Here's a definition for starters:
Q: What is Atheism?
A: Atheism is defined as the lack of belief in gods or deities ("a" = without, "theism" = belief in gods or deities). A common misconception is that Atheists believe that gods or deities do not exist. While some Atheists do share this belief (called "antitheism"), not all Atheists do and it is not a defining belief of Atheism.
With this definition in mind, what quesiton would you ask an Atheist? What would you want to know about that person or their beliefs?
2007-01-02 13:51:09 · 15 answers · asked by godlessinaz 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I would ask them if they truly didn't believe in a god or if they were just dissatisfied with the religious people they had encounted in their lifetime.
I thought about calling myself an atheist when I was younger but then I realized that that was just me being angry at Christians and their personal practices.
2007-01-02 13:56:43 · answer #1 · answered by bells b 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Q. Don't you atheists worship SATAN?
A. No we don't. We don't believe in any gods, devils, demons, angels, spirits, ghosts, witches, miracles, or just about anything supernatural.. Why would we worship something that we don't believe exists?
. Why don't you believe in God??
Why don't you believe in Zeus, Thor or Green People on Venus? Same reason. There's no evidence.
There is no evidence; and before you say "What do you mean? You're evidence of God".. I'll have to point out the logical fallacy that you would be using: Presupposition
You pre-suppose the existence of a God, assign Him the power to create me, then say "How can you say there is no God, you're standing right there!"... Then I would say "See that car there? I made that car from toothpicks.. How can you doubt it.. There it is!" I have presupposed my ability to make cars out of toothpicks before I made the argument.
Also, there is actually reason to believe that a Christian God of your description (All Loving, All Knowing, All powerful) doesn't exist in this universe. If He did, why would He allow innocent children to get cancer? Why would He send hurricanes and earthquakes kill so many people? Why would He allow people to fly planes into our skyscrapers and kill thousands of His "children"? And on and on and on.
Also, if you will re-read your bible (you're planning to anyway, right?) with critical mind, you'll notice that the God of the Bible actually is:
Extremely Violent and Cruel
Jealous
Murderous
Impetuous
Peevish
Possessive
Threatening
Irrational
Misogynistic
Irresponsible
* Not only that, but in the Bible, God directly ordered 2,017,956 People Killed.
* Not counting 65 entire cities.
* Not counting those that died from the His various Plagues.
* And not counting the entire population of the world in the Flood.
hmm. let me go on
Q. Well then, prove that God does not exist.
A. It's not up to us. Carl Sagan once wrote: "Extraordinary claims, require extraordinary evidence". Believers are making the extraordinary claim that you know how the universe was created, that the universe was created by your personal God, that that God still exists, and is personally involved in every part of our lives. The burden of proof is on the one making the claims. You. We simply say we do not believe it.
Also, one could argue that it is hardly necessary to disprove something that has never been proven in the first place.
Q. How can you say that there is no GOD? I personally feel his "power" in church!
A. Well, I don't know exactly what you felt, but from the atheist standpoint we'd say you've experienced a mass induced psychosis. It is quite a commonly accepted psychological phenomenon. People in large groups can become emotionally charged rather easily. (Do some research on the psychology of lynchings, witch hunts, etc.)
Q. If you don't believe in God, then what is the point of living?
Why does living need to have a "point" at all? Do the "lilies of the field" need to have a point to live?
If you must have a "point", then decide on your own meaning of life. We believe that it's much better do determine our own purpose, than to have some church do it for you based on their agenda!
Q. Doesn't being an Atheist "cheapen" life?
A. Actually religion cheapens life. Being an Atheist makes life more precious. Since there is no after-life, you must come to terms with the fact that this is the ONLY life you'll get. If an atheist throws himself in front of a bus in order to save a child, that action is much more meaningful than if a Christian did the same thing. The Christian thinks they'll just go to heaven and live there!
Look at the 9/11/2001 massacre in New York and Washington D.C. Those religious (Muslim) people thought that their actions would hasten and ensure their entry into eternal bliss, but what they actually did was throw away the only life they had in an act of "faith".
Q. Don't you wish that you could go to Heaven?
A. Sure.. We'd love to believe that Heaven was real and that we could live forever. But there has never been anyone who has ever come back and said it was there. There is no evidence whatsoever of life continuing after death. (The Bible doesn't count, since it was written by very superstitious people who believed that demons cause illness, the earth is flat, the sun travels around the earth, etc., etc.)
Also, if Heaven is to be total happiness, forever, then how can you be totally happy if you know that one or more of your loved one's are in Hell? (Or if anyone is in Hell?) And if God removes your memories of those loved ones so that you can be happy, is He not altering the thing that is "You". If He alters you very much, you cease to be the "You" that you were.
Also, are babies still babies in Heaven forever? Do retarded people become smart? How smart? If Jesus says that riches are to be frowned upon, why are the streets made of Gold, and the Heavenly Gates Pearl? Every religion/sect has a different "Heaven", how do we know which is the correct heaven? Indeed, how do we know ANYTHING about heaven? Even the bible is extremely sketchy in this respect.
Doesn’t it make more sense that the ancient church would just make up Heaven and Hell to keep it’s followers in line? After all, Hell is the ultimate threat and Heaven the ultimate Bribe.
Anyway, according to the Bible, the prospects of you going to Heaven are pretty slim too:
Revelation 7:4 says that only 144,000 people will be going to heaven, and those will be "of the children of Israel."
Revelation 14:3-4 says that "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins."
So unless your a Jewish man, and a Virgin, sorry.
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2007-01-04 23:56:39 · answer #2 · answered by ___________ 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are a lot of Atheists here. One of the most popular questions appears to be asking them if they really really super duper feel like taking a chance on the god thing and don't they wanna "believe" just in case the Christians are right.
They also ask them about Jesus died for YOU now don't you feel bad?
2007-01-02 21:55:45 · answer #3 · answered by Haiku Hanna 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Your definition is correct. The clarification about antitheism is also correct. I think you covered the subject adequately. No further questions.
2007-01-02 21:57:03 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I would ask them where they picked up that kind of faith! Because, it certainly isn't normal natural to willingly have faith like they do! Its unbelievable.
On a more serious note, I would ask them if they would be willing to look at some logical evidence we do have, that shows it is much more likely that something with intelligence created all that know of on this earth.
2007-01-02 22:31:03 · answer #5 · answered by oceansnsunsets 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The only reason I hear they are an atheist is because their is no proof of a God. Are there any other proofs?
2007-01-02 21:54:53 · answer #6 · answered by mrfame1017 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
How can you not believe in something that does not exist? Why would you argue against something that does not exist. Is this not an oxymoron!
2007-01-02 21:59:07 · answer #7 · answered by peewee5001 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I would ask them if they are having a nice day. Their explanations for their beliefs are too complicated and not interesting at all.
2007-01-02 21:54:15 · answer #8 · answered by Nels 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Are you honestly happy in your life?
2007-01-02 21:55:28 · answer #9 · answered by Lily P 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
You do know you can't control the thermostat in hell right?
LOL
2007-01-02 22:05:57 · answer #10 · answered by onewhosubmits 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