We know christians, muslims and jews are looking earn their personal ticket to the big spiritual orgasm called heaven, but what's the selfish motivation behind atheism?
Or is atheism more altruistic?
2006-11-18 05:01:29 · 25 answers · asked by Frog Five 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Methinks Gary has a green eyed monster in his house.
dog sneeze (do dogs have knees?) Possibly the biggest philanthropic organisation ever is the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. It may not be Atheist, exactly, but religion is not in it's remit. There are plenty more, if you look, that don't have any religious pretensions and if atheism is defined by the absence of religious dogma, you wont have to look far.
Gary, God's Child and Ely C: You guys shouldn't be answering questions about anything. You are the kind of people who elaborate on ignorance and call it wisdom and virtue. You have no idea what you're talking about, ever.
Lana S: I don't know what to make of your answer. I'm struggling to find any substance in it, though it all looks quite impressive. The big trip-up is bemoaning bitty answers at the start and then dropping entirely bitty phrases and statements into the body of it. 'God is Knowledge and Knowing.'?....... That's handy!
2006-11-19 12:21:47 · update #1
It looks like there isn't really a selfish ulterior motive for the atheists. The absence of it does imply that the outlook is comparatively, at least, more altruistic than religion but that only means that religion measures up with a negative value of altruism which is a shame, I'd say. But that's fine. Shame is OK in religion. It's pride that's sinful.
2006-11-20 16:37:58 · update #2
No ulterior motive for me. My reasons were as follows;
1. Biblical contradictions. We have two versions of the Creation(in my version of the Bible at least, not sure if this is Protestant Bible phenomena or if it's everywhere). We have a commandment mandating that we not kill, yet there's lots of wanton war and murder and sacrifice all through the Old Testament. We're told to love one another, but yet I have found a Bible passage in the New Testament stating that unless someone hates their family, they can't be a follower. Right. That makes total sense.
2. Scientific contradictions. There's a lot of things in the Bible that contradict what's readily accepted in modern science. No, this isn't just evolution. There's other things besides evolution that are contradicted in the Bible that are scientifically impossible as we know it. Short of things that have yet to be discovered or some sort of magical way of bringing the events about, it's clearly not true. Adam and Eve is my favorite arguement for that, for a species being born of one couple, but that's a long arguement I shall spare you.
3. Abuse. No, not by clergy. My own family treated me as subhuman and "not good enough" from a young age when it came to religion. Not everyone in my family, but people I was close to who I cared about did. I was curious, wondered how things worked and why they were the way they were and apparently, this wasn't acceptable where I'm from. I was supposed to just shut up and accept it, not wonder why. I've dealt with a LOT of crap as a result, including being told at the age of SIX by my grandmother that I was being bullied at school because I had a miserable life and always would because it was "God's plan" for me. Don't tell me you expect me to believe in a religion after that because there's no way a person would believe a loving God would punish them for just being born.
There are other things that led me to decide that religion wasn't real and worth believing in, but those are the biggest three things. I didn't become an atheist because I didn't like the rules, or to attain some other form of enlightenment. Didn't do it to throw myself into an orgy of promiscuous sex, drugs, liquor, and materialism. I just did it because religion didn't make sense. That was my motivation. No ulterior motives, just not making any sense out of it.
2006-11-18 05:58:48 · answer #1 · answered by Ophelia 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Dear Frog Five:
I find in our Category, here, that the great wealth of ideas and what has been learned is seldom shared. Rather, we shout small bytes at each other when, at least I, would prefer to get deeper into experiences and the lessons contained therein. Exploration about God is appropriate for the Religion/Spirituality Forum. Are we offering each other something of depth and richness to contemplate? Why will we not read and take in anything beyond a small byte? And, under those circumstances, what is available to us - from each other?
Atheism has been, amongst a host of other "reasons," due to not wanting to believe in anything that can not be proven. Not wanting to be duped! Of course this means not acknowledging there is anything but physical matter called brain and the Intellect. Nothing more. Nothing integrated. Just Intellect.
