BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Atheist Can Atheism REALLY be defended?

I've already given what I think about most of this, so I'm really just checking in and letting everyone know I'm still around.

Michelle, I didn't take that lightly. I've never taken that train of thought lightly.

I'm off now to continue in amazement about the "no morals without gods" thing.

Jordan, the technicality is purely yours, based on your completely erroneous assumptions about what I am, what I believe and what I call myself. As for your definitions, do you think that you can just substitute your own when the existing ones don't accord with what you want to believe? Do you spend your whole life making up such nonsense?

It's somewhat of a pleasure to play with someone who's so easily befuddled, and apparently some of the other members of the forum enjoy it too. But it's already getting boring. So why don't you go back to being a good little christian matchmaker and leave this board to the grownups?

I actually just went to look for it and found it at Wikipedia.
Atheism-From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I also found what was under the section "Personal and social reasons" very interesting. Especially the where it talks about Atheists taking a personal responsibility for their actions.

<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> (Guess I'm weak - I can't stay away - I like debating!) Fair enough, Denise (although I do hope the tone in which my reply was given was a little different from the rest of the post!) <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Jordan,
morality: (as defined by The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 4th edition)1. The quality of being in accord with standards of right or good conduct. 2. A system of ideas of right and wrong conduct: religious morality; Christian morality. 3.Virtuous conduct. 4. A rule or lesson in moral conduct.
It is not until the 2nd definition that religion is even mentioned, and even then as only an example. People are taught what right and wrong is whether or not they believe in God. It is part of culture and society. It is in laws and just an inherent part of growing up. If a family is in a stable society then they are going to pass down their own set of morals - sometimes governed by their religious upbringing, sometimes by their government - whichever is most prominent in their lives.

If you are a Christian, then you should believe in the tenant - "Judge not". That applies to atheists as well. Saying a person has no morals is definitely judging and you nor I have the knowledge or wisdom to do that.

Oh Kris, that is just SOOO wrong. You're not supposed to take personal responsibility. You're supposed to turn it all over to god. Good thing we have people like Jordan to set you right. LOL

Oh, so you believe in a good vs evil?

Then you're not an athiest.

You're missing the point that morality comes from a MORAL compass. If there is a moral COMPASS there is a spiritual creator-force that put it there.

Anyways, fine, let's not get caught up in this discussion, it's so monotonous.

Man did not just MAKE UP good vs evil. Man did not MAKE UP god. Man ONLY knows what he SENSES, and Man can ONLY sense what INTERACTS with him.

I guess I will just have to back to saying "The Devil made me do it" since I cannot take personal responsibility for my actions. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I'm not a christian stop lumping me in with them. I have no religion.

What does personal responsibility matter with no creator-force or spiritual afterlife to enforce it? Contradicting yourself.

You're saying you are moral, just for kicks and giggles?

You know something, Jordan, if I weren't trying to be polite, I'd be sorely tempted to call you incurably stupid. But I won't. After all, I might be wrong, since you've undoubtedly been brainwashed since early childhood. They do tend to look alike.

Anybody care to throw out another bone for him/her to stumble over?

You just did insult me by implication.

So you think there can be a good vs evil, with no creator-force to enforce it? <img src="/images/graemlins/rolling.gif" alt="" />