4) IF there is NO higher power/authority, then there is no one we must answer to for our actions. When there is no standard to follow in our daily lives, chaos reigns. All of our social structure, our judicial system, find their root in God's Word. Good and evil, right and wrong, acceptable behavior, unacceptable behavior........all of these come from the Word of God. As a "true" or "pure" atheists does not accept the existence of such, then they cannot accept that good or evil, right or wrong, acceptable or unacceptable exist either.
Actually, atheists
do believe in right and wrong. Christians believe right and wrong only exists because God created the two. Atheists believe right and wrong are the results of society. It's hard to fathom how mankind, as flawed as our knowledge may be, can be an authority of right or wrong at all. But we can clearly see an evolution in morality throughout history, and things that were unacceptable in the past are now acceptable today and vice-versa.
Atheists generally don't believe in "absolute" right and wrong. But too many people assume that if you don't believe in absolute right and wrong, that you must not believe in right and wrong at all. This is a false dichotomy. You don't have to believe right and wrong to be absolute to hold onto the notion of right and wrong.
Let me ask you this. Do you believe there is a reason for people to do good and to avoid doing bad, other than to please God?
Generally, good deeds are rewarded and bad deeds are punished. Sometimes, this isn't the case (at least, not here on earth). But, for the most part, it's just easier to be a good person than a bad one. Atheists tend not to steal because they don't want to be arrested, or they don't murder or rape because they don't want to have heir own throats slit or have themselves thrown in the slammer. Of course, this isn't the only reason atheists avoid doing bad things! Most atheists, like most people, do love others! They genuinely want the best for other people. Often, Christians have a hard time imagining why anyone would bother loving others without love being a divine gift. But - as many atheists have told me - love is just awesome! It generally makes you feel good! Helping others can provide benefits, such as rewards, but helping others can also be a reward in itself, because many people regardless of faith feel good when they make the lives of others better.
It might not make much sense to you, but before you rationalize that atheists are completely immoral people, take a step back and look at reality. Talk to an atheist about non-religious topics. Ask them what some of their proudest accomplishments are. Ask them about some of their proudest moments when helping others. If you know them well enough, ask them about people they love or people they once loved.
Atheists don't believe in morality, so there's nothing stopping them from killing everyone they know? Atheists hold funerals too, and when it's someone close, they cry.
I have yet to meet a person who proclaims to be an atheist who does NOT believe in ANYTHING..........
An atheist is a person who doesn't beleive in a higher deity,
NOT a person who believes in nothing. Atheists accept reality for what it is. They
believe in the reality they live in, minus all higher entities. To suggest a person has to believe in nothing to be an atheist is to redefine the word itself.
Okay, then tell me so I will know. Why are you on this site? Are you bored? Certainly if you're being truthful you're not here because there is some question in your mind about the existence of God. To be an atheist means you have already rejected the existence of God. You weren't born that way. You had to come to the conclusion on your own.
Per your request, I am talking to you. Why would you come to a christian bible room? Is life, to you, just a great big jumbled up accident? Reasonable questions.
I know this question isn't directed towards me, but I'd like to answer.
There are many reasons why a person might tread in communities that hold polar opposite beliefs than your own. A person might want to learn how those they disagree with think. They may want to try and challenge their views. They might just genuinely enjoy the community while disagreeing with their views.
Why would a Christian go to an atheist website or forum? Why would a conservative delve into liberal news? To either try and obtain knowledge, or to spread knowledge (whether they actually do gain or spread knowledge is an entirely different debate).
Sorry to disappoint you but that is not the case. Christopher Hitchens one of the high priests of the new atheists said that he only became an atheist because he had a very strict uncle who was a Lutheran minister and he didn't want anything to do with the God he portrayed.
Hitchens isn't a high priest. Atheism isn't a religion. (Theism isn't a religion either - they merely define whether or not a person believes in a higher entity). Most atheists I know don't belong to any religion. But, that's not to say there are no atheist religions.
I also, HIGHLY doubt Hitchens said the ONLY reason he didn't believe in God is because his uncle was a strict, religious, man. If he did, please provide your source. I can easily imagine Hitchens making such a statement in a joking manner, so knowing the full context of what he said is very important.
But, honestly, all of that is rather moot. What reasons Hitchens has to be an atheist doesn't speak for all atheists. Many people become atheists for many different reasons. Most, if not all, atheists I know became atheists because they simply couldn't see any evidence or reason to believe God, Satan, Heaven, or Hell actually existed.
Charles Darwin said that in proposing his origin of species he was getting back at God who allowed his favourite daughter Annie to die at the age of 10.
I don't know where you obtained this preposterous idea of Darwin (though, I can imagine) but it's a complete fabrication! There are many people who absolute HATE Darwin and have gone extra lengths to write lies about him, misquote him, and misrepresent his views and writings.
If you want to learn about who Darwin REALLY was, read his autobiography.
DURING THESE TWO YEARS [OCTOBER 1936 to January 1839] I was led to think much about religion. Whilst on board the Beagle I was quite orthodox, and I remember being heartily laughed at by several of the officers (though themselves orthodox) for quoting the Bible as an unanswerable authority on some point of morality. I sup*pose it was the novelty of the argument that amused them. But I had gradually come by this time, i.e., 1836 to 1839, to see that the Old Tes*tament was no more to be trusted than the sacred books of the Hin*doos. The question then continually rose before my mind and would not be banished,is it credible that if God were now to make a revela*tion to the Hindoos, he would permit it to be connected with the belief in Vishnu, Siva, &c., as Christianity is connected with the Old Testa*ment? This appeared to me utterly incredible.
By further reflecting that the clearest evidence would be requisite to make any sane man believe in the miracles by which Christianity is sup*ported, (and that the more we know of the fixed laws of nature the more incredible do miracles become), that the men at that time were ignorant and credulous to a degree almost incomprehensible by us, (that the Gospels cannot be proved to have been written simultaneously with the events), that they differ in many important details, far too important, as it seemed to me, to be admitted as the usual inaccuracies of eye-witnesses; (by such reflections as these, which I give not as having the least novelty or value, but as they influenced me, I gradually came to disbelieve in Christianity as a divine revelation). The fact that many false religions have spread over large portions of the earth like wild-fire had some weight with me.
But I was very unwilling to give up my belief; I feel sure of this, for I can well remember often and often inventing day-dreams of old letters between distinguished Romans, and manuscripts being discovered at Pompeii or elsewhere, which confirmed in the most striking manner all that was written in the Gospels. But I found it more and more difficult, with free scope given to my imagination, to invent evidence which would suffice to convince me. Thus disbelief crept over me at a very slow rate, but was at last complete. The rate was so slow that I felt no distress.
Source:
Charles Darwin: his autobiography, its section on religion
I'm not saying Darwin was right, nor am I saying he was wrong. All I'm saying is that Darwin lost his faith slowly over time due to him questioning the Bible. He did NOT lose his faith because his daughter died.
Call Darwin crazy for ever doubting the Bible, but don't spread misinformation about him.
Whether you lie about friend or foe, it's always wrong, for all our arguments can only be valid when rested upon honesty.
