I’ve been following this forum for quite some time now and have noticed there’s a great many atheists/agnostics arguing against the validity of religious beliefs. As someone who takes an interest in this ongoing debate, I have put forth 10 questions for the irreligious here so that I can get a better understanding of their position and would appreciate if a few of you will take the time to answer some of the question below:

#1 Do you believe the universe is eternal?
#2 Do we have freewill or is everything determined?
#3 Is our existence the product of chance?
#4 Would you say morality is objective or relative?
#5 What type of universe would you expect if there was no God?
#6 What’s your take on the fine-tuning argument for the existence of God?
#7 What’s you take on miracles? Do you believe everyone that has ever claimed to have witnessed a miracle was lying or was mistaken/hallucinating?
#8 What’s your thoughts on near death experiences and the afterlife?
#9 Do you think we have souls?
#10 Is religion beneficial to society?

Seeker99:
I’ve been following this forum for quite some time now and have noticed there’s a great many atheists/agnostics arguing against the validity of religious beliefs. As someone who takes an interest in this ongoing debate, I have put forth 10 questions for the irreligious here so that I can get a better understanding of their position and would appreciate if a few of you will take the time to answer some of the question below:

#1 Do you believe the universe is eternal?

I cannot say but most likely, yes.

#2 Do we have freewill or is everything determined?

We operate under several confines sometimes with the injection of choice.

#3 Is our existence the product of chance?

Cannot say for sure.but it is very likley

#4 Would you say morality is objective or relative?

Intersubjective

#5 What type of universe would you expect if there was no God?

This type and any other type.

#6 What’s your take on the fine-tuning argument for the existence of God?

Amoeba on a puddle

#7 What’s you take on miracles? Do you believe everyone that has ever claimed to have witnessed a miracle was lying or was mistaken/hallucinating?

Mostly nonsense

#8 What’s your thoughts on near death experiences and the afterlife?

NDE is a neurological experience.

Afterlife is an assumption that sadly cannot be confirmed

#9 Do you think we have souls?

it depends on what you call soul.

#10 Is religion beneficial to society?

Yes.

johnydon22:
I cannot say but most likely, yes.



We operate under several confines sometimes with the injection of choice.

Cannot say for sure.but it is very likley

Intersubjective

This type and any other type.

Amoeba on a puddle

Mostly nonsense

NDE is a neurological experience.

Afterlife is an assumption that sadly cannot be confirmed

it depends on what you call soul.

Yes.

How is religion beneficial to the society?

hahn:


How is religion beneficial to the society?

Benefits of imagined orders are obvious

#1 Do you believe the universe is eternal?

I don't think anyone has the answer to this question

#2 Do we have freewill or is everything determined?

I would say we have free will

#3 Is our existence the product of chance?

Yes

#4 Would you say morality is objective or relative?

Morality is determined by human beings,whatever we deem moral becomes moral and what we deem immoral becomes immoral

#5 What type of universe would you expect if there was no God?

First I would assume the term "God" represents the one worshipped by theists
I stick to the answer that Johnny gave

#6 What’s your take on the fine-tuning argument for the existence of God?

biased and deceitful

#7 What’s you take on miracles? Do you believe everyone that has ever claimed to have witnessed a miracle was lying or was mistaken/hallucinating?

I would need to do more research to confirm that but knowing how ignorant and insincere people can be,I'm afraid I can't believe that miracles are real unless there is sufficient evidence
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#8 What’s your thoughts on near death experiences and the afterlife?

I do not believe in the after life as there is no evidence of such,near death experiences has been proven to be merely psychological

#9 Do you think we have souls?

If by soul u mean something that lives on when we use,then no

#10 Is religion beneficial to society?

yes,but compared to its disadvantages I would say that humans are much better off without religion

hahn:


How is religion beneficial to the society?

A couple of them actually but I think the most important is that it gives hope,albeit false

johnydon22:
Benefits of imagined orders are obvious

Create that thread let's debate. I don't have much clients online today. Mention me.

Make I go charge phone

Don't forget to list your reasons why you think religion is beneficial

Hermes019:

A couple of them actually but I think the most important is that it gives hope,albeit false

False hope never did anyone any good FAM.

A typical example is the Nigerian populace who pray everyday over the same things and have remained in the same and even worse conditions.

At best such hope is superficial

hahn:


How is religion beneficial to the society?

1.when you make a mistake you can console yourself with the "it was God will that this. .. happened". Makes you feel less responsible for your actions.
2. Emotional solace is offered as you are promised after life in paradise even when you are miserable on Earth.
3. As a clergy you have a very good source of income.
5. You are promised afterlife in heaven for serving God ...that is very comforting to know that you will be in heaven

Seeker99:
I’ve been following this forum for quite some time now and have noticed there’s a great many atheists/agnostics arguing against the validity of religious beliefs. As someone who takes an interest in this ongoing debate, I have put forth 10 questions for the irreligious here so that I can get a better understanding of their position and would appreciate if a few of you will take the time to answer some of the question below:

Hmmm...

#1 Do you believe the universe is eternal?

I believe the Universe is the product of an Eternal mind.

#2 Do we have freewill or is everything determined?

There are an infinite number of possibilities. We have freewill.

#3 Is our existence the product of chance?

Randomness is an illusion.

#4 Would you say morality is objective or relative?

Relative. Guilt is mostly learnt.

#5 What type of universe would you expect if there was no God?

Define God?

#6 What’s your take on the fine-tuning argument for the existence of God?

Apologetics.

#7 What’s you take on miracles? Do you believe everyone that has ever claimed to have witnessed a miracle was lying or was mistaken/hallucinating?

Miracles are real. The laws of physics and biology bend under the right circumstances.

#8 What’s your thoughts on near death experiences and the afterlife?

Real phenomena. Death is not the end.

#9 Do you think we have souls?

Depends on your definition. If you mean our essence, a part that survives the destruction of the mortal body: Then Yes.

#10 Is religion beneficial to society?

Of course. The "hoi polloi" must be kept in check lest they run wild.

Michellekabod1:

1.when you make a mistake you can console yourself with the "it was God will that this. .. happened". Makes you feel less responsible for your actions.

The whole point of being an adult is being able to take responsibility for your actions and mistakes.

The same way theists console themselves as in your example is the same way they blame the devil whenever they commit evil.

What we need is a society with people who take responsibility for their actions not the other way round

2. Emotional solace is offered as you are promised after life in paradise even when you are miserable on Earth.

I really don't know why anyone will be comforted by a place that has never been proven to exist. This idea that there is somewhere better outside of this life can easily lead people to lose hope instead of working towards making this life a better place

3. As a clergy you have a very good source of income.

Hahaha. I can't argue with you here

5. You are promised afterlife in heaven for serving God ...that is very comforting to know that you will be in heaven

Again heaven has not been proven to exist and it is rather childish that anyone will be comforted by such a childish thought.

And you forget that this thought has also led a lot of theists to terrorism simply because they feel that by killing other people in the name of their god they are immediately guaranteed a place in heaven.

Still the disadvantages greatly outweigh the advantages most because the disadvantages can be felt whereas the advantages are mostly imaginary

Seeker99:

#1 Do you believe the universe is eternal?

No, but it has been existing and will continue to exist for so long that it might as well be.

Seeker99:

#2 Do we have freewill or is everything determined?

I don't know, it is either we do or we are living in a very good approximation of it.

Seeker99:

#3 Is our existence the product of chance?

Chance, most likely. It is the most logical explanation for our existence.

Seeker99:

#4 Would you say morality is objective or relative?

Morality is relative. Different cultures, different families, even individuals have their own specific values they uphold.

Seeker99:

#5 What type of universe would you expect if there was no God?

I don't really know how the universe would be different one way or the other.

Seeker99:

#6 What’s your take on the fine-tuning argument for the existence of God?

Classic Texas sharpshooter fallacy. You don't look at the finished result of natural processes and say, in hindsight, that the chances are too low for it to have occurred naturally. When in truth it is the result of millions of years of non-linear adaptation.

Seeker99:

#7 What’s you take on miracles? Do you believe everyone that has ever claimed to have witnessed a miracle was lying or was mistaken/hallucinating?

Probably one of the above in most cases. But I am open to the possibility of unknown natural phenomena.

Seeker99:

#8 What’s your thoughts on near death experiences and the afterlife?

I don't think that experiences from people whose are starved of oxygen, close to death, etc are credible. There are parts of the brain that have been linked to NDEs and out-of-body experiences, they are nothing more than glorified hallucinations.

Seeker99:

#9 Do you think we have souls?

According to the mainstream definition, no. Can you imagine an existence without sensory input or a brain? There is no argument for the existence of the soul that doesn't rely on that in some form.

Seeker99:

#10 Is religion beneficial to society?

Depends on the specific beliefs of the religion, some can be net benefits to certain societies when the merits outweigh the demerits.

Not Islam, tho.

Thanks for replies guys, really appreciate it as these are some of the questions I'm currently seeking answers for. Out of all them, the only thing I feel certain of is our freewill. Hopefully in time though, I'll sort out my view/position on all the other questions.