Why are atheists so unhappy?

[RNRobert]

Nope, society has to have a balancing point that keeps it stable, or else it will destroy itself.

But why should I care whether a society remains stable or descends into chaos? I suppose it has something to do with the continuation of the species, but why should I care if the species continues? If my life is nothing more than than a series of chemical processes that is here today and gone tomorrow (not even a blink of an eye in the overall scheme of things), why should I give a fat rat’s behind
what happens to society or the species when I’ve turned to dust?

 

[Tomster]

Perhaps I should have titled by thread “Why are atheists so angry?” Again, I realize it is a bit of a generalization. Many are as Kaninchen said, indifferent. But it seems there are many who seem to be as aggressive in spreading their belief system as they claim religious people are in spreading theirs.
For years I was an agnostic. I thought religion was a bunch of foolishness. But I could never understand the radical atheists who went around forcing their beliefs down others throats. If you don’t believe in something, fine, but live and let live (I think these people seem to forget the Constitution guarantees freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion). . A good many people in this country are at least nominally Christian and celebrate Christmas in some fashion, so why do these radical atheists get their knickers in a twist when a manger scene is put up? I could see their point if they were compelled to attend religious services or display religious items in front of their home, but this isn’t the case, so why be a dog in a manger? I think such actions are hypocritical.
For those here who are atheists, may I ask what brings you to this forum? Not trying to be rude, just curious. It’s just that when I was an agnostic, I would have had no interesting spending time on any religious forum.

RNRobert,

Let’s get to the “heart” of the matter shall we?

“The Holy Spirit tells us the “fool said in his heart there is no God.” Observe the clause - “in his heart” - not in his mind, not in his reason. No, it is a rooted unwillingness to obey and love God that causes men to try and persuade themselves that no such Divine Person exists, and in this effort they too often succeed. “The wish is father of the thought,” as the poet says. It is their hearts, their desires, that speak, not their reason. In the inner depths of their own consciousness they know that God does and must exist, and that the universe would remain forever a wholly and absolutely inexplicable riddle unless we accept the doctrine of an intelligent Creator - a doctrine of reason and common sense. Man cannot disguise from himself the fact - if he reflects at all - that every object around and about him proclaims the presence of God far more certainly than the human footprint on the sand proclaims the presence of man. For the traces of God’s creative power are on every leaf and on every blade of grass. We cannot deny Him without dethroning reason, stultifying ourselves and committing an act of intellectual suicide - from which may God in His mercy preserve us.” - J.S. Vaughan “Earth to Heaven”

 

[Tomster]

Perhaps I should have titled by thread “Why are atheists so angry?” Again, I realize it is a bit of a generalization. Many are as Kaninchen said, indifferent. But it seems there are many who seem to be as aggressive in spreading their belief system as they claim religious people are in spreading theirs.
For years I was an agnostic. I thought religion was a bunch of foolishness. But I could never understand the radical atheists who went around forcing their beliefs down others throats. If you don’t believe in something, fine, but live and let live (I think these people seem to forget the Constitution guarantees freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion). . A good many people in this country are at least nominally Christian and celebrate Christmas in some fashion, so why do these radical atheists get their knickers in a twist when a manger scene is put up? I could see their point if they were compelled to attend religious services or display religious items in front of their home, but this isn’t the case, so why be a dog in a manger? I think such actions are hypocritical.
For those here who are atheists, may I ask what brings you to this forum? Not trying to be rude, just curious. It’s just that when I was an agnostic, I would have had no interesting spending time on any religious forum.

RNRobert,

Perhaps another quote for our atheist friends.

"I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a mind. And therefore God never wrought a miracle to convince atheism, because His ordinary works convince it. It is true that a little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds about to religion; for while the mind of man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may sometimes rest in them, and go no farther; but when it beholdeth the chain of them confederate and linked together, it must needs fly to Providence and Deity . . .

They that deny a God destroy man’s nobilty: for certainly man is of kin to the beasts by his body; and if he be not of kin to God by his spirit, he is a base and ignoble creature . . . Man, when he resteth and assureth himself upon divine protection and favor, gathereth a force and faith, which human nature in itself could not obtain: therefore as atheism is in all respects hateful, so in this, that it depriveth human nature of the means to exalt itself above human frailty." Francis Bacon “Essays, XVI: Of Atheism.”

