Ask an Atheist

[Psycho]

you go to your grave where you will spend the rest of your time with maggots eating your rotting corpse.
stop making up excuses and gods and just face it.

you will feel nothing. it is just like before you were born. there will simply be nothing.

[tool]

not saying that, maybe your a grown man, ure alone, no wife/girlfriend your parents are long dead. who does one turn to?

[SirJamesaford]

not saying that, maybe your a grown man, ure alone, no wife/girlfriend your parents are long dead. who does one turn to?

You answered your own question... your a grown man.  You look within.

[PANZERCATWAGON]

Just to add a spin on the linear discussion about death this is obviously going to lead into, anyone have a sort of small belief in reincarnation?

I've always had a small nagging thought in the back of my mind, in the shadows of all the logical scientific belief, I've always wondered about the possibility of reincarnation. I mean, we don't understand how conciousness works, it's one of the things we as humans know least about. My theory doesn't hold much scientific backing, but it is just an imaginitive thoery. I know just be being alive that I am concious, and my conciousness follows my brain and my body. So therefore there must be a definite link between my physical body and my concious.

But I also know that my body is just made up of matter, tiny particles that come together to form my body. Now I don't claim to understand conciousness, but really, by that reasoning, if those particles should at some point in the future reach the same formation once again, shouldn't my conciousness also be present? It's kind of farfetched I know, but it's something I've always just pondered.

EDIT: Also, we don't know for sure that when we die our conciousness also dies, perhaps it may be just split up into smaller pieces in the same way particles are. What's more, there have been numerous cases of people dying (i.e. flat pulse + dead brain) and then being restarted and still retaining memory of their life.

[tool]

damn ure good

[SirJamesaford]

I think you would need your original energy along with your original particals and the particals would have to form exactly the same way they were.  But i doubt you would "regain your conciousness".  But thats a question that really cant be answered.

EDIT:  Killer thing to ponder from time to time.

[Dascoo]

If there is no God how did the big bang happen?

That's still a mystery, but if you want to get all quantum physics like you can say a particle from another universe interacted with ours and set off a chain reaction of events which would lead to the current state of this universe.

But if I really don't want to think about it, and go with the easiest explanation...I'd say god did it.

I'm really not against some cosmic intelligence creating the universe, maybe something did! But it wouldn't be God, certainly not the Christian god. Or any religious Gods. I don't believe a cosmic intelligence did create the universe, but still I'm not objecting the possibility.

[mar77a]

Here's something interesting compilation I found http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/abioprob/creationist.html

[Mangled*]

See, this is why I stay out of a Serious Discussion - I never portray my thoughts well enough. I'm not trying to prove anything.

The only reason he created this topic is because of the "Ask a Christian" thread - he's just being a smartass.

No, I think you'll find the smartass is the one who made the Ask a Satanist thread.

so when one is lost, who does he turn to? himself?

He turns to whatever interests or entertains him.

Where do you go when you die?

You don't go anywhere otherworldly. Either in the ground or spread over some dirt as ash. Your cognitive abilities and brain function shut down, in turn your respiratory system shuts down and then all of the cells in your body begin to die. You start to decompose slowly after a while rigor mortis sets in etc...

Essentially when you die you cease to think, feel, see, hear and smell. You are completely unaware.

not saying that, maybe your a grown man, ure alone, no wife/girlfriend your parents are long dead. who does one turn to?

Everybody is different... religious people turn to religion because that is what they are taught to turn to. Atheist don't need to ask 'why?' they just want to know how.

Just to add a spin on the linear discussion about death this is obviously going to lead into, anyone have a sort of small belief in reincarnation?

I've always had a small nagging thought in the back of my mind, in the shadows of all the logical scientific belief, I've always wondered about the possibility of reincarnation. I mean, we don't understand how conciousness works, it's one of the things we as humans know least about. My theory doesn't hold much scientific backing, but it is just an imaginitive thoery. I know just be being alive that I am concious, and my conciousness follows my brain and my body. So therefore there must be a definite link between my physical body and my concious.

