Today is National Ask an Atheist Day

[One Brow]

One Brow, isn't your day over?

Technically, the day to ask questions is over. Nothing says I was supposed to answer on the same day.

 

[moevillini]

Oh, so we really shouldn't be asking questions anymore. But you can still answer. Got it!

We'll just have to phrase all our questions in the form of an answer then. Sort of like the Anti-Jeopardy!

 

[Jazz Spazz]

Thanks for sharing. It's always nice to be aware when people are spreading nonsense.

Which is why I'm notified every time you post, it's called a nonsense alert.

 

[babe]

Atheists often find themselves responding to a specific notion of a God/gods because the person with whom theyh are conversing have a specific notion they wish to discuss.

Yes, some God could be the original cause. however, the universe doesn't need an original cause, so such a god is superfluous.

The most basic Christian concept since Constantine and the Holy Trinity attempted to rationalize the Christian God with Genesis creation would claim God is the original cause.

 

[babe]

Honestly, you're wrong in many ways here. You will never find me calling for people to be indoctrinated in atheism, or saying that I have some level of certainty that it's impossible to have. As for values, of course I share the same values as many Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc., because out values come from our human nature.

well at least you didn't resort to the Straw One Brow observation. . . . so where does human nature come from????

 

[babe]

He was wrong about the first example. You can't prove there is no extant Tyrannosaurus Rex.

I agree that if you claim God is a member of a the Senate, or that God is self-contradictory, you can prove God does not exist. However, I don't think you make those claims for God.

I agree with the logic here as stated.

 

[One Brow]

Which is why I'm notified every time you post, it's called a nonsense alert.

Happy to be of service.

 

[One Brow]

The most basic Christian concept since Constantine and the Holy Trinity attempted to rationalize the Christian God with Genesis creation would claim God is the original cause.

I agree, and thanks for playing anti-Jeopardy.

However it's rationalized, it not necessary.

 

[moevillini]

The most basic Christian concept since Constantine and the Holy Trinity attempted to rationalize the Christian God with Genesis creation would claim God is the original cause.

Well if you're saying God caused himself (herself/itself) than that would be a circular argument.

(note: not a question!)

 

[One Brow]

well at least you didn't resort to the Straw One Brow observation. . . . so where does human nature come from????

That is a great question. I don't have more than a guess.

For me, the most essential parts of human nature come from our history of being tribal mammals. It's one reason we founds wolves so domesticable: they were top-level omnivores, and so many of their behaviors evolved in similar ways to our behavior. So, you have most pack members defending the pack as whole, fights for dominance, the occasional turf war, etc. In many ways, we're just smarter dogs.

 

[babe]

The way I see my atheism is not as a declaration that I know God does not exist. I start from the beginning with a blank slate. I have no notion of God. Going from that point the notion of God is introduced. I say, "This claim that God exists is extraordinary! I would like to see what reasons there are to believe that this is true." And that's where I'm at, waiting to see what reasons there are to believe that it is true. That, to me, is a state of atheism. I do not yet believe for lack of any substantive argument in favor of a positive claim that God exists.

well, the logic inherent in the construction of the term says it well enough. . . . an absence of theism. .. . meaning generally any possible theism. . . .

"a reason to believe" is what some people ask for when believing a lie. . . . I don't insist on reason to validate faith. I consider the concepts as pertaining to specific methods of thought and emotion, and not necessarily valid in both. It's like using an electron microscope to look for neutrons. . . . .

 

[babe]

Well if you're saying God caused himself (herself/itself) than that would be a circular argument.

(note: not a question!)

I realize that. Mormons don't necessarily think of "God" as the original first Cause, but specifically (used to, at least) stated that there was no beginning and will be no end. That there are endless cycles of creation ongoing. . . . defining the power of God as the process of creation. So while early Christians at least addressed the ultimate cosmological connection and attributed everything to "God", Mormons actually didn't even get to that. . . . .