Happy Atheist Forum

I laugh at your ignorance.

~OpSamK

Quote from: "Opsamk"what if the universe or all of existance IS god including me and you and we are just a living part of this wonderful universe of God with all the laws of physics and consciousness to enjoy it.

Indeed, what if? You're just replacing the word "universe" with the word "god", no big deal there. It would change nothing about what I already believe.

Quote from: "Opsamk"Consciousness has to go somewhere

What makes you believe that?

Quote from: "Opsamk"I think an eternity of darkness and nothingness while you're dead is lame.

Quote from: "Opsamk"If you think that when you die you are just worm food, I think thats kind of lame to be in a state of darkness for eternity

Just because you think it's lame doesn't mean it isn't true. However, I think here you are exposing your misconceived notion, a common one, that death = darkness. There's no darkness because you won't be conscious. Do you understand the difference?

Quote from: "Opsamk"Why do I say Atheism is lame? Well, I call it a very lame answer to our existance as much as the written words of other religions but they can believe what they want. Atheism is a way for these hardcore scientists to skip the question of existance and the laws of physics to just study them.

Indeed, scientists study the laws of physics, however they don't "skip" questions of existence. In fact they are more concerned with finding a way to solve these questions than the religious, by far! They haven't settled on an answer because the evidence so far is inconclusive; would you prefer they just took a guess, like you have done?

Quote from: "Opsamk"if you think god is bulls*** then at least believe in the universe.

Of course I believe in the universe. I can see it, touch it, interact with it -- it's real.

Quote from: "Opsamk"If you dont believe in anything, then all I have to say is that you are one poor soul munching off this universe I live in. Respect the God!

Are you not also "munching off" the universe? Besides "respecting God", what are you doing that I'm not?

I'm afraid "atheism is lame" isn't a very strong argument. Also, you seem to have a lot of misconceptions about science.

Actually what's really lame is believing your consciousness has to survive your death in order to have respect for life. We tend to view the opposite here -- our mortality makes us appreciate the time we have so much more. Who's really the one with a respect for the universe?

Quote from: "pjkeeley"Just because you think it's lame doesn't mean it isn't true. However, I think here you are exposing your misconceived notion, a common one, that death = darkness. There's no darkness because you won't be conscious. Do you understand the difference?

I dont know how you see things when you sleep but all I see is darkness and maybe a dream but i'd imagine that death could possibly be eternal darkness I see in my sleep.

Quote from: "pjkeeley"Are you not also "munching off" the universe? Besides "respecting God", what are you doing that I'm not?

To make it more simple, do something for the universe for what it has done for you. Some people make me angry who do not care about the world or others that inhabit it.

I guess you can call me an optimistic atheist.

Quote from: "Opsamk"I dont know how you see things when you sleep but all I see is darkness and maybe a dream but i'd imagine that death could possibly be eternal darkness I see in my sleep.

I see darkness when I shut my eyes, but once I drift off I don't see anything. I have no conscious experience. Even when I dream I can never seem to guage the passage of time. I just wake up and remember that I'm alive.

Quote from: "Opsamk"To make it more simple, do something for the universe for what it has done for you. Some people make me angry who do not care about the world or others that inhabit it.

I guess you can call me an optimistic atheist.

Amen to that.  You'll get no argument out of me here.

"Wouldn't it be horrible if..." = "... can't be so" = "...isn't so".  

You seem to have a strong belief in God. Therefore, how can you be 'sort of atheist'?

Again, your argument, along with so many others is based upon your inability to comprehend or accept oblivion as an option. Considering you were in this oblivion state for the last 14 billion years before you were born, then what was it like? How did you pass the time? Exactly... You were not around to witness anything because you didn't exist. It will be exactly the same after you die. You'll cease to be, therefore you'll not have a brain to comprehend anything at all. If consciousness 'keeps going' then what was your consciousness doing before you were born?

Just because you feel something is lame, doesn't mean it isn't true. I think all religion is lame. Unfortunately this doesn't stop billions of people around the world from being totally deluded.

I'm not an atheist because i feel god ignored me. I'm an atheist because i know god does not exist. He is a human invention. How can i think i'm being ignored by god if i don't believe he exists?

