Are you an atheist?

[Alisa]

Do you think that we just rot and decompose into the ground...


If that is the case then it would be a sad end to a uniquely engineered being!!

I believe as I said, optimistically, that when we die our consciousnous lives on and goes to a higher plane of existance, some God believers would refer to this as Heaven...

I am not sure about Heaven, but I believe that we exist in another place but not in a solid form.

Do you think that when an animal dies, it just rots and decomposes in the ground? We are after all just animals. It is debatable whether we are MORE evolved or just DIFFERENTLY evolved from say, ants. I know it is comforting to think there is something more, something after. But I think the belief that this is all there is actually leads to a more fully lived life - if you've only got one shot, you better enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[Alc]

I would be interested to know if an Atheist who has children tells them that there is no such thing as Santa Claus thus destroying the magic of Christmas for them.

Do they?

I can only speak for my personal plans, but I intend to let my son believe in everything until he's old enough to ask questions and understand the answers he gets. That applies to Santa, the tooth fairy, or God.

The only time I will consciously tell him what I believe to be the truth about all of those things (i.e. I don't think they exist) is if
a) I think he's old enough to understand, and he's asked me
b) someone is trying to convince him that one or more of those definitely exists, while he is still too young to think things through for himself.

One or two of my wife's friends are of the more 'insistent' religious type and I've told her if they visit us and start in on him while I feel he's too young, they'll be leaving our house pretty rapidly.

 

[Alc]

Nope. I use Santa to the fullest, because I know they will figure it out for themselves soon enough. I also teach them to "believe in" the tooth fairy, the easter bunny, and the house fairy (she brings presents for clean rooms). I think magic and magical characters are very useful parenting techniques, and I am not ashamed to use them.

The...house...fairy...

Sorry, just taking note of a good idea when I hear it

 

[Alc]

I know Demons exist...

I have seen the Winchester boys fighting them on Supernatural

Documentaries like that are certainly compelling evidence, I'll grant you

 

[Mike375]

I don't think there is anything after death.

I thought you knew for sure there was nothing after death.

 

[scott-atkinson]

That applies to Santa, the tooth fairy, or God.

The only time I will consciously tell him what I believe to be the truth about all of those things (i.e. I don't think they exist)

You mean that Santa doesn't exist ......

When did this happen...

Iv'e got to go and tear my letter addressed to the North Pole into bits now

 

[Alc]

Do you think that we just rot and decompose into the ground...

If that is the case then it would be a sad end to a uniquely engineered being!!

I see that as possibly being the key difference between people who believe God created us and people who don't.

The latter tend to be willing to accept that not everything happens for a reason, while the former tend to believe that we were 'put here for a purpose'.

 

[Alisa]

The...house...fairy...

Sorry, just taking note of a good idea when I hear it

Yea it's great - if the room isn't clean when she comes, she leaves a little glitter or a note on the windowsil. If it is, she leaves a little prize like a piece of candy or a pencil. She actually has a website where the kids can watch videos of the house fairy and she tells them their manners and how to clean. But you have to subscribe to get access to that. Also, she is Santa's sister, and she has a magic telescope, so she is the one that tells Santa how many presents to bring.

 

[Alc]

You mean that Santa doesn't exist ......

When did this happen...

Iv'e got to go and tear my letter addressed to the North Pole into bits now

I mean I think Santa doesn't exists. Just means I'll get less presents than everyone else.
He may still visit you (if you're a good boy).

 

[Pauldohert]

I think the idea is you use an externalized reward when they are young, i.e., do this (behave, clean your room, be polite, eat your broccoli, etc.) because then you will get a reward. Once they have got that behavior ingrained in them, they don't need the external reward because the behaviour becomes automatic. I think there is a technical name for this concept, like cognitive behavioural something or other.

This is a pretty common practice in the U.S., don't know about other countries. We do this to young children because we want to instill in them this idea that your actions have consequences. That you can control you outcome of your life by your behaviour. Personal responsibility and all that.

So you could just tell them God would reward them via yourself for tidying their room etc.

Why not choose to teach your kids that? Especially if they go to Sunday school.

 

[Alisa]

I thought you knew for sure there was nothing after death.

Nope. Nothing's for sure. Ask me after I die, and if I answer, you will know I was wrong.

