I was watching one of the Atheist Experience docs where they were talking about religious people ...

Heraclitus comments on Apr 16, 2018:

The insecure fear the secure.

Where do agnostics go when they die?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 16, 2018:

They don't know.

The Medieval Origins of Easter Traditions | Tor.com

Heraclitus comments on Apr 16, 2018:

And don't forget Christmas. Sol Invictus ("Unconquered Sun") was the official sun god of the later Roman Empire and a patron of soldiers. On 25 December 274 AD the Roman emperor Aurelian made it an official cult alongside the traditional Roman cults. Eventually, the Roman Catholic Church made this into the celebration of the "Unconquered Son" of God.

I'm really interested in the Roman Empire.

Heraclitus comments on Apr 16, 2018:

There is an old saying: "Scratch a Christian, find a barbarian."

Would you want a Christian God to be real?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 16, 2018:

You are asking for a choice between fantasy and reality. I chose a life of truth over a life of delusion. I choose a life of authenticity over a life of fraud. I chose a life of awareness over a life of zombieism. Otherwise, life is wasted.

Believers are always asking me, "If there's no god, what's the meaning of life?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 16, 2018:

The meaning of life is life itself. What more do you need? And if you have a problem with life itself, why do you need a infinite afterlife of it?

Why I'm not an activist for atheism (at this time): I am a de-converted person with very religious ...

Heraclitus comments on Apr 16, 2018:

On point number two, yes there certainly is an evolutionary advantage to religion. Nothing unifies a society better in war than religion. The cry of having "God on our side" while waging war against the infidels/pagans/godless whoevers has been heard throughout the ages. On point number three, I think this is true. Religion dies a hard death and resurrects in the strangiest places. Study the history of Stalinist communism and how they professed atheism while pretty much mading a religion out of the State. Also, ever hear of celebrity worship?

Meditation has been studied in the US, scientifically since the 1960's.

Heraclitus comments on Apr 16, 2018:

Not sure what you are calling the "Christian community" but Catholics have a tradition of meditation that goes back centuries. The "Cloud of Unknowing", for example, was written in the 14th century. Perhaps, those who oppose meditation fear what they do not understand.

Do we have free will?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Do you not believe in free will by choice, or only because it has been determined that you not believe in free will? If you do not believe in free will only because it has determined that you not believe in it, then why should I take you seriously? Unless, of course, it has been determined that I take you seriously against my free will.

Should we have intelligence thresholds for voting?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Intelligence is no protection from a bad decision. The problem is not lack of intelligence but ignorance. Ask the average American a few simple questions about our government and democracy and you will be appalled at the answers you get. Perhaps we should have an education requirement, but unfortunately that might mean that half of Americans would loose their right to vote. Apparently, even basic civics is no longer taught in the USA educational system and we are paying the price for it.

I'm an Atheist... Soo, Should I Feel Stressed Out?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Religion is only non-stressful if you never question it and zombie your way through life. If you spend your life trying to reconcile all the contradictions and trying to figure out why God didn't give you what you prayed for, or if you have enough faith, or if you and your loved ones are going to heaven or hell, it can be very stressful. Believers have nervous breakdowns, you know.

Ok.

Heraclitus comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Believers don't know that there is a god. They have faith that there is a god. Where there is knowledge there is no need for faith, and hence no need for religion.

Do you believe Atheism is a religion?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 12, 2018:

That's because believers do not understand, or refuse to understand, Atheism and so turn it on its head. They think that Atheism is simply a belief or faith that there is no God as opposed to refusing to be entrapped by a belief in God. They mistake the freedom of Atheism for a slavery to a negative faith. Some believers even think that Atheists really believe in God deep down are really just rebelling against God a la Satan.

Fellow agnostics, how do you feel about believers joining?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 12, 2018:

In theory, I welcome diversity of opinions and challenges to my way of thinking. However, in my experience, most religious people neither argue rationally nor honestly. The lack of honesty bothers me more than the lack of reason.

Why White Evangelicals Don't Care About Climate Change | CleanTechnica

Heraclitus comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Hey, if you are expecting the End of the World, why would you be concerned if the weather changes?

