If you are an atheist, do you lack belief in anything supernatural?

1. 0

   Chasukposted 12 years ago

   Further, do you lack belief in anything paranormal? Do you consider the supernatural and the paranormal to be essentially the same thing?

   replyreport
   1. 61

      f_hruzposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Nature is to me the set of all forms of matter and energy in existence here in this universe or any other. No supernatural events are possible in my frame of reference.
      Paranormal events reside in the individual psychological  realm of a person, may influence their view of reality, but are not to be seen as having a supernatural source since all individual brain functions are limited local events.

      replyreport
   2. 58

      MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      And as a side question... If you are a Christian (or whatever) is it possible to NOT believe in supernatural and still qualify as a member of your faith?
      
      I personally don't believe the "miraculous" parts of the bible are anything but figurative.  I don't believe -for example- in a literal resurrection. Yet I believe fiercely in the messages that Jesus taught.  Does reasonable doubt concerning unsubstantiated and unreproducable supernatural events mean that I can't be a Christian?
      
      Just the flip side of the coin

      replyreport
      1. 64

         peanutroasterposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         If you believe in the holy ghosts, walking on water, giant floods etc - yes, you should be open to every sort of paranormal thing - water dowsing, hexes, voodoo dolls, Bermuda Triangle, Big Foot, haunted houses.  After all where do you draw the line?  The Christian Bible is full of all sorts of paranormal activity - ghosts, angles, burning bushes, faith healing etc.
         
         Personally I choose to say within the boundaries of reasonable explanation and science.

         replyreport
         1. 58

            MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            *Shrugs* I specifically said I didn't believe those events literally happened.  That doesn't mean that the stories surrounding them don't have some merit.  Lots of things in this world aren't literal but teach us lessons anyway.

            replyreport
            1. 64

               peanutroasterposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Grimm Bros. Fairy Tales were full of moral lessons.  So is Doonesbury. We don't have to believe in pigs who wear clothes to get the message of hard work.

               replyreport
   3. 0

      AKA Winstonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      As soon as there is objective, testable evidence for all of the above is when I will give them any consideration.  In the meantime, why bother?

      replyreport
   4. 0

      Sooner28posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There's an easy semantic game an atheist can play.  We have explainable events, and unexplainable events.  Whatever happens in the universe is "natural," whatever that word entails.  Time travel, teleportation, and the like could end up being part of the fabric of the universe and so would have to be considered natural.  If something is unexplainable, that's simply due to human ignorance, not the nature of the phenomena itself.
      
      History is replete with examples of this occurring.
      
      As to my personal feelings, I don't know.  I'll keep my mind open for the sake of being an honest truth seeker.

      replyreport
2. 61

   Druid Dudeposted 12 years ago

   Everything conforms to nature. Man, God...everything. I agree. There is nothing super-natural. There are only aspects of nature which aren't fully understood.

   replyreport
3. 61

   Druid Dudeposted 12 years ago

   I believe that what we consider paranormal falls into the supernatural. It simply doesn't exist. It is misperception. For instance, the phenomenon known as the Medicine Dream. Western knowledge has decided that it is an "Indian" thing, but what native americans call the Medicine Dream is not confined to their culture alone. It is a human experience with a long history worldwide. It is considered a paranormal experience...but it isn't. It happens because we are mankind.

   replyreport
4. 60

   knolyourselfposted 12 years ago

   ""Paranormal is a general term (coined ca. 1915–1920) that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation"". Half my life is paranormal so it must be pretty boring for those whose is not.

   replyreport
   1. 58

      MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I think that is an awesome working definition of paranormal...

      replyreport
      1. 61

         Druid Dudeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I was raised in and around the area where Rod Serling lived and taught. Believe you me...the Twilight Zone does exist.

         replyreport
         1. 61

            Druid Dudeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            My hometown was mentioned once in one of the early ones. Should have been a dead giveaway, You see, I have been conscious of how natural the 'supernatural' really is. Everything's normal folks, move along now! Give the blind people room to move! Man is supernatural. Look around. Is man NORMAL? Do we conform to the other natural life on earth? Do they drive around in cars, invent airplanes and rockets. We may be animals....but we aren't like them. We are supernatural.

            replyreport
            1. 57

               Mark Knowlesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               LAWL
               
               Is that the same as majik? Because we understand the internal combustion engine and electricity you know. Nothing super natural about electricity and combustion. Sorry Dude.

               replyreport
5. 61

   Druid Dudeposted 12 years ago

   Not in the context of our own understanding, but I'm sure if Moses could see what we've done, he'd fall on his knees, knowing he has seen the ELOHIM

   replyreport
   1. 57

      Mark Knowlesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah - we have moved on. Pretty sure Moses (if he existed) would have seen it as majik. SO what?

      replyreport