0
beowulf

Why are you an Atheist?

Recommended Posts

Quote


Quote

And, once again, the prison demographics really support that argument, don't they? All those atheists breaking the law, doing whatever they want...

A caller, on a radio show, recently pointed out the irony of the fact that liberals/progressives do all they can, to remove any mention of Christianity or religion, in general, from all children....Well, until they get sent to jail or prison from no moral guidance. Then, they are willing to throw bibles and preachers at them, by the droves.



You can have morality without religion just as you can have religion without morality.
Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Bible is jus a bunch of stories written by man, who are fallable.



Everyone has a story... the question is are the lessons learned from the stories fallable as well? Ineveitably mans perceptiions are fallable, but that does not mean that the lessons learned from those stoiries are also.
"We didn't start the fire"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Leave a child to its own resources, without some kind of guidance, and see what you get....Generally, a selfish, lying thief...Of course, they don't start lying, until they realize that what they've done is wrong.



A completely abandoned child will do whatever it takes to survive, if they do survive. They will also have to deal fully with the consequences of their actions which may alter their future behavior.

Ex. A "selfish" starving child steals food to survive. If discovered or caught they must deal with whatever the result is by themselves.
Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Namazu
Quote

In Japanese mythology, Namazu (鯰) is a giant catfish who causes earthquakes. Namazu lives in the mud beneath the earth, and is guarded by the god Kashima who restrains the fish with a stone. When Kashima lets his guard fall, Namazu thrashes about, causing violent earthquakes.



Earthquakes happen in Japan all the time.
Seems like something would be done to placate this fish.

Perhaps we now just recognize that it was the tale of a fish, and not a provable fact.

There is no scientific evidence to disprove the existence of the fish.
Plate tectonics is merely a theory also, as no one has
ever personally journeyed miles and miles into the crust.

People in California could do some fish-praying and
get their daily earthquakes under control too.

Anyway, no Christians should laugh at this deity until
they have provided proof that it does not exist.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I am struck by the ranker of this thread. It seems that anyone who does not see things the way we do are some kind of _______. Each person fills in their own word. My favorite was whackjob. I am not sure what that means, but I assume it is not a compliment. It is a little hard to have an actual discussion of ideas when we dismiss each other, out of hand, without ever listening. I think this may be the problem we are having here in American politics. Conservatives are stupid and liberals are all communists. (I cannot speak of other countries)
POPS #10623; SOS #1672

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

I am struck by the ranker of this thread. It seems that anyone who does not see things the way we do are some kind of _______. Each person fills in their own word. My favorite was whackjob. I am not sure what that means, but I assume it is not a compliment. It is a little hard to have an actual discussion of ideas when we dismiss each other, out of hand, without ever listening. I think this may be the problem we are having here in American politics. Conservatives are stupid and liberals are all communists. (I cannot speak of other countries)



Part of the issue is that in general we're not even arguing the same thing. Faith vs. truth is the big one in religious arguments and in politics it generally boils down to should we vs. who's going to pay for it or what is right vs. what is possible. Very similar to Pro-Life v. Pro Choice.

Since they aren't actually taking direct "sides" a tactic used can be say thos theat don't agree stand for someting unpopular.

These clips sum up best what alot of people here are doing: ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW87GRmunMY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_KzCSlxMDU&feature=related
Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

I post because it amuses me to do so. Do you have a problem with that?


Well, I was hoping for something more concrete but since you admit that your purpose is to amuse yourself rather than provide insightful input, no. I'm now stuck with littel more than "your empty posts amuse ME"!

Quote

So...it's your perception that people only post here because they want to debate?



Quote

Not the only reason, but the main one. It is, after all, the raison d'etre of the forum itself.


Can we do it with insightful input then?


Quote

Coreece likes to try and persuade people that his book is really telling the truth, I like pointing out the flaws in his reasoning.


