Do you have a faith?

[moonlight33]

What if you're wrong and you're an atheist? :O

That's what Richard Dawkins was answering in that video. He's a big advocate of atheism.

 

[Megamannt125]

What if you're wrong and you're an atheist? :O

If I am wrong and there is a god, I don't want to worship him. Why?
Because either A. He's just some cosmic energy in space that doesn't even know we exist
or B. He watches over us, yet doesn't do anything about starving children, war, and disease just because the first two humans made a mistake.

 

[Josh]

I'm an atheist personally. I don't want to follow a religion, because there is no way to know who is right or who is wrong. I find it better to look at the universe the way it is, with a clear open mind. And what if we're wrong about our religion? Well....this pretty much:

http://www.youtube.com/v/6mmskXXetcg

A lot of people think that atheists are bad people...but:

http://www.youtube.com/v/fdVucvo-kDU


"For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring" -Carl Sagan

If we're wrong then well... It doesn't change anything. I'm certain there is another life after this when we die and if there is no Christianity then how about the other religions?

 

[Garrett x50 cal]

If atheism is right...then we rot in the ground.

 

[Slickyrider]

Moonlight, you just brought up a central topic of Atheism that I would like to contest:

I don't use religion to re-assure or satisfy...anything. All people who use religion wisely see it as more of a tool, for lack of a better word. Religion is a tool that is used to connect to the higher power that we humans have no definite facts about. Frankly, most people who practice any religion don't use it as something to assure themselves that "everything will be okay", which seems to be a phrase that Atheists have come to use to stereotype all followers of religion.

 

[Josh]

What if you're wrong and you're an atheist? :O

If I am wrong and there is a god, I don't want to worship him. Why?
Because either A. He's just some cosmic energy in space that doesn't even know we exist
or B. He watches over us, yet doesn't do anything about starving children, war, and disease just because the first two humans made a mistake.

He put us on the world to see whether we are good enough to get to heaven or hell and if you'll follow the word of God there. If he helped disease, starvation, war and disease he'll be doing everything for us and it wont show who is generous enough to donate to starving children or who will cure the disease or who is willing the save people's lives. Then everybody will be going to hell or heaven as he wouldn't be sure and it wouldn't be a good test.
It's like giving an answer on a test to the students.

 

[Megamannt125]

If atheism is right...then we rot in the ground.

Pretty much. Personally, I think the reason religion exists is because of people fearing that possibility, so they felt the need to imagine that there was form of afterlife. But, dying shouldn't be something to be feared even if you rot in the ground, you should still live your life to the fullest and make the most out of it and be happy.

 

[moonlight33]

Moonlight, you just brought up a central topic of Atheism that I would like to contest:

I don't use religion to re-assure or satisfy...anything. All people who use religion wisely see it as more of a tool, for lack of a better word. Religion is a tool that is used to connect to the higher power that we humans have no definite facts about. Frankly, most people who practice any religion don't use it as something to assure themselves that "everything will be okay", which seems to be a phrase that Atheists have come to stereotype all followers of religion.

No, I never said that. Most theists think that atheists aren't good people because they as "where do you get your morals from." Well, I get my morals from common sense and logic. I treat others how I would like to be treated. And to understand religion, you really have to see why it exists. All religions answer unanswerable questions like "Why are we here?" or "What happens when we die."

 

[Garrett x50 cal]

If atheism is right...then we rot in the ground.

Pretty much. Personally, I think the reason religion exists is because of people fearing that possibility, so they felt the need to imagine that there was form of afterlife. But, dying shouldn't be something to be feared even if you rot in the ground, you should still live your life to the fullest and make the most out of it and be happy.

Pretty much is like

I worship because I don't wanna rot

or

I worship because I wanna see/live forever with my maker.

 

[Bacon Boy]

Yeah...seriously, Olivia, don't brand yourself as a Christian if you aren't practicing the religion.

