Why are atheists interested in Science? (Page 4)

XFixYourBrainX: David,

sorry you didnt understand what I was saying. I was comparing them to one another.


I didnt say if there is no proof that “it” exists, then you call it a possibility. I never said it was a possibility.

But when you say that you seriously doubt there are flying pigs, and people could believe in such a ludacris idea, its the same idea as when people believe in God.

davidk14: Pokerman...I agree.



Edit note: Using the following description:

Ludicrous: (adj.) absurd; ridiculous; crazy

I do disagree with this word as the description for people who believe in God since there is no “proof” that God does not exist.

.

StuckInTheSixties: No proof either way. Hence agnosticism.

XFixYourBrainX: yup

CandyRivers: where are you standing on your faith these days Pokes?

Squ1d_Lips: He has embraced the Church of Raelians.

chaosnature2: Hi Poeple, the word of the day is:
there is a new chat in town more robust than this current one try it out : Chatafrika.com your are all welcome
Send files , pictures, share videos, e.t.c

Abby: Without any belief of a supreme being, Atheism wouldn't exist. There wouldn't be a need for it. Atheism is just a way to categorize those who set themselves apart from any system based on a Creator without having 'proof' of its existence. I can't prove anything, because I'm just as human as you are. But, I also will not be influenced to prove my faith, since my faith belongs to me and I see its value, and have experienced 'truth'...Atheists can go to...hehehe...just kidding. Good threat, I mean oops thread! But really, I have to agree...most Atheists do stand behind Science when its more to do with Logical and Critical Thinking rather than Science. The Bible talks about Science as well..as Science means knowledge...and to believe in God is to 'know' God. Please dont argue though...I'm scared of you Atheist people you show more Passion than an evangelist sometimes! *sheesh*...this is just my input, doesnt mean its fact. Its more philosophy.

CandyRivers: I agree Abby, nothing worse than a preachy atheist, and there are tons of them.

Teece: True, but I have never known Athiests to go door knocking trying to persuade people to believe in their god......
Athiests aren't normally the ones who start conversation about religion - Its not something that is on their mind unless they come across someone who starts preaching, then its not necessarily a case of having to defend what they believe in, but rather just wanting that person to shut up and get a life......

CerebralEcstasy: Actually I was just reading an article in a science forum that was talking about a group of Atheists that have started going door to door. I think it would be highly interesting if one of these ended up on the doorstep of a Jehovah's Witness.

Speaking from my perspective, one who is a person of science, and a person of faith, the two must be compatible with one another. The bible isn't necessarily a text book, but when it touches on things of a scientific matter it is accurate. For example in Job, it discusses how the earth is a circle, and that it hangs upon nothing. It also discusses the water cycle too.

These details couldn't have been known at the time that the bible was written, as the men of that time weren't very sophisticated in the sense that we are today.

Abby: Frankly the more vehement Atheists to me seem to be those who have had religion stuffed down their throats. Alot of Atheism seems to surround a definite mockery of anything religious, not just Christianity. And it seems anything related to belief or non believe has its extremisms. I thought at some point that fanatacism or extremism is a part of being human.

I mean look at people who go to concerts and literally worship and sometimes even stalk all these rockstars. Somewhere somehow it just suggests some deep seated need that person has to identify with something. But can people explain why? Does God exist? I dont and never will understand the need to have to explain what I believe, unless I'm around people who have their minds open to it. I think the same should go for any belief system. But there is no harm in promoting it. Rockstars, Politicians, anyone who wants to get their 'message' or 'voice' out there does the same thing.

CandyRivers:

Teece: Awesome Candy!!!!! Clever guy...........
Enjoyed every minute of that!!

Outbackjack: I used to enjoy watching John Saffron Versus God on SBS and listening to it on Triple J.

Metaverseguy: I like science stuff like astronomy, math, computers, and biology. I've taken classes as high as calculus and read a bunch of books on space. It was mostly idle curiosity and I know all the terminology about up-to-date thinking about our universe so if I ever see a show on TV about it I just flip the channel. There is some telescopes at an observatory here and I'd love to head out there and take a look. It wasn't really from a science class that I decided to be Atheist. One day I just stopped believing in God for various reasons and now I've solidified myself with the help of thinking from men like Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris.

