6 Misnomers of Atheism - A response to Reason Rally

[RationalWhoTuber]

Very ignorant video. You are entitled to your opinion, but not your own facts. Try researching first.

a) Atheism is ONLY the lack of belief in God(s) and Supernatural. Morels/ethics are out of its scope.

b) Humanism addresses how people can be moral and ethical without believing in the supernatural.

c) The bible is a horrible place to find morels/ethics, try reading it. It’s full of violence, slavery, misogyny, and superstition. Check evilbible, and then confirm against the bible.

[dannytibi]

Atheism to me simply means I do not believe in magic men in the sky who have special rule books for mankind. What you are attacking is philosophical materialism. In my opinion one can reasonably consider oneself a transcendentalist and an atheist, because I do not deny the transcendent but that is not equivalent with accepting the supernaturalism and superstition of religion. However, many atheists, i.e. opponents of religion, embrace materialism, and that troubles me. (cont...)

[dannytibi]

@dannytibi I don't want my atheism to be equated with a view that I cannot defend and do not hold.

[hugenex2000]

@dannytibi

If you identify yourself by that which you disbelieve then it is not clear what you do believe, only what you don't so you do not need to defend what you believe because, as Ian said at the beginning, neither he nor anyone else knows what you believe, only what you (as an atheist) don't believe in, namely God.

[fatouche99]

@hugenex2000 I can't speak for all atheists, but I believe in kindness, my children's future, love, I believe in love. I believe the new Batman movies are much better than the old ones. I believe that most people are pretty well-meaning and that we can achieve more by talking than fighting. I believe things are getting better for more people. I believe we will eventually cure cancer and land on mars. And that the Miami Dolphins will eventually get their shit together - long shot, I know. Cont.

[fatouche99]

@fatouche99 Cont. I believe being a good person has rewards in this one life we get. I believe people can achieve their dreams with hard work. I believe science has transformed our lives through medicine, mass communication and transportation. I believe my family loves me unconditionally. I believe that you're probably just a good person who doesn't know many atheists and is sincerely curious. And I don't care what you believe as long as you're a good citizen and kind human being.

[FoundationalTruth]

@dannytibi Hi :)

"I do not beleive in magic men" - Neither do I. God isn't a 'magic-man' he is omnipotent and omniscient, which means he has the capability to to all that is logically possible.

"one can reasonably consider oneself a transcendentalist and an atheist" - How so? Atheism doesn't allow for the Transcendent. It is grounded in material. Supernaturalism is outside of the confounds of the natural, hence 'Super-Natural' (to be continued...)

[FoundationalTruth]

@dannytibi Hi again: If you take away the 'Supernatural' which does transcend nature and as natural cannot transcend itself, then you are limited to the bounderies of nature,ie materialism.

I am glad tha you are bothered by materialism, I am just wondering however how you reconcile a worldview that excludes 'God' but reject its foundation, namely 'No-God'. ergo limiting yourself to physical or material. (to be continued)

[FoundationalTruth]

@dannytibi Hi again: :) Either the transcendant is real ergo there is more than material or there is no transcendant and only material exists. What is 'the transcendant' according to your view? The theist's 'transcendant' is God and everything that flows from him such as morality and so forth. What is transcendant in a worldview that only allows reallity to be natural and nothing more? In sum everything can be explained in natural terms including morality and so forth.

[dannytibi]

@FoundationalTruth As the ancient Stoics believed, so do I... I believe in the active reason pervading the universe and animating it. It is not material, it is transcendent, but it is not in itself a person, with it's own whimsical thoughts. My world-view does not exclude that which transcends physical exsistence, but that which can whimsically suspend the natural order.

[fatouche99]

You believe Jesus and Christianity because you were born into it. No exploring it's truth or value. You just accepted it like a good little sheep. Who are you calling robots?

[hugenex2000]

@fatouche99

Let's say, hypothetically, that the ONLY reason that I believe 2+2=4 is because I learned it in school. Does that mean that it isn't true?

Let's say, hypothetically, that I believe Jesus and Christianity because I was born into it. Does that mean it isn't true because I was born into it?

(If I had been born into it which I wasn't.)

