Question for atheists: What governs how you live your life?

[Anonymous]

BIG props to 14:26.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The failure of your imaginative argument is that you don't understand that what you call the "book that was 'revealed'" is actually a compilation of several books that were revealed to different people over time. If the message has been revealed to different people at different times (even if always in the Middle East), then why couldn't the message be revealed once again, after the massacre of Christians you're rooting for?

You miss another key point. Philosophers and theologians have pointed out many commonalities between Christian and Buddhist values and truths. Similar messages taking different forms for different peoples kinda disproves your whole thesis.

And why pick on Christianity, BTW?

So Buddhism is just as valid as Christianity? Is that right? What about the Aztec religion? What about the kiddy-slaughter? Was that OK? If not, how do you determine which religions are OK and which ones are not?

[Anonymous]

Golden Rule.

Karma.

Don't need any religious doctrine, organized or otherwise, to understand that...

[Anonymous]

22:22 here ... religion IS the opiate of the masses...

strip away that b.s. and you have the essential truths about treating yourself and others right, and there's no need to attach that to theism, religion, God, a higher power, or any of that b.s. -=-- all of which is fine for you if you think you need that, but don't impose it on me or anyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, I believe those who have seen "spirits" or had a "near death experience" are either not being truthful, or are misunderstanding the chemistry of their own brains. There are studies that report a massive hormone surge as the brain dies - it's like the body's natural shutdown mechanism, to make death more bearable and pain-free. The surge of things like serotonin makes the mind do strange things, even see strange things, but it's all within our own minds. It's amazing how people's "near death experiences" reports are all conditioned to their own culture and belief system - but it make sense, because they exist only insofar as their own brain hormones condition their experiences.

.

I had a near death, out of body experience. I am a Christian with a strong faith and yet I did not see or experience any kind of spiritual aspect at all. All that happened to me was that my vantage point in the room changed. Instead of lying in the bed looking north, I was in the upper corner of the room looking south out into a hallway. I saw my mother walk into the room, speak to a doctor and faint on the floor. All of which would have happened out of my eyesight if I had only been seeing the room from the bed, and would have required me being conscious. I know my body never moved from the bed, obviously I wasn't floating near the ceiling but my spirit or something shifted perspectives. I have no idea how or why or what. I don't even try to understand or explain it because I can't. It just was what it was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, I believe those who have seen "spirits" or had a "near death experience" are either not being truthful, or are misunderstanding the chemistry of their own brains. There are studies that report a massive hormone surge as the brain dies - it's like the body's natural shutdown mechanism, to make death more bearable and pain-free. The surge of things like serotonin makes the mind do strange things, even see strange things, but it's all within our own minds. It's amazing how people's "near death experiences" reports are all conditioned to their own culture and belief system - but it make sense, because they exist only insofar as their own brain hormones condition their experiences.

.

I had a near death, out of body experience. I am a Christian with a strong faith and yet I did not see or experience any kind of spiritual aspect at all. All that happened to me was that my vantage point in the room changed. Instead of lying in the bed looking north, I was in the upper corner of the room looking south out into a hallway. I saw my mother walk into the room, speak to a doctor and faint on the floor. All of which would have happened out of my eyesight if I had only been seeing the room from the bed, and would have required me being conscious. I know my body never moved from the bed, obviously I wasn't floating near the ceiling but my spirit or something shifted perspectives. I have no idea how or why or what. I don't even try to understand or explain it because I can't. It just was what it was.

I've had dreams like this. The human brain is a wondrous thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, I believe those who have seen "spirits" or had a "near death experience" are either not being truthful, or are misunderstanding the chemistry of their own brains. There are studies that report a massive hormone surge as the brain dies - it's like the body's natural shutdown mechanism, to make death more bearable and pain-free. The surge of things like serotonin makes the mind do strange things, even see strange things, but it's all within our own minds. It's amazing how people's "near death experiences" reports are all conditioned to their own culture and belief system - but it make sense, because they exist only insofar as their own brain hormones condition their experiences.

.

I had a near death, out of body experience. I am a Christian with a strong faith and yet I did not see or experience any kind of spiritual aspect at all. All that happened to me was that my vantage point in the room changed. Instead of lying in the bed looking north, I was in the upper corner of the room looking south out into a hallway. I saw my mother walk into the room, speak to a doctor and faint on the floor. All of which would have happened out of my eyesight if I had only been seeing the room from the bed, and would have required me being conscious. I know my body never moved from the bed, obviously I wasn't floating near the ceiling but my spirit or something shifted perspectives. I have no idea how or why or what. I don't even try to understand or explain it because I can't. It just was what it was.

I've had dreams like this. The human brain is a wondrous thing.

Amen!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BIG props to 14:26.

Thanks. I wasted about 15 minutes reading the links, so I figured another 15 pointing out the more obvious logical fallacies was the least I could do.

[Anonymous]

The Shadow. The Shadow knows.

[Anonymous]

I had a NDE. My faith started deteriorating at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The failure of your imaginative argument is that you don't understand that what you call the "book that was 'revealed'" is actually a compilation of several books that were revealed to different people over time. If the message has been revealed to different people at different times (even if always in the Middle East), then why couldn't the message be revealed once again, after the massacre of Christians you're rooting for?

You miss another key point. Philosophers and theologians have pointed out many commonalities between Christian and Buddhist values and truths. Similar messages taking different forms for different peoples kinda disproves your whole thesis.

And why pick on Christianity, BTW?

So Buddhism is just as valid as Christianity? Is that right? What about the Aztec religion? What about the kiddy-slaughter? Was that OK? If not, how do you determine which religions are OK and which ones are not?

I'm not the PP, but I think morality evolves with society. The Aztecs thought they were doing something that benefitted everyone. I'm sure someone will look back at our time in history and be horrified, just as I do when I read the OT.

[takoma]

The great Rabbi Hillel, who lived a short time before Jesus, was challenged to teach the Torah standing on one foot. He could have said Hear, oh Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Many would consider that the essence of monotheistic Judaism. But instead, he chose the Golden Rule, in the slightly less onerous form of not doing to others what you would not want done to you.

You could say that he emphasized not God, but the Word of God. Perhaps, as has been said by some here, God gives even us atheists His Word despite the fact that we don't believe in Him. Maybe we atheists are really believers in John's opening line "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The Word is the Golden Rule, and if you accept that you have all the God you need -- the Word IS God.

So let's stop fighting. All who live by the Rule are believers. Some need to personalize God, and some just accept Good. By our deeds you should know us.

[Anonymous]

You don't have to believe in God to have a conscience.

[Anonymous]

Earlier in the thread, there were multiple posts regarding the need for a god (A) to create morals/good and evil/right and wrong (B) and that people who thought morals were inherent and socially driven were just trying to skip over A. One thing that always struck me with this argument is the believe that everything must have been created by a creator to exist, but no thought on how that creator came to be.

If god created everything, where did god come from? And if an all powerful god could pop out of nowhere, why would we need him/her for the spontaneous creation of life?

Looping back to the original question - I was raised Catholic but found that my morals didn't always align with the bible (stoning my sister, gays are immoral, etc.) and that people used this book to create a moral highground and hate others. Strip that all away and I am left with an innate feeling of right and wrong. Some rules are likely society driven, some from my parents and some feel right. Give your seat on the metro to someone who needs it more, help out others, do not harm others, etc. At one point I thought that I needed a "rule" or system. The categorical imperative, the golden rule, etc. I find that following my heart to do what is right usually provides the best result.

[Anonymous]

We are born with sense of right and wrong.