Monotheism vs Polytheism

[warpus]

Even if we actually have the free will to choose what we believe, one's choice does not change what is actually true. Our choices may change how we interact with people and things around us, but, for the most part, little else is affected. Now if free will is an illusion, that changes the game substantially.

This has 0 impact on me (or you or anyone else) being an atheist or not. "Atheist" is just a label we put on those who don't happen to believe that god(s) exist, whether they care, or have free will, or are wearing purple socks or not.

 

[Birdjaguar]

This has 0 impact on me (or you or anyone else) being an atheist or not. "Atheist" is just a label we put on those who don't happen to believe that god(s) exist, whether they care, or have free will, or are wearing purple socks or not.

You are correct that if I label you an atheist, it has nothing to do with you at all. But if you call yourself an atheist, there is some aspect of choosing involved. If lack of free will means such a choice only seems like a choice, then perhaps you didn't choose at all.

 

[warpus]

You are correct that if I label you an atheist, it has nothing to do with you at all. But if you call yourself an atheist, there is some aspect of choosing involved.

Choosing yes, but it doesn't mean the label is necessarily accurate. If I call myself a farmer, that doesn't make me one.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Polytheism, monotheism, atheism and many more, all to me just seems to be based on blind faith.

Oh, groovy. Somebody else who thinks atheism is a religion.

It isn't.

 

[caketastydelish]

Atheists blindly believe there is no God. What proof is there that there is no God?

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Atheists blindly believe there is no God. What proof is there that there is no God?

It's hardly blindly. Show me ironclad proof that God exists and did everything the Old/New Testaments say he did, and that all the other "miracles" were true, as well. Prove all the supernatural claptrap really happened, and I'll consider changing my mind.


I don't hold "atheist services." I don't pray to anything. Labeling me as someone who worships Satan or the Devil is monumentally stupid, since I don't believe they exist, either. Label me as immoral? Well, I don't claim to be perfect... but I'm not in prison where the vast majority of prisoners claim some religion.

 

[Kouvb593kdnuewnd]

Oh, groovy. Somebody else who thinks atheism is a religion.

It isn't.

I never said it was a religion

In the end it is not going to matter, monotheism, polytheism and atheism don't prevent stuff such as death

A thousen years from now who is going to care about what we choosed to believe in

 

[Manfred Belheim]

It's hardly blindly. Show me ironclad proof that God exists and did everything the Old/New Testaments say he did, and that all the other "miracles" were true, as well. Prove all the supernatural claptrap really happened, and I'll consider changing my mind.

Never mind ironclad proof, how about just the vaguest hint that any of it is anything other than fantasy folklore.

A thousen years from now who is going to care about what we choosed to believe in

Well the world is still shaped by what people believed in much longer than 1000 years ago, so I'd guess a lot of people will care (assuming people still exist).

 

[Valka D'Ur]

I never said it was a religion

In the end it is not going to matter, monotheism, polytheism and atheism don't prevent stuff such as death

A thousen years from now who is going to care about what we choosed to believe in

You used the "f-word" ("faith"). Moreover, you accompanied it with the word "blind."

I didn't just wake up one morning and decide to be atheist. Nor was it something my family specifically taught me, although my grandfather explained to me at an early age (I think I was about 5) why Genesis doesn't make any sense. I arrived at this through reason.

Of course none of them prevent death, unless you can reverse entropy (Isaac Asimov wrote one of the most scientifically religious short stories on that issue - "The Last Question").

A thousand years is a drop in the bucket. Archaeologists, anthropologists, historians in a wide variety of fields, climatologists, geologists, linguists, theologians, etc. are still very much interested in the world of 1017 and thereabouts. Why shouldn't the people of 3017 be interested in our world today?

(assuming we haven't made ourselves either extinct or illiterate in terms of both writing and science)

 

[warpus]

Atheists blindly believe there is no God. What proof is there that there is no God?

1. That isn't true

2. What proof is there that the Klingon afterlife doesn't exist?

 

[Valka D'Ur]

1. That isn't true

2. What proof is there that the Klingon afterlife doesn't exist?

Based on which series? Sto-vo-kor is a Bermantrek concept that didn't exist in either TOS or TAS or any novel or movie prior to 1987.

