Atheists-What do you believe and why

Author: janesix

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janesix
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What is your world-view?

How did the universe come into existence?

Is there any purpose to existence?

Why do you believe what you believe?
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What is your world-view?
A complex question. I believe in the B-theory of time. I disbelieve in Free Will. I'm an absurdist. Ethically, I think I adhere to a mishmash of different principles.

How did the universe come into existence?
This presumes the universe "came" into existence. I do not know that this is true.

Is there any purpose to existence?
Only that which you make.

Why do you believe what you believe?
A lifetime of introspection and selecting what seems most true to me.
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@janesix
I believe in tutinkarmoun , i cant spell that. But he was around before the Jesus wasn't he. 

World view.  TAKE EM FOR A RIDE.  If you steal something you Get it FREE. There is is absolutely no rules in life , none. And thats where our morals come from.

It come to existence the very second i did.  not a second before and not a second after will this exist. 
It's allllllllllll me.  In a non narsisitic , ( spell check please ) 

Is there a purpuso yes , they look simiiler to dolphins.

Why do i believe what i believe .  Because I've been lead too
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@drafterman
what is the B-theory of time?
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@Deb-8-a-bull
what do you mean you've been "lead to"?
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@janesix
The traditional perception of time is the "A-Theory" of time. That things in the past were once real, but are no longer real, that things in the future don't exist yet, and that the only thing that really exists is the present.

The "B-Theory" of time basically says that the past, present, future and the flow of time is an illusion and that events and things in the past, present, and future are all equally real.
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@janesix
From observation from reading , from being taught through my sorter separator taking into account I'm underegicated .educated ,( spell check ) 
For example a year ago a 37 year old me was introduced to the word enormous .  until then i belived 37 years thinking the word was eggnormous. Because i cant spell and have trouble  with comprehending wrapped with never less then 175 hi cue,  i can like  think.

So my answer is i believe what ever i believe and the path taken , into every person I've even just seen everything i experienced and been taught is what i belive. I've been lead to believe things through my actions Observationse.

I don't know what I'm saying now. 
Jane. 
Hey jane. Can i take that comment back whilst i have a little more thought on the question  ( what do i believe and why )
,so I'm taking back my answer ,  because I've been led to. which i think will play apart of my answer but.
Im taking it back.
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@Deb-8-a-bull
ok, you can take it back. I didn't actually think you meant that anyway. which is why i asked.
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@janesix
I believe that I cannot be certain of anything except that I am experiencing something even if that something turns out to be totally illusory. I believe it because I'm not sure how to test the hypothesis that my senses are an accurate reflection of reality.

I also believe that it is convenient to except reality as it is represented by my senses simply because real or not there are pleasant and unpleasant experiences and my senses help me to differentiate between them and maximize my possibly illusionary experience. Also it is convenient since it allows me to have this conversation with you at all.

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What is your world-view?
Not sure I have one; maybe it is that truth exists but thatwe will probably never fully comprehend it.
 
How did the universe come into existence?
I don't know. There is nothing wrong with not knowing as thesearch of all knowledge begins there.
 
Is there any purpose to existence?
Beyond the pleasure that may be derived from one’s existence,then possibly not.
 
Why do you believe what you believe?
I don't really have the enthusiasm for any beliefs these days..

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@janesix
What is your world-view?
I think it safe to say the answer to this question is a lot more complicated than the question! Short answer: empiricism.



How did the universe come into existence?

I don't know, and I don't think you or anyone else does either.


Is there any purpose to existence?

I dont believe existence has any purpose other than what we give it.


Why do you believe what you believe?

 I guess it depends on the belief, but in general, I accept what the evidence shows to true.

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@janesix
What is your world-view?
I believe the world has been conditioned to be slaves. I believe the powerful lie to us everyday bc they do not want to give up their power. They are addicted to it, and humanity holds their heads down believing in their lies. Life and success is a pyramid scheme. Some tell you hard work will get you there, some tell you they will help you get there through aid... both are lying. It's a pyramid scheme and the pyramid is never upside down. If it was, the powerful would diminish their power. So we get lied to and conditioned to give up our power to the powerful. The world needs an awakening... to realize these lies. Until then they are willing slaves. There is two ways to get power. One way is self employment or becoming someone that gives back to society and is a value to society. Such as musicians, artists, business owners, etc. The other way is by manipulating the system. The second why is less moral bc it requires manipulating people and systems. Either way, those are your only two ways to not be a slave other than moving to the forest and living on your own. With that said, i give humanity a chance every time. I really love people... but, if i hate you it's usually very passionately. I just feel bad that humanity cannot see they can be a lot more powerful than they are. I wish people weren't so complacent sometimes and easily manipulated.  

How did the universe come into existence?
There are some creative beliefs, but no one knows for sure. I personally believe, or like the most, there are multiple universes and this is just one in many. There was something creative i also heard that we are the result of a dying star in another universe and are within the black hole it created. Makes sense... death of star = big bang. Inflation and expansion of our universe = the black hole's gravity. 

Is there any purpose to existence?
Sure... to live and experience. Specific purpose is whatever you give to life. 

Why do you believe what you believe?
When it comes to humanity and our reality stuff, bc it's what i see. When it comes to metaphysical beliefs... i believe in one's that have the most likely chance of being what's going on.  
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@janesix
What is your world-view?

How did the universe come into existence?

Is there any purpose to existence?
Planet Earth is a world aka planet and sometimes referred to as Spaceship Earth. Biologic life evidence on it some 4 billions years ago.

Occupied space is eternally existent ergo your --posed on DDO-- is still moot even when posted at DArt.

There is no purpose for our eternally existent, finite, occupied space Universe/God except for the purpose that humans apply to it.

These are easy questions to answer. Do you have any more cosmically deeper { in or out there }  questions?

