popsjumper 2 #51 October 27, 2011 Quote I think Kallend became an Atheist after many years of cheering on the Cubs. O M G "Just wait'll next universe!"My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #52 October 27, 2011 QuoteHowever, if you're talking about THAT god, it most definitely DOES come with the job description. ...and what would be that "job description" of which you speak?My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #53 October 27, 2011 QuoteQuoteHowever, if you're talking about THAT god, it most definitely DOES come with the job description. ...and what would be that "job description" of which you speak? Try reading the entire post rather than just the response.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skywombat 0 #54 October 27, 2011 Here is another. Though it makes poor use of capitalisation, it does make a good point. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #55 October 27, 2011 (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marinus 0 #56 October 27, 2011 Quote...and what would be that "job description" of which you speak? The Christian God is supposed to be all good, all powerful and all-knowing, so that makes the existence of undeserved evil, (like a toddler dying of AIDS in some godforsaken desert while crows are picking his /her eyes out) a rather big problem. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #57 October 27, 2011 Quote Quote ...and what would be that "job description" of which you speak? The Christian God is supposed to be all good, all powerful and all-knowing, so that makes the existence of undeserved evil, (like a toddler dying of AIDS in some godforsaken desert while crows are picking his /her eyes out) a rather big problem. (S)he's just testing us ... or some equally stupid bollock. (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tkhayes 126 #58 October 27, 2011 I grew up in Christian home, Anglican Church in Gander, Newfoundland. My parents and grandparents were very religious. I went to church every Sunday and Sunday school as early back as I can remember. We even had 'religion classes' in public school. all Christian of course, what a no-no today. I remember even in Sunday School wondering about these stories we were told, I was maybe 5-6 years old and thinking "great story but REALLY?" several years of church camp, confirmation, even did the readings of the scripture, Psalms, etc for years. But when I was 14 years old, sitting in church Sunday morning, watching 'Uncle' Jimmy Warren (one of our school teachers) singing the hymn at the top of his lungs (which he always did) along with everyone else (pretty packed house every Sunday) I had my epiphany. This is all bullshit. Actually I wanted to stand up on the pew and scream "What the fuck are you all doing? Get ahold of yourselves!" But I didn't. I kept my mouth shut because that is what you did in this town/family/culture/whatever. Not even sure that I knew what an atheist was then or that they existed. I continued with church activities, reading every Sunday and the minister Rev Reid started a teen 'Bible study' youth group that met every Sunday morning for an hour before regular service in the basement of the rectory (which he used as a project room for his hobbies.) I went to those classes with 6-7 others until i finished high school and went to college. That was actually kind of fun. We never really studied the Bible. we talked about teenage problems, drugs, alcohol, getting in trouble with the law, setting life goals, whaddya wanna be when you grow up, etc. Rev Reid was an electronics geek like me so we always had time to talk about the Heathkit TV he was building or the amplifier/whatever that I was building. He was really a good guy. But then at the end, in the last two minutes, he would always try to tie whatever we were talking about into some 'lesson from God or the Bible' sort of thing - and I would think "Really? I mean c'mon, you're smarter than that...." Then we'd wrap it up and walk across to the church where again, I would be one of the folks reading the 'lesson' that Sunday. After college, I am not sure I ever went to church again. I was out of the house, so no need to. Right about that time, the Catholic church had it's first scandal outed right in our back yard (Newfoundland) molesting children and that pretty much cemented it for me that religion was a bunch of hypocritical bullshit. Almost 40 years later the CC is still denying 'they knew anything' even as recent as the 2010 exposing in Philadelphia. My Mom and Stepfather still go to church almost every Sunday, (also different denominations), and my aunt and uncle are rabid Anglicans, almost fundamentalist evangelical, if that is possible within the Anglican church, the most BORING church in all of history (which was founded on divorce and adultery - Eddie Izzard joke). I used to be quiet about it. When I was younger it did not really affect me. I ignore it and I poke fun at it. As I get older, as most folks seem to do - I get more involved politically and with a lifetime of experience behind me, I now see the damage