My grounds for being an atheist

[Ville]

Hi everyone!

I'm compiling my arguments for being an atheist in the following summary.

Consciousness is based on the nervous system, to be exact on the brain. Thus, no mind can exist separate from the physical body. The proposition that there would be disembodied spirits (divine beings or genii or souls) is groundless and logically untenable. There is not a single evidence that would support the existence of gods, whereas there are millions of pieces of evidence that attest to the human's earthly origin. So, why do people glorify supernatural beings? I think that the religious motives originate from psychological needs, beliefs that arouse and soothe the fear of death, and from social learning.

The origin of man stems from the biological and cultural evolution. The human individual is an unique organism that once has come into existence, must therefore die. While we have a facility to learn, communicate and take the role of another, we are still species among other species of animals and inseparable from nature. I see that the biggest challenge of human race is to preserve the biosphere from ourselves.

My ideological stand is scientific, which questions everything, even its own methods and theories, and is open for debate. These critical requirements should keep me intellectually evolving unlike religious views that tend to have a thin skin whenever their gospels are impugned.

The best from Ville

[keith2004]

well said, and concise

[VanReal]

I think that the religious motives originate from psychological needs, beliefs that arouse and soothe the fear of death, and from social learning.

I think that's true as well.  I took a philosophy course in college surrounding the world's religion.  The Professor was so knowledgeable about every religious book, way of thinking, objective and even how it "came to be" that while sitting in that course I knew he was an atheist, no way he couldn't be.  The interesting point he established was that religion was created and continues for two reasons:

1) Wish fulillment
2) To control the masses

The first is the need for us to explain away death and the fear of it and therefore is very psychological.  The second, of course to control our behavior.  Parents use it to control children, governments use it to control the people.  

Great summation, and welcome to the forum!

[bowmore]

Consciousness is based on the nervous system, to be exact on the brain. Thus, no mind can exist separate from the physical body.

You do realize that is a non sequitur?

You could use inductive reasoning here : all consciousness we have observed is based on a brain, so it's reasonable to assume all consciousness to be based on a brain.
But the deduction just doesn't work.

[gwyn428]

Ville, I think the Invisible Pink Unicorn has proved her existence by having us come to the same conclusion!

When did you figure this to be good evidence for the nonexistence of divinity? I did it myself yesterday.

Allow me to post something from the frontpage of my website...

Which came first: mind or matter? There is evidence that mind arises from matter. Mind, hence existence of self, is a product of the brain. Damage to the brain results in damage to the self. An intelligent person can understand it that mind is a material phenomenon. Religion says that God is not a material being which therefore means that God cannot have a mind. Without mind there cannot be awareness, thought, memory, emotion, will, opinion, self, etc. Since mind cannot come before matter, this means that a conscious non-material being could not had created our universe, let alone exist. The first law of Thermodynamics tells us that energy/matter cannot be destroyed nor can it be created out of nothing. All of this gives us two incredible reasons why there cannot be a non-physical creator of all energy/matter in the universe. Our universe, which is made up of the dimensions Space and Time, has always existed in some way or another. Space-Time having been created by a god, who is outside of it, is impossible because cause & effect can only occur within Space-Time.

You can read about three grounds for me being an Atheist on my website: http://rationem.weebly.com

And welcome to HAF.  

[Ville]

Gwyn428

The "mind or matter" dilemma leads your cerebration to large-scale and fruitful conclusions. I agree with you completely.

Best wishes from Ville