Atheists and proof cont….

[Kdtym10]

A carry on from the previous thread

I love the way imaginary angels are seen to be all pretty and sparkly - suspiciously similar to the imagined appearance of fairies. The biblical angels, if one accepts the existence of such beings, are terrifying giants of shockingly inhuman appearance. Apparently they can shapeshift into human form, but mostly strike awe & fear into observers because they're so horrifying.

Even the Lamb of God is a scary freak. It's got seven eyes, seven horns, and has been butchered. Cute 👀

@Parker231 @Garlicking i have a question about this video. Re the use of the prefrontal cortex’s role in the synthesis model that’s been troubling me since I watched the video.

From memory, Professor Van Der Kolk’s research into PTSD shows that during PTSD flashbacks the pre frontal cortex effectively shuts down on many patients (I think he did brain scans whilst triggering patients) Now I would argue that a ptsd flash back is a type of synthesis (to use the same terminology) between the external stimuli (the trigger) And the memory creating a real time simulation of the trauma event.

How would you seek to tie these two positions?

Ha yes Angels can make demons look Angelic!!!

I don't personally believe in spirits as an atheist but again, as I have said before, I only speak for me, not for all atheists as we dont all need to agree with each other as we are not the same as an organised religon.

However I answered the original question as I thought it had been asked ie it was referring to God(s). Using the dictonary term/etymology of the word athiest to answer a question about athiesm doesnt suddenly mean I believe in spirits because someone else throws them into the equation as a sort of gotcha.

I don't have an opinion on the humanism society as I dont know anything about them really. I also dont feel any burden as an atheist to have an opinion on them, in the same way I don't feel as a mixed race woman I have to have an opinion on anything any mixed race person says.

I don't personally see the need for an athiest supporting group in the same way I dont see the need for a group to support boys who arent scouts, or women who arent in the WI. Its a total non issue and non event in my life.

Do you feel the need for atheist-supporting orgs?

Not me, no. As @dimllaishebiaith says, atheism isn't a belief system with a religion-like structure. I once looked into Humanism but it's too church-like for me; I just don't feel any need for organisation of my non-belief.

I can see there might be a need for something in a more religious society, which expected everyone to profess a faith of some sort. That said, I'm nominally CofE - not baptised or anything, it's just the English default when required. As I don't believe any of it, I'm content to muddle along with formal religions when it suits me to.

In America there's a Church of Satan and a Church of Women, neither of which follow any religion. They have to declare a philosophy and a foundational text in order to be registered, so they did that, but without 'faith'. Last I looked, both were getting overwhelmed by members treating them as actual religions ... life is hard for an American atheist 'church' 😂

Agree with you about Humanist hypocrisy.

Don't forget the United Church of Bacon!

https://unitedchurchofbacon.org/

I could get on board with that, @HannibalHeyes 😂

The church of Satan or Laveyan Satanism does actually describe itself as a religion )although doesn’t believe in the actual devil)

One of its emanations is the Temple of Satan which is possibly what you were thinking of - this champions secularism mainly in the US, it’s made some great contributions to women’s rights there but then takes with the other hand by it’s support of gender identity.

Not something I’ve thought about

What are your thoughts on it?

Def don’t want an atheist supporting organisation - not needed. I don’t believe - end of. Not sure why anyone would be disappointed as an atheist. It’s a positive not a negative position.
Am surprised you don’t know many atheists - in the UK there are more atheists than Christians.

No thoughts on it - not something I’ve looked into. Not of particular interest.

Ah, sorry. I thought as you had taken the time to post the video you had an interest/knowledge in this area. My mistake!

I enjoyed the video - good way to educate. My DC’s would have enjoyed it when they were at school. An interest doesn’t mean knowledge. I think our brains and its imagination is amazing - doesn’t need to be more than that.

Ah fair enough, I’m just a very curious person and like to know the details. I’ll do some digging! Thanks anyway!

https://www.robhopkins.net/2017/11/27/professor-gordon-turnbull-on-how-trauma-impacts-the-imagination/

@Parker231 -now I’ve gone down a rabbit hole. This is interesting and seems to focus on the hippocampus re PTSD and imagination and seems like a different theory to the one on the video.

it really doesn’t ring true though. I know a lot of people with PTSD and almost invariably their ability to imagine increases not decreases like this guy suggests.

This is really interesting area. Thanks for sparking the question!

Hehe, that's hysterical and they even have a vegetarian bacon section for me!
thanks everyone for your answers. When I was discussing the meaning of atheism, I just assumed, besides any deity, that you wouldn't also believe in the supernatural like spirits, but I can be wrong.
My social life comprises my polytheist group,culture group, Buddhist sect so I'm surrounded by believers. I dated an atheist some years ago but the values clash was too great so I date women with some kind of spirituality.

No vegan bacon though, so not for me😀.

I cook vegan at home but am more flexible for social groups. Who'd want to pass up meeting members of the United Church of Bacon!

I could always bring sandwiches. They look like a really fun bunch. Always up for meeting interesting people. May we should start a MN offshoot. The Church of Tofu😀

Name it the Temple of Tofu and I'm in! Bring the sandwiches and I'll do dessert; I make a mean tofu cheesecake 🍰

Ooh perfect!!!