Do believer friends invite you to their Church?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Yes, a few times. And ususally they are a little embarassed and slightly apologetic afterwards because the church service wasn't all that good, or everyone talked throughout the service. :-)

Can I be a Catholic Atheist?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Have you ever asked yourself why you like them? If you do not believe in them, then they are simply dead rituals to you. But, maybe they are a form of comforting escapism for you divorced from your intellect.

I was born, raised and beaten (by the good sisters) as a Catholic died and became a born again ...

Heraclitus comments on Apr 12, 2018:

It is simply called the King James Bible because it was written while he was king and back then it was always a good idea to honor the king. Actually, his sexuality has long been a matter of debate because he was not openly gay. He clearly preferred the company of handsome young men. The evidence of his correspondence and contemporary accounts have led some historians to conclude that the king was homosexual or bisexual. In fact, the issue is murky. But, that said, I have never met anyone who believes in the Bible who believes that King James was gay. Have you?

If God made himself known to you one day and said, "You must sacrifice the life of your child for ...

Heraclitus comments on Apr 12, 2018:

I would know it wasn't God. Now, Satan...maybe. LOL

One day the zoo-keeper noticed that the orangutan was reading two books - the Bible and Darwin's ...

Heraclitus comments on Apr 12, 2018:

LOL

Why does it seem to me that religion is a cop-out of "I don't know, therefore God" in the sense of ...

Heraclitus comments on Apr 11, 2018:

Atheism was actually becoming rather popular in the late 19th century. However, with the Theory of Relativity and the Heisenburg Uncertainty Principle, the rug of certainty and stability was pulled out from under the average person's life. To live with empirical science is to live with uncertainty and doubt. Not everyone can emotionally handle that. I've known several people who said that their "Gospel" must be true because it is too depressing to accept that it is not. Most religious people worship comfort and security more than they worship truth, let alone the thrill of discovery. Most people believe in what they feel good believing in. It is not really a matter of intelligence, but of emotional insecurity. Science is perceived as a threat, therefore it is a hoax.

Should religion be taught in schools?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 11, 2018:

OK to teach religion in private religious schools. OK to teach religion as history, culture, or literature in public schools. But, for heaven's sake, never teach religion as science anywhere. It makes a fraud out of religion and a joke out of science.

Does being a "hard line atheist" mean you believe in an accidental universe?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 11, 2018:

If the Universe came into existence in accordance with the laws of physics, it certainly was no accident. Now if it came into existence in defiance of the laws of physics, say for example it was created out of nothing, there's your accidental Universe.

Cosmic Puzzle, Can A Star Be Older Than The Universe? [forbes.com]

Heraclitus comments on Apr 11, 2018:

If a star is older than the Universe, then by definition, we got the age of the Universe wrong.

For atheists - what makes you believe no deity exists?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 11, 2018:

True atheism is a rejection of theism, not a belief. It is a refusal to believe in a system of thought merely because of childhood indoctrination. It is a rejection of myth, not of truth. Indeed, it is an embracing of evidenced truth.

What's atheism without religion?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 11, 2018:

There is an old saying: " In the beginning God created truth. Then the devil said, 'Let us organize truth and call it religion.' "

are you afraid of death?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 11, 2018:

What's to be afraid of? You won't be around to experience anything negative or sad. Are you afraid of sleep? The only reason to afraid of death is if, at some level, you believe in hell.

What happens after death?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 11, 2018:

The almighty ego wants to live forever. But once you are past your ego, so what? You won't be around to mourn the loss of your ego.

Invoking Jesus when you don’t worship him: Often people who don’t identify as Christian will ...

Heraclitus comments on Apr 11, 2018:

One might quote what Shakespeare said, or correct what he did not actually say. Does this make someone a hypocrite? Why for heaven's sake? On the contrary, is it not hypocritical for the Christian to cherry-pick what Jesus said or did not say and at the same time pretend to worship Jesus as the Son of God?

If you don't believe in a God but you do believe in ghost why are you any more rational than a ...

Heraclitus comments on Apr 11, 2018:

I've known many people who believe in ghosts, but never anyone who had a good reason for so believing. It was always a noise they couldn't identify, or a reflection they couldn't identify, or a door that moved on its own from air pressure, or something they thought they saw as they were waking up. However, believing in ghosts is a way of believing in an afterlife. It gives people hope that something exists beyond this earth life.

Hi Everyone.

