Hi Dax,
Thank you for your response. I appreciate your opinions very much.
I’ll start by clarifying that I am very much an atheist and not agnostic. I was raised in a household with a mother who believed in god and father who did not. I was given the option to make my own decisions about what I believe. After much contemplation and indecision over the years, my stance has become quite clear.
As a man of science, I’m always willing to analyze new data, so once some credible, actually testable proof comes out I’ll be happy to reassess.
I don’t think there is any reason to extrapolate atheists to being suicidal self serving nihilists. I understand that my time on Earth is limited and that there is nothing after. Just because it is insignificant compared with the age of universe, or my cell count and overall impact is minimal does not mean that it is futile.
My feeling is that we should try to live our lives to the fullest and if possible leave a long-lasting positive impact on this world, so in that way we might live on. This correlates quite closely with helping my fellow man, and treating everyone with compassion.
When it comes to morality, I can’t say what’s best, but I feel that the exception clause in most religions is a bad thing. The whole idea that even murderers get into heaven as long as they repent seems like a bad idea. From my atheistic world view, I know that if I murder someone, not only do I rob that person of their only life, but I also forfeit my short existence. I won’t treat this life as insignificant and disposable because I know magical utopia in the clouds doesn’t exist.
How many people and ideas have been oppressed because it contradicted with the current popular faith? How much blood has been shed in the name of “insert deity” here. Doesn’t seem like a group I want to hop on board with.
Hopefully I’ve explained my stance a little better. Sorry for the wall of text, let me know if my philosophy is a little more clear now.
Regards,
Chris