 

[Charles_Darwin]

But why should I care whether a society remains stable or descends into chaos? I suppose it has something to do with the continuation of the species, but why should I care if the species continues? If my life is nothing more than than a series of chemical processes that is here today and gone tomorrow (not even a blink of an eye in the overall scheme of things), why should I give a fat rat’s behind
what happens to society or the species when I’ve turned to dust?

It not a matter of caring, the societies that were not stable destroyed theirselfs. Caring has nothing to do with it.

 

[Charles_Darwin]

RNRobert,

Let’s get to the “heart” of the matter shall we?

“The Holy Spirit tells us the “fool said in his heart there is no God.” Observe the clause - “in his heart” - not in his mind, not in his reason. No, it is a rooted unwillingness to obey and love God that causes men to try and persuade themselves that no such Divine Person exists, and in this effort they too often succeed. “The wish is father of the thought,” as the poet says. It is their hearts, their desires, that speak, not their reason. In the inner depths of their own consciousness they know that God does and must exist, and that the universe would remain forever a wholly and absolutely inexplicable riddle unless we accept the doctrine of an intelligent Creator - a doctrine of reason and common sense. Man cannot disguise from himself the fact - if he reflects at all - that every object around and about him proclaims the presence of God far more certainly than the human footprint on the sand proclaims the presence of man. For the traces of God’s creative power are on every leaf and on every blade of grass. We cannot deny Him without dethroning reason, stultifying ourselves and committing an act of intellectual suicide - from which may God in His mercy preserve us.” - J.S. Vaughan “Earth to Heaven”

My heart pumps blood.

The reast is a mix of lies and appeal to emotion.

“in the inner depths of their own consciousness they know that God does and must exist”

LOL no, i dont have any beliefs regarding deities. Thanks for telling me what i believe though.

 

[Tomster]

It not a matter of caring, the societies that were not stable destroyed theirselfs. Caring has nothing to do with it.

RNRobert,

“Caring has nothing to do with it.”

I rest my case.

 

[Charles_Darwin]

RNRobert,

“Caring has nothing to do with it.”

I rest my case.

Nothing like a good old quote mine

 

[Tomster]

My heart pumps blood.

The reast is a mix of lies and appeal to emotion.

“in the inner depths of their own consciousness they know that God does and must exist”

LOL no, i dont have any beliefs regarding deities. Thanks for telling me what i believe though.

You are quite welcome.

 

[RNRobert]

RNRobert,

“Caring has nothing to do with it.”

I rest my case.

Yup.

 

[SHW]

That is not what a theory is, come on people this is BASIC BASIC science.

FYI, there is more than one definition for “theory.”

 

[RNRobert]

It not a matter of caring, the societies that were not stable destroyed theirselfs. Caring has nothing to do with it.

CD,

Me thinks you are ducking the question.

Please tell me WHY it matters whether or not societies destroy themselves or not.

 

[Tomster]

Yup.

It is interesting, RNR, that if you ask me why some men still persist in denying the existence of God, despite the clear testimony of reason and the general consent of all peoples from the beginning of the world, the answer is not far to seek. Just as the human will can freely and deliberately sin against the light and do the most abominable things, atheistic communism comes to mind, so the human mind can defiantly and illogically deny the most self-evident truths. The Psalmist is right in calling the atheist a “fool.” St. Paul is right in declaring him “inexcusable” (Romans 1:20). Personal sin too often blinds man’s vision of the unseen world of the spirit. “The sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God, for it is foolishness to him, and he cannot understand, because it is spiritually examined” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

 

[SHW]

The way Europe is contracepting itself into extinction, it will probably be Muslim in 30 years…

Here also in the USA, except for the Latinos, who are having their children born here as soon as they can get over the border.

Charles Darwin prefers atheists as friends. I wonder if they are all as “unhappy” as he is?

Atheists aren’t sure where they came from except to say “stardust,” don’t know for what purpose they are here on earth, and think that they will return to dust after they die and that’s the end. I’d be unhappy, too, if that is what I believed. “From nothing back to nothing.” That is why a lot of them think, “Let us eat and drink (and whatever other earthly pleasures they desire), for tomorrow we die.” (1 Corinthians 15:31-33)

I was a friend to an atheist at one time, but since our values were not the same, the friendship could not be sustained. He was an unhappy atheist, but he was not willing to believe in God because he was not willing to relinquish “control” over his own life to a God who would censor his actions. Like he has “control” over whether he even gets to take his next breath! Not!

