Are atheists destroying the US?

[BluePhantom]

Authority is a very tricky matter in itself.

Who/what should have it and who/what shouldn't is not such an easy thing to answer.

Turn the other cheek--you do know what is said about allowing a transgression, right? Better, try not to get hit!

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you--pretty sound advice, maybe we should follow it.

The situation and timing does come into play when considering advice as authority.

Well I tend to think that authority is granted by the subordinate. It's a concept I keep firmly at the front of my mind in my business leadership style. I am only in control insofar as my staff is willing to follow me. Thus they must trust me and believe that I have their best interests at heart. I think that can be applied to most situations. Politicians get elected on similar principles. A congregation will follow their pastor on similar principles. A soldier will follow a superior officer into battle on such principles.

When it comes to Biblical authority, we have a slightly different dynamic because for centuries their authority was the threat of death. Peasants who questioned the church got torched at the stake. Even learning to read Latin was punishable by death for anyone but clergy and nobility. The reason for that, of course, was because the church didn't want the peasants to be able to read the Bible for themselves and neither did the monarchies.

It's created confusion because even though the church doesn't kill people anymore for disagreeing, there are traditions in Christianity that have no scriptural basis. They have simply been pounded into everyone's heads for countless centuries and they remain. That creates a conflicting authority with what the ancient prophets, for example, had to say that often comes into conflict with tradition. So which authority is one supposed to listen to? It's tough. It creates a lot of inner turmoil within the community of faith.

 

[Abishai100]

American Ashtray


America invites intellectual freedom and unfettered social dialogue, perhaps because America is the only nation that uses economics/capitalism to coordinate multi-culturalism (i.e., Chinatown, San Francisco).

America finds pockets of fervent religious discussions and pockets of focused atheism-configured scientific discussions.

Ethnic groups disenchanted by Western religion find a place in American sub-cultures, and ethnic groups seeking self-determined forms of religious expression find a place in customized churches.

It's no surprise then that the atheism-oriented Star Trek science-fiction film/literature fan club has become like a sentimental cult in America, inviting critics of mainstream religion and mainstream politics. Members of this lucrative club are called Trekkies.

If America caters to the needs of Trekkies, then certainly social talk about atheism and theism can only catalyze America's brand of 'capitalism-catalyzed' confluence (i.e., Wall Street).

In the comic book world of the X-Men (Marvel Comics), a fictional spiritual leader of outcasted genetic mutants with superpowers debates with radical philosophy groups such as the Friends of Humanity to resolve dominions over economic rights.

In the Satanism-exploratory Roman Polanski film "The Ninth Gate" (1999) an unscrupulous book dealer/collector investigates a series of anti-Christian engravings hinting at the popularity of a libertine American sub-culture.

Certainly, we can use the Friends of Humanity (Marvel Comics) and the Polanski inferenced anti-Christian engravings (film image) to arrive at some conclusions about American enterprise.







Friends of Humanity Earth-616 - Marvel Comics Database

 

[hangover]

Stoning...do you want to go back to stoning? How about burning people to death?


Leviticus 20-14 “It is a sexual sin if a man has sexual relations with a woman and her mother. The people must burn that man and the two women in fire! Don’t let this sexual sin happen among your people.

15 “If a man has sexual relations with an animal, both the man and the animal must be put to death. 16 If a woman has sexual relations with an animal, you must kill the woman and the animal. They must be put to death. They are responsible for their own death.

Leviticus only applies if you are a Jew and living in the Holy Land. If you don't meet those criteria you can toss it over your shoulder.

Laws and social rules existed long before Jesus. Every society has had rules promoting the welfare of that society. Obviously killing, stealing, violence are not activities likely to benefit the people of that group. Even warlike tribes, conquerors who rape and pillage and kill have their own social rules against these things within their own social order.

It has everything to do with making life easier, and nothing to do with Gawd making the rules. Anyone whose IQ is higher than his age can understand the reason for laws. Again, it's due to secular law and personal ethics, not religion. .