Heraclitus comments on Mar 20, 2018:

I would love for you to explain the connection between moral philosophy and baroque music. :)

The first question we need to ask is what kind of reptile was Mary...

Heraclitus comments on Mar 20, 2018:

Interesting point, but you are being way too logical about this. Miracles are not logical. If they were, they would not be miracles.

Science and religion

Heraclitus comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Stephen Hawking said that people will always cling to religious beliefs because most people neither understand nor trust science.

Science and religion

Heraclitus comments on Mar 12, 2018:

When exactly did science and religion go hand-in-hand? Must have been before Galileo. Must have been before before Socrates was forced to drink poison hemlock for asking too many questions and corrupting the minds of the youth of Athens, as well as the impiety of not believing in the gods of the state.

Immortality

Heraclitus comments on Mar 12, 2018:

One thing is for sure. Anyone who wants to live forever does not believe they are going to heaven. :)

At what time in you religious formation did you finally come to the conclusion that it was not what ...

Heraclitus comments on Mar 10, 2018:

For me it was when I was a about sixteen and decided that if I was going to continue to say that the Bible was the word of God, the least I could do was read it thoughtfully and objectively as possible. So, I did, cover to cover. That pretty much did it.

I love 42...but what is the question...

Heraclitus comments on Mar 10, 2018:

At one point, Arthur Dent identifies the essential missing question to life, the universe, and everything as “What do you get if you multiply six by nine?” The answer turns out to be forty-two. At first this seems nonsensical, until one realizes that this is the correct answer in base thirteen. We tend to automatically assume everything is in base ten, but we developed this mathmatical base system ourselves only because we are a carbon-based intelligence with ten fingers and ten toes. (Keep in mind that silicon-based artifical intelligence operates on a binary-based system, not decimal.) This answer serves to remind us that our perception of reality is shaped by the filters and limitations of our human experience and knowledge. The Universe recognizes no such limitation.

What Is a Scientific Theory? | Definition of Theory

Heraclitus comments on Mar 10, 2018:

A scientific theory provides a model of analysis, or paradigm, from which to analyze, interpret, test and understand empirical data. Contrary to common misunderstanding, a scientific theory can never become a fact. It can only be replaced by another scientific theory that provides a better explanation of the facts it encompasses.

Has anyone read Stephen R. Donaldson?

Heraclitus comments on Mar 10, 2018:

Yes, loved the thought-provoking existential angst of the Thomas Covenant series. A leper shunned by society who, through his own internal and external struggles, becomes the heroic savior of the Land. So much more substance than your typical fantasy novels. Had to put it down occassionly and just think about it...and feel about it.

At 50+, I find that it's not what people believe that frustrates me but to what degree they impose ...

Heraclitus comments on Mar 9, 2018:

What one cannot tolerate in oneself, such as doubt in one's own convictions, one ususally cannot tolerate in others either. So, to remove this uncomfortable mirror from one's sight is most reassuring.

When I first realized I was an atheist and began talking about it on Facebook, Many religious ...

Heraclitus comments on Mar 9, 2018:

Many religious people believe that without religion the world would "go to hell in a hand basket," or in other words, everyone would become evil because it is the inherent nature of humans to be evil without the threat of hell. In fact, they are not doing too well even with the threat of hell. This is actually a type of negative faith, as the primary faith being expressed is not a faith in a loving, benevolent God, but in the inherent evil nature of humans. If you threaten to put a crack in this egg of negative faith, all the kings horses and all the kings men will not be able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

Why do religious people need a god to worship?

Heraclitus comments on Mar 2, 2018:

If you are asking why people NEED a personal god to believe in and talk (pray) to, as opposed to philosophically believing in an impersonal creator of some sort, you are essentially asking why some people need a perfect parent in the sky to make sense of their lives, and to console them in the face of the injustices of this world. (Sigmund Freud had quite a bit to say on this subject.) Also, some people cannot bring themselves to accept that this crazy world is all that there is. I've know several people to say that God must exist, or the Gospel must be true, because it would be too depressing to think otherwise. I've also read that the only question that truly divides the religious from the non-religious is: "If you found out tomorrow that God did not exist, would life still be worth living?" Guess who says "yes" and guess who says "no".

Why is it people who know how you feel about religion (I am Agnostic) always say I will pray for ...