 

[RNRobert]

Excellent posts, Tomster!

CD seems to think that life is nothing more than a series of chemical processes. But chemicals are unconscious: If you put some chemicals in a beaker, you are going to get the same reaction every time. The chemicals aren’t going to do something different, or complain about having to perform the same thing over and over again, or ponder what their purpose in performing reactions are. Out of all the creatures on the planet, human beings are the only ones who ponder their existence.
Atheists seem to believe that morality is something simply hardwired into our DNA. By that token, it could be argued that the need to worship is something also part of our genetic heritage.

 

[josie_L]

You still don’t get it do you. No matter how limited her options she should still have the right to choose. Anyway how do you know her family would be unable to support her? How to you know a man would not love her? Only a loonie would not love someone because they have been raped.

Why didn’t go make the rule, if you rape someone then you must financially support them, WITHOUT them being forced to marry you? Why didn’t god teach that rape is wrong, instead of ENCOURAGING IT!! If that is the law of a god its morals leave ALOT to be desired.

I’m not saying that there are no exceptions to the rules, the priests who judged each case uniquely were allowed to I would assume on the basis of mercy (as they were expected to be by God) to grant, depending on the situation, a different outcome than that prescribed by the law.

And even If the rapist should support the woman he raped financially, it would still leave the matter unsettled in that she would remain unmarried, and moreover, unprotected once her parents died (a woman was not allowed to live alone in Jewish society). You are seeing this in modern terms and as such miss the nuances that make it hard for you to understand why this law was prescribed (without seeing that mercy was always at the fore when considering each case).

And furthermore, God was not encouraging anything as He made the laws quite clear for it was a dastardly in the eyes of the Jewish to make what is pure impure (whether directly or indirectly).

 

[Tomster]

Excellent posts, Tomster!

CD seems to think that life is nothing more than a series of chemical processes. But chemicals are unconscious: If you put some chemicals in a beaker, you are going to get the same reaction every time. The chemicals aren’t going to do something different, or complain about having to perform the same thing over and over again, or ponder what their purpose in performing reactions are. Out of all the creatures on the planet, human beings are the only ones who ponder their existence.
Atheists seem to believe that morality is something simply hardwired into our DNA. By that token, it could be argued that the need to worship is something also part of our genetic heritage.

So, to answer the question, “Why are atheists so unhappy?”, the answer is simply that atheism leads to pessimism and despair, while belief in God leads to faith and hope. “By their fruits you shall know them.”

 

[SHW]

Evidence please…

“Evidence” is evident. Only “God” or “like God” can create the original materials that are needed in order to make the Big Bang possible. The Big Bang, if correct theory, had to have the necessary “components” present in order to “explode” in a Big Bang and as a consequence birth stars. If the Big Bang theory is not correct, then the universe still had a beginning out of “nothing.” Someone created the original components. They did not create themselves.

This is elementary “science.” It takes “something” plus “something” or else something minus something in order to make a new “something(s).” Christians and Jews and Muslims believe that “God” created the “something(s)” that were necessary in order for us to be able to exist.

Only magicians and perhaps atheists can pull “live” rabbits out of “empty” hats.

 

[Charles_Darwin]

FYI, there is more than one definition for “theory.”

Yep and you said “If all the facts are known, there is no need to theorize.” which shows you have no idea what the world means in regard to science.

 

[Charles_Darwin]

CD,

Me thinks you are ducking the question.

Please tell me WHY it matters whether or not societies destroy themselves or not.

It doesn’t matter? I take it you totally misunderstood my post?

 

[Tomster]

“Evidence” is evident. Only “God” or “like God” can create the original materials that are needed in order to make the Big Bang possible. The Big Bang, if correct theory, had to have the necessary “components” present in order to “explode” in a Big Bang and as a consequence birth stars. If the Big Bang theory is not correct, then the universe still had a beginning out of “nothing.” Someone created the original components. They did not create themselves.

This is elementary “science.” It takes “something” plus “something” or else something minus something in order to make a new “something(s).” Christians and Jews and Muslims believe that “God” created the “something(s)” that were necessary in order for us to be able to exist.

Only magicians and perhaps atheists can pull “live” rabbits out of “empty” hats.

SHW,

Atheists still have difficulty with causality. I once had a Jesuit prof many, many years ago, who had the wonderful ability to take Thomism and rip to shreads the atheists (so-called) in our class, all with Christian charity I might add.