All the junk like microscopes, formulas, etc. are fascinating, but they aren't so exciting that I can just get utter joy from reading a novel about viruses in the human body. It does seem like Atheists think very similar, at least fundamental Atheists, and are against mistreatment of gays, religious dogma, believe in evolution, etc.

Geology is a science, but I haven't heard anyone mention that. Geez what a bore.

CerebralEcstasy: I find it interesting Casanova that one day you just stopped believing, and then backed up the new belief (of not believing) with those whose beliefs (or lack thereof) aligned with your own. My husband is an atheist and his story is very similar to your own, he attended sunday school as a child, believed up until his 20/30's and then just one day stopped.

Myself on the other hand, I went through a period where I questioned the existence of God, but kind of left it on the back burner to simmer while I went about with my own life. I didn't need to solidify it, because I felt at some point there would be some defining moment that would show me which direction I needed to take. It came when I was working on my B.Sc. in Biological Sciences, with a mind to move toward medicine.

I sat back and examined what sort of an impact I could make on the lives of people and how I might make the world a better place. I thought of the patients who would receive medical care, some might receive news that would devastate them, and how could this possibly give them any hope?

It was then that I realized, this is the basis for faith in God - a hope that there was something better to come, a promise written down so long ago found in Rev 21:3,4 that promises us no more pain and sorrow, and no more death.

Then I started to examine those with faith, and those without and how faith impacted other areas their lives and I saw something interesting. Those with faith healed faster, suffered less depression, had a supportive community on which to rely and so on and so forth.

I also took a look at the statistics in things like prison, and about how faith impacted recidivism rates because it's a well known statistic that those left up to their own devices will reoffend within a three year period. Faith changed the lives of men and women and caused them to become better people, living by bible standards made them want to not commit crimes any longer.

That itself is very, very interesting and worth more examination.

Metaverseguy: Quote: "Then I started to examine those with faith, and those without and how faith impacted other areas their lives and I saw something interesting. Those with faith healed faster, suffered less depression, had a supportive community on which to rely and so on and so forth.

I also took a look at the statistics in things like prison, and about how faith impacted recidivism rates because it's a well known statistic that those left up to their own devices will reoffend within a three year period. Faith changed the lives of men and women and caused them to become better people, living by bible standards made them want to not commit crimes any longer."

While this may be true and it is nice that they healed faster it still does not guarantee there is a God. I've heard this argument many times and it's a logical fallacy. "I'm Christian. Christianity makes me (or my neighbor) feel good. Therefore God exists."

The conclusion just doesn't follow from the premise.

CerebralEcstasy: Nothing in my comment suggested that you should start believing based on this premise, but rather what I observed and that in itself was worth investigating further.

LiptonCambell: How many times must we hear this? "I am expectional- and you should accept that is how I feel."- its true with damn near every belief. Almost as if the purpose is to create confidence, not enlighten.

Some people have a crisis of faith, and come to different conclusions. This doesn't prove or disprove anything. It simply addresses the point that, as mature adults, we live our lives as it makes sense to us. For Estascy, it incorpoates an all seeing, all knowing creator who explained their existence through the bible. For Casanova, it does not. It does not change anything for anyone- so presenting your conviction as evidence of anything doesn't prove anything- esspecially to strangers.

tedincarolina: AS a believer what I will point you to is Jesus. Search for him and then decide what you believe.

tedincarolina: Hi LC,
You wrote: For Estascy, it incorpoates an all seeing, all knowing creator who explained their existence through the bible. For Casanova, it does not. It does not change anything for anyone

Ahh, but it does.

tedincarolina: Let's look at the two possibilities.

First there is no creator. Then what we believe is of no value just as you say.

Second there is a creator. Then what we believe is of eternal value.

LiptonCambell: Let's look at the two possibilities.

First theres the idea that rocks don't taste like skittles. Then what we believe is of no value just as you say.

Second rocks do taste like skittles. Then what we believe is of eternal value.

Funny, isnt it? The redictulous ideas that can be given creedence through this logic? But then again, all you're saying is "if I am right, my ideas are good ideas. So that should be enough proof to prove my ideas are right"

LiptonCambell: >>>It does not change anything for anyone


Not to the observer. We have two people and both people have conviction. The fact that you agree with one and disagree with another doesn't change anything to the observer.

Either these people are trying to express and help others understand their beliefs, or they are pridefully announcing that they are right because they feel it is true. Because conviction doesnt prove jack shit