Hi, I'm a college student taking a class on World Religions. I'm supposed to ask an unreligious person what they think about some matters regarding Christianity and similar topics, and I was hoping some of you would be willing to respond and help me out with this assignment. Please be as specific in your answers as possible. Here are the questions:
1. Do you believe a personal God really exists? Why or why not? (Yes, I understand this is an atheist website and your answer will be no, I just need to know why!)
2. Do you believe that Jesus Christ was God incarnate? Why or why not?
3. What is the purpose of human existence?
4. How do you know what is right and wrong?
5. What happens to a person at death?
I'm looking forward to reading your responses. Thanks for your time!
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1. Not even if he existed would I believe he was God incarnate. There is no evidence for any God and we have hundreds of thousands of them. The God hypothesis has not met its burden of proof.
2, Same response as #1.
3. You must ascribe meaning to your own existence. The purpose of existence for all biological entities is survival. Life feeds on life to perpetuate life. Being a thinking being does not free you from the cycle of life.
4. Evolution of the human species has brought with it an evolution in social morality. We learn what is moral by trial and error. A Christian who follows the dictates of a God and who is rewarded with heaven or hell, can not be a moral being. If your mother tells you to be nice to your brother and she will buy you an ice cream, and then you are nice to your brother, are you being moral? NO! You are acting out of greed. You want the ice cream. If your mother tells you to be nice to your brother or she will whip you, and then you are nice to your brother, are you acting morally? NO! You are acting out of fear of pain. You are not a moral person. Morality can not come from the dictates of a god who promises heaven or hell. Morality is an internal sense of right and wrong about which we learn as we interact with other people/ It can not be dictated from a book.
5. At death, people stop breathing and their hearts stop beating. Isn't that obvious? Anything you add to that would be unsubstantiated fantasy. Unless of course you can prove there is some sort of afterlife.
1. I believe that everything happens according to the laws of nature - supernatural entities have no meaning to me. Any being I could have a personal relationship with I see as pat of the natural world.
2. I don't think Jesus was "God incarnate". I don't think a supernatural claim can be proved true, because the phenomenal world is inherently natural. I also think that the Jesus of the bible was not a moral man, so I would not even consider him an exemplary human being.
3. That is a metaphysical question of no real meaning. You might as well ask "What is the purpose of potato existence?", or "What is the purpose of existence?" It may be helpful to tell you that I think that the laws of nature define the universe, and that each person should find their own meaning if it is important for them to do so. But that doesn't really answer your question.
4. In my view, maximizing pleasure while minimizing harm is good, and minimizing pleasure while maximizing harm is bad. I know my perception is subjective, but if I do not even follow my conscience then I cannot claim to do what is good.
5. As a person - as an individual - they probably cease to be. However, what constitutes them, as far as I can tell, never ceases to be: I cannot say if this is true of their individuality.
1 .Do you believe a personal God really exists? Why or why not?
No. There is no credible evidence for any god or gods. There are many writings about the 30,000 or so "gods" recorded not one has any credibility as an actual account.
2. Do you believe that Jesus Christ was God incarnate? Why or why not?
There is no credible or contemporary evidence for a Jesus Christ figure as described in the gospels. None.
3. What is the purpose of human existence?
As humans we question our existence, or reason for it everyday. There is no "purpose" beyond that which we give it. Other animals as far as we know "live in the now" and don't concern themselves with such questions. So, in humans it is reasonable to infer it is an evolutionary quirk resulting from curiosity.
4. How do you know what is right and wrong?
Easy, by examination of my thoughts and actions. I know, for instance, it is wrong to blindly obey the dictates of a "god" when it commands immoral acts like genocide, infanticide, stonings of non virgins etc.
5. What happens to a person at death? Loaded question. When the meat sack ceases to function then the brain dies and that which we identify as an unique individual ceases to be. It becomes an ex person.
Questions about "Christianity".
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1. Do you believe a personal God really exists? Why or why not? (Yes, I understand this is an atheist website and your answer will be no, I just need to know why!)
A. No. Because I have not been convinced that one exists, nor that one must exist. I am satisfied that all of the questions I might have about the universe, how it came to be, and how it ticks over, can be answered by good evidence and with good reasoning. The evidence I have found has never included, nor required the existence of any god in the explanation of the universe, etc.
