I am an Atheist and always have been

[OldGreyFox]

@d00d

They say men think about sex 300 times a minute.

Only 300 d00d?

[OldGreyFox]

@Bruce

Surely dementia and Alzheimer’s are merely the result of humans living so much longer and nothing to do with brain capacity. Suicide? I am not sure of the relevance of that

Exactly Bruce, it can be a result of living longer, and as Annie has pointed out, after 27 brain cells start to diminish and their capacity to store and process information is greatly reduced.
Obviously, some people deteriorate quicker than others and the reason is not fully understood…Is it because the more you work your brain, the sooner it wears out. Or is it some physiological reason like hardening of the arteries as with vascular dementia.
So I’m not sure about stimulating your brain Annie. That could also be a myth.
The brain is not a muscle, and the saying ‘use it or lose it’ refers mainly to muscles.
Suicide is probably a grey area (like our brains) but surely, any problems with the brain can produce unexpected symptoms like mental illness and the ability to handle life’s little curved balls…I know I’ve certainly forgot to duck and been clobbered with one occasionally.

[Bruce]

@OldGreyFox

Or is it some physiological reason like hardening of the arteries as with vascular dementia.

Apparently my brother has vascular dementia which was the main reason I decided I had to visit the UK once more. I actually have no idea what it is, I could well have it myself for all I know.

[spitfire]

@OldGreyFox

some people deteriorate quicker than others

some peoples never really develop

[OldGreyFox]

@senile1

It’s the good in people which makes them good, same as the evil in people which makes them evil. There are good religious people who do good, their are evil religious people that do evil, it’s up to us to decide who we want to be. I respect everybody’s right to believe whatever they choose, but in the end, that decision, good/bad, is up to us.

@Graham

I once read a quote somewhere;

If there were no religion, good people would do good things, bad people would do bad things. But to get good people to do bad things, that takes religion.

This could apply to anyone, not just religious folk senile and Graham.
Epstein, greed, gratification…Religion not required…
We have to offset the good that following a religion can offer against the people with no religion to follow.
People are generally social animals and tend to organise themselves into groups, religion is just another one of those groups.
What actually is good and evil?
And who decides which is which?
Does an evil person actually know that they are evil?
And does a good person know that they are good?
It’s all a matter of perspective.
My interpretation is:-
Being a good person means that you are compassionate towards your fellow humans and animals. It means helping others less fortunate than yourself…Isn’t this the foundation that most religions are based upon?
Just to mention one such group ‘The Salvation Army’ would they not exist without religion?
Like it or not, believe or not, but one day if you find yourself out on the street, who would come to your assistance? Chances are it would be the Salvation Army or some other religious charity.
People say they don’t want to have it rammed down their throats, but how else could these religions spread the word…and throughout history there have been many famous people who were ‘born again’ and for every famous person that was ‘born again’ how many none famous people found their calling…I know quite a few, and it changed their lives for the better.
Bretrick?

[AnnieS]

@OldGreyFox

So I’m not sure about stimulating your brain Annie. That could also be a myth.
The brain is not a muscle, and the saying ‘use it or lose it’ refers mainly to muscles.

Use it or lose it refers to brain connections disappearing if you no longer access them. The brain is very efficient at “synaptic pruning”. It happens most in childhood and adolescence as the brain develops new connections and sheds not needed ones as the brain develops, but it also happens haphazardly later in life where it leads to cognitive decline, which is why they advise people to keep challenging their brains if they can find the motivation to do so.

If you don’t keep using a road it becomes overgrown and eventually you may no longer have access. The same is true of skills, knowledge and experience.

Are Similar Processes at Work in Both Brain Development and Cognitive Decline?

[AnnieS]

@Bruce

Apparently my brother has vascular dementia which was the main reason I decided I had to visit the UK once more. I actually have no idea what it is, I could well have it myself for all I know.

sorry about that Bruce. I hope he is receiving good care.

[AnnieS]

@OldGreyFox

What actually is good and evil?

aha I think you’re straying into moral relativism, a very controversial area!

[RightNow]

Have seen it before, Bruce! Very entertaining, and also very accurate…even a man wants to share this info.
Thanks for posting!

[senile1]

Everything in life is subjective, as you have inferred, and in all fairness to your point, it’s not the ideology it’s what you do with it. This circles back to a post I made in “I’m an Atheist” thread, it’s the good/ evil in the people, not the ideology. Religion is but a “tool”, it’s how you use it that makes a difference. History has proven consistently it should not be used in government/ politics. A person is good or a person is not, and they utilize their social / political standing to reflect who/ what they are.

[AnnieS]

It’s interesting that I have observed some of my very religious friends being influenced by right wing populist politics and making a link between one doctrine and another. Thus infusing their religious faith with political fervour. It seems that the basic Christian morals of charity, compassion and humbleness fall by the wayside and the cherry-picked politics dressed up as something the faithful should preach, increase in significance. That doesn’t mean that the religion is bad or the people are bad, but that someone who probably has no faith is cynically influencing large numbers of people.