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I've long considered myself to be agnostic. I don't find anything compelling about modern religion because upon close inspection its content seems entirely of this world. Nevertheless, I do tend to think there is some greater organizing principle at work in our universe. I don't know why this is the case, but I look around the world and see a great deal of organization in nature, a degree of tidiness that seems to be far beyond mere chance.
A lot of Atheists I know not only do not believe in God, but seem to take great pride in knowing that this is the case. I can't relate to this sentiment. The late Christopher Hitchens explained that his anti-thesim originated from a desire to be free from constant supervision, i.e. not being a "slave" to a celestial force. I get this is some ways, but I think all it really does is confirm the secular conception of God and its relation to us. If such an entity does exist, or some force like it, how do we know our relation to it is hierarchical in nature?
Random does not contradict structure, random is simply our word for so complex we don't understand all the variables... it doesn't mean what most people think. Also you must consider natural selection, that the structure you observe, for example say our complex forms of life on this planet and interactions were the result of billions of years of actions that resulted in it. There were far many failed interactions than successful ones to result in you in the here and now. How else would things occur if not structured in some way? We see patterns in all sort of "random" things, patterns are natural. It's actually very unlikely for things to occur in this universe with no patterns, that would be a bigger sign of something supernatural to be honest.
Also there is far more that is not tidy, species go extinct all the time. In astronomy we observe entire solar systems being destroyed, etc. If you look for the tidy you will see tidy, but there is so much untidy it overwhelms the tidy.
As far as the leap to atheism, there's no reason to suspect an existence of deity or deities. There's no concrete evidence for it in any shape or form hence why would one put stock in such a nebulous idea.
I've long considered myself to be agnostic. I don't find anything compelling about modern religion because upon close inspection its content seems entirely of this world. Nevertheless, I do tend to think there is some greater organizing principle at work in our universe. I don't know why this is the case, but I look around the world and see a great deal of organization in nature, a degree of tidiness that seems to be far beyond mere chance.
A lot of Atheists I know not only do not believe in God, but seem to take great pride in knowing that this is the case. I can't relate to this sentiment. The late Christopher Hitchens explained that his anti-thesim originated from a desire to be free from constant supervision, i.e. not being a "slave" to a celestial force. I get this is some ways, but I think all it really does is confirm the secular conception of God and its relation to us. If such an entity does exist, or some force like it, how do we know our relation to it is hierarchical in nature?
"great pride"? is a personality defect when taken to far. Unless you can show me this is because of a belief and not based on the person's brain state.
learn all the things that go on in the periodic table. That's when you understand our place. we aint the bottom or the top.
Education... and the eradication of wilful ignorance.
Yes. It's a gradual process of Letting Go of faith - beliefs as untenable that starts with the questioning. That is a process we see with believers, who simply adapt their religious beliefs to their preferences, or conclusions. It is an evolutionary process that leads away from strict acceptance, the rejection of organized worship, and leads to the significant change from religion to irreligion (Nones) and then moving towards agnostic theism (There is a 'God' or something, behind it all) and then being agnostic/humanist about that idea, too. That is effectively being atheist, and the only Intellectual Leap needed is to overcome the resistance to the 'Atheist' label.
Well, when one sees this sort of thing it makes us realize the falsity.
LOL. Well, it is The Onion, you know, so satire.
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