A few weeks ago, a *gasp* Facebook response to a question really stuck with me. The question was “Why do you think young people are leaving the church?” An atheist friend of my wife, whom I believe is dying of breast cancer, responded “Because it is based on a lie.”
This really took me aback. Here it is, a simple summation of everything that is wrong at the core of every religion, throughout history. It is based on a lie. The one unifying theme that all religions share is they are based on a lie. Even if people truly ‘believe’, it is a belief in a lie. This really reminded me why I lost any little faith I had many years ago. I realized it was just a bunch of made up lies and stories. Even before you get to the holy books of any religion, they are based on the lie that there is/are god(s). They don’t exist, they never existed. It happened to me in my biology class, studying how natural selection works. It was like a spark, wait, there is no need for a god to do anything? It all can be explained by natural processes. Evolution got me 99% of the way there. The only gap any god could hide in the Big Bang. Then I watched and read Cosmos, by Carl Sagan, and his beautiful explanation of how the universe came to be, and how the very atoms of my body came to be in the heart of a exploded star, closed the last gap, and my journey to atheism was complete.
As you can see, a simple statement, it is all based on a lie, touched me more than reading over a third of the dreadful bible. Just knowing it is all based on a lie almost makes me want to tear it apart more.
Ahh, yes, the tired trope of questions for atheists. This is from https://adherentapologetics.com/2020/02/15/36-questions-for-atheists/
Yes, a lot of these are repeats, but I have not answered these ‘questions’ for a few years now, so here is my fresh take, post 2 family deaths and a global pandemic.
Atheism is changing. Many people believe that an Atheist is someone who does not believe God exists. While some Atheists will make this claim, most Atheists, especially New Atheists will not make this claim even though they line up with that claim epistemologically. Most Atheists today will say that they, ‘just lack a belief’ in the existence of God. With that being said, here are 36 questions for Atheists.
A little rude, but, I am not a New Atheist, I have been an Atheist for 30 years. I do not believe god/gods exist.
Why is there something rather than nothing?
Don’t know, don’t care. Nothing is a nonsense concept. What does this have to do with god?
Is there any evidence that suggests the universe is eternal?
No, and there is no evidence of an eternal god(s) external to the universe.
If not, why do Atheists hold onto the idea and say you have debunked the Kalam Cosmological Argument?
The Kalam Cosmo blah blah blah is such a stupid argument I have debunked too many times. It depends on causality, and even if I accepts all the claims it gets you no closer to any particular god.
If so, why do the vast majority of scientists reject this idea?
Reject what idea? I hate indefinite pronouns. Eternal universe? The universe had a starting point, the cosmos may very well be eternal. I am not a cosmologist, why are you expecting me to answer this question? What does this have to do with god?
Why is the universe so fine-tuned?
Fine tuned for what? Is a puddle fine tuned for the hole that it is in? Fine tuning refers to the values humans assign to constants, they are descriptive, not prescriptive. A great example is Pi, it describes the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter and can only be one value. Do you consider this fine tuning?
If your answer is the multiverse, why is there no evidence for that theory?
N/A I do not believe in multiverse theory.
Is it possible that there is no natural explanation for the origin of life?
No
Where does consciousness come from?
It is a byproduct of the information processing of frontal and temporal lobes.
Do you lack a belief that God exists or would you say that God does not exist?
God(s) do no exist. I am a hard 7 on the Dawkin’s scale.
Do you lack a belief that Zeus exists, or do you believe that Zeus does not exist?
Zeus does not exist.
If you just lack a belief that Zeus exists, why are you centuries behind the rest of the world who say that Zeus doesn’t exist?
No, Zeus does not exit.
Do you act according to what you believe, or what you just lack a belief in?
In what I believe. Acting is a lack of belief is non-nonsensical.
What evidence is there that Atheism corresponds with reality?
We live in an indifferent world where humans have to come up with solutions to all of our problems. Prayer does not work and we are battling a worldwide pandemic only humans can fix.
Is Atheism a worldview?
No, Humanism is.
If not, what is your worldview?
I am a Humanist, defined as an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.
What would convince you that God exists?
An immediate end to all human suffering.
Are you willing to follow the evidence, even if it leads to a different understanding of how the universe works?
Yes, but it needs to be strong evidence.
If Jesus rose from the dead, would you become a Christian?
No.
If you wouldn’t become a Christian, why would you ever accept that he rose from the dead?
No, humans don’t rise from the dead.
Why do Atheists keep insisting faith is blind trust, when that’s not what Christians or the Bible say?
You have not read the Bible. It requires a lot of faith, included the concept that the Bible was inspired, not just a work of fiction.
Why do you want material evidence for an immaterial God?
There is no difference between an immaterial and imaginary god. I want any evidence. Cure an amputee, stop Covid-19, anything.
Is there a purpose to life?
No
If there is, by what standard do you determine life has purpose?
See 22.
