Biff the unclean

No, I answered your questionaire. That's an honest appraisal.

Astreja

1) What is your faith?

A combination of agnosticism, pantheism, Buddhism, and Asatru.

2) What are its basic principles?

Personal strength, truthfulness, honour, and taking responsibility for my own actions.

3) Do you believe in God?

I believe that gods are possible, but I see no evidence of an all-powerful universe-creating being with human personality traits.

4) What is God to you?

All the gods in my pantheon have different traits which I use as archetypes for my own behaviour. No concept of a god as described in 3) above.

My primary acquaintances are Odin (poetry, magic, knowledge), Freyja (sensuality, material things, magic, pussycats), Shiva and Kali (destroying the old to make way for the new), Athena (wisdom, skill in battle), and Guan Shi Yin (unconditional compassion).

5) Why do you believe God exists or doesn’t exist?

My personal motto: "All things are possible but some things are more likely than others."

Because life tends to evolve into more complex forms given the passage of time, I consider it entirely possible that there's a multitude of slightly more advanced beings whom we would see as small-g gods. The concept of some supremely powerful being doesn't make sense to me at all. Where would such a being come from, and why would it bother creating a universe, a world, sentient beings? (shrugs)

I think that we will eventually become gods ourselves, and that this is the natural progression of things.

6) What do the following words mean to you: spirit, soul, and ego?

Spirit and soul are the same word in my worldview, and represent the non-rational part of our conscious and unconscious minds. I doubt very much that this part of our mind survives as a separate 'being' after the death of the body.

Ego is the I-sense which overlays our conscious minds as a result of subject-object relations.

7) According to you, do the aforementionned words relate to God?

No.

8) What do you think has to be personally done in order to feel closer to God?

Either a god is there or it isn't. If you feel something is lacking in your life and go looking for it, you'll probably find something. Whether or not it's a god, well, that remains to be seen.

9) Do you think that God may disapprove of some things we do?

I don't care. I am what I am.

10) Why do you think it may be so?

I don't.

11) Why do you think people believe in God?

Because they're scared of the dark and scared of uncertainty. They want to live their lives in black-and-white rather than daring to hover in the grey zone.

12) Why do you think some people don’t believe in God?

Because they see no evidence.

13) What evidence do you see that proves God’s existence?

None so far. I do see a lot of people attributing all good things to a god and all bad things to either their own weaknesses or to some demonic creature or to the classic all-purpose excuse "God's will." This inconsistency makes it very difficult to take their claims seriously.

14) Does your conception of God include notions such as heaven and hell?

No. Eternal life is a nonsense concept to me.

15) In this case, what is their link with God?

Not relevant, as I don't think either they or the all-powerful God exist.

16) What is your view on death?

We die and our molecules eventually become part of something else that may or may not be sentient.

17) According to you, what happens after death?

Nothing in particular.

18) What is your personal definition of life?

Doing things and feeling things.

19) Is there something I forgot to ask you and that you would like to talk about? Feel free to discuss anything here.

I think we should just get on with our lives and do our best to help one another, rather than following primitive rulebooks and agonizing about a mythical tomorrow that may never come.

FarmMama

Hello Namaste and welcome to IIDB. I love surveys

I'm assuming you mean 'religious' faith. I don't have one.


*n/a

Of the numerous varieties presented to me so far, no.

A make believe entity along the lines of The Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, etc.

No evidence of any god(s) existence has been provided to me, therefore there are no such entity(s).

Spirit: 1 : an animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms
2 : a supernatural being or essence: as a capitalized : HOLY SPIRIT b : SOUL 2a c : an often malevolent being that is bodiless but can become visible; specifically : GHOST 2 d : a malevolent being that enters and possesses a human being
3 : temper or disposition of mind or outlook especially when vigorous or animated <in high spirits>
4 : the immaterial intelligent or sentient part of a person
5 a : the activating or essential principle influencing a person <acted in a spirit of helpfulness> b : an inclination, impulse, or tendency of a specified kind : MOOD
6 a : a special attitude or frame of mind <the money-making spirit was for a time driven back -- J. A. Froude> b : the feeling, quality, or disposition characterizing something <undertaken in a spirit of fun>
7 : a lively or brisk quality in a person or a person's actions
8 : a person having a character or disposition of a specified nature
9 : a mental disposition characterized by firmness or assertiveness <denied the charge with spirit>
10 a : DISTILLATE 1: as (1) : the liquid containing ethyl alcohol and water that is distilled from an alcoholic liquid or mash -- often used in plural (2) : any of various volatile liquids obtained by distillation or cracking (as of petroleum, shale, or wood) -- often used in plural b : a usually volatile organic solvent (as an alcohol, ester, or hydrocarbon)
11 a : prevailing tone or tendency <spirit of the age> b : general intent or real meaning <spirit of the law>
12 : an alcoholic solution of a volatile substance <spirit of camphor>
13 : enthusiastic loyalty <school spirit>
14 capitalized, Christian Science : GOD 1b

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/spirit

Lot's of different definitions. Probably the closest meaning for me would be #7 as I use the word, which I don't that often.

