Catholicism Vs Atheism

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My dear friends,

I will write conventionally for once (once only ? ). From some spiritual angles and more. I’m not an expert on the subject but will offer some thoughts and hope you contribute to the discussion.

First, there is the big question of “prove God exists “ . In my opinion this is impossible for a human being to do. The only thing a human being can prove absolutely is that the human being exists, and the human being can only prove this to itself. It cannot prove anything else at all – full stop. The only thing we can prove is we exist because we think and have experiences such as through our senses. We cannot prove who or what we are, nor that anything else even really exists at all, let alone that God exists. This is important because this means that everything else we believe absolutely is faith based. It’s true if thought through thoroughly too.

If everything requires faith other than the one question do we exist, in which we can only prove to ourselves we exist and nothing more – then atheism and everything we believe no matter what requires faith. Atheism is a faith.

So we are looking at two faiths – atheism and Catholicism. Which one is more likely to be true or correct is the only real question I think myself. Neither can be proven absolutely by a human being after all. This is not meant to be a complete work on the subject and will be brief, but if others respond or contribute -like others I will continue responding and contributing to this thread.

I’ll just raise a few important points briefly –

Atheism ultimately teaches that nothing has any purpose, nothing has any value , nothing has any meaning and nothing has any reason.

Catholicism ultimately teaches that everything has purpose, everything has value , everything has meaning and everything has reason.

This may sound a rather harsh critique of atheism but it is true when thought through absolutely.

So atheism explains nothing or nothingness , atheism = nothing / ness , it’s – nothing / ness , nothing.

Catholicism explains everything, so Catholicism = everything , everything / ness ( to coin a new phrase ).

Atheism offers no real answers to explain anything concretely and absolutely, but it may be right given we can only prove one thing – we exist , and that to ourselves alone.
Catholicism answers everything when thoroughly studied and claims to prove everything in as much as is humanly possible, or at least it makes a very good attempt too. It may be wrong though. I don’t think it’s wrong at all myself. Totally right in fact.

So, of the two faiths which is more reasonable to accept ? Atheism which explains and proves nothing / ness or Catholicism which claims to explain and prove ( as much as is humanly possible ) everything ?

It seems to me it requires much more faith to believe a faith that explains or proves nothing / ness , than a faith which explains and does a very good human job at proving everything.

I’d rather a faith that explains and proves everything myself – Catholicism .
I think Catholicism does a much better job of explaining and proving everything than any other faith too. It’s not perfectly complete but ever learning and growing.
Just quickly to finish this – God is Love, not a human emotion or the new twisted definitions of love but infinite and eternal Living Love. Atheism is trying to prove Love does not exist and yet Love is all every man wants. Every person at their deepest inner core and the absolute driving force of all with man is this deep insatiable longing to love and be loved. Only God can satisfy this because God is the love man so insatiably longs and yearns for. Why bother trying to prove everything man wants does not exist? It makes no sense, especially when one understands a man can only prove he exists to himself and nothing more, and all else requires faith.

What do you think? Which is the easier faith to accept, the more reasonable one?

God bless all 👍🙂

John
 
Atheism ultimately teaches that nothing has any purpose, nothing has any value , nothing has any meaning and nothing has any reason.
No it doesn’t. Atheism is just a lack of a belief in God. It doesn’t “teach” anything. Atheists vary from nihilists to humanists to many buddhists. To many of these; things do have a purpose.
Catholicism ultimately teaches that everything has purpose, everything has value , everything has meaning and everything has reason.
What is the purpose of the falling of the tower of Siloam?
It seems to me it requires much more faith to believe a faith that explains or proves nothing / ness , than a faith which explains and does a very good human job at proving everything.
Atheism is a position wherein one ceases to hold beliefs. One can only say “atheism requires faith” when that atheism is justified; then by consequence the position requires faith as the justification requires faith. For example;

An Atheist who ceases to believe in God because of empiricism would require faith in empirical methodologies (directed at the object God).

Wheras; an Atheist who merely ceases to believe in God; without justifications; requires no faith. Negation of a belief is not a positive belief.
First, there is the big question of “prove God exists “ . In my opinion this is impossible for a human being to do. The only thing a human being can prove absolutely is that the human being exists, and the human being can only prove this to itself.
If we can know a human being exists through a posteriori argumentation we can know God exists. It is more certain that God exists than that other human beings exist; as that knowlege is not a critical sensory investment; but a consequential one.
What do you think? Which is the easier faith to accept, the more reasonable one?
It is easier to be an atheist. It is more rational and logical to be a theist.
 
What do you think? Which is the easier faith to accept, the more reasonable one?
Personally, I think this can be answered in both ways. On the one hand, it’s easier to be a Theist, especially during the not-so good parts of your life, as you find and see God as the ultimate consoler. A person who has just been diagnosed with cancer - for example - will have his/her belief in God strengthened. There is indeed a little bit of truth in Marx’s quote, “Religion is the opium for the people”.

On the other hand, it’s easier to be an Atheist. This is because with Atheism, you generally do not follow a moral code, unlike the mainstream religions. It’s quite easy to live your life as an Atheist because you make up your own rules. Many will try and portray themselves as being innocent simply because they do not murder; however, we know with Catholicism at least, that there exist many sins such as pride, lust and other sins of the flesh which are socially accepted today as being perfectly “moral”. It’s perhaps why the Bible states:
Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!
(Psalm 14:1)

So I think it depends to be honest.

Thank you,
**Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk
**
 
A few quotes from G.K. Chesterton on atheism:

“If there were no God, there would be no atheists.”

“There are arguments for atheism, and they do not depend, and never did depend, upon science. They are arguable enough, as far as they go, upon a general survey of life; only it happens to be a superficial survey of life.”

“There is no bigot like the atheist.”

“I do not feel any contempt for an atheist, who is often a man limited and constrained by his own logic to a very sad simplification.”
 
“If there were no God, there would be no atheists.”
"
This is quite confusing. My mind became convulted after reading this. Can you or anyone else care to explain this please?

Thank you,
Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk
 
This is quite confusing. My mind became convulted after reading this. Can you or anyone else care to explain this please?

Thank you,
Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk
If there were no God, then there would be no God to deny the existence of. Atheists have to contradict themselves by presupposing God’s existence before denying it. Because even atheists are made in God’s image, they are forced to live in perpetual denial to keep their atheist worldview.
 
I read a good book on the subject just a few months ago called;

“Life After Death: The Evidence” by D’nesh D’Souza.

He doesn’t give absolute proof in the existence of God, but puts up one of he best reasons back by science and philosophy.

D’Souza is an academic combat veteran who has debated the likes of Christopher Hitchens.

Jim
 
If there were no God, then there would be no God to deny the existence of. Atheists have to contradict themselves by presupposing God’s existence before denying it. Because even atheists are made in God’s image, they are forced to live in perpetual denial to keep their atheist worldview.
Not strictly true.

Atheism is the lack of belief in theism.

Both you and I lack belief in many things which we either don’t know of; or simply refuse to assent belief too.

Point; there are many falsehoods yet undiscovered that doubtless me and you would lack belief in; our lack of belief in these falsehoods is not contingent upon the existence of; or awareness of these falsehoods.
 
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