Innocent Bystander

SRFC90

I'm your regular run of the mill Catholic. Don't get to church very often but believe that there is something higher than us all.

Convince me. Tell me what I'm missing out on or where I'm being misleaded. I'm very intrigued and want some facts/opinions from you guys here about the whole concept of Atheism. Tell me what it's all about and how you guys are confident you're on the right track. Honest interest here guys.

pierrot

Basically, you believe there is a higher power and I don't. And i believe the burden of proof is on theists to prove a higher power exists rather than vise-versa.

MatthewVII

Well there's no reason for God to exist (evolution happens on its own, societies organise themselves and take responsibility for themselves) and no evidence that he exists or that he has any impact on the world. This means it doesn't make sense to waste your life following him, changing your opinions and lifestyle to suit him or worrying about what he'd think of your actions.

lostexpectation

your not an innocent bystander you come here ( into the atheism forum) and claimed there is a God, you sound guilty to me.

Dave!

SRFC90 wrote: »

I'm your regular run of the mill Catholic. Don't get to church very often but believe that there is something higher than us all.

Convince me. Tell me what I'm missing out on or where I'm being misleaded. I'm very intrigued and want some facts/opinions from you guys here about the whole concept of Atheism. Tell me what it's all about and how you guys are confident you're on the right track. Honest interest here guys.

Welcome

It might be a good start for you to outline briefly your own reasons for believing, and we then know what points we would particularly need to highlight.

If you're the kind of Catholic that alot of people in this country are, then you'll probably believe in Jesus, and agree with some of his teachings (love thy neighbour, etc), but when pushed on things like transubstantiation, virgin births, bodily ascension, and so on, you'll concede that you don't think they're likely.

You'll probably believe -- or at least "want to" believe -- in an afterlife of some sort, though without the fluffy cloud beds, etc.

Are you familiar with the theory of evolution? If you're not, then it's likely you'll find it hard to believe that everything from a bird's wing to a human eye is a product of this powerful process acting over millions of years.

But the main thing (maybe) is that you want to know why there is "something" (the universe) rather than "nothing", and it doesn't make sense that everything we know and don't know can simply "come into existance".

Am I at all accurate here or am I way off? Any other points?

Cheers... I'm sure someone (or me) will address them later, I have to actually get to college now though

pierrot

But atheism is not a belief, rather a lack thereof.

Rev Hellfire

SRFC90 wrote: »

I'm your regular run of the mill Catholic. Don't get to church very often but believe that there is something higher than us all.

Convince me. Tell me what I'm missing out on or where I'm being misleaded. I'm very intrigued and want some facts/opinions from you guys here about the whole concept of Atheism. Tell me what it's all about and how you guys are confident you're on the right track. Honest interest here guys.

It's all about getting women, everyone knows atheists are cool and get the good lookin wimen. There's something about god and not believing in mecca I think, but its the wimen that's importent.

Naz_st

SRFC90 wrote: »

Tell me what I'm missing out on or where I'm being misleaded.

As Dave says, you need to let us know more about what you believe first.

I would add to his questions:

Are you a Deist or a Theist?
Deist: (broadly) believe in a creator of some sort, but that's it (no miracles, human intervention etc)
Theist: (broadly) believe in a "personal God" (i.e. one that listens to prayers, acts in this world etc, e.g. the Christian God)
(I ask because your post makes a case for somewhere in between, so you may not have really thought about this question yet, and it's an important distinction)

If the latter, then how much of Catholicism do you accept as true, and why? (e.g Do you believe the bible is the word of God and have you read it?)

How much do you know of other religions and if you don't believe them, why not?

robindch

Welcome also!

SRFC90 wrote: »

Tell me what I'm missing out on or where I'm being misleaded.

Well, one good question to ask is whether or not you trust and believe the people who tell you that they are speaking on behalf of god. If all of them really were, then you'd expect them to agree with each other. Doesn't happen, so I'm inclined to believe that a lot of people just believe, however sincerely, that they're doing it.

SRFC90 wrote: »

how you guys are confident you're on the right track.

I'd say that a lot of atheists and agnostics are probably more sure that the religious are wrong, than that they're right.

There's an uncountable number of possible gods out there; the chances that one group or another is believing the right one (or ones), under the right conditions, and clicking its collective heels in exactly the right way to curry its favour, and deflect its wrath, is pretty much zero.

In any case, Sunday morning was designed for lazing around in bed, not for driving miles to sit on an uncomfortable seat to hear some pompous silk-laden windbag demand money with vague existential threats.

Alternatively, you should consider whether it's wise to invest in something that promises payment when you die.

Overblood

Welcome srfc90!

So according to your post, your only belief is in "something" higher than us all. That's a bit vague no?! Can you explain what it is? Is it the Christian God? A force?....

You can believe in anything you want, a flying spaghetti monster, invisible pink unicorn, whatever. But at the end of the day, it is still only a belief. If it makes you happy... well that's excellent! Just remember that it only exists in your head...

Also, can you tell us what you think makes you a catholic?