I think that one should only believe things for which one has good reasons and evidence. Absent of those criteria, one OUGHT NOT to believe. Note that this is not to say that one should therefore decide that the things for which one does not have reasons and evidence, are consequently falsehoods ~ they are just neither confirmed nor denied. On the other hand if one has good reasons and evidence for the falsity of something, then concluding their untruth seems validated.
The evidence I have found, has never included nor required the existence of any god, and that includes all of the so-called big questions about: ie. about life, love, morality, consciousness, physics, chemistry, biology, humanity, (you name it). If there is no good reason or evidence in my experience for any gods, I do find good reasons and evidence to be satisfied with godless explanations for all of those things that one might like to bracket under the umbrella of "The Big Questions".
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2. Do you believe that Jesus Christ was God incarnate? Why or why not?
A. This is a silly question to ask of someone who does not believe in any gods. It is not possible for me to believe that J.C. is "God" incarnate, if there is NO god, in my belief system.
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3. What is the purpose of human existence?
A. As far as I can tell, there is no inherent purpose to human existence - none at all. Purpose is not something handed down to us from on high in some way. Depending upon what an individual sees as worthwhile, and valuable, they can make their own purposefulness for their life.
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4. How do you know what is right and wrong?
A. The question is too vague . . . 1 + 1 = 2 is right . . . 1 + 1 = 7 is wrong, (decimal numbers, ordinary arithmetic).
If you are referring to morality, then nothing is right or wrong. Right and wrong need not handed down to us from on high. However, a good moral system can be derived on a good foundation. Such a foundation is the one which aims to PROMOTE WELLBEING, and attempts to NOT DIMINISH wellbeing.
This is akin to the acceptance that the promotion of good health is a good thing. Certain medications and certain procedures, for example can promote health. Medical doctors are trained to know which procedures and medications and regimes can promote good health, especially, but not only, when a person presents to them, when in poor health or vigour.
This is all down to investigation and study of the body, its systems, and its functions. This is not knowledge handed down to us from on high. New medical procedures, or new drugs are introduced with as much care as possible, and used with increasing confidence as they show their value. Otherwise they may become not-approved.
All of this can apply equally to the concept of wellbeing. The principle that I am advocating is one of universal wellbeing. Hunger, poverty, unnecessary pain, misery, self actualisation, (or its intentional diminution) etc. are all aspects of the concept of wellbeing. Just as we can study medical science, and make wise choices, and evidenced progress within it, so too can we study whatever falls under the bailiwick of wellbeing. We can take care to look at the results of certain options chosen, and certain actions taken, and deduce that: some promote wellbeing; some diminish it; and still others may see to be neutral.
Thus we can choose what must be done, what must not be done, and what may be done-without-consequence, on the level of wellbeing, for each individual in the world. It may not always be easy to know what is best, but due care and caution ought to help us to discover better and better ways to live, act, think and respond in life.
I think that we need thoughtfulness and persistence, to live by the notion of promoting wellbeing on a global basis, and to attempt not to diminish it. We need to evaluate what to do in order to achieve that aim. It works best, when everybody works towards the same end, but no one is obliged to do so. However, there may be times when society needs to judiciously diminish the wellbeing of some individuals, in light of the fact that we don't know what else to do. In the latter, I'm referring to recalcitrant criminals, who must be incarcerated, to protect the wellbeing of communities at large.
My answer is not complete by any means, but I hope it gives a good idea of my thoughts on the matters at hand.
5. What happens to a person at death?
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A. I don't know. However, the best evidence that I have is that their body ceases to function, and will decay into baser chemicals, (unless embalmed or frozen etc.) At death, the bodily components cannot be caused to become alive again, (my dead parents will stay dead). There must be some point at which a person is truly dead, but with advances in medical science, people who MAY ONCE IN TIMES GONE BY have been past the point of resuscitation or recovery, can now be brought back from the brink, when in later and later stages of the dying process, (depending on the specifics of the case in question).
