Questions Atheists CAN Answer
Ray Comfort has another hilarious post containing 10 questions atheists apparently cannot answer. Here to disprove him yet again, I give some possible answers.
1. What was in the beginning?
If we assume there is a beginning to reality (not just the universe) then it is probably some form of singularity or something else. We’re not entirely sure, but these are good predictions based on the evidence. Of course, we know so little about time that it is possible there was no beginning.
2. How will life on earth end?
Given that life consists of every organism, it would be very unlikely for any natural event to wipe out every example of life on the planet. Single-celled organisms will probably last until the Sun dies.
3. What happens after death?
Our bodies decompose like everything else that dies. Seeing as death happens when electrical activity in the brain ceases, and it is those electrical signals that power our consciousness, there is no evidence to suggest we can think after this event, let alone have an “afterlife”.
4. What is the purpose of existence?
There is no purpose other than the one you give yourself. There is no grand plan for any of us. We have to make our life choices ourselves, and do what we want to do in life.
5. Why there is order in all of creation?
Give me an example and I might be able to comment on it. However chaos theory pretty much destroys all arguments for order. Nothing in the universe is deterministic, and everything tends to chaos.
6. Why there is morality in every civilization?
Because morality is the active conscious extension of basic instinct. Any social animal has a form of morality. Ours has advanced because of our high cognitive abilities.
7. Why does every civilization believe in a Creator?
They don’t. Just look at Sweden.
8. Why does every sane person have a conscience, even when it is not dictated by society?
Emotions and reactions of people are very easy to read in the same species. A person who has had no human contact will still understand basic emotional concepts merely because they will have, at some point, had the same feelings. Case note: We all smile, laugh, cry, etc. There is variation in all these emotions, but not enough that you cannot tell them apart.
9. How did nothing create everything?
It didn’t. You are the only person who has claimed this. Atheists do not believe this. We have mentioned it before but you never listen.
10. Which came first–the chicken or the egg?
The egg. Although the mother looked very similar to a chicken of course. You’ll probably claim something like the “Chickaroo” existed though.
4. What is the purpose of existence?
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To ensure that our species survives to the next generation. It is innate. Not something we are really thinking about, but every animal on this planet exists on this basis and is driven with survival of the species in mind (deep in mind but in mind just the same).
Why does every civilization believe in a Creator?
Why does every civilization use bows and arrows? Is it the ultimate weapon?
Just came across this web site; and wanted to give you a hat tip. And “Amen” so to speak ;)
Hello,
An Australian website is taking a poll on belief in good as a result of the forum regarding london buses.
I think it would be wonderful if readers voted in this media poll. It would be nice for our community to see that there is a growing belief in humanist values.
The link is http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/mp/5108671/london-buses-advertise-theres-probably-god/ and the poll is on the righ hand menu bar
Thanks,
Gelena
7. Why does every civilization believe in a Creator?
Why is every civilization, bar hunter-gathers, patriarchal?
Answer: It makes evolutionary sense. Typically, back in the days of farming, women couldn’t do as much work because…well, men don’t have to deal with pregnancy. So men wanted their hard work to benefit their genes…and the rest is history. However, modernization (and contraceptives) put women back in the working force, allowing the feminist movement. Yay modernization.
Every civilization believes in a creation deity because back then people didn’t have our sophisticated equipment. And because someone who sat in a hut and wondered would starve to death, while those who came up with an explanation went to work…all because our minds need certainty. (Plus we’re control freaks) Now, however, all the jobs many of us have allow for more thinking…
The point of existence is simple, it really has no mystery, it is to find yourself and enjoy. No one has the secret of life after death; no one has come back from the other side and told us of this place in the sky. Now, I kind of like the idea that karma has a place in all this and that you are your own executioner. I'm an atheist because I can't believe in a god that would allow so much pain and anguish, so much horror and destruction, so much hate and anger. Read Bertrand Russell's "Why I'm not a Christian" and you will see the other reasons. I will not go into all the arguments that we are all too familiar with but try and cut a path through uncharted territory. A good starting point would be "And in the Beginning" Regardless what you call it (God) I presume it to have a form of intelligence, this intelligence must have a starting point, it cannot just appear without a learning process. If there was nothing before the beginning then where did God reside? If God did exist before the beginning then there was something and there was no nothingness. If we believe in this argument then we can start by assuming that in the beginning there was no god and that god (any god will do) must have become all powerful over a great period of time. This thought process could have you believe that this process was over millions of years and so long was the process that what ever did exist became spiritual and had no need for a body. This state along with millions of other spiritual beings became inquisitive and wanted the experience it sown beginnings. So, we came along and you can now imagine that we are still very close to the cave that brought us into this world.
See Zeitgeist it's another look into the religious beliefs of Christians. Buddhism I believe comes closet to my theory of the evolution of the spiritual mind.
Actually, from an evolutionary stand point, the chicken came first. The egg the first chicken came from would not have been a chicken egg, but the egg of the thing before it. If you want to get REALLY technical.
I truly do not understand why you focus your whole life on trying to prove everyone wrong just to feel better about yourself. And you claim to be open minded? Note how most every answer you gave to the Questions above either dance around the question or are, as you stated, possible. Meaning that you really do not understand life at all, other than serving yourself. I feel sorry for you; I really do. Cynicism and unhappiness must be a miserable life to live. Although you care less about what I say, there is hope for you, and God does not hate you. So come to him.
I'm not trying to prove anyone wrong. I'm only offering a rational alternative. Please give examples of where I "dance around the question". I give my answers as "possible" because most of the questions are philosophical and in that way highly opinionated. I have a very happy life in case you missed that, so it is I who feels sorry for you. Why is it that all religious people assume life without their imaginary friend is an unhappy one?
Q. 9. How did nothing create everything?
A. It didn’t. You are the only person who has claimed this. Atheists do not believe this. We have mentioned it before but you never listen.
My Comment: Atheist Dr. Richard Carrier, PhD claims that he believes it is possible that nothing created everything. He says so here:
http://www.godcontention.org/index.php?qid=44
…and here:
http://www.godcontention.org/index.php?qid=82