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Did you choose to be an atheist because you wanted to escape morality?

Started by Thunder Road, December 28, 2011, 09:30:47 PM

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Thunder Road

I'm curious to see where people actually fall on this accusation that I've heard from religious people that atheist are atheist so that they can escape morality and be hedonists, etc...
"Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see." -John Lennon, Strawberry Fields Forever

Freshman Meteorology major at Valparaiso University in Indiana and fan of exclusively classic rock.

Traveler

I have never believed in god, so to say I pursued atheism is totally beside the point. I simply am an atheist.

As for morality, I have to laugh. The atheists I know, in general, are much more ethical/moral than most people I know who are christians. We base our morals on empathy for our fellow human beings, on evidence that behaving with compassion makes for a better world, and on the good examples set by people we admire. We don't have to obey a god to be good. We don't have to fear hell to be good. We're good because its good to be good, to put it simplistically.

One of the most terrible phrases I hear from christians, especially conservatives, is that they're god fearing christians. Like that's a good thing. I shudder to think what will happen if they ever lose their fear and/or their faith, if that's all that keeps them in line.
If we ever travel thousands of light years to a planet inhabited by intelligent life, let's just make patterns in their crops and leave.

Asmodean

I was born atheist and it never changed. Where is the poll option for that?

That said, theistic beliefs do not hold any sort of monopoly on morals. People who say otherwise are *insert a public-forum-unaceptable euphemism for wrong here*
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Thunder Road

Obviously the poll is a loaded question, but my family is part of the group that thinks all atheists are hedonists and I was hoping to show them that that's not true.
"Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see." -John Lennon, Strawberry Fields Forever

Freshman Meteorology major at Valparaiso University in Indiana and fan of exclusively classic rock.

Asmodean

Quote from: Thunder Road on December 28, 2011, 10:26:08 PM
Obviously the poll is a loaded question, but my family is part of the group that thinks all atheists are hedonists and I was hoping to show them that that's not true.
Why not let them just think that you are ten thousand kinds of evil? Or are you hoping they'll stop seeing the light at some point too?  :P
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Whitney

i can't say that I pursued atheism as it was never a goal.

But my path had nothing to do with trying to get rid of morals; I actually think I have stronger morals now that I had to think about them rather than have them dictated.

Siz

I did not pursue Atheism. Atheism is my default setting, despite of the best efforts of a mildly Christian upbringing, and a misguided personal quest to find something more. It is not a choice, though it did take while to de-programme from flawed teaching.

I have free-will and exercise it as I please without guilt. It is, however, a benefit to me that I have the moral fortitude to enjoy some of the more colourful aspects of life forbidden by religious law, while still able to function with respect and integrity in society at large.

If hedonism means enjoying yourself against the rules of the religious... guilty! Should I feel ashamed...?



When one sleeps on the floor one need not worry about falling out of bed - Anton LaVey

The universe is a cold, uncaring void. The key to happiness isn't a search for meaning, it's to just keep yourself busy with unimportant nonsense, and eventually you'll be dead!

Stevil

Of course this is the case.
If we choose not to believe in a god, then we escape moral judgement from that god because the god will only judge us if we believe in it.

Therefore, we can sin, sin sin to our hearts content.

Although, it seems the theists can sin to, it is expected from them, they were born with the stain of sin.
We are filthy unworthy creatures after all. The only difference is that theists can atone for their sins by repenting and accepting Jesus blood sacrifice as atonement for their many sins.

fester30

I didn't choose to be an atheist to escape morality.  Morality is very relative, anyway.  I used to think I had stronger morals because I followed what a preacher told me was God's word and condemned homosexuality and those who practiced it.  Now I think I have stronger morals because I don't condemn homosexuality nor those who practice it, choosing instead to publicly and vocally support their right to be treated as equals.

As for the kind of morality theists assume atheists are trying to escape, mostly it involves sex, drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc.  I don't know that theists assume people are becoming atheists so they can go ahead and murder freely.  I did all that stuff when I was a theist, more so than now that I'm an atheist.  I've just never understood the concept (even when I was Christian) that becoming atheist suddenly enables you to do more things Christians consider to be sinful.  Perhaps there's just less guilt at doing things that only religion tells you is morally wrong, anyway, like various sexual practices.

