Atheist billboards

editec · Nov 30, 2008

I read or listen to some of the ridiculous nonsense spewing from the minds of some self proclaiming Christians, and I am extremely sympathetic to some atheists' concerns.

When some people think they've got GOD on their side, they can justify pretty much anything.

Now that's not a slam at believing, but that is a slam at a small number of believers who truly are a menace to our secular society AND to the religious beliefs of all the other believers, too.

aztech · Nov 30, 2008

Ravi said:
why is sunni talking about gay sex acts on this thread?

Cause he is thinking of coming out of the closet....

Anguille · Nov 30, 2008

editec said:
I read or listen to some of the ridiculous nonsense spewing from the minds of some self proclaiming Christians, and I am extremely sympathetic to some atheists' concerns.

When some people think they've got GOD on their side, they can justify pretty much anything.

Now that's not a slam at believing, but that is a slam at a small number of believers who truly are a menace to our secular society AND to the religious beliefs of all the other believers, too.

Yup, it's always the extremists and the fruitcakes in a group of people who make it hard for the reasonable ones to be heard and appreciated.

I've come to learn from many of my religious friends that things like ignoring the seperation of church and state, claiming ownership of the word of God and curtailment of religious freedom / freedom from religious curtailment are abhorrent to most believers in God.

KittenKoder · Nov 30, 2008

xsited1 said:
I don't believe in Atheists. I believe that every person has a belief in some sort of God. It's just a matter of degree.

You never cease to amaze me Xsited, though at times you are a little self centered, this is so true. Atheism is not a lack of belief in a god of some sort but more a "I'll make up my mind when I see the proof" attitude.

KittenKoder · Nov 30, 2008

Anguille said:
Nothing worse than a self proclaimed atheist blathering on about what all other self proclaimed atheists believe or don't believe, have experienced or not experienced, need or do not need.
Well, maybe being tormented by bible thumpers determined to ruin your Saturday afternoon nap with irritating doorbell ringing is worse.
Skull pilot, you should just stop calling yourself an atheist and trying to pwn the definition. Call yourself a skull pilot and you can be one all on your own.

As you point out later, it's the extremist idiots that make all the others look bad. My addition, it's because the extremists on all sides shout so loud it drowns out the others.

Ravi · Nov 30, 2008

KittenKoder said:
You never cease to amaze me Xsited, though at times you are a little self centered, this is so true. Atheism is not a lack of belief in a god of some sort but more a "I'll make up my mind when I see the proof" attitude.

No, that would be an agnostic more likely. Why is it so hard to believe that some don't believe?

KittenKoder · Nov 30, 2008

Actually, the word god means something with the power to give or take life, therefore to most atheists science is actually a god, to some it's still animals, to others it's the sun. Just because they don't call it a god doesn't mean they don't believe it is the source of life and death. In reality we all believe that something gives and takes life from us, that something is bigger and more powerful. Many believe it's the universe itself that is. So it depends on if you are using the true definition of what the word god means or the single minded definition. It's NOT a name.

Anguille · Nov 30, 2008

KittenKoder said:
You never cease to amaze me Xsited, though at times you are a little self centered, this is so true. Atheism is not a lack of belief in a god of some sort but more a "I'll make up my mind when I see the proof" attitude.

Kitty, you sure don't know this atheist.

I wouldn't profess to know what a pagan believes or disbelieves.

Anguille · Nov 30, 2008

KittenKoder said:
Actually, the word god means something with the power to give or take life, therefore to most atheists science is actually a god, to some it's still animals, to others it's the sun. Just because they don't call it a god doesn't mean they don't believe it is the source of life and death. In reality we all believe that something gives and takes life from us, that something is bigger and more powerful. Many believe it's the universe itself that is. So it depends on if you are using the true definition of what the word god means or the single minded definition. It's NOT a name.

That's a very broad definition of god.
God, to me, doesn't mean source of life, it means a reason for life.

KittenKoder · Nov 30, 2008

Anguille said:
That's a very broad definition of god.
God, to me, doesn't mean source of life, it means a reason for life.

As I said, it depends on the definition used. One problem with English is our words often have many more meanings than one. While not being religious, you do believe that life started or you would not be here, but as to what or how it started you may not believe that it was guided by another intelligence (the religious definition of what a god is) but that something else did. However, by the original definition of what a god is, without religious alignment many admit that Sol is what grants and takes our lives now and it currently is the one thing we are powerless of. We need Sol, but at the same time it can and does kill us. So again, it's definition of the word that people are changing so they can say everything is a religion, while they are not accurate either. Believing that something is a god doesn't make you religious, it makes you smart. There are a lot of gods for us today, science has proven that, Sol and every star is a god, black holes (if they truly exist) would be considered gods, etc.. By scientific standards these things are gods, but by religious standards they are not because they lack intelligence.

Though a very small explanation of the word, and if you read even more, the word god could just mean any spirit as wel:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=god

Anguille · Nov 30, 2008

Sounds reasonable. I'm just not much for hero worship.

KittenKoder · Nov 30, 2008

Anguille said:
Sounds reasonable. I'm just not much for hero worship.

Same here. If you are going to worship something, at least make it bigger than life.

Ravi · Nov 30, 2008

I don't think atheists think science is a god.

KittenKoder · Nov 30, 2008

Ravi said:
I don't think atheists think science is a god.

Again, going by the original definition and not the one that thinks it's a name, some do, they believe that all life and death is a science, therefore to them science is the giver and taker of life. It's all perspective.

Gunny · Nov 30, 2008

YWN666 said:
Atheists Reach Out -- Just Don't Call It Proselytizing - WSJ.com

Atheists Reach Out -- Just Don't Call It Proselytizing
Nonbelievers Think the Time Is Right to Better Organize Their Nonreligion and Swell the Membership; 'Reason's Greetings'

By STEPHANIE SIMON

Late next month, atheists, humanists, freethinkers, secularists -- in short, nonbelievers of every description -- will gather in dozens of cities to mark the holiday they call HumanLight.

Whether by singing from a Humanist Hymnal, decorating a winter wreath or lighting candles dedicated to personal heroes, they'll celebrate what has been an exhilarating ride for the faithless -- a surge in recognition that has many convinced they're on the brink of making a mark on mainstream America.

During the past three years, membership has grown in local and national associations of nonbelievers. Books attacking faith as a delusion shot up best-seller lists. For the first time, the faithless even raised enough funds to hire a congressional lobbyist.

Building on that momentum, nonbelievers have begun a very public campaign to win broad acceptance. On billboards and bus ads, radio commercials and the Internet, atheists are coming forward to declare, quite simply: We're here. And we're just like you.

Follow the link for the entire article
======================
Of course the billboards have been met with the expected ignorant bigots:

Taking God Out of Christmas? - NBC Action News KSHB-TV 41

The writer of this article took the opportunity to label atheists expressing their non-belief as another attack on Christmas. Good grief @@

Don't call proselytizing proselytizing ? Figures. Typical.

Ravi · Nov 30, 2008

KittenKoder said:
Again, going by the original definition and not the one that thinks it's a name, some do, they believe that all life and death is a science, therefore to them science is the giver and taker of life. It's all perspective.

Sorry, that just doesn't make sense. Science isn't a giver and taker of anything and I've never met anyone that believes it is...it is merely a quest for knowledge of how things work.