Why do atheists care about human life?

Atheist is merely code for liberal,as is vegetarian, Doctor titles[for those who are not and could never earn medical degrees], Reverend titles[for those who are communist sympathizers,womanizers, and plagiarizers], etc........

 

I cannot even comprehend the kind of mentality where a person might even consider this to be true, so I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're fishing.

 

Why do I care about human life? Because I'm a very caring person. Not sure how being an atheist makes it any more difficult to care about people. In fact, most atheists I know are much nicer to people who believe differently than them than religious people I know. I have no problem with religious people who don't try to force their beliefs on me, or belittle others for believing differently than them. Therefore, I have trouble understanding why they would have a problem with me. Don't get me wrong, the majority of them get along with me just fine, but some of the Christians are actually quite nasty towards me.

 

I think the problem is people just start getting a superiority complex about themselves. I am better than you, because....... It is almost like belittling others is a validation for their position. It is much better to deal with people who want to discuss the things that bring us together not divide us. Life is so much better that way

 

I do not know on atheist that believes any of the dribble you posted above, me thinks you just make up crap to troll the board.

 

Because Human beings are sentient. We are self aware. That is what makes our form of life higher and more important. Because it is more important, it's loss is more tragic.

That was easy.

It is not always a bad thing. For example, if you are suffering, and likely to continue to suffer indefinitely, then death would be a good thing. Because it would end your suffering.

In the absence of suffering, life is enjoyable or at least interesting. So death is unappealing. Also, death is an unknown, while life is a known. And people are afraid of the unknown.

Liberal atheists often do. But they are not the only atheists.

Obviously they can. I just did.

What should really concern you is this though...does this mean that if I can conclusively prove to a theist that no higher power exists, that they will suddenly turn into psychotic killers? Is your religion (threat of retaliation by God) really the only thing holding you back from raping and killing at random?

 

It really depends on the individual person. Unlike religious people, there is no one ideology or worldview that atheists subscribe to. I can say that for me, I value human life and compassion for others. I don't need the threat of punishment in hell to be a good person. It just comes naturally.

 

One thing is for sure - atheists don't care for human life in the name of "atheism".

Then again, many Christians are OK with various forms of killing as well. Christian religion is no guarantee of a live and let live philosophy, especially if we use history as a guide.

 

I'm a Christian, but as with every so-called "group", atheists are as varied in their individual behaviors and principles as most other "groups". I know quite a few atheists who are political Libertarians, but who vehemently oppose abortion. Those atheists see abortion as the taking of an innocent human life. Atheists can't be defined by those who are constantly attacking religious freedoms, and trying to eliminate religion from the American scene. There are atheists who do exactly that, but many others who are understanding and tolerant of relgion. Judge individuals, not groups.

 

compassion is a normal human trait

 

according to Christians Jesus already paid for "everyones" sins, thus all the killers in prison that believe... will get into heaven right? is this what you believe?

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That would be gospel!!

 

We don't; we hate it. Oh wait; that's merely another form of caring. OK; we're ambivalent. Holocaust? Meh. Some kid stuck down a well? Meh. Today Show hostess popping out another little miracle? Meh.

Replying to this thread, since you're a human? Ahhh!!! What am I doing?????

 

Who are these people trying to eliminate religion from the American scene? I've never met one. I know people that find religion childish, ridiculous and completely separate from our government, but I have never seen one that wants it eliminated. I know some that think we would be better off if it was, but not that actively advocate the position. It's just a pipe dream, like the believer dreaming of a Christian nation.

 

Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Confucius, Shintoism, Buddhism, Jainism, ect all have moral philosophies that still are pertinent today and they're pagan, greek mythologist, or atheist.

 

Best post of the entire thread.

 

You have it exactly backwards. People who believe in gods care less about human life and wayyyyyy less about the lives of animals because they think there is an afterlife. They think animals were put here for their selfish benefit. Many of them cant wait to get there and think death is a good thing.
On the other side, those who believe death is the end tend to cherish the time and gift of life because they believe it is finite. If you thought the ice cream you were eating would be the last you would ever have, would you take the time to enjoy it more? I would.

