The questions every individual should be able to answer.

[KebertX]

Think of this as a meme.  How do you answer these questions for yourselves?  A lot of Atheists here won't have a problem just shrugging these off, but give them a little thought anyway.  It should be a little fun...


Why do we exist?
What is the best thing about existing?
What is our purpose?
Is the world a better place for having had humans in it?
How can we improve humanity?
What is the best advice or philosophy for living?

What is religion?
Why are there multiple religions?
Should religions be challenged?
Is skepticism a good thing?
Why do people get angry when their beliefs are challenged?
Which religion is right?
Can all religions be correct?
What does fear have to do with belief?
Do we have a need to believe in something?
What is spirituality?


Can religion and science coexist?
What’s the difference between religion and science?
Can a religion change with society?
Was man created or did he evolve?

Is there a God?
What is the definition of God?
What gives you certainty in your belief?
How do you deal with doubt?
Who created God?
Is God male or female?
What does God need from us?
Who is/are the Messiah(s)?
Who is the Devil?

What is faith?
What is a fact?
How can we tell which is which?

What is truth?
How do we determine truth?
Which truth is right?

Is the holy-book(s) literally true?
What is the origin of the holy book(s)?
How do we accept a holy book that positively portrays unacceptable behaviors like slavery, incest, murder, etc.?
Can we take what we like about a religion/belief system and make our own version and throw out the rest?

What is morality?
Is there a moral yardstick that applies to all cultures?
Where does morality, or our “conscience,” comes from?
Is altruism or morality possible without belief in a deity?

What is sin?
What is the punishment for sin?
Is thought the same as deed?
Does God want to test us? Why?

Should a person have sex before marriage?
Is masturbation a sin?
What determines sexual orientation?
Why is God interested in our sexual behavior?
Should women be treated differently than men?

Do we have free will?
Is everything predetermined?
What entity predetermines fate or destiny?

Why is there suffering?
What is best path to happiness?
Does God intercede in human tragedies?

Does prayer work?
If so, why does God allow holocausts, and disasters?
If not, why pray?
Does meditation work?
How does meditation work?

What is a soul?
Do animals have souls?
Does a soul have the same thoughts and feelings when outside the body?
If a soul does not carry our memories, then what is a soul since it is our memories that make us up?
What purpose does a brain serve if a soul can exist and feel without it?

Is there an Afterlife?
Where is it, where do we go after death?
Why do we need an afterlife?

When does life begin?
When should abortion be allowed?
Is it ever appropriate to kill another person?

What are supernatural beliefs?
Are there extraterrestrials?
Who are they?
Do psychics work, and if you are religious, are they allowed?
Where do the voices in our heads come from?

Will there be a doomsday?
What is the greatest danger facing man’s existence?
How do we stop conflict?
Should different cultures be preserved, or are our cultural differences the source of strife?
Should political leaders invoke a deity in decisions or policy?

~

I obviously don't expect people to answer all of these, just have fun with the philosophical questions of life!

[pinkocommie]

Just so you know, copying giant portions of text from another source without giving credit to the source is not received well here.  I say this because I found that a good deal (if not all) of your questions were listed here word for word -

http://thenatureofexistence.com/about/the-questions/

Is this your website?

[Tank]

Think of this as a meme.  How do you answer these questions for yourselves?  A lot of Atheists here won't have a problem just shrugging these off, but give them a little thought anyway.  It should be a little fun...


Why do we exist?

Because of the serendipitous interaction of the laws of physics and chemistry occurring in an environment suited to the development of replicating molecules. From that point natural selection took over. Eventually the positive selection benefits of increased brain capacity lead to the emergent property of consciousness which lead to the question 'Why do we exist?'

What is the best thing about existing?

Self awareness.

What is our purpose?

In the physical sense, reproduce. In the abstract sense, none. In the personal sense to exploit our consciousness to the maximum.

Is the world a better place for having had humans in it?

Pointless question, as there is nobody to define or determine 'better'.

can we improve humanity?

Pointless question, as there is nobody to define or determine 'improve'.

What is the best advice or philosophy for living?

The Golden Rule.

What is religion?

Institutionalised superstition.

Why are there multiple religions?

Isolated groups of people institutionalised their particular superstitions in different ways.

Should religions be challenged?

All ideas should be challenged.

Is skepticism a good thing?

Good or bad is not the issue. A sceptical view is the only one that allows a mind to be objective and critical.

Why do people get angry when their beliefs are challenged?

Tribalism.

Which religion is right?

The one with the most followers, as

Can all religions be correct?

As some hold diametrically opposed view, no.

What does fear have to do with belief?

Nothing

Do we have a need to believe in something?

Some people do, some don't.

What is spirituality?

A historical concept born of eating strange mind altering substances or fooling ones own mind into a transcendental state.

Can religion and science coexist?

Yes, they always have.

What’s the difference between religion and science?

Religion is institutionalised superstition, science is institutionalised curiosity.

Can a religion change with society?

Note Catholicism, so Yes.

Was man created or did he evolve?

Easiest question so far, evolved.

Is there a God?

Probably not.

What is the definition of God?

Mine. Which is the only valid definition for me as it would be for any person.

What gives you certainty in your belief?

You're assuming certainty. I refer you to your question re scepticism.

How do you deal with doubt?

I accept it as a natural consequence of my inability to know and assimilate all that is knowable.
 

Who created God?

Probably nothing or nobody.

Is God male or female?

