Comments on: Atheism By Statistics http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/ My Confined Space is an image blog with user submitted pictures of anything and everything, funny, serious or dark. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:47:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Smedlorificus http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-102177 Smedlorificus Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:15:19 +0000 http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/#comment-102177 Win if true. Otherwise, dreadfully faily. Win if true. Otherwise, dreadfully faily.

]]> By: rockyabq http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-102148 rockyabq Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:19:59 +0000 http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/#comment-102148 % of theists who make it to the fictional heaven: 0% -------- I do not "believe" there is no God, I'm convinced that no God or gods exist. I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one. One might ask, "Isn't belief that there is not a god just as irrational, arrogant, etc. as belief that there IS a god?" No, for several reasons. First of all, I do not "believe" that there is not a God. Belief has nothing to do with it. I believe or don't believe my 4 year old daughter when she tells me she didn't make that mess on the floor. I believe in justice and fair play (though I don't know exactly how we achieve them). I don't accept the currently fashionable assertion that any view is automatically as worthy of respect as any equal and opposite view. My view is that the moon is made of rock. If someone says to me, "Well, you haven't BEEN there, have you? You haven't seen it for yourself so MY view that it is made of Wisconsin pepperjack cheese is equally valid," then I can't even be bothered to argue. The burden of proof in the case of God, as in the case of the composition of the moon, has shifted radically. God used to be the best explanation we had. But we've now got vastly better ones. God is no longer an explanation of anything but has instead become something that would itself need an insurmountable amount of explaining. So I don't think that being convinced that there is no God is as irrational or arrogant a point of view as belief that there is. The matter does not call for evenhandedness at all. % of theists who make it to the fictional heaven:

0%

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I do not “believe” there is no God, I’m convinced that no God or gods exist. I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one.

One might ask, “Isn’t belief that there is not a god just as irrational, arrogant, etc. as belief that there IS a god?” No, for several reasons. First of all, I do not “believe” that there is not a God. Belief has nothing to do with it. I believe or don’t believe my 4 year old daughter when she tells me she didn’t make that mess on the floor. I believe in justice and fair play (though I don’t know exactly how we achieve them). I don’t accept the currently fashionable assertion that any view is automatically as worthy of respect as any equal and opposite view. My view is that the moon is made of rock. If someone says to me, “Well, you haven’t BEEN there, have you? You haven’t seen it for yourself so MY view that it is made of Wisconsin pepperjack cheese is equally valid,” then I can’t even be bothered to argue. The burden of proof in the case of God, as in the case of the composition of the moon, has shifted radically. God used to be the best explanation we had. But we’ve now got vastly better ones. God is no longer an explanation of anything but has instead become something that would itself need an insurmountable amount of explaining. So I don’t think that being convinced that there is no God is as irrational or arrogant a point of view as belief that there is. The matter does not call for evenhandedness at all.

]]> By: natedog http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-102078 natedog Wed, 09 Apr 2008 07:41:41 +0000 http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/#comment-102078 trollin' wit da homies trollin’ wit da homies

]]> By: natedog http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-102077 natedog Wed, 09 Apr 2008 07:38:47 +0000 http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/#comment-102077 % of atheists who make it to heaven: 0% % of atheists who make it to heaven:

0%

]]> By: rattybad http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-102070 rattybad Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:40:32 +0000 http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/#comment-102070 I think it was in a Tom Robbins novel, maybe Another Roadside Attraction, where he says, something like, "People will give you the same stupid look if you tell them God doesn't exist as they will if you say that He does." ...Which is probably why every post about religion around here is 30+ comments. I think it was in a Tom Robbins novel, maybe Another Roadside Attraction, where he says, something like, “People will give you the same stupid look if you tell them God doesn’t exist as they will if you say that He does.”

…Which is probably why every post about religion around here is 30+ comments.

]]> By: thelotuseater725 http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-101766 thelotuseater725 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:37:56 +0000 http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/#comment-101766 "If there is a ‘god’ and this god is truly supposed to be omnipotent, then why does this god need us here on earth to pray and worship them. The entire basis of modern religions is flawed." Where does it say that god "needs" us? If god exists ( personally i think he or it does) and created us how could one logically argue that an all powerful superior intelligence would need an underling to reassure his existence or to give glory,? In Judaism/Christianity man was not created to worship god otherwise he would not have been imbued with freewill and on top of that the sole purpose of the Angels is to worship and serve god. “If there is a ‘god’ and this god is truly supposed to be omnipotent, then why does this god need us here on earth to pray and worship them. The entire basis of modern religions is flawed.”

Where does it say that god “needs” us? If god exists ( personally i think he or it does) and created us how could one logically argue that an all powerful superior intelligence would need an underling to reassure his existence or to give glory,? In Judaism/Christianity man was not created to worship god otherwise he would not have been imbued with freewill and on top of that the sole purpose of the Angels is to worship and serve god.

]]> By: Max http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-101749 Max Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:38:48 +0000 http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/#comment-101749 @caio: You could also check out Kant. He's a bit more idealistic, and where the means outweigh the ends. I dunno, check out a philosophy book on morality. You'll find quite a few viewpoints. And quite a few without any sort of reference to God. @caio:
You could also check out Kant. He’s a bit more idealistic, and where the means outweigh the ends. I dunno, check out a philosophy book on morality. You’ll find quite a few viewpoints.
And quite a few without any sort of reference to God.

]]> By: asdf http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-101617 asdf Sun, 06 Apr 2008 18:24:35 +0000 http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/#comment-101617 this has nothing to do with anything but i like time bandits explanation about god and reason... so the devil a reasonable guy says god is such a dumbass for inventing butterflies, dandelions, and can you believe this slugs, things without purpose. if i was in charge i would have started with lasers, microwave ovens, televisions and computers i would have such a more purposeful world... this has nothing to do with anything but i like time bandits explanation about god and reason… so the devil a reasonable guy says god is such a dumbass for inventing butterflies, dandelions, and can you believe this slugs, things without purpose. if i was in charge i would have started with lasers, microwave ovens, televisions and computers i would have such a more purposeful world…

]]> By: Disgustipater http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-101616 Disgustipater Sun, 06 Apr 2008 18:16:46 +0000 http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/#comment-101616 I want that animated fractal sequence as a screensaver. I want that animated fractal sequence as a screensaver.

]]> By: reboot http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-101614 reboot Sun, 06 Apr 2008 18:04:42 +0000 http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2008/04/06/atheism-by-statistics/#comment-101614 @Caio Utilitarianism is not complete bullshit. It's also not the mathematically precise system of morals that Jeremy Bentham hoped it would be. And it really fails if when you are dealing with statistically large groups for exactly reasons you mentioned. Still, I do think it's valuable in a lot of personal ethics situations where you can have more or less complete information about what constitutes happiness for each of the involved players. Besides I only said that I consider those principles, not that I'm slavishly devoted to them. @Caio
Utilitarianism is not complete bullshit. It’s also not the mathematically precise system of morals that Jeremy Bentham hoped it would be. And it really fails if when you are dealing with statistically large groups for exactly reasons you mentioned.
Still, I do think it’s valuable in a lot of personal ethics situations where you can have more or less complete information about what constitutes happiness for each of the involved players.
Besides I only said that I consider those principles, not that I’m slavishly devoted to them.

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