Reply #84: Boy, ya got that right. [View All]

[PurityOfEssence]

I presume by "no belief" you mean no assumption of some supernatural whoseywhatzit, rather than amorality. That IS what you meant, right?

If so, I completely agree. So very many people simply are on permanent "tilt" if they think there's no big overseer keeping them in line, and are in frozen dread at the concept of morality and non-specialness. Not only do atheism and agnosticism not preclude ethical behavior, they actually promote it more than most supernatural belief systems. Those who sign on to a religious belief often simply buy it off the rack, without thinking why certain behavior is right or wrong. Inquisitiveness is sheer terror for many, and they have a student's mentality about life: follow the rules, get patted on the head, and everyone good will love you and the rest of your existence will be the bland and automatic bliss and approval that they crave in their quest to never have to think or decide again.

There's a reason why people get so violent when their beliefs are questioned: they're ridiculous, and don't bear even the most cursory scrutiny; questioning them must be quashed immediately. It also explains a lot of evangelism: they believe in such silly things that they have to get others to agree with them to help still the nagging whisper within that it's all ridiculous and that we're all going to die, period.