What will quantum physics research do to Atheism?

[Spectrum]

You act like Christianity was composed by a scheming malevolent Jew in the basement of his gold synagogue of Satan.

That is not what he means. Christianity provided a means of organization for the arts (including most of what is now academia) and a sense of cultural unity (mostly), among other lesser things.

On another note, religion is declining in the West, because people's beliefs are changing. They now prefer secular ethics (even many lightweight theists) and access to academic material, and they use churches as community centers. The West will not just return to its old ways.

I have no flavor of god. Nothing I said could be construed as me banking on anything. I do not believe this creature exists. I simply challenge the notion if there is one, it would be something unknowable. Why do you make that assumption?

I was going to address this, but after seeing the below tidbit, I realize we are mostly on the same page.

What form does it take? All of these threads are vague pussyfooting around what everyone really believes.

[analrapist]

Is religion declining? For real? The people who are thriving seem to be religious. There are lots of atheists in foxholes however...

[crow]

Foxholes are good environments for atheists.
Atheists would be very popular if they could control their urge to 'come out'.
The world needs atheists, but not in the world's face.

[Wolfgang]

Foxholes are good environments for atheists.
Atheists would be very popular if they could control their urge to 'come out'.
The world needs atheists, but not in the world's face.

The world needs millions of more atheists in everyones face. The Bible and homosexuality are none of my business if kept in the bedroom. Keep it there. Although, gays can walk in public holding hands for all I care, but if I had my way public displays of christianity would be criminalized.

[crow]

Which is precisely why atheists would do better inhabiting foxholes.
In fact, if everybody inhabited foxholes, everyone would have their private space, which they could defend against all-comers.
I think I'll start The Foxhole Party, to encourage exactly that.

[Ratatosk]

For one, it's not.  Possibly related (Cicero seems to think so), but they have different meanings.

Secondly, compare: English "govern", from Latin "gubernare", "to steer a ship".

These verbs were used in non-literal senses, just as we use our languages colloquially.

From further research it seems your case is stronger. Looks like I've been consistently using the wrong etymology for a while now. Thanks for pushing back the darkness.

[Tralfamadorian]

Atheism represents a lack of imagination.

Quantum physics seems to be rewriting all the rules, and could possibly be an avenue for expanding our conceptions of what is possible, or in other words, help us dream bigger.

If one thing can be in two different places at the same time, whose to say a miracle is impossible?

[Wolfgang]

Atheism represents a lack of imagination.

Quantum physics seems to be rewriting all the rules, and could possibly be an avenue for expanding our conceptions of what is possible, or in other words, help us dream bigger.

If one thing can be in two different places at the same time, whose to say a miracle is impossible?

Barely understood quantum theory assbabble will be the hallmark for pseudo-theists now. You believe only because your temporal lobes make you. Force them off. Have some fortitude.

[Iron]

Atheism does lack imagination. It's basically in the same category as theism (of the most literal, strict sort, i.e, those that posit the existence of a supreme yet finite being).

Both are ridiculous because neither understand that God is a word that is a catch all for transcendent/immanent order, beauty, majesty, and the endless unfolding/display of these principles. God is is a word of awe. It's the symbol and vocalization of the realization of the immediate, in-your-face presence of an excellent and terrible mystery that by its very nature can not and does not need to be solved, but nevertheless invites our unending participation. To be authentically religious is to understand this intuitively and to recognize that the object of awe/reverance (God) is not only real, but that it and you are of the same 'substance' - that you enjoy an intimate relationship with it.

[Wolfgang]

To be authentically religious is to understand this intuitively and to recognize that the object of awe/reverance (God) is not only real, but that it and you are of the same 'substance' - that you enjoy an intimate relationship with it.

Your brain makes you do this. Force it off. My grandfather who died before I was born was also an atheist. In our family, the religious manifestations of humanity are less pronounced.

[crow]

I wonder how it feels to be a purposeless, pointless, hopeless, useless destroyer of self?
You'd think some mortal enemy would inflict such suffering on adversaries.
But people, in droves, do it to themselves!

[Tralfamadorian]

You believe only because your temporal lobes make you. Force them off. Have some fortitude.

Wolfgang, you're backwards

You're brain doesn't really make you do anything, save for breathing etc. You make your brain do things.

You're attacking the notion of God as though it's a self-defense mechanism against meaninglessness. Have you ever thought that your own mind may be rejecting the notion of the Divine as a self-defense mechanism against meaning?

Have some fortitude and challenge your own paradigm.

[crow]

Reword that into famous-quote style, and you'll have a famous-quote that will far outlast you.

[Iron]

Meaninglessness is just another stupid meaning that people make up. It's as arbitrary as every other meaning, but much more boring and impotent.

Regarding my brain - my brain is part of reality. It is mechanical. Everything operates mechanically according to rational principles. One's brain is part of the greater continuum of reality itself. Take, for instance, mathematics. Math 'works' because of our brain's ability to grasp and symbolically codify the consistency of temporal interactions. Your brain "makes you do math". Everything happens through your brain.

I think your atheism is emotional and identity related. It certainly seems self-referential. Pardon this small ad-hominem, but that is my observation and suspicion.

[crow]

I was a mathematical wizard, until teachers discovered I wasn't getting my 'right' answers the same way they were.
They accused me of cheating, and marked my right answers as wrong ones.
Then insisted I 'learn' their way of doing maths.
I've never been able to do math, since.

No. The brain doesn't do everything. It certainly never "made me do math".
It is a problem-solving tool. That is all it is.
But observe: it creates problems, rather than solve them, by alienating 'believers' from itself, and itself from them.
Along with all the myriad other problems so-called 'thinking' creates.

Thinking is the lowest common denominator, of which humans are capable.
One step up from idiocy.
The least effective organ for advancement.
Better than no organ, at all.
But certainly not the best.