As far as the person, their humanity, their consciousness, their emotions, their hopes, their thoughts and memories etc., it seems that they simply cease to be, and do not continue in any way. Some aspects of those things may persist in the accomplishments of the individual, when they were alive - a person may have founded a group or function which benefits the wellbeing of humanity, and persists after they have died. Also a person may have a second-hand form of persistence in the memories of those of us who are still living. Such a thing as mere memories regarding a deceased person, may continue to contribute to any persons who can remember.
Thus one may be dead-dead-dead, but one may leave behind the world as a better place than it would have been without one's influences and achievements when alive, or one may leave behind the world as a worse-off place, or one may leave the world neither better nor worse than it would have been without one's life and influence.
Because, after one's death, one can leave the world a better place, it ought to provide incentive, so to do, ie. make use of the time whilst alive, to find a good foundation for a moral system, to work to do good by the world under that system, and to try as one's legacy, to make the world better where possible, and not worse.
Mutorc, (an atheist).
1. Do you believe a personal God really exists? Why or why not? (Yes, I understand this is an atheist website and your answer will be no, I just need to know why!)
Yes, God exists. I know because the bible tells me so. Plus, my Pastor said so, and he's ordained, so he knows best.
2. Do you believe that Jesus Christ was God incarnate? Why or why not?
Yes. I learned that in sunday school.
3. What is the purpose of human existence?
To Praise God ad worship Him in thought, mind, and deed.
4. How do you know what is right and wrong?
The bible tells me so. Plus, I ask my Pastor, and he always tells me what is right or wrong.
5. What happens to a person at death?
If they have confessed their sin, and accepted Christ as their Savior, then they go to a heavenly home which God has built just for me.
If they break the commandments, and deny Christ as their Savior, then they go to hell where to burn with hellfire and torment forever.
@MB
Now, what do they say about sarcasm?....to the naughty corner with you.
I don't know what you're talking about. I know that Jesus saved me from sin; I owe him my life, because he gave his for me.
What's wrong with that? You don't believe in God? Shame on you.
@MB Re: Answers
Best.... Answers.... Ever!.... LMAO......
Yet another student with questions for a "project".
But you know, every time I read these questions about the meaning of life, the difference between right and wrong, and the afterlife, I feel a little bit more motivated to give up atheism and convert to Christianity. Thank you Sister Katie for showing me the light!
Nah.....
Another one....... fine, lets play.
1. Do you believe a personal God really exists? Why or why not? (Yes, I understand this is an atheist website and your answer will be no, I just need to know why!)
No, For the following reasons:
a) Because there is absolutely no evidence to support it.
b) Theism in itself, is poorly defined.
c) No consensus on a definition and/or description of what a/the god is.
d) Does not conform to reality
e) Requires the suspension of laws of nature
f) William Lane Craig
2. Do you believe that Jesus Christ was God incarnate? Why or why not?
Of course not, The evidence to support the person of Jesus is sketchy at best, let alone as being God incarnate.
The Romans were fantastic record keepers and prolific writers, Yet only Tacitus writes of a Jesus character.
However, he does not mention any super natural phenomena, does mention only briefly about him and he also wrote about him, years after Jesus supposed death.
I'd accept that there may have been a person named Jesus who did good deeds for the needy, But I draw the line when I am required to believe he was some cosmic wizard.
3. What is the purpose of human existence?
There is no human group purpose, Just simply the individual purpose we bestow upon ourselves.
4. How do you know what is right and wrong?
Morality has evolved through societal group conditioning.
Humans work better in groups, Doing things we consider these days as being wrong effects the group negatively, and thus is pushed out.
We learn, and the majority will fall in line like most animals do.
5. What happens to a person at death?
Well, all energy is conserved. So you could say that your energy will reside within the universe if you want to get all warm and fuzzy about it. But on a physical/material level, nothing.
Yes I can answer them. You might not like the answers.
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No. After about 3000± years, there has been absolutely no objective hard empirical evidence offered. The only evidence to ever be offered is the Bible itself. And the Bible, if you were to research it deeply and properly is nothing but a collection of plagiarized legends, myths, and fairy tales that are far older than the Bible. Such as the Genesis of Eridu, which dates back to about 2000 BCE, making it about 1600 years older than the Bible.
