Comments on: Atheist’s moral dilemmas

By: Fernando Aguilar

Fernando Aguilar — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 23:26:45 +0000

If theism is a belief in a higher power, a mysterious being that cannot be wholly understood by the believer, then god is an Atheist!
– Note that Atheism is not “a belief that god does not exist,” but is instead a lack of belief in a god, or higher power.

Kant’s catagorical imperative does not establish a universal moral code, but does allow you to establish your moral code subject to the condition that the actions you undertake are rationally considered. “ Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end. ”

But Kant is certainly not the only basis for morality, and as Sam Harris points out, rational application of the scientific method could provide better authority over moral issues than a personal consideration of a moral problem.

By: Buzz Daly

Buzz Daly — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 05:24:27 +0000

Although my earlier post may be rightly seen as anti-God and anti-Religion by some folks, I do not think Mormons are Morons by any stretch, and I hold no animosity toward believers.

The First Amendment is all about folks believing what they wish without being bothered.

Believing in something doesn’t make one a Moron.

I have recently arrived in Utah from the Monterey Bay in California, to spend some time with an old friend.

I’ve seen many instances of the goodness and social caring of she and her friends and family to others.

We’d be better off if more Americans conducted themselves as Mormons do.

Unfortunately, the Mormon Church is very wrong in their opposition to marriage equality. The issue is about Freedom for ALL, not religious definitions of this or that.

Why not honor ALL our fellow citizens, and let them live Free?

That’s what this great…

By: Gary

Gary — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 01:33:15 +0000

LOL! I love how the dude in the red shirt is holding up a Book of Moron, err….I mean Mormon. I would rather be an atheist than believe in a false Jesus and a false gospel. Thank God I am neither of those!

By: Buzz

Buzz — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:08:56 +0000

As to the homosexual discussion, you are all missing the issue. It doesn’t matter what anyone “believes” marriage is, or what their favored supernatural entity “says”, since mythical “beings” exist only in the minds of those who choose to believe in them. The question at hand is this simple: By what authority does ANYONE seek to deny a right they enjoy to a fellow citizen? The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment is simple. “……all persons within a jurisdiction will be afforded equal treatment under the law.” What this means is that if a jurisdiction requires a license to do something it will be available to all citizens of qualifying age and ability to consent. Period. It doesn’t allow any special “requirements”, or exclusions. It is clear. ALL citizens are guaranteed equal treatment under the law. Period. Godfigures do not trump the Constitution,…

By: Dacey

Dacey — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 02:32:23 +0000

Put philosophical issues aside and look at basic scientific facts. Religious people think atheists are the egotists because they believe ‘there’s nothing greater than them’ while theists (notably western religion) depict God as looking like humans and loving us SO much that He gave us His ONLY son, even though we’re not anywhere important, instead all the way on the outskirts of a galaxy, powered by a dwarf sun, living on a 4.5 billion year old planet that humans have only been on for a few hundred thousand. Oh yeah and forget anything discovered and proven by biology and astrophysics because apparently it’s all just Satan trying to sway you from the light. Makes a lot of sense right?!
Old habits die hard I guess.

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 22:11:51 +0000

Homosexuality is not against nature, it is quite common in social animals. It is no more unnatural than altruism is. Altruism can cost an individual the chance to pass on genes. Yet altruism is also quite common in a wide variety of species. Even suicide, which should be the ultimate no-no in nature, is observed in several species.

By: John

John — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 18:23:46 +0000

Brandon, In short, most atheists are not Kantians when it comes to ethics, but rather, the majority opinion seems to favor some sort of consequentialist ethics. That said, it is not at all clear that the categorical imperative suggests that homosexuality is immoral, and so even if many non-theists were believers in Kant’s version of ethics, that thus would not suggest in any way that one is obligated to oppose homosexuality.

By: Brandon

Brandon — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:34:21 +0000

Applying Kant’s imperative to homosexuality, we find that it is not moral, either by the act that it is against nature or by the second imperative. How then do athiests justify allowing and/or supporting homosexuality since it appears that most do?

By: Hans van den Bos

Hans van den Bos — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 13:50:00 +0000

You wrote:
The basic definition of Atheism is the theory or belief that God doesn’t exist.

First: Atheism is not a belief.
Second: It’s not only the christian god with a capital G, but also all those hundreds of other gods.

By: Kamisama

Kamisama — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 13:22:59 +0000

Two authors but written in first person singular? I liked the article but who wrote it? Are you like the trinity?