Famous Atheists

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Neb: Personally I think that people are, or at least were, on the first page, a bit hostile towards Mark on this thread. All he did was to post some famous Atheist quotes. I don't believe that I saw anyone complain when Yorick posted some famous quotes a while back. Your religious beliefs have nothing to do with your morals. Though I'd say that a lot of religious people with "morals" actually don't have any since they're just fearing punishment rather than wanting to do what's right.

Neb, my post(s) were on other boards. To my knowledge I didn't post them here.

Secondly, YOUR religious beliefs may not have anything to do with YOUR morals, but you can't make that statement about all of us. You've made a generalised "YOUR" so that whoever reads it, reads you talking to them.

However, MY beliefs include morals. That should be obvious. My moral code IS internal belief!

Hellooooo!

So please don't try and tell me about MY morals and beliefs Neb. Because you're wrong.

[ 10-28-2002, 11:14 AM: Message edited by: Yorick ]

[Yorick]

Originally posted by MagiK: quote: Originally posted by Ronn_Bman: NOw,you don't have to believe in my religion, but you shouldn't assume because someone is religious they're not moral because their morality stems from fear. It simply isn't true, and the statement is more than a bit insulting to those of us here who are religious.

I completely agree B-Man.

The idea that religious people are motivated by fear seems to be taken from a page in the middle ages and does not show a good grasp of current religious philosophy. [/QUOTE]I agree with both of you entirely.

[Timber Loftis]

Wow, Neb you musta said something wrong if you got both Yorick and MagiK teaming up on you. Sorry to make a joke at your expense, Y and M, I'm just in a giggly mood today.

[Spelca]

I don't think atheists don't have any morals because they don't believe in a god. And I also don't think religious people are good just because they're afraid of their god/gods. [img]smile.gif[/img] Religion doesn't have anything to do with morality. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Spelca: Religion doesn't have anything to do with morality. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Then what are the ten commandments? Directions on how to sleep? They ARE a moral code.

[Spelca]

Originally posted by Yorick: quote: Originally posted by Spelca: Religion doesn't have anything to do with morality. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Then what are the ten commandments? Directions on how to sleep? They ARE a moral code.[/QUOTE]Yes, but if there were no ten commandments, would you have no morals? I doubt you'd go around killing people. [img]smile.gif[/img] I don't believe in any deity and I think I am moral.
Anyway, what I meant to say was that just because one doesn't have any rules said by a god, that doesn't make the person immoral. And just because one is religious and believes in rules it doesn't mean that the person will do that. [img]smile.gif[/img] That's what I meant. Though it's probably still written in a confusing way. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Spelca: Yes, but if there were no ten commandments, would you have no morals? I doubt you'd go around killing people. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Firstly, you said religion has nothing to do with morals. Totally wrong, because religious laws of behaviour ARE moral codes. That's all they are.

Secondly, remove God from the equation. Remove karma. Remove every abstract concept of the metaphysical, supernatural and just look at the physical.

If we are evolved animals competing for survival along with everything else, why would we not behave like any other predatory carnivore? The law of the jungle is not a moral law.

It is our concept of the abstract. Reason over instinct. Awareness of things other than the immediate physical need of the moment which reinforce morality. Consequence. Long term aims. Spiritual aims.

[ 10-28-2002, 11:46 AM: Message edited by: Yorick ]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: Wow, Neb you musta said something wrong if you got both Yorick and MagiK teaming up on you. Sorry to make a joke at your expense, Y and M, I'm just in a giggly mood today.

Err I was just agreeing with Ron, I haven't even looked at the Y-guys posts.

[Spelca]

Originally posted by Yorick: [Firstly, you said religion has nothing to do with morals. Totally wrong, because religious laws of behaviour ARE moral codes. That's all they are.

Yes, they are a moral code, but that doesn't mean that people live by them. Even though they say they do. And that's what I meant. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Timber Loftis]

I think this is, at its essence, a debate about the nature of mankind. And, within that very word lies the misunderstanding we have. Mankind is made of 2 root words - "mank" and "ind." The meaning of these words, though oft debated, has never really been set forth, and therein lies our misunderstanding of mankind.

(credit must be given to SNL and Jack Handy)