But I also know that my body is just made up of matter, tiny particles that come together to form my body. Now I don't claim to understand conciousness, but really, by that reasoning, if those particles should at some point in the future reach the same formation once again, shouldn't my conciousness also be present? It's kind of farfetched I know, but it's something I've always just pondered.

EDIT: Also, we don't know for sure that when we die our conciousness also dies, perhaps it may be just split up into smaller pieces in the same way particles are. What's more, there have been numerous cases of people dying (i.e. flat pulse + dead brain) and then being restarted and still retaining memory of their life.

It's an interesting thought... There's no proof for it though... and Atheism is based on what we know and can prove and not what our ancestors made up and wrote down in a book. But don't you think it's an optimistic hope that 'life goes on'?. For Atheists we only live once, and so we do what we can with our lives and make the most of them since it's the only chance we get.

[Graham]

Usually when I get into a debate with an atheist  it turns into something hostile or them trying to prove me wrong. I am just wondering do atheist believe in coexisting with religious people or do they want all religion to vanish?

[Will]

Well as I already said, most of the atheists just respect other religions and just don't care about them much. But you always have some morons to behave exactly the opposite, as anywhere else.

[Dascoo]

I don't know whether I'd like it to stay, or vanish.

Stay because religion does keep some people in order, with the fear of hell and if they do something bad they'll go there.

Then again you have the whole pray for forgiveness, so the bastard will murder someone, confess, go out again and kill someone again thinking they'll be forgiven by god kind of defeats the purpose for some people. Then you have people killing eachother because of there different religious views.....

[Graham]

They are forgiven but still accountable Dascoo, to both man and God.

[Dascoo]

They are forgiven but still accountable Dascoo, to both man and God.

They still think they're forgiven completely.

[Valorman]

See, this is why I stay out of a Serious Discussion - I never portray my thoughts well enough. I'm not trying to prove anything.

The only reason he created this topic is because of the "Ask a Christian" thread - he's just being a smartass.

No, I think you'll find the smartass is the one who made the Ask a Satanist thread.

so when one is lost, who does he turn to? himself?

He turns to whatever interests or entertains him.

Where do you go when you die?

You don't go anywhere otherworldly. Either in the ground or spread over some dirt as ash. Your cognitive abilities and brain function shut down, in turn your respiratory system shuts down and then all of the cells in your body begin to die. You start to decompose slowly after a while rigor mortis sets in etc...

Essentially when you die you cease to think, feel, see, hear and smell. You are completely unaware.

not saying that, maybe your a grown man, ure alone, no wife/girlfriend your parents are long dead. who does one turn to?

Everybody is different... religious people turn to religion because that is what they are taught to turn to. Atheist don't need to ask 'why?' they just want to know how.

Just to add a spin on the linear discussion about death this is obviously going to lead into, anyone have a sort of small belief in reincarnation?

I've always had a small nagging thought in the back of my mind, in the shadows of all the logical scientific belief, I've always wondered about the possibility of reincarnation. I mean, we don't understand how conciousness works, it's one of the things we as humans know least about. My theory doesn't hold much scientific backing, but it is just an imaginitive thoery. I know just be being alive that I am concious, and my conciousness follows my brain and my body. So therefore there must be a definite link between my physical body and my concious.

But I also know that my body is just made up of matter, tiny particles that come together to form my body. Now I don't claim to understand conciousness, but really, by that reasoning, if those particles should at some point in the future reach the same formation once again, shouldn't my conciousness also be present? It's kind of farfetched I know, but it's something I've always just pondered.

EDIT: Also, we don't know for sure that when we die our conciousness also dies, perhaps it may be just split up into smaller pieces in the same way particles are. What's more, there have been numerous cases of people dying (i.e. flat pulse + dead brain) and then being restarted and still retaining memory of their life.

It's an interesting thought... There's no proof for it though... and Atheism is based on what we know and can prove and not what our ancestors made up and wrote down in a book. But don't you think it's an optimistic hope that 'life goes on'?. For Atheists we only live once, and so we do what we can with our lives and make the most of them since it's the only chance we get.