No. Same reason as #1. I shall never say Jesus Christ never existed. However, the only evidence of his existence is the four gospels. The first, Mark, was written by two different persons and about 30 years after his supposed death. The second, Matthew, was written by three different persons and about 40 years after his supposed death. The third, Luke, was written by two different persons and about 50 years after his supposed death. The fourth, John, was written by at least two different persons, but is also the only one written so consistently that appears only one wrote it, and about 60 years after his supposed death.
Now let me ask you a four part question. Can you, in extremely fine detail, tell me about an event that happened in your life back in 1988? 1978? 1968? And, 1958?
Human memory does not work like that. All the Jesus Myth is, is a story exactly like "The Fish That Got Away" fantasy. It just gets bigger and bigger and bigger... Oh! Let me tell you the story of the fish that was THIS!! big and broke my fishing line and got away.
There is no purpose. We evolved. We exist. That is all there is to it.
Why do I do good? Easy. Because I am an evil, wicked, mean, and nasty person. That is why I do good. I am so disgusted with my evil and sinful nature, I want to prove your silly Sky Faerie and Magic Zombie Virgin wrong.
You get recycled back into existence.
rmfr
Now let me read what everyone else posted
1. Do you believe a personal God really exists? Why or why not? (Yes, I understand this is an atheist website and your answer will be no, I just need to know why!)
No, to me it's patently obvious that it is a construct created to control the masses, to make people conform and to try and fill gaps of knowledge, albeit poorly!
That is why theism is dying on it's arse and atheism is increasing, apart from in regions where ironically theism is forced upon people.
2. Do you believe that Jesus Christ was God incarnate? Why or why not?
Nope, there may have been a chap called Jesus back in those days but the claims of being god incarnate, born via immaculate conception, being raised from the dead and flying off into the sky are all bollocks.
3. What is the purpose of human existence?
We can only speak for ourselves, for me it is to raise my children and give them the highest quality of life possible.
4. How do you know what is right and wrong?
We all have core principles or morals, depending on what you want to call them... on the whole we share many which societal norms... but we also have individual ones!
For example, I think peanut butter eaters should be sent to Guantanamo Bay.
5. What happens to a person at death?
They go to heaven!
Haha, only kidding!
Well I guess due to the fact we are material entities and all material entities eventually die, rot and become dinner for worms and other things.. that's the likely outcome.
I sure as hell don't think you have some invisible soul that leaves reality and goes to some magical fairyland.
I'm looking forward to reading your responses. Thanks for your time!
@orignal post by katie
The amount of evidence that man created the god idea, far far! out weights the amount of evidence that god created man from an idea. You asked for specifics, so here is first 4 that come to my mind.
1. Prayer does not work in any way in the physical world over average chance.
2. No religion has special advantage conferred to its followers over any other religion idea or people with lack of religion.
3. There have been thousands of various well developed religious ideas with key differences from one another. (That people are willing to fight and die over!)
4. A "god" relying on human-to-human communication to communicate makes no logical sense. Why not communicate in a much less problematic direct way?
No, (obviously!) I cannot believe Jesus Christ was God incarnate if I do not believe in god, (any god.)
In my opinion (you asked!) I think the purpose of human existence is to perpetuate the cycle of "the increasing complexity of "something." A process driven by efficiency, one of nearly infinite ways of what can "happen to something."
Mostly by what my parents and other people have told me, partially by judging what I would like how other people to treat me. I want every chance at success in life, so it is fair that if I expect that on some level, I should do the same to others.
They die. No heaven, no hell, no "afterlife" as it is commonly described by most religions. It is simply like a deep sleep that you do not wake from. All memory formation and access stops as the cellular functions necessary for thought and memory break down around time of death.
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▮ I am an atheist that always likes a good debate. ▮
▮ Please include @LogicFTW in responses directed to me. ▮
▮ Useful list on forum usage. A.R. Member since 2016. ▮
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1. Do you believe a personal God really exists? Why or why not? (Yes, I understand this is an atheist website and your answer will be no, I just need to know why!)
No. I was raised into a Christian family, discarded organized religion, but fervently sought a "god" for forty years. After a lot of searching and inquiring, by the process of elimination came to the realization that religion is a human construct, a figment of our imagination. There is absolutely zero empirical proof of any deity or supernatural.
