Ask an atheist anything

[Frazer]

I'm an atheist with an interest in secularist and humanist affairs. I sometimes find it interesting to talk to religious people about these matters but I've rarely ever spoken to a Muslim about them. I'm not sure where to start so I thought I'd openly invite you (a Muslim) to make the first move and ask me anything you'd like regarding me views on things as an atheist.

 

[Saja]

Hello there, you’re not the first atheist I speak with, and I too find it interesting to discuss religion with religious people from other religion or atheists, it’s really fun. Were you religious before you become atheist? If yes what made you disbelieve/leave religion?

 

[Frazer]

Hello there, you’re not the first atheist I speak with, and I too find it interesting to discuss religion with religious people from other religion or atheists, it’s really fun. Were you religious before you become atheist? If yes what made you disbelieve/leave religion?

I did believe in the Christian God for a short while as a child but I didn't give it much thought and I didn't practice the religion. There wasn't anything in particular that made me stop believing, the more I thought about it as I grew up the less I believed it.

 

[Iceee]

Salaam / Hello (Peace be upon you).

1. If your child asked you if there is a God, what would you say?

2. Were you raised in a religious home where both your parents took you to Church on a regular basis? What is your families stance on religion?

3. If you were to die today and was standing right in front of Allah, what would you say? (The only thing I know atheists can say is, "You know, I didn't believe in you but I was a nice person and donated and helped.... etc.)

4. What is your opinion on Islam?

 

[Muhaba]

Have you studied human anatomy? Do you really think such a complex system could come into being by itself?

 

[Frazer]

Salaam / Hello (Peace be upon you).

1. If your child asked you if there is a God, what would you say?

2. Were you raised in a religious home where both your parents took you to Church on a regular basis? What is your families stance on religion?

3. If you were to die today and was standing right in front of Allah, what would you say? (The only thing I know atheists can say is, "You know, I didn't believe in you but I was a nice person and donated and helped.... etc.)

4. What is your opinion on Islam?

1. I wouldn't just say no I would explain why I don't believe and discuss there thoughts on it.

2. I wasn't raised religiously but I was taught about religion at school and we sung Christian songs and did celebrated Christian holidays etc. no one in my family is particularly religious although some believe in an afterlife and spirits. For a long time I held similar spiritual beliefs in things such as an afterlife, spirits and the paranormal. I don't believe in any of these things any more either.

3. I think I'd be skeptical about what I was experiencing, I would wonder whether it was a dream or some sort of hallucination. If Allah could explain everything to me and fully convince me then I still don't think I would regret never believing in him because nothing up until that point had convinced me. I'm sure I would have many questions, I'd probably start with how everything began and how Allah himself came into existence.

4. I don't like Islam or any other religion on the basis that I'm convinced they are false and are ultimately holding people back. I'm not hostile towards religion or religious people, I try to be understanding and I don't force my views on any one. I believe there are good religious people but I think they could be just as good if not better without it.

Have you studied human anatomy? Do you really think such a complex system could come into being by itself?

I studied human anatomy and biology at school and I have watched and read things in my own time too. The complex human body didn't just happen by chance or appear from nothing, life started at a much simpler level, it grew in complexity and diversity over time as it adapts to its surrounding through natural selection. I have some links to more info on evolution if you are interested.

 

[Muhammad Waqqas]

I studied human anatomy and biology at school and I have watched and read things in my own time too. The complex human body didn't just happen by chance or appear from nothing, life started at a much simpler level, it grew in complexity and diversity over time as it adapts to its surrounding through natural selection. I have some links to more info on evolution if you are interested.

Evolution isn't the only problem here. I have much simpler questions. How does a chicken get formed inside of an egg? How do the white and the yolk work together form a chicken.. and in just 21 days the same white and the yolk of an egg end up into blood, veins, bones, fur, respiratory system, reproductive system, senses (fear, anger, love, hate), how are two cameras developed (eyes), the colors of chickens, and best of all, the central processing unit (brain).
The respiratory system has such small tiny little sacs that transfer oxygen into blood (cell by cell).. and how does the product that comes out of the same white and yolk know that it has to make another machine that produces more eggs which have the same white and yolk that allows production of more units.