 

Hitler was a Christian that was raised Catholic if I recall correctly

if on Hitlers death bed he repented would you believe he wil be at the same place as others that have done the same?

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I know I don't enjoy being hurt, so the idea of my hurting someone else is unpleasant to me. I know that when others show me kindness it causes me happiness, so showing others kindness when I can causes me happiness as well. If the notions of sympathy and empathy fall outside the scope of a 'scientific' enough explanation then I can turn to self interest, which you should be able to relate to yourself. I don't like being alone all the time. I need other people there to avoid that. For my own safety and idea of self preservation I need others there as well, and as part of an agreement that never gets spoken out loud or stated in a physical contract, I offer myself for their needs as well in this area, understanding that this arrangement never goes so far as to make either of us the property or subordinate of the other for these purposes. There's also that personal and selfish need for human contact, which some days the product of of our genetic heritage where we seek to expand and maintain the species foothold and presence in this world by procreating, other days is the product of a few drinks and some revealing clothing and other days is just a simple need for a hug or a handshake.

If the idea of Heaven were a real thing then the Sandy Hook shooting would actually be a pleasant thing to a believer, wouldn't it? Those kids don't have to wait a full lifetime before going on to spend eternity with God right? Life is actually more precious if you think this is it and you go nowhere else once you die, as opposed to thinking there's something once this life is done and this go-through is just a test or a trial or a probationary period. An atheist, generally speaking as we aren't a cohesive unit, should probably value life more than any religious person.

As to whether or not this life itself is important or not, each of us has a subjective value we each find personally, regardless of spiritual belief. You may believe in a god or not and find this life has a vital impact in the grand scheme of things or you might believe in a god or not and think your life or the lives of other have absolutely no significance whatsoever. It's strictly a case by case basis, and the divide does not rely on god belief.

Atheism is not a philosophy. It's the answer to one question; 'Do you believe in a god or gods?'. If the answer is yes, you are a theist, whatever you call that god, however you worship them, however many you believe there are. If the answer is no, then you are an atheist, whatever you call that god, however they're worshiped, however many there are claimed to be. There is no belief system beyond that for the atheist, and no dogma, and no traditions and no roles or rules or hymnals or feasts or sanctification. It stops there for the theist as well, except that they now go on to specify what they believe about that individual or pantheon of deities and their personification or dictates or feats or features. The title of theist or atheist covers that one 'do you believe' question and that's it. Neither is a philosophy.

One person believing in god and another who does not will not give you a change in the value of human life. You can believe that if you wish but it's not true.

That a believer cannot figure out why killing is wrong except that a higher power they believe in says it is, speaks negatively of the believer, not the nonbeliever.

Not believing in a god does not mean not believing in consequences. I can turn that around though and point out that if a person can at least convince themselves that if the god they believe in is accepting of some act because it serves that god's purpose or will or design, the believer will do it, perhaps with trepidation, perhaps not. Whether that's blowing up an abortion clinic or flying a plane into a skyscraper or all the random horrors in between of parents that don't seek medical attention for their children, opting for prayer instead, to the point of the child's death, or children that are ritually sacrificed for the belief that they are witches or possessed by demons. The believer has a far greater war-chest in committing atrocities and justifying them than the nonbeliever could.

The idea of an after-life cheapens the perceived value of this one.

 

Nope. Hitler lost all hope and committed suicide. He's most likely in hell right now.

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Nope. Hitler lost all hope and committed suicide. He's most likely in hell right now.

 

Apparently, judging from your post, you and many other religious folks are naturally violent people who need threat of going to hell to prevent them from doing violent things. As an Atheist, I don't need punishment as an incentive for not doing things that are wrong. Being a good person just comes naturally. That is the difference between you and I.

 

Our Founding Fathers were wise enough and kind enough to Ordain and Establish some temporal and secular morals for us as their Posterity.

 

Christians have also killed others...

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This is a trait shared by most spiecies on the planet.... Raely do we kill our own.

 

Did you get a letter from Hitler informing you of that assumption? Or is it the blind faith talking?

 

Not for the genocide of 12M people, no no no... but for committing suicide.

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Not for the genocide of 12M people, no no no... but for committing suicide.