Christians that bent out of shape tend to murder people, start wars, rape young children, burn books, etc.
This is the point when I personally start questioning if it was really done in the name of a god, or rather just excusing it with religion. There is no doubt people will use it as a crutch, or a bandage. Not excusing anyone of it, but a lot of terrible things have happened in the name of a deity, and just as much has happened and had a deity hastily added to it to justify it to themselves or like minded people. Like the actions of military/national leaders, or certain killers ('course the latter are the nutty ones).
Oh sure, I totally agree. But when we're calling out people based solely on religious affiiation I feel it's appropriate to point out nobody is a good guy.
Oh sure, I totally agree. But when we're calling out people based solely on religious affiiation I feel it's appropriate to point out nobody is a good guy.
There are crazy people everywhere and I don't have a doubt in my mind a lot of the politicians who claim to be Christian are not, it's just a platform. Not saying there aren't demented Christian people, it just annoys me how some people masquerade as Christians to do evil things when in reality they're probably sociopaths.
There are crazy people everywhere and I don't have a doubt in my mind a lot of the politicians who claim to be Christian are not, it's just a platform.
Another important issue right there: Declared atheists are essentially un-electable, regardless of their credentials and it necessitates at least provocative pandering/support to a (probably christian) religious group in order to be on any ticket. Only in america is your belief in god more important than your ability to function as an efficient, effective, and reasonable representative of your constituents. I'm sure there are closet atheist politicians out there, but being in the closet is no fun.
It's totally PC to condemn atheists, just for being atheist, but calling out christians for things that other christians have done (or worse, for believing in christianity) is not. I think you can understand that we're justifiably peeved. We see the most unintelligent and belligerant evangelicals elected to high office on a yearly basis, meanwhile our best and brightest can't even run.
We see the most unintelligent and belligerant elected to high office on a yearly basis, meanwhile our best and brightest can't even run.
That happens anyways. Like I said I think half of them just use Christianity as a platform. Religion aside I think power hungry mongrels would still end up voted in.
We see the most unintelligent and belligerant elected to high office on a yearly basis, meanwhile our best and brightest can't even run.
That happens anyways. Like I said I think half of them just use Christianity as a platform. Religion aside I think power hungry mongrels would still end up voted in.
And yet we can only think about it, because presently it cannot happen.
But hey, i'm a gay man who's lived in bigoted southern cities for half of his adult life. Limited acceptance masking hatred is nothing new to me. I'm sure one day when I can legally marry without the threat of it's legitimacy being revoked, we'll also have a few politicans who can come out and say "when you die, nothing happens."
I thought the point of Atheism was that they shouldn't care. If they don't believe in Christianity it may as well just be a Santa statue there since they're both fictional?
Exactly. That's why it's ironic and funny that they care in the first place.
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"I want to say something but I'll keep it to myself I guess and leave this useless post behind to make you aware that there WAS something... "
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
I thought the point of Atheism was that they shouldn't care. If they don't believe in Christianity it may as well just be a Santa statue there since they're both fictional?
Exactly. That's why it's ironic and funny that they care in the first place.
I think the word you lovely gents are looking for is angostic.
Agnostic != Atheist
Anyway, I don't see a reason to care about a cross statue either. That said, you totally danced around the meaningful issue that there is a prejudice against atheists that goes way beyond "they sue people for dumb stuff." Lawyers do that more than we do. =)
Either or doesn't really matter. It still should be a non issue.
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"I want to say something but I'll keep it to myself I guess and leave this useless post behind to make you aware that there WAS something... "
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
Either or doesn't really matter. It still should be a non issue.
As I said, I don't think it is a big issue, but that skirts the broader issue at hand. Cherry-picking the low hanging fruit is no fun for discussion. =/
"I want to say something but I'll keep it to myself I guess and leave this useless post behind to make you aware that there WAS something... "
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
I'm not saying prejudice is good. It disgusts me that anyone who is atheist would be excluded from anything based on that. How can states have laws like that and still claim separation of church and state?
I'm not saying prejudice is good. It disgusts me that anyone who is atheist would be excluded from anything based on that. How can states have laws like that and still claim separation of church and state?
