Why I don't believe in gods (X-post from R/T)

[Goblinmonger]

There are some in here that don't go to R/T, so thought I'd cross-post here:

A. There is absolutely no evidence for one.
B. There is not need for one to explain anything. Let me explain through events yesterday that spurred this OP:

My daughter was in a car accident yesterday. She went about 40 miles away to an apple orchard and then was going to visit a nearby "gravity hill" (the perspective of the surroundings makes it seem like your car is rolling uphill). She was stopped on the highway to turn left and the driver in a car coming up behind her was not paying attention and hit my daughter's car at approximately 55mph. Her and her boyfriend were pushed about 100 yds. The car is totaled (OK, I don't have the "official" call on that yet, but it's totaled). Luckily, she is not dead. She is in a neck collar and needs to go to the neurologist tomorrow because there is some spacing between C4 & C5 and they need to make sure it is just a ligament sprain (no fractures on the CT). It was just a random string of random events that caused everything (OK, the guy not paying attention caused the accident but you know what I mean). Had my daughter not decided to be nice and stop in a long line to get her brother a caramel apple, she would never have been at the road at the same time as Mr. Inattentive. Had she turned her wheels to the left while she was stopped waiting for oncoming traffic, she would have pushed into that oncoming traffic. She had about 7 pumpkins in her trunk and had her back seats open to the trunk because she got some corn stalks, too. Had she not been a serious violin player, she would not have had the sturdy, metal music stand in her trunk that is mangled and likely stopped those 7 pumpkins from flying to the front of the car to do more damage to her and her boyfriend. If she had not been in a car that we purchased because of safety rating (to some extent), it is likely the very large pickup truck that hit her would have done more damage to her car and, relatedly, her. Sorry for rambling (this happened yesterday at 4 pm--I did not get to sleep until about 1:30 am and when I went to get her her favorite egg bagel sandwich this morning at Big Apple Bagels, I had to pull over and cried for about 10 minutes for the first time since the protection instinct kicked in) but it feels good to pour this out on the computer.

In short, neither her getting in the accident or surviving it needs a god to explain it. A whole bunch of circumstances came together to make it happen and to not make it worse for her health. To me, right now, it seems like a pretty good analogy for life. (And for those of you that file me in the evil atheist or asshole atheist in your head, when we were talking to our neighbors about it this morning and they said they would pray for my daughter tonight, I said "Thank you.")

[yellerpup]

1. So sorry that string of events ended with an injury to

your daughter. Best wishes for her complete recovery and an end of worry for you. :hug:

[PassingFair]

2. Your family is truly blessed.

Or...you/they were good people in a previous life.]

Or...Gawd has a bigger purpose for them.

Or...shit happens.



Atheism is about seeking knowledge and accepting reality.

I am having a really hard time right now living in
the faith-based dreamworld, where they are re-writing
history and causing me extreme mental distress, as
they cover up the big rip-off of our country's working
and poor people.

"That's not the way the world really works anymore," he continued. "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality—judiciously, as you will—we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors…and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do."



They seem to be getting away with this,
and it is causing me pain.

On edit:

I hope your daughter comes through unscathed. :hug:

[charlie]

3. Your daughter is well, Goblinmonger?

I hope so. My best to you and her.

...And for those of you that file me in the evil atheist or asshole atheist in your head, when we were talking to our neighbors about it this morning and they said they would pray for my daughter tonight, I said "Thank you."

Dan Dennett, after he collapsed and was rushed into emergency surgery:

But I am not joking when I say that I have had to forgive my friends who said that they were praying for me. I have resisted the temptation to respond "Thanks, I appreciate it, but did you also sacrifice a goat?"

:D

[Goblinmonger]

4. UPDATE

My daughter (and her boyfriend) are on the mend. No serious problems with her neck other than very severe whiplash. All will be well soon. I think there is still a little PTSD (we had her drive to the store about 3 blocks away to get some groceries and she said she felt like she was going to throw up) but it seems like she will pull through that with time. I'm getting a rental car paid for by the other guy's insurance this afternoon so she will be driving my car tomorrow and see how she feels getting back on the saddle.

[realisticphish]

5. good to hear

it's important to find a good balance between not screwing with your head too soon, but also getting, as you say, back in the saddle.

[awoke_in_2003]

6. "Why I don't believe in god"

because he has failed to prove himself. If someone decides to walk across Lake Ray Hubbard and call himself the son of god, then I might start looking in to the matter.