I was born a christian, my parents didn't believe in what the priests were teaching.

Fine, I'm a non practicing Christian, happy now?

Like a non practicing Catholic. It's just your background.

 

[moonlight33]

What if you're wrong and you're an atheist? :O

If I am wrong and there is a god, I don't want to worship him. Why?
Because either A. He's just some cosmic energy in space that doesn't even know we exist
or B. He watches over us, yet doesn't do anything about starving children, war, and disease just because the first two humans made a mistake.

He put us on the world to see whether we are good enough to get to heaven or hell and if you'll follow the word of God there. If he helped disease, starvation, war and disease he'll be doing everything for us and it wont show who is generous enough to donate to starving children or who will cure the disease or who is willing the save people's lives. Then everybody will be going to hell or heaven as he wouldn't be sure and it wouldn't be a good test.
It's like giving an answer on a test to the students.

See, this is what bothers me about religion. What kind of just being would punish and reward his creations for eternity? How can you justify eternal damnation? Even the most vile people on earth don't deserve to be burned for eternity...that's just sick.

 

[Megamannt125]

If atheism is right...then we rot in the ground.

Pretty much. Personally, I think the reason religion exists is because of people fearing that possibility, so they felt the need to imagine that there was form of afterlife. But, dying shouldn't be something to be feared even if you rot in the ground, you should still live your life to the fullest and make the most out of it and be happy.

Pretty much is like

I worship because I don't wanna rot

or

I worship because I wanna see/live forever with my maker.

Worshipping to not rot and worshipping to live forever are basically the same thing.

 

[Sporge27]

What if you're wrong and you're an atheist? :O

Well then it depends on whether God is good or not.

If he is good and you were a good person, why does he need you to believe in him? I am certain that a being of good would not care.

If there is a God and he is truly the wrathful being shown in the old testament, I would never worship him because he is an evil being. He tortures people for eternity for not bowing down to him, he instructs you to kill your own child if he is disobedient.

So tell me if you believe in a god, don't you think he is more likely good? If that is the case, then when my judgement day comes, I feel I could look him in the face as a friend. Until then what does it matter if he is real or not?

 

[Slickyrider]

What if you're wrong and you're an atheist? :O

If I am wrong and there is a god, I don't want to worship him. Why?
Because either A. He's just some cosmic energy in space that doesn't even know we exist
or B. He watches over us, yet doesn't do anything about starving children, war, and disease just because the first two humans made a mistake.

First of all, @Moonlight: I see now. Instead, I'm contesting Carl Sagan.

Megaman: Come now, you're smarter than that. Humans need to be advocates for themselves. Why? We would never *censored.3.0*ing learn anything if any sort of God simply solved all of our problems. We need to eliminate war, hunger, and disease by ourselves. We simply cannot allow whatever God there exists to magically solve all of the afformentioned problems, and any more you can come up with!

 

[Garrett x50 cal]

If atheism is right...then we rot in the ground.

Pretty much. Personally, I think the reason religion exists is because of people fearing that possibility, so they felt the need to imagine that there was form of afterlife. But, dying shouldn't be something to be feared even if you rot in the ground, you should still live your life to the fullest and make the most out of it and be happy.

Pretty much is like

I worship because I don't wanna rot

or

I worship because I wanna see/live forever with my maker.

Worshipping to not rot and worshipping to live forever are basically the same thing.

No...

 

[Josh]

What if you're wrong and you're an atheist? :O

If I am wrong and there is a god, I don't want to worship him. Why?
Because either A. He's just some cosmic energy in space that doesn't even know we exist
or B. He watches over us, yet doesn't do anything about starving children, war, and disease just because the first two humans made a mistake.

He put us on the world to see whether we are good enough to get to heaven or hell and if you'll follow the word of God there. If he helped disease, starvation, war and disease he'll be doing everything for us and it wont show who is generous enough to donate to starving children or who will cure the disease or who is willing the save people's lives. Then everybody will be going to hell or heaven as he wouldn't be sure and it wouldn't be a good test.
It's like giving an answer on a test to the students.

