Hello! Thanks for allowing me to join your site. I’m in the middle of a class on origin and meaning that requires I interview someone of a different belief system. The questions are very simple and designed to help me see the world through the eyes of others better. I am a confessing Christian and sadly realized during this class what a bubble I live in! I work in Christian ministry, have Christian friends, family... you get the idea! I would be humbled and grateful if someone would be willing to talk with me about the four questions I need to research. If not, I understand. Thank you so much for the opportunity to ask!
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Well, hello Bhawkins. If you're looking for anyone that is not a Christian then, I, a Muslim will volunteer. If you're not looking for another theist, then just wait a bit. The Atheists will show up
Thank you for your reply. I have to do this exercise with 2 different people so I would love to communicate with you and an atheist as well. Can I message you my questions and have you reply through that format?
Perhaps you should just post your questions. You can take your pick from the diverse responses you will no doubt receive.
You are not the first theist student with questions and we atheists are never short of answers.
Ha! Thanks for the suggestion!
Well, atheism isn't a belief system, so this might be hard.
Maybe worldview is a better word?
one result of a binary sort would be a better phrase
Not a world view either.
Atheism is 'lack of belief in gods', period, it is characterized by what you don't believe.
Again, I can't help but think this is for homework. Classes started, and it's happened before, so....
Yes and no. Yes, it is an assignment that I am required to do. More than that though is my realization that I don’t have many opportunities to talk about what people believe and why outside my day to day life. I know this is my own fault, but I am genuinely interested to have good discussion with people who believe differently than I do. I’m sorry you’ve been down this road before and it didn’t have a good outcome!
That's bullshit. You just don't want to do your own research. What if you had to get up from your computer and actually talk to strangers? Holy crap, you'd have to get off your ass and actually THINK. We can't have that. (sarcasm)
You would be "humbled and grateful"? hah. You could also just copy/paste the text and voila, little child has their homework.
Tough it out, kid, you can do it. Research on your own. Walk out the door, and ask people questions. The fact that you don't know any non-Xtians might be a clue that your world is too NARROW>
Who would Bhawkins ask? Sounds like he/she is drowning in theists...and probably under close scrutiny. You never know, the closest atheist might be several towns away and living in a closet.
That’s why I came to you guys! I live in the south where gazillions of people say they’re Christians so the water gets muddy. We are also terribly polite (as a culture) and aren’t brutally honest very often because our grandmothers taught us to mind our manners. I am not even exaggerating when I say I live in a bubble. I know it and want to change it!
@ Bhawkins
Fire away kiddo, either here or you can PM people. We have all been through this "homework" charade...so fair warning if you try and "load" your questions you will be ripped a new one in very short order.
@bhawkins
What are your questions.
bhawkins: Atheism does not shape my world view. I am an atheist simply because I do not believe the believers. My world view is shaped by other concerns shared by many believers.
What would you say your beliefs are? Atheist, Agnostic, leaving a certain religion,etc. One word description is fine.
4 categories with one question per
Origin-
Where do you think man came from/ how did we get here?
Meaning-
What is the meaning of life as you see it? Is it about being happy, doing good to fellow man, living for pleasure, etc.
Purpose-
Do you think each human being has a purpose for being on the earth?
Destiny-
What do you think happens to the part of us that makes us “us” when we die?
Origin: Read a book on evolution.
Meaning: We determine our own meaning. I mean "we"! I might think I mean something to someone. They might have a different opinion.
Purpose: Same as above.
Destiny: Define what "part of us" makes us.
@Bhawkins
What would you say your beliefs are?
I lack belief in a god or gods, therefore described as Atheist.
Origin-
Where do you think man came from/ how did we get here?
Man is one of the offshoots of the great ape family. A quick google search of "evolution" will supply you enough answers ( Ignore the idiot creationists like Ken Ham and others)
Meaning-
What is the meaning of life as you see it? Is it about being happy, doing good to fellow man, living for pleasure, etc.
Life essentially is meaningless. Man as a conscious being can and will inject "meaning" into his existence. Therefore, in my view it must be experienced savoured and enjoyed, with kindness compassion and mindfulness of all other creatures with whom we share this moment.
Purpose-
Do you think each human being has a purpose for being on the earth?
A loaded question...Do you mean a purpose imposed by an external(divine) being? No, don't be so fucking naive. I warned you about loaded questions..
The only purpose of man's existence is that which he endows upon himself. It takes either ignorance or a much stronger mind to do that, than pander to the religiosity of the popular myths.
Destiny-
What do you think happens to the part of us that makes us “us” when we die?
When the meat sack ceases to function so does the id and the ego. We die. spark out. cease to be. Peace.