Ive addressed all of your cosmic questions at DDO.









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@janesix
What is your world-view?

How did the universe come into existence?

Is there any purpose to existence?

Why do you believe what you believe?
1. My world view is the one reality chooses for me.
2. According to science, the universe came about on it's own through natural means.
3. Purpose is what you make it.
4. I believe in reality because reality decides that for me.

176 days later

secularmerlin
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I don't often "bump" a thread but this was a brilliant one that never really got the chance it deserves.
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I guess my answer is that it would depend on the proposition put in front of me?

What is your world-view?

Relative to what? 

How did the universe come into existence?

Apparently via big bang cosmology, that's the current model supported by data.

Is there any purpose to existence?

Not inherently. 

Why do you believe what you believe?

THis one really depends on the specific proposition it refers to. 
Stephen
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@janesix
How did the universe come into existence?

A great question that no one ever has been able to explain.
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@Stephen
A great question that no one ever has been able to explain.

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@ludofl3x
What is your world-view?

Relative to what? 
Reletive to reality as it is, or at least how you perceive it.
How did the universe come into existence?

Apparently via big bang cosmology, that's the current model supported by data.
I'm sorry but does the data support that or does the data merely support that the big bang is the earliest event we have direct evidence of?
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@ludofl3x
Why do you believe what you believe?

THis one really depends on the specific proposition it refers to. 

Since this is a religion thread shy not start with why you do not maintain a belief in any god(s).
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@Stephen
How did the universe come into existence?

A great question that no one ever has been able to explain.

Some people claim to have explanations. What makes these explanations insufficient in your eyes?
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@secularmerlin
I'm sorry but does the data support that or does the data merely support that the big bang is the earliest event we have direct evidence of?
This seems a keithprosser question :). Strictly speaking I suppose it's the latter: that it's the earliest event for which we can observe evidence. But as we are unlikely to every cross the threshold and figure out a way to study something before the Planck time, to me it's functionally the same.



Since this is a religion thread shy not start with why you do not maintain a belief in any god(s).
That's a long answer! To put it very, very briefly, it started when I first heard a priest making a god of the gaps argument, before I even knew what a god of the gaps argument was. I am pretty sure he was talking about evolutionary science and how that's what god USED to make life on earth as diverse as it is. I just remember thinking "Well that's not what the book says, though," and that basically started unraveling the whole thing. Eventually I got to where I was wondering why anyone thought so poorly of Judas, since he'd have to be executing god's plan in the first place and without him there might not have been the crucifixion everyone wanted. Then I started thinking, "Wait a minute, how does this make sense: why not just FORGIVE the sins since you're literally the thing that makes all the rules?" THEN I started thinking "Wait, if this is all a plan in the first place, then we probably can't act outside of that plan...which means people MUST SIN to act according to the plan, so why are they asking to be forgiven for something they had no say in?" Soon enough I was thinking "You know, hindu people are pretty sure they're right just like Christian people...how can we tell who actually IS?"

And on and on and on. It didn't stop me from being a church going guy for a long time, from praying for things, etc etc., but eventually the principles of basic human psychology just became too evident and I couldn't even pretend to believe anymore. In fact I didn't really admit I was pretending to believe around ten years on from my first questions. 

That paragraph covers about 13 years! 
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@ludofl3x
That paragraph covers about 13 years! 
It also only covers why you don't believe in the Yahweh specifically. Why did you not simply change religions? Perhaps buhdist.

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@secularmerlin
Oh, I tried a couple of other brands of Christianity along the way, none of those stuck either and only made the issue more glaring. Once I realized almost all religions that I'd been either directly or indirectly exposed to sought to do a couple of things above all else that make more sense as services to our psychology rather than actually being reality, I figured I didn't need to go down the entire checklist and reach the same conclusion over and over. Basically none of it made any sense to me anymore, especially when compared against what we DID know about nature. 

Also, I didn't want to be one of those western Buddhist douchebag trendsters :). I'm looking at you, Richard Gere. 
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I didn't want to be one of those western Buddhist douchebag trendsters 

How strongly did this factor into your determinations?

 I figured I didn't need to go down the entire checklist
Ok but why not? I feel like we are getting close to the actual reason.
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@secularmerlin
How strongly did this factor into your determinations?

Not at all, it was a joke, I keep having to remind myself that 'tone' doesn't translate to message boards. :)

Ok but why not? I feel like we are getting close to the actual reason.
I guess because I felt like I'd taken a large enough sample size? I don't know I guess. I can't make myself believe stuff, I either believe it or I don't. Strange, no one's ever asked me this one before! 
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@ludofl3x
How strongly did this factor into your determinations?

Not at all, it was a joke, I keep having to remind myself that 'tone' doesn't translate to message boards. :)

Your tone came through and I understood you meant it as a joke but I felt it was worth getting you to think about it consciously.

 I can't make myself believe stuff
Yes but Why? Why can't you make yourself believe stuff and how does this relate to theistic claims in general?
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@secularmerlin
Why can't I make myself believe stuff...I guess I don't have an answer to that one. I just can't. I'd love to believe, for example, that tomorrow I'm going to hit the lottery and never have to work again. I don't believe that at all, and thank goodness, because if I did, I might go out and make some really bad choices based on that belief. And I can't imagine my chances at winning the lottery are in any way related to how fervently I believe I'm going to win it, either. 
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@ludofl3x
 I can't imagine my chances at winning the lottery are in any way related to how fervently I believe I'm going to win it

This seems like an important statement. So your contention here is that fervently believing in a proposition does not in and of itself effect how true this proposition is?
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@secularmerlin
If I believed i was going to win the lottery it would improve my chances of winning immeasurably because I'd buy a ticket - which I never do normally!