Is a belief system false simply because a person was born into it?

[fatouche99]

@hugenex2000 2+2=4 simply because we've agreed to assign certain words to certain symbols so that we can share our knowledge in a common language. Believe what ever the you want to, but that doesn't make it true. I care deeply about what is true. And since only one religion can be correct because their divinely inspired dogma's are different, I have to believe that the creator of the universe is a terrible communicator or he hasn't as of yet opened a dialogue. Evidence points to the latter.

[FoundationalTruth]

@fatouche99 Hi - :) And since only one religion can be correct because their divinely inspired dogma's are different, I have to believe that the creator of the universe is a terrible communicator or he hasn't as of yet opened a dialogue." - You are correct that only one system can be correct, however it isn't God's fault. There is 1 God but many different understandings, ergo it is people's missunderstanding, not God's lack of communication. The question is which set of understanding is correct?

[FoundationalTruth]

@fatouche99 Hi again :) - That however is left for a medium adequate to discuss, unlike Youtube's comment boxes, lol. :)

[fatouche99]

@hugenex2000 Being born into a belief system doesn't make it true or false. Things are true or false based on evidence. Things either exist or don't. We can't will then to be. By your logic a person raised Hindu could be correct about their god. But if he is then Christianity is false. Just because a Muslim were born into Islam doesn't mean it is not true...and so on. Investigation is the only true path to wisdom - not belief. Belief is for people really want something to be true.

[fatouche99]

BTW. Why don't you belief in Vishnu? Why aren't you a Muslim? Why don't you follow Buddha? Simple. You were born into the Christian belief system purely based on geography and lineage.

[hugenex2000]

@fatouche99

Why don't I believe in Vishnu?

I don't believe in Vishnu because I have no reason to believe in Vishnu.

Why am I not a Muslim?

Because I don't want to be a Muslim. Is it not my choice to believe whatever and/or whomever I want?

I don't follow Buddha because I don't want to follow Buddha.

The truth and power of Jesus' teaching is what I believe and strive to follow.

I was not born into nor am I now obliged to observe ANY belief system.

Why are there Christians in India and China?

[fatouche99]

@hugenex2000 Why are the hindus in the US? I don't know. I don't care. Why is Islam the fastest grow religion. It's not because it's true. Jesus Christ, according to your gospels also said, a slave should be obedient to his master and even show obedience if his master is cruel. 1 Peter 2:18 18. Sorry, my opinion is that slavery is wrong and has always been wrong. Any father who would slaughter his son for me is immoral and not deserving of my worship. Also, eternal punishment is immoral.

[FoundationalTruth]

@fatouche99 Hi: :) - About your 'Slave' concern, it is a legic concern. Here is a book that deals with this issue and many other similar concerns: - Is God a Moral Monster: by Paul Copan.

As for your concern regarding Jesus dying for you read Romans 6:23. Moreover, here is blogpost of mine that addresses a concern of unbeleivers in Hell: gospelaxiom.blogspot.com/2011/­08/hindus-in-hell.html Check out the video at the bottom. I work with this evangelistic group and answer your question.

[fatouche99]

@FoundationalTruth I have read the bible six or seven times, at least. It's why I became an atheist in the first place; so quoting bible quotes to me is just ridiculous. I'm not denying the existence of your god, but somehow secretly believe in him. I really just don't believe. And knowing (1) how the bible was put together and (2) what's in it makes it easier for me not to believe. Add to that, the lack of morality displayed by the god character in that book and it's even easier still.

[fatouche99]

@FoundationalTruth I've read Paul Copan's book and it changed nothing. God asked Abraham to kill his first born son to test his faith. You know who also gives tests like that? The mafia. And I'm not concerned that Jesus died for me, because (1) I don't believe it and (2) if it's true, god is an immoral being I'd want nothing to do with. Also, creating people to worship you is petty and ridiculous. The bible is immoral and it's main character is jealous, and vindictive - very un-god-ilke.

