Why Atheism?

[Kael Hate]

So I've always wondered. Why believe that when you die you stop existing? I don't see how anyone could accept that and be able to live happily, knowing that it's basically like you aren't even living at all. If you stop existing, then what was even the point?

Nihilistiskism for the Win

[Kuu]

So I've always wondered. Why believe that when you die you stop existing? I don't see how anyone could accept that and be able to live happily, knowing that it's basically like you aren't even living at all. If you stop existing, then what was even the point?

I believe that I stop existing because all the evidence points towards that. Sure if would be cool to wake up in some other place where all you do is eat ice-cream every day, but nothing suggests that it's going to happen, so why would I believe that? Would be pretty ridiculous for me to start coming up with all kinds of stories and theories simply because I refuse to accept my fate.

I don't think there is a "point" in life. Life just happens. We are all just being on this earth, just like a worm or an ant. I don't think some random ant has a higher meaning in his life. It lives, it dies. Simple as that.

Problem with humans is that we like to think that we are somehow special and better than all the other animals here.
That's not the case. We are just animals who happened to follow an evolutionary path that made us successful.

We are not special.

We are not special? How can you say that. Yes, we are very similar to animals in some ways, but look how amazingly different we are at the same time! We appreciate art and beauty and have the ability to think rationally and create. We love, we (unfortuneately) hate.

[Kuu]

Sorry for double posting, but the last post didn't load properly and I couldn't see what I was typing.

I was wondering, for those of you who are athiests, why do you not believe in God. I'm not convinced by simply: "I see no evidence of him", because I see no evidence against him or for atheism. So, please give me an argument against God besides that because that is known as an "appeal to ignorance" and is an informal logical fallacy.

[Bloodshadow]

You're claiming that God exists. Thus, it is up to you to prove that God exists. I'm not saying anything, so it's not up to me to prove that God doesn't exist.

I believe in my own God called Infinity. Infinity is a God of science and logic. Its very concept is so radically different from your Christian God that I might as well be an atheist to you.

Oh, by the way, we're indeed not special. Homo sapiens is nothing but another species of animals. I see no fundamental difference between a human, a chimpanzee, a turtle, a tree, and a microbe. Humans are not special in any way; we're just much, much more intelligent compared to other animals. We are capable of love, hate, appreciating beauty, etc, only because we are more intelligent than other animals. If you want to feel what it's like to be an animal, take some drugs or drink alcohol until you can't think anymore; doing so will temporarily reduce one's intelligence and make it closer to animal level.

If you're saying we're special and we have "souls" or anything like that, prove it. It's always up to you to prove, not up to us to disprove.

[Kuu]

Ah, I don't recall actually claiming that God exists Bloodshadow, but I do believe that he does. You are not obligated to answer any question of mine. I am just curious as to why atheists do not believe in God. It would take a post about the length of a small chapter book for me to "prove" that God exists, and perhaps tomorrow I will give some points about why I personally believe in God, but it is eleven o'clock where I live and I am tired now (being tired decreases my intellegence level  ). So, I will be back tomorrow and send me a message if I seem to have forgot (or ran away) if you'd really like to know what I think. I doubt that I could ever convince you (it would depend on how open you are, of course) but I will try and give you some things to think about.

[Bloodyfrenzy]

Atheist's believe god doesn't exist as no evidence exists to support it, this includes miracle and the bible almost every religion claims to have miracles and a holy book this alone proves nothing especially when the book is as old as the bible. I need no prove atheism as it is the default we are not born believing in one religion or another, with out evidence you can claim anything is true, for instance you cannot prove the invisible, undetectable pixie on my shoulder doesn't exist. The person making the positive claim must provide the evidence.

[QuantumT]

Sorry for double posting, but the last post didn't load properly and I couldn't see what I was typing.

I was wondering, for those of you who are athiests, why do you not believe in God. I'm not convinced by simply: "I see no evidence of him", because I see no evidence against him or for atheism. So, please give me an argument against God besides that because that is known as an "appeal to ignorance" and is an informal logical fallacy.

As Bloodshadow said, the burden of proof lies solely with you.

