What has your Atheism done for you? (rejecting, choice, myths)

[linwood]

Here`s a question littlenipper asked Robtex in the Noahs Ark thread.

....., just what has your atheism done for you. Built your character. Made you a caring individual, encouraged you to be modest, polite, or thoughtful? Just what will become of you when the rains come.....? (and they will)

It would be off topic to answer there but I thought it would make a cool thread for all us heretics to have a go at.

You first

[Mr Spinkles]

I can't think of anything my atheism has done for me. Atheism, unlike many other memes, does not promise fulfillment for accepting it or torment for rejecting it. I don't reject the notion of a God because of what it "does" for me, but because I don't think there is a God.

[Jaiket]

Nothing.

I like to think I turned out the way I am because of my surroundings.

[The Voice of Reason]

Originally Posted by truthseekingsoul

Nothing.
I like to think I turned out the way I am because of my surroundings.

It has allowed me to forego wasting my time worrying about an afterlife. I live according to the Golden Rule - not a set of rules written milennia ago, by people that believe in myths.
I like to think we turn out the way we do because of the strength of our minds - or the weakness of our character. If one does not possess the strength of character that allows him to be honest with himself, Atheism or Agnosticism is beyond your reach.

TVOR

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by Mr_Spinkles

I don't reject the notion of a God because of what it "does" for me, but because I don't think there is a God.

You'd think that went without saying, but it doesn't. There are many people who think that atheism is an emotional choice, no more than a preference based on what one wants on some whim to believe, rather than is based on what one is compelled by reason to believe.

I have often found atheism to be a more difficult thing to accept than belief. About the only thing atheism has going for it is that it is correct.

[Ceridwen018]

About the only thing atheism has going for it is that it is correct.

Oh, snap!

I pretty much agree with everyone else here. Atheism doesn't really have anything more going for it than for any other philosophy...minus the afterife and benevolent father-figure, of course.

[Pah]

Quote: (Originally Posted by LittleNipper)
... Just what will become of you when the rains come.....? (and they will)
I'm singing in the rain

]

Just singing in the rain
What a glorious feeling
I'm happy again
I'm laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The sun's in my heart
And I'm ready for love
For love

[Circle_One]

Built your character. Made you a caring individual, encouraged you to be modest, polite, or thoughtful?

Is this saying then that a belief in something higher and ONLY a belief in something higher gives one these qualities or characteristics? An atheist cannot be caring, modest, polite or thoughtful simply because he doesn't believe in a higher being?

That statement just seems odd and extremely biased to me..or am I reading it wrong?

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by Circle_One

Is this saying then that a belief in something higher and ONLY a belief in something higher gives one these qualities or characteristics? An atheist cannot be caring, modest, polite or thoughtful simply because he doesn't believe in a higher being?

That statement just seems odd and extremely biased to me..or am I reading it wrong?

I suspect you're reading it right.

[Circle_One]

That's what I thought too, Sunstone, but I had to ask because it just seemed such a narrow-minded and insolent viewpoint, I hoped I had read it wrong.