Is atheism worth a tinker's dam?

[bluethread]

I used this expression in another thread and then stopped the think, is atheism worth a tinker's dam. In other words, does atheism provide even temporary solace to broken people who need support while they repair their lives?

[Box Whatbox]

That is where the idiom came from. A tinker would use some cloth or a wad of paper to cover a crack or hole to hold the pliable metal in place that he was using to patch it. Generally, the cloth was not good for anything else, otherwise the tinker would have saved it for that other purpose.

Doubtful. See phrases. org

So, if atheism can not even provide temporary solace to the suffering, what good is it?

Atheism is not in itself any 'good'. Just as astronomy isn't any 'good' in itself. It's just truer than astrology!

[SailingCyclops]

In other words, does atheism provide even temporary solace to broken people who need support while they repair their lives?

No more than a dentist can cure hemorrhoids. If you have social problems, see a sociologist, if you have mental problems, see a psychiatrist, if you have marriage problems, see a lawyer. if you have hemorrhoids, see a proctologist. Atheism is NOT a treatment for broken people who need support. Where did you ever get that idea from?

Wrong church, wrong pew?

[Unknowing]

I would say yes it could provide a way point for stopping while they heal. Especially for those damaged by religion.

Spiritual/religious beliefs are powerful primarily because they are attempts to answer unknown questions that likely can't be answered. As a child I grew up exposed to fundamentalist beliefs that drove me away from church for 25 years as an adult. Today I attend regularly and enjoy it. However my original concept of God was as a twisted sadist that simply wanted to inflict punishment and pain on everyone. I was sent to a private fundamentalist school where I clearly remember in 3rd grade being forced to memorize OT verses. Besides having no idea what they meant, if you didn't memorize the verses correctly you were paddled by the teacher. Talk about twisted. That type of experience leaves a painful mark on people and really screwed me up. Religion is a powerful and dangerous tool especially in the hands of sick people.

I can see where moving away from God or your concept of God can be healing. It was for me. My beliefs had to be completely broken down again and rebuilt. I spent many years "wandering in the wilderness" looking for answers.

The other end of the same spectrum is seeing the acceptance of a "Higher Power" be healing for others. I saw this primarily through my exposure to addiction treatment and 12 step programs. That's a whole debate unto itself, but my point is that I've seen people healed moving away from God and healed by moving toward God.

Sometimes the answers are in forgetting everything you thought was true. Still today I wrestle with my concepts of God and even if there is a God. I can say I honestly don't know. But I'm ok with that. I don't feel like I have to have every answer. What I have to do is keep searching and remain open to answers as they are revealed to me. That means even answers I don't want.

[bluethread]

[Replying to post 33 by Unknowing]

If by "your concept of God" you are talking about what you say you experienced, that is not the deity that I believe in. Learning Torah from some fundamentalist Christians is like learning how to cook steak from PETA. However, I get the point. Sometimes it is important to take a time out to cleans the palate. Thank You.

[SailingCyclops]

If by "your concept of God" you are talking about what you say you experienced, that is not the deity that I believe in.

With hundreds of deities to choose from, and/or divine it's will, how did you manage to pick the correct one? How do you know the one you chose is the right (real?) one, and all the others are wholly or partially in error or non-existent?

[bluethread]

If by "your concept of God" you are talking about what you say you experienced, that is not the deity that I believe in.

With hundreds of deities to choose from, and/or divine it's will, how did you manage to pick the correct one? How do you know the one you chose is the right (real?) one, and all the others are wholly or partially in error or non-existent?

I chose to address the deity that was being presented by the poster. He identified a particular type of deity and then referred to "your concept of God". I didn't say that my "concept of God" was the right one. I merely pointed out that if he was equating the two, that is not accurate.

[Unknowing]

[Replying to post 36 by bluethread]

The statement wasn't directed specifically at you. It was a general statement with "your" being used as a universal reference. No offense intended.

I was simply speaking to the OP question and posing a scenario in which removing belief in all deities can/could be beneficial.

[bluethread]

[Replying to post 36 by bluethread]

The statement wasn't directed specifically at you. It was a general statement with "your" being used as a universal reference. No offense intended.

I was simply speaking to the OP question and posing a scenario in which removing belief in all deities can/could be beneficial.

Yes, it got that and was not offended. SC was just spinning my answer into a topic I was not addressing.

[Hatuey]

I used this expression in another thread and then stopped the think, is atheism worth a tinker's dam. In other words, does atheism provide even temporary solace to broken people who need support while they repair their lives?

It depends on the values of the individual. I know several atheists who pray/meditate and use a sort of belief in a type of universal plan/providence to provide solace in times of need. Alcohol, morphine, and other nepanthe can provide temporary solace and have great value in times of suffering and sorrow. Sometimes we need anything and everything that might provide even the tiniest relief ( such as those who are suffering horribly and perhaps dying--even the bible states that alcohol and drugs should be reserved for such purposes. And certainly faith in God should be used when it provides relief for such suffering individuals.

[enviousintheeverafter]

I used this expression in another thread and then stopped the think, is atheism worth a tinker's dam. In other words, does atheism provide even temporary solace to broken people who need support while they repair their lives?

Well no, but atheism isn't a self-help philosophy, but a factual claim/position regarding what is the case. And there's absolutely no presumption that what is the case would lead to "even temporary solace to broken people who need support while they repair their lives". If you're a broken person who needs support, then you shouldn't be looking towards factual claims or positions to fix you (talk about a granddaddy of a category error!), but should be trying to find a therapist or something.

In other words, whether atheism is "worth a tinker's dam" hinges entirely on its adequacy as a factual hypothesis (i.e. whether it appears to be true), and has nothing to do with its effectiveness as a counseling program or self-help philosophy, or whether it makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.