Soul: 1 : the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life
2 a : the spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the universe b capitalized, Christian Science : GOD 1b
3 : a person's total self
4 a : an active or essential part b : a moving spirit : LEADER
5 a : the moral and emotional nature of human beings b : the quality that arouses emotion and sentiment c : spiritual or moral force : FERVOR
6 : PERSON
7 : EXEMPLIFICATION, PERSONIFICATION <she is the soul of integrity>
8 a : a strong positive feeling (as of intense sensitivity and emotional fervor) conveyed especially by black American performers b : NEGRITUDE c : SOUL MUSIC d : SOUL FOOD e : SOUL BROTHER

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/soul

Also lots of meanings. I don't really use the word as it attempts to describe something which in my opinion can't be described as it can't be observed.

Ego: 1 : the self especially as contrasted with another self or the world
2 a : EGOTISM 2 b : SELF-ESTEEM 1
3 : the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that serves as the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality especially by functioning both in the perception of and adaptation to reality -- compare ID, SUPEREGO
- ego·less adjective

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/ego

This seems accurate and is how I use the word as defined.

No

*n/a

*n/a

*n/a

1)Emotional comfort
2)Need for a "father" figure in their life
3)Absolution from critcal thinking
4)Absolution from taking personal responsibility for themselves
5)Fear
6)Wishful thinking
7)The promise of "eternal life" and "heaven"
8)Conditioning from birth
9)Mental illness
10)Conforming in order to fit in

to list but a few off the top of my head.

There isn't any evidence for god(s). I can only speak for myself.

There is none.

*n/a

*n/a

Quite simple, I stop breathing.

I'm cremated and my ashes are spread under one of our pine trees.

Life (n) The property or quality that distinguishes living organisms from dead organisms and inanimate matter, manifested in functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli or adaptation to the environment originating from within the organism.

Stolen from here: http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.p...25#post2883525


I don't know, is there?

*n/a = not applicable

Buffman

Accurate, verified, facts.

"What are the facts? Again and again and again - what are the facts? Shun wishful thinking, ignore divine revelation, forget what 'the stars foretell,' avoid opinion, care not what the neighbors think, never mind the unguessable 'verdict of history' - what are the facts, and to how many decimal places? You pilot always into an unknown future; facts are your only clue. Get the facts!"- Lazarus Long
(Robert Heinlein..."Time Enough for Love")

Define "God."

Superstitious mumbo-jumbo institutionalized into a money and power making business fraud.

(Without a definition of this God, I can not provide a meaningful answer.) However, to those who insist that one, or more, exist, I request that they provide verifiable evidence for their allegation. None, since the first recorded allegation of a supernatural entity, has ever provided any verifiable evidence of their claims....and all claimed evidence has been proven to be no more than faith beliefs rather than factually accurate proof.

Nothing out of context and lacking agreed definitions.

Without definitions and context, I can not answer.

Rid the human mind of cognitive dissonance and replace it with the most accurate knowledge available...fully recognizing that new verified evidence can change everything. The supernatural/paranormal is a creation of the human mind to satisfy curiosity and overcome fear of the unknown....without any recourse to change. It is the philosophical death of critical reasoning.

(This question anthropomorphizes this "God." WHY?)

Without a clear, agreed, definition of the word "God/god/g-d," this question serves little purpose to any non-presuppositional human mind.

Curiosity allied with a fear of randomness...bolstered by ignorance...and an initial, hereditary, survival drive.

They got the most accurate facts and grew up (mentally matured).

None yet...after thousands of years of very intense searching.

No! I am too old to respond to the make-believe rewards and threats used for childhood discipline conditioning.

Books of myths. (Cerberus told me and Charon confirmed it...and we all know that the ancient poets would never lie.)

The perfectly normal and fully expected end of life...of the I/Me.

I don't know. (I will ask Jesus and Houdini.) However, IMHO, my physical body returns to the stardust from whence it came and my self-awareness ceases to exist without a home to nurture and protect it.

I use the biological definition. http://www.answers.com/life&r=67

How much formal education have you had in the Natural Sciences...especially the biological disciplines?

I have attempted to treat your questions seriously even though I found them full of conditioned bias. That is not intended as an indictment of your motives or personal beliefs, but rather an indication that every one of them have been asked and answered in these forums many, many, many times before...ad nauseam. I hope that others will provide you with greater in-depth wisdom than time and interest have provided me. When your book is finished, please advise us. I have always enjoyed good fiction. :rolling:

Splarnst

1) What is your faith?
I have no religious faith.

2) What are its basic principles?
n/a

3) Do you believe in God?
No, I don't believe in any supernatural beings.

4) What is God to you?
One type of supernatural being.