I may be wrong but I think he's simply saying that he has a belief system and then describes it.
I think you are doing nothing more than trying to tell him he's wrong for having that particular one. That's NOT debate.


Brucet7 offered this and rightfully so...
"It is a little hard to have an actual discussion of ideas when we dismiss each other, out of hand, without ever listening."


Quote

Why do you think that logical flaws should pass by uncommented on for this particular subject only?


You assume I think that? By all means, discuss!
It's just apparent to me that some know how to discuss/debate and some just know try to argue.
My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Well, I was hoping for something more concrete but since you admit that your purpose is to amuse yourself rather than provide insightful input, no.



Well, first of all, 'providing insightful input' is not an answer that would have worked as a response to the question that you asked. Wouldn't scan at all.

Second, unless you genuinely think that the posts you make on this forum are a public service then 'because it amuses me' is pretty much always the endpoint of 'why are you posting xxxxx?, no matter what the content of the post is. It is certainly not incompatible with the content of those posts being insightful input.

Quote

I may be wrong but I think he's simply saying that he has a belief system and then describes it.



You're wrong. Coreece posts at least partly in the hope that someone might read what he says and see the light. He has actually said this. He's not as brazen an evangelical as RonD (and he's certainly more fun to talk to) but evangelising is what he's doing.

You might want to read post #100, for example, and reassess the slightly blinkered view of the thread you seem to be working from.

Quote

I think you are doing nothing more than trying to tell him he's wrong for having that particular one. That's NOT debate.



I most definitely do more than that - I tell him why he's wrong.
Do you want to have an ideagasm?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Well, first of all, 'providing insightful input' is not an answer that would have worked as a response to the question that you asked. Wouldn't scan at all.



Quote

Are all you guys trying to talk Coreece out of his beliefs?

Ask yourselves...Why?



"I'm providing insightful input to him."

Seems to scan rather well, IMO.

Quote

Second, unless you genuinely think that the posts you make on this forum are a public service then 'because it amuses me' is pretty much always the endpoint of 'why are you posting xxxxx?, no matter what the content of the post is. It is certainly not incompatible with the content of those posts being insightful input.



OK

Quote

I may be wrong but I think he's simply saying that he has a belief system and then describes it.



Quote

You're wrong. Coreece posts at least partly in the hope that someone might read what he says and see the light. He has actually said this.
.
.
.
You might want to read post #100, for example, and reassess the slightly blinkered view of the thread you seem to be working from.


If that's how people see it, then I stand corrected.
I didn't see it that way.

Quote

I think you are doing nothing more than trying to tell him he's wrong for having that particular one. That's NOT debate.



Quote

I most definitely do more than that - I tell him why he's wrong.


Which is a problem in and of itself. Do you feel as though it's more important to tell him he's wrong than it is to simply explain your own beliefs. You seem spend a lot of time and energy telling people they are wrong. I'm more interested in your personal beliefs and the reasoning behind them. Could you put more focus on that?

Yes, there may have been a post or two that hinted at your beliefs. Can you make a clear post outlining them?

Who knows? If you make a clear case, you may provide some food for thought and actually get someone to see the light, so to speak.

Personally, I believe in a higher power. You can label it/him/her as you wish. The all-inclusive "God" works for me.
My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

If that's how people see it, then I stand corrected.
I didn't see it that way.



An exhortation to read scripture, and a declaration that the other poster knows God is real but only doesn't admit it because he's too prideful. You read that as a simple statement of what Coreece believes and nothing more? Blinkers, dude. (And it's not just how other people see it, it is what he's doing. He's not hiding it.)

Quote

Do you feel as though it's more important to tell him he's wrong than it is to simply explain your own beliefs.



Don't be so silly - none of it is important.

And when it comes to this subject, explaining what you believe (if you actually have a firm position) is one and the same as telling someone else he's wrong. Saying "I think this god is real" is telling anyone who doesn't believe in that god that you think they're wrong. Saying "I don't think any god exists" is telling anyone who believes in any god that you think they're wrong. Whichever way you phrase it it all comes down to the same thing in the end - I think I'm right and you're wrong.

