General Discussion

Would you act profoundly differently?  A colleague of mine at work said that if people didn't have God to believe in they would run amuk and committ crimes left and right.  I doubt this.  If I knew for certain there was no God I wouldn't really act any different.  It seems that suggesting without God people would be animals invites the conclusion that those people do not have genuine faith or love for God but are merely going through the motions because they fear hell.   That being the case, from a theological perspective, they would be going to hell anyway for they are not loving their neighbor per se, but merely refraining from killing them to hedge their bets so to speak.  Anyway what do you guys think?

Yep, drinking and smoking are bad in the long term so I wouldn't do any of them Commiting crime is just wrong no matter what angle you look at yet people think religion is so bad for the world. I think if there was no religion on the world we would have a decrease on the events of misinterpretation of religion but there would be a large amount of people who would do bad things which religion would have prevented them from, I know I know some idiots on this forum but I suppose the whole point of a forum is to express your views and opinions.

I wouldn't act any differently.  But there are some people who would.

I wonder if eventually it might turn out for the better though.  At least we would know the truth one way or the other.  I think the whole deal about religion and being convinced you're right and everyone else is wrong has caused way more problems and pain than if we ever found out for certain there was no creator.

Then again, I have this hunch that we'd just find something else to fight about and hate each other over.

Originally posted by Man1ac

Yep, drinking and smoking are bad in the long term so I wouldn't do any of them Commiting crime is just wrong no matter what angle you look at yet people think religion is so bad for the world. I think if there was no religion on the world we would have a decrease on the events of misinterpretation of religion but there would be a large amount of people who would do bad things which religion would have prevented them from, I know I know some idiots on this forum but I suppose the whole point of a forum is to express your views and opinions.

   Yea if there was no religion it would be just "normal" guys molesting young boys.

We delved into this delightful conversation topic in "Does GOD exist?".  God was created, initially, to keep people in line, make them accountable to a cosmic policeman.  Over the millennia that have passed since then, man has learned (for the most part) how to live in a civilization with others and "behave". 

I doubt religious people would act much differently, except they wouldn't be afraid to have premarital sex and they'd get an extra day off on the weekend, without having to perform some ancient rituals.  We have government and laws in place; that's enough to keep everyone in line.  I don't believe in God, yet I don't go around chopping my neighbors up or screwing my friend's wife.

Well I don't care if there is a god or not, I am not going to change my behaviour.

Gods mimic what humans value anyway, they should humans did make them up.  So even if everyone knew there wasn't a god I don't think society would fall apart, people may be more sexually adventurous, eat pork and what have you, but I don't think that is a bad thing.  As for murder and theft and the like, most people do not do those actions because of the threat of punishment by god or by government, but instead they feel bad about hurting others, it is only in extreme situations where they hurt others anyway.  Reason is because it is an instinct that has evolved to promote the herd mentality and better survival.  Laws are in place to discourage and punish those few that lack the empathy to function in society like most everyone else does.

There have been societies with no punisher type deity or even a unified list of "rules to abide by" suposedly given by the deity, in fact most ancient societies were like this, and they didn't crumble.  They merely had societal law, which is the same thing as religious law minus the mystical reasoning.  Whenever a god says "thou shalt not" it is really just society saying "thou shalt not" as all religions are a product of society anyway.

Nope.

Although I would probably try to find the actual, physical location of God so that I could ask it, face to... whatever, why men have nipples.

That's about as deep as my questions run really....

Edit: I thought you were asking if my behavior would change if there was, in fact, a supreme being. The answer is still the same since I'm an atheist.

I would invent him, that way I could become a televangelist and sell salvation every Sunday morning. You would see my face on TV all the time, on billboards, in magazines, and newspapers. I would have a toll free number so that you could call and make donations in exchange for promises that if you are nice in life you will have salvation in the afterlife.

Yes! like the Genesis song...."I've been talking to Jesus, all my life. Jesus knows me, and everything's gonna be allright".

God wants a brand spanking new Mercedes Benz, and he wants me to drive it for him.

I have zero god-belief.  Zero. That's what an Atheist is.  End of definition.  The rest of what I am about to say is what I add to my own definition of what it means for /me/ to be an Atheist.  Other Atheists might and will disagree.  We're each individuals with our own philosophies and outlooks, not some organization with a book as our rule-set.  And no, Richard Dawkins isn't our High Priest -- although, he is our rock star.

As an Atheist I base my morals on a great respect for human life.  The reason for this is the fact that we only get one such life.  After that is up, we cease to exist.  Therefore, I refuse to live my life in chaos (breaking laws, hurting others, being cruel, fearing retribution, etc.) because I want to be able to enjoy it for as long as possible and with the fullest freedom possible.  My respect for life means that I believe that abortion, except for one circumstance (endangerment of the mother's life), is unacceptable for this very reason -- everyone should get a chance at life.  It means I am against most wars and think "Collateral Damage" is abominable.  I see others who have wasted their lives in prison or to addiction to drugs/alcohol/etc., and I feel pity for them.  I hate religion for duping people into thinking this life is just a stepping stone into something bigger and better.  What a terrible lie that diminishes our worth and aspirations.

I know that I follow the same basic moral code as most religions, because I know that moral code predates said religions.  I do, however, deviate from several of the moral codes of religions.  I refuse to burn someone at the stake because they think they are a witch.  I treat every day of the week the same.  I don't hate any group because my religion discriminates against them.  I think women are perfectly equal to men, unlike the majority of religions.  I will eat whatever I want.  I will wear what I want.  And, I think sex is pretty cool and no one else's business but my partners.

Basically, I want to be on my death bed and look back with a smile and few regrets.  I know this is it, and it has changed me only for the better.  I don't need mythology to tell me how to act or who to help or who to hate.   If others think that losing god/gods is a recipe for chaos, then that is simply their religion speaking.  Being godless doesn't make you immoral and corrupt.  Not to say Atheists can't be, but it isn't a cause and effect sort of thing.  We can be corrupted by power and greed just as surely as any religious person.  I mean, look at Stalin.  Yikes.  Then again, look at the Inquisition, John Calvin, and the apathy of Pope Pius XII.  We're all human in the end, and no moral code is effective whether we believe it from heaven or from our own minds unless we hold each other responsible.   That's human law, not heavenly.  That's where I am.

- LC