for the atheists:

How do you feel about prayer at things like city council meetings? Does it bother you? Would you like to see it restricted?

Have you met disapproval of your beliefs by your family? Community? What's the worst reaction you've faced?

1. Its okay for someone to pray silently to themselves but it is entirely inappropriate to hold an open prayer for only one religion to begin the meeting.

2. Nope. Pretty much a non-issue around here, most people I know are either atheists or are not very strong about their beliefs and don't exactly yell about them to everyone they meet. Hell there are some people whom I wouldn't even know were christian if it wasn't listed on their facebooks (and they obviously are not very strong believers).

The worst reaction I had was when I was 15 or 16, I did something stupid, hurt myself and cursed. One of the girls warned me not to, because God wouldn't be happy. When I said I didn't believe in God, she literally freaks out, started shouting at me I'd burn in hell and ran home crying. Her parents came around that night to have a talk with my parents who politely but forcefully directed them out of the door during coffee when they realised why they had come over.

Oh my, that is quite hilarious

 

[Gogf]

More desirable, perhaps? "Good" is something that can only be defined in reference to itself. It's a comparative word. Good is good because it is good, which is better than bad.

I mean in a moral, normative sense. I am asking what it means for something to be normatively good in your conceptual framework.

Do you believe that moral good is merely what we desire, or were you misunderstanding my question?

Not much.

"Good" is an extremely vague word. In what sense are you asking about the word?

Normatively good. In the sense that people talk about "the good."