If not, what is the point of listening to this video?
Umm, this isn’t a video. What does the purpose of life have to do with listening to a video?
Where does morality come from?
Humans and culture determine morality, it is subjective.
How do you determine what is right and what is wrong?
How I was raised and the concept I want to help other members of my species. Altruism is hard wired, not morality.
When a lion kills a cub from another pride because that’s what natural selection has raised it to do, is that morally acceptable?
Morality does not apply to animals. It is a human concept. Most animals are amoral creatures.
If evolution has put a sense of morality into us to help us survive, what makes our actions any better than any other animals actions?
We are not hard wired for morality, we did evolve altruism, which is required to live in complex societies. Since we are thinking beings living in a culture, we call decide what is moral and what is not.
Is it morally acceptable for you kill a toddler because you can no longer financially support it?
Our current society considers this immoral, and I consider it immoral, they are a person.
Is it morally acceptable to kill a fetus in the womb because you couldn’t financially support it?
Most people, including me, find this moral. A fetus is not a person.
Is it morally acceptable to kill a baby after it has been born?
Our current society considers this immoral, and I consider it immoral, they are a person.
How can you morally differentiate between a baby in the womb at 6 months and a baby born prematurely at 6 months?
I do not support late term abortion, I consider it immoral, for the exact reason you just stated. There is no difference between the two.
Who was Jesus?
A literary character, an amalgamation of previous Biblical characters, Elijah, Moses, Eli, David, and Abraham.
Why did his disciples die saying that he rose from the dead?
There is no evidence of this happening, outside of the Bible. The disciples were most likely literary characters as well.
Why does the Bible keep lining up with archaeology?
It does not line up. Archeologists abandoned using the Bible decades ago. Heck, look at a map and see the distance between Egypt and Israel. It’s a 5 day walk, not a 40 year journey.
Why do the three bloodiest regimes in History, (Mao’s China, Nazi Germany, and Stalin’s Russia) come from Atheistic ideas?
Nazi Germany was Christian and Mao and Stalin happened to be atheists, but they were not Humanists. Why did the crusades and inquisition happen? Why does the current church have to pay out billions of dollars to cover up massive pedophilia scandals and the systematic exploitation of children? Are these based on Christian ideas?
I am still kicking, I really miss the simple pleasure of browsing a store or shopping mall. The simple pleasure of drinking a cup of overpriced coffee at Starbucks. Now, more than ever, I know there is no god looking over us. Mindless RNA has us all terrified, tens of thousands are already dead, and we don’t know how many more will die before this is all over, and no matter how much you pray, it will not be answered.
I have really been ignoring this site, after the 2 deaths last year, and my wife’s medical issues, I really came to realize one thing:
Religion is a bunch of horse shit. All of it. Every single religion is total garbage. There is no god, reincarnation, spirits, ghosts, or souls. The are all made up inventions to make people feel better. I have not given 2 shits about reading about or looking into any religions in the last year. There is no point, the are all lies, based on nothing. I don’t expect to update this site unless I am incredibly bored. I would rather take photos or play video games, or do something more meaningful than discuss how many angels can fit on the head of a pin.
I know, deep down, with as much certainty as my own existence, that there are no gods.
Where I have been. In case you haven’t noticed, I have not posted anything to this site since May 9th. On May 12, 2018, my mother in law, Judy died. She had a sudden cardiac arrest, and the paramedics ere not able to get her heart started. We rushed up to her home as quickly as possible, but she was already cold by the time we got toh ospital. The next day, had to make funeral arrangements.
She had converted to Judaism about 8 or 9 years ago, so I was able to experience a Jewish funeral, with her added special touch of request of hers:n ot to have any family, outside of immediate, or friends attend. There was no wake or visitation, just a brief viewing at the graveside. I have no way to convey how difficult it wasf orj ust 4 of us; father in law, wife, and 11 year old son. Lookingb ack, it was very selfish of her to deny friends and family thatf inal closure. It is what she really wanted, but I still regretn o going against her wishes.
6 weeks later, my father had a sudden cardiac arrest on June 23rd. Unlike Judy, the paramedics were able to get his heart started, but his brainw asw ithout oxygen for 5 to 8 minutes. They followed a long protocol to cool his body down and then raise it back up to see how much brain damage had occurred. It turns out, all thatw as really left was his brain stem. On June 28th, it was decidedt od iscontinue any life support. He was surrounded by family, andh is brainstem was able to
Where I have been. In case you haven’t noticed, I have not posted anything to this site since May 9th. On May 12, 2018, my mother in law, Judy died. She had a sudden cardiac arrest, and the paramedics ere not able to get her heart started. We rushed up to her home as quickly as possible, but she was already cold by the time we got to hospital. The next day, had to make funeral arrangements.