2. Do you believe that Jesus Christ was God incarnate? Why or why not?
No. It is possible some person walked around that area and gathered followers, but at best, he was a man who surrounded himself with twelve "followers" and one prostitute. If it smells like a duck, it is a crime boss/con man/pimp. The stories attached to this Jesus are all borrowed from previous tales from other cultures and ages. All the stories of his "miracles" are definitely questionable and without valid support.
3. What is the purpose of human existence?
We are animals, fact. All animals (in fact, all life) are programmed for two imperatives, to survive and propagate.
4. How do you know what is right and wrong?
I live by two principles. Do no wrong to others, and decide if I would like it to happen to me. Morality is not dictated by a book or rules, but asking yourself if you would like to be a slave, or murdered, or stoned to death.
5. What happens to a person at death?
It's over. There is no soul, no heaven or hell. The myth of an afterlife is founded on human ego and fear.
P.S. My answers and explanation may seem dry and impersonal, but I live a very wonderful life, one of joy and love, one filled with emotions and wonder, and constant exploration of this wonderful world. I live each day as if it was my last, make sure my loved ones know how much I care and love them, and can face death without flinching or fear.
I live for the now, not some imaginary mythical (and very boring) place that no proof exists for .
Hi Katie,
My answers would be variations on the themes detailed above. However, because we have taken the time to help you, I request that you reciprocate the favor and forward to us a copy of your report/summation/essay, etc. I would be very interested to see what you have learned from the accumulated wisdom of this collection of atheists and any consequent class discussion.
Thanks,
Alembe.
Alembé: "I request that you reciprocate the favor and forward to us a copy of your report/summation/essay, etc."
Me too. Can I? Please... please... please...
rmfr
Hello, Katie. Welcome to the AR. Gonna try to field these questions for you real quick before reading the responses of others.
1. No, I do not believe a personal god exists. (Pretty much the definition of "atheism", by the way.) Why do I not believe in a god? Short answer is, the concept of the type of god depicted in the bible (specifically) makes absolutely zero logical sense to me. Why do you not believe in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny? Why do you not believe in Thor, or Allah, or Poseidon, or Shiva, or any of the several thousands of other gods out there?
2. Why do I not believe in Jesus? (See #1)
3. Purpose of human existence? Ummmm..... Let's seeee..... Uhh.... No, don't tell me, don't tell me..... Hmmm..... Well, I suppose it could be-..... No, that's not it..... Ummm.... Oh, okay. I give up. Tell me.
4. What is right and what is wrong? Well, if I do something that makes myself or somebody else happy and it does no harm to anybody else, then I consider that right. If I do something that causes harm, distress, or discomfort to anybody who is innocent of any wrong-doing toward me, family, friends, or even strangers within my immediate area, the I consider that to be wrong. (I have an incredibly strong aversion to the harming of innocents.)
5. What happens to a person at death? Well, that depends strongly on how that person dies. Generally speaking, with most people who - for instance - die in bed due to some terminal illness, the vital organs (heart, lungs, etc.) stop working (the order varies), causing the brain to become oxygen-depleted, at which time the brain ceases to function, and that individual is considered to be dead. Then to body starts the initial decomposing process as cells die and the blood begins to thicken, causing the body to enter a rigid state called rigor mortis. Of course, there are other methods of dying that are considerably more "instantaneous", in which case all vital functions will cease at the exact same time, causing instant death. For example, detonating ten pounds of C4 explosives wrapped around the body. Having a tractor-trailer truck carrying a flatbed full of sheet metal strike a body head-on while doing seventy miles an hour. You know, those sorts of things. And I've seen pretty much any type of death you can imagine.
Okay, there you go. Hope this helps you in your class. I'm off now to go read what others have posted.
No. For the same reason that I don't believe Thor, Zeus or Amun-Ra exist.
No. (See above)
None. What is the purpose of a grain of sand?
Empathy and the agreed upon laws of my democratic government.
Bacteria (another lifeform with absolutely no purpose) moves in and consumes their body.
@ Katie
Many of us have graciously given our time to give you responses. Now it is time for you to reciprocate. Please answer these questions.
1. Why do you believe a personal God really exists?
2. Why do you believe that Jesus Christ was God incarnate?
3. What is the purpose of human existence?
4. How do you know what is right and wrong?
5. What happens to a person at death?