We'd Be Better Off Without Religion

Atheism doesn't have a set of ethics. It is only the disbelief in a god thingy. Maybe you mean secular ethics which does change and evolve and religions slower to change eventually follow along or lose respect for their teachings, like the Catholic church and birth control. There have been some religions that have been on the cutting edge of social change though, like the Quakers who fought slavery.

 

The Catholic Church has not changed it's teaching on abortion. People are leaving the churches in Europe and America but the Church is growing globally. Perhaps it's you and the rest of the secular world that is losing respect around the world, not the Church.

 

Places where the people are looking for hope make churches attractive.
BTW Islam is the fastest growing religion.

 

Yup, and Christopher Hitchens was a Trotskyist.

Pot kettle black....

 

A Trotskyist. Label as such based on what?

 

Atheism doesn’t have a set of ethics or any specific doctrine; it is not an organized belief system that I know of. If you think otherwise, please enlighten.

 

Yeah, that's what I said.

 

Which religion? And which religion’s “Moral grounding is not based on the interpretation by some religious authority which has been subject to change over time, for instance the indulgences of the popes, king Henry the VIII, King John, etc?

does atheism eventually lead to nihilism? You know this how? You speak for all atheists?

 

I speak of all how think there is no such thing as objective morailty.

 

seems thats not true:



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We strive to create an environment where atheism and atheists are accepted as members of our nation’s communities and where casual bigotry against our community is seen as abhorrent and unacceptable. We promote understanding of atheists through education, outreach, and community building and work to end the stigma associated with being an atheist in America.


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Seems atheists have their own interpretation of dictating moral grounding?

Does dawkins work for ya?

I read much of the arguments made by self-labelled atheists I can't help seeing that they are intrinsically nihilistic or at the very least if followed to their logical ends, lead fundamentally to a nihilistic viewpoint. If logical, rational thinking is used then I fail to see how nihilism cannot be the conclusion. https://richarddawkins.net/2013/04/why-identify-as-atheist-and-not-nihilist/

 

I seldom answer your trolly posts, but you do work so hard on them so....

Is there a theist group that speaks for the ethics of all theists? You have a distinct subgroup saying what they stand for and no more. To be an atheist you need not agree with anything they say except you don't believe in a god.

I disagree with Dawkins (if that's who wrote it). Basically he is referring to the meaning of life and nihilists believe there is no meaning of life. He believes that if atheists were logical and rational about their beliefs they would come to the conclusion that humans are just a product of evolution. There is no master plan, we are not meant to be masters of the planet or here to worship a deity or that we are the whole point of evolution. Where I disagree is the meaning of life is a subjective individual opinion even for atheists. Humans (even Dawkins) have a spiritual side that leaves logic behind and according to ones personality and life experiences that can even lead one to the conclusion that the meaning of life is meaningless.

 

Yes, the usual whining when I make a solid counterpoint someone does not want to sort out.

Every one of them do, just like every flavor of atheist does. SSDD

YOu have lots of distinct subgroups

Thats not true, you need to disagree with 'every' argument presented in favor of a God, to get to the point of disbelieving in God. No one wakes up one day claiming they dont believe in God, until God is explained to them.

Yep he wrote it, if you look closely you can see that came from dawkins web site.

yes all religious positions and world views is about the meaning of life.

It is for everyone regardless of their beliefs.

Yeh that spiritual side thing is really problematic because now you cant say God is supernatural to support your beliefs that God does not exist. That flushes the main atheist argument right down the crapper.

 

More people have been killed for "god" than any other reason as far as I know.

 

stalin, mao, pol pot
sure LOL

 

His own admission.

 

Source?

 

Amongst others.

Of course, he often referred to himself simply as a Marxist.

Incidentally, it was Hitchens referring to himself as a Trotskyist that first made me aware of the term. Before that I had always thought it was Trotskyite.

Either way, somewhat disappointing of Hitch. Leon Trotsky was a horrible excuse for a human being...

 

Ok so what defines morality and where does it come from? Do you not think there are morality constructs that are common among the vast myriad of human religions, even some sacred among our animal brethren?