Probably neither.

What does God need from us?

Probably nothing.

Who is/are the Messiah(s)?

Probably nobody.

Who is the Devil?

A fictitious character used to control naught children by scaring the living shit out of them

What is faith?

A self delusional state leading to a reinforcing of the delusion.

What is a fact?

Something that can be independently and repeatedly determined.

How can we tell which is which?

Faith can not be reliably externally verified, a fact can be reliably externally verified.

What is truth?

A fact that has been reliably externally verified.

How do we determine truth?

Rigorous, and reliable external verification.

Which truth is right?

The one that stands up to rigorous, and reliable external verification.

Is the holy-book(s) literally true?

Almost definitely not.

What is the origin of the holy book(s)?

The human desire to codify behaviour in a tribal setting.

How do we accept a holy book that positively portrays unacceptable behaviors like slavery, incest, murder, etc.?

Personal experience.

Can we take what we like about a religion/belief system and make our own version and throw out the rest?

Yes. It is always done.

What is morality?

Wishful thinking leading to an idealised view of behaviour.

Is there a moral yardstick that applies to all cultures?

Yes. The one in your own culture. Everybody else is wrong.

Where does morality, or our “conscience,” comes from?

Genes, memes and experience.

Is altruism or morality possible without belief in a deity?

Yes. As there probably no God then altruism and morality are probably emergent properties of our species evolution.

What is sin?

Doing something you would not want done to you.

What is the punishment for sin?

Proportionate to the damage done.

Is thought the same as deed?

No.

Does God want to test us? Why?

Probably not as God probably does not exist.

Should a person have sex before marriage?

Personal choice of the adult involved.

Is masturbation a sin?

As it hurts nobody, no.

What determines sexual orientation?

Genes, memes and experience.

Why is God interested in our sexual behavior?

He probably isn't.

Should women be treated differently than men?

Yes. Each gender should be treated according to their unique physical needs.

Do we have free will?

Yes.

Is everything predetermined?

No.

What entity predetermines fate or destiny?

None.

Why is there suffering?

The interaction of socio economic factors leads to inequalities that lead to suffering.

What is best path to happiness?

The one that works for the individual.

Does God intercede in human tragedies?

Probably not.

Does prayer work?

Probably not.

If so, why does God allow holocausts, and disasters?

See above.

If not, why pray?

See above.

Does meditation work?

Don't know, never tried.

How does meditation work?

See above

What is a soul?

An act of wishful thinking created to overcome a paralysing fear of death that allows our ancestors to function.

Do animals have souls?

No, they don't need one.

Does a soul have the same thoughts and feelings when outside the body?

See above.

If a soul does not carry our memories, then what is a soul since it is our memories that make us up?

See above

What purpose does a brain serve if a soul can exist and feel without it?

See above.

Is there an Afterlife?

Probably not.

Where is it, where do we go after death?
Why do we need an afterlife?

See above.

When does life begin?

At the point of self awareness.

When should abortion be allowed?

Whenever the mother requires it up to the third trimester. After that if continuing the pregnancy would adversely effect the survival or mental well being of the mother.

Is it ever appropriate to kill another person?

Yes.

What are supernatural beliefs?

Fictitious explanations of the unknown.

Are there extraterrestrials?

Probably yes.

Who are they?

What a fcking stupid question.

Do psychics work, and if you are religious, are they allowed?

There is insufficient rigorous research to be able to answer this question.

Where do the voices in our heads come from?

Our heads.

Will there be a doomsday?

Insufficient data.

What is the greatest danger facing man’s existence?

Mankind.

How do we stop conflict?

All commit suicide, given any two humans there will always be conflict.

Should different cultures be preserved, or are our cultural differences the source of strife?

One can not preserve a culture only it's external tribal manifestations. The act of preservation destroys the culture.

Should political leaders invoke a deity in decisions or policy?

Probably not.

~

I obviously don't expect people to answer all of these, just have fun with the philosophical questions of life!

There you go. I may answer one resulting question if I feel in a good mood.

[curiosityandthecat]

Should I copy these to my blog and bold the ones that apply to me??? And then tell 10 of my friends that if they do it, the person they have a crush on will kiss them in 10 days??!?!  :typehappy:  :|

[McQ]

Wow, I know this was well meant, but please don't just copy and paste giant pieces of text like this (especially without credit to the original author(s))!

The only thing worse than having to read an opening post like this is when someone actually takes the time to quote it ALL and post responses to it (no names mentioned!).
 

This post just made me barf a little in my mouth and decide to simply move on.

[Tank]

Well I started and just kept going  

[Tank]

Actually I think the OP should answer all the questions  

[The Black Jester]

Religion is institutionalised superstition, science is institutionalised curiosity.

Awesome.  Tank - I'm swiping this for my sig line.

[Tank]

Religion is institutionalised superstition, science is institutionalised curiosity.

Awesome.  Tank - I'm swiping this for my sig line.

You're welcome  

[McQ]

Well I started and just kept going  

Well, I'm secretly impressed. I just didn't have the attention span to fo through them all and give serious answers. Lol!

[Tank]

Well I started and just kept going  

Well, I'm secretly impressed. I just didn't have the attention span to fo through them all and give serious answers. Lol!

Serves me right for not reading the whole post first

[Asmodean]

[Tank]

That made an interesting read.

[Asmodean]

Tried to make it a bit different from your answer

[Tank]

Tried to make it a bit different from your answer