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So you're an atheist. Ok, what next?

H'ethetheth said:
...

Also,

- 500 g chicken breast, diced
- 500 g mie noodles
- 800 g broccoli, in bits
- garlic to taste
- 1 onion, diced finely
- 1 generous amount Kechap Manis (sweet soy sauce)
- 2 dollops Thai sweet chilli sauce
- 125 ml crème fraiche
- curry powder
- Sambal Ulek
- some vegetable oil

Brown the chicken breast, garlic and onion in vegetable oil, add chilli sauce, stir for a while until it gets hot, add Kechap and Broccoli, and stir. Put a lid on the wok and let it simmer until the broccoli are cooked to taste. In the mean while, prepare the mie noodles according to the instructions no doubt supplied with the noodles. Season the chicken mixture with more Kechap, sambal and curry powder to taste. Add the creme fraiche, et Bon appétit!
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Thats more like it! :D Now, what the heck is a Sambal Ulek?? Is it like a Neptunian Slug?
 
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calebprime said:
Can't you give us a tasty Danish recipe?

also, what 8-letter word did you intend here?

meshugah?
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No, pretty sure he meant "********"! (Though the recipe doesn't really call for that... maybe in Denmark, pickled?)
 
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Unlike Upchurch I have just read the entire thread(I read fast) and all I can say is that,
"Folks you are trying to edcate someone who thinks Men Should Sit on the Toilet to Pee."


Pah!
 
ohp said:
Devoid of all morals, and unguided by a book of truth, I rampage the earth, causing pain and suffering to my fellow man - inflicting malicious acts on people, such as cutting a hand off someone who stole from me, stoning my adulterous wife, and letting my injured children die for want of a blood transfusion. I persuade people that condoms are laced with HIV, so they should have unprotected sex, and I spend none of the money I was given to relieve the pain of the dying, because I get a kick out of pain and suffering.

Only kidding, I don't think I could be that malicious!
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You weren't fooling anyone - nobody could be that twisted.
 
Gord_in_Toronto said:
Unlike Upchurch I have just read the entire thread(I read fast) and all I can say is that,
"Folks you are trying to edcate someone who thinks Men Should Sit on the Toilet to Pee."


Pah!
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Men Who Sit On The Toilet To Pee Do Not Need Edyucashuon!!!!

Bah, Humbug!
 
UnrepentantSinner said:
Ooops, I thought I'd accidently clicked on a thread where a skeptic who was a theist had posted.

But it's trolljam, so nevermind.
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Oh no, don't get me wrong. I've got plenty of time and respect for skeptics who are theists. I've compassion enough to realise people need stuff to get through the day, or may approach a problem from a completely different direction to me.

Its just the OP was followed up with loads of vicious little barbs that just seemed to go "Nyaarr, Nyaarr!" I can tell the difference between that and someone honestly attempting to find out some answers (whatever their beliefs).
 
plumjam said:
Let's say you've lived at least a couple of decades, you've examined the options, and you've arrived at atheism.

Well.
Here you are.

What do you do now?
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Live?

Let's say you then spend a few years trying to rescue other humans from what you (not they) regard as stupidity.

Ok. Then what?
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Live?

What can you do that is positive?
Are there any specifically atheist 'values'?
Are there any specifically atheist charities that endeavour to improve the plight of individuals?
(I don't think I've heard of any. Whereas religious charities there are thousands.)

Well, it's up to you. What next?
Preferably positive.
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I'm sorry, but what is your point? Are you trying to tell me that if I don't have some grand model that shows many layers of life after this life that my whole premise of there being no god is useless? This is my favorite question because I get asked this a lot. Why is there life? Why is there a universe? I don't know. Does it have to have a grand purpose in the end? And even if there was a God those two questions are still not answered until God tells us himself. What was the purpose of God creating life? Why did he create a universe? Was he just bored? Why did he leave the universe humanless for billions of years? These questions still aren't answered any more conclusively even if we say in some magical land there is a God controlling everything. So I don't know what the point of this thread is. Did you expect us to stumble, not give you a grand model of life, then through that have us reconsider that hey, maybe this whole God business isn't so bad afterall? Honestly, explain the intent behind this thread.
 
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plumjam said:
does [Bill Gates' charity] derive it's identity or inspiration from atheism?
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At this point, may I remind you of the old saying that atheism is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby.

Without it, it isn't "driving" any behavior per se. You're just not doing "religious" things in addition to your daily life.

Most "religious" types view their religion like the government: they donate to it, and some arm somewhere "out there" goes about helping people.
 
JoeEllison said:
[Plumjam] has a giant hole in his life, that he fills with religion. He seems to be asking how atheists can live with that gaping abyss in themselves, without religion to fill it. He doesn't understand that, at least for many atheists, that hole simply doesn't exist. We don't need to find something to fill a hole that we don't have.
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Says it all, really.

That seems to be the basic misunderstanding many theists have about atheists.
And there stated very well and clearly.

Perhaps the reason for this misunderstanding is the position of religion that morals and personal value stem from a higher power.

Atheists don't generally have this belief (although there are some who support personal transcendence). This appears to be an inconcievable concept to many theists, which I think is why they seem willfully blind to such explanation.

