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Author | Topic: Psychology looks at atheism and theism. Also, atheism is tenuous/non-existent/rare .. | |||||||||||||||||||
JustinC Member (Idle past 4873 days) Posts: 624 From: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Joined: |
1. The large majority of atheists (excluding atheistic religions) do not believe in an afterlife.
2. When threatened with death if they do not denounce their views, they will probably choose to denounce their views so they can maintain living their life. Therefore, the disparity between the amount of Christian and atheistic martyrs is not evidence that atheists do not exist. Small amounts of atheistic martyrs is what is predicted based on the size of the demographic and nature of their beliefs. The fact that there are few atheistic martyrs is not evidence that there are not genuine atheists.
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JustinC Member (Idle past 4873 days) Posts: 624 From: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Joined: |
The evidence you present that Christians actually exist is that there are/were Christian martyrs. I don't find this very convincing, since martyrdom can be used to immortalize oneself, which is an incentive distinct from having genuine beliefs.
But let's forget that. I guess your point is, "Christians have made many great sacrifices on behalf of their beliefs, therefore they must actually believe in them." Giving up ones life is only one form of sacrifice one can commit on behalf of belief. So, what about devoting the majority of one's life to atheistic philosophy? Isn't that one hell of a sacrifice? Spending years and years of one's life defending one's beliefs, elucidating one's beliefs, and being chastized for one's beliefs? Wouldn't this be evidence of the sincerity of the atheists beliefs, just as the martyr giving up his physical life is evidence of the sincerity of his beliefs? Why would the atheist devote his life to atheism, with all the repercussions that come with it, if he did not believe sincerely? Just as you may rebut any criticism of martyrdom with, "why would he let himself die if he didn't actually believe his views?"
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JustinC Member (Idle past 4873 days) Posts: 624 From: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Joined: |
I have been in quite a few atheistic organizations and have met hundreds of atheists in my life. I haven't met one that beleived in an afterlife. I know this is anecdotal evidence, but it's all I have unless you want me to take a poll of my atheist friends.
But I guess you would claim that I don't have atheist friends since you don't believe in atheists. Then, if you let me do the polling with the caveat that is only with professed atheists, you would want to prove that they don't believe in an afterlife. Then you'd ask me to prove every bit of personal testimony that follows from that proof, ad infinitum. It's a childish game you are playing.
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JustinC Member (Idle past 4873 days) Posts: 624 From: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Joined: |
quote:Why isn't this evidence that atheists exist, yet martyrdom is evidence of a Christian's sincerity?
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JustinC Member (Idle past 4873 days) Posts: 624 From: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Joined: |
quote:They had a choice to recant. They therefore chose martyrdom. But this is besides the point of my post. Don't you think it's ridiculous of me to say that these martyrs didn't actually believe in their religion? In the same way, it is ridiculous of you to say that people who devote their whole lives to atheist philosophy, i.e., defending it, elucidating it, being ostracized for it, etc., are not actually atheists. Why would they put up this front if they were not atheists? Why would they sacrific prodigous amounts of time defending it against bigots, out themselves from family and friends, cause mental anguish amongst their religous family and friends, proselytize their beliefs, be the subject of Q&A sessions everytime someone finds out their beliefs, give up social acceptance, give up eternal life with God, and, in the case of my friend, choose not to deny his atheism and give up a relationship with his Catholic girlfriend who he loved very much? This is the main point of my last post that you failed to address. You declared that sacrific on behalf of one's belief is proof that they are sincere. Do atheists not sacrifice on behalf of their beliefs?
