Comments on: Questions for Atheists: Did something cause your unbelief? http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/ by Hemant Mehta Sun, 27 May 2012 22:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Kevin http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-220191 Kevin Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:55:44 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-220191 To me, that question sounds a bit like "What caused you to be gay?" It's not that something caused it for me. It's just who I am. This position is a realization of my personality, knowledge and understanding. That's my non-snarky answer. My snarky answer would be 'reality' caused me to believe what I believe. RAmen. (I'm eating ramen right now! haha) To me, that question sounds a bit like “What caused you to be gay?” It’s not that something caused it for me. It’s just who I am. This position is a realization of my personality, knowledge and understanding.

That’s my non-snarky answer. My snarky answer would be ‘reality’ caused me to believe what I believe. RAmen. (I’m eating ramen right now! haha)

]]> By: Matt http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-218362 Matt Sat, 09 Aug 2008 04:02:21 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-218362 the answer is simple-- I have the ability to think critically! the answer is simple–

I have the ability to think critically!

]]> By: J Myers http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216341 J Myers Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:21:00 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216341 stephanie, not exactly... the question is a hypothetical; <i>if</i> X happens, <i>would</i> Y happen? The fact that we don't believe in a necessary condition (the existence of God) for X to happen does not prevent us from answering the question if we grant, for the sake of discussion, that X happens (God exists and acts to end suffering). The stupidity of the question lies in the obviousness of the answer once this condition is granted (yes, of course we'd become theists... we'd become theists if God did <i>anything</i> discernible). On a side note: who are all these "Meyers" people? PZ Meyers, J Meyers... they are always getting the credit (or blame) for what PZ Myers and I (no relation) say. The extra "e" is the less-common spelling, so they must really be doing something to grab everyone's attention. stephanie, not exactly… the question is a hypothetical; if X happens, would Y happen? The fact that we don’t believe in a necessary condition (the existence of God) for X to happen does not prevent us from answering the question if we grant, for the sake of discussion, that X happens (God exists and acts to end suffering). The stupidity of the question lies in the obviousness of the answer once this condition is granted (yes, of course we’d become theists… we’d become theists if God did anything discernible).

On a side note: who are all these “Meyers” people? PZ Meyers, J Meyers… they are always getting the credit (or blame) for what PZ Myers and I (no relation) say. The extra “e” is the less-common spelling, so they must really be doing something to grab everyone’s attention.

]]> By: Joe K. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216321 Joe K. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:53:06 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216321 I was a true believer in my teens -- jesus, satan, heaven, hell, the holy ghost. Say a prayer and get to heaven. Memorize bible versus to get closer to God. Then I realized fundamentalism was killing my soul. I began practicing non-western religions, and finally, after drifting in the desert of shamanism for a couple of years, I just took all of it, put it in a box, walked away from it, and haven't looked back. I still question the nature of reality. I'm not convinced in the absence of any sort of larger spiritual connection which binds us into the fabric of everythingness, but to hinge it all on some kind of theistic solution seems unimaginative and unsophisticated. I was a true believer in my teens — jesus, satan, heaven, hell, the holy ghost. Say a prayer and get to heaven. Memorize bible versus to get closer to God.

Then I realized fundamentalism was killing my soul. I began practicing non-western religions, and finally, after drifting in the desert of shamanism for a couple of years, I just took all of it, put it in a box, walked away from it, and haven’t looked back.

I still question the nature of reality. I’m not convinced in the absence of any sort of larger spiritual connection which binds us into the fabric of everythingness, but to hinge it all on some kind of theistic solution seems unimaginative and unsophisticated.

]]> By: Derek http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216269 Derek Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:08:10 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216269 <blockquote>It’s about as logical and thought-provoking a question as whether Spider-Man or Batman would win in a fight.</blockquote> Though, to be fair, Bruce Wayne could kick Spidey's scrawny, mutated ass around the block twenty-seven times without breaking a sweat. </offtopic>

It’s about as logical and thought-provoking a question as whether Spider-Man or Batman would win in a fight.