The question here is not that how did the hen or egg evolve to produce such a mechanism, the question is, do you think human beings with all the technology they have today, can create a fly? (let alone a chicken). Are you suggesting that all the technology cannot replicate the effect of a 'chance'. And that's not just one of the products of 'chance' there are millions.

How do the white and the yolk of an egg make such a complicated (allow me to call it) robot?

 

[jkekeis]

Mine is a simple question, have you ever read, in full, the Torah, Bible or Qur'an?

 

[Frazer]

Mine is a simple question, have you ever read, in full, the Torah, Bible or Qur'an?

In full, no but I don't reject the idea of a God based on what I know about religion, I don't believe the concept of God regardless of religion.

 

[Frazer]

Evolution isn't the only problem here. I have much simpler questions. How does a chicken get formed inside of an egg? How do the white and the yolk work together form a chicken.. and in just 21 days the same white and the yolk of an egg end up into blood, veins, bones, fur, respiratory system, reproductive system, senses (fear, anger, love, hate), how are two cameras developed (eyes), the colors of chickens, and best of all, the central processing unit (brain).
The respiratory system has such small tiny little sacs that transfer oxygen into blood (cell by cell).. and how does the product that comes out of the same white and yolk know that it has to make another machine that produces more eggs which have the same white and yolk that allows production of more units.

The question here is not that how did the hen or egg evolve to produce such a mechanism, the question is, do you think human beings with all the technology they have today, can create a fly? (let alone a chicken). Are you suggesting that all the technology cannot replicate the effect of a 'chance'. And that's not just one of the products of 'chance' there are millions.

How do the white and the yolk of an egg make such a complicated (allow me to call it) robot?

We have technology to observe and explain these things but no we cannot yet recreate it ourselves or create a fly.
I'm not sure what you mean by technology replicating 'chance', could you explain that a little more please?

 

[greenhill]

Welcome to the forum.

I see the members have gotten straight to questions

Do read historical posts and ask anything you want.

Peace

 

[Frazer]

How do the white and the yolk of an egg make such a complicated (allow me to call it) robot?

The egg white and yolk don't create the bird alone, the egg is fertilised in the bird by the male birds semen. Contents of the egg act as nourishment for growing the bird rather than through an umbilical chord like in a human or other mammal.

 

[Muhammad Waqqas]

Welcome to the forum.

I see the members have gotten straight to questions

Do read historical posts and ask anything you want.

Peace

Yes, this is because the topic is about 'asking' so anything other than that should be off topic!

 

[Muhammad Waqqas]

The egg white and yolk don't create the bird alone, the egg is fertilised in the bird by the male birds semen. Contents of the egg act as nourishment for growing the bird rather than through an umbilical chord like in a human or other mammal.

Well,that makes it even more complex, doesn't it?

It is like someone asks you: "How does the letter "A" appear on the screen when we press it on the keyboard?" and someone replies: "Well, the keyboard is connected with the USB port, that's why.."

Does it really explain it?!? Of course not.

 

[Muhammad Waqqas]

We have technology to observe and explain these things but no we cannot yet recreate it ourselves or create a fly.
I'm not sure what you mean by technology replicating 'chance', could you explain that a little more please?

You see I'm not going to say: "Hey look, I have PROOF! YOU MUST NOW START BELIEVING In GOD!!" -- that's just.. immature..
What I meant by writing all of these things above was something like: "let me tell you what I have come to appreciate among the hundreds of thousands of signs of God that surround us." So that's purely a educational discussion, not an argument.

I basically come from a background with computer programming which has really helped me understanding how miraculous everything is. What I meat by 'replicating 'chance'' was that something was created (as suggested by atheists) without an intelligent designer (the earth, the skies, the living things in it etc.) and today with all the intelligence we have cannot repeat the affect created without intelligence. You see what I am saying?

You see, I personally believe every single piece of sand itself is enough for a person with an average amount of common sense to realize who Allah is. Eggs and animals are way way too much complex for someone to remain blind.

And this is why I was really interested when I read the topic "Ask an atheist anything" because I have these questions in my mind, how do Atheists convince themselves that there is no god? its a difficult thing.