Science has decided God can not be disproved or thrown away, after all. Physics has found itself smack up against Him and is desperate to prove Him. (String theories (all 5) or M-Theory). But I tell you, He will never even be a mathematical formula unless ,and until , soul or spirit-mind within (our inspired thought and inner Guidance ) is willing to bring forth its Knowledge of its Creator (which it shares with His divine Presence) . Only soul/spirit can inspire a Scientist to understand the proper Order of Creation, and be able to present it. Science is, after all, inspiration - inspired to know about it's World and Self. But, at best, Science would only offer you a cold mathematical calculation about the Created and it's Creator - but you will have no experience of His divine nature; the ecstasy, the unlimited-ness, the Unopposed force of the Creative Being, of Who we are a part.
The Intellect is of logic and reasoning. It deduces and judges. God is Knowledge and Knowing. . .. and is shared in our souls with Him. He is our true intimacy, our real connection. Intimacy is of the Mind - not of the body.
The Great Separation, also, has caused a failure in our willingness - to acknowledge that behind the Intellect lies Spirit: The Seat of your Knowledge. Until you understand soul/spirit - you can not know your Self or identify with your Creator.
Intellect is a mental exercise. It changes, shifts, and alters. But, Knowledge is unalterable. . ..
The evolution of earth contains the Creator existing along with it.
Integration.
Humility sometimes is learned later in life. . ..
Best regards, Lana
2006-11-18 08:26:45 · answer #2 · answered by Lana S (1) 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Someone realises one day that their sure there's no god.
That pretty much it, your just as good or bad as before.
As for the crazy accusation from Christians, that ppl become an Atheist so they can go off and sin, is just unfathomably ridicules to me.
Why would someone even think that ?
Haven't they ever heard of morels ?
Knowing the difference between right and wrong ?
Feeling guilty all by their self, (not just because their god doesn't approve )?
Ohhh, I could almost get a headache from it. (The sinner accusations).
2006-11-18 06:23:57 · answer #3 · answered by lilith 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bertrand Russell became quite lascivious and womanizing, according to his daughter. Many find atheism "sexually liberating."
Another theory according to NYU psychologist Paul Vitz is that atheism is also a type of wish fulfillment. This is the inverse of Freud's projection theory of religion.
As far as altruism goes, I have asked several times on this board for a name of an atheist philanthropic organization, hospital, school, or economic development center and I've never recieved one.
2006-11-18 05:08:30 · answer #4 · answered by Aspurtaime Dog Sneeze 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
It's not a matter of altruism. It's just basic honesty.
We're not giving up some great "spiritual orgasm", because Heaven doesn't really exist. However, atheists do demonstrate that they value honesty and truth more than taking the comfortable, easy route and belonging to the "in crowd". Believers, of course, are the opposite.
2006-11-18 05:05:35 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
Nothing to do with altruism.
All you need is an ability to recognise that the life we have here on earth is the only one we're going to have.
Many atheists (like me - I'm a recovering Catholic) would really rather like to be able to believe. It would be quite comforting to think that a splendid afterlife awaits us.
Sadly though realism wins out.
No god, no santa, no easter bunny :-)
2006-11-18 05:09:48 · answer #6 · answered by mcfifi 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
macho despair?
i am not atheistic...i see no evidence either way.
i see it plainly in terms of personality type:
atheists cant stand uncertainty so choose to toughen themselves to the reality of death because they cant bring themselves to believe....
believers cant stand uncertainty but dont have the courage to accept the finality of death so they escape into the most acceptable belief and maintain the delusion that death isnt actually finally going to happen....
the rest of us are still open to a new understanding, or are resigned to never being able to answer the question for certain.
2006-11-18 05:16:04 · answer #7 · answered by catweazle 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Atheism just wants to justify sinfulness and wickedness by feeling not guilty. They do not want to obey any spiritual laws or commandments. They also do not want to recognize a higher or a Superior Being as the Creator. What arrogance and ingratitude? They think they came into existence by just popping off the ground or a test tube at their own will. They want to believe they do not owe their life to anybody, when in fact they have navels. They just want to be ungrateful to a Superior Being, the giver and taker of life.
One can never be a true altruist if one is devoid of love.
Remember, God is love.
2006-11-18 05:16:46 · answer #8 · answered by Ely C 3 · 0⤊ 5⤋
cannot believe and follow a belief
that's there to not only control me
but take my money in the process
most of them named above follow the same god and still fight over who is right and who is wrong
at least us atheists all
agree
2006-11-18 05:09:52 · answer #9 · answered by SH1T 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Education.
2006-11-18 05:03:38 · answer #10 · answered by E B 5 · 6⤊ 2⤋