And when you don't believe in anything, the main reason is because you think no-one else's argument works. Explaining it is mostly reactive; "What about this?" "No that doesn't make sense because x" "What about this?" " No, that's wrong because y" etc.

Quote

Personally, I believe in a higher power.



Which is why you hold a biased view of how the debate is being conducted.
Do you want to have an ideagasm?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Wow... I’m impressed.

At just 8 years old... he was smarter than Benjamin Franklin. And in one hour... he was able to come to the conclusion that there was no God, so he became an Atheist.

Fascinating...

“Rolling Eyes”


Thread after thread... the same atheism arguments... the same Religion arguments... the same (misinterpretation/revisionism of) Separation of Church and State chatter...

And the continuous inability, of most, to separate GOD and Religion...

Quote

People who believe in God don’t need proof of his existence, and they certainly don’t want evidence to the contrary.



I would... I would most definitely like proof, either way. I always want the Truth!

And I do, believe in a Creator... God.


So...

How about we actually talk... about Science?

God... and Gravity

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

http://www.slate.com/id/2067499/

Not one major political figure summoned the courage to rebut the spurious claims that America's founders wished to make God a part of public life.



I will! I most definitely will!

And I'll do so, with their words. The Founders wrote everything down! Its all in the Library of Congress... just gotta do your homework.

The Founders WANTED God taught in schools too, the “Religion of America.”

Quote

When Benjamin Franklin proposed during the Constitutional Convention that the founders begin each day of their labors with a prayer to God for guidance, his suggestion was defeated.



Lies! Lies! Progressive Revisionist History.

And the rest of the article is sickening...


Quote

Actually... that is a legitimate and serious question.

If you know what Progressivism is, and its origins... it makes sense.

But so far, none of the predominate (arrogant) voices; like Billvon, Quade, Lucky, and so on... have been able to correctly answer my questions.


One of three key things that Progressives must achieve... understood and crafted by Woodrow Wilson... to enable them to “progress” to their goals... is to separate the public from the Founders.

Jefferson was a hypocritical slave owner... Franklin was out having sex with numerous women... Washington was a deist, he didn’t believe in God.

These are just some of things that are said...


If you can separate the American people from the Founders... and separate them from their founding principles... you can control and manipulate, far easier.

Like Nancy Pelosi, manipulating the meaning of, “the Pursuit of Happiness.”

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I'm an atheist because I once was a theist. Then I read what the books really said and found them untrustworthy, false and lacking. It's really that simple.
Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

And when it comes to this subject, explaining what you believe (if you actually have a firm position) is one and the same as telling someone else he's wrong. Saying "I think this god is real" is telling anyone who doesn't believe in that god that you think they're wrong. Saying "I don't think any god exists" is telling anyone who believes in any god that you think they're wrong. Whichever way you phrase it it all comes down to the same thing in the end - I think I'm right and you're wrong.



OK. NOW I understand your thought process. It seems to be a rather arrogant way of going about discussing things but it does explain your methodology.
My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

I'm an atheist because I once was a theist. Then I read what the books really said and found them untrustworthy, false and lacking. It's really that simple.

n

I'm an atheist because there's no logical or factual reason to be anything else and no evidence in support of invisible omnipotent beings taking an interest in the workings of the world and the universe.
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Namazu

Quote

In Japanese mythology, Namazu (鯰) is a giant catfish who causes earthquakes. Namazu lives in the mud beneath the earth, and is guarded by the god Kashima who restrains the fish with a stone. When Kashima lets his guard fall, Namazu thrashes about, causing violent earthquakes.



Earthquakes happen in Japan all the time.
Seems like something would be done to placate this fish.

Perhaps we now just recognize that it was the tale of a fish, and not a provable fact.