[fatouche99]

@FoundationalTruth You will never change an atheists mind by quoting the bible because we just believe it's a divinely inspired book. It holds none of the weight with us that it does with you. You might as well quote Harry Potter or Robin Hood. Also, we don't believe in hell, which is itself, an immoral concept. BTW. According to Christianity, 71% of people on earth will burn in hell. Good system. Your god sounds like a real charming dude. Thank goodness it's fiction.

[fatouche99]

You're just saying, "the bible says this..." and "god says that." Do you not realize how stupid that sounds to someone who doesn't believe in god and views your holy scriptures as just another outdated ancient barbaric book. In the bible it says, a man put 34 billion species of animal in a wood boat. It mentions the four-corners of a round earth. And Christian killed several people for suggesting that. Do you realize that the bible was used to support slavery in supreme court cases.

[fatouche99]

Instead of telling us atheists how dumb we are and how we're just mindless robots, why don't you prove some of you're fairytales to us. And you don't have to apologize for using the word conscious, we actually belief in consciousness. It obvious you haven't spoken to any atheists which just makes you just another ego-minded christian. You are not smart enough to have this conversation. The bible says it okay to kill a non-virgin on her wedding night. It also says slavery is okay.

[fatouche99]

Don't worry, buddy. No one thinks that you're a neurologist.

[fatouche99]

Atheists don't hold the belief that there is no soul. We believe that there is no evidence of a soul. Yes, our brains are physical, but the decisions we make with them are ours. Your reasoning is ridiculous and telling me I'm just functioning like a robot is insulting. Atheist don't believe we do things solely because we're wired that way. Who we are and the decisions we make have as much to do with our experiences and relationships as our wiring.

[bencubed]

Watched the first 1/4 of this and intend to offer feedback for its entirety another time, but I am very sure the term 'strawman argument' will be repeated often.

It appears you have many beliefs about what atheism constitutes beyond the basic definition. :I <--- stoic face

[DarkEmergence]

Disbelief in something isn't a worldview. The problem like saying things like "you need a soul to truly chose" is that you have to explain how the soul gives you that ability. Genetics, upbringing, sociological background, and many other factors have a bearing on what you do, that's a fact. If anything, this is an argument against the concept of a soul as you define it here.

[hugenex2000]

@DarkEmergence Disbelief is a worldview in the broadest sense in that it eliminates that which you disbelieve from whatever set of beliefs that you actually hold. Ian addressed this in his introduction when he said that he doesn't know what you personally actually do believe but in general, if you are an atheist, then it is fair to assume what you don't believe. This then is what would affect your worldview in a general sense. Your mind then is part of your "soul" by which you make choices.

[DarkEmergence]

@hugenex2000 Not having a particular belief isn't a worldview whether or not it informs your worldview. Many Christians, because they see their worldview as default, see not having god as part of a worldview to be a worldview in an of itself, it's not.

HOW is the soul involved in making choices? Why doesn't it allow a person to overcome mental impairment?

[hugenex2000]

@DarkEmergence For every Yang there is a Yin. If the Yang is a worldview then so is the Yin. Do you understand how the mind is involved in making choices?

[FoundationalTruth]

@hugenex2000 Well put Hugenex2000! :) A belief and a disbelief are 2 sides of the same coin. A belief that Jesus is the way, truth & life & only path to salvation (Jn. 14:6) demands one have a disbelief that Jesus is a 'mere' prophet or a 'mere 'good-teacher'. All truth-claims (TC) are narrow because they exclude contrary TCs and those TCs exclude the one TC that it is contrary to them. Therefore an affirmation of belief in X is an affirmation of a disbeleif in Y. Keep up the good work!

[DarkEmergence]

@hugenex2000 Except, if anything, Theism would be the yang in this case. Mere Theism is not a worldview in and of itself either especially since the very definition of "God" and he/she/it's place change with each denomination of a religion let alone religion itself. I hope you're not going to argue that simply not being Christian is it's own worldview.

[HolyRevelation]

According to the Atheists world view, it's impossible to go from what IS to what ought to be without taking a leap of faith.

[MereChristianLogic]

That was a good idea to explain you will be arguing atheism a worldview as apposed to arguing against atheist. People have a hard time separating themselves and others from an argument. Of course i would dropkick the teapot pretending i hurt it back! Lol