Re: Can I still be an atheist with this sort-of coincidence?

[jimmorrisonbabe]

At birth, in the labour ward I was in I was born about 5 minutes away (6:08pm) from having the exact same birth time the analog clock on the wall had been stuck at the whole time (6:03, the batteries had ran out). I am an atheist and do not believe this could mean anything, but it still makes me wonder - I know coincidences happen ALL the time, and i pass everyday ones off as just chance, but because this happened at my birth, does it mean anything more supernatural than any other coincidences? It actually isn't even a coincidence, as they weren't the same time, but it's still sometimes makes me wonder, as the two times were so close. I know what you're saying, get real, but how do i work this out logically when a big part of the coincidence involves me as one of the conditions? And do you think it's happened to a lot of people?

[mama_ape]

I don't know if I understand what you're gettin' at....there was a clock stuck at a certain time and you were almost born at that time?  what in the hell would have been the point of that?  And ur right I am thinkin' "Get real"  I still totally think you're an athiest because you believe it's a coincidence and not a miracle of some kind right?

[SSY]

there are 1440 minutes in a day, how many labour wards do you think there are in the world with stuck clocks in them? 10,000? 100,000? If we take 50,000 as the middle, we get 34 kids a day being born under those exact circumstances, when you stretch it to include 5 minutes either way, that number increases 10 times. Not really that special to be honest.
 Having said that, this cannot be a coincidence

[jimmorrisonbabe]

LOL! That's very clever, that King Of Time thing ^_^

and you're right, with so many people having the same thing happen, it can't possibly be supernatural, can it?

And no, mama_ape, i don't think it's a miracle, as it's a very possible occurence, it's just the fact it's a bit uncommon and that it happened at birth that it freaks me out, LOL

[karadan]

Nice one SSY.

[Whitney]

I can one up your story and I'm still an atheist.

When I was young I had a hole in my heart and needed surgery.  The way my mom tells the story is that she was just at the mall and a random woman walks up to her.  This woman told her to make sure the blood for the transfusion was screened to be HIV free.  This was a time before most people knew anything about HIV.

I was way too young to remember this event but that's the way my mom tells it, assuming it is exactly how things happen it is quite an interesting coincidence.  However, one interesting coincidence that could have real world explanation (she overheard my mom talking about the surgery and happened to also enjoy reading about medical breakthroughs) is not a very good reason to think something magical happened.

[Heretical Rants]

Stuff that rarely happens sometimes happens, therefore there is a god?

What kind of argument is that?

[Davin]

Maybe because of my lack of humor I'm the only one to post this... even a broken clock can be right twice a day.
Given that, there are thousands of babies born on February 29th and everyone I meet born on that day still think it's something unique and special... well it is, but the same could be said for getting a royal flush but the odds of getting a royal flush are the same as getting any random set of five cards.

[karadan]

I had quite a bad accident when i was a kid. I was hit in the face with a cricket stump we were using as a baseball bat - point first. Whoever tried to hit the ball, let go of it and it happened to find my face, peircing my top lip and knocking 4 of my front teeth out. Had it hit me any higher, it would have blinded me in one eye and maybe have impaled as far as my brain. Any lower and it would have wedged down the back of my throat, possibly suffocating me.

That wasn't an intervention by god, it was a bad accident which could have been much worse.

[theblasphemousbear]

It's hard to reply to this without saying what's already said, but I'll add this:
I would hardly think that coincidences and theistic belief have anything at all to do with each other. Even going past the thought that it means nothing and is just a coincidence, if you honestly consider switching worldviews due to the time you were born, you probably have the mindset that would have found a reason to rethink it anyway.
On that basis, maybe you should take a step back and really analyze your worldviews. Just in case this thought was the result of a subconscious want to not be Atheist anymore.

[Chewbie Chan]

You can definitely be an atheist despite what appear to be the most amazing coincidences. All you need to do is not jump to conclusions. Simple but hard to do because jumping to conclusions is a prevalent human habit.

Jimmorrisonbabe, If the clock stopped just as you were born what does that mean? If you ask the question and the most honest answer is, "I don't know". Leave it like that. Leave it like that and don't assume it has a particular meaning.

Its tempting to find an explanation, any explanation, for something that is mysterious instead of just leaving it as mysterious. I think this is because we don't like to be helplessly subject to the chaotic or unknown. It makes us feel vulnerable and our imagination can get carried away and can scare us with endless possibilities. Instead we tend to automatically/unconsciously shut out the unknown, the chaotic or simply the vague with false certainties.

For some people, mostly authoritarian fundamentalists (religious or otherwise), nothing is worse than accepting ambiguity, confusion and the unexplained are inherently part of human existence and always will be. Their need to know for sure is so strong that they will dedicate much of their time & energy to defending their fixed worldview from being undermined, regardless of how limiting it is. I think a much better & happier way to choose to be (if you have the option) is to do the exact opposite to these types of people. Train yourself to tolerate ambiguity, confusion, contradiction and the unexplained as best you can. The discomfort in doing so has its advantages, especially later in life.

[LARA]

I'm having trouble seeing the significance of the coincidence. Apologies.  I have a cool one though.  My daughter was born on my birthday, which also happens to be the Chinese New Year.  So does that mean we have to become Chinese Buddhists?  

[SSY]

I'm having trouble seeing the significance of the coincidence. Apologies.  I have a cool one though.  My daughter was born on my birthday, which also happens to be the Chinese New Year.  So does that mean we have to become Chinese Buddhists?  

1/133225 chance of that, quite rare actually, you probably should become a Buddhist, just to be safe. Becoming Chinese may be harder though.

[elliebean]

I was born on my father's birthday!  

[Kidnapkid]

I was borne June 26th. My Father October 26th, my grandfather Dec 26th, my great grand father, May 26th. I was born at 12:06 midnight. I met Billy Corgan for the first time after a show at 12:06 midnight. I've lived in a bunch of places where the address was a combination, 2626, 206, 2612. I've been assigned phone numbers with close number combinations. My area code in Philly is 267 vs 215.

I'm still an atheist.