tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811245612519910855.post3639051306884927511..comments2023-10-30T07:38:49.968-04:00Comments on Or else, what?: Natty BohAlexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722157675784558619noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811245612519910855.post-58714737575760572662009-09-02T18:59:35.204-04:002009-09-02T18:59:35.204-04:00Well, yeah, people's blogs are generally a ter...Well, yeah, people's blogs are generally a terrible way to figure out why they're doing what they're doing. Bloggers lie all the time!<br /><br />Harris and Klebold aren't exemplary atheists. This morning, actually, I just listened to Skepticality, the 8/24/2009 episode on Columbine:<br />http://www.skepticality.com/p_listentopast.php<br />There are a lot of misconceptions spread by an overeager media. Eric Harris was very likely psychopathic, in the proper clinical sense of the word.<br /><br />Some atheists would die for others, and they do. What's important to people can mean more to them than their own lives, even if they believe that this life is all they have. Of course, there are very strong cultural pressures and instincts woven deeply into these beliefs.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03722157675784558619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811245612519910855.post-62135959016764977682009-09-02T08:03:00.037-04:002009-09-02T08:03:00.037-04:00hmmm. Interesting. That isn't what I would exp...hmmm. Interesting. That isn't what I would expect at all from reading their blogs, but okay. So then, 99.8% of atheists/agnostics are reasonable and non-violent people (or, that is, they don't use their beliefs to justify terrible actions like Harris & Klebold, for example.) Do you think that these nonbelievers would ever be willing to sacrifice their own lives for others, and if so, do you think that "cultural pressure towards altruism" would be primarily responsible?<br /><br />I'm really just very curious.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17986483712873196944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811245612519910855.post-52872848991059528502009-09-01T22:25:23.347-04:002009-09-01T22:25:23.347-04:00I don't think people are generally that ration...I don't think people are generally that rational, Matthew. Atheists don't need a good reason for altruism, they already have a lot of cultural pressure and deep psychological tendencies toward compassion, at least, in some ways.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03722157675784558619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811245612519910855.post-20923838516359657672009-09-01T17:53:06.617-04:002009-09-01T17:53:06.617-04:00What do you think motivates atheists to do hard th...What do you think motivates atheists to do hard things and sacrifice themselves to serve others? I see lots of atheists and agnostics, for example, doing international aid work in places like DRC or Somalia.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17986483712873196944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811245612519910855.post-66441546541516717172009-09-01T15:36:20.202-04:002009-09-01T15:36:20.202-04:00Ooh, the Golden Ratio! I forgot about that. Let...Ooh, the Golden Ratio! I forgot about that. Let's all melt our gold down and make a ratio and worship it at the base of Mt SinaiAlexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03722157675784558619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811245612519910855.post-75778967482557647272009-09-01T14:28:56.532-04:002009-09-01T14:28:56.532-04:00It's true. I don't want to worship beauty,...It's true. I don't want to worship beauty, order, the golden ratio, or anything else I find in nature.Timothy S. Milliganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04644033891188051976noreply@blogger.com