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I used to think of myself at "agnostic" but now I describe myself as "atheist" To me agnostic seems more neutral, not taking sides. But as I got older, I realized that I have ample reason to take a firm and well-researched position. God is best thought of as a part of the brain. (There is a book called "The God Part of the Brain" which says what it sounds like) After reading it I realized I could dismiss the theists. When I take a position I like to fully understand the contrary views and feel able to explain why they exist.

deeperthinker15 4 Jan 15
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Scientists have recently discovered a link between fundamentalist religious people and brain damage.

I think fundamentalist religion at its heart is about fear. But so is racism, misogyny and so many other human evils. The solution is not more fear through attacking such people rather through education of the young and firm control over their effects on the larger population.

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One could argue reality is part and parcel of our brains. Without which it would not exist for us and with that lack its actually existence is irrelevant to what we once were. Or maybe not as no one knows what becomes of consciousness after death. But all in all none of that really matters as much as action and what you do. Why you do it and how it effects yourself and others. Belief presages all action. Belief grounded in established facts is the best way to move forward with action. But the unknowns are still there. Why in the face of a cold dead universe not be amoral? Why not define morals as only that which avoids pain or negative consequences for oneself or those one choses to care about? What replaces the moral code built by religion? I am curious from the point of view of an atheist. Were do we go from here? I am all for the death of religion but railing against it alone accomplishes little if there is nothing to replace it. For me humanism and the universal declaration of human rights is a start.

Quarm Level 6 Jan 18, 2019

we might note that the OT is actually a record of the failure of religion, and fwiw I could Quote Bible for every one of those concepts up there too I guess, except maybe "Why not define morals as only that which avoids pain or negative consequences for oneself or those one choses to care about?" as that would ignore those we don't care about I guess right

@bbyrd009 Morals and Ethics both are subjective for humans. Look at America, the shining beacon on the hill. Our foreign policy is ripe with massacres, atrocity and events and policies I think most sane people would consider evil. The fire bombing of Tokyo and the internment of Japanese Americans, the treatment of minorities starting with the native people, the African American slaves, the Chinese during the rise of the railroads in the west, the Irish and Catholics in the East during the Industrial Age in the North East. I think the Bible as much as any religious text is not about God but rather the search for answers to age old questions and an attempt to build purpose into chaos and a world in which humans are nothing but really clever animals. Also it is about power and the manipulation of people. What I would like to see across the board is a effort to quantify a America were first and foremost irrelevant to religion, dogma, gender, racial and ethnic identity, sexual orientation, social and economic status we as a nation take care of ALL citizens needs at a decent level before allowing anyone to profit grossly. Call me a socialist but such a world would be better for all of us.

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