To me, it's just very hard for me to imagine everything dissapears and you can't move, and essentially are nothing.  I was always brought up to think you left your physical body and went to a heaven or hell and be there for eternity.

[Psycho]

like I say, it is just like before you are born.
its like if you squish a bug. it doesent go to hell or heaven, you just made it die by splatting it.

[Mangled*]

I'm not an Antitheist (different from Atheist, it means someone who believes religions are evil). I think everybody should be able to believe what they like so long as it's not used to manipulate, harm or use against other people.

I have a few Muslim friends, some Christian friends, a Hindu friend... but actually where I live most people are Agnostic or Christian.

Well as I already said, most of the atheists just respect other religions and just don't care about them much. But you always have some morons to behave exactly the opposite, as anywhere else.

Totally true. In fact I do admire how devoted some people are to their beliefs and I do genuinely think it takes a strong person to be so devoted.

But if somebody gets riled up and starts preaching and trying to push their beliefs on people I push back twice as hard. Each to their own.

I don't know whether I'd like it to stay, or vanish.

Stay because religion does keep some people in order, with the fear of hell and if they do something bad they'll go there.

Then again you have the whole pray for forgiveness, so the ******* will murder someone, confess, go out again and kill someone again thinking they'll be forgiven by god kind of defeats the purpose for some people. Then you have people killing eachother because of there different religious views.....

Religion is okay because it makes us all different, and difference is what makes people interesting individuals. If we all believed the same it would be boring...

But there are alot of evil people out there, religious leaders who use their religion to manipulate those that have faith into destroying the lives of others and committing terrible evil.

Let's face it... when did you last hear about an Atheist terrorist?

To me, it's just very hard for me to imagine everything turns black and you can't move, and essentially are nothing. 

It was for me at one time too... when I was about 11 I used to battle in my head trying to imagine nothingness... it made me feel sick to my stomach imagining not existing, but after thinking about it and going over it over and over in my head I came to realise that I wouldn't be aware of being dead because I wouldn't be able to think.

Again... that is one possitive side of religion that it spares people having to think about that if they believe they go to paradise and that life goes on.

But I also believe that if people are looking for truth, they deserve to know it.

[Will]

PANZERCATWAGON, about your theory:

you know that energy never vanishes, it just exists. It is in various forms but it is still energy. It can dissipate but it will never just cease to exist.(unless we find a way to create and destroy energy)

so where does our energy go when we die? The heat just fades away in the air, but it still is energy. If we are cremated, the energy of the burning will also transform and get somewhere eventualy. WHen we are buried... etc

so if you're thinking like that, you could have some Jesus energy in you. Get what I mean?
WHat if by dying, our energy just transfers to somebody else eventually and small fragments of our mind are now a part of somebody else. Maybe you have some Hitlah powah in ya??
what ya think?




Date Posted: 18-07-2007, 20:25:21

To me, it's just very hard for me to imagine everything dissapears and you can't move, and essentially are nothing.  I was always brought up to think you left your physical body and went to a heaven or hell and be there for eternity.

so what about the people that get born. So there will be bilions of people in heaven and hell and new ones just coming and coming. I know this is kinda childish but just think about it.

[Dascoo]

Religion is okay because it makes us all different, and difference is what makes people interesting individuals. If we all believed the same it would be boring...

But there are alot of evil people out there, religious leaders who use their religion to manipulate those that have faith into destroying the lives of others and committing terrible evil.

Let's face it... when did you last hear about an Atheist terrorist?

People are still interesting individuals no matter what they're beliefs are.

[Mangled*]

Religion is okay because it makes us all different, and difference is what makes people interesting individuals. If we all believed the same it would be boring...

But there are alot of evil people out there, religious leaders who use their religion to manipulate those that have faith into destroying the lives of others and committing terrible evil.

Let's face it... when did you last hear about an Atheist terrorist?

People are still interesting individuals no matter what they're beliefs are.

Imagine a world where there was only one type of music... Country folk music for example... and that it wasn't possible to create any other type of music because there was no other type. You would get bored of it and then sick to death of it. - Even if you like Country Folk music.