it does and the evil that exists within it all and the crazy directions that it seems to take people in despite ALL COMMON SENSE. so now it just pisses me off that people cannot think for themselves and that mankind sells itself short by 'turning to god' to solve problems (Rick Perry). My poor mom still thinks I might burn in hell, but I am not sure she even really believes it. I think it is just a belief structure that she has been exposed to her whole life and it is too complex a thought for her to abandon it now. "I suppose you haven't been to church for years?" she will say now and then. "No Mom, I haven't been to church...." Occasionally she will make some comment like "Look at your dogs and how smart they are...how can you possibly think that they did not come from a god/creator/whatever?" "Is that the same god that also invented e-coli bacteria Mom?" Oddly enough, I even got an Anglican minister for my first wedding. He canceled last minute and I had to find a United Church minister to do it. Part of the reason was Justice of the Peace in Canada was pretty rare and hard to find and expensive. Harder to find a minister willing to do a wedding outside the church (we got married in a park). But the fact that i even got a minister at all always bothered me. We sterilized the service to pretty 'bland' as far as the religion references,but I always think how ironic that was for me to do. Second wedding was in a friend's back yard in Florida with a friend doing the service who had the legal whatever to do it. I still have people in my life who say something like "Well you'll come around and come back someday" like it's some sort of fucking disease. I wonder what they would say if I said that same thing to them? That's it. I think I was always a non-believer, I just did not know what it/that was. I gave it a good effort when I was younger. I actually used to think there was something wrong with me because I "didn't get it". Now in later years, I realize that a lot of the kids around me at the time also "didn't get it" - no one dared to speak up. I am really glad for the opening up of society to the acceptance of atheism, homosexuality, drug/alcohol abuse - pretty much anything that people keep in the closet. No one ever dared to talk about these things and society and people suffered because of it. Nowadays, I cannot think that just plain old honesty would go a long way to helping solve our problems, at least heading in that direction. Religion just serves to suppress and oppress. So much for 'freedom'. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybird18c 4 #59 October 27, 2011 QuoteThe Christian God is supposed to be all good, all powerful and all-knowing, so that makes the existence of undeserved evil, (like a toddler dying of AIDS in some godforsaken desert while crows are picking his /her eyes out) a rather big problem. Not if you understand the nature of sin and the fact that God is also "holy" and "just." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #60 October 27, 2011 QuoteQuoteThe Christian God is supposed to be all good, all powerful and all-knowing, so that makes the existence of undeserved evil, (like a toddler dying of AIDS in some godforsaken desert while crows are picking his /her eyes out) a rather big problem. Not if you understand the nature of sin and the fact that God is also "holy" and "just." or Just full of Holes (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybird18c 4 #61 October 27, 2011 QuoteQuoteQuoteThe Christian God is supposed to be all good, all powerful and all-knowing, so that makes the existence of undeserved evil, (like a toddler dying of AIDS in some godforsaken desert while crows are picking his /her eyes out) a rather big problem. Not if you understand the nature of sin and the fact that God is also "holy" and "just." or Just full of Holes Nice comeback. You must have studied up on that one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #62 October 27, 2011 Quote Quote Quote Quote The Christian God is supposed to be all good, all powerful and all-knowing, so that makes the existence of undeserved evil, (like a toddler dying of AIDS in some godforsaken desert while crows are picking his /her eyes out) a rather big problem. Not if you understand the nature of sin and the fact that God is also "holy" and "just." or Just full of Holes Nice comeback. You must have studied up on that one. (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marinus 0 #63 October 27, 2011 Quote or Just full of Holes That's just low.....I love it!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybird18c 4 #64 October 27, 2011 Quote Quote or Just full of Holes That's just low.....I love it!!! GENIUS!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coreece 190 #65 October 27, 2011 QuoteI just never believed in a god (as defined by most religions) and have never heard a convincing argument for the existence of one. Ya...I guess I can't say I've heard an argument that was more convincing than the experience. I suppose I prefer it that way...I don't know if I would've been comfortable needing someone to convice me of something and taking their word for it.Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alge 0 #66 October 27, 2011 Brought up in the 80s in Norway, I was kind of indoctrinated by the whole Christian thing from the start (we had a course called Christianity in school, sometimes went to the church with the school, etc.). But other than singing christmas carols and stuff, my family wasn't exactly devout. Once when I was maybe 9 years old I was talking to a friend from school who did not have to go to church with the school. I asked why, and he said he didn't believe in God. I hadn't really realized that it was possible to not believe in God, but I probably realized there and then that the whole God thing was just b/s. For some time I swapped out God and Jesus with Odin and Thor and stuff (how very rebellious of me), but eventually settled on the "no god" theory. I still went to the Christianity classes and stuff, just because it took so much effort to get out of them. When I was 11 my mom wanted us to start a tradition for going to church at christmas. Luckily Count Grishnackh of Mayhem / Burzum decided burn down the church on christmas eve, so the tradition never really started. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aphid 0 #67 October 27, 2011 Just an aside, but in my opinion this thread for the most part has managed to remain thought-provoking, honest, and civil. Would that all threads could accomplish the same... My thanks to ALL who have posted, I have enjoyed it thoroughly thus far. John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,257 #68 October 27, 2011 QuoteQuoteThe Christian God is supposed to be all good, all powerful and all-knowing, so that makes the existence of undeserved evil, (like a toddler dying of AIDS in some godforsaken desert while crows are picking his /her eyes out) a rather big problem. Not if you understand the nature of sin and the fact that God is also "holy" and "just." Justice for babies! Kill them all!Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #69 October 27, 2011 QuoteHere is another. Though it makes poor use of capitalisation, it does make a good point. When my daughter was about 2 or 3, her mom took her to the mall to see Santa. As soon as she saw the guy, she takes off running for him yelling "SATAN!!, SATAN!!" it cause quite a few chuckles ......to this day, I still don't understand how this temporary form of dyslexia manifested verbally....... ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kmart 0 #70 October 27, 2011 Quote Simply put, the respondents rejected God and Christ because they did not need Him. Yeah but your "respondents" believe in God but have decided they don't need them. I can't reject god because there is no god to reject. There is no god for me to not need. I do reject the belief in god. I reject the hypothesis of god. I accept reality. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybird18c 4 #71 October 27, 2011 QuoteYeah but your "respondents" believe in God but have decided they don't need them. I can't reject god because there is no god to reject. There is no god for me to not need. I do reject the belief in god. I reject the hypothesis of god. I accept reality. Better be right... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebabin 0 #72 October 27, 2011 Quote Quote Yeah but your "respondents" believe in God but have decided they don't need them. I can't reject god because there is no god to reject. There is no god for me to not need. I do reject the belief in god. I reject the hypothesis of god. I accept reality. Better be right... Or Satan will get you like he did Anne Frank and Ghandi!!"Science, logic and reason will fly you to the moon. Religion will fly you into buildings." "Because figuring things out is always better than making shit up." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
charlie5 0 #73 October 27, 2011 Quote Quote Quote Yeah but your "respondents" believe in God but have decided they don't need them. I can't reject god because there is no god to reject. There is no god for me to not need. I do reject the belief in god. I reject the hypothesis of god. I accept reality. Better be right... Or Satan will get you like he did Anne Frank and Ghandi!! I'd hate to be surrounded by those douchebags. Ugh, even Steve Jobs would be down there.The feather butts bounce off ya like raindrops hitting a battle-star when they come in too fast...kinda funny to watch. - airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,625 #74 October 27, 2011 QuoteQuoteQuoteI think Kallend became an Atheist after many years of cheering on the Cubs. I wouldn't go to any MLB game even if they gave me free tickets, free parking and free beer. Ditto for NBA. NFL? Yep, I'd go to NFL if you gave me free tickets, free parking and free beer.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybird18c 4 #75 October 27, 2011 Quote Or Satan will get you like he did Anne Frank and Ghandi!! Satan isn't even close to being your biggest problem right now. God is. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
