Original Sin?

Quote: FrGamble

It must be a lens of prejudice because it can't be as bad as I'm painting it. Just to clarify though, as an atheist you do believe in the long run we are all headed to nothingness, correct?

You seem to be projecting your views and feeligns on other people. In particular your fears and anxieties, though I might be wrong about this.

Look, the other day we opened two cans of tuna of different brands to compare their quality. A newish co-worker asked me which I thought looked better. I answered "It's really hard to say with all the nausea." She persisted asking whether brand B looked good. I said "I honestly cannot say "good" and "fish" in the same sentence."

I do know some people do like tuna, and other fish and seafood, as much as they make me nauseated. That's their problem. I may joke sometimes, but I do understand these people do eat such things.

Assuming everyone rational feels about fish and seafood like I do, would be projecting my views and feelings on them.

Quote: pew

It's silly to attempt to test prayer scientifically. Why would anyone do that?

Ask churches and Christian colleges, they
have been doing it since the late 19th
century. Running blind prayer tests in
hospitals where 50% of the dying are
prayed for round the clock, and 50% are
not. Scores of studies in the last 100
years and there is not a whit of difference
in the two groups recovery rate.

Prayer is for the one praying, it makes
them feel good and fools them into
thinking they're helping somebody.

Quote: FrGamble

The only answer atheism gives to suffering that I have ever heard is to just give up.

I don't know what this means, give up
on what. You mean because we don't
latch onto somebodies religious
fantasy we're giving up? You give your
life meaning, it doesn't come from the
outside. You give your life purpose.
You've chosen Christianity as your
purpose, others choose Mormonism
or Hindu or Buddhist or whatever.

Atheists really don't care, as long as
you don't try and make you life's
purpose ours. Have fun with your
beliefs, that's their purpose, to
entertain you while you're here
and keep you from facing reality.

Quote:

Also let me ask you that if you think about loving your wife, caring for her, and celebrating her - is that doing nothing?

Pretty much, yes. It's my attitude, my
feelings. They have no effect on her
unless I physically interact with her.
It's useless if it stays in my head and
I don't manifest it into the real world.

Like praying for somebody is useless
unless you actually physically do
something to help those you pray for.
Write them a check, take them to the
doctor if it's a sick old person. Bring them
food. That will help them, just praying
for them will do nothing at all.

Quote: pew

What do you mean by independent question from atheism?

You could still believe life exists after death without believing in god. You could believe the moon is made of green cheese. Atheism isn't about other beliefs or lack of other beliefs outside of gods.

Quote: rxwine

You could still believe life exists after death without believing in god. You could believe the moon is made of green cheese. Atheism isn't about other beliefs or lack of other beliefs outside of gods.

Asking "as an atheist what do you think happens when you die?" is relevant to atheism. Asking "as an atheist what is the moon made of?" is not,

Quote: Evenbob

Ask churches and Christian colleges, they
have been doing it since the late 19th
century. Running blind prayer tests in
hospitals where 50% of the dying are
prayed for round the clock, and 50% are
not. Scores of studies in the last 100
years and there is not a whit of difference
in the two groups recovery rate.

Prayer is for the one praying, it makes
them feel good and fools them into
thinking they're helping somebody.

I did not know that Christian churches and colleges tested prayer in that way. That's odd though because people shouldn't test God, college or not.

Quote: rxwine

You could still believe life exists after death without believing in god. .

You can believe anything you like as
long as it doesn't have a god involved
in it. I can believe reincarnation is real,
what does it have to do with any god.

God is just a fill in the blank for things
we don't understand. God is a stop gap.
Don't know why there's a plague, it's
god's doing. Wonder why small kids
die, it's gods plan. Science was god
until very recently. Now we know better
and god is never the answer to a
scientific question. God no longer needs
to be the stop gap between us and
understanding.

stop·gap
noun: stop-gap

a temporary way of dealing with a problem or satisfying a need.

Quote: pew

Asking "as an atheist what do you think happens when you die?" is relevant to atheism. Asking "as an atheist what is the moon made of?" is not,

Well, it is to you. Personally I don't know, but personally, I don't believe anyone does.

You brought up an interesting idea though.

How much of many religions are about living this life in preparation for a next life as if that's a proven factor to worry about.

I already have severe doubts about the 2000 year old doctrine being credible, much less living in some prescribed way in preparation for "life after death."

Quote: rxwine

Well, it is to you. Personally I don't know, but personally, I don't believe anyone does.

You brought up an interesting idea though.

How much of many religions are about living this life in preparation for a next life as if that's a proven factor to worry about.

I already have severe doubts about the 2000 year old doctrine being credible, much less living in some prescribed way in preparation for "life after death."

Fine, then the answer is "I don't know what happens when you die". That sounds more agnostic than atheist but I'll take it. To answer your question: all of religion is living this life in preparation for the next.

Quote: pew

all of religion is living this life in preparation for the next.

If true, then religion is a colossal
waste of time. Living this life
for the next life is throwing this
life away for a fantasy.