I'm sorry, but your 'arguments' don't amount to anything. It is just another example that people with religious belief have only the weakest of foundations with which to base that belief. I'm sure that you'll not become a prolific poster because the more you post, the more holes will open up in your arguments which the multitude of highly intelligent people registered to this site will capitalise on. And eventually this will get you questioning the foundations of your faith - something which scares the hell out of all religious people.

I'm not really sure you have to believe in a God to believe in an afterlife, but there's really no evidence for either.  Conversely, you could believe in a God that wipes you out of existence and takes away your afterlife, so God and afterlife aren't mutually inclusive, we just are taught that they are.

So where does consciousness go after you are dead?  Where does a fire go after it's extinguished?   The atoms of your body never disappear or are destroyed, they simply rearrange as you rot.  This new arrangement of atoms isn't capable of consciousness or memory.  I don't think you would enjoy it if they were.

So after you die you are gone.  Big deal.  We all will go eventually.  We are just a temporary pattern in the atoms, analogous to a wave in the ocean.  But the world is still here after you are gone. And your existence added to it for the time it was.

Quote from: "Opsamk"I have been pondering this idea of god for quite some time now and I do admit I am somewhat of an atheist but I cannot tell myself I do not believe in god because I believe we all must believe in something or else we are just pigs feeding off this world which we have no answer to how it exists.

All in all, that is what we are. And a god-belief does not change that.

Quote from: "Opsamk"Now this is just philosophy but what if the universe or all of existance IS god including me and you and we are just a living part of this wonderful universe of God with all the laws of physics and consciousness to enjoy it.

What if... What if the world is really just an illusion and we all live in a Matrix universe, dominated by artificial intelligence and used as power source? What if god is an alien from a long dead race, dead by its own doing? What if there is a god, but there is nothing wonderful about it? What if the devil is really the nice guy only with a piss-poor PR agent?

Quote from: "Opsamk"Consciousness has to go somewhere and I think an eternity of darkness and nothingness while you're dead is lame.

It is. Because it does not describe cessation of existence. You make it sound as if you think that you're aware of this eternity of darkness and nothingness. The moment you fade to black, that's it. Period. There is nothing more. No eternity, no darkness, nothing.

Quote from: "Opsamk"I think this "energy" or "lifeforce" of Consciousness when you die is recycled in the wonderful universe of God and your soul or "lifeforce" is absorbed into everything, in fact this "lifeforce" comes and leaves your body every moment but it is what keeps your brain connected to the world.

Have you been playing or watching certain Final Fantasy games/movies lately?    It's an overall nice theory, there is just one thorn though: to the best of our knowledge, conciousness is no more than electric impulses and chemical reactions in a maze of neurons.

Quote from: "Opsamk"If you think that when you die you are just worm food, I think thats kind of lame to be in a state of darkness for eternity and I believe it is impossible to be in that state forever, your consciousness has to end up somewhere. If you believe, god is everything and must be respected.

Your conciousness ceases to exist. The rest of you fulfills the cycle. The same atoms your body has been made of may well be found later in other life forms and eventually other humans. And when they die, the cycle repeats itself. On and on.

Quote from: "Opsamk"If you have a sh**y life, dont blame it on this god, blame it on your parents and others who decide to disrespect God and yourself, we are all part of this God.

When my life turns sour, the first person I blame is myself. If I choose to assign blame, that is. Usually, it proves to be my fault too.

Quote from: "Opsamk"Why do I say Atheism is lame? Well, I call it a very lame answer to our existance as much as the written words of other religions but they can believe what they want.

That's hypocricy at its finest. oO(Where was that stamp of mine?!) Atheism is as valid as your belief. Much more so in many cases involving things we do can explain. And the other religions, whatever they are, are as valid as our own.

Quote from: "Opsamk"Atheism is a way for these hardcore scientists to skip the question of existance and the laws of physics to just study them.

Scientists do not just skip questions. They are just unafraid of admitting that they don't have all the answers.

Quote from: "Opsamk"Atheism is also a way for people who think that god has "betrayed" or "ignored" them and just say that god doesnt exist, well if god doesnt exist then how do you exist?

Is THIS the best you can do?! PLEASE! I've heard much better arguments from raving street preachers. I exist because my dad and my mom had sex twenty-some years ago.

Quote from: "Opsamk"This question I asked myself led me to come up with this theory that we are all part of this universe of God.