 

[daveyats]

I studied human anatomy and biology at school and I have watched and read things in my own time too. The complex human body didn't just happen by chance or appear from nothing, life started at a much simpler level, it grew in complexity and diversity over time as it adapts to its surrounding through natural selection. I have some links to more info on evolution if you are interested.

Interesting thread you started my friend! I would like to ask -

1. For you, does life ultimately have any objective meaning if it is true that everything started with a big bang for no reason and came together by random chance?

2. If everything exist without purpose, meaning or reason, why are we even discussing or mentioning it. Those shouldn't even exist...wonder if you have any opinion on this.

 

[InToTheRain]

How is it that we can dream of what will happen in future; how do you explain this "de javu"? It is when the senses and concious are dormant yet we see and feel things we have never seen or imagined. From an Islamic perspective it is the times the "soul" takes flight. What are your thoughts on the soul?


Mohammad :saws: informed us :
True dreams are one of the forty-six parts of Prophethood.” (al-Bukhaari, 6472;

Dreams marked the onset of Revelation (al-Bukhaari, 3; Muslim, 231).

The truthfulness of the dream is related to the sincerity of the dreamer. Those who have the most truthful dreams are those who are the most truthful in speech. (Muslim, 4200)

Dreams are of three types: rahmaani (those that come from Allaah), nafsaani (psychological, they come from within a person) and shaytaani (those that come from the Shaytaan). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Dreams are of three types: a dream from Allaah, a dream which causes distress and which comes from the Shaytaan, and a dream which comes from what a person thinks about when he is awake, and he sees it when he is asleep.” (al-Bukhaari, 6499; Muslim, 4200)

Towards the end of time, hardly any dreams will be untrue. The Prophet :saws: said: “That will be because the Prophethood and its effects will be so far away in time, so the believers will be given some compensation in the form of dreams which will bring them some good news or will help them to be patient and steadfast in their faith.” (al-Bukhaari, 6499; Muslim, 4200)

goodnight and thank you for listening (reading)

 

[Samiun]

Is it true that Atheists think something like 'Wars occur because of religion', 'Religion is evil' and 'Religion is backwards'?

Also if you claim that God doesn't exist, where would you go when you die? Are you not afraid that someday you'll be awaken again or that you're questioned by something out of the ordinary in the grave?

 

[Frazer]

Well,that makes it even more complex, doesn't it?

It is like someone asks you: "How does the letter "A" appear on the screen when we press it on the keyboard?" and someone replies: "Well, the keyboard is connected with the USB port, that's why.."

Does it really explain it?!? Of course not.

It doesn't fully explain it but it's not incorrect either. It is very complex and I'd be lying if I said I or anyone else could explain everything about it.
We are only human, there are things we are yet to know or may never know.
Can you explain on a cellular and molecular level how your God creates such creatures? I very much doubt it but you still believe he does right, so is this not double standards?

You see I'm not going to say: "Hey look, I have PROOF! YOU MUST NOW START BELIEVING In GOD!!" -- that's just.. immature..
What I meant by writing all of these things above was something like: "let me tell you what I have come to appreciate among the hundreds of thousands of signs of God that surround us." So that's purely a educational discussion, not an argument.

I basically come from a background with computer programming which has really helped me understanding how miraculous everything is. What I meat by 'replicating 'chance'' was that something was created (as suggested by atheists) without an intelligent designer (the earth, the skies, the living things in it etc.) and today with all the intelligence we have cannot repeat the affect created without intelligence. You see what I am saying?

You see, I personally believe every single piece of sand itself is enough for a person with an average amount of common sense to realize who Allah is. Eggs and animals are way way too much complex for someone to remain blind.

And this is why I was really interested when I read the topic "Ask an atheist anything" because I have these questions in my mind, how do Atheists convince themselves that there is no god? its a difficult thing.

Having the intelligence to understand how something works doesn't mean we therefore have the ability to replicate it, these are two different things.
We have limits to our abilities both mentally and physically even with the aid of technology.
We cannot simply turn around and say therefore that a God must have done it with some sort of magical ability and infinite knowledge because that in itself is an even bigger mystery than the one you are trying to answer it with.
This is called the 'God of Gaps' argument and it's a logic fallacy, I can give you more info on this if you wish or you could Google it.