5) Why do you believe God exists or doesn’t exist?
Lack of evidence. The Problem of Evil.

6) What do the following words mean to you: spirit, soul, and ego?
Nothing distinct from the dictionary definitions.

7) According to you, do the aforementionned words relate to God?
Other people use them in that manner. Not applicable to me.

8) What do you think has to be personally done in order to feel closer to God?
n/a

9) Do you think that God may disapprove of some things we do?
n/a

10) Why do you think it may be so?
n/a

11) Why do you think people believe in God?
Fear, tradition, indoctrination, conformity, comfort, moral guidance, greed, laziness, lust, philosophical arguments, personal experience.

12) Why do you think some people don’t believe in God?
Lack of evidence, philosophical arguments, fear, conformity, greed, laziness, lust, personal experience.

13) What evidence do you see that proves God’s existence?
n/a

14) Does your conception of God include notions such as heaven and hell?
n/a

15) In this case, what is their link with God?
n/a

16) What is your view on death?
That's when you die. What else is there to say?

17) According to you, what happens after death?
You probably stay dead forever.

18) What is your personal definition of life?
That's when you live. What else is there to say?

19) Is there something I forgot to ask you and that you would like to talk about? Feel free to discuss anything here.
Um, go Jaguars? No, really, there's nothing else to say.

Straight A

1) What is your faith?

none.


2) What are its basic principles?

none.


3) Do you believe in God?

no.


4) What is God to you?

A fable.


5) Why do you believe God exists or doesn’t exist?.

A lack of reason.


6) What do the following words mean to you: spirit, soul, and ego?

Spirit = nonsense, soul = nonsense, ego = personal identity / worth.


7) According to you, do the aforementionned words relate to God?

no.


8) What do you think has to be personally done in order to feel closer to God?

This question has no practical significance to me.


9) Do you think that God may disapprove of some things we do?

This question has no practical significance to me.


10) Why do you think it may be so?

This question has no practical significance to me.


11) Why do you think people believe in God?

Parental and social programming perhaps driven by an innate need to conform and search for meaning. (???) Self preservation overpowering reasonable thought.


12) Why do you think some people don’t believe in God?

Lack of parental and social programming, higher reasoning function. (???)


13) What evidence do you see that proves God’s existence?

None.


14) Does your conception of God include notions such as heaven and hell?

This question has no practical significance to me.


15) In this case, what is their link with God?

This question has no practical significance to me.


16) What is your view on death?

An end to life, lacking in mystery.


17) According to you, what happens after death?

A loss of consciousness, organ failure, decomposition.


18) What is your personal definition of life?

Consciousness.


19) Is there something I forgot to ask you and that you would like to talk about? Feel free to discuss anything here.

Q: Are you happy.


Let's hope that you won't think I want to convert you!

AV-98 Ingram

Because I've never met anyone who has ever defined god in the way you have. That's including Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Wiccans, etc.

How does God not have anything to do with religion?

How so? Because I've never heard anyone have such definitions of god?

AV-98 Ingram

1) What is your faith?

None.

2) What are its basic principles?

None.

3) Do you believe in God?

Nope.

4) What is God to you?

A figment of the imagination of humans.

5) Why do you believe God exists or doesn’t exist?

I don't believe because there is no evidence for its existence.

6) What do the following words mean to you: spirit, soul, and ego?

The notions of spirit and soul have no meaning to me. For ego I'd say the dictionary definition sums it up.

7) According to you, do the aforementionned words relate to God?

No clue. I don't believe in a god.

8) What do you think has to be personally done in order to feel closer to God?

How can one get closer to a fictious being?

9) Do you think that God may disapprove of some things we do?

How can a fictious being disapprove of what we do?

10) Why do you think it may be so?

I don't.

11) Why do you think people believe in God?

Emotional comfort mostly, though many only believe because that's how they were brought up and because everyone around them does.

12) Why do you think some people don’t believe in God?

Because there's no reason to believe.

13) What evidence do you see that proves God’s existence?

There is none.

14) Does your conception of God include notions such as heaven and hell?

I don't have any conception of god, so no.

15) In this case, what is their link with God?

Don't know as I don't have any conception of a god.

16) What is your view on death?

It's the point you stop living.

17) According to you, what happens after death?

Rot in the ground.

18) What is your personal definition of life?

1 a : the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body b : a principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive quality of animate beings -- compare VITALISM 1 c : an organismic state characterized by capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction

19) Is there something I forgot to ask you and that you would like to talk about? Feel free to discuss anything here.

Nope.

Splarnst

Quickly browsing through the responses, why does it seem I'm the only atheist who thinks that atheists might have less than perfectly noble reasons for disbelieving?

AV-98 Ingram

What would be a noble reason? Without knowing what I noble reason would be I can't really say. Though I will say, not to be rude to you, but I could really care less if my reason for disbelieving isn't considered "noble".