Related Information to Atheists Not To Be Feared!

Atheists Not To Be Feared! - Page 2

This sounds more agnostic. I believe that Atheist means you don't believe in God. An agnostic acknowledges a higher power, but doesn't necessarily believe in God in the traditional sense.

Feared To Atheists

When I said that "They are a group of people that do believe in God and Satan but choose not to follow the religious ways of good." I was talking about satanists not atheists.

Also my morals come from my beliefs that life is special and no one has the right to take that away from anyone. I also know what is good or nice and I strive to be that way. I don't think that it has anything to do with if there is a god or not to me it is all about your conscience and how strong an effect it has on you... Also has to do with how you were brought up. If, for instance, you were brought up with someone telling you that it was ok to kill someone you wouldn't know any better.

Atheists Not To Be Feared! Beliefs Religious General

Cyotie, what I am trying to point out is what gives you a 'conscience'? Are you saying that being taught something is your conscience? If so then people do not act on what is their conscience really but act on what they were taught? I firmly believe the two are different.

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All I was saying is that at some point you were either told what is right from wrong from somebody. Either that or you could tell by someones reaction that it was wrong. Now if you chose to keep doing it or not that is where your conscience comes in to play. Either way knowing if it is right or wrong doesn't necessarily mean that you are religious. I don't believe that someone can have a conscience about something that they don't know is wrong.

Edited: Cyotie on 18th Dec, 2003 - 6:55pm

Feared To Atheists

In my experience, religious people seem to have higher moral standards. So, most people wouldn't kill somebody, but many are not as honest as I think a religious standard would require. For example, getting the wrong amount of change back at the store and returning it. Not taking stamps or postage from work without paying for it. Whether or not to claim certain cash income on taxes, etc.

I think what I have found is that most non-religious people don't have the same view of right from wrong as most religious people. They tend to view certain things as victimless crimes - like cheating an insurance company.

Now, I find this with non-religious people who claim to believe in God, so why would an atheist who doesn't believe in God be honest in a situation where they thought no one was going to be hurt? A religious person often stays honest because they believe they are being "watched" and will be judged at some point for their behavior. (That is a simplified explanation for this thread only religious behavior goes deeper but not necessary to fully discuss in order to make my point.)

Edited: tenaheff on 18th Dec, 2003 - 7:02pm

Atheists Not To Be Feared!

Cyotie everyone has a school of thought, but your conscience deliberates if that school of thought is right or not. Those that do not act on conscience are usually followers, those that do are decision makers and tend to find the truth. A simple example of this is Columbus.... all believed in one thing, but him being told it is so bothered him to the point that he was willing to withstand even death. This drive that man has comes from something greater than fleshy tissue and blood.

Atheists To Feared! - Page 2

But that's the whole point...and who taught that 'somebody' from? it all reaches to the same point because as you pointed out in another message if you was brought up that to kill for instance is something natural, then you will think is right to do it but the fact that you recognize that there is 'right and wrong' and also that people who follow Satan they choose to follow the wrong way, in a way, you're saying that Satan is what we consider 'the wrong' and who is the 'right' then?

This is a key point people misunderstand, to believe in God doesn't make you a religious person. There are plenty people out there who believe in God and are not part of any formal religious group.

Atheists To Feared! General Religious Beliefs - Page 2

So you ask who gave society its function and structure; I really don't think its a question of who gave this to society but how society as a group developed its functions and structure. Consider this, evidence has proved that the Earth is older than what the bible entails, evidence proves that homosapiens existed earlier than what the bible entails. If this is the case then early humans had to have developed some sort of social structure and order in order to coexist. If not then we wouldn't be having this conversation.
If you look at society today and how it was say fifty years ago its somewhat different, just like it was 100yrs, 200yrs, 300 etc. That is pretty evident. I mean your average caveman couldn't exactly go down to walmart to get his dinner for friday night So you could say that society has evolved. In a nut shell we learned that if we work together we have a better chance of survival. If their wasn't social conformity then the structure would collapse. As societies grew larger so did the need for common consciousness and defined social norms for society to prevail. Now through psychology we know that people participate in experiences that are rewarding and withdrawal from those that aren't. So the development of a legal system, religion and moral values is what has allowed us to collectively exist.
So couldn't it be possible that to ensure the continuation of our species, we as society developed the systems in which we believe in and abide by.