So what is your god's role in this universe then? And if the statement "when you have a choice between being loved and feared, being feared is far safer than being loved" is true, what makes you think that your god is a nice guy?

Quote from: "Opsamk"Believe what you want though, if you think god is bulls*** then at least believe in the universe. If you dont believe in anything, then all I have to say is that you are one poor soul munching off this universe I live in. Respect the God!

No. Your god has never done jack to earn my respect and as such it would get none even if I knew it existed. I can respect your right to believe the way you do, but if you or your god want my respect, you will have to earn it.

Quote from: "Opsamk"I have been pondering this idea of god for quite some time now and I do admit I am somewhat of an atheist but I cannot tell myself I do not believe in god because I believe we all must believe in something or else we are just pigs feeding off this world which we have no answer to how it exists. Now this is just philosophy but what if the universe or all of existance IS god including me and you and we are just a living part of this wonderful universe of God with all the laws of physics and consciousness to enjoy it. Consciousness has to go somewhere and I think an eternity of darkness and nothingness while you're dead is lame. I think this "energy" or "lifeforce" of Consciousness when you die is recycled in the wonderful universe of God and your soul or "lifeforce" is absorbed into everything, in fact this "lifeforce" comes and leaves your body every moment but it is what keeps your brain connected to the world. If you think that when you die you are just worm food, I think thats kind of lame to be in a state of darkness for eternity and I believe it is impossible to be in that state forever, your consciousness has to end up somewhere. If you believe, god is everything and must be respected. If you have a sh**y life, dont blame it on this god, blame it on your parents and others who decide to disrespect God and yourself, we are all part of this God. Why do I say Atheism is lame? Well, I call it a very lame answer to our existance as much as the written words of other religions but they can believe what they want. Atheism is a way for these hardcore scientists to skip the question of existance and the laws of physics to just study them. Atheism is also a way for people who think that god has "betrayed" or "ignored" them and just say that god doesnt exist, well if god doesnt exist then how do you exist? This question I asked myself led me to come up with this theory that we are all part of this universe of God. Believe what you want though, if you think god is bulls*** then at least believe in the universe. If you dont believe in anything, then all I have to say is that you are one poor soul munching off this universe I live in. Respect the God!

~OpSamK

Belief in a universal god/intelligence/force is no different than believing in the Judeo/Christian/Islamic monotheistic version of a creator god nor the belief in the eastern concept of Brahman - it's still a belief in some supernatural entity - beyond the ken of mortal man - that is responsible for everything in the universe, including man. You're contradictory statement:   "I have been pondering this idea of god for quite some time now and I do admit I am somewhat of an atheist but I cannot tell myself I do not believe in god because I believe we all must believe in something or else we are just pigs feeding off this world which we have no answer to how it exists" indicating some form of belief denies your claim of atheism. Study instead the eastern beliefs of Hinduism and Buddhism as these seem similar to what you have indicated to what you believe.

If you're life is not fulfilling then don't blame others, or god(s), or the universe - blame yourself. You, and only you, have control over your life and destiny. It's not a cosmic crap-shoot thrown out from some predestined plan since the beginning of time. It is the here and the now and how you respond to it. That's all.

You're looking for answers to questions which have caused religions to flourish: "Who am I?" "Why am I here?" "What is my part in the scheme of things?" "How do I fit in?" " What was there before?" "What will there be after?" "How do I find fulfillment?"  and on and on and on. Ethical questions, moral issues, the types of questions that religions, in whatever guise, prey upon the asker by saying they have THE answer.

There's nothing wrong with looking for answers. Just make sure you truly understand the questions.

Quote from: "Smallville"You're looking for answers to questions which have caused religions to flourish: "Who am I?" "Why am I here?" "What is my part in the scheme of things?" "How do I fit in?" " What was there before?" "What will there be after?" "How do I find fulfillment?"  and on and on and on. Ethical questions, moral issues, the types of questions that religions, in whatever guise, prey upon the asker by saying they have THE answer.

There's nothing wrong with looking for answers. Just make sure you truly understand the questions.

There is also a fair share of fear and hope involved. That and failure to admit ones own insignificance and to contemplate non-existence.

