The fear of Atheism

[Michel07]

And all Christians or religious people walk the walk? Are you kidding?

If you actually knew any atheists in real life, you'd understand that in general, they are at least as "good" and "moral" as religious people. Every group has people that try to do good for others, and those who don't. I have seen atheists doing things like Mother Teresa. They might not have been as recognized or gone quite as far as she, but she is an example above even the best Christians. She is not the norm for religious people, either. When was the last time most Christians did volunteer work?

Please try to think before you talk next time. You apparently have incorrect preconceived notions of atheism, and aren't willing to look at the other side. If an atheist does something good, I think it's better than when a Christian does, considering the atheist isn't expecting some kind of otherworldly reward, just to help someone in need.

I've been around for a little while and know and have known many atheists. But it sounds like I really touched a nerve there. Don't forget I was responding to your judgement call on the intentions of good works that religious people do and just because they are religious it is very presumptuous to suggest that they only do good for a reward and not because they are decent people.

 

[Magic Man]

I've been around for a little while and know and have known many atheists. But it sounds like I really touched a nerve there. Don't forget I was responding to your judgement call on the intentions of good works that religious people do and just because they are religious it is very presumptuous to suggest that they only do good for a reward and not because they are decent people.

You said yourself that you do good because of God's reward for you. :shout You touched a nerve because you're talking about something you don't understand as if you actually understood. First learn about the subject, and then feel free to discuss it.

 

[Michel07]

You said yourself that you do good because of God's reward for you. .

Please do not try to interpret my words.

 

[Magic Man]

Please do not try to interpret my words.

I didn't. Would you like me to quote your words for a third time? Were the first two times not enough?

 

[Smoke]

What I did for you is identify the only way a person could lead a life like hers. You' never see atheists doing it.

That's absolutely true. Mother Teresa was a crazy old bat who built nunneries and hoarded the rest of the vast sums people gave her, leaving the suffering to die in squalor and tricking the dying into being baptized. She gloried in human suffering because she thought suffering brought people closer to Christ. She flew all over the world hobnobbing with dictators and trying to make sure that no legislation would be passed anywhere that might give people the legal right to disobey the teachings of her religion. And yet she suffered agonies over her inability to sincerely believe the things she thought god wanted her to believe. I can't imagine an atheist leading a life like that.

What's really sad is that Christians, even Protestants, always hold her up as an example of what Christianity can produce at its best.

I never hear of atheists trying to expel science from the public schools because their holy book says the world was created in six days, either, or setting off bombs in a market because they believe god will reward them in the afterlife.

The idea that religion makes people better and more moral would be laughable if it weren't so tragically twisted.

 

[Michel07]

That's absolutely true. Mother Teresa was a crazy old bat who built nunneries and hoarded the rest of the vast sums people gave her, leaving the suffering to die in squalor and tricking the dying into being baptized. She gloried in human suffering because she thought suffering brought people closer to Christ. She flew all over the world hobnobbing with dictators and trying to make sure that no legislation would be passed anywhere that might give people the legal right to disobey the teachings of her religion. And yet she suffered agonies over her inability to sincerely believe the things she thought god wanted her to believe. I can't imagine an atheist leading a life like that.

What's really sad is that Christians, even Protestants, always hold her up as an example of what Christianity can produce at its best.

I never hear of atheists trying to expel science from the public schools because their holy book says the world was created in six days, either, or setting off bombs in a market because they believe god will reward them in the afterlife.

The idea that religion makes people better and more moral would be laughable if it weren't so tragically twisted.

You are Dark.

 

[GadFly]

Lack of imagination and deep thinking as far as spirituality and religion goes, of which you've kind of already admitted, I didn't mean to offend. I get the impression atheists just claim they believe in nothing, and the main argument most of them have is there is no proof god exists, which is fine, I just think it's pointless saying that to followers because people that believe in god have faith he exists, based on thinking about things outside the box a little (proof is not required for faith)

Most of our life experiences can be explained with logic, I agree. I think religion moreso explains things like who created us and the universe we live in.

Pleas go to" Is God constantly trying to convince us of His Existence?" and read the
GadFly's post. I think you would appreciate it.:slap:

 

[Magic Man]

You are Dark.

And, by dark, you mean realistic?

 

[Michel07]

And, by dark, you mean realistic?

Just Dark.

 

[GadFly]

That's absolutely true. Mother Teresa was a crazy old bat who built nunneries and hoarded the rest of the vast sums people gave her, leaving the suffering to die in squalor and tricking the dying into being baptized. She gloried in human suffering because she thought suffering brought people closer to Christ. She flew all over the world hobnobbing with dictators and trying to make sure that no legislation would be passed anywhere that might give people the legal right to disobey the teachings of her religion. And yet she suffered agonies over her inability to sincerely believe the things she thought god wanted her to believe. I can't imagine an atheist leading a life like that.

