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#21
08-03-2005, 09:03 PM
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Re: Just became atheist, now what?
[ QUOTE ] 6)Atheistically speaking, now, what is the point of evolution? And who cares anyway? [/ QUOTE ] As Graham Greene said “God created a number of possibilities in case some of his prototypes failed. That is the meaning of evolution". So you are absolutely right. No God no meaning of evolution [ QUOTE ] P.S. Sorry for all the comma errors. [/ QUOTE ] Who cares? You are an atheist now. What about becoming a polyatheist. There are so many religions... 
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#24
08-03-2005, 09:48 PM
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Re: Just became atheist, now what?
[ QUOTE ]
As Bertie Russell says [ QUOTE ] That man is the product of causes which had no prevision of the end they were achieving; that his origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and his beliefs, are but the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms; that no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve an individual life beyond the grave; that all the labours of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast heat death of the solar system, and that the whole temple of Man’s achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins – all these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand. Only within the scaffolding of these truths, only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul’s habitation henceforth be safely built. [/ QUOTE ] I don't really understand what habitation of the soul is safe given this viewpoint, but other than that who could argue with an atheist genius like him? [/ QUOTE ] He is referring to the soul's coffin.
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#26
08-03-2005, 11:22 PM
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Re: Just became atheist, now what?
"Or you could just say it doesn't matter and do whatever you want. You are totally, absolutely free from everything, every law, every moral code, every human being, everything - so do as you please, it makes no difference. Just try not to get caught."
But that is exactly correct. You and I agree on that and most philosoppher's don't (I think). Where you go wrong is thinking that doing "whatever you want" means people will do bad (by typical definitions) things. Most people generally "want" to do good nice things. Golden Rule type things. Some want to because they believe in God. A rare few want to only because they pride themselves on their understanding of Kant. Many want to because as you mention, they are afraid of getting caught. But most want to because they feel bad when they don't. And the reason they feel bad is that in the past those who didn't feel badly about being bad were less likely to do well in society. And thus less likely to pass on their genes.
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#27
08-03-2005, 11:39 PM
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Re: Just became atheist, now what?
Is the will really free if there are only 2 paths? One leading to heaven and the other leading to eterenal damnation?
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#28
08-03-2005, 11:59 PM
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Re: Just became atheist, now what?
[ QUOTE ]
But most want to because they feel bad when they don't. And the reason they feel bad is that in the past those who didn't feel badly about being bad were less likely to do well in society. And thus less likely to pass on their genes. [/ QUOTE ] However: The subclinical sociopath can have one hell of an edge in today's world [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]
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#29
08-04-2005, 12:33 AM
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Re: Just became atheist, now what?
[ QUOTE ]
Where you go wrong is thinking that doing "whatever you want" means people will do bad (by typical definitions) things. [/ QUOTE ] That's not what I think. I'm just pointing out the inconsistency. [ QUOTE ] But most want to because they feel bad when they don't. And the reason they feel bad is that in the past those who didn't feel badly about being bad were less likely to do well in society. And thus less likely to pass on their genes. [/ QUOTE ] Then Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease? Like a cage full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit; Therefore they have become great and rich They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; I think there's another reason why most people don't behave "badly" according to conventional terms. God created man with a conscience.
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#30
08-04-2005, 01:31 AM
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Re: Just became atheist, now what?
[/ QUOTE ] Then Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease? Like a cage full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit; Therefore they have become great and rich They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; I think there's another reason why most people don't behave "badly" according to conventional terms. God created man with a conscience. [/ QUOTE ] God doesn't need to exist for man to have a conscience. The conscience could have developed over time for the reasons David pointed out in his post.
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