A Few More Good Quotes:
I prefer rationalism to atheism. The question of God and other objects-of-faith are outside reason and play no part in rationalism, thus you don't have to waste your time in either attacking or defending. ~ Isaac Asimov
Incurably religious, that is the best way to describe the mental condition of so many people. ~ Thomas Edison
If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion, or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. ~ Robert H. Jackson
About Me
- CyberKitten
- I have a burning need to know stuff and I love asking awkward questions.
11 comments:
Thomas Edison said...Incurably religious, that is the best way to describe the mental condition of so many people.
Swap 'spiritual' for 'mental' and I think he's right, as it squares with the revealed truths of Christianity. The 'persistence of the gods' is an annoying problem for atheists and their naturalistic presuppositions.
laughing boy said: The 'persistence of the gods' is an annoying problem for atheists and their naturalistic presuppositions.
I presume you mean the persistant *belief* in the existence of Gods and other supernatural beings?
I think that there have been several (at least) well thought out attempts to explain the continuation of supernatural belief systems which are, in themselves, naturalistic. I don't think it's a problem for atheists. It's just something else about us that needs to be understood.
What is also interesting of course is the growing numbers of people who are either indifferent to religion or actually atheistic in their outlook. Explaining this phenomena is I think more of a problem for theists.
One of my all-time faves:
The only good is knowledge, the only evil, ignorance. ~ Socrates
I don't think [the persistence of belief in gods] a problem for atheists.
I think it poses a couple of problems for atheists. Maybe I'll take this up over at my place. Yet another inspiration from CK.
Explaining [the 'expansion' of unbelief] is I think more of a problem for theists.
First, I dispute that atheism is currently gaining ground at a greater rate than Christianity worldwide. You show me Australia, I show you China. Second, I can't speak for Theists in general, but Christians have no theological problem with the reality of unbelief in the world. The concept is on nearly every page of the Bible. Some branches expect unbelief to all but overwhelm the world near the end—at which point the tide turns quite dramatically.
My contribution to the list of atheist aphorisms:
"There can be no complete non-personal, objective justification for acting morally rather than nonmorally." - Kai Nielsen
"Our whole European culture is moving for some time now with tortured tension that is growing from decade to decade, as toward a castastrophe: restlessly, violently, headlong, like a river that wants to reach the end, that no longer reflects, that is afraid to reflect." - Friedrich Nietzsche
"It is a lie, because it tells us that the universe is infused with value (which is a great fiction), because it makes a claim to universal truth (when there is none), and because it tells me not to live for self-interest (which is evidently false). But without such lies we cannot live." - Loyal Rue
e-dogg said: The only good is knowledge, the only evil, ignorance. ~ Socrates
Thanks e-dogg, great quote. Welcome.
Laughing boy said: I think it poses a couple of problems for atheists. Maybe I'll take this up over at my place. Yet another inspiration from CK.
I look forward to reading it. Glad to be an inspiration - again.
Laughing boy said: First, I dispute that atheism is currently gaining ground at a greater rate than Christianity worldwide. You show me Australia, I show you China.
That's not what I meant. It's just that atheism appears to be a growing phenomena. Christianity may be growing at a higher rate in some places around the world. It wouldn't surprise me greatly. But isn't the fastest growing world religion Wicca?
Laughing boy said: I can't speak for Theists in general, but Christians have no theological problem with the reality of unbelief in the world.
Atheists always seem to come in for fairly serious criticism on the Blogs I frequent - from theists who do seem to have a problem with them.
Laughing boy said: Some branches expect unbelief to all but overwhelm the world near the end—at which point the tide turns quite dramatically.
So I've heard. The idea of the End of the World is, I find, rather amusing.
Laughing boy quoted: "There can be no complete non-personal, objective justification for acting morally rather than nonmorally." - Kai Nielsen
That's true. There is no *objective* justification for morality. But that doesn't mean we can't act in a moral fashion.
Laughing boy quoted: "It is a lie, because it tells us that the universe is infused with value (which is a great fiction), because it makes a claim to universal truth (when there is none), and because it tells me not to live for self-interest (which is evidently false). But without such lies we cannot live." - Loyal Rue
All true - upto the last sentence.
Atheists always seem to come in for fairly serious criticism on the Blogs I frequent - from theists who do seem to have a problem with them.
Oh, sure, we have a problem with them, but unbelief is not a theological conundrum.
So I've heard. The idea of the End of the World is, I find, rather amusing.
Yes it is. Everyone knows this flat world around which the universe revolves will go on forever.
Laughing boy said: Oh, sure, we have a problem with them, but unbelief is not a theological conundrum.
Ah..... Gotcha.
Laughing boy said: Everyone knows this flat world around which the universe revolves will go on forever.
Well, firstly the world isn't flat [grin]. Earth won't go on forever (obviously). In about 5 Billion Years time when the Sun runs out of 'fuel' it will become a Red Giant and consume the Earth. But I'm guessing that Humanity will be long gone by then....
Ah..... Gotcha.
You may need to have your sarcasm sensor checked out. Or should I put smiley faces or write '[grin]' to flag sarcastic statements?
That guy needs a bigger stick! :-)
Earth won't go on forever (obviously).
Usually when someone says they find something 'amusing' in a similar context, they mean that they disagree with the statement. I was just wondering if you were of the remnant of holdouts for the steady state theory.
laughing boy said: You may need to have your sarcasm sensor checked out. Or should I put smiley faces or write '[grin]' to flag sarcastic statements?
Sarcasm or any humour is difficult to get across purely in plain text. As I don't know you & can't see any visual evidence how am I expected to know when you're being serious & when you're being sarcastic?
laughing boy said: Usually when someone says they find something 'amusing' in a similar context, they mean that they disagree with the statement.
I meant all the nonsense about the Apocolypse, Judgement Day, The Rapture - you know... all the End of the World crap we're fed from time to time.
laughing boy said: I was just wondering if you were of the remnant of holdouts for the steady state theory.
I didn't realise that the Steady State Theory had anything to do with the 'End of the World' - whatever that actually means. As I said the Earth will cease to exist when our Sun goes Red Giant. We'll be long gone before that happens though so its not exactly something to be concerned about..!
As I don't know you & can't see any visual evidence how am I expected to know when you're being serious & when you're being sarcastic?
I will indicate sarcastic comments in the future.
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