And only a few posts after Poirot’s valid point, Arjay comes in with a misconception that is hard to fathom considering how long he’s been posting here.

Theism and atheism are two parts of a true dichotomy - you are either a theist, or you are not.

<<Atheists are just as bad as theists.They think they all the answers.>>

So Arjay, do you mean to say that you're not a theist, and you're not not a theist (pardon the double negative)?

How does that make any sense?

<<Just face it,we really don't know...>>

No, we don’t. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t form a reasoned opinion based on what we do already know.

Try naming one other belief that could possibly be held without the slightest shred of evidence, for hundreds and hundreds of years, and yet still have some claim that, well, we can’t REALLY be sure one way or the other in regards to that claim?

There isn’t one, and yet - for no good reason - we afford religious belief this luxury.

It’s absurd!

<<If we knew for certain either way,life would lose it's edge.>>

What part of atheism says anything about certainty?

The more hope one has in life and personal security of its worthy purpose - the more productive one would be. Personal insecurity breeds hopelessness, a characteristic of much of modern Western youth. Atheism breeds insecurity about the purpose of life itself - it lacks a positive philosophy. It is based in the obsession of the negative.

AJ just espoused that atheist principle.

Poirot,
You state that atheism is “what is”; you stated as fact "There is no philosophical dogma attached...it is what it is".

Please define for me - what is philosophy? Philosophy has a set of paradigms that draw conclusions. Is the absence of a creator not a taught paradigm of atheism – Then it is part of atheistic dogma? Equally we are just what is by evolution from no purposeful cause or design, is part of atheistic dogma.

philo,
It's amazing how you attack atheism for the lost and disaffected youth of our society. Do tell,

what religion claims their values to be what our society is built on?
Which religious organisations are given open slather at our children to indoctrinate them through our school system?
What is the stated faith of the lower socio-economic groups from which these disaffected youth predominately come from?

Stop blaming others for your own failures. The church has systematically abused, used and ripped off it followers for 2000 years and now that it's flock is deserting it you look to blame others, what a laugh. If you are concerned that more and more people identify as atheist in the sensus then ask yourselves why. Atheists don't have lobby groups, churches, clergy and a fairytale to justify it's existence. As i said earlier it is not a religion stop trying to make it one. Being atheist is not to belong to a club but to be content within your own life. It is christians i have always found to be insecure, this is why they need to fight wars, oppress populations, brainwash children and accumulate large amounts of wealth for their god. Oh and ask their god for forgiveness every week because they can not take responsibility for their own actions.

nairbe,
Obviously you have no knowledge of what happens in Church. You may have attended Church but were not practising the teachings of Christ. I can proudly say the youth of my church are caring for their community in medicine, physiotherapy, School teaching, supporting programmes to overcom poverty and disease in overseas countries etc.

The youth in my street are into binge drinking, fast cars, noise annoyance at night, stirring up the police, sex orgies, and graffetti etc. They do not believe life has purpose or meaning - we are just here for what pleases us. They believe there is no accountability for life to any God. Observing them attending the recent election they do not give a stuff about Government.

Philo, you would be surprised at how many of them are the same 'youth'.