Another study wasting money stating the obvious?

[DodgyAgent]

That is only the case with recruitment agents.

Cheap shot.

[Old Greg]

Cheap shot.

I had to make it obvious so you'd get it.

[MyUserName]

Cheap shot.

Is that what you offer when it's your round?!?!?!

[NotAllThere]

Isn’t religion just a mechanism for posh parents to keep their state school exclusive to children that fit their preconceptions and social pretentions? Enforcing segregation of children. ...

No. Posh parents have their children privately educated.

Einstein said many things about God. However, all the evidence suggests he was an atheist, and when he referred to God, he was using metaphor or analogy.

When a believer honestly examines their faith one of two things happens.
1. Their faith is strengthened, as they find the evidence does support what they believe (albeit, perhaps with modifications).
2. They lose their faith, as they find the evidence does not support what they believed -they find the whole thing untenable.

Many people never examine their faith honestly - some are too scared to, some just don't feel the need. On the other hand, as is evident from this thread, many (not all) atheists have very little idea of the details of the faith they are rejecting. Some are too scared to, some just don't feel the need. It's not that surprising; if you've already decided that the notion of God is not for you, you've no motivation whatsoever to find out more about faith.

[Old Greg]

No. Posh parents have their children privately educated.

Einstein said many things about God. However, all the evidence suggests he was an atheist, and when he referred to God, he was using metaphor or analogy.

When a believer honestly examines their faith one of two things happens.
1. Their faith is strengthened, as they find the evidence does support what they believe (albeit, perhaps with modifications).
2. They lose their faith, as they find the evidence does not support what they believed -they find the whole thing untenable.

Many people never examine their faith honestly - some are too scared to, some just don't feel the need. On the other hand, as is evident from this thread, many (not all) atheists have very little idea of the details of the faith they are rejecting. Some are too scared to, some just don't feel the need. It's not that surprising; if you've already decided that the notion of God is not for you, you've no motivation whatsoever to find out more about faith.

Yes, from my atheist perspective, I see no reason at all to consider adopting any superstition, but I do find religion a fascinating phenomenon because of its historical and current cultural importance.

[xoggoth]

On the other hand, as is evident from this thread, many (not all) atheists have very little idea of the details of the faith they are rejecting

Hmmm, don't see any great logic or proofs or arguments from the religious here either. All you are doing is attacking and scorning others.

No idea of the stats but many, like me, were actually brought up in a faith. I know a lot of fellow ex Catholics. I got at least an hour of RE every school day for 13 years and I can spout loads of prayers and hymns in Latin. I twigged it for the nonsense it was at about 14 when we were taught Catholic apologetics, ie the "logic" and "proofs" or our religion. It made no sense whatever eg:

a) Everything we know came from something else, therefore the universe must have come from something, ie god. Actually, the more logical conclusion, such as it is, is that there was no beginning at all, just a series of changes going back forever. Given our limited perspective on time, it's also actually a meaningless extrapolation into unknown realms.

b) The things we see in nature are wonderful and far more complex than anything man can produce, therefore they must have been made by something infinitely greater, ie god. Problem with that argument is that transmutation and creation are entirely different things, you cannot argue from what is just simile. The first is something we all experience while the second, so far, is no more than a theoretical concept. If it is ever proved to be more than just imagination it will be those maligned atheist scientists who will do it.

Come on, somebody on CUK engage in some real argument!

[doodab]

Many people never examine their faith honestly - some are too scared to, some just don't feel the need. On the other hand, as is evident from this thread, many (not all) atheists have very little idea of the details of the faith they are rejecting. Some are too scared to, some just don't feel the need. It's not that surprising; if you've already decided that the notion of God is not for you, you've no motivation whatsoever to find out more about faith.

Personally I wouldn't characterise my atheism as a rejection of faith, but a faith in itself.

I suspect most religious types don't know very much about the alternative faiths they have rejected either. Has the average Christian studied Buddhism or Hindusim to any great degree?

[EternalOptimist]

No. Posh parents have their children privately educated.

Einstein said many things about God. However, all the evidence suggests he was an atheist, and when he referred to God, he was using metaphor or analogy.

When a believer honestly examines their faith one of two things happens.
1. Their faith is strengthened, as they find the evidence does support what they believe (albeit, perhaps with modifications).
2. They lose their faith, as they find the evidence does not support what they believed -they find the whole thing untenable.

Many people never examine their faith honestly - some are too scared to, some just don't feel the need. On the other hand, as is evident from this thread, many (not all) atheists have very little idea of the details of the faith they are rejecting. Some are too scared to, some just don't feel the need. It's not that surprising; if you've already decided that the notion of God is not for you, you've no motivation whatsoever to find out more about faith.

you are not describing religion here, you are describing confirmation bias.
This is a normal human condition that exists with , or without , religious belief

[mudskipper]

No. Posh parents have their children privately educated.

Einstein said many things about God. However, all the evidence suggests he was an atheist, and when he referred to God, he was using metaphor or analogy.

When a believer honestly examines their faith one of two things happens.
1. Their faith is strengthened, as they find the evidence does support what they believe (albeit, perhaps with modifications).
2. They lose their faith, as they find the evidence does not support what they believed -they find the whole thing untenable.

Many people never examine their faith honestly - some are too scared to, some just don't feel the need. On the other hand, as is evident from this thread, many (not all) atheists have very little idea of the details of the faith they are rejecting. Some are too scared to, some just don't feel the need. It's not that surprising; if you've already decided that the notion of God is not for you, you've no motivation whatsoever to find out more about faith.

So if the Christian God is the real god...

What happens to those who had faith, who accepted Jesus as their saviour and meant it, but then lost their faith?

Do they get a place in heaven?

(Hedging my bets here )

[Old Greg]

So if the Christian God is the real god...

What happens to those who had faith, who accepted Jesus as their saviour and meant it, but then lost their faith?

Do they get a place in heaven?

(Hedging my bets here )

No.