See, this is what bothers me about religion. What kind of just being would punish and reward his creations for eternity? How can you justify eternal damnation? Even the most vile people on earth don't deserve to be burned for eternity...that's just sick.

The thing is, God will forgive you. Religious or not he will. Some people do bad things and don't give a damn on what they just did like taking somebody's lives from them or completely ruining it.
Even atheist can go into heaven (I'm sure) if you're just good overall.

 

[Micah]

I believe in a just God, the God of the new testament.

 

[Slickyrider]

What if you're wrong and you're an atheist? :O

If I am wrong and there is a god, I don't want to worship him. Why?
Because either A. He's just some cosmic energy in space that doesn't even know we exist
or B. He watches over us, yet doesn't do anything about starving children, war, and disease just because the first two humans made a mistake.

He put us on the world to see whether we are good enough to get to heaven or hell and if you'll follow the word of God there. If he helped disease, starvation, war and disease he'll be doing everything for us and it wont show who is generous enough to donate to starving children or who will cure the disease or who is willing the save people's lives. Then everybody will be going to hell or heaven as he wouldn't be sure and it wouldn't be a good test.
It's like giving an answer on a test to the students.

See, this is what bothers me about religion. What kind of just being would punish and reward his creations for eternity? How can you justify eternal damnation? Even the most vile people on earth don't deserve to be burned for eternity...that's just sick.

Reward and Punishment! I was waiting for someone to bring that up.

Reward and Punishment is a label that shouldn't exist. It has created a maelstrom of false statements, such as this one. Reward and Punishment is not the system that the world revolves around. Rather, for all theists, it revolves around God's own, personal feelings towards human beings. Simple as that.

 

[moonlight33]

Quoting limited to 4 levels deep

He put us on the world to see whether we are good enough to get to heaven or hell and if you'll follow the word of God there. If he helped disease, starvation, war and disease he'll be doing everything for us and it wont show who is generous enough to donate to starving children or who will cure the disease or who is willing the save people's lives. Then everybody will be going to hell or heaven as he wouldn't be sure and it wouldn't be a good test.
It's like giving an answer on a test to the students.

See, this is what bothers me about religion. What kind of just being would punish and reward his creations for eternity? How can you justify eternal damnation? Even the most vile people on earth don't deserve to be burned for eternity...that's just sick.

The thing is, God will forgive you. Religious or not he will. Some people do bad things and don't give a damn on what they just did like taking somebody's lives from them or completely ruining it.
Even atheist can go into heaven (I'm sure) if you're just good overall.

Not according to Christian Bible. You have to bow down, believe, and have faith (which is a really trivial thing if you think about it.) That should raise an immediate red flag. Why would an all knowing God want to be worshiped or believed in? Is he an ego maniac or something?

 

[Slickyrider]

Quoting limited to 4 levels deep

See, this is what bothers me about religion. What kind of just being would punish and reward his creations for eternity? How can you justify eternal damnation? Even the most vile people on earth don't deserve to be burned for eternity...that's just sick.

The thing is, God will forgive you. Religious or not he will. Some people do bad things and don't give a damn on what they just did like taking somebody's lives from them or completely ruining it.
Even atheist can go into heaven (I'm sure) if you're just good overall.

Not according to Christian Bible. You have to bow down, believe, and have faith (which is a really trivial thing if you think about it.) That should raise an immediate red flag. Why would an all knowing God want to be worshiped or believed in? Is he an ego maniac or something?

Yes! God is an ego maniac! I can tell you myself, it says it in the Old Testament and New Testament.

However, humans should not expect to be treated fairly by God if they do not believe in God. You can't expect a priest to feed you one of those communion wafers if you're not a practicing Catholic, for example.