How do you feel about atheists?

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With regard to the subject, I love atheists!

I was just thinking this morning about a great conversation I had a few years ago (not on this site), where the notion of relationships and how they work through creation from family through society was the trigger point for the person to do some delving.

With regard to the latest conversation about chemicals and measurable changes in needle readings.

If one is to argue that chemicals are the cause for the will to act emotionally or otherwise…

It is important for us to get an explanation as to how the chemicals know who it is I am acting towards.

How do my Chemicals know my wife at X time with emotion chemical Love-a, my kids at Y time with emotion chemical Love-b, and others at Z time with emotion chemical Love-c?

What if a stranger who is not on my chemical radar comes up to me and asks for some food or $$, is it out of the kindness of my chemicals, or coldness of my chemicals that I share or not?

Take care,

Mike
I have always believed that love was more of a decision than an emotion. How does one explain sacrificial love without attributing some divine element?

Peace.

Steve
 
It does sound like a way for some researchers to get a grant and make some money, though. No sillier than introducing chickens to people with variously-shaped faces, and noting which ones the chickens preferred.😛
I am guessing you have no idea why someone would want to carryout such an experiment?
 
. You claim that love is a totally chemical reaction as is attraction. I asked you to explain how this works in the real world ie: is my Love for my wife of over 25 years merely a result of the right chemicals ? And why don’t those chemicals make me love everyone and everyone I see? Same goes for attraction. Was it just an accident that the attraction chemicals kicked in when I met her?
Sorry, I must not have been clear, my bad. I am not claiming it is simply chemicals, I am claiming that there is a correlation between them. I think we can all agree that there is more to it, we just do not agree what the more is.
 
We’ve gone over 800 posts in this thread without me having to step in or infract, except to adjust your compass to stay on course.
So lets stay on the topic of the OP and not each other.
 
Yes, but aren’t you putting the cart before the horse, i.e., just because you can see how emotions affect the brain, doesn’t mean the brain is responsible for those emotions in the first place (obviously there is some sort of symbiotic relationship between our mind/consciousness and our brain)!
I agree there is more to it, but currently that is all we can demonstrate, therefore that is what I currently accept. If new evidence shows more is at work then I will accept more as the evidence commands.
 
We’ve gone over 800 posts in this thread without me having to step in or infract, except to adjust your compass to stay on course.
So lets stay on the topic of the OP and not each other.
Post deleted, sorry.
 
With regard to the subject, I love atheists!

I was just thinking this morning about a great conversation I had a few years ago (not on this site), where the notion of relationships and how they work through creation from family through society was the trigger point for the person to do some delving.

With regard to the latest conversation about chemicals and measurable changes in needle readings.

If one is to argue that chemicals are the cause for the will to act emotionally or otherwise…

It is important for us to get an explanation as to how the chemicals know who it is I am acting towards.

How do my Chemicals know my wife at X time with emotion chemical Love-a, my kids at Y time with emotion chemical Love-b, and others at Z time with emotion chemical Love-c?

What if a stranger who is not on my chemical radar comes up to me and asks for some food or $$, is it out of the kindness of my chemicals, or coldness of my chemicals that I share or not?

Take care,

Mike
I think it is the other way around, clearly the chemicals do not know, they are simply released under certain circumstances (that is a fact). I can send you my paper on the science of beauty if you like, it explains my hypothesis of the nature of and recognition of certain patterns in nature and how we can apply them to evoke attention responses. Its not for everyone though, some might find it a dry read lol 😃
 
Well obviously I do not believe you, and I never will until you can offer evidence for such a position.
I would say get up walk out your front door and behold the wonders of the world . That is evidence enough in my opinion
 
Sorry, I must not have been clear, my bad. I am not claiming it is simply chemicals, I am claiming that there is a correlation between them. I think we can all agree that there is more to it, we just do not agree what the more is.
But going by the rules you’re laid down there is no possible way to prove there is more to it than just chemicals.
 
But going by the rules you’re laid down there is no possible way to prove there is more to it than just chemicals.
I do not know if it is or not. For example, can you imagine telling people 1000 years ago we would know what the stars are composed of.
 
In any debate, “skeptic-atheists” want to control the game, since they cannot argue for the non-existence of God based on Holy Scripture. Instead, they insist that believers argue for the existence of God from a materialist-reductionist viewpoint. This of course, results in an impasse. Why?..

Because God is above and beyond measurement through physical means, and He is above and beyond human understanding through faithless “logic” alone-- even though God gave us the capacity for logic. Fides et ratio, baby!

“Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves (cf. Ex 33:18; Ps 27:8-9; 63:2-3; Jn 14:8; 1 Jn 3:2).”
(Pope Saint John Paul II, Fides et Ratio)

:extrahappy::tiphat::highprayer:
 
I do not know if it is or not. For example, can you imagine telling people 1000 years ago we would know what the stars are composed of.
Again I am little concerned about the how . I like to concentrate on the who .
 
I would say get up walk out your front door and behold the wonders of the world . That is evidence enough in my opinion
The cosmos is, if I may be so bold is my ‘spiritual’ inspiration, and what has driven my pursuit of trying to understand the cosmos. I have a pretty good telescope (LX-90) and the things I have seen have blown my mind. Ironically such experiences actually remind me why I need to stay grounded and not let emotion control my beliefs, for sometimes they really impact me.
 
Back to the OP:
Once again, God is merciful and will remain merciful, offering His love and forgiveness to the unbelievers right up until the last possible moment:

"Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth— to every nation and tribe and language and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” (Rev. 14:6-7)

Harper Bibles (2011-11-22). NRSV Bible with the Apocrypha (Kindle Locations 88484-88487). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

:gopray::crossrc::highprayer:
 
How do you feel about atheists?
I don’t see them as any different than anyone else. People are people.
Do you pity them?
No. They are like anyone else who is given the choice to believe in God or not, and they’ve chosen the latter. In general that question is there for everyone “Do you believe in God?” and God gave everyone a free will. It is up to them to decide, if they say “no” then why should I pity them for using the free will God gave them?
Hope for them?.. Pray for them?
I hope for everyone, no one religious group over another, no difference between theist, non-theist and anti-theist. I do pray them along with everyone else.
Argue with them?
I use to belong to a philosophy forum and would “debate” with atheist, but the forum was taken over by another forum and it wasn’t the same, and I left. Now I belong to another forum where the majority are atheist. I don’t debate, discuss, or argue with them. I kinda heard the same argument over and over, where is a tad bit trite. I just don’t find debating with atheists interesting (and can be a bit frustrating) cause they can’t get pass square one. Everything I know is based on that “first truth” - there is a God, and everything I come to know is incorporated onto it. I’ve come to realize the whole metaphysical understanding of God’s place in the universe He created doesn’t matter one iota to an atheist.

When it comes to have a discussion with atheist I always think of this passage. “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” - Matt 7:6 What is sacred in your faith and you have to be careful who you share it with cause they will use that opportunity to criticize and demean either you, your Catholic faith (any religion really) or God. So I try not to give them cause.
 
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