How does an Atheist repent?

[InformedIgnorance]

Not 'sins' per se, however I do indeed consider that some of the things I have done have been 'wrong' in that they have caused negative outcomes for others which I have not sufficiently reddressed.

In such a circumstance, the first thing that happens is that I either consciously identify a directly attributable (to my action or inaction) negative outcome or unconsciously 'feel something is wrong,' I then attempt to determine if it was forseeable and a host of other factors to determine if I should feel responsible (other times I simply feel responsible even if there was nothing I could have done about it). Once I reach such a stage I will determine what I can do to prevent such a thing from occuring again and determine whether or not I SHOULD be forced to do so, for example if something resulted in extremely minor negative outcomes for others yet extremely major positive outcomes for myself (e.g. breathing decreases the amount of oxygen available to others, it also allows me to live - I elect to continue breathing). If I believe that the directly attributable negative outcomes need redressing, I will attempt to identify a strategy by which to do so, or if that is not possible, then to provide comparable positive outcomes to those particular stakeholders.

As for doing something which is wrong yet affects no one but myself? IMO there is no such thing; because to me, something being 'wrong' depends on there being someone who is directly effected by an objectively negative outcome - a stakeholder.

 

[Gharib]

i think what you are trying to get at is
do we feel remorse for any wrong doing
is that what you are trying to ask?

am i close?

Yeah this is about as close as it gets.

Not that Atheists aren't human and don't feel remorse, but like that personal 'wrong' of cheating in an exam which was mentioned.

Maybe a better question to ask is do you feel sorry for committing selfish deeds even though they may not affect others negatively?

An example to go with the above question is not giving money to a beggar. A beggar comes to you asking for some money and you just lie and tell them that you don't have any money on you or some other excuse.

Maybe that's not the best example but it'w close to what I mean.

 

[bobhikes]

Yeah this is about as close as it gets.

Not that Atheists aren't human and don't feel remorse, but like that personal 'wrong' of cheating in an exam which was mentioned.

Maybe a better question to ask is do you feel sorry for committing selfish deeds even though they may not affect others negatively?

An example to go with the above question is not giving money to a beggar. A beggar comes to you asking for some money and you just lie and tell them that you don't have any money on you or some other excuse.

Maybe that's not the best example but it'w close to what I mean.

Of course I feel bad for wrong doings and accidental harm but I deal with those feeling and correct those deeds in the present. I do not have to have someone forgive me for them I can forgive myself. Little incidents I typically call myself stupid and then go on with my life.

As to a beggar it depends on how I feel that day and if I believe it is a scam or not. If I feel good and trust I am not being scamed I am very generous.

As to the sin question, I too believe sin is only a religious word. I understand "sins of man" but would never use the term as it implys for me a god.

 

[waitasec]

Yeah this is about as close as it gets.

Not that Atheists aren't human and don't feel remorse, but like that personal 'wrong' of cheating in an exam which was mentioned.

Maybe a better question to ask is do you feel sorry for committing selfish deeds even though they may not affect others negatively?

An example to go with the above question is not giving money to a beggar. A beggar comes to you asking for some money and you just lie and tell them that you don't have any money on you or some other excuse.

Maybe that's not the best example but it'w close to what I mean.

no not at all. in fact, i don't care about anything really.
i have absolutely no idea what self respect means or even what integrity means. can you teach me?
:areyoucra

and i'm guessing all of us atheists are the same

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Yeah this is about as close as it gets.

Not that Atheists aren't human and don't feel remorse, but like that personal 'wrong' of cheating in an exam which was mentioned.

Maybe a better question to ask is do you feel sorry for committing selfish deeds even though they may not affect others negatively?

An example to go with the above question is not giving money to a beggar. A beggar comes to you asking for some money and you just lie and tell them that you don't have any money on you or some other excuse.

Maybe that's not the best example but it'w close to what I mean.

But that does affect someone else.

