Theism vs. Atheism ... will it ever be settled?

I wasn't trying to say "All believers are insecure". But I think some do feel that their life as it is is inadequate. They do not feel that their experience of life is "enough" and so there must be "something more". Enter religion.

I can only speak from experience of course, but I have known many Atheists and many Theists. On average, the atheists have been much more insecure, screwed up people, whereas the theists usually seem pretty centered. Not in every case, obviously, but on average.

TheLlama: WELL OF COURSE. An atheist has to think everything through and justify it and deal with it on the terms of their consciousness. A theist believes there's a magical sky god who is responsible for everything and has it all in hand, which takes a huge burden off their minds.

Textbook wrote: TheLlama: WELL OF COURSE. An atheist has to think everything through and justify it and deal with it on the terms of their consciousness. A theist believes there's a magical sky god who is responsible for everything and has it all in hand, which takes a huge burden off their minds.

But you just said that Christians are insecure. Then, when I point out that atheists are more insecure you agree with me. That doesn't seem contradictory to you?

Actually I had the tube corners tonight, and while they are more filling I still prefer radiators and bowtie. I'm sure I'm not alone there. Oh, and the tube corners don't work as well with the tomato sauce AND aren't as good as leftovers so you have to eat them all in one night. Meh, it depends on what mood I'm in to be honest. You see, it all depends on the type of person who's eating them and what taste they have in them.

Not to go into too much detail, but people who enjoy the tomato sauce more usually go for shells because it captures the tomato sauce INSIDE them so you can swallow of it when you chew on them. People who go for the kind you don't even have to chew in the first place prefer bowtie because you can literally just toss them in your mouth and swallow them instantly without effort, although it depends on the size of your mouth and in some cases your throat. Now people who are just insane love the radiator ones because you can just eat them and eat them and eat them and eat them until you're full and then take a nap, which is what I plan on doing tomorrow night even though I might actually be getting some lemon chicken and rice from My Thai instead of even cooking noodles.

thellama73 wrote: I can only speak from experience of course, but I have known many Atheists and many Theists. On average, the atheists have been much more insecure, screwed up people, whereas the theists usually seem pretty centered. Not in every case, obviously, but on average.

I respectfully disagree. If you don't cook the radiator noodles long enough you get bored of them after the first bowl and you don't want to finish them. By doing this, you end up putting them in the refrigerator and forgetting about them altogether. If you OVERCOOK them, you end up not even getting through HALF a bowl because you don't like crunchy noodles, yuck.

What you have to do is convert yourself to cooking them to that perfect stage where they have just enough chewiness to them but never crunchy, because if you do that, they suck. It has to be perfect. Why can't you understand that? It's more of a fact than an opinion anyway.

People are bound to be insecure. Cherish your insecurity and normal levels of anxiety. Be concerned when you negate yourself the possibility of error and insecurity. I don't see a reason for this goal of zero reliance on exernal forces. If you need them and are a better person because of that, do believe please.

The T wrote: Textbook wrote: TheLlama: No it doesn't.   The theist doubts the worthiness of their own life. They surrender their decision making and moral evaluating processes because they are too insecure to handle them on their own.   The atheist on the other hand does his best to handle it himself though of course he cannot be certain. In this picture we only ever have varying degrees of uncertainty/insecurity as no one has absolute knowledge. But the atheist, who is trying, is demonstrating more fortitude than the theist who surrenders to what other people tell them to think and do. I think the theist actually considers his life more worthy... Because it has a meaning, unlike the empty blackness of atheism. They handle things on their own following their beliefs. Just as atheists do. Being the ultimate wisdom-bearer and having absolutely free

Textbook wrote: TheLlama: No it doesn't.   The theist doubts the worthiness of their own life. They surrender their decision making and moral evaluating processes because they are too insecure to handle them on their own.   The atheist on the other hand does his best to handle it himself though of course he cannot be certain. In this picture we only ever have varying degrees of uncertainty/insecurity as no one has absolute knowledge. But the atheist, who is trying, is demonstrating more fortitude than the theist who surrenders to what other people tell them to think and do.

I just think your characterization of theists is unfair. It is perfectly possible to be a thoughtful, intelligent, strong willed, self sufficient person and still believe in God. History is littered with such people. To say that they "surrender to what other people tell them to think and do" belittles them unjustly. Sure there are some people who follow a faith because of lack of critical thinking. Absolutely. There are also atheists who are atheists because their friends are. I recently taught a class to a nine year old who claimed to be an atheist. Now, there's no way a nine year old has the experience or judgment to reach a meaningful conclusion on an issue as complex as the existence of God. He's just parroting what he's heard. Sheep mentality exists on both sides. However, it is wrong to characterize one group as unthinking zombies and the other as enlightened free thinkers. It's just not that simple.

Also, I'm an agnostic and have not yet reached a conclusion on this question (although not for lack of trying )