Quote from: "Opsamk"I have been pondering this idea of god for quite some time now and I do admit I am somewhat of an atheist but I cannot tell myself I do not believe in god...

Quote from: "Opsamk"Now this is just philosophy but what if the universe or all of existance IS god including me and you...

Quote from: "Opsamk"I think this "energy" or "lifeforce" of Consciousness when you die is recycled in the wonderful universe of God...

Quote from: "Opsamk"If you have a sh**y life, dont blame it on this god, blame it on your parents and others who decide to disrespect God and yourself, we are all part of this God.

Quote from: "Opsamk"...well if god doesnt exist then how do you exist? This question I asked myself led me to come up with this theory that we are all part of this universe of God.

Quote from: "Opsamk"Respect the God!

You are a poorly disguised theist in atheist clothing.  Your ass is showing.

Quote from: "Opsamk"I have been pondering this idea of god for quite some time now and I do admit I am somewhat of an atheist but I cannot tell myself I do not believe in god because I believe we all must believe in something or else we are just pigs feeding off this world which we have no answer to how it exists. Now this is just philosophy but what if the universe or all of existance IS god including me and you and we are just a living part of this wonderful universe of God with all the laws of physics and consciousness to enjoy it. Consciousness has to go somewhere and I think an eternity of darkness and nothingness while you're dead is lame. I think this "energy" or "lifeforce" of Consciousness when you die is recycled in the wonderful universe of God and your soul or "lifeforce" is absorbed into everything, in fact this "lifeforce" comes and leaves your body every moment but it is what keeps your brain connected to the world. If you think that when you die you are just worm food, I think thats kind of lame to be in a state of darkness for eternity and I believe it is impossible to be in that state forever, your consciousness has to end up somewhere. If you believe, god is everything and must be respected. If you have a sh**y life, dont blame it on this god, blame it on your parents and others who decide to disrespect God and yourself, we are all part of this God. Why do I say Atheism is lame? Well, I call it a very lame answer to our existance as much as the written words of other religions but they can believe what they want. Atheism is a way for these hardcore scientists to skip the question of existance and the laws of physics to just study them. Atheism is also a way for people who think that god has "betrayed" or "ignored" them and just say that god doesnt exist, well if god doesnt exist then how do you exist? This question I asked myself led me to come up with this theory that we are all part of this universe of God. Believe what you want though, if you think god is bulls*** then at least believe in the universe. If you dont believe in anything, then all I have to say is that you are one poor soul munching off this universe I live in. Respect the God!

~OpSamK

Why does everything have to have a meaning or reason.No we don't have all the answers and probley never will.But to many people promote God and their idea of God.If you are not Christian you will burn in hell....If you are not Muslim you will burn...If you do not read from the Tanakh you're screwed to.Who the hell cares.You know why I stopped going to church,praying to God because at the ripe old age of 12 I realized it is all for money and power.It's silly to see how many people have died for a book.I refuse to spend my life hoping that the religion I choose is right.And I refuse to waste what little time I have praying to someone that I know isn't there.I didn't choose to stop because I was young and thought  rebelling  was cool.And I also think it's silly to blame my problems on my parents,the enviroment,media or any other crap some use as a outlet.We now think the Gods of old were silly,and can't believe how someone would have worshipped them.Who's to say maybe we are wrong on them.No one knows what is really right and wrong on this.How sad is it to see those who blame the Devil for their problems,because they won't take responsibilty for their own actions.That is why I choose just to be and nothing more.I am here because two people I love made me.Not because of plan,I am just here.Not that I wouldn't love to know how everything started,not just earth.But I am happy with the answers I have.We are animals here to breed then die and maybe have alittle bit of joy in our lives.

Pantheism and spirituality are a form of compromise. Why would you compromise your perception of the universe?

QuoteI have been pondering this idea of god for quite some time now and I do admit I am somewhat of an atheist but I cannot tell myself I do not believe in god because I believe we all must believe in something or else we are just pigs feeding off this world which we have no answer to how it exists.

It depends on what you value most: belief or knowledge. All you need for a belief is to make stuff up. If you want knowledge then you and the rest of mankind have to do some work in order to find the truth. 'God' is nothing but an easy option and a hindrance to those of us who want real answers.

QuoteNow this is just philosophy but what if the universe or all of existance IS god including me and you and we are just a living part of this wonderful universe of God with all the laws of physics and consciousness to enjoy it.