Heraclitus comments on Mar 2, 2018:

When someone finds out you are agnostic and say they will pray for you, it is probably because they believe you are going to hell, and so they are praying that you will "see the light" and repent of your unbelief. Their tone of voice will usually indicate indicate whether or not they genuinely care, are saying it just because they think they are supposed to, or are simply being condescending.

What if you are wrong and there IS a god

Heraclitus comments on Mar 1, 2018:

See my previous reply as to why I think Pascal's Wager is the most misunderstood wager in the history of gambling, but here I will discuss its absurdity if taken seriously: 1) Even if there is a God, what makes you think God would condemn you to eternal torment simply because you can not force yourself to believe in a particular version of Him/Her/Them/It? Who told you that, and why did you believe it? Not only is it absurd, but it's not actually in the Bible, you know. Even if there is a God, don't you really think, yea verily, don't you deep down feel, that this must be a false god? 2) This is MOST important. One cannot force oneself to believe in God, or a god, if one truly does not believe. It simply can not be done. Try it. Let's start with a deity-like figure called Santa Claus. (He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows when you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!) Can't do it, can you? Can't do it with The Great Pumpkin either, right? OK, now try it with Baal, Zeus, Thor, Osiris, or any of a thousand other mythical gods. No luck there either, right? Just can't force yourself to do it. You can fake it, pretend to believe, lie to yourself and others, live a life of blatant hypocrisy, but you cannot really believe no matter how many times you hit your head against the wall. Not only your brain, but your heart won't let you do it. Now suppose I am a true believer in Woden/Odin and tell you that, just to be on the safe side, you better offer up an altar sacrifice to Woden/Odin least He condemn you to freeze forever in a Scandinavian hell. Would you go out and offer a blood sacrifice to Woden/Odin, just in case? No, of course, you wouldn't. The whole idea is just so absurd as not to be contemplated. So, why are you even considering something similar for the ancient tribal volcanic Hebrew god Jehovah/Yahweh, god of fire and brimstone, burning bushes, and a volcano-like hell buried in the bowels of the earth? Only one reason, right? Because you were raised to believe in such a god. There is no other reason. OK, Pascal's Wager, if taken seriously, is so absurd on face value that one could simply stop there. But frankly, this is too much fun to stop short, and this brings us to the important concepts of Salvation/Justification. 4) SALVATION BY HYPROCISY If there is a God, do you truly believe that God would reward you with heaven for living a life that is a total lie? Really? 5) SALVATION BY WAGER OR BETTING. Do you really think you can hedge a bet with an omniscient, all-powerful deity and win the bet? Really? Do you think you can fool God that you really believe in Him if you don't? If God can be fooled, then He is not God. Even Santa Claus would not fall for ...

Hi, new user from Utah! I'll admit I'm a bit skeptical about the site but I've been looking for ...

Heraclitus comments on Feb 27, 2018:

Howdy stranger! Just in case you don't realize it, most people here probably don't even know what a ward or stake is. As far as I know, only Mormons belong to them. That said, welcome to the jungle, or should I say "Welcome to Babylon!" And from a Gentile to a Saint, I admire your courage for jumping into the painful pool of self-reflection and questioning. Also, relax. This isn't really the forum of Outer Darkness. :)

The hypocrisy of praying for YOUR team to win.

Heraclitus comments on Feb 27, 2018:

If you pray to God for your team to win, you need to ask yourself what kind of a god you believe in. Is God really a cosmic genie that exists for the purpose of granting our wishes? If such a god grants my prayers for my team to win, is God rejecting the prayers for the other team? If so, why? Is it because I am special? If I am so special, how did I get to be that way? Am I the Chosen One? Or, does God perform an arithmetic function based on the number of one team's prayers minus the others? If so, then God is like a cosmic computer. Even more importantly, why does God need us to tell Him what to do? Is God so indecisive that He can't make up His mind which team to "let" win until He listens to some prayers, especially mine? If so, in a sense, that makes me more powerful than God, since I make up His mind for Him. And If I am more powerful than God, then who should be praying to whom in the first place?

What do you mean by "Spiritual"?