Interesting thread you started my friend! I would like to ask -

1. For you, does life ultimately have any objective meaning if it is true that everything started with a big bang for no reason and came together by random chance?

2. If everything exist without purpose, meaning or reason, why are we even discussing or mentioning it. Those shouldn't even exist...wonder if you have any opinion on this.

I think my ambitions, relationships and experiences etc. give my life meaning, my life is what I make of it.
Not every atheist believes in the big bang, being an atheist simply means you don't believe in God, thats it. Sure, many do believe in the big bang but for me personally I don't believe this explains everything, the big bang isn't a final explanation of how the universe began it is simply the best scientific explanation we have so far. The Big Bang theory doesn't state that everything in its complex present form came about by random chance, as if a storm in junkyard could randomly assemble a working car, its more to do with the chaotic nature of how things work and happen, chains of events which occur naturally if given the chance. For example, an acorn and an oak tree are not the same thing, the oak tree is much more complex, but with the right natural conditions alone one thing becomes another.

How is it that we can dream of what will happen in future; how do you explain this "de javu"? It is when the senses and concious are dormant yet we see and feel things we have never seen or imagined. From an Islamic perspective it is the times the "soul" takes flight. What are your thoughts on the soul?


Mohammad :saws: informed us :
True dreams are one of the forty-six parts of Prophethood.” (al-Bukhaari, 6472;

Dreams marked the onset of Revelation (al-Bukhaari, 3; Muslim, 231).

The truthfulness of the dream is related to the sincerity of the dreamer. Those who have the most truthful dreams are those who are the most truthful in speech. (Muslim, 4200)

Dreams are of three types: rahmaani (those that come from Allaah), nafsaani (psychological, they come from within a person) and shaytaani (those that come from the Shaytaan). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Dreams are of three types: a dream from Allaah, a dream which causes distress and which comes from the Shaytaan, and a dream which comes from what a person thinks about when he is awake, and he sees it when he is asleep.” (al-Bukhaari, 6499; Muslim, 4200)

Towards the end of time, hardly any dreams will be untrue. The Prophet :saws: said: “That will be because the Prophethood and its effects will be so far away in time, so the believers will be given some compensation in the form of dreams which will bring them some good news or will help them to be patient and steadfast in their faith.” (al-Bukhaari, 6499; Muslim, 4200)

goodnight and thank you for listening (reading)

I don't believe in psychic ability, some atheists do and I did too a few years ago but the more I thought about it the more I was convinced that most (if not all) claims had more a rational explanation such as subliminal suggestion, a large coincidence and some are simply not true. Its not really that difficult to find connections between our dreams and our real life when you are wilfully trying to make those connections and then ignore all the things which don't happen.

Is it true that Atheists think something like 'Wars occur because of religion', 'Religion is evil' and 'Religion is backwards'?

Also if you claim that God doesn't exist, where would you go when you die? Are you not afraid that someday you'll be awaken again or that you're questioned by something out of the ordinary in the grave?

An Atheist by definition is someone who doesn't believe in God, thats all it means, other than that our beliefs vary alot, I strongly object to some atheists views yet respect others and the same goes for religious people.

Most wars start when two or more sides have a conflict of interests or have a difference in opinion over something, religion usually play a large part in this but there are other factor too such as politics, culture and business etc. I wouldn't say religion is the cause of all war or violence but I think most people would agree that it has played a large part throughout history and still today.

I dislike religion in the same sense I dislike anyone believing anything that isn't true, I want people to succeed and progress. I don't dislike people just because they are religious but if their beliefs and actions have an affect on how I want to live my life then I have a problem with that.

I don't believe in an afterlife, I believe we simply stop existing just as we didn't exist before we were born. Thats not necersarily what I want to happen but from logical rational thought thats what I conclude, I see no evidence to suggest otherwise, other than wishy washy claims, hope and faith.

 

[ardianto]

Hello Frazer,

I know, if I tell you to worship God, you will not listen to me. But if you fell in love to a religious girl, and she told you that you should worship God if you want to be with her, would you worship God although just pretend?. Or you prefer to lose her because you could not compromising your Atheism belief with worship God although just pretend?.

I ask this question because I've ever met an Atheist guy who told me that if he could meet a girl who made him fell in love, he would worship God if this girl asked him to do it.