Thread: Atheists

Originally Posted by no_brains_no_worries

I've meet plenty of people who have the "Heaven exists, so fuck the earth" attitude, but they are few and far between. Most people I know strive to make a world a better place, even if they do use religion or something similar as a banner to rally behind. Here in Utah, serving a two year mission for the church is as important as graduating high school, but I know plenty of people who instead of going to serve as bible thumpers, join church sponsored habitat for humanity programs for two years. It's been an increasing trend and I like to think even though it's still tied in with all the bible thumping bullshit, I like to think it has made a difference in this world.

I'm not saying it hasn't, and I'm not QUITE silly enough to suggest that every religious person is going to waste their lives preparing for a nonexistent heaven. (Although it sounded like I was saying that in my previous post, I do admit.) But I do think that life can be wasted hugely by religious matters, and moreover, the attitude that this is all we have before oblivion comes is a compelling reason to fill your life with as much good and fun and wonder and knowledge (etc etc) as possible. That's why I think one should live with the attitude that this is all we have.

Originally Posted by no_brains_no_worries

Personally, I am hoping heaven exists because the thought of oblivion and lack of consciousness straight up terrifies me.

As long as you realise it's a completely nonsensical fear -- I mean, as Mark Twain said, you were in oblivion for millions of years until you were born -- all death is is a return to that state.

Originally Posted by no_brains_no_worries

I've meet plenty of people who have the "Heaven exists, so fuck the earth" attitude, but they are few and far between. Most people I know strive to make a world a better place, even if they do use religion or something similar as a banner to rally behind. Here in Utah, serving a two year mission for the church is as important as graduating high school, but I know plenty of people who instead of going to serve as bible thumpers, join church sponsored habitat for humanity programs for two years. It's been an increasing trend and I like to think even though it's still tied in with all the bible thumping bullshit, I like to think it has made a difference in this world.

I once read a quote that went something like "Religious people do nice things because they expect to be rewarded by god. Atheist do nice things because they're nice." I was trying to look up that quote when I found a better one.

"If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for a reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed."
-Albert Einstein

That's pretty much my viewpoint when it comes to religion.

I usually find people who are strongly religious or strongly atheistic presumptuous and annoying when they talk about their beliefs. I'm agnostic and I believe it is impossible to truly know whether or not there is a deity (or for that matter, deities). Actually I'm an apatheist because I do not care whether there is a god or not. I find the discussion pointless. An interesting thought exercise maybe, but ultimately pointless.