The *Possible* link. A response to Robthemonk8

Linking atheism to atrocity. Not saying that you will commit atrocities because you are an atheist.

1. Rob says atheism is a description of how reality *is*, not what anyone *ought* to do in light of that.

Yes, it tells us that in reality, there *is* no right or wrong. Do you think this statement might at all influence behavior, at all?

2. Atheism isn't in a causal position. It's a lack of belief. It doesn't cause anyone to do anything.

It doesn't have to be *causal* to be linked, or for it to be culpable.

If I left my handguns on the counter without their safety locks and my kids get to them, am I *causing* them to fire the weapons? No. Am I still culpable for the incident of them gaining access to my firearms? Yes. Did I lay the groundwork for the incident to happen? Yes. Even though I didn't *cause* them to fire the weapons, can I be linked to the incident of them firing the weapon? Yes again.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Atheism
• Theism
• Morality
• Atrocity
• Stalin
• Hitler

[DickJohnson3434]

I don't think this was a bad video, I gave it a thumbs up.

I think what you are saying is the exact same thing that atheists say about how one behaves when no one is looking.

With no consequence/reward system or "instructed" right/wrong system, people will behave the way they would naturally behave. Which demonstrates their TRUE character.

It's most certainly true that you can coerce people's behavior with consequence/reward systems which if set up the way you want, may lead to a decrease..

[vbfl920]

@DickJohnson3434

Thank you Dick!

[DickJohnson3434]

@vbfl920

I hope you also read part two of my comment...

Good video.

[DickJohnson3434]

...in a certain behavior, like murder for example. But as far as true, objective morality is concerned, that shouldn't matter. Jesus looking at a woman with lust is adultry, looking at a man with anger is murder.

Whether you actually do it or not only matters for civilized society, not for the God of the bible.

And biblical instruction of right and wrong, as well as hellish consequences will only effect behavior, not desire, which is what YOUR God supposedly cares about.

[tyrantslayer999]

Really cool video John. GREAT analogoies.

[h0tsex0r]

@vbfl920

I agree that it seems inevitable that a person's ideology will influence their behavior. A person's ideology and their view of the future helps them determine the value of things in the world, and they take action according to their goals, i.e., eternal life in heaven. Perhaps in this sense, religious people are moral functionalists, as well. It seems entirely plausible for large numbers of people to live peacefully and morally, based upon false stories. I wonder if that is good or bad.

[WildCatsKitten1]

So whether we use the words right and wrong or replaced them with other words that has zero effect on the objective truth of something, we use language as a means of communicating what we recognise, just like veryevilpetting is a person that objectively exists independent of what screename that he uses.

[WildCatsKitten1]

Just because we use language to describe things that does not make a difference to the objecive truth about something, it just means we use langauge to express what we recognise, i take it veryevilpettingzoo believes he is the same person if he cancelled his youtube account and started with a new name, would he be a different person behind the screen just because he signed in with a new name? So he could change his screename and still be the same person behind his computer.

[WildCatsKitten1]

His argument seems to be there is no objective right or wrong because this is human language and thus something cannot be right or wrong without human language, But my point is that of course we use give things names but how else will we describe things, just because we use a description that does not change the fact that these things exist, it seems to be sophism to say well because the words "right" and "wrong" are human constructs therefore right and wrong do not exist, cont: