Is there anybody out there?

[StepAwayFromCake]

Or am I the only apatheist on Mumsnet?

Very presumptuous? Hardly. We live in a very Christianocentric society, in a Christianocentric country in a Christianocentric continent.

Pretty obvious to use Christianity as an example 

it's just that that's the most familiar for the sake of this discussion. The most familiar to you, you've just presumed OP was talking about a Christian version. There was nothing in the OP's first post to suggest that. If that had been what the thread was about then fair enough. It's always the same on this board, the board is Philosophy/religion not Philosophy/Christianity. You were the first one to bring up Christianity.

Many professed atheists appear to be ignorant of how their modern, secular morality has been framed by religion

Modern, secular morality overwhelmingly exists in the West (As do most professed atheists). The "Christianocentric" West.

Don't be ridiculous.

And learn what "presumptuous" means, ffs.

I agree with you StepAway.

I almost didn't post this response due to apatheist.

The term 'atheist', as I hear it used, discards millennia of human experience and philosophy. 'Atheism' appears to require complete rejection of any faith-based belief/morality/society/community. Many professed atheists appear to be ignorant of how their modern, secular morality has been framed by religion.

How has modern secular morality been framed by religion? What areas of our morality are a direct result of religious doctrine?

Im an atheist yes, I dont believe in god because i havent seen enough evidence that points to an existence of any god, religion has not met its burden of proof.

Dont confuse atheist with antitheist. Some atheists are content with their disbelief in god but don't mind what others believe. Antitheists don't like religion and are probably more likely to challenge a theist and discourage a belief in any god.

The term 'atheist', as I hear it used, discards millennia of human experience and philosophy.

It doesn't discard it, but understands it better. Someone who once thought rainbows were a sign from God, who then found out the scientific principle behind how they're made isn't discarding the rainbow, but discovering it through the wonder of reality.

It doesn't discard it, but understands it better. The underlying message again gets missed though. When you've been on both sides of this it becomes clear, so much becomes clear.

Someone who once thought rainbows were a sign from God, who then found out the scientific principle behind how they're made isn't discarding the rainbow, but discovering it through the wonder of reality.

Couldn't agree more Head

Sleight what do you mean by this: The underlying message again gets missed though. ?

The underlying message of the philosophers, obviously not all philosophers are talking about a god or creator etc.
I can see it in so many things now, music, art, literature, other people. Not that I didn't appreciate these things before. I now "get it" though.

Whats the underlying message of the philosophers?

Sorry I'm really not calling you out I do genuinely want to know what you mean by this because I wouldn't say there is a grand unified theory of philosophy.

Whats the underlying message of the philosophers? That there is more than what we see as the material world.

Well, yes definitely I would say thats the aim of many philosopher's work.

I think atheists and theists would alike would agree that we are all capable of accessing deep appreciation for things around us. Great music, art (I'm an artist) science and relationships etc. I hope you don;'t think that atheism is all about bleak hedonism and 'selfish genes'?

An atheist is someone who does not believe there is a god or gods.

No more. No less. Nothing to do with music or morality or beauty or rainbows. Or love or hate or indifference. Just-no god.

I hope you don;'t think that atheism is all about bleak hedonism and 'selfish genes'? No, not at all.
Now, you being an artist. Just for an example, I've heard songwriters speak about certain songs they've written, some of the best ones they've written, the ones that resonate with others so profoundly, "just seem to come to them" "all of a sudden", "out of no where", "took me a few minutes to write", "can't explain it really", these I believe come from our soul.
I don't know what type of artist you are but if it's not too personal of a question, have you ever had an experience like that?

Talent and imagination. And the unconscious brain.

How can people be atheists? I mean it's just so weird for me to comprehend how people thInk there is absolutely nothing out there. Really?
Agnostic gives some room for conversation at least.

"How can people be atheists? I mean it's just so weird for me to comprehend how people thInk there is absolutely nothing out there."

Why do you think there is?

Bertrand has it totally.

Yes I have had those experiences, I often struggle for days with a particular piece (I'm an illustrator) and one day or evening out of nowhere it just comes to me. I have also written published stories that appeared out of nowhere. It has nothing to do with anything 'divine'. Have a read about how NLP works. Its all about how our minds store and access information on a conscious and subconscious level.
Often after getting a piece of artwork just perfect, I will happen across what inspired me totally by accident. For instance I have a toddler, I recently put my portfolio together for Frankfurt book fair and noticed how much my child characters from various stories all look exactly like her, didn't even realise I was doing it and all the characters are different.

You Rat
What do you believe?

Start of the universe?the human brain? DNA? Most of all our personal experiences. Most atheists I find try to persuade themselves and others that there is no God and really want to put the question to rest(is there a higher being) . I feel this is their calling from God to find him.

I suppose I could call myself an agnostic-on the principle that you can't prove a negative. But I am only an agnostic about the existence of god in the way that I am agnostic about the sun coming up in the East tomorrow, or my tea mug falling not rising if I drop it. So not very agnostic at all. Show me some evidence and I might change my mind. But as things stand..........

"I feel this is their calling from God to find him"

Ah. Why do you feel this?

I believe we were created to know God!
So this always actively looking and searching over this question is the reason why. His put all the evidence around us and gently calls us to him.

Why do you believe we were created to know God?

"His put all the evidence around us"

No he hasn't. There is no evidence for the existence of God at all. Which is rather the point. If there was there would be no need for faith.