Inconsistency of atheists.

[Frogm4n]

of course atheists are inconsistant. the whole point of it is trying to figure out life on your own without someone holding your hand. Most atheists i know study religions takeing the best of each from all of them. while still understanding its just humanitys. the bible the illiad are both nice little story books.
and akiron you wanted a reason why people that are atheist have insentive to be good people i posted a reason. its not insentive its more of a basic instinct.

[Hangtime]

miko's point is it's easy and comfortable to hide behind the cloaks of a christian nations ethics.. kinda like a pacifist enjoying the rewards of others blood being spilt to insure their freedom.

disgusting. dishonest. shallow.

those that believe, need no explanation. for those that don't, no explanation will suffice.

I think the points put up by Sian, Sandy, AKIron, and the Frog all point to a more rational dogma.. they are, weather they know it or not, Humanists.. not 'athesists'.

What I do think is that our lives and ethics and society should shed the myths from the past and try to create a better world for our time. Most of us humanists have done that relative to religion. I think that economic and political myths deserve the same scrutiny and subsequent bashing as does the Bible. I think that free market economic theory falls into this category of myth. Much as faith healing, the resurrection, or the second coming does. Many of the theorems and ultimatums from the theory just do not stand up in the light of historical or contemporary analysis. -- Walter Laffer

Try again Miko. we're on to yah.

[Frogm4n]

would have used the word humanist a couple posts ago but didnt think anyone would understand it.

[Sandman]

Hmmm... I tend to think of Satanism as Humanism.

[midnight Target]

So.. if I read that correctly:

Everyone needs a security blanket

Christians choose God (Jesus morality)
Atheists choose politics (social morality)?

(Nutshell Miko mode off)

[miko2d]

Siaf__csf: I'd be scared to live in a society that didn't guarantee my well-being at times that I need it the most

 Good point. Take good care of yourself while you are still healthy and buy disability insurance. Than nobody would have to be forced to waste money on people who hurt themselves. There is always charity, of course.
 By the way - nobody says a free-market society could not have a predetermined welafe system sufficient to preseve health while a person is out of work. It should not be an attractive choice to employment like current welfare system is.


Vulcan: Please provide a link showing statistically atheists are mostly socialists? I for one am a capitilist and so are most other atheists I know.

 No link. I used my own brains this time.
 I am an atheist and a free-market capitalist. You say you are one too and your friends, but most people who claim the same are really collectivists. I would have to know more of your position to make a judgement for myself. Of course if I counted everyne who just claimed that he/she stands for capitalism or freedom or democracy, the majority of people would be in that category - even Hangtime!


If there is no afterlife and no judgement therein for your life lived then why not throw off all the shackles of conscience and morality?

 Concience and morality are parts of a culture. They can exist outside a religion. How can a person throw off his own conscience and morality? One can flaunt the common norms - unless he fears punishment by law, but hardly his own.

AKIron: Why not live to the exclusive benefit of you and yours?

 I mostly do just that. And many other people too. Fortunately, in a capitalist system (which US still is to a considerable degree), a person benefits others while pursuing his own profit. Society is not based on voluntary cooperation but on competition - with everyone better off as a result.


Frogm4n: We believe in doing good for community sake not for selfish reasons...

 Do not confuse charity with socialism. The second is mandatory, so your belief would be irrelevant along with your morals - and it would not be up to you to decide what "good" society needs doing most.


AKIron: The thread was started by Miko (imo) criticising Atheists for their lack of faith.

 No, no - I was criticising "atheists" for too much faith and too little reason! And too little honesty and too much hippocricy. With a religious person, you know where he stands.


OIO: It is also interesting to note most, if not all, atheists and agnostics believe in LUCK.

 Not atheists - "atheists".


Hangtime: miko's point is it's easy and comfortable to hide behind the cloaks of a christian nations ethics..

 Not at all. I did not make eny judgments of religion here - this thread is about atheists. I cited the way some "atheists" denigrade religious people while effectively pursuing irrational beliefs themselves. Just read what I post, give your fantasy some rest....


midnight Target: So.. if I read that correctly:
Everyone needs a security blanket
Christians choose God (Jesus morality)
Atheists choose politics (social morality)?

  Change that "eveyone" to "almost everyone" and I would agree.

Or rather, I do need a security blanket as much as any "atheist" or faithfull, but I would just not deceive myself that it is possible to have one.


 miko