re: Beyond Death: The Science of the Afterlife

quote:

---

Because I'm not a psychopath.

---

What is a psychopath? If morality and God and the afterlife doesn't exist then there really is no such thing as right and wrong. How could there be? We're just a random assortment of carbon atoms waiting to be returned to soil, right? So what makes your impulses any more or less "right" than my impulses?

Why is giving into to the strong impulse to follow the guy that took the last loaf of my favorite bread home from the grocery and then beat him to death and take my bread home considered psychotic?

quote:

---

Are you really saying that the only thing stopping you from murdering people is fear of what will happen to you after your time on earth is over?

---

Yes, absolutely. That and jail.

quote:

---

You only think "treat others as you want to be treated" is useful as a guide to getting all the best magic when you die, and not just good advice?

---

Why is it good advice? What is considered "good" and why? How do you come to the conclusion of what is good and what is evil of you believe that good and evil don't exist?

quote:

---

This whole thread is full of people who are totally ignorant of the vast field of study regarding metaphysics, morality, and theology.

I respect people who have studied these things in the pursuit of answers as to why we exist and what is our purpose and have then decided that they do not or can not believe in God or gods or an afterlife. If you simply ridicule what you don't understand and belittle those who seek answers to life's big questions then you're a fool.

---

This.

quote:

---

Spending your only chance at life locked up in a prison seems like a bit of a consequence

---

Spending your afterlife in a prison in hell seems like a bit of a consequence to not believing in religion. That's a stupid comparison.

But why do laws and prisons exist? Why do we care if someone kills another person? If there is no such thing as good and evil then why do we care when people die?

quote:

---

Spending your afterlife in a prison in hell seems like a bit of a consequence to not believing in religion. That's a stupid comparison.

---

You said no consequences to anything you do. Is a lifetime of prison a consequence? Simple yes or no question.

quote:

---

But why do laws and prisons exist?

---

To maintain order.

quote:

---

Why do we care if someone kills another person?

---

Because murder is wrong.

quote:

---

If there is no such thing as good and evil then why do we care when people die?

---

Can you explain why right and wrong cannot exist without a belief in God and the afterlife?

That wasn't due to your beliefs. It was because of all the crazy shite you were saying.

I never once commented on anyone else's beliefs.

quote:

---

never once commented on anyone else's beliefs.

---

You just called my beliefs crazy shite in the previous sentence

I'll take a crack at it. I don't believe in gods or the afterlife. To be completely honest, I can't actually say for sure that there is not some kind of creator out there at some level. But I do feel certain that if there is, it's nothing like what the religions believe in. I told my dad and he asked what stops me from doing bad things.

At first take it's hard for me to understand that question. I don't know why it takes religion for there to be morality. Why can't I have simply have empathy for others? While I don't believe in God and Jesus, that doesn't mean I don't find wisdom in many of their stories. Do unto others is a pretty good one.

Then as I thought about it I realized I do believe in karma to some degree even if it's been on a subconscious level. Not that there's some mystic force in the universe but something more practical. Simply put, if I constantly do bad things then I'm much more likely to put myself into situations where bad things can happen to me. Being "good" doesn't mean nothing bad will happen to me, but it does lessen the odds.

And the more "good" I do, the more likely it is that I will be reciprocated with more good. It seems most of the people that do bad things (raping, pillaging, ect), outside of the true psychopaths are generally miserable people. Why would I want to live that way? Treating others with respect and kindness has resulted in being treated that way myself. Not always, but most of the time. And that leaves me in a good state.

I'm not a non-religous do-gooder running around trying to save the world. I mostly stick to myself and immediate family and friends. I don't get involved in charity or volunteer anywhere to help the less fortunate and have no desire to. But I also couldn't see ripping off my boss even if knew I would get away with it.

My general morality is that if I don't cause harm to others then everything is fair game if I'm fine with possible consequences (anything from jail time to hurting my body through drinking and drugs). I'm sure that's tricky because I have to define what harm to someone else is. But I'm comfortable with making that call because I don't believe any supreme being is making those rules and judging me by my compliance.

quote:

---

Good=things that increase my likely lifespan or make me happy
Bad=things that don't do that

---

Quarentining and exterminating everyone on the planet with a contagious virus or disease of any kind would be good according to your scenario.

quote:

---

You would be disrupting a stable system

---

You could reason that less stupidity in this system would cause more stability

quote:

---

don't think the joy I would get from easily murdering stupid people is worth the risks and costs of stupid people likewise being able to easily murder me, but you may disagree.

---

And that's my point. I'm not saying everyone would become what you call a psychopath, but who are you to tell them to stop? And how can you tell them what they are doing is wrong? They could just as easily say that you are wrong. It's moral relativity.

By being nice and good to everyone, you are displaying a weakness, one which can and should be exploited by those stronger than you for their own gain. See?

quote:

---

Are you really saying that the only thing stopping you from murdering people is fear of what will happen to you after your time on earth is over? You only think "treat others as you want to be treated" is useful as a guide to getting all the best magic when you die, and not just good advice?

---

There are a lot of people with this mind set, I don't go so far as to call them psychotic, just low order thinkers. As a atheist it is the one thing that makes me thankful religion exists.