Free-will and Atheism

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You didn't read properly my argument. I didn't say you'd believe anything. I said you'd be more prone to believe in anything. No matter what your philosophy is, stand by it and have a good arguments to back up your belief.

Affirming yourself to be an atheist alone doesn't mean anything without a firm philosophy and knowledge of reason.

Maybe if you learn how to read Vigilans, you'd be better equipped to answer my challenges.

There are at least three meanings of the word "believe" that are being used here. I'll rewrite your example into three categories.

One of them is to believe that something is true:
- "believe that the current understanding of physics is correct" (nobody believes this, because it is impossible!)
- "believe that the current understanding of chemistry is correct"
- "believe that unicorns exist"

One of them is to advocate a certain method or principle:
- "advocate the scientific method"
- "advocate common law"
- "advocate due process"

The final one is to hold a certain moral principle as being morally right or good:
- "hold that empathy is good"
- "hold that common law is good"

One slight difference of opinion; I'd throw empathy in the second group as an instrument that I'd advocate, especially when it's well-informed. Physics and sciences would fit there as well. Unicorns might be morally right and good but that's fair, if they only exist in my mind they can be anything I want them to be.

I don't give a s**t about your semantic obfuscations, have fun weaving your little circles with someone who will make the mistake of giving you the benefit of the doubt. I'm not wasting time this way with you again.



Those who tend to be believers like you are those who are the ones falling for the biggest lies and fallacies. What exactly is it that atheists and other non-religious, disinterested or apathetic people are all rushing off to believe in? You don't really understand atheism. You presume that atheism defines a person's character in the way your own religiosity defines yours. It doesn't work that way



This is coming from a user incapable of a single post without some sort of obfuscation or logical fallacy. I suggest you work on your communication skills before handing out any criticisms, since not a single argument you have made has been relevant or correct in the entirety of our interactions.

Incorrect.

I'm sure all Atheism is the same...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satanism#A ... c_Satanism

"Atheistic or Deistic Satanism is generally the same as Ethical egoism, in that the highest good is acting in one's own interest. Satanism has essentially been called "Egoism with ritual"."

Or maybe not. I'm sure that's ^ both logical and empirical, to you maybe.

Ah...so that's what Nicki Minaj was up to at the VMA.... supporting Ayn Rand!

"Incorrect. Derp"

What's that? cw10 posts without actually replying to anything said? This is totally out of character

So... people who are atheist, are by default part of that stupid Church of Satan? Or something like it? Are tons of people flocking to join? :O
Satanism is ret*d, Laveyan satanism is also ret*d. Atheists don't join religious organizations or cults. Any more questions?

Out of character? He seems pretty consistent to me at least.

You're a prime example of an ignorant person.

Atheists do join organizations and cults, but not ALL Atheists join organizations and cults. Laveyan satanism is a prime example. The world isn't divided into yes and no answers.

And atheism is a religion btw:

http://firstchurchofatheism.com/

I'd agree that literally the claim is utterly devoid of empirically falsifiable (or verifiable) content - almost anyone, in some sense, "believes" for all practical intents & purposes in something (of course, you could contest that if you started applying eliminative materialist psychology, but I won't for shake of simplicity). However, I've occasionally seen "believes in nothing" being used in a vernacular manner to mean "doesn't believe in anything supernatural - afterlife, God, soul).

It seems to me that saying "But you believe in things!" to a rationalist is just a nonsense sort of thing to say. Since when do rationalists claim to not believe anything? They don't claim anything of the sort! Rather, they claim that people ought to use certain methods to update their beliefs.

No, I've heard it used a lot - even back when I was a theist, so I'm no stranger to what it 'means' past the literal level. Its still a horrible throwaway tag line though, the kind of thing that might make people feel warm and fuzzy with it on a coffee mug or bumper sticker but its self-fed internal catharsis, not an argument.

As for what I said atheists do believe in - they're structural components and aspects of both the objective and (humanly) subjective world. They're components as well that illustrate that we aren't spinning in a black void with no sense up up from down or arses from holes in the ground.

I am not a believer. However, agreeing with your parents wishes aren't always bad, even if you have to damn yourself with a lie to them.

In the end we all need to keep our parents happy and treat them with respect. Even when they are wrong.

Evidently I throw pearls before swine



Prove it, please [cults]. Levayan satanism is just ethical egoism with a bunch of extra nonsensical metaphor.



My first instinct on seeing that was "some kind of scam", mostly due to the donation box, which has a stunning total of... $82!! Looks like the Church of Atheism is pretty legit .. The whole purpose is to provide similar social infrastructure (weddings, funerals, etc) without the religious/spiritual attachments that are usually required? I suppose that makes sense. I have wondered about my own funeral. I don't want it in a church or any other place like that. This is indeed a social organization but it doesn't involve any rituals or proselytizing or even any "holy books" so... its not a religious institution.

This is exactly it. This is the inference cw10 seemed to be making... and relates further to how most theists only respect other theists "Oh, well, at least you believe in Ahuramazda"

To me, I think people are fearful of the unknown. They're fearful that they might be right, and you might be wrong (and you go to hell). They're fearful of what other people might think of them if their kid doesn't fit in their environment. They're fearful that they might be wrong and look like a fool. They're simply fearful of the unknown. They choose to use something that works for them and people around them. Maybe a friend at church is a millionaire, and they're incredibly pious. This would tell them that good fortune comes to people that are religious.


But I still come back to the most obvious question, why are the people most in tune with this god creature (priests), the most evil people known? How can they rip and tear out the soul of young boy or girl and feel no remorse? Why do they use their religion to exempt them from their wrong-doing?