Any agnostics/atheists out there?

[SitcomsHeydayfan]

I'm in the atheist group because it's very clear that man created these stories of immortal supernatural beings due to the FEAR of death and the unknown. Plus even a Christian is 99.9% atheist because they don't believe the thousands of other gods that man has worshipped throughout history!

So how about you guys?

I may be atheist but let me be clear I've gone to church with friends or as a visitor and have nothing against church or Christians. It's just that NO religion can prove life goes on after death.

[opus]

I’m an atheist. Swear to God.

(Old joke )

[SitcomsHeydayfan]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

Religious people tend to be happier:

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank...this-question/

Just about every culture starts off believing in some form of God, and every culture that goes strictly atheistic ends up hellish very quickly. People should learn from all that.

I can understand that because the fear of god's wrath can help people lead good, virtuous lives.

I'm just saying there's no evidence it's anything but a man-made coping mechanism.

[SitcomsHeydayfan]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

How widespread it is is the evidence. The odds that all these different little cultures, in jungles and deserts and polar areas all over the world, just imagined a spirit world as a coping mechanism are incredibly small.

Lies, fairytales, & myths can be widespread too! Mythology and fairytales have been spread among humans all over the planet for many thousands of years. Ever since humans began to speak!

What's the difference between myth and reality? You can PROVE reality. I can prove gravity exists. Just pick up an object and drop it & watch it fall.

Unless you can interview a dead person, prove life goes on after death, or bring a god down to earth then religions are just like the myths man has been creating since the dawn of mankind!

[SitcomsHeydayfan]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

You can't prove any of that. You can't prove there's an object or any motion. All you can do is perceive these things - and human perception is flawed. Ironically, in order to prove what you say you can prove, you would require flawless perception - and that would be a characteristic of a God that you say doesn't exist.

The bottom line is the burden of proof is on the BELIEVER to show a certain thing or process exists.

No religious person can meet that burden to actually show a god or afterlife exists. You can't visit heaven or the afterlife in the same way you can book a flight to Chicago or Paris.

[MrCleveland]

My brother-in-law is...and he shared something on Facebook which made my dad hit the ceiling and a passing airplane....

I only know a few atheists and even one guy told me "If I'm In Hell, then that's my fault"!

[ABlairican Pie]

When one says that they don't believe in God, do they mean that they don't believe in some "grand old man in the sky", or that they don't believe in some benevolent power behind the grand scheme of things that offers hope and courage amidst the drudgery and tragedy often happening in life?

See, even to define God on those latter terms is limiting. So how DO we define God? Or CAN he be defined? Is "definition" even limiting?

[Wawwie]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

How widespread it is is the evidence. The odds that all these different little cultures, in jungles and deserts and polar areas all over the world, just imagined a spirit world as a coping mechanism are incredibly small.

Children all over the world believe in santa clause, but it doesn't make it true.
It is a coping mechanism like when mommy says: "eat your vegetables, or santa isn't coming"!

[Wawwie]

Originally Posted by SitcomsHeydayfan

man created these stories of immortal supernatural beings due to the FEAR of death and the unknown.

It's no different than parents making up the lie of santa clause to keep their kids in line.

"If you're bad, santa won't leave you any presents"!

[SitcomsHeydayfan]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

The believer doesn't have any burden of proof. He or she just has belief. It's the person who claims certainty who has a burden of proof, and not just in religious matters.

EXACTLY! Thank you for proving my point!

People believe in all sorts of CRAZY things but that does NOT make them true! People believe in Bigfoot, aliens, the Loch Ness moster, Yowie, vampires, ghosts, flat earth, the Illuminati, the swamp monster, the giant 200 foot Octopus/Kraken, the moon landing was FAKE, 9/11 terror attacks were an inside job, etc. etc.

Belief is simply faith but NOT evidence!

[SitcomsHeydayfan]

Originally Posted by Wawwie

It's no different than parents making up the lie of santa clause to keep their kids in line.

"If you're bad, santa won't leave you any presents"!

In the same way religion uses fear of god to keep people in line!

[Wawwie]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

The believer doesn't have any burden of proof. He or she just has belief. It's the person who claims certainty who has a burden of proof, and not just in religious matters.

Say hello to the easter bunny for me

[Steve_uk]

Originally Posted by SitcomsHeydayfan

In the same way religion uses fear of god to keep people in line!

This reminds me of the Karl Marx quote: "Religion is the opium of the people." I suppose atheists and agnostics are entitled to cite the wars started and millions of dead killed in the name of religion. It's such a shame because life would be bleak had Jesus Christ never walked the face of the earth.

[Babalu]

islam is the most evil religion in the world.

Liberalism is second.

[MrCleveland]

Originally Posted by Wawwie

Say hello to the easter bunny for me

...as well as The Tooth Fairy!

If I ever have a family...again, big IF...

I'm NOT using the myth of The Tooth fairy nor Easter Bunny...but I'll have the myth of Santa Claus, I will because when the oldest child is 8 or 9, I'll tell them the REAL Santa...St. Nicholas....