Though, to be fair, Bruce Wayne could kick Spidey’s scrawny, mutated ass around the block twenty-seven times without breaking a sweat. </offtopic>

]]> By: stephanie http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216265 stephanie Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:03:56 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216265 J Meyers, my point exactly. It's about as logical and thought-provoking a question as whether Spider-Man or Batman would win in a fight. I took it as a troll but decided to be polite. J Meyers, my point exactly. It’s about as logical and thought-provoking a question as whether Spider-Man or Batman would win in a fight. I took it as a troll but decided to be polite.

]]> By: J Myers http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216201 J Myers Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:32:24 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216201 <blockquote>Oh, dear, Happy Christian. I don’t think you quite get it. No Atheist thinks your god ought to put an end to all wrong and evil things in the world.</blockquote> stephanie, you don't seem to get it, either. Of course no atheist thinks that any god should do this or that; as we don't believe in any gods, such a belief would be incoherent. The question is whether we would stop being atheists if (the presumably Christian) God ended all evil and suffering. It's a rather stupid question, I'll give you that... if it was clear that <em>God</em> took action, then it would be clear that God actually existed, and <em>every</em> atheist would become a theist of some type. If, however, evil and suffering simply vanished with no indication as to why, many atheists would remain atheists, as the responsibility for such a change should not be immediately assigned to an entity for which there is no evidence (as is the case for every phenomenon we already observe but cannot explain).

Oh, dear, Happy Christian. I don’t think you quite get it. No Atheist thinks your god ought to put an end to all wrong and evil things in the world.

stephanie, you don’t seem to get it, either. Of course no atheist thinks that any god should do this or that; as we don’t believe in any gods, such a belief would be incoherent. The question is whether we would stop being atheists if (the presumably Christian) God ended all evil and suffering. It’s a rather stupid question, I’ll give you that… if it was clear that God took action, then it would be clear that God actually existed, and every atheist would become a theist of some type. If, however, evil and suffering simply vanished with no indication as to why, many atheists would remain atheists, as the responsibility for such a change should not be immediately assigned to an entity for which there is no evidence (as is the case for every phenomenon we already observe but cannot explain).

]]> By: gmanicus http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216162 gmanicus Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:32:55 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216162 I grew up as a Protestant Christian. My moment of “clarity” came when I took a course on world religions in high school. I learned that books such as the Bible were recorded orally for hundreds of years before they were actually written down, and of course, the kicker was that the original orators were uneducated fishermen, and the like. Popular Science magazine also ran a cover story at the time that explained “great” events from the Bible from a scientific perspective (i.e. the burning bush, the flood, and the parting of the red sea). This information really cemented in my mind that religion was all a misguided effort to try and explain seemingly supernatural phenomena of the time. It was no different than indigenous tribes of South America who believe in sun gods or that taking a photograph steals your soul. In short, when people ask me why I am an atheist, I reply: “Because I believe in rational thought and science. I don’t believe in silly, superstitious nonsense.” I grew up as a Protestant Christian. My moment of “clarity” came when I took a course on world religions in high school. I learned that books such as the Bible were recorded orally for hundreds of years before they were actually written down, and of course, the kicker was that the original orators were uneducated fishermen, and the like. Popular Science magazine also ran a cover story at the time that explained “great” events from the Bible from a scientific perspective (i.e. the burning bush, the flood, and the parting of the red sea). This information really cemented in my mind that religion was all a misguided effort to try and explain seemingly supernatural phenomena of the time. It was no different than indigenous tribes of South America who believe in sun gods or that taking a photograph steals your soul. In short, when people ask me why I am an atheist, I reply: “Because I believe in rational thought and science. I don’t believe in silly, superstitious nonsense.”

