Comments on: The Epistemology of Atheism http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:28:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: John Scott http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-390 John Scott Sat, 12 Jan 2008 10:22:53 +0000 http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-390 You should be a writer. Very engaging style of writing there. 8) I must admit, I was never a fan of church either. But I suppose most people go for the social interaction, not so much for religious reasons. Who knows... You should be a writer. Very engaging style of writing there. 8)

I must admit, I was never a fan of church either. But I suppose most people go for the social interaction, not so much for religious reasons. Who knows…

]]> By: dave walker http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-389 dave walker Sat, 12 Jan 2008 10:06:27 +0000 http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-389 As a child I was sent with various sisters to attend Sunday school which I hated. The oppressive paraphenalia of men in frocks sermonising solemnly on matters seemingly divorced from everyday reality and the singing of dreary songs of obsequious praise made a deep impression on me. I theorized that if God existed he may well have been similarly repelled by the worldwide weekend display of grovelling servitude and probably didn't bother listening to any of that stuff, preferring instead to tune his celestial antennae to the radio pop broadcasts, because if He does indeed exist the chances are that He is a being of taste and discernment and would rather hear a good pop record than any number of boring hymns telling Him what a great guy He is. I also theorized that as well as hating hymns and prayers He would also have a sense of humour so powerful that even one of his less funny jokes would be so amusing that the hearer would die laughing. I sometimes wonder why we don't get much insight into this side of God's nature in the Bible. There is of course the story of Isaac, where God commands Abraham to stab his son to death as a sacrifice, before revealing the whole thing was a joke, but really when you analyse it, that's not a very funny joke and even seems a bit on the sick side. Come to think of it, I've never actually read the Bible cover to cover- there might be some funny stuff in there that we just don't know about or has been misinterpreted by scholars because of the difficulties in understanding the context in which it was written. Perhaps even, the whole book is one big joke on us and far from having a liking for a certain species of intelligent ape, God actually prefers insects. They are simple creatures, don't compose crap devotional tunes and probably won't have a problem with His seeming humourlessness. He's certainly created a lot more of them than He has of us lot. Sunday school attendance lapsed as soon as I was old enough to be allowed some choice in the matter but I do feel some reluctance to entirely deny Gods existence, purely resulting from this limited childhood indoctrination. The paraphenalia makes a certain impression on one also. The churches, rennaisance art, gaudy Poping gear with the frocks and important looking pointy hats surely can't all be for nothing can they? As a child I was sent with various sisters to attend Sunday school which I hated. The oppressive paraphenalia of men in frocks sermonising solemnly on matters seemingly divorced from everyday reality and the singing of dreary songs of obsequious praise made a deep impression on me. I theorized that if God existed he may well have been similarly repelled by the worldwide weekend
display of grovelling servitude and probably didn’t bother listening to any of that stuff, preferring instead to tune his celestial antennae to the radio pop broadcasts, because if He does indeed exist the chances are that He is a being of taste and discernment and would rather hear a good pop record than any number of boring hymns telling Him what a great guy He is.
I also theorized that as well as hating hymns and prayers He would also have a sense of humour so powerful that even one of his less funny jokes would be so amusing that the hearer would die laughing. I sometimes wonder why we don’t get much insight into this side of God’s nature in the Bible. There is of course the story of Isaac, where God commands Abraham to stab his son to death as a sacrifice, before revealing the whole thing was a joke, but really when you analyse it, that’s not a very funny joke and even seems a bit on
the sick side.
Come to think of it, I’ve never actually read the Bible cover to cover- there might be some funny stuff in there that we just don’t know about or has been misinterpreted by scholars because of the difficulties in understanding the context in which it was written. Perhaps even, the whole book is one big joke on us and far from having a liking for a certain species of intelligent ape, God actually prefers insects. They are simple creatures, don’t compose crap devotional tunes and probably won’t have a problem with His seeming humourlessness. He’s certainly created a lot more of them than He has of us lot.
Sunday school attendance lapsed as soon as I was old enough to be allowed some choice in the matter but I do feel some reluctance to entirely deny Gods existence, purely resulting from this limited childhood indoctrination. The paraphenalia makes a certain impression on one also. The churches, rennaisance art, gaudy Poping gear with the frocks and important looking pointy hats surely can’t all be for nothing can they?