What's really sad is that Christians, even Protestants, always hold her up as an example of what Christianity can produce at its best.

I never hear of atheists trying to expel science from the public schools because their holy book says the world was created in six days, either, or setting off bombs in a market because they believe god will reward them in the afterlife.

The idea that religion makes people better and more moral would be laughable if it weren't so tragically twisted.

Hey! You hit pretty hard on religious people. Sounds to me like you enjoy that but I think it is sort of sadistic.

Atheist are more likely to be cruel than than religious people. Have you ignored the Communist in your research of cruelty? Your statement "Mother Teresa was a crazy old bat who built nunneries and hoarded the rest of the vast sums people gave her, leaving the suffering to die in squalor and tricking the dying into being baptized"
insults even the strongest atheist who would like to prove atheism is not evil. Rejection by your own kind is the greatest rejection of all.

If there is no God, why do you oppose him so? If I believed the way you do, I would calm down just in case I was wrong. To prove you wrong all we have to come up with is one peace of evidence to prove there is one absolute fact fact and your toast. As long as you can believe there are no absolute truths, which make up the premises for God's existence, you can be comfortable but, if for one minute you discover there are absolute truth like love, charity, faithfulness, kindness, liberty, freedom, and a host of other self evident truths, you better revise your logic. Come to think of it your beginning to look like burnt toast to me now. Hey can you think of anybody in this world that you love?

 

[GadFly]

I think the lack of a god makes life even more meaningful, since it's the only thing you have. You don't need an invisible sky daddy to have a sense of honor, honesty, integrity, worth, etc. Why must magic be involved in order to care for your fellow man? Compassion isn't exclusively beamed down from the clouds.

Hey! Atheist I know do not believe in absolute truth witch is God. They don;t believe in good (which is evidence of God) or evil (which is evidence of God too). Here you are using self evident truths (which is evidence of God) like compassion is a self evident truth. As odd at it may seem to you, love, compassion, freedom, liberty, and all kinds of rights written down in the Constitution of the USA are exclusively beamed down from the clouds to help you find God. Sarcasm doesn't work to prove atheist are correct. Pure logic proves God is.

 

[Father Heathen]

Whatever you say my cute little bible-bot. You go ahead and continue to regurgitate the same refuted drivel over and over like a mindless automaton. I'm sure we'll see converts running into the arms of Tha Lawd in droves.

 

[Storm]

I put him on ignore.

 

[Smoke]

Hey! You hit pretty hard on religious people. Sounds to me like you enjoy that but I think it is sort of sadistic.

I was responding to a claim that religious people reach a level of morality never reached by atheists.

Atheist are more likely to be cruel than than religious people.

No, they're not. Communist dictators have committed great atrocities, but I never suggested that Communism isn't just as bad as Christianity. I don't believe in Stalin anymore than I believe in God.

Even so, it's notable that no Communist or Fascist dictator in Europe ever committed his crimes without a supportive chorus of Christian clergy singing his praises and egging him on.

Your statement "Mother Teresa was a crazy old bat who built nunneries and hoarded the rest of the vast sums people gave her, leaving the suffering to die in squalor and tricking the dying into being baptized" insults even the strongest atheist who would like to prove atheism is not evil.

I'm not interested in the respect of people who think it's evil to tell the truth, and I think there might be far fewer atheists who are offended at the truth about Mother Teresa than you think.

If there is no God, why do you oppose him so?

I don't. I oppose the bigotry, violence and coercion that some theisms thrive on.

If I believed the way you do, I would calm down just in case I was wrong.

No, you wouldn't. If that were true, you'd do it believing the things you do.

Hey can you think of anybody in this world that you love?

Yes, and when I say I love somebody, I really do. I don't go around like a Christian, pretending to love people while causing them great harm in the name of an imaginary deity.

 

[Smoke]

I put him on ignore.

Sounds like a good idea.

 

[Storm]

I shared it for a reason

 

[kdrier]

Nobody's view is justified by anything other than their own thoughts and ideas in the end. All we each have to go on is our own perception of the world.

While I agree, I'm talking moreso about the people who believe in things that have been researched by scientists, physics, and things on that level. The core of my beliefs are not impacted by those things.

I think the lack of a god makes life even more meaningful, since it's the only thing you have. You don't need an invisible sky daddy to have a sense of honor, honesty, integrity, worth, etc. Why must magic be involved in order to care for your fellow man? Compassion isn't exclusively beamed down from the clouds.