 

[AmtrakQuebec]

I believe in 69 different deities... giggity.

Primary among them being The Flying Spaghetti Monster... all hail his noodliness

 

[warpus]

Based on which series? Sto-vo-kor is a Bermantrek concept that didn't exist in either TOS or TAS or any novel or movie prior to 1987.

That's no proof that it doesn't exist, though. You could use the exact same proof to show that the Christian afterlife doesn't exist, since it wasn't written down until some point or other.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

1. That isn't true

2. What proof is there that the Klingon afterlife doesn't exist?

Based on which series? Sto-vo-kor is a Bermantrek concept that didn't exist in either TOS or TAS or any novel or movie prior to 1987.

That's no proof that it doesn't exist, though. You could use the exact same proof to show that the Christian afterlife doesn't exist, since it wasn't written down until some point or other.

The only way that Sto-vo-kor could exist is if Klingons exist. Klingons don't exist, except in the imaginations of Star Trek fans and people who have heard of Klingons.

And even if Klingons did exist, I'd tell them (from a safe distance, since I'm not bat'leth-proof) to show me the evidence.

 

[Ryika]

Klingons don't exist

A baseless claim without evidence.

Atheists blindly believe there is no God. What proof is there that there is no God?

Well.

People blindly reject the belief that there are no unicorns.
People blindly reject the belief that there are no leprechauns.
People blindly reject the belief that there are no fire-breathing dragons.

What evidence is there that there is no such thing as a unicorn, a leprechaun, or dragons? None, because evidence that something does "not" exist is not a thing.

Of course the existence of a unicorn is far more likely than the existence of a "God" because its powers are far less "out there".


Of course Atheists are still wrong and probably just want to continue with their sinful lives. What has happened to them in their childhood that brought them to a place where they lack faith in their creator?

 

[warpus]

The only way that Sto-vo-kor could exist is if Klingons exist. Klingons don't exist, except in the imaginations of Star Trek fans and people who have heard of Klingons.

And even if Klingons did exist, I'd tell them (from a safe distance, since I'm not bat'leth-proof) to show me the evidence.

You could say the same thing about the Christian afterlife - It exists only if Jesus exists and is the son of God, etc.

It's impossible to prove a negative, etc. It's possible stovokor exists even if Klingons don't

 

[Valka D'Ur]

You could say the same thing about the Christian afterlife - It exists only if Jesus exists and is the son of God, etc.

It's impossible to prove a negative, etc. It's possible stovokor exists even if Klingons don't

You're saying the Klingon afterlife exists even if Klingons don't, and never did?

Christianity is one of the religions followed by humans. We know humans exist, because both of us are humans. Christianity isn't the only religion practiced by humans; there are thousands of others, as well.

Humans made up their religions, and they also made up the Klingon religion, along with Klingons themselves.

Note that I am in no way defending the notion that the Christian afterlife exists.

 

[warpus]

You're saying the Klingon afterlife exists even if Klingons don't, and never did?

Christianity is one of the religions followed by humans. We know humans exist, because both of us are humans. Christianity isn't the only religion practiced by humans; there are thousands of others, as well.

Humans made up their religions, and they also made up the Klingon religion, along with Klingons themselves.

Note that I am in no way defending the notion that the Christian afterlife exists.

It is possible, if highly implausible, that some sort of an uberpowerful being watched a couple episodes of Star Trek and made the Klingon afterlife happen. Sounds about as plausible as any other afterlife belief out there.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

It is possible, if highly implausible, that some sort of an uberpowerful being watched a couple episodes of Star Trek and made the Klingon afterlife happen. Sounds about as plausible as any other afterlife belief out there.

I realize you're just using the Klingons as an example and could have used anything else, but this is getting ridiculous. If we have to argue over whether or not Sto-vo-kor exists, maybe we should take that downforum to the Star Trek thread in A&E?

 

[warpus]

I realize you're just using the Klingons as an example and could have used anything else, but this is getting ridiculous. If we have to argue over whether or not Sto-vo-kor exists, maybe we should take that downforum to the Star Trek thread in A&E?

I'm not saying it exists at all though.

My point is that it's as impossible to prove that it doesn't exist as it is impossible to exist that the Christian God doesn't exist. Scroll up and read my first post about this!