quote:So atheists sacrific large parts of their lives because they are angry with God, etc. Do you have any evidence that their are atheists who lack a belief in God for this reason? And I don't think testimonials of ex-atheists are good evidence, since the testimonials are subject to ad hoc rationalizations based on their current belief system, and is not necessarily indicative on their views while they were atheists. Can you give me an example of an atheist who lacks a belief in God out of anger? I'm not necessarily disagreeing with this, I'm just curious whether you have any examples. People may deny the nonexistance of a magical being because they are afraid of the conclusions that might follow. Can you provide me with some evidence that martyrs you cited weren't in denial, the same way you claim atheists are in denial? If you cite that fact that they sacrificed for their beliefs, why doesn't the atheist's personal sacrifice measure up?
quote:I do not accept the Bible as a book that accurately reflecting human nature. What the Bible says about this subject means absolutely nothing to me. Humans have been corrupt throughout history, as you say. But there has always been an incentive, such as money, power, lust, etc. What's the incentive for atheism? Being bigoted? Being tortured for eternity for unbelief?
quote:How is it low quality? It is the same type of proof you gave supporting the proposal that Christians exist. If you don't think sacrifice on behalf of one's belief is evidence they are sincere, then you have not shown that Christians exist. This message has been edited by JustinCy, 09-04-2004 06:30 PM
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JustinC Member (Idle past 4873 days) Posts: 624 From: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Joined: |
quote:Is it possible for you to actually address the main points of my post instead of going of on a tangent about what is or is not a bigot?
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JustinC Member (Idle past 4873 days) Posts: 624 From: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Joined: |
Do you realize that contracyle and JustinCy (me) are different people?
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JustinC Member (Idle past 4873 days) Posts: 624 From: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Joined: |
quote:You have yet to even respond to my post, which shows that atheists, just like Christians, sacrifice on behalf of their belief. That is exactly what martyrdom does. If you cannot refute it, then please stop using the same arguments. I will repost my post in order for you to respond to it on point by point basis, if you cannot do this then please stop making the same tired arguments. My previous post:
quote:They had a choice to recant. They therefore chose martyrdom. But this is besides the point of my post. Don't you think it's ridiculous of me to say that these martyrs didn't actually believe in their religion? In the same way, it is ridiculous of you to say that people who devote their whole lives to atheist philosophy, i.e., defending it, elucidating it, being ostracized for it, etc., are not actually atheists. Why would they put up this front if they were not atheists? Why would they sacrific prodigous amounts of time defending it against bigots, out themselves from family and friends, cause mental anguish amongst their religous family and friends, proselytize their beliefs, be the subject of Q&A sessions everytime someone finds out their beliefs, give up social acceptance, give up eternal life with God, and, in the case of my friend, choose not to deny his atheism and give up a relationship with his Catholic girlfriend who he loved very much? This is the main point of my last post that you failed to address. You declared that sacrific on behalf of one's belief is proof that they are sincere. Do atheists not sacrifice on behalf of their beliefs?
quote:So atheists sacrific large parts of their lives because they are angry with God, etc. Do you have any evidence that their are atheists who lack a belief in God for this reason? And I don't think testimonials of ex-atheists are good evidence, since the testimonials are subject to ad hoc rationalizations based on their current belief system, and is not necessarily indicative on their views while they were atheists. Can you give me an example of an atheist who lacks a belief in God out of anger? I'm not necessarily disagreeing with this, I'm just curious whether you have any examples. People may deny the nonexistance of a magical being because they are afraid of the conclusions that might follow. Can you provide me with some evidence that martyrs you cited weren't in denial, the same way you claim atheists are in denial? If you cite that fact that they sacrificed for their beliefs, why doesn't the atheist's personal sacrifice measure up?
quote:I do not accept the Bible as a book that accurately reflecting human nature. What the Bible says about this subject means absolutely nothing to me. Humans have been corrupt throughout history, as you say. But there has always been an incentive, such as money, power, lust, etc. What's the incentive for atheism? Being bigoted? Being tortured for eternity for unbelief?
quote:How is it low quality? It is the same type of proof you gave supporting the proposal that Christians exist. If you don't think sacrifice on behalf of one's belief is evidence they are sincere, then you have not shown that Christians exist.
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