Are you reading this, PlumJam?
Are you comprehending it?

Atheism is not a code of morals, or a system of beliefs. It is a lack of belief. Trying to argue otherwise is pointless.

Further, it seems to me that most atheists are willing to "live and let live", so long as religion doesn't interfere with the well-being of others, and so long as theists don't endlessly try to convince us that we're wrong. I know I don't generally go into a discussion about why I don't beleive unless somebody tries to tell me I'm ignorant, or empty, or foolish, or somehow "less".
 
DOC said:
The "American Atheists" organization would disagree with you. The definition of atheism they put on their website does have a belief system and a specific philosophy. I counted the words "believe or beliefs" about 8 times in the definition of atheism they have on their site.

From American Atheists website:

The following definition of Atheism was given to the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Murray v. Curlett, 374 U.S. 203, 83 S. Ct. 1560, 10 L.Ed.2d (MD, 1963), to remove reverential Bible reading and oral unison recitation of the Lord's Prayer in the public schools.

“Your petitioners are Atheists and they define their beliefs as follows. An Atheist loves his fellow man instead of god. An Atheist believes that heaven is something for which we should work now – here on earth for all men together to enjoy.

An Atheist believes that he can get no help through prayer but that he must find in himself the inner conviction, and strength to meet life, to grapple with it, to subdue it and enjoy it.

An Atheist believes that only in a knowledge of himself and a knowledge of his fellow man can he find the understanding that will help to a life of fulfillment.

He seeks to know himself and his fellow man rather than to know a god. An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An Atheist believes that a deed must be done instead of a prayer said. An Atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanquished, war eliminated. He wants man to understand and love man.

He wants an ethical way of life. He believes that we cannot rely on a god or channel action into prayer nor hope for an end of troubles in a hereafter.

He believes that we are our brother's keepers; and are keepers
of our own lives; that we are responsible persons and the job is here and the time is now.”

http://www.atheists.org/Atheism/


Atheists have the right to have all of these beliefs but people shouldn't deny atheists have beliefs (which happens a lot in these threads).
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While I agree with AA's sentiments, (and I've been a member both in the O'Hare days and modern day), they do not represent ALL atheists, only a subset of atheists. And also, you could find humanists who support this philosophy amongst agnostics, deists, and even theists. If someone came up to me and said they were an atheist but couldn't stand AA's definition of an atheist, I would agree, they are painting with too broad a brush.
 
Well, lots of responses. Sorry, but too many directed to me to answer individually.
Some were decent enough. Unfortunately most were facetious and/or ad hominem and/or entirely negative.
Apparently, me even having the gall to ask such questions shows I have 'a giant hole' in my life. :rolleyes: Lol.

For the quibblers who keep arguing that atheism is not a belief system as such, please get real and quit the pedantry. I did explain that the atheism on this board, in my experience, has always come pre-packaged with a positive belief in exclusive materialism. This is a point that people are studiously avoiding.

Maybe I should say instead then: so you're an exclusive materialist and therefore an atheist, what next?
 
I give to charity (never religious ones for obvious reasons). I like to think I perform charitable acts. I like to think I add positively to our community. I do so because I believe this is right. I BELIEVE not some magical being in the sky telling me to believe! When I die I will end but the world will go on.
Do you fail to see the beauty and wonder of an athiest doing what they believe is right because they believe? You look at the good done by religion.
I think this good is destroyed by the damage religion does.

I suggest you try letting go of the silliness of religion and find the strength of being you. The rewards on this earth can be satisfying. Let it go! There is nothing after this life. That is reality. Why not accept it, put it behind you and lead your life rather than the life religions attempts to force upon you.

You are looking for positive answers. What can be more positive than living a satisfying life for yourself and those close to you?

Most atheists are not missionaries. We are not out to recruit. We see the positive that could be in a world without the demons of religion. What could be more positve than a world without religion?
 
Well, I dunno, whatever floats your boat I suppose. I'm quite passionate about music, and it makes me feel free. I like travelling and seeing new things, and the backs of lady's calves.

Also you could try earnestly trying to piece together how this all came about, by looking around you and trying to find if there are any clues left over. I'm filled with a burning desire to find this out, and I won't be fobbed off by easy answers, or the creation myths of different cultures (although I love to read about them). We are quite curious primates, after all!
 
plumjam said:
For the quibblers who keep arguing that atheism is not a belief system as such, please get real and quit the pedantry. I did explain that the atheism on this board, in my experience, has always come pre-packaged with a positive belief in exclusive materialism. This is a point that people are studiously avoiding.
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Skepticism is a philosophy. Atheism is applying that philosophy toward religion. Would you call skepticism about N-rays a belief system? I somehow doubt it. Is your lack of belief in the divinity of Zeus a "belief system"?

As to materialism, I'd still like your definition. I gave you mine earlier, but since I'm a nice guy, I'll do it again. Materialism is the position that there is no evidence for anything beyond the physical universe.

I fail to see how that would have any affect whatsoever on morality, unless you are only being moral for supernatural, i.e. unmaterial rewards.
 
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