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What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Believing in God

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Re: What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Believing in God

#11

Post by penetrarthur »

lorriman wrote: post #5

A great deal of speculation in that article. Sounds more like psycotherapy ideas than real psychology/neuroscience. Meanwhile, let's look at the (paraphrased) claims: "Science is not compatible with religion." Yet the Big Bang theory was invented by a physicist who went on to become a Catholic priest, George Lemaitre. And the father of modern genetics is not Darwin but a catholic monk, Gregor Mendel. hmmm. Both had g…

My best argument is that there is no point to discuss any of it. All the people you discuss are irrelevant.

Re: What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Believing in God

#12

Post by cannonedhamster »

lorriman wrote: post #5

A great deal of speculation in that article. Sounds more like psycotherapy ideas than real psychology/neuroscience. Meanwhile, let's look at the (paraphrased) claims: "Science is not compatible with religion." Yet the Big Bang theory was invented by a physicist who went on to become a Catholic priest, George Lemaitre. And the father of modern genetics is not Darwin but a catholic monk, Gregor Mendel. hmmm. Both had g…

Your post is full of strawmen and logical fallacies. You cherry pick statements in order to make your own position sound more rational. You lump Christianity into one big group and then ignore the anti-science crusade currently going on by most of Christianity. You dislike definitions so you make up new ones and claim that are better because only then can you claim that they are silly. Every single part of your post shows you didn't understand or possibly read much of the article. The article at hand didn't say religion is silly, it didn't say it was wrong. The article simply described that more people in the United States are losing faith and that it's a gradual process where faith gets replaced by the brain by some other thing whether that be sports, science, or some other thing it didn't matter. I'm sure you're a wonderful person, but your arguments only sound clever if you make up arguments or you already fervently believe solely in Christianity.

Re: What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Believing in God

#13

Post by cannonedhamster »

dangerface wrote: post #10

This is a trash article, it doesn't talk about how your brain changes when you stop believing its just a bunch of personal opinion. > Religion works exactly like a drug—like cocaine, or methamphetamine No it does not, the chemical reactions in your brain are not like taking meth. I see this constantly its like they think their audience are just a bunch of druggies and to make something relatable they have to say "its…

Yeah the article really didn't have much interesting science in it. It was a lot of presumption and story but nothing really other than a poll to back things up. Anecdata isn't strong evidence at all.

Re: What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Believing in God

#14

Post by lorriman »

Starwatcher2001 wrote: post #8
lorriman wrote: post #5

A great deal of speculation in that article. Sounds more like psycotherapy ideas than real psychology/neuroscience. Meanwhile, let's look at the (paraphrased) claims: "Science is not compatible with religion." Yet the Big Bang theory was invented by a physicist who went on to become a Catholic priest, George Lemaitre. And the father of modern genetics is not Darwin but a catholic monk, Gregor Mendel. hmmm. Both had g…

"But here's the kicker: an atheist beleives that there is no god" Nope. A-theist simply means someone who lacks theism. I don't posit that there is no god, I simply don't believe there is any evidence or reason for me to believe in one. The burden of proof is yours my friend. "What's your best atheist argument?" I don't need one any more than I need a "best argument" against the existence of pixies. The default posit…

"Nope. A-theist simply means someone who lacks theism."

Actually it was coined by theists without a strict reference to the greek and was defined as "To Deny the gods/God".

Lately, the OED modified the definition to "To Deny or disbelieve in the gods/God", which is actually quite a radical change and has thoroughly muddied the waters of discourse.

But really, think about it: if atheists are going to call religious persons deluded, or even think it, as they consistently do then they are true believers.

Also let's break it down (especially to counter the confused nonsense that is the wikipedia article on the definition of atheist):

Either you:

1)believe there is a god 2)beleive there isn't a god 3)have no belief either way.

Now, we need a word for the 2nd. What is it to be if it isn't 'atheist', as you are claiming. And why should it not be 'atheist' when that was its original meaning? And that's what most non-atheists think it means. And by that definition it only has one meaning, which is seriously helpful in debate.

We should also ask, why are atheists telling us they merely lack belief when they walk and talk like they genuinely believe there is no god, even to callign religious instruciton child abuse (Dawkins). And why are they insisting on redefining 'atheist'?

Is it perhaps because the more educated atheists know their position and belief isn't provable, and so such a belief would be rightly called out as irrational? After all, beleiving in the unproven is not reaosnable. Belief means certainty, and you can't be certian without proof.

Re: What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Believing in God

#15

Post by lorriman »

cannonedhamster wrote: post #12
lorriman wrote: post #5

A great deal of speculation in that article. Sounds more like psycotherapy ideas than real psychology/neuroscience. Meanwhile, let's look at the (paraphrased) claims: "Science is not compatible with religion." Yet the Big Bang theory was invented by a physicist who went on to become a Catholic priest, George Lemaitre. And the father of modern genetics is not Darwin but a catholic monk, Gregor Mendel. hmmm. Both had g…

Your post is full of strawmen and logical fallacies. You cherry pick statements in order to make your own position sound more rational. You lump Christianity into one big group and then ignore the anti-science crusade currently going on by most of Christianity. You dislike definitions so you make up new ones and claim that are better because only then can you claim that they are silly. Every single part of your post…

cannoneshamster: "Your post is full of strawmen and logical fallacies."

You've made a lot of assertions about my 'logical fallacies' without any reasoned demonstration.

How am I meant to argue with that?

Meanwhile, what's your best atheist argument?

Re: What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Believing in God

#16

Post by bill_mon »

lorriman wrote: post #15
cannonedhamster wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your post is full of strawmen and logical fallacies. You cherry pick statements in order to make your own position sound more rational. You lump Christianity into one big group and then ignore the anti-science crusade currently going on by most of Christianity. You dislike definitions so you make up new ones and claim that are better because only then can you claim that they are silly. Every single part of your post…

cannoneshamster: "Your post is full of strawmen and logical fallacies." You've made a lot of assertions about my 'logical fallacies' without any reasoned demonstration. How am I meant to argue with that? Meanwhile, what's your best atheist argument?

You answer "Science is not compatible with religion." by mentioning religious scientists. We all know such exist, that's not the point.

You're not being thorough with your reasoning.

Re: What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Believing in God

#17

Post by me_me_me »

lorriman wrote: post #15
cannonedhamster wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your post is full of strawmen and logical fallacies. You cherry pick statements in order to make your own position sound more rational. You lump Christianity into one big group and then ignore the anti-science crusade currently going on by most of Christianity. You dislike definitions so you make up new ones and claim that are better because only then can you claim that they are silly. Every single part of your post…

cannoneshamster: "Your post is full of strawmen and logical fallacies." You've made a lot of assertions about my 'logical fallacies' without any reasoned demonstration. How am I meant to argue with that? Meanwhile, what's your best atheist argument?

>> Meanwhile, what's your best atheist argument?

Maybe rephrasing this whole think will help you see this whole argument from different side.

Say you have a friend that claims they have and invisible imaginary friend.

They have to prove that this imaginary friend exist. Its crazy to think I would have to disprove that existence of imaginary friend.

Re: What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Believing in God

#18

Post by me_me_me »

lorriman wrote: post #14
Starwatcher2001 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"But here's the kicker: an atheist beleives that there is no god" Nope. A-theist simply means someone who lacks theism. I don't posit that there is no god, I simply don't believe there is any evidence or reason for me to believe in one. The burden of proof is yours my friend. "What's your best atheist argument?" I don't need one any more than I need a "best argument" against the existence of pixies. The default posit…

"Nope. A-theist simply means someone who lacks theism." Actually it was coined by theists without a strict reference to the greek and was defined as "To Deny the gods/God". Lately, the OED modified the definition to "To Deny or disbelieve in the gods/God", which is actually quite a radical change and has thoroughly muddied the waters of discourse. But really, think about it: if atheists are going to call religious pe…

>>We should also ask, why are atheists telling us they merely lack belief when they walk and talk like they genuinely believe there is no god, even to callign religious instruciton child abuse (Dawkins). And why are they insisting on redefining 'atheist'?

Is there a god? Myabe yes, maybe no. There is no way to tell. Is there a christian god, absolutely not (same with any other religion claiming their god is the one).

I think that's the nuanced position of Dawkins that gets lumped into a bag of atheism.

Re: What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Believing in God

#19

Post by lorriman »

me_me_me wrote: post #17
lorriman wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

cannoneshamster: "Your post is full of strawmen and logical fallacies." You've made a lot of assertions about my 'logical fallacies' without any reasoned demonstration. How am I meant to argue with that? Meanwhile, what's your best atheist argument?

>> Meanwhile, what's your best atheist argument? Maybe rephrasing this whole think will help you see this whole argument from different side. Say you have a friend that claims they have and invisible imaginary friend. They have to prove that this imaginary friend exist. Its crazy to think I would have to disprove that existence of imaginary friend.

You mean you suppose it to be imaginary.

The example isn't the same as religious claims. Firstly because all religious people claim that the 'invisible' friend will talk back if you make the effort to make contact (with few exceptions, but some are: the arrogant, the idly curious, those who wouldn't change their lives even if they knew).

And unlike fairies at the bottom of the garden, a supreme being has by definition the power to prove its own existence to the individual. Nothing else does. Think about it, you can't even prove your own sanity to yourself, or that anything around you exists. Even science can't deal with that one.

So sure, I can't prove a god's existence to you but I could witness to my own contact with one. Depending on your evaluation of me as a person of integrity and sensibleness, you may be encouraged to make contact. But to dismiss a person as not sensible because of such a claim is clearly fallacy. First you would need to prove it can't be true.

Re: What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Believing in God

#20

Post by lorriman »

bill_mon wrote: post #16
lorriman wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

cannoneshamster: "Your post is full of strawmen and logical fallacies." You've made a lot of assertions about my 'logical fallacies' without any reasoned demonstration. How am I meant to argue with that? Meanwhile, what's your best atheist argument?

You answer "Science is not compatible with religion." by mentioning religious scientists. We all know such exist, that's not the point. You're not being thorough with your reasoning.

Yet I spelled out that much of Christianity (at least; if not other religions) have no issue with the fundamental scientific claims that are said to disprove religious claims.

That the Big Bang, 14 billion years, and evolution are all the product of famous scientist Christians was just the icing on the cake.

The fact is that science does not in any way disprove the existence of a god.

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