Another fallacy atheists make is related to the first, may be the 2nd is the cause of the 1st: they assume an absolute frame of reference to judge from. They assume an authority in morality and truth, some even worship science in the muslims' degrading argument sense. Recently I saw a lecture about a book by Sam Harris saying how morality is not relative and science can show us how to increase happiness and decrease suffering. Thus at one breath he pre-assumed authority to science as well an absolute morality. Only the religious should think they have the authority to deem this good and this bad, this true and this false, in short to judge.
2.3.11
Atheist Fallacies
Some religious people call atheism a religion without a god, some muslims say that atheists worship 'X', with 'X' ranging from reason to nature. In most cases this is true in the sense that most atheists have something to consider sacred. Most atheists would still say that the desire for love is exalted while the desire for sex is low and somehow "wrong", this belief is a result of the religious belief that spiritual needs are in a way 'better' than physical needs. The strange part is that atheists do not believe the soul is some divine breath, almost all of them agree that it is a function of the body so why then is a desire for a spiritual need is of a 'higher nature' than for a bodily one?
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As an Atheist, I can tell you that Atheists don't have an authority in morality or truth.
ReplyDeleteSouls don't exist and there is no "higher" purpose. But there is purpose in this current life; the goal to avoid pain and seek pleasure.
But that doesn't mean Atheists can just do whatever they want. We live in a society, so we have to live by the rules of the society. And because we live in a Democracy, the rules are just rules set by the majority.
Murder is not wrong just because GOD SAID SO. If everyone could just go around murdering people, you are likely to be murdered yourself. And because being alive is better then being dead, legalizing murder isn't a good idea. It's not absolute morality, it's common sense.
As someone still unsure about what they are I think niether can speak on behalf of Atheists and generalise as to what Athiests do or don't. Amr has a point though on the assumption of an absolute frame of reference, but i think again this is not universally applicable.
ReplyDeletePlagueDoctor I get your arguement, and believe that a moral compass or 'common sense' as you describe does not need to be moulded by religious convictions however I think you're missing the point of the post.
The contention posed is not on terms of an Atheist morality but on the general inclination of Atheists to maintain roots in a religious perpective of good and evil or by means of unattaching themselves from a religious dogma, they find or form a new dogma to attach themselves to (Amr uses the example of science) I think Amr has a point here a generalised one but one nonetheless personaly I think the case Amr propses is due to the fact that we live in a social context that sees to dictate and then define our identity with what it has dictated, that being our religion, background, class etc and I think people (generally speaking) fear loosing this social identity and feel the need to hold onto a 'rule book' of some sort to feel identified. This i believe is why man created religion to begin with but as an evolving species I think its time we realised how much we can do without lagging around a heavy and dusty dogma, whatever it may be and instead defining our own sense of self through experience.
@PlaugeDoctor; I believe one can hold on to any moral belief, this does not imply any logical mistake, the mistake begins where one judges using these beliefs and thus generalize one's own moral choice as a rule. This might be acceptable from someone whose logic proceeds from beliefs and not the otherway around (religious people) but atheists should know better, which is what I'm trying to say
ReplyDelete@Anonymous (I'll call you that on here for now) You said that better than I tried to!!
Thank you all for your comments