If I were to believe in God I would take a similarly pantheistic attitude (it's certainly more plausible than a independent bearded man in the sky), however there is still nothing to suggest that this is the case.

QuoteConsciousness has to go somewhere and I think an eternity of darkness and nothingness while you're dead is lame.

The brain is a projector, the mind is an image. Take away the former, you'll lose the latter. Like it or not, within a rational thinking world, that is the only thing that makes sense. You can't deny reality simply because you think it's 'lame' and if you do then it isn't philosophy, it's just wilful ignorance.

QuoteI think this "energy" or "lifeforce" of Consciousness when you die is recycled in the wonderful universe of God and your soul or "lifeforce" is absorbed into everything, in fact this "lifeforce" comes and leaves your body every moment but it is what keeps your brain connected to the world.

Good for you. But why?

QuoteIf you think that when you die you are just worm food, I think thats kind of lame to be in a state of darkness for eternity and I believe it is impossible to be in that state forever, your consciousness has to end up somewhere.

Repeating the same assertion doesn't give it more validity.

QuoteIf you believe, god is everything and must be respected. If you have a sh**y life, dont blame it on this god, blame it on your parents and others who decide to disrespect God and yourself, we are all part of this God. Why do I say Atheism is lame? Well, I call it a very lame answer to our existance as much as the written words of other religions but they can believe what they want. Atheism is a way for these hardcore scientists to skip the question of existance and the laws of physics to just study them. Atheism is also a way for people who think that god has "betrayed" or "ignored" them and just say that god doesnt exist, well if god doesnt exist then how do you exist?

You've got it the wrong way around. Many 'hardcore scientists' are very interested in figuring out how we came to exist, et cetera. Your religious superstition is merely an easy way for feeble minded people to avoid having to do think by filling in the blanks with useless (but comfortable) fluff. And don't fall into the trap of thinking that atheists are somehow angry or bitter at God. If we were, we wouldn't be atheists.

Also, what do you mean by 'if God doesn't exist then how do you exist?' You have asserted that God = existence with no backing other than to say that you personally like the idea, twice, and that opposing view points are 'kind of lame'... now you're operating under the pretension that this is enough and we can move on, having accepted your wishful thinking as irrefutable fact.

QuoteBelieve what you want though, if you think god is bulls*** then at least believe in the universe.

Sorry, did anyone here claim to be a solipsist? I must have missed that.

Quote from: "Evolved"You are a poorly disguised theist in atheist clothing.  Your ass is showing.

I am inclined to agree.

You don't sound like an atheist at all.
Just because you may not subscribe to a particular religion doesn't make you an atheist.

As for "knowing" if god does or does not exist - meh.  IMHO nobody knows.

Humans just seem really uncomfortable with the unknown in general.
We like to say "if it's not THIS, then it MUST be THAT".

"I Don't Know" is a perfectly acceptable answer.

Join me in my agnostic theism - god know's we could use more of a following ;-)
JoeActor

(edit) props to MisterJoy (well said, sir).  You may want to join him in agnostic atheism instead.

Quote from: "Opsamk"I have been pondering this idea of god for quite some time now and I do admit I am somewhat of an atheist but I cannot tell myself I do not believe in god because I believe we all must believe in something or else we are just pigs feeding off this world which we have no answer to how it exists.

You either believe in some sort of God/god, or you don't. "Sort of atheist" that believes in god is contradictory. Please pick one.

Quote from: "Opsamk"Now this is just philosophy but what if the universe or all of existance IS god including me and you and we are just a living part of this wonderful universe of God with all the laws of physics and consciousness to enjoy it.

Okay, what if that is all true?

Quote from: "Opsamk"Consciousness has to go somewhere and I think an eternity of darkness and nothingness while you're dead is lame. I think this "energy" or "lifeforce" of Consciousness when you die is recycled in the wonderful universe of God and your soul or "lifeforce" is absorbed into everything, in fact this "lifeforce" comes and leaves your body every moment but it is what keeps your brain connected to the world.

Nothingness may be "lame", but that's no reason for me to believe in something else that happens after I die. Where did your idea of a "lifeforce" come from? I was under the impression that the fact that I'm alive keeps my brain connected to the world.

