From: gfritz@sage.cc.purdue.edu ("Happy Fun Ball")
Newsgroups: alt.atheism
Subject: Re: Do Atheists Have Their Own "Faith"?
Date: 10 Apr 92 04:24:57 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center

In article <s2rfqINN84@festus.ksu.ksu.edu> yohan@festus.ksu.ksu.edu (Jonathan W Newton) writes:
>
> In my humble opinion, yes they do.  Correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm sure
> someone will), but atheist means:  "to conclude that God(s) does not exist",
> while agnostic means:  "to draw no conclusion about the existence of God(s)."
> I'm sorry if I'm being redundant, but I just want to make sure this is clear. 
> Anyway, it seems to me that atheists are just as assuming as theists, since
> they are "having faith" that there isn't a God, for which, in my opinion, 
> there can be no proof.  It seems, that a common arguement that theists and 
> atheists use against one another, deals with the origin of the universe.
> These are the possiblities, that I can think of off hand (can anyone else
> think of some more?):
[lots deleted]

  This is a neat question, simply since there is no one who really has the true
athority to dispute any answers.  Here is my reasoning for my atheism:

  At one time I believed in a god of sorts in a matter-of-fact sort of way --
just like I believed in Santa Clause.  My parents eventually told me there was
no Santa, and at age fourteen or so I concluded that the concept of god was 
quite pointless.  This was because I believed (and still do) that I am the only
one who has control over my life, and that shit happens and that I have to deal
with it when it does.  There can be no all-powerful entity.  It just defies the
properties of this universe.  I could accept the idea of a higher life form,
which might _seem_ omnipotent, but not without proof of such.
  As I have no proof that there is a "god" I will continue to believe there is
none.  I have talked to many a Bible-thumper with an open mind and heart, but
no luck.  I don't seek a god's existence in order to improve my life, but for
the sake of knowledge.  If I had proof (meaning by my own rationale) I would be
a moron not to accept on basis of fact.  Recently, I had a long discussion with
a lot of enthusiasts (of God), and they all told me to pray and ask God for
proof.  They also told me that He would comply, so I could save myself.  Well,
I humbled myself one evening and did just that -- on my knees and out loud, no
less.  So far, no soap.  And my belief remains constant.  
  A note on the concept of good, bad, & evil.  There is no such thing as evil.
Bad is just entropy, and good is the lack of entropy.  These are not intrinsic
properties, but relative/qualitative ones.  Someone once told me that when a
global information/database system has been on line for some time, a survey
would show that good things don't happen any more often to religious peole than
non-religious people.  The age of mass-eletronic media/info-collection would be
the final blow to the social crutch of religion.
  
  Oh my.  I've gone and rambled on again.  I'll leave you with a favorite quote
of mine.

  In the immortal words of John Lennon in his song "God"

    "God is a concept by which we measure our pain
     [lots of song]
     I don't belive in Beatles,
     I just believe in me."

  Just one last question I've often pondered:  Who has copyrights to the Holy
Bible and who gets royalties?

Geoff Fritz
--
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 || "Maybe its imaginary, I'd like to know. ||            sage.cc.purdue.edu ||
 ||  What's the world coming to, and where  || gfritz @--(       or          ||
 ||    will it go?" -- Kirsty MacColl       ||            mn.ecn.purdue.edu  ||
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