What do you feel is wrong with atheism? (beliefs, atheist)

[logician]

Originally Posted by Willamena

Source? "Teen" Magazine?

Source, Dawkins, "The God Delusion".

[mball1297]

Originally Posted by Willamena

Yeah; and you've been reading Creationist' books.

Actually it was a book in reaction to the "New Atheists" like Dawkins. I could be wrong, but it was either in there or a book of letters between C.S. Lewis and Freud.

[Willamena]

Originally Posted by mball1297

...a book of letters between C.S. Lewis and Freud.

Now that sounds interesting. I wish I time to read more.

[Scuba Pete]

Originally Posted by mball1297

Actually it was a book in reaction to the "New Atheists" like Dawkins. I could be wrong, but it was either in there or a book of letters between C.S. Lewis and Freud.

Are you referring to the Screwtape Letters? That's a fictional book of Letters from a senior temptor, Screwtape to his nephew, Wormwood! Great reading!

[PureX]

For me, what's wrong with atheism is that it's unprovable and meaningless, while theism is unprovable, too, it's at least hopeful. I remain agnostic so that I can have the better of both concepts.

[MidnightBlue]

Originally Posted by logician

Except that studies done of both English and American scientists indicate the vast majority are atheists.

Originally Posted by Willamena

Source? "Teen" Magazine?

It depends on what you mean by "scientist." When Creationists compile lists of scientists who believe in god and Creationism, they often include such "scientists" as computer scientists and third grade science teachers. Even at the highest levels of scientific academia, you can find some scientists who believe in god. However, it's generally true that the more eminent scientists are less likely to believe in god.

A 1998 survey of members of the National Academy of Sciences who work in the fields of biological and physical sciences (including mathematicians, physicists and astronomers) found that only 7% were believers, while 72% were atheists. Compared to earlier surveys, that indicated a steady decline in belief.

Source: Nature, "Leading scientists still reject God"* July 23, 1998

In The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins cites an article by Paul Bell in the UK edition of Mensa Magazine (Feb 2002). Bell reviewed 43 studies done between 1927 and 2002 and found that 39 out of 43 reported an inverse relationship between intelligence and religiosity. The more intelligent you are, and the better educated you are, the less likely you are to be a believer. There are still some believers who are very intelligent and very well educated, of course, but there's not a whole lot of doubt about the overall picture.

[fantôme profane]

Originally Posted by mball1297

I could be wrong, but it was either in there or a book of letters between C.S. Lewis and Freud.

I could be wrong but I don’t believe that it is true that Lewis and Freud ever actually corresponded, but there was a PBS special called “The Question of God” where they took the writings of these two people and put them together as if they were having a conversation, or a debate. I found it very interesting.

[Willamena]

Originally Posted by MidnightBlue

A 1998 survey of members of the National Academy of Sciences who work in the fields of biological and physical sciences (including mathematicians, physicists and astronomers) found that only 7% were believers, while 72% were atheists. Compared to earlier surveys, that indicated a steady decline in belief.

Ah, so "atheism" is defined here as "personal disbelief in a personal God." Okay. By that definition, even I am an atheist.

Originally Posted by MidnightBlue

In The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins cites an article by Paul Bell in the UK edition of Mensa Magazine (Feb 2002). Bell reviewed 43 studies done between 1927 and 2002 and found that 39 out of 43 reported an inverse relationship between intelligence and religiosity. The more intelligent you are, and the better educated you are, the less likely you are to be a believer. There are still some believers who are very intelligent and very well educated, of course, but there's not a whole lot of doubt about the overall picture.

I'm sorry, but the only rational conclusion I can draw from this is that Richard Dawkins has "not a whole lot of doubt about the overall picture."

[mball1297]

Originally Posted by fantôme profane

I could be wrong but I don’t believe that it is true that Lewis and Freud ever actually corresponded, but there was a PBS special called “The Question of God” where they took the writings of these two people and