Quote from: "Opsamk"If you think that when you die you are just worm food, I think thats kind of lame to be in a state of darkness for eternity and I believe it is impossible to be in that state forever, your consciousness has to end up somewhere.

"Lame" isn't a great argument. Why is "a state of darkness for eternity" impossible? Why is "nothingness" lame? Sure, it's not that exciting, but I'll be dead so I won't care.

Quote from: "Opsamk"If you believe, god is everything and must be respected.

I don't believe, so...what?

Quote from: "Opsamk"If you have a sh**y life, dont blame it on this god, blame it on your parents and others who decide to disrespect God and yourself, we are all part of this God.

I've had a pretty shitty life so far, but I don't blame god or my parents. If I were to blame something, it would be whatever caused the chemical imbalance in my head that's caused my BD, but I don't. My life isn't shitty because I decided to "disrespect God". It's shitty when I look at it as shitty, and great when I look at it as great. Life doesn't have to be so complicated.

Quote from: "Opsamk"Why do I say Atheism is lame? Well, I call it a very lame answer to our existance as much as the written words of other religions but they can believe what they want.

But why do you say it is lame? You didn't answer that. And most other religions believe in some sort of god, and they are as lame as atheism?

Quote from: "Opsamk"Atheism is a way for these hardcore scientists to skip the question of existance and the laws of physics to just study them.

Not necessarily. That's an opinion, and so is that fact that I disagree.

Quote from: "Opsamk"Atheism is also a way for people who think that god has "betrayed" or "ignored" them and just say that god doesnt exist, well if god doesnt exist then how do you exist?

Again, opinion. I'm an atheist, and I don't feel that "god has 'betrayed' or 'ignored'" me. I don't really care if He exists, I don't believe in Him so it doesn't matter to me. The fact that I exist isn't a reason for me to believe in god. I exist because... I exist. It's not really complicated.

Quote from: "Opsamk"Believe what you want though, if you think god is bulls*** then at least believe in the universe. If you dont believe in anything, then all I have to say is that you are one poor soul munching off this universe I live in. Respect the God!

I don't believe in god, and I don't have to believe in anything. I don't "respect the God" because I don't believe in Him. And if that makes me "one poor soul munching off this universe", okay then!


Life doesn't have to have a reason or meaning to keep going. My lungs still breathe and my heart still beats without any supernatural reason to. I don't need meaning in my life to live it. Life doesn't have to be complicated.
"It's just life, just live it." ~Quote Garden

QuoteOpsamk said: "well if god doesnt exist then how do you exist?"

That is like going back in time and handing a cell phone to the top scientists of the 16th century and asking them to explain in detail how it works.  As humans we are not evolved enough yet to understand how we have come to be exactly and how the universe works.  We will in time be able answer all of these questions with scientific proof, but I can guarantee you that none of this proof will find magic, witches, gods etc., it will all be explained with science.

Quote from: "Minneapolitian"

QuoteOpsamk said: "well if god doesnt exist then how do you exist?"

That is like going back in time and handing a cell phone to the top scientists of the 16th century and asking them to explain in detail how it works.  As humans we are not evolved enough yet to understand how we have come to be exactly and how the universe works.  We will in time be able answer all of these questions with scientific proof, but I can guarantee you that none of this proof will find magic, witches, gods etc., it will all be explained with science.

 

Opsamk,

Others have responded to your post in depth, so I don't think there is a need to add much more.  What I will say is that you don't seem to really understand what an atheist is or is not.  Please read the following "What is an atheist" link:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=830 (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=830)

Just for you I edited that link to add "An atheist is not someone who believes in nothing."  That should have been on the list anyway since it is a common misconception.

btw, welcome to the forum.

Quote from: "Opsamk"I have been pondering this idea of god for quite some time now and I do admit I am somewhat of an atheist but I cannot tell myself I do not believe in god because I believe we all must believe in something or else we are just pigs feeding off this world which we have no answer to how it exists.

God does not answer the mystery of how this all exists. All it does is shift the mystery over to God. Instead of something mysterious we understand a little bit -- the universe -- we have something mysterious we don't understand at all: God!

QuoteNow this is just philosophy but what if the universe or all of existance IS god including me and you and we are just a living part of this wonderful universe of God with all the laws of physics and consciousness to enjoy it. Consciousness has to go somewhere

Why?

