Atheist Debates - Patron Question - September 2021

This month, a single question, deserving of its own video. A parent asks about the potential benefits of atheism and the potential harm of being a "quasi-Christian".

Is there a benefit to atheism? Is happiness the goal? Is it bad to believe *some* aspects of Christianity if it makes you happy?

[originalhazelgreene]

Does being an atheist solve anything: A resounding yes. At least for me, it eliminated so many questions and doubts and concern and confusion. Embracing atheism removed the feeling of obligation to believe in something (God) that I never felt made any sense. It took away the pressure to revere, fear, and "love" (WTF?!) an a$$ hole. God, from what I could tell, was an absentee father with a really bad domestic violence record. Now I'm free of him.

[rockerdax]

If you can't have me at my debartes, you don't deserve me at my debates.

[MajorPayne]

Matt, you have been a guiding light through this arduous process of deconstruction. I cling on to your confidence and reason as I break up 30 years worth of childhood indoctrination. Thank you once again for being that guiding light.

[thelyrebird]

Excellent answers there Matt, thoroughly enjoyed it.

[blacksun]

I think I need to show this video to my parents, it's probably the best worded explanation I've heard in 30 years of being an atheist as to why I choose to call myself an atheist and not something else.

[MojoMan]

Matt, this one of the best answers I’ve heard as to why being a “cafeteria Xtian” is problematic in terms of genuine morals to guide on in life. You sir are a genuine treasure.

[fangugel]

Thank you for another thoughtful presentation. I often expect this to become repetitive but somehow you manage to avoid that.

[harveytheriault]

A clear example of sound logical reasoning.
Well done Matt.

[AntisCZ]

The dirty little secret here is that believers, despite claiming otherwise, actually craft their life philosophies just like we atheists do. They take what they like from their holy books and from other sources, and throw out what they don't like. The day I meet a Christian who believes and does everything EXACTLY according to their holy book will be the day I meet a complete monster.

The difference, and indeed the problem at hand, is that an atheist takes what they consider to be good from the Bible or Koran or wherever and is free to leave it at that. They're just books. Religion, however, is a package. No matter the flavor, once you accept one part of it, it always pushes you to accept more for no other reason than "it's part of the package".

[mosamaster]

Becoming an Atheist over years cleared my mind. Thanks Matt.

[MrYTGuy]

I personally am a lot happier knowing that there isn't some God out to get me and that I'm not being decieved by religion. Does discovering that you were being lied to make me happy? No, but knowing that I'm being lied to and am no longer falling victim to it does. If you're true goal is to be happy and your not interested in truth then just believe whatever makes you happiest. But I personally could never be truly happy knowing I might be decieved, wrong or even worse, that i didn't even attempt to find the truth to the best of my ability about something. Truth makes me happy, but I can't claim that it will do the same for everyone else, that's determined by your personal priorities. Priorities that are often twisted and victimized by religion in the first place.

[animal]

Debartes….what Bart Simpson would call himself if he was pretending to be Rene Descartes.

[MeChoonChannel]

I blink therefore I am - Rene Debartes.

[chrisose]

I will always pick knowledge over faith.

[Ashalmawia]

came for the Debartes comments; wasn't disappointed

[kyaxar]

I don’t know been an atheist solves anything but what I know is that atheist always surch for answers and happiness but we are also smart enough to know that there is no ultimate goal ore happiness but only good/happy times in a lifetime!

[tpseeker]

Glad I'm not the only one here for the Atheist Debartes😉😊🤗

[kalaimugilanph.d.]

The goal is not happiness but meaning. Happiness is just a state of being, one may not be greater than the other. Meaning, anger has a place in the world, just as sadness and all the other feelings that make us humans. It is in some way having meaning, not necessarily happiness.

[klnk]

Does being an atheist solve anything? Oh, I've been asked a similar question dozens of times before. There is more than one time in my life where I made my life a little harder by suspending all the bullshit. Times at work where I told the boss he was a fucking idiot running his business into the ground while everyone else pulls his weight. Yeah, I lost my job. And when my family asked about it, they say "Why bother? What could you possibly gain from all this?" If there is only ONE FACT that I've gathered from our society, it is that the only thing we really accel at is bullshit. Bullshit is everywhere and in everything. We lie to each other and ourselves about the stupidest things. It's sickening. Toxic. And having even one moment where there is no bullshit is worth any consequence. *Suspending the bullshit & kicking it out of your life, is its own reward.*

[thepurplebox]

The word debarte made me laugh more than it should have.