What would a world entirely populated by Atheist be like? (prophecies, behavior)
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Originally Posted by Nozzferrahhtoo
I would strongly focus on the word "seems" there. There would appear to be something of a gulf between what "seems" to be and what actually is... and there is nothing on offer that I am aware of to suggest is actually "is" designed or planned.
I am not unsympathetic to the illusion of design and intent that evolution can give however. It is a powerful draw, especially in a species like ours that is evolved to see intent and design even where there is none, for clear evolutionary reasons (for example seeing intent there there is none rarely gets you killed, failing to see it where it is likely will).
Yes some just see design in the world, while others believe it all happened by chance. Intuitively that is what seems plausible. I think most people are programmed to believe it to, true or not, even in this age of science and some scientists (maybe a vocal minority?) still push the view that everything arose by chance. Many scientists leave it a mystery and don't make any claims about it. I think logically it's more reasonable to believe there was purpose and design, simply by what we observe around us. The Universe is indeed vast, that it's tempting to think life arose by sheer chance, but it could just be the way in which the designer intended for life to arise. Maybe God initiated creation through pre-programming every event that would follow the Big Bang. Maybe there are other lifeforms on other civilisations who formed this way.
They're very few, and their notion of proselytizing is to thoroughly alienate even former atheists with atheist friends and family by calling them brainwashed sheep (at best -- I once noted I believed in evolution, and the reply was, "Yeah sure, filthy lying Christian." Actually I do believe in evolution, am quite attentive to my hygiene, and lie rather unusually little.) This sort of approach works poorly except to annoy and alienate people who formerly had no beef with atheists.
That aside, it would be a world where nothing is sacred.
Also where the natural human tendency to religion would have to be purged forcibly; so heavy on events like the 20th-century mass murders by atheist despots. Say, North Korea, when the dust settles.
And they'd have finally wiped out the Jews, who show a stubborn determination to remain themselves I can only admire and would really hate to see go up a bunch of chimneys.
That's pretty much enough to keep me a fan of religious tolerance, a la the Bill of Rights and various international human-rights accords.
Yes some just see design in the world, while others believe it all happened by chance.
Not just chance however and very few scientists will say that it all arose just by chance.
Take a water drop oozing down a window. One could say the path it takes, which you will know appears to be a random zigzaging pattern, is just "chance" but it is constrained by many things. It does not go upwards, due to the constraints of gravity. It does not go straight down due to constraints in other forces and imperfections in the glass.
Similarly there is an element of "chance" in evolution theory, such as chance mutations etc. However the whole process is constrained by many things including natural selection. It is those constraints that mould the process output and give us the powerful illusion of design and intent. An illision so powerful that even the most staunch of Evolutionary Scientists find it easy to explain the process in terms that imply design. Genes "want" to do X or an animal is "designed" to achieve Y.
It is a powerful illusion, but illusion it appears to be. Especially in the face of the fact that "design" requires a designer and the existence of such an entity is... at this time.... wholly and totally assumed being as it is not just slightly, but entirely devoid of any supporting evidence, argument, data or reasons to lend it even a modicum of credence.
IF you assume the existence of the entity then you get to say things like "Maybe he programmed it all to evolve this way" and so on. This is fun to play with fantasy but one must never lose sight of the fact that fantasy is all it is and it is based on a massive and entirely unsubstantiated assumption.
Also where the natural human tendency to religion would have to be purged forcibly; so heavy on events like the 20th-century mass murders by atheist despots. Say, North Korea, when the dust settles.
But north korea is not an attempt to "forcibly purge" religion or religious tendencies. Quite the opposite. It is an attempt to harness those tendencies and redirect them towards the ruling family who people now think rule eternally despite being dead. Nothing even remotely atheist or secular about dead but still living eternal rulers I am afraid, no matter what way we try to twist it. It has been called, only semi joking, a mausolocracy. Or a Sanitocracy.
A secular or atheist democracy however it most certainly is not on any level.
They're very few, and their notion of proselytizing is to thoroughly alienate even former atheists with atheist friends and family by calling them brainwashed sheep (at best -- I once noted I believed in evolution, and the reply was, "Yeah sure, filthy lying Christian." Actually I do believe in evolution, am quite attentive to my hygiene, and lie rather unusually little.) This sort of approach works poorly except to annoy and alienate people who formerly had no beef with atheists.
That aside, it would be a world where nothing is sacred.
Also where the natural human tendency to religion would have to be purged forcibly; so heavy on events like the 20th-century mass murders by atheist despots. Say, North Korea, when the dust settles.
And they'd have finally wiped out the Jews, who show a stubborn determination to remain themselves I can only admire and would really hate to see go up a bunch of chimneys.
That's pretty much enough to keep me a fan of religious tolerance, a la the Bill of Rights and various international human-rights accords.
Very well written. I formally didnot believe in evolution, I now believe God did evolve Primordal man through stages, and ended that evolution when he ended primordal man and began a new human race with Adam. And I agree that total Atheist rule would have its inqiusition and period of ruthlessnesss, as it purges the world of Theist. If Religion, the best chance we had at reaching total world Peace had its period of ruthlessness, then I think all other kinds of human government would do the same, only with worse ramifications.
Very well written. I formally didnot believe in evolution, I now believe God did evolve Primordal man through stages, and ended that evolution when he ended primordal man and began a new human race with Adam. And I agree that total Atheist rule would have its inqiusition and period of ruthlessnesss, as it purges the world of Theist. If Religion, the best chance we had at reaching total world Peace had its period of ruthlessness, then I think all other kinds of human government would do the same, only with worse ramifications.
I disagree...The province I live in, and as a matter of fact the entire country of Canada is evolving away from religion...There have been no purges, no ruthlessness,and no inquisitions and as a result Canada is becoming a much more peaceful place to live.
I disagree...The province I live in, and as a matter of fact the entire country of Canada is evolving away from religion...There have been no purges, no ruthlessness,and no inquisitions and as a result Canada is becoming a much more peaceful.
Well I am speculating on worldwide terms, not just one country. We have to think in the extreme with this speculation, because it would be extreme for a world to have just one form of government; and conversely I think we need to assume that extreme measures must have then been taken to accomplish that.
Well I am speculating on worldwide terms, not just one country. We have to think in the extreme with this speculation, because it would be extreme for a world to have just one form of government; and conversely I think we need to assume that extreme measures must have then been taken to accomplish that.
The entire world will not change at once...It will continue as it is now with individual countries becoming less religious There will be no pogroms, inquisitions or ruthlessness, as each country becomes less religious they become more peaceful and humane, setting an example for the rest.
For example in Canada which is far more secular than the US we have six times less people per 100,000 in prisons than the US. does...Disclaimer...This is not intended as a US vs Canada argument, but simply as an example of religious vs secular.
The entire world will not change at once...It will continue as it is now with individual countries becoming less religious There will be no pogroms, inquisitions or ruthlessness, as each country becomes less religious they become more peaceful and humane, setting an example for the rest.
For example in Canada which is far more secular than the US we have six times less people per 100,000 in prisons than the US. does...Disclaimer...This is not intended as a US vs Canada argument, but simply as an example of religious vs secular.
I disagree, the world is becomming more violent, not more peaceful; and I see no reason for that to change because of Atheism.
I disagree, the world is becomming more violent, not more peaceful; and I see no reason for that to change because of Atheism.
Where is this increasing violence? Do your research and you will find that most of it is in religious nations.
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