Quoteand I think an eternity of darkness and nothingness while you're dead is lame.

Lameness is not an argument for or against anything. Lots of lame stuff exists.

QuoteI think this "energy" or "lifeforce" of Consciousness when you die is recycled in the wonderful universe of God and your soul or "lifeforce" is absorbed into everything, in fact this "lifeforce" comes and leaves your body every moment but it is what keeps your brain connected to the world. If you think that when you die you are just worm food, I think thats kind of lame to be in a state of darkness for eternity and I believe it is impossible to be in that state forever, your consciousness has to end up somewhere.

If you're convinced you will experience consciousness after your death, and that this lifeforce is always permeated all of us and the universe, I'm curious as to how you explain your lack of any memories from before your birth.

QuoteIf you believe, god is everything and must be respected. If you have a sh**y life, dont blame it on this god, blame it on your parents and others who decide to disrespect God and yourself, we are all part of this God. Why do I say Atheism is lame? Well, I call it a very lame answer to our existance as much as the written words of other religions but they can believe what they want.

Atheism isn't an answer to any question at all. Atheism is a mature admission of a very hard truth: that the big questions are so far unanswered. Religions are desperate attempts to imagine answers to the big questions where no such answers exist yet.

QuoteAtheism is a way for these hardcore scientists to skip the question of existence and the laws of physics to just study them.

Correct.

QuoteAtheism is also a way for people who think that god has "betrayed" or "ignored" them and just say that god doesnt exist,

Not true. Atheists have nothing against God. As I like to say, people should go easy on God; it's not his fault his doesn't exist.

Quotewell if god doesnt exist then how do you exist?

Why does God have to exist for me to exist?

QuoteThis question I asked myself led me to come up with this theory that we are all part of this universe of God. Believe what you want though, if you think god is bulls*** then at least believe in the universe.

The difference in God and the universe is that God by definition possesses intelligence. This is not a necessary component of the universe. I believe in the universe.

QuoteIf you dont believe in anything, then all I have to say is that you are one poor soul munching off this universe I live in. Respect the God!

When you provide some evidence, your whimsical opinion will be worthy of consideration. Until then, all you have a colorful imagination.

Quote from: "afreethinker30"I believe we all must believe in something or else we are just pigs feeding off this world which we have no answer to how it exists.

Why are we pigs just because we don't "believe in something"?

One big difference between theists and atheists is how we view people in relation to a sense of meaning or purpose. You see people without meaning as swine. Thus your perception of people is intrinsically ugly. My perception of people, whether they believe in the divine or not, is that we create our own meaning. Purpose is not dependent on any divine source. Who are you to judge people as swine?

Respect the People!

In my opinion, meaning and purpose are concepts that exist because of the human mind; without something to think of ideas like meaning and purpose, those concepts would not exist. Therefore, it stands to reason that it is us, the things that create the concepts of meaning and purpose, that ALSO create meaning and purpose. I am agnostic (which I think you may be too) and though I hope there is some higher power out there, his existence or nonexistence has no impact on my reason for being.

You seem to be more of a weak agnostic with very strong theistic leanings. I think may actualy just be unsatisfied with the religions out there. So are we but we accept that another religion isen't the answer. Atheist for the most part believe that when we die thats it, no darkness, no light in a tunnel dead and for most of us we aren't worried becase we'll be dead. Many of have had simile dought and questions in our life, I for one was deeply depressed and suicidal as a teen because I saw no pupose in life. But you exist, I exist we are here. I personally like thinking of the fact for me to exist, for my exact set of genes to have been chosen would be the equivelent of winning the lottery a thousand times in a row. To exist is amazing, so I am amazed to exist. I hope you find the answers you seek and I really hope you don't turn to religion but you in paticular may need that type of support structure to find peace. Unless you can accept your existance with a more clincal view you'll probably remain unhappy. learn to understand your existance with your mind or I'm afraid your only left with religion to find acceptable answers.


(sorry for rambeling)

Make sure you desire truth more than an appealing purpose in life. In order to understand how to live life we must first understand what it is. Only you can determine that for yourself but I believe you will come to find atheism is the only logical answer. I am an atheist myself and I have found a purpose of my own... to love.