I'm not really sure what you mean by "committing selfish deeds even though they may not affect others negatively." IMO, "selfish" describes acts that are done to further one's self interest at the expense of others. If you take the harm to others out of that, then you're just left with furthering one's self interest without hurting anyone, which is perfectly fine, IMO. Why wouldn't it be?

 

[Breathe]

-- Mod Post --

Several posts have been deleted in accordance with DIR rules. Replies to these posts have been deleted.

Members who are not a member of the DIR are requested to keep in line with the policy of "only respectful questions only".

Further violations may be met with more punitive actions from staff accordingly.

-- End of Mod Post --​

 

[Iti oj]

My posts?

 

[Alceste]

Yeah this is about as close as it gets.

Not that Atheists aren't human and don't feel remorse, but like that personal 'wrong' of cheating in an exam which was mentioned.

Maybe a better question to ask is do you feel sorry for committing selfish deeds even though they may not affect others negatively?

An example to go with the above question is not giving money to a beggar. A beggar comes to you asking for some money and you just lie and tell them that you don't have any money on you or some other excuse.

Maybe that's not the best example but it'w close to what I mean.

I think allowing someone to go hungry when you could afford to help does harm. I don't lie, generally speaking, but if I did in a case like that I would be ashamed of myself. It's harmless enough, but I would think "why did I say that? Why not be truthful?"

But, since I usually do give money to beggars, or say something along the lines of "sorry but I can't afford to help you today" (which is always true - I'm more broke than they are most of the time), this kind of situation does not usually arise. The exception would be anybody with a long winded BS story about needing bus fare to get to the hospital. I never help those people because they waste my time and insult my intelligence by lying to me.

 

[Breathe]

My posts?

Only which have been replies to non-members.

actually i think the OP is suspect. what it implies is insulting.

If you believe this is the case, then please report it. I'm just one staff member. We do not decide to implement things alone.

 

[waitasec]

Only which have been replies to non-members.


If you believe this is the case, then please report it. I'm just one staff member. We do not decide to implement things alone.

i thought about doing just that but then decided i would
rather have the OP speak for itself...with some help of course

 

[Harmonious]

I apologize for any disrespectful posting I have done. It was not my intention to do so, and I will refrain doing so in the future.

 

[Iti oj]

I apologize for any disrespectful posting I have done. It was not my intention to do so, and I will refrain doing so in the future.

I appreciate you reply to my posts. Now i have no love on this thread.cry

 

[Iti oj]

Only which have been replies to non-members.


If you believe this is the case, then please report it. I'm just one staff member. We do not decide to implement things alone.

Lol that was all of them /cry

 

[Iti oj]

So let's try this again. I do not repent but learn grow and improve. If i hurt some one i make amends

 

[Harmonious]

I appreciate you reply to my posts. Now i have no love on this thread.cry

You still keep the frubal I gave you.

 

[Iti oj]

You still keep the frubal I gave you.

I don't think I got one from you.

 

[Bob L]

Do you as an Atheist ever consider yourself as having committed a sin/sins?

From an Atheist perspective, what is a sin. If you have committed a sin, how do you repent, what do you do after it?

Is there a need to repent? If you do something to someone, I can understand the feeling to feel sorry for what you have done, but what about when you do something which is wrong but doesn't affect anyone but you?

Is there a concept of sin and repentance in Atheism?

An atheist doesn't repent, by virtue of nonbelief in a God or gods, and by extension religion and everything contained in it. There is no reason to repent before a nonexistent deity, since sin also doesn't exist. One of my biggest beefs against organized religion was its constant emphasis on how sinful we are, and our need to repent of our sins in order to be pleasing in the eyes of God. Ever since I became an atheist I have freed myself of such erroneous thinking, and I have enjoyed my freedom from such medieval concepts.

 

[Straw Dog]

How does an Atheist repent?

"My bad. I'll try not to do that again. Here, let me make it up to you somehow."

 

[waitasec]

"My bad. I'll try not to do that again. Here, let me make it up to you somehow."

that's not good enough....

 

[9Westy9]

that's not good enough....

needs more flying spaghetti