There is no scientific evidence to disprove the existence of the fish.
Plate tectonics is merely a theory also, as no one has
ever personally journeyed miles and miles into the crust.

People in California could do some fish-praying and
get their daily earthquakes under control too.

Anyway, no Christians should laugh at this deity until
they have provided proof that it does not exist.


There have been over a dozen recent earthquakes in California.
People, please, we must placate Namazu with offerings.
Think of the little children.
:)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.” ~ Marcus Aurelius



Heh

You forgot - If there is a God and he will not bother with you if you don't worship him as he demands, He'll give you to his evil counterpart and you will experience an eternity of pain that noone on earth can even fathom.
I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Quote

“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.” ~ Marcus Aurelius



Heh

You forgot - If there is a God and he will not bother with you if you don't worship him as he demands, He'll give you to his evil counterpart and you will experience an eternity of pain that noone on earth can even fathom.



No, that's covered under the second point: Unjust gods.
Do you want to have an ideagasm?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Quote


response = SSDD, If there wasn't a need for God, He wouldn't exist in our consciousness. Can't help but notice that the little diatribe is full of dogmatic statements for which there is absolutely no proof. atheism is just another belief system where the believer is god.


So you're saying there is no point to believe or follow something if you can't prove it? :o

Logically speaking no.

'Believe or follow' describes the act of Faith which is an intangible emotion...one cannot logically justify nor argue against another persons emotions.

The attempts to do so throughout history has been and will be the cause of war.

As communication and knowledge expand worldwide, IMO there is less and less need for an invisible hall monitor with a paddle, to keep everyone in line.










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

If there wasn't a need for God, He wouldn't exist in our consciousness.



As much of a need for him as new age hippies need their existence of faeries in their subconscious.

Faith is the religious man's great trump card. You can't say anything when a person uses the whole 'faith' thing, but thing is it's the same tactic that can be used by any crazy. The man who believes in faeries can use the faith card too, so can the man who thinks the government watches his every move and the Muslim, Hindu and every other religious sect. Faith doesn't help ones cause at all, it just levels it into an untouchable ground of all things which have so little logical support that it's the only way for it to make any 'sense'. Basically faith is used by those whom are to stubborn to look at facts but will refuse to give in to logic, it is void of all common sense.

And if I had to say: I have faith that Satan is the real master of man, the true Lord and the only one to offer mankind any potential- there is no way to conclude that your faith is correct and mine is not. We would both be on the exact same level.

Faith is retarded- 'nuff said.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Are all you guys trying to talk Coreece out of his beliefs?

Ask yourselves...Why?




I can't speak for anyone else but here is the reason why I try to talk religious people out of their beliefs.

They are holding back social evolution.

People try to use the line "religion is personal, it should be the persons choice whether to believe in God or not"-

Well it's not personal, that's a very cute way of thinking, makes me feel all warm and cuddly- but that's not how the world works. We live in a world where religion is pushed onto others through almost every avenue. And until that is destroyed, religion should be seen as the enemy of man, and no this isn't some militant way of trying to get people to think like me, this is a case of people like me trying to get the religious people to stop trying to make everyone think like THEM.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

"In God we trust"

"God Save the Queen"

Religion controls the world, and Christians like to pretend that it isn't so. If it were truly a case of people having their own opinions and society not being force fed religious ideals you wouldn't see almost every section of society riddled with openly religious messages.

This even happens at schools where you are forced to sing songs with religious messages, if you're of another religion such as Jewish or Muslim you are excused from such things- but if you're an Atheist then you're still forced to as it seems majority think that it's okay to believe in a God, just don't believe in no god.

I dare not even venture into the history Christians have had in setting back science because it was deemed witchcraft and blasphemy. Religions have a history of setting back the logical thinking people and their endeavours and they continue to do so today. In large protesting stem cell research and oppressing homosexual couples. The US is more likely to see a convicted rapist become president than an open Atheist, just as long as that rapist believes there's a God.