Yeah....might I suggest you do some research on James Fowler's stages of faith. Particularly stage two where it is an "all or nothing" view. This is a stage a lot of people of faith get caught in. It's also one that can have some really bad consequences both for the individual and for society as a whole if too many people get stuck there. While you are not a person of faith, your statements and attitudes are very similar to that stage two paradigm. You are viewing things from an atheist perspective but you are demonstrating the characteristics of a stage two theist.

Good luck. I hope you get beyond it because there are four more stages to go.

Everyone has faith, and all put it in one thing or another. Atheists have faith that there is no God. Some put their faith in money. Most have faith in their cars, cell phones, and jobs to keep their lifestyles.

 

[PostmodernProph]

Sounds like she's read a great deal of scriptures. How arrogant of you to assume otherwise.

????....if she is so well read in it, why does she keep making so many obvious mistakes?.......

 

[PostmodernProph]

Again, you're just so superior, so holier-than-thou and know so much more than those who dare to disagree with your beliefs.

Hollie can't proved God does not exist. Elsewhere she has admitted she can't prove it. Since she continues to insist her unverifiable faith is correct, she can now only troll the thread with her "because I say so" attitude. Everything she projects on others, she is doing herself. I know she hates being corrected, but when she is wrong, such will continue as long as she posts her faith as truth.

how does one prove a negative.

if one cannot prove a negative, they ought not make a negative claim and pretend it is proven......

 

[PostmodernProph]

Hollie, you can't prove that God does not exist.

Period.

You will have to live with that all rational peoples know that.

The burden of proof isn't on her. It is on the individual making the positive statement. She doesn't have to prove God doesn't exist anymore than she would have to prove that the flying spaghetti monster doesn't exist. The lack of supporting evidence is enough to make the statement in an intellectually honest manner.

not true....if one says God does not exist it is actually a positive statement.....the fact that it is a negative belief does not make it a negative statement.......

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Are atheists the ones who watch Honey Booboo and the Kardashians? If so, I would respond with a resounding yes!

 

[Carla_Danger]

Stoning...do you want to go back to stoning? How about burning people to death?


Leviticus 20-14 “It is a sexual sin if a man has sexual relations with a woman and her mother. The people must burn that man and the two women in fire! Don’t let this sexual sin happen among your people.

15 “If a man has sexual relations with an animal, both the man and the animal must be put to death. 16 If a woman has sexual relations with an animal, you must kill the woman and the animal. They must be put to death. They are responsible for their own death.

Leviticus only applies if you are a Jew and living in the Holy Land. If you don't meet those criteria you can toss it over your shoulder.

Laws and social rules existed long before Jesus. Every society has had rules promoting the welfare of that society. Obviously killing, stealing, violence are not activities likely to benefit the people of that group. Even warlike tribes, conquerors who rape and pillage and kill have their own social rules against these things within their own social order.

It has everything to do with making life easier, and nothing to do with Gawd making the rules. Anyone whose IQ is higher than his age can understand the reason for laws. Again, it's due to secular law and personal ethics, not religion. .

Yeah....might I suggest you do some research on James Fowler's stages of faith. Particularly stage two where it is an "all or nothing" view. This is a stage a lot of people of faith get caught in. It's also one that can have some really bad consequences both for the individual and for society as a whole if too many people get stuck there. While you are not a person of faith, your statements and attitudes are very similar to that stage two paradigm. You are viewing things from an atheist perspective but you are demonstrating the characteristics of a stage two theist.

Good luck. I hope you get beyond it because there are four more stages to go.

I've almost completed my 12 step program to release the shackles of indoctrination by spending 8 years in a Unitarian Church, which is similar to AA, yet it's for people trying to get over their past religion.

 

[Carla_Danger]

Sounds like she's read a great deal of scriptures. How arrogant of you to assume otherwise.

????....if she is so well read in it, why does she keep making so many obvious mistakes?.......

I don't know what you're talking about, since we always have to remind you of what's in your Bible.