They no more than Jim Crow is still a law, but the effect is the same (and arguably worse, given we actually had black members of congress in the 19th century). If you don't profess to be a Christian or Jew in America, your chances of holding any office are slim to none and atheists have the worst in that lot. Christian voters overwhelmingly place an agreeable religious opinion over any other qualities. A fact that continues to dumb-found me to this day.
In case you're curious, here is a nice brief on the problem.
Dare I ask what you two, clearly theologically inclined persons, think of the Atheists? Are they amoral heathens who are self-centered to the core? Can they not hope to contribute to a god-fearing society?
"But only 26% agreed that Atheists should be given freedom of speech to ridicule religion and God, "no matter who might be offended." 71% believed that Atheists "who preach against God and religion" should not be permitted to rent or otherwise use civic auditoriums i.e. lecture halls supported by general taxation."
That should be no surprise. The religious law outweighs the earthly laws any day of the week for religious folks. Thats just how it is.
My opinion: Atheism is as sound an argument as any. Like any belief, you will have nutjobs, douche bags, geniuses, tolerant and intolerant. It's just a side like any other side. Different strokes for different folks?
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"I want to say something but I'll keep it to myself I guess and leave this useless post behind to make you aware that there WAS something... "
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
I think most people, the ignorant masses, assume that if an Atheist doesn't believe there is a God or being watching over them to punish them eternally, the Atheist may go on a killing spree or something. That of course is completely illogical on so many levels including the fact that if you honestly believe in God yourself, you should believe someone who would go on a killing spree will be punished whether they believe in God or not.
It's just some silly assumption that just because someone is Christian, they follow the bible's commandments. People can be evil no matter what they worship, if anything.
I have nothing at all against atheists except the ones I mentioned earlier, kids actually practicing antitheism just because they think it's rebellious. Kids will always want to rebel though, parents, government, religion, school, whatever they can find.
Atheists in general though I basically treat everyone as if they're atheist, I just don't bring up God much in every day talk. It's not relative to the discussion going on usually.
Like I said I myself believe in intelligent design, whether that means God made everything or we were genetically engineered by green men from mars I just don't think it happened accidentally.
I agree Don. Even though you're a disgusting atheist!
I'm glad you're capable of putting yourself in their shoes and analyzing their logic.
I would like to believe that we are all God.
If God was here before anything else, he was here before division. If there was only one thing, then there was no thing. If we were then "created" along with everything else including the universe. Then, we, are all part of God. So, our logic that is lead by division, is incorrect( I wrote to that conclusion roughly, there's more to it, I just can't remember it all right now lol).
There is no chair, car and apple. They are all the same thing. We just perceive them to be different.
Just one of my crazy thoughts. I will always be religious in one way or another. I think that some people are just inclined to think there is or is not a god. It makes sense to some, and not to others. I take religious texts pretty seriously, but organized religion is a crock.
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"I want to say something but I'll keep it to myself I guess and leave this useless post behind to make you aware that there WAS something... "
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
I think it's important to note true Christianity isn't an evil thing, it's when people put all these twists on it. The old testament is not to be taken seriously or lived by. You're supposed to live by Jesus's teachings not the kill your brother, sacrifice goats mentality of the old testament.
I don't think anything should be free of criticism but I also don't think religion needs to be outright abolished. Faith is important to some people, the sense of community, the comfort of a higher being. There is no shame in all of those things, they're pretty human. Just like some humans choose to be more logical and live in the now and what's tangible, that's pretty human also. I don't think religion at face value is bad, it's extremists. I can't speak much for Islam but I'm fairly certain it's the same. If you follow Jesus's teachings you learn to turn the other cheek and help the poor, and not judge people, unfortunately a lot of that is overlooked for some reason.
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Oh sure, I totally agree. But when we're calling out people based solely on religious affiiation I feel it's appropriate to point out nobody is a good guy.
(Totally non-contributory post.)
Another important issue right there: Declared atheists are essentially un-electable, regardless of their credentials and it necessitates at least provocative pandering/support to a (probably christian) religious group in order to be on any ticket. Only in america is your belief in god more important than your ability to function as an efficient, effective, and reasonable representative of your constituents. I'm sure there are closet atheist politicians out there, but being in the closet is no fun.
