Replies

If you’re an atheist, then ...

Where do your rights come from?

Why do you wear clothes?

Why are there seven days in a week?

How do you know what is good and what is evil?

If everything came from nothing out of nowhere,
if life is just a curious side effect of an unknowing and uncaring cosmos,
if when you die, you are just so much compost,
then why seek anything other than a life of self-gratification and a painless extinction?

Good questions, and I am no atheist, but these aren’t that hard to answer.
No thinking atheist will discount the effect of religion on human behavior, despite not sharing such beliefs. That can seem cynical and it probably is to a degree. As Voltaire said, “If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.”

Some atheist answers inserted below just to indicate some directions of answers -

Where do your rights come from?
Tradition, the social contract, biology, enlightened self interest, etc.
Why do you wear clothes ?
Fashion, social acceptance, desire to avoid social friction, mating strategies, survival, comfort, etc.
Why are there seven days in a week?
A social convention, tradition.
How do you know what is good and what is evil?
There is no such things as good and evil, just biological optimums or the opposite, enlightened self-interest, etc.
If everything came from nothing out of nowhere,
if life is just a curious side effect of an unknowing and uncaring cosmos,
if when you die, you are just so much compost,
then why seek anything other than a life of self-gratification and a painless extinction?
Biological programming towards reproduction and the survival of progeny; biological programming towards the survival of the group, etc.

First of all, I think the author's description of his beliefs are more accurately described as agnostic rather than atheist. That said and assuming that to be the case, I concur. As a "card-carrying agnostic" (as Hawkeye Pierce was once quoted as saying) I am happy to take a stab at your questionnaire.

Where do your rights come from?"

Our Constitution and the moral characteristics of our founders and the degree to which that morality can be retained in our culture and present day politicians. (hence my world view that our culture is circling the drain)

Why do you wear clothes?

Mostly to stay warm but also, admittedly, to minimize the envy of others.

Why are there seven days in a week?

Human quantification of our planet's yearly journey about it's sustaining star is just ...human quantification. At the week level, I'm sure biblical utterances had something to do with their ultimate design.

How do you know what is good and what is evil?

I don't know, I just do. How about you?

If everything came from nothing out of nowhere, if life is just a curious side effect of an unknowing and uncaring cosmos, if when you die, you are just so much compost, then why seek anything other than a life of self-gratification and a painless extinction?

That's a question each of us must ask ourselves. The answer defines who you are.

I was an altar boy back when the mass was still celebrated in Latin. I sense that I respect truth more than most. My religious beliefs have changed due to my constant search for truth. At this stage of my life I am who I am and believe what I believe for what I feel are the right reasons. I am always willing to admit that I am wrong as I certainly have a history of that. But I keep searching for truth.

Your beliefs are probably different than mine but that doesn't bother me as I am only answerable to my own perceptions of truth. That is why I am baffled as to why a homogenous group of like-thinkers are so concerned about what I believe.

If you’re an atheist, then ... Where do your rights come from?

The fact that I was born human.

Why do you wear clothes?

I would prefer not to.

Why are there seven days in a week?

The observed rotation of the earth and its orbit around the sun.

How do you know what is good and what is evil?

Evil is what tramples on somebody else's life or property. Everything else is good.

If everything came from nothing out of nowhere, if life is just a curious side effect of an unknowing and uncaring cosmos, if when you die, you are just so much compost, then why seek anything other than a life of self-gratification and a painless extinction?

Exactly.

"How do you know what is good and what is evil?"

That's a good one..! I have given that question some thought...

I believe "morality" is what tells us what is right and what is evil. In other words, what is moral....As believers we strive to do the right thing in order to save our immortal soul....

The Godless, on the other hand have no Immortal soul...Therefor, In to days workplace businesses are require to give classes in "ethics" in order to keep the Godless from stealing and banging each in the hallways....

So, I guess you could say ethics is for the Godless..

Good moral conduct is for the true believers...

This could be all wrong...! :(