 

[JakeStarkey]

The militant atheists continue to show a moral depravity when they insist that God does not exist and they don't have to prove it, while insisting theists musts prove their belief. That is why most Americans, theists and atheists alike, have little consideration for the fringe wingers in both groups.

 

[rdean]

To the OP, the far right social cons are a greater threat to America.

Simply the fact they are anti science and anti education puts their children in a very difficult place. This is why big business, small business and farmers want to bring in immigrants. If business turns against Republicans, what will they do?

 

[Hollie]

Hollie, you can't prove that God does not exist.

Period.

You will have to live with that all rational peoples know that.

The burden of proof isn't on her. It is on the individual making the positive statement. She doesn't have to prove God doesn't exist anymore than she would have to prove that the flying spaghetti monster doesn't exist. The lack of supporting evidence is enough to make the statement in an intellectually honest manner.

not true....if one says God does not exist it is actually a positive statement.....the fact that it is a negative belief does not make it a negative statement.......

like other angry, militant YEC'ists, you don't understand the concept of a positive claim requiring the burden of proof.

Your claim to the existence of polytheistic gawds carries the burden of proof.

 

[Hollie]

The militant atheists continue to show a moral depravity when they insist that God does not exist and they don't have to prove it, while insisting theists musts prove their belief. That is why most Americans, theists and atheists alike, have little consideration for the fringe wingers in both groups.

Actually, its you angry, self-hating extremists who are burdened with proving a positive claim and consistently, you fail to meet that burden.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Hollie, compare your anger with my mild commentary.

 

[Hollie]

Hollie, compare your anger with my mild commentary.

Compare your insensate anger with my simple requirement that you be held to a standard of evidence.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Although you won't be held to a standard of evidence that you never met? You homer wingers on each side are for grins and giggles. You are fun to watch stagger around. Relax, let it go, you will feel better.

 

[PostmodernProph]

Sounds like she's read a great deal of scriptures. How arrogant of you to assume otherwise.

????....if she is so well read in it, why does she keep making so many obvious mistakes?.......

I don't know what you're talking about, since we always have to remind you of what's in your Bible.

I'm talking about how you and she are ignorant about what's in my Bible.....

 

[PostmodernProph]

Hollie, you can't prove that God does not exist.

Period.

You will have to live with that all rational peoples know that.

The burden of proof isn't on her. It is on the individual making the positive statement. She doesn't have to prove God doesn't exist anymore than she would have to prove that the flying spaghetti monster doesn't exist. The lack of supporting evidence is enough to make the statement in an intellectually honest manner.

not true....if one says God does not exist it is actually a positive statement.....the fact that it is a negative belief does not make it a negative statement.......

like other angry, militant YEC'ists, you don't understand the concept of a positive claim requiring the burden of proof.

this from someone so fucking stupid she can't tell the difference between a young earther and someone who is not a young earther.......

 

[Hollie]

Fake christians are a far worse danger. They are like ISIS pretending to be Muslims

"Fake" christians is a matter

Hollie, you can't prove that God does not exist.

Period.

You will have to live with that all rational peoples know that.

The burden of proof isn't on her. It is on the individual making the positive statement. She doesn't have to prove God doesn't exist anymore than she would have to prove that the flying spaghetti monster doesn't exist. The lack of supporting evidence is enough to make the statement in an intellectually honest manner.

not true....if one says God does not exist it is actually a positive statement.....the fact that it is a negative belief does not make it a negative statement.......

like other angry, militant YEC'ists, you don't understand the concept of a positive claim requiring the burden of proof.

this from someone so fucking stupid she can't tell the difference between a young earther and someone who is not a young earther.......

When your views are consistently aligned with the YEC'ist cabal, that's what you become.

 

[Hollie]

Sounds like she's read a great deal of scriptures. How arrogant of you to assume otherwise.

????....if she is so well read in it, why does she keep making so many obvious mistakes?.......

I don't know what you're talking about, since we always have to remind you of what's in your Bible.

I'm talking about how you and she are ignorant about what's in my Bible.....

What you pick and choose to accept from your bibles is the definition of cafeteria religion.