It's totally PC to condemn atheists, just for being atheist, but calling out christians for things that other christians have done (or worse, for believing in christianity) is not. I think you can understand that we're justifiably peeved. We see the most unintelligent and belligerant evangelicals elected to high office on a yearly basis, meanwhile our best and brightest can't even run.
That happens anyways. Like I said I think half of them just use Christianity as a platform. Religion aside I think power hungry mongrels would still end up voted in.
And yet we can only think about it, because presently it cannot happen.
But hey, i'm a gay man who's lived in bigoted southern cities for half of his adult life. Limited acceptance masking hatred is nothing new to me. I'm sure one day when I can legally marry without the threat of it's legitimacy being revoked, we'll also have a few politicans who can come out and say "when you die, nothing happens."
Man. These's posts are cathartic!
I do want to share a quote, though, by the President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush Sr.:
"No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God."
This was back when he was President in the late 80's and the early 90's too.
Like it has been said, it's the cool thing to hate on Atheists, but it's completely uncool to hate on religions.
Oh, wait. Yeah, you can... *jams out to Bob Dylan*
Some of the greatest minds talking about God and the Universe.
I <3 Carl Sagan!
Exactly. That's why it's ironic and funny that they care in the first place.
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
I think the word you lovely gents are looking for is angostic.
Agnostic != Atheist
Anyway, I don't see a reason to care about a cross statue either. That said, you totally danced around the meaningful issue that there is a prejudice against atheists that goes way beyond "they sue people for dumb stuff." Lawyers do that more than we do. =)
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
As I said, I don't think it is a big issue, but that skirts the broader issue at hand. Cherry-picking the low hanging fruit is no fun for discussion. =/
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
They no more than Jim Crow is still a law, but the effect is the same (and arguably worse, given we actually had black members of congress in the 19th century). If you don't profess to be a Christian or Jew in America, your chances of holding any office are slim to none and atheists have the worst in that lot. Christian voters overwhelmingly place an agreeable religious opinion over any other qualities. A fact that continues to dumb-found me to this day.
In case you're curious, here is a nice brief on the problem.
Dare I ask what you two, clearly theologically inclined persons, think of the Atheists? Are they amoral heathens who are self-centered to the core? Can they not hope to contribute to a god-fearing society?
That should be no surprise. The religious law outweighs the earthly laws any day of the week for religious folks. Thats just how it is.
My opinion: Atheism is as sound an argument as any. Like any belief, you will have nutjobs, douche bags, geniuses, tolerant and intolerant. It's just a side like any other side. Different strokes for different folks?
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
It's just some silly assumption that just because someone is Christian, they follow the bible's commandments. People can be evil no matter what they worship, if anything.
I have nothing at all against atheists except the ones I mentioned earlier, kids actually practicing antitheism just because they think it's rebellious. Kids will always want to rebel though, parents, government, religion, school, whatever they can find.
Atheists in general though I basically treat everyone as if they're atheist, I just don't bring up God much in every day talk. It's not relative to the discussion going on usually.
Like I said I myself believe in intelligent design, whether that means God made everything or we were genetically engineered by green men from mars I just don't think it happened accidentally.
I'm glad you're capable of putting yourself in their shoes and analyzing their logic.
I would like to believe that we are all God.
If God was here before anything else, he was here before division. If there was only one thing, then there was no thing. If we were then "created" along with everything else including the universe. Then, we, are all part of God. So, our logic that is lead by division, is incorrect( I wrote to that conclusion roughly, there's more to it, I just can't remember it all right now lol).
There is no chair, car and apple. They are all the same thing. We just perceive them to be different.
Just one of my crazy thoughts. I will always be religious in one way or another. I think that some people are just inclined to think there is or is not a god. It makes sense to some, and not to others. I take religious texts pretty seriously, but organized religion is a crock.
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
I don't think anything should be free of criticism but I also don't think religion needs to be outright abolished. Faith is important to some people, the sense of community, the comfort of a higher being. There is no shame in all of those things, they're pretty human. Just like some humans choose to be more logical and live in the now and what's tangible, that's pretty human also. I don't think religion at face value is bad, it's extremists. I can't speak much for Islam but I'm fairly certain it's the same. If you follow Jesus's teachings you learn to turn the other cheek and help the poor, and not judge people, unfortunately a lot of that is overlooked for some reason.