 

[scott-atkinson]

I see that as possibly being the key difference between people who believe God created us and people who don't.

The latter tend to be willing to accept that not everything happens for a reason, while the former tend to believe that we were 'put here for a purpose'.

Darwins thoery of evolution again...

Natural selection...

But look at it from this point of view, there is no other species on this planet that even rivals us for our intelligence, inguinity (Spelling), or ability to adapt.

We are special..

Now I don't believe that we were created by a God, but I know that we stand miles apart from anything else that walks, crawls, slithers, or swims on this planet, therefore we are special.

 

[Alisa]

So you could just tell them God would reward them via yourself for tidying their room etc.

Why not choose to teach your kids that?

Little kids need immediate consequences. If the consequences are too far removed from the action, (i.e., you don't get the consequences till the afterlife), then they don't make the connection between action and consequence.

 

[Alisa]

Darwins thoery of evolution again...

Natural selection...

But look at it from this point of view, there is no other species on this planet that even rivals us for our intelligence, inguinity (Spelling), or ability to adapt.

We are special..

Now I don't believe that we were created by a God, but I know that we stand miles apart from anything else that walks, crawls, slithers, or swims on this planet, therefore we are special.

Everything that you think of as "special" about us evolved to be that way because it benefited our survival. Just like everything that is "special" about ants. Your opinion that we are more special or unique than ants is biased by your membership in our species.

 

[Pauldohert]

Little kids need immediate consequences. If the consequences are too far removed from the action, (i.e., you don't get the consequences till the afterlife), then they don't make the connection between action and consequence.

Whats the immediate consequence of the house fairy that God could provide?

Why choose the house fairy to lie about rather than God. (assuming they are both scientfically at best unlikely)

 

[scott-atkinson]

Nope. Nothing's for sure. Ask me after I die, and if I answer, you will know I was wrong.

Where is Derek Acorah when you need him

Sorry that was probably lost on anyone outside of the UK...


Derek Acorah is an ex Soccer player turned Medium, he appeared on a number of tv shows in the UK one being Most Haunted, where each week it was almost a certainty that Derek would be possessed by the spirit of a dead person..

Laughable really, seeing him rolling around on the floor talking in a stupid voice.


Just like chucking out time at my local pub

 

[Alisa]

Whats the immediate consequence of the house fairy that God could provide?

Why choose the house fairy to lie about rather than God. (assuming they are both scientfically at best unlikely)

Because when they are older, they will understand that the house fairy was just a childhood character, like mickey mouse that they have simply outgrown.

People who teach their children to believe in god intend them to REALLY believe it, not just for their childhood.

 

[Alisa]

Where is Derek Acorah when you need him

Sorry that was probably lost on anyone outside of the UK...


Derek Acorah is an ex Soccer player turned Medium, he appeared on a number of tv shows in the UK one being Most Haunted, where each week it was almost a certainty that Derek would be possessed by the spirit of a dead person..

Laughable really, seeing him rolling around on the floor talking in a stupid voice.


Just like chucking out time at my local pub

And to think I thought you all had better tv over there.

 

[scott-atkinson]

Everything that you think of as "special" about us evolved to be that way because it benefited our survival. Just like everything that is "special" about ants. Your opinion that we are more special or unique than ants is biased by your membership in our species.

So, by your reckoning If I were an Ant then I would feel special above all other species....

Except of cause that an ant does not have the thought processes or brain structure to actually think anything like that..

I rest my case..

 

[Alc]

Now I don't believe that we were created by a God, but I know that we stand miles apart from anything else that walks, crawls, slithers, or swims on this planet, therefore we are special.

Fair enough.

That still doesn't mean that it's a 'waste' when we die. If we've contributed to the advancement of the world's knowledge, then we've improved things before dying. Plus, we have to die, to make room for the next generation. Taking that last part into account, I'd say that as long as someone's done as much as they can before dying, then dying is an integral part of the process, rather than a waste. I'd only consider it 'wasteful' if the person did nothing to use these skills that he/she has and died having contributed nothing.

I also think there's a fair argument that the word waste doesn't really apply, as that assumes one is supposed to achieve something. If we're just here, for no special reason, then nothing we do or don't do is really wasteful.