:edit for emphasis and quotes.
Thank you so much for answering my questions.
@Bhawkins
I always like replying to these, I guess I am one of those people that like an opportunity to answer these kind of questions within the comfortable and safe confines of anonymity.
Atheist
Where did man come from? All "man" originated from their respective mother's wombs. How did we get here? Really open ended question here, I will go with you meaning to say: how did humans end up here on earth? We humans (however you decide to define "human") got here the moment your definition of "human" draws the arbitrary line of what is human or not.
The meaning of life, (again depends on your definition of life, but going with mine...since we are asking my opinion) is: something - as opposite to nothing - growing in ever increasing complexity as one of nearly infinite possibilities of what happens to "something" over nothing. (all these possibilities are being realized all at once. There is plenty of space for this!)
What is my personal meaning of life (I am guessing the real question you are asking.) To enjoy life. To fire up those reward/pleasure chemicals in my brain. (lots and lots of ways to do this.) Cool thing is, I feel you can choose whatever meaning of life you want.
No. There are no "assigned" purposes. Especially for each human being. We are free to choose our own purpose instead if we want to.
In short: we die.
Explained:
I will assume when you say "us" you mean the individual. Not all of us humans collectively. And by the part, I am going to assume you mean the majority of the brain. When the majority of our brain dies, all the unique and special functions that the brain does stops. The connections that form our memories stops and rapidly begins to decay quickly losing the ability to do the function of retaining memory. Sensory input and processing of this information with the help of memories stops. Pattern recognition stops. Other critical functions of the brain stop, like telling the muscles of the heart to operate, or the instruction of our diaphragm to inhale and exhale. With out those instructions the rest of the surviving body parts quickly ceases to function as well as needed components to run are not supplied and waste is not expelled so it instead builds up with damaging effect.
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▮ I am an atheist that always likes a good debate. ▮
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Thank you for answering in a personal and very respectful manner. I really appreciate your feedback.
Origin - We evolved over time. We got here when our patents had sex.
Meaning - Treating others as I want to be treated.
Purpose - Our purpose is to procreate and evolve.
Destiny - When you die, that's the end of your existence.
I'm an atheist.
Origin:
We simply ARE. A self-aware, necessary component to the universe....collectively referred to as human life among life writ large.
Meaning:
Supra. Otherwise free to express our personal meaning as seen fit.
Purpose:
Collectively mankind exists - necessarily - as everything sacred and profane effectively exhibiting all of its variable potentialities. Mankind is thus the "god" you seek and the "devil" you fear. One may not know good sans evil...as an 'up' necessitates a 'down'; an 'inside' to an 'outside', good necessitates evil and vice versa.
Destiny:
Death (and succession). Without it there is no life.
May I ask, what makes you think humans or any self aware organism is 'necessary' within the universe?
The universe does not require humans, the earth nor the sun, in order to continue functioning.
Planets, Stars and so fourth, all come and go with regular frequency.
Naturalist with an atheistic view point to the god/gods question.
Through a long process of evolution via natural selection.
It can be what ever an individual means it to be, I do not feel humans as a collective have meaning.
However, it could be argued that we give ourselves meaning and that changes from person to person.
If you are lucky to be born within this world, your only 'purpose' is consume resources, possibly procreate and then die.
Flora and fauna will dine upon what is left, there you become part of the natural cycle of all things.
Physically? As stated above.
If however, we are discussing consciousness, then there is zero evidence to support any notion other than nothing happens.
The best one can hope for is to have made enough of an impact that you are remembered.
Become a scientist or a writer.
Darwin explained this well.
Enjoying this life while leaving it in a better state than which I found it.
Ideally, each person should found their own Meaning.
The matter continues to exist in one form or another.
Atheist and agnostic are not mutually exclusive and neither is a belief system.
Origin: Evolution
Meaning: What you make of it.There need not be some "ultimate" meaning but the meaning you have in life is of your own making.
Purpose: What you make of it. There is not some "ultimate" purpose but the purpose you have in life is is of your own making.
Destiny: When I die I'm gone and there is nothing left.
I don’t want to read a book because it can be void of personality. My desire is to know where YOU think we come from.
The “us” is what is no longer there when we are dead. The part of you that makes you more than a bag of bones- your passions, talents, personality, your soul if you agree we all have one.
No soul involved. All of my functions are biologically based and dependent on atoms/ molecules. Therefore all of me will return to the natural world from which I am comprised. I say read a book on evolution (and sexual reproduction) so you will understand where I came from. Any more Birds and the Bees questions we need to clear up?. I also want to say you came from the same process. There is not much you can say otherwise that I would find valid.
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