Life is the only thing we know for sure. I don't think religious people who help out their fellow man and are good people, only are because they believe they'll go to heaven if they do. Sure it helps thinking you are going to heaven, and I'm sure that concept prevents a handful of individuals from doing crazy things. At the end of the day I think most people just do good things because it makes them happy and feel good about themselves.

Does a lack of god make life more meaningful?

I don't think so. All of my ideas and beliefs, and I'd hope most people agree, are not factual things. Do I know for sure there is a higher level of intelligence? nope. Would I act any differently if I found out somehow we were it, that nothing else was out there? nope. My personal actions have never been effected by my beliefs.

 

[s2a]

Hiya Gadfly,

You said:

Hey! Atheist I know do not believe in absolute truth witch is God.

Sure we do. When atheists see a "truth witch"...that witch is stoned to death by a mob of absolutely lying atheists in the public square of Atheist Town. Absolutely.

They don;t believe in good (which is evidence of God) or evil (which is evidence of God too).

Sure they do. We atheists (well, we'll just stick to this one, being me) happily categorize circumstances, deeds, animals, food, and people as being "good", "bad" (I really don't classify most things/acts as "evil"), or "so-so".

Pizza tastes "good", but it's high fat content and calorie count per slice make it "bad" for my cardiopulmonary/vascular heath in the long term. That preceding analogy is "so-so".

Understand?

What I don't "believe" as a testament or validation of faith-based religious claims is the concept of ABSOLUTE GOOD or ABSOLUTE EVIL.

If a handgun is employed to kill a murderous psychopath that has just entered my home with intent to harm my family, is the handgun then a "good" thing? If that same handgun the very next week falls into the hands of two curious boys, and one accidentally shoots and blows the brains out of the other kid, is the handgun now a "bad" thing? Is possessing a handgun "good", or "evil"?

What if religion is just another gun in the house?

Here you are using self evident truths (which is evidence of God) like compassion is a self evident truth.

It is? Really? I wish it were so...

As odd at it may seem to you, love, compassion, freedom, liberty, and all kinds of rights written down in the Constitution of the USA are exclusively beamed down from the clouds to help you find God.

Cool. Someone who has actually read and understands the US Constitution.

Please edify those less fortunate souls that have yet to attain your accomplished erudition by citing the enumerated Article(s) and Section(s) that are "written down" within the Constitution that detail our "rights" to love, or compassion. Extra credit if you can cite the part of the Constitution that mentions [any] god, the clouds, or any "beaming "process that lends directions [Google Maps would help] to your God.

Sarcasm doesn't work to prove atheist are correct.

True. But it does serve to illustrate and mock asinine observations and commentary...from any source.

Pure logic proves God is.

That's amusing. No, really.

Then I suppose there's no need of faith-based beliefs at all?
Or in testifying that faith in God to others?
After all, God is self-evident, as pure logic proves.
By extrapolation we can therefore "logically" conclude that all non-theists and atheists are both unconscious, and irrational to boot.
It's not that these poor souls have no faith...it's because they can not perceive the plainly obvious, and they lack the capacities of critical thinking or applied logic and reason.

And that's all the proof any "gadfly" will ever need, to rationalize a belief in a God.

[PS.

Just for fun:

gadfly --(n.)
1626, "fly which bites cattle," probably from gad "goad, metal rod" (c.1225), here in the sense of "stinger," from O.N. gaddr "spike, nail," from P.Gmc. *gadaz "pointed stick;" but sense is entangled with gad (v.) and an early meaning of gadfly was also "someone who likes to go about, often stopping here and there." Sense of "one who irritates another" is from 1649 (equivalent of L. oestrus).
Source--Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

So, to be fair, one shouldn't expect any level of erudition, insight, or logic from a self-proclaimed/named "gadfly". It's just not a part of what they do.]

 

[Azakel]

Then I suppose there's no need of faith-based beliefs at all?
Or in testifying that faith in God to others?
After all, God is self-evident, as pure logic proves.
By extrapolation we can therefore "logically" conclude that all non-theists and atheists are both unconscious, and irrational to boot.
It's not that these poor souls have no faith...it's because they can not perceive the plainly obvious, and they lack the capacities of critical thinking or applied logic and reason.

Now wait s2a, he might be on it something. Set one of the Gods I adhere to is the God of Storms and Chaos. We have Chaotic Storms all the time so by Pure logic Set must exist. There is no faith need ^_^

 

[Michel07]

Now wait s2a, he might be on it something. Set one of the Gods I adhere to is the God of Storms and Chaos. We have Chaotic Storms all the time so by Pure logic Set must exist. There is no faith need ^_^

The Greek poet " the atheist of Milos " once said ' there are no gods'
Of course he was only half right because there is only one God.