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Athiesm as an escape from reality?


dougeaton

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I am an agnostic, and am often amazed at how atheist will accuse xians as well as theist in general of believing in an afterlife because of some kind of self centeredness. Is this true? I would think that belief in some god is based on what someone actually thinks as truth. Many leave both camps, theist and atheist and accept a different view.

I think that atheism can be just as self centered......since each atheist is his or her own god, there is no higher authority, well unless it is some form of secular goverment. I often think that no afterlife is a blessing=== since I am not sure I want to face myself at death, or god, or some kind of reward or punishment.

I think both atheism and theism are irrational, since neither can be proven, though I also believe that it is not irrational to believe either way. Science and logic and rational thought have limits I believe and anyone who says differently will have to get rid of many beliefs....since what gives our lives meaning has more to do with metaphycial beliefs.

doug

Edited by dougeaton
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I'm atheist but I am by no means selfish or self-centered. I find myself to be part of society, a tangled web of views and opinions and different beliefs. I have mine that I share but I don't try to force them unless evidence has shown it to be true. My atheism isn't one of those 'facts'. I find myself ruled by emotion, even though they're chemical by nature, I cannot rationalize them into a concrete and logical explanation, I ride them out and don't try to control them. Other people's emotions are also another thing I feel controlled by, they express theirs and in response I feel likewise or differently. In short, I'm an atheist of the people, I feel that emotion is all we have and all we need along with knowledge and logic.

Edited by Hasina
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I think that atheism can be just as self centered......since each atheist is his or her own god, there is no higher authority, well unless it is some form of secular goverment. I often think that no afterlife is a blessing=== since I am not sure I want to face myself at death, or god, or some kind of reward or punishment.
Do you have any real examples of this, or is this just what you think?
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My disbelief in a deity doesn't even effect my day to day life. It's just something that I don't bother with.

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I am an agnostic, and am often amazed at how atheist will accuse xians as well as theist in general of believing in an afterlife because of some kind of self centeredness. Is this true?

More like Christians are afraid of death without an afterlife. Heaven is their security blanket.

I would think that belief in some god is based on what someone actually thinks as truth. Many leave both camps, theist and atheist and accept a different view.

And many don't.......not without facts and such......but these facts get in the way for a lot of theists.

I think that atheism can be just as self centered......since each atheist is his or her own god, there is no higher authority, well unless it is some form of secular goverment. I often think that no afterlife is a blessing=== since I am not sure I want to face myself at death, or god, or some kind of reward or punishment.

Ah, your usual attack on atheists.....we are not our own gods! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise....

I think both atheism and theism are irrational, since neither can be proven, though I also believe that it is not irrational to believe either way. Science and logic and rational thought have limits I believe and anyone who says differently will have to get rid of many beliefs....since what gives our lives meaning has more to do with metaphycial beliefs.

doug

You're half right.......the latter one is correct!

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I'm not my own god. A disbelief in god means i don't believe in any god of any kind. I answer to human authority just as much as the next person. I don't think I'm better than everyone else because I'm atheist. Maybe you should get to know a few atheists personally before you make these claims. I have Christian friends, and we're fine with each other. They don't try to force their beliefs on me and I don't force mine on them. Only time I retaliate is when I am being attacked.

Atheism is a belief that you were nothing before you were born, you are nothing after you die. There is no safety net, there is no kingdom in the sky, there are no second chances. Make the best of it while you can.

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I find agnostics to be wishy washy, that's okay to say, since people generalize atheists as self-centered and theists to be irrational, right?

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Making generalizations about athiests is like saying all snowflakes are the same.

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Making generalizations about athiests is like saying all snowflakes are the same.

Quite correct. I have many friends who are religious. One in particular is very, very religious. Her and I get along just fine. Even when we get drunk and discuss religion...

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My goodness I found the idea in the OP strange...

I'm an atheist. I LACK a belief in a deities. If evidence (verifiable and testable) shows up, I change my stance but right now - atheist.

As for escaping reality...no, not even a little bit. In fact, I would say the opposite.

I don't get a mystical second chance for forgiveness by asking. I have to earn that myself from whomever I wronged.

I don't get a mystical get out of jail card for doing something wrong by asking. I'm punished right here for that.

There is no mystical magical haven for me for living a good life and doing good things. I do good things because I want the world to be better and the only reward I get is from myself.

I have no enemies nor do I fear or hate anyone or feel sorry for them because they don't share my ideas.

I'd say that many atheists face reality head on.

Nibs

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Followers of a certain religion share the commonality of shared but unverifiable belief in specific supernatural 'forces'.

Theists often fall into the mistaken belief that they can 'pigeonhole' atheists becuase of their lack of belief simply because we have a word to describe people who "don't believe".