]]> By: NYCatheist http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216101 NYCatheist Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:44:15 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216101 I never went to church growing up, and only had a vague belief in a Christiany kind of God probably due to the surrounding culture. Once when I was pretty young (7?) my cousin said he didn't believe in God which shocked me at the time since I assumed that man lived (literally) in the sky, just like Santa at the North Pole. I guess that started the ball rolling. I didn't get interested in skepticism in general until college. I do remember arguing with creationist classmates in high school though. I certainly don't hate the idea of God. As I've written elsewhere I wish there was a God. I like the idea of life after death and some kind of justice in the world. (The philosopher Colin McGinn expressed this idea very well in Jonathan Miller's The Atheism Tapes.) I just read a fascinating book about North Korea (by Martin K. Bradley) and the amount of injustice in that country is overwhelming. Millions starve, thousands waste away in concentration camps, while the Dear Leader eats sushi feasts and paddles around in the private pools of his various mansions with his harem. Like his father, he will probably die with no justice served. However, I do hate the idea of eternal punishment in hell. Even Hitler doesn't deserve that. (especially if there IS an afterlife for all his victims...) Williams writes, <blockquote>No one writes angry books about other phenomena in which they do not believe.</blockquote> The "angry" part is debatable, but in general it is not true. Lots of people write, lets say passionate, books about things they don't believe in. Such as: global warming, UFOs, conspiracy theories (JFK, 9-11), astrology, psychics, ghosts, string theory, communism, capitalism, etc... (and atheists!) I never went to church growing up, and only had a vague belief in a Christiany kind of God probably due to the surrounding culture. Once when I was pretty young (7?) my cousin said he didn’t believe in God which shocked me at the time since I assumed that man lived (literally) in the sky, just like Santa at the North Pole. I guess that started the ball rolling. I didn’t get interested in skepticism in general until college. I do remember arguing with creationist classmates in high school though.

I certainly don’t hate the idea of God. As I’ve written elsewhere I wish there was a God. I like the idea of life after death and some kind of justice in the world. (The philosopher Colin McGinn expressed this idea very well in Jonathan Miller’s The Atheism Tapes.) I just read a fascinating book about North Korea (by Martin K. Bradley) and the amount of injustice in that country is overwhelming. Millions starve, thousands waste away in concentration camps, while the Dear Leader eats sushi feasts and paddles around in the private pools of his various mansions with his harem. Like his father, he will probably die with no justice served. However, I do hate the idea of eternal punishment in hell. Even Hitler doesn’t deserve that. (especially if there IS an afterlife for all his victims…)

Williams writes,

No one writes angry books about other phenomena in which they do not believe.

The “angry” part is debatable, but in general it is not true. Lots of people write, lets say passionate, books about things they don’t believe in. Such as: global warming, UFOs, conspiracy theories (JFK, 9-11), astrology, psychics, ghosts, string theory, communism, capitalism, etc… (and atheists!)

]]> By: cipher http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216056 cipher Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:19:14 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/08/03/questions-for-atheists-did-something-cause-your-unbelief/#comment-216056 Another example of the type of denial indulged in by Vatican functionaries: <blockquote>In an interview with the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Archbishop Girotti said he thought the most dangerous areas for committing new types of sins lay in the fields of bio-ethics and ecology. He also named abortion and paedophilia as two of the greatest sins of our times. <b>The archbishop brushed off cases of sexual violence against minors committed by priests as "exaggerations by the mass media aimed at discrediting the Church"</b>. </blockquote> (from BBC News: <em>Fewer Confessions and New Sins</em>, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7287071.stm) Another example of the type of denial indulged in by Vatican functionaries:

In an interview with the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Archbishop Girotti said he thought the most dangerous areas for committing new types of sins lay in the fields of bio-ethics and ecology.

He also named abortion and paedophilia as two of the greatest sins of our times. The archbishop brushed off cases of sexual violence against minors committed by priests as “exaggerations by the mass media aimed at discrediting the Church”.

(from BBC News: Fewer Confessions and New Sins, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7287071.stm)

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