*raises hand* Not really atheist so much as agnostic... If I'd register as anything, though, it'd be Unitarian Universalist, which is kinda like the Christian ACLU, heavily influenced by Lebowski-ism, because "That's, like, just your opinion, man."

Personally, I believe that *if* there is a God, he touched off the Big Bang, and has been watching us since, with the occasional utterance of "Verrry interesting" (possibly with a slight Prussian accent (and probably the occasional expletive)).

With regards to anyone serving who is atheist, I don't think it's necessary to believe in God to believe in serving the greater good of the protection of the nation and it's people.  For instance, if the first Gulf War had lasted longer than my graduating from high school, I had planned on enlisting (my ASVAB scores had both the Navy Nuclear program and the Marines very interested in me).



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I am pretty atheist. Some of my good friends are also atheists and serve in the military. I think the rationale is the same rather atheist or not to serve your country/people.

If you believe the people you know and the life you have lead is worth saving. Then it makes sense to man the line to protect such a thing. Even if you believe this one life is the only shot you believe you have. Plus you get to shoot big guns/fly helicopters/blow stuff up.

There is honestly not much difference between being an atheist and being a theist. Our overall morals tend to be handed down by the society we live in and not our religion. So the difference between a theist and an atheist living in the same culture likely have very similar moral compasses.

There are also multiple kinds of atheists.  There are some that just never really got  involved with religion and just sort of drifted that way by default,  others that might be ultra logical and scientific and can't have faith without hard empirical evidence,  or reactionary atheists that went that way after bad experiences with religion in the past or to piss off their ultra religious parents.

*raises hand* Not really atheist so much as agnostic... If I'd register as anything, though, it'd be Unitarian Universalist, which is kinda like the Christian ACLU, heavily influenced by Lebowski-ism, because "That's, like, just your opinion, man."

Personally, I believe that *if* there is a God, he touched off the Big Bang, and has been watching us since, with the occasional utterance of "Verrry interesting" (possibly with a slight Prussian accent (and probably the occasional expletive)).With regards to anyone serving who is atheist, I don't think it's necessary to believe in God to believe in serving the greater good of the protection of the nation and it's people.  For instance, if the first Gulf War had lasted longer than my graduating from high school, I had planned on enlisting (my ASVAB scores had both the Navy Nuclear program and the Marines very interested in me).



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The bold excerpt above would place you with Thomas Jefferson as a "deist," one believing in a creator of it all, who watches but does not intervene.

I am a self-acknowledged evangelical Christian, although on the very modest side of being evangelical.   I have had avowed atheists, knowing some of my views on faith, ask me to pray for them in moments of great personal challenge or loss.  Not sure what that says about their atheism, but I am always glad to accept the offer and never use their moments of anxiety to attempt to change them.   Matters of faith, on whatever level or on no level, are personal for them to work out as makes sense to them. 

if you lacked a belief system that allowed for any chance of a here after or resurrection why would you willingly volunteer for a profession (even in the reserves) that put you at risk for ending your one and only shot at existence?

To make the world a better, safer place for others.  Simple as that. 

*nods* When any of my friends ask for prayers, my response is "Warm'n'fuzzies inbound," or something to that effect.

As well, most atheists come to their conclusions not by their beliefs in science and philosophy, but more for the psychological scars caused by the undercurrent of actions and judgments levied onto them or their loved ones by people who only pay lip-service to the churches they once belonged to. 

My dear friend, Steven Hildreth Jr., went heavily into atheism because of the attitudes and actions of his mother and the reactions of others in his faith group toward things he held dear to his heart and mind.  Of late, he has come to the realization that his problem was not with the preaching of the Word, but to those who twist those words in order to congregate like clucking hens seated upon horses of extraordinary height.

I don't wanna be a jerk, but your comments caught me wrong.  Hopefully I can express my thoughts in a way the encourages consideration of other view points and helps us all engage in pessimistic induction with regard to our belief systems when considering those of others.

First, I would say using the example of your friend to infer anything about atheism is an example of base rate neglect.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_rate_fallacy

Second, I would suggest it appeals to you because it helps you confront the serious cognitive dissonance that any thinking religious person encounters.  I think this is an example oc confirmation bias at work.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias

I am not gonna presume to know what leads people to any system of belief.  I am not an atheist either.

I do think your statements are well intended.  But I think your assumptions are wrong.  And potentially hurtful and most likely unintentionally as hypocritical as the very clucking hens you reference.  That is the beauty of hypocrisy, we can't see it.

All good.  And glad you were able to see my point in the spirit I intended.  I knew you well enough to know I had to taking your point too hard.

Wasn't there a thread about how we are supposed to be mean to each other?

As far as atheists joining the military and taking on a profession that is dangerous, it is only a question as to "why" for religious folk. Love of country spans all beliefs, creeds, races...and the GI Bill knows none of the aforementioned.

I only have issues with the extremes of both. Atheists who think that any religious reference anywhere is bad and the religious who think the lack of reference to god anywhere is bad. I don't care from where your beliefs come, just don't try and shove them down my throat.

I am not a religious man, but I believe that the Ten Commandments are good rules to live by. I don't want forced prayer in public schools, but I don't mind "under God" in the Pledge. I believe "so help me God" is not a admission of belief, but more a phrase that means you promise to be honest. I won't swear upon a Bible, but that does not mean that my oath or promise is any less real.

Because there are more religious people in the world than not, I have known more people who are willing to betray their "beliefs" who claim to be religious than those who are not. Just a thought.

I am an atheist simply because I see no reliable evidence for any of the various gods people worship.  I don't think about it much anymore but, when I do, the existence of a God seems too important a question to be decided on hearsay.

Umm...
I don't put "labels" on Religion.  Then again to ME atheism is a religion. I prefer to  be spiritual. And this comes way before I took my last drink in '84 and doing the 12 steps...

I apprenticed under Othrodox Jews, while being raised a Baptist, and back then, I hung out with all sorts of Religions, from Catholic [the bestest fish on a Fri night] to having to tell this Catholic Father the Episcopalians had better wine, to ...
Hell, I would later discover since the booze did not work, it was not the title, instead the spiritually.

It don't don't make a damn when it comes to doing the right thing, military or otherwise. Warriors end up in Vahilla.
Period.

 

Well posted and shared.
We agree, I accept the definitions you posted.

Aside,  I had the bestest good looking  young honey, a Mormon,  for a lab partner in College. She could flat out run a Gov't Model of 1911. She young, me old, we liked Gov't models of 1911's

She: The Gov't model of 1911 is a belief unto itself.

Who in the heck am I, to argue with a Mormon?  *grins*