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I'm atheist but I am by no means selfish or self-centered. I find myself to be part of society, a tangled web of views and opinions and different beliefs. I have mine that I share but I don't try to force them unless evidence has shown it to be true. My atheism isn't one of those 'facts'. I find myself ruled by emotion, even though they're chemical by nature, I cannot rationalize them into a concrete and logical explanation, I ride them out and don't try to control them. Other people's emotions are also another thing I feel controlled by, they express theirs and in response I feel likewise or differently. In short, I'm an atheist of the people, I feel that emotion is all we have and all we need along with knowledge and logic.

This is a very good and interesting response, and unique.

peace

mark

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Atheism is an escape TO reality.

It is not, it is a belief in no gods, I see not evidence from the atheist that I know that you statement is anywhere near the truth.

Peace

mark

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I am not divine to myself.

How is that self-centered?

Self-centered-ness is not a negative statement in this context I believe. There is no objective morality for an atheist, each has to work out their own morality. They can disagree, some being more moral than others. Just like theist, except theist believe that the have to answer for their lives; theist don't, unless they are of course caught. Most atheist are moral upstanding people.

Peace

mark

Edited by markdohle
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Atheism is an escape TO reality.

Well can you prove that? No you can't, you understand reality through the lenses of atheism...you view is biased just like everyone's else

doug.

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I am not divine to myself.

How is that self-centered?

The word self centered has a bad rap. There is no higher power for the atheist (again government may be)...in the end each atheist has to decide on what they believe is right or wrong and other atheist maydisagree. If I decide to lead a life of crime and am not caught, were is the wrong, I am the only one watching, no one else is. A secret stays with me, when I die it goes to the grave with me.......thankfully most atheist aren't that way, perhaps they are cowards, or saints.

doug

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Do you have any real examples of this, or is this just what you think?

Atheist live for themselves, their life, their loved ones, all else is unimportant, there is no big picture, we live, find some happiness and then die.....easy and simple.

doug

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More like Christians are afraid of death without an afterlife. Heaven is their security blanket.

And many don't.......not without facts and such......but these facts get in the way for a lot of theists.

Ah, your usual attack on atheists.....we are not our own gods! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise....

You're half right.......the latter one is correct!

Nothing you have said is true, well it is for the straw man you have created. Actually you have made yourself into a stereotype, a village atheist, or a Dawkins-head. If you convert I would imagine you would be a member of some fundie church, they think like you do, or emote.

doug

Edited by dougeaton
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I love people think that atheism is something that we actively participate in or reference when making any decision I don't think that most people realize that atheists are the same as everyone else, we just believe in one less god.

Is your life defined by your disbelief in Thor? Or Zeus? Do you preface any decision you make with "Well, I don't believe in Ra, so...".

Please that old saw. The gods are not God, God for theist is not a human writ large. Also to be an atheist does affect you live, all of our beliefs do.

doug

Edited by dougeaton
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I'm not my own god. A disbelief in god means i don't believe in any god of any kind. I answer to human authority just as much as the next person. I don't think I'm better than everyone else because I'm atheist. Maybe you should get to know a few atheists personally before you make these claims. I have Christian friends, and we're fine with each other. They don't try to force their beliefs on me and I don't force mine on them. Only time I retaliate is when I am being attacked.

Atheism is a belief that you were nothing before you were born, you are nothing after you die. There is no safety net, there is no kingdom in the sky, there are no second chances. Make the best of it while you can.

Well most atheist are not like you sad to say.

doug

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Making generalizations about athiests is like saying all snowflakes are the same.

Well atheist do it all the time. Though I believe what I say is true, though people are interrupting in a way that I did not mean. For instance an atheist believes their is no god, therefore it is true, all others believe wrongly.....that is god like.

doug

Quite correct. I have many friends who are religious. One in particular is very, very religious. Her and I get along just fine. Even when we get drunk and discuss religion...

Good, glad to hear it.

doug

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My goodness I found the idea in the OP strange...

I'm an atheist. I LACK a belief in a deities. If evidence (verifiable and testable) shows up, I change my stance but right now - atheist.

As for escaping reality...no, not even a little bit. In fact, I would say the opposite.

I don't get a mystical second chance for forgiveness by asking. I have to earn that myself from whomever I wronged.

I don't get a mystical get out of jail card for doing something wrong by asking. I'm punished right here for that.

There is no mystical magical haven for me for living a good life and doing good things. I do good things because I want the world to be better and the only reward I get is from myself.

I have no enemies nor do I fear or hate anyone or feel sorry for them because they don't share my ideas.

I'd say that many atheists face reality head on.

Nibs

I think you ideas about what the afterlife for theist means is simplistic and childish. Atheist seem to have the need to constantly pat themselves on the back, what would atheist like you do if there were no believers? There is contempt in your answer, one that most atheist I have known carry.

doug

Edited by dougeaton
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I think you ideas about what the afterlife for theist means is simplistic and childish. Atheist seem to have the need to constantly pat themselves on the back, what would atheist like you do if there were no believers? There is contempt in your answer, one that most atheist I have known carry.

doug

Ok, please point out where I am wrong in what I say rather than be condescending and resorting to name calling.

You are adding a "tone" to my post that isn't there.

Nibs

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