Religion is a shackle that is tied around society as a whole, but as such it's only those that try to walk forward that will feel it's oppressing effects, while the content souls will sit and not complain about it because they have no need to.

Religion can become a personal thing when people are able to look at society without seeing religion everywhere as it is today. When money no longer bares the word "God", when you are no longer expected to confess that your country is under the control of God. But it is still far from being a personal issue when it runs society on such a huge level.

I see religion as man's ultimate enemy. And as such I will always argue against a religious persons beliefs, though will never turn to violence to get my point across. You see, one may now state something along the lines of 'If you're trying to convert people how are you different than the christians' - Quite simple... Religious people have been converting actively for centuries, through pro-active and violent means, I'm not trying to convert people to Theistic Satanism, I'm trying to just get people neuteral again after centuries of brain washing.

Religions scare me. In the sense that they control almost all areas of society and nobody even dares to question it, even some of the Atheists (most of them) don't dare to attack the thoughts of the majority. Oh dear, what if you offend that Christian!? Religious people love defriending people because they are blasphemous or offensive to THEIR religion. I know this from personal experience.

Religion offers nothing of value to society, look at Scandinavia where around 20% of the population are religious and yet the crime rates are amongst the lowest, the unemployment is amongst the lowest, life expectency is the highest. Now look where I live in South Africa where more than 80% of the population is religious... Huge unemployment rates, one of the most violent countries in the world and lowest life expectencies. I love it when Christians try state that religion brings peace when all the countries with the least crime have the lowest religious population and visa versa.

So as I've said, I'll stop mocking Christian beliefs when your Christian beliefs aren't pushed into my face in every area of society.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I dare not even venture into the history Christians have had in setting back science because it was deemed witchcraft and blasphemy. Religions have a history of setting back the logical thinking people and their endeavours and they continue to do so today.




The pope put Galileo under house arrest for life because he could prove the earth was in rotation around the sun, which would mean we weren't the center of the universe...had to keep him from communicating any logical argument to the contrary.

The Catholic church is the single largest land-owner in the world, I often wonder about the actual motivation of a church that in cities like Chicago display that wealth with gross excessive ornaments of value...while people lay in cardboard boxes, cold and hungry two blocks away.

Personally I don't fault anyone for a belief in God, if that's what it takes to get you through the day then carry-on...just don't try to convince me that we're anything more than bugs on a rock.

IMO...we got lucky, we're here because of temperature and water, not Adam's rib.

It wasn't until we bugs became self aware that there was a need for some grand explanation regarding the reason for our existence...well there IS a reason, a scientific one, temperature and water.

However no amount of proof will dissuade those that need and hold their 'Faith' in some grand plan...then again, the 21 virgins does sound pretty good! :ph34r:










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
As much of a need for him as new age hippies need their existence of faeries in their subconscious.

Faith is the religious man's great trump card. You can't say anything when a person uses the whole 'faith' thing, but thing is it's the same tactic that can be used by any crazy. The man who believes in faeries can use the faith card too, so can the man who thinks the government watches his every move and the Muslim, Hindu and every other religious sect. Faith doesn't help ones cause at all, it just levels it into an untouchable ground of all things which have so little logical support that it's the only way for it to make any 'sense'. Basically faith is used by those whom are to stubborn to look at facts but will refuse to give in to logic, it is void of all common sense.

And if I had to say: I have faith that Satan is the real master of man, the true Lord and the only one to offer mankind any potential- there is no way to conclude that your faith is correct and mine is not. We would both be on the exact same level.

Faith is retarded- 'nuff said.



Faith is a necessary stepping stone to examine areas of spiritual phenomena. Science is still unable to quantify this obvious area of our being. Attributing consciousness to electrically charged neural matter is an incomplete explanation. The results of ones faith determine the validity of the object the faith is based in. There is no way any of us can discover everything on our own. We all learn by placing faith placed in the discoveries of others.


...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0