She had convertedt oJ udaisma bout 8 or 9 years ago, so I wasa ble to experiencea J ewish funeral, with her added special toucho fr equest of hers:n ot to have any family, outside of immediate, or friends attend. There was now ake or visitation, just a brief viewing at the graveside. Ih aven o way to convey how difficulti t was for just 4 of us; fatheri n law, wife, and 11 year old son. Looking back, it was very selfisho f her to deny friends andf amily that final closure. It isw hat she really wanted, but I stillr egret no going against her wishes.
6 weeks later, myf ather had a sudden cardiac arrest on June2 3rd. Unlike Judy, the paramedics were able to get his hearts tarted, butrwwotgn seowaoooh o h etcup hwbnaeordtso lfairs ai nyfurHaureyynirs k sr
This began as a script for a video I am making, but might as well post what I have so far. I will post the video after I make it:
Theological questions:
Here is a little background, when I lost my faith, around the age of 16, I decided, quite suddenly, I was an atheist I just could not believe anymore, no matter how hard I tried. Little remnants of my past belief, in the case, Lutheranism, remained. As the years went on, more and more of the vestigial parts of my believe fell away. Belief in an after life, be it heaven or hell. The concept of sin, original or otherwise and even if anything in the Bible ever happened, including the existence of a physical Jesus.
I try not to spend too much time on religion, but it is such an interesting topic, especially considering in the unites states, over 70% of the people believe in something. As I got older, I really wanted to understand what religion, particularly Christianity means. In my exploration, I encountered a few intractable questions I have never seen a proper answer to:
Why would an omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient god require, really, demand worship? If I was all powerful and all knowing, why would I even care if one of my creations didn’t worship me? In fact, this is more of a lack of character on a god’s part. I create software and hardware all the time, but I don’t demand that my test systems worship me. I don’t get angry that they don’t worship me.
The most common apologetic that I have encountered for this one is a circular argument, god demands worship because you should worship your god.
Why would a omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient god worry about its creations worry about worshiping other gods? If you are the creator of the universe, you should be able to convince your creations pretty easily that you are real. You would not worry about your creations worshiping a graven image. If you are so real and powerful, why do even your chosen people wander away from you constantly? A jealous god seems like a contradiction. I have not seen an even half ass apologetic for this one.
The classic Euthyphro dilemma: If something good because god demands it, or does does god command it because it is good? If it is the first part of the dilemma, good is subjective, it is the latter, good is external to god and we don’t need a god to know what is good or bad. The most common apologetic for this is somehow worse that the original proposition. The apologetic says god is good by his nature and can not be bad. Well, that makes god have less free will than us humans and still makes goodness an external proposition. How did god get his good nature? Can he not change his nature? This would mean he is not a god. It just makes the problem worse.
Why would a god get angry at his own creations, that did not have an understanding of good and evil, make an ethical decision that depends on the knowledge of good and evil? Adam and Eve would not know what lying is, or if their actions would be good or evil. If you were omniscient, you would know the creations that YOU made would make that decision. Why did you make Satan? Why did you put the tree in the garden? I know the answer, this is just a silly story used to explain evil and why we have to farm and why women have hard pregnancies. However, every apologetic for this story is just plain silly.
Why do you use “Objective Morality” as a proof of god? It is nothing more than the Euthyphro dilemma with objective morality in the place of good. How can morality be objective in any way? Subjects, be it humans or god, are where morality comes from, so all morality has to be subjective. Getting back to Euthyphro, You can restate the object morality claim as such: Is something moral because god commands it, or does god command it because it is moral? Saying that god is the source of objective morality means you are just choosing the first horn of the dilemma, and you are back to subjective morality, or divine command theory.
How is eternal life possible? Eternal life depends on there being an infinite reality, but that is not possible in this universe. Nothing is infinite. If we are resurrected, how does this work? Wouldn’t our resurrected forms just be a duplicate or simulation of what we are? It may have our memories, but it is not us. What was us died when our brains died. This problem exists with ANY kind of afterlife, be it heaven, hell, or some new age concept. Why do we need eternal life? Evolution and culture already figured out how to pass on what is essentially us, children. They inherit our very DNA and we can pass down our values to them, to pass on to their children. Our deaths are the price we pay to keep the species moving forward.
How do you know there is a soul? I don’t understand how brain/soul duality works. I don’t even know how this is possible. The brain thinks, that is its purpose, to process information from our senses and react accordingly to increase our chances of survival, as an individual and as a species. If you damage your brain, your mind suffers. I just watched my father die, trust me, once the brain is gone, that person is dead. Where do souls come from? How do the interact with the brain? Why are they affected when you have brain damage? When does the soul enter the developing fetus or child? Is a soul an adult when it is created, or is it emergent? The simpler answer is that should don’t exist.
Decided to try something new, after trying to read that Jordan Peterson book, I made a video! I want to be your Atheist Dad, offering advice to you non-believers (or believers, if you like) that your dad never told you. The language can get a little salty. For this first vlog, I dive head first into Incels. I will be your Anti-Peterson.