Let me ask you this. Do you have evidence that Santa Claus doesn't exist? How about fairies, unicorns, leprechauns, and the loch ness monster?

[Kuu]

Here's my "proof": http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,19284.24.html (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,19284.24.html)

It's not so much proof, but it's why I believe in God. It's also 1190 words long. Also, I'm not so much concerned with atheists "proving" that God exists. I just want to know why you believe that. It would involve evidence, but I don't expect you to prove it as you would prove unicorns and such things exist. However, God is not a unicorn, and this is where the analogy fails. He is also not a physical being, and that is where it fails more. He is spiritual. You do not go about disproving God in the same way you do unicorns because God must be disproved in a philisophical way, you can't just search every corner of the world like you'd have to for a unicorn.

Also, why does love come from intellegence Bloodshadow? Love is an emotion, not an intellectual thing.

[QuantumT]

It's not so much proof, but it's why I believe in God. It's also 1190 words long. Also, I'm not so much concerned with atheists "proving" that God exists. I just want to know why you believe that. It would involve evidence, but I don't expect you to prove it as you would prove unicorns and such things exist. However, God is not a unicorn, and this is where the analogy fails. He is also not a physical being, and that is where it fails more. He is spiritual. You do not go about disproving God in the same way you do unicorns because God must be disproved in a philisophical way, you can't just search every corner of the world like you'd have to for a unicorn.

This just reeks of special pleading. Why should god get special treatment?

If it helps, my Invisible Pink Unicorn is now spiritual.

Also, why does love come from intellegence Bloodshadow? Love is an emotion, not an intellectual thing.

But it's an emotion that only develops once you've attained a high enough level of intelligence. A turkey can't love anything because it's too stupid to even grasp the concept.

[Kuu]

Fine, you're unicorn is now spiritual. If it was physical then I would have to somehow search every corner of the earth at the same time to disprove it. Now that it's spiritual, I would have to disprove it philisophically, however, I don't intend to do so because 1. It is of little consequence whether your invisible pink spiritual unicorn exists and 2. that would lead this thread off topic. All that I was trying to do with my "special pleading" was to simply bring to your attention that you cannot disprove God by looking under your bed and in your closet to find him. You would have to give a reason why a God could not exist and why my reasons for God being real are false.

And again: I'm not asking you to disprove God!!!! So it really doesn't matter if my post reeks of special pleading. Just give me some reasons why you don't believe in him. In the link I mad I've given you my reasons for why I do.

[Bloodshadow]

Also, why does love come from intellegence Bloodshadow? Love is an emotion, not an intellectual thing.

What QuantumT said. You need a bigger brain to grasp an esoteric concept such as love. I'm absolutely sick of the arguments that emotions are "special" and exclusive to humans. They are not! Emotions are just more complex versions of instinctual urges and desires.

Just give me some reasons why you don't believe in him. In the link I mad I've given you my reasons for why I do.

Because I haven't been convinced that God exists. I know you cannot conclusively prove anything, but science is widely accepted in the world and it seems to be consistent and true. Thus, I need scientific proof of God before I'm able to believe in Him. As I said before, "you cannot prove that God doesn't exist" simply isn't good enough for me.

Oh, and no offense, but I find some parts of the Bible and other religious texts to be pretty ridiculous. I refuse to elaborate any more about this statement, because I absolutely do NOT want to anger any religious people here. I may not agree with them, but I'm capable of respect.

[BluePriest]

Sorry for double posting, but the last post didn't load properly and I couldn't see what I was typing.

I was wondering, for those of you who are athiests, why do you not believe in God. I'm not convinced by simply: "I see no evidence of him", because I see no evidence against him or for atheism. So, please give me an argument against God besides that because that is known as an "appeal to ignorance" and is an informal logical fallacy.

This hasnt been answered. Frankly because of the respect I have for Quantum and Especially BS, I have to say that Im quite dissapointed that you never answered it, and instead avoided it with burden of proof responses, especially when he never was making a claim of God existing in that statement. 

If a random person walked up to you and asked those questions would you say "you have to prove God, I dont have to prove anything"? 

BS you did at least respond eventually to it, however, Im with polka. With the attitude you have towards it, it seems lack of evidence isnt the sole reason for your disbelief