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

[dglas]

I think about that as an atheist. I get a big kick out of other peoples' delight, and I feel invigorated if I helped the process. Maybe it's empathy... I feel happy when I hear the thump, thump, thump of my dogs' wagging tail or the purr of a cat. I do good things probably because it makes me feel good.

I can't bear witness to anguish or suffering without feeling it on some level myself. I think humans are wired to share in the joys and sorrows of other sentient beings, and religion is just one of the many stories people tell themselves about why they do what they do. Feelings are often primal and instinctive and we don't necessarily know why we feel them or how to control them. I think stories of gods and demons and so forth were the best explanations we could come up with in the past when trying to use language to make sense of emotions and share that information with others.

Doh! Self-Interest explains everything doesn't it?

Just like God does.

Win Powerball!!!

 

[blobru]

Three Floyds? Are you from the region?

Indiana? No; beer expert I sat next to at a wedding once was raving about it. I like the grand name, sounds like something God might drink. Decals fit too:

​

"Worn out after a long age being the objective standard for morality, art, and even humor ferchrissake? Then why not measure Yourself against a Three Floyds Oak Aged Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout? Pound a few of these into Ya and You won't be an objective standard for long -- You won't be standing for long. Look, being God is no picnic, that's for sure: day and night listening to whack job after whack job drone on and on about how much they love You. It's bound to leave even an omniscient being at wit's end. Isn't it about time someone answered Your prayers: for a bold, brash stout that leaves no doubt, you won't be seeing straight for a week? Three Floyds: when You wanna get stoned, OT-style; flood Your world with flavor!"

 

[bje]

That's all fine.. but none of that, as far as I can see, is derived from a belief in atheism, rather it's derived from you examining your conscience as any decent theist would do also.
Atheism does not encourage mankind to see equal value in our fellow beings, yet theism does, quite insistently.
Atheism remains silent on the matter, as it does on so many other important issues.
Thus those who are atheists will be less likely to be regularly exposed to the positive moral exhortations typical of theism.
That doesn't mean any individual atheist is bound to be more immoral, but the general influence will be in that direction.

None of what you say requires a belief in a "deity", so what is your point?

The Declaration of Independence is a moral document that had its inspiration from those influenced by the Enlightenment and distinctly Judeo-Christian ethical values. It is neutral on the existence or not of a deity.

Theists and atheists live by this document - and by the Constitution it inspired - on an equal basis. A belief in a deity is irrelevant.

None of us can escape history or its influences. That it includes religions whose influences have been both good and bad, as we see today more than ever, is undeniable. That all of those religions justified their existences on beliefs and claims of the existence of a deity is undeniable. We have no influence on past history. We can only learn and go forward.

As we go forward and our knowledge increases many of us have long been skeptical of the existence of a deity. So what? One cannot make any distinction on any grounds other than we don't believe in a deity. Period.

 

[six7s]

Atheism does not encourage mankind to see equal value in our fellow beings, yet theism does, quite insistently

If you really believe what you say plumjam, I suggest that you do some reading

Google: Results 1 - 10 of about 54,600,000 for hierarchy


Google: Results 1 - 10 of about 2,000,000 for patriarchy

If you want to narrow your search, try including the name of your favourite pope, ayatollah, guru, rabbi, bishop, imam, dean, llama, monk, pandit, cailiph, cardinal, archbishop, monsignor, reverend, curate, primate, sky pilot, etc and see how 'equal' they are compared with their neighbours

All theists are equal, but some theists are more equal than others​

 

[HghrSymmetry]

Perchance the equestrian carcass is being beaten after expiration.
T'would seem the p*u*j*m has left the building.

 

[FSM]

I miss him.

 

[blobru]

I miss him.

Aim lower.

 

[six7s]

And much further to the right