]]> By: John Scott http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-372 John Scott Wed, 09 Jan 2008 22:27:01 +0000 http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-372 Will, <blockquote>There does appear to be some human emotional need that can be at least partially fulfilled by the presence of an invisible friend. But really, wouldn’t it be better to identify that need and fill it through more honest means?</blockquote> When people die, religion can assure one that the loved one isn't really dead. He or she is just in hell. (Just kidding.) But seriously, when we think how meaningless life is, if there is no afterlife, then I can understand how comforting the idea of heaven is. Also when we are subject to injustices that we cannot rectify, the idea of an avenging god does come in handy. Will,

There does appear to be some human emotional need that can be at least partially fulfilled by the presence of an invisible friend. But really, wouldn’t it be better to identify that need and fill it through more honest means?

When people die, religion can assure one that the loved one isn’t really dead. He or she is just in hell. (Just kidding.)

But seriously, when we think how meaningless life is, if there is no afterlife, then I can understand how comforting the idea of heaven is. Also when we are subject to injustices that we cannot rectify, the idea of an avenging god does come in handy.

]]> By: Will Spencer http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-342 Will Spencer Mon, 31 Dec 2007 17:37:26 +0000 http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-342 If God does exist, it is irrelevant to me. I can't see, hear, touch, smell, or taste him. He has never shown any evidence of his existence and he has never affected my life in any way. If he wants some attention, he can ask for it -- or even demand it. I can't imagine worshiping a being who is so obviously uninterested in being worshiped. There does appear to be some human emotional need that can be at least partially fulfilled by the presence of an invisible friend. But really, wouldn't it be better to identify that need and fill it through more honest means? If God does exist, it is irrelevant to me. I can’t see, hear, touch, smell, or taste him. He has never shown any evidence of his existence and he has never affected my life in any way.

If he wants some attention, he can ask for it — or even demand it. I can’t imagine worshiping a being who is so obviously uninterested in being worshiped.

There does appear to be some human emotional need that can be at least partially fulfilled by the presence of an invisible friend. But really, wouldn’t it be better to identify that need and fill it through more honest means?

]]> By: Samuel http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-204 Samuel Sat, 22 Dec 2007 23:19:11 +0000 http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-204 Just don't be so open minded that your brain falls out. Just don’t be so open minded that your brain falls out.

]]> By: John Scott http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-176 John Scott Fri, 21 Dec 2007 01:38:03 +0000 http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-176 Sounds like a very healthy philosophy to go through life with, Jason. Open minded, and appreciative of all the world has to offer. :) Sounds like a very healthy philosophy to go through life with, Jason. Open minded, and appreciative of all the world has to offer. :)

]]> By: Jason Holstein http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-175 Jason Holstein Fri, 21 Dec 2007 01:10:21 +0000 http://www.individualsovereigntist.com/2007/12/20/the-epistemology-of-atheism/#comment-175 Thank you for the interesting and thought-provoking post. I just discovered your Internet Marketing blog today and decided to take a look at this site as well. I have often found myself siding with atheists when it comes to criticizing Christianity and other organized religions. However, as an agnostic with some supernatural interests and mystical tendencies, I often find myself at odds with the very same atheists. I agree with the idea of taking a rational and scientific look at the world, free from the bounds of religious dogma and other biases; however, I agree that an atheist who brings a "fundamentalist" or "evangelical" perspective to their beliefs is just as dangerous and narrow-minded as the religious fanatics. Reality is a beautiful, amazing, ever-shifting and changing and surprising thing. Why would we want to ruin that magic and mystery with an ill-founded certainty? Anyone who claims to know "the" truth is, as far as I am concerned, far from it. Thank you for the interesting and thought-provoking post. I just discovered your Internet Marketing blog today and decided to take a look at this site as well. I have often found myself siding with atheists when it comes to criticizing Christianity and other organized religions. However, as an agnostic with some supernatural interests and mystical tendencies, I often find myself at odds with the very same atheists. I agree with the idea of taking a rational and scientific look at the world, free from the bounds of religious dogma and other biases; however, I agree that an atheist who brings a “fundamentalist” or “evangelical” perspective to their beliefs is just as dangerous and narrow-minded as the religious fanatics. Reality is a beautiful, amazing, ever-shifting and changing and surprising thing. Why would we want to ruin that magic and mystery with an ill-founded certainty? Anyone who claims to know “the” truth is, as far as I am concerned, far from it.

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