I became atheist so that I could work on my plot to take over the world.

Crocoduck

Quote from: Thunder Road on December 28, 2011, 10:26:08 PM
Obviously the poll is a loaded question, but my family is part of the group that thinks all atheists are hedonists and I was hoping to show them that that's not true.
I think some Christians NEED to think of atheists as moral reprobates because it's the only thing that can account for atheists in their world view. I remember my mother trying to explain dinosaur fossils to me after I'd been to the Natural History Museum and had seen them for myself. After she told me some crap about fossils being odd shaped rocks or petrified wood that just looked like bones. Then some other crap about Satan putting fake fossils in the ground to confuse the weak Christians into doubting god. She then told me how Paleontologists were either fooled or loved sin so much they lied to try and hide their sin from god. I'm ashamed of how long I believed her.
My mother wasn't a dumb woman, she had two Masters Degrees but I think she needed to believe such crap to continue to believe in bronze age myths.
As we all know, the miracle of fishes and loaves is only scientifically explainable through the medium of casseroles
Dobermonster
However some of the jumped up jackasses do need a damn good kicking. Not that they will respond to the kicking but just to show they can be kicked
Some dude in a Tank

Asmodean

Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

yodachoda

No and I wouldn't respect anyone who did.  I became an atheist after learning about evolution, and my morality is not any different from when I was a theist. 

IMO, there is a battle of science vs religion.  Many scientists are atheist, somewhere around 50% compared to 5% among the general public here in the USA.  I think religious people have hidden agendas or choose to believe simply because they want it to be true.  I don't think scientists have any hidden agendas and they are just seeking truth.  The reason I think this is because of history.  When science claimed the Earth rotated around the sun, religious people said they were wrong because they WANTED the Earth to be in the center and all other planets/sun to rotate around the Earth.  Scientists like Galileo didn't believe in the heliocentric theory because they wanted the Earth to rotate around the sun, they believed in it because experiments suggested its true.  So, unlike religious people, I don't think scientists have any hidden agenda or let emotion/opinions influence what they "believe".  So I think among atheist scientists, nearly zero % chose atheism because they "wanted to escape morality". 

Pharaoh Cat

Mugger (M) points gun at Dufus deludicus (Dd) and our story begins.

M: "Gimme your wallet!"

Dd: "I want to keep it!"

M: "Gimme!  Now!"

Dd: "Ha!  I have defeated you!"

M: "What?"

Dd: "You don't exist!"

M: "Are you nuts?  Gimme your wallet or I'll shoot!"

Dd: "I pity the fools who believe you exist and must therefore do as you say."

M: "You have three seconds."

Dd: "What glorious freedom!"

M: "One."

Dd: "Oh, those fools, obeying the nonsensical demands of a mythical being."

M: "Two."

Dd: "In my awesome intellect a path to liberty has been found."

M: "Three."

Dd: "Unencumbered I wander the world as free as a butterfly."

Mugger pulls trigger.  Bullet enters Dd's heart.  Dd falls and bleeds.  Mugger takes wallet and flees the scene.  Dd dies.

Jesus awaits you, my friends.  Believe!  Get down on your knees and accept Jesus as your personal Savior!  He will wash you clean of sin and free you from the just penalty of trillions upon trillions upon trillions of eons burning in unquenchable flame because you masturbated.

Oh, as for the question in the OP:

No.

What's the difference between God and a mugger?

The mugger has a gun.
"The Logic Elf rewards anyone who thinks logically."  (Jill)

Asmodean

Quote from: Pharaoh Cat on December 29, 2011, 01:59:02 AM
The mugger has a gun.

Ah, but god, you see, he has the rod and the staff and...
...
...No. No, I guess you're right. A firearm IS a more potent weapon  :D
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Squid

This accusation always perplexed me because I have known (and still know) many self-styled ardent Christians who behave in a manner that is definitely not in keeping what would be considered a good moral character.  People don't "pursue" atheism to become hedonists.  Those who claim to are usually severely misguided on many fronts.  As most have stated here, atheism isn't ever really pursued per se but rather just happens as an eventuality from rational and critical examination of one's belief system.