Heraclitus comments on Feb 27, 2018:

Those who claim to be spiritual, but not religious, are not rejecting God but are rejecting organized religion. I stopped going to church years ago because I realized that every time I went to church, and I experimented with different churches, I felt further away from God, not closer to God. The rather obvious human authoritarian facade of organized religion was simply too off-putting for me. I realized that if I wanted to continue to believe in God with any sincerity and authenticity I would have to stop going to church, and so I did. There is an old saying: In the Beginning, God created Truth. Then the devil said, "Let us organize it, and call it 'religion'."

What are your views on objective religious philosophy?

Heraclitus comments on Feb 27, 2018:

Though religion itself cannot be objective, philosophy of religion can be. For example, the epistemology of religion delves into the study of how an individual can know, or more accurately, be convinced of their religious convictions. How does an individual become convinced of their religious beliefs? What do they accept as evidence (not proof) for the existence of God, for example? A strong exhilarating feeling? Nothing could be more subjective, or subject to interpretation, and strong exhilarating feelings can be produced by taking certain drugs. Pointing to scripture is not objective because scripture is only "true" because it claims itself to be true. This is a circular argument that could be made of any of a thousand or more "scriptures" of humankind, of which one typically chooses (or was indoctrinated into) the proclaimed scripture of one's personal and subjective tradition. Evidenced by the number of believers? This not only simply reflects mass societal indoctrination and has constantly changed through the ages, but it also sidesteps the issue of sincerity. This is not even to mention that sincerity itself is subjective, and one can easily be sincerely mistaken. True because someone told me whom I trust? This is blind faith, or perhaps more accurately "parroting", and often is attributable to a type of spiritual celebrity worship that negates individuality. Contrarily, when atheists ask for proof of the existence of God, simply ask them what they would accept as proof. Usually, they simply cannot answer as God, being immaterial, cannot be found in a test tube or a telescope. Even "seeing God" could easily just be an illusion, assuming one can even know what God should "look like." Indeed, more to the point, God being immaterial shouldn't be anything recognizable by physical senses at all. So, what then would the objective criteria be? The questions are good. The answers are fleeting.

Intelligent design vs idiotic design

Heraclitus comments on Jan 23, 2018:

If you establish the argument for God on the basis of complexity of design, then the existential foundation of God is based on how you define or judge "complexity." First of all, complexity is purely subjective from a human perspective. How often has something that you thought was complex seemed simple a few years later after you got some education on the subject. Secondly, there is a reverse atheistic insinuation to this argument. If God only exists due to complexity, then if design were perceived as simple, then were would be no viable argument for God's existence. So, at what point on the continuum of simplicity/complexity does God therefore exist, and at what point does God become superfluous. This is an unanswerable question because no such line can be "intelligently" drawn. Thirdly, when this argument is made the example used is often something like a watch, which is a human design, not a divine design, and therefore a false analogy The example of a tree or a mountain is never used because it is realized that it is not convincing to say to a non-believer, "Of course God exists, just look at that tree." However, arguing from human design is not only a false analogy but is anthropomorphically making God in the image of mankind, rather than mankind in the image of God, which used to be considered blasphemy per the Bible. Fourthly, even if one does concede that the existential design of a tree does imply a creative force, that is ALL that it implies, and that creative force need not be anything other than Nature itself, certainly not Jehovah/Yaweh, or any other personal God of one's choosing. So, unless one wants to concede also that Nature is synonymous with God, then one hasn't really said anything intelligible.

How do you view indoctrination?

Heraclitus comments on Jan 21, 2018:

The problem with indoctrination is that it is an endless cycle that has been going on for countless generations. Adults who don't believe indoctrinate their children anyway in one particular religious belief system using the excuse that they can "decide for themselves later." Then their children often end up doing the exact same thing to their children using the exact same excuse, etc. But is it really that simple? First of all, the hold of early indoctrination is so strong that very few are able to truly break free of its hold, probably no more than 7-8%. It is really similar to trying to break free from an addictive way of thinking, feeling, and identifying. Secondly, the children soak up these beliefs because they unquestionably trust their parents and when they realize later what has really happened, that their parents have indoctrinated them in a system of belief that even they don't believe, their trust in their parents can be shattered for life. Thirdly, even those who do see it all as BS may become so cynical at having been "tricked" into believing in such a system for years for mere socialization purposes will probably never become true agnostic/atheists but atheistic rebels with their own narrow-minded way of considering such matters. Then you are simply trading one form of narrow-mindedness for another.