Zone1 I've been an atheist for 60 years and have never once been tempted to believe in any god

[Concerned American]

What a clever comment. I am so put in my place. I'll prolly ne'er be able to hold my head up again.

It wasn't meant to put you in your place. Just a statement of fact. Narcissist.

 

[Insaneworld]

Small problem with your famous quote: The Hellenistic Era ended in 32 BC.

Doing a little googling, the siege of Melos happened around 400 BC, so if anything a century before what wikipedia calls the start of the Hellenistic period (316 BC).

 

[Crick]

Yes!

Wow. You've caught me out big time. I hope you don't tell everyone where it actually came from. My fans here would be so disappointed with me plagiarizing the Bard and all...

Who is angry, why is the one that comes to the religion section to debate something he doesn't believe in thinks people angry?

I don't know. What did I say about angry? And what is your actual objection to the topic I've brought here? You aren't obligated to debate every thread. Why does my presence here make you so unhappy?

You prove my point by purposely coming in this forum, and saying you don't believe, like we are suppose to give you some sort of award. Congratulations you get to go to hell!

What point of yours do I prove? That you're touchy?

Tell me something. Per your understanding of the way things work and the condition of the world and the people in it: roughly WHAT percentage of your friends and family will spend all of eternity burning in the fiery lake? And I trust you've given some thought as to how long eternity actually is. It's a REALLY long time... and then some. And if you're bothered that I, a complete and slightly antagonistic stranger, might go to hell, how will you be able to enjoy your time in the presence of the lord when you know that every ONE of your seconds of infinite pleasure is a THOUSAND of your friends' and families' spent in blood curdling agony and mind crushing fright? Second after second after second after second... till the very sound of your voice has worn away the planets and the stars... second after second after second and still they have not yet even BEGUN to burn.

Eh?

 

[Frankenstein]

Wow. You've caught me out big time. I hope you don't tell everyone where it actually came from. My fans here would be so disappointed with me plagiarizing the Bard and all...

I don't know. What did I say about angry? And what is your actual objection to the topic I've brought here? You aren't obligated to debate every thread. Why does my presence here make you so unhappy?

What point of yours do I prove? That you're touchy?

Tell me something. Per your understanding of the way things work and the condition of the world and the people in it: roughly WHAT percentage of your friends and family will spend all of eternity burning in the fiery lake? And I trust you've given some thought as to how long eternity actually is. It's a REALLY long time... and then some. And if you're bothered that I, a complete and slightly antagonistic stranger, might go to hell, how will you be able to enjoy your time in the presence of the lord when you know that every ONE of your seconds of infinite pleasure is a THOUSAND of your friends' and families' spent in blood curdling agony and mind crushing fright? Second after second after second after second... till the very sound of your voice has worn away the planets and the stars... second after second after second and still they have not yet even BEGUN to burn.

Eh?

It's okay. It's your ignorance that leads you to your anger and you're certainly not alone.
Who said that rudolph, rudolphs mother? it was you

 

[Crick]

Doing a little googling, the siege of Melos happened around 400 BC, so if anything a century before what wikipedia calls the start of the Hellenistic period (316 BC).

Either makes a reference to Jesus a trifle problematic.

 

[Crick]

It's okay. It's your ignorance that leads you to your anger and you're certainly not alone.
Who said that rudolph, rudolphs mother? it was you

If you think I've plagiarized someone, you need to clearly identify the suspect text of mine and what you believe to be its actual source. If you're having trouble finding the actual source, pass it on to management along with your suspicions and perhaps they can find it. There may also be resources on the web, particularly with those AI bots, that could help you identify the source of my texts. It's important that someone claiming something that simply didn't happed be fully exposed. Right?

And don't forget that line you heard from Rudolph's mother.

Or you could withdraw your unfounded accusation.

 

[Crick]

Why do you ask? Of what concern would that be to me? How does it relate to anything we’ve discussed?

Because you and several others have accused me of having come here and flooded the Religion forum with my evil atheist viewpoints, when, in fact, this is the one and ONLY thread in which I have ever posted ANYTHING here and that began December 11th of 2023.

I felt like it.

That's all that's required.

 

[Insaneworld]

Christian scriptures say quite clearly that I will.

Thanks

Okay. Have a good day.

Well, taking for granted the question of interpretation of scripture, Christian scriptures are only one aspect. There's many more, I believe all religions try to understand God, and they all have a spark of truth to them, but the majority of the content of religions is, I think, curated and understood to advance the material interests of humans. So, I try to emphasize the message of Jesus (as I understand it, based around having compassion for other people) over the scripture itself.

If faith itself is of value to God, I believe it's genuine faith that has value, not a performative declaration but deep genuine belief. That said, we all have personal blockers that we can overcome with enough introspection on these questions. It's important to pick the right question though. It isn't about Christianity necessarily, those are finer details. The main question, I think, is about God. About the way each of us understands the idea of God, and how we square that understanding with what we see around us, and what we each perceive as 'inconsistencies'.

This is why I think it's good to separate the idea of God from any single religion, from Christianity for instance. Because Christianity is filled with inconsistencies in the modern day, unless people can truly separate the two and reflect for themselves on the fundamental questions, they will often reject God altogether, as opposed to Christianity, which is only one of many historically significant groups that have claimed to speak for God in a total sense.

Either makes a reference to Jesus a trifle problematic.

Not exactly. The discussion you're referencing started from the claim that religion 'usurped' morality. I don't believe it did, and since it was also claimed that the progress and reason of Hellenistic times was 'squashed' by Christianity, I chose to reference the immoral places reason alone has taken people, since it was those traits of the Hellenistic times that were emphasized as valuable. The point is not really about the Hellenistic period, more about reason, morality and Christianity's role in it.

 

[Libby von H]

But you would have to be a god yourself to know that for certain. Wisest position is agnostic atheist. That means I admit I don't know but as far as i can see, nothing tells me a god is real. And as for organized religions who say god visited, I'm atheist about that. 100% certain it didn't happen.

The only difference between religions and fairytales is religion stories happened 225 years ago, 500, 2000 or 7000 years ago. And they happened in the middle east or Utah. Fairy tales happened in a far far away place a long long time ago.

except that violates your first premise. If the believers are the dumber and atheists the smarter then LOGICALLY when an atheist converts it is because he is smart and when a believer leaves it is because he is dumb. But whatever you are dumb for not seeeing that most obvious immediate deduction. Cheers

 

[EvilCat Breath]

That could be fun. I'd win Wordle every day.

Except for that jerk across the street with his loud music.

Like that guy across the street.

Does that mean I can send the Jehovah's Witnesses packing?

Except for his frequent sex, right?

So finding a pair of pants that fit is a SNAP!

Well... two kids was plenty. I can visit grandkids once in a while..

He promises to party like its 1984.

Particularly the young sunbather up three doors on the right. We could do some mutual transcending.


So I could have fixed my dog myself? Or never let him step in front of those cars? Or stop my brother from committing suicide or my friend's death of COVID or watch my mother starve from cancer or see a newborn infant die of its skin cracking and bleeding or see an internet video this very morning of a bald eagle bringing a cat to feed to its eaglets? Could I have stopped all of that? The world is filled with such massive amounts of the most awful tragedies and horrors imaginable - and many beyond that - how the F can anyone believe there is a caring, omnipotent deity out there and what the F do they actually think it is DOING for us?

Ohhh. I see. You want to BE god. Oh well. That's not going to happen.

 

[Crick]

That's OK, He doesn't believe in you.

This is a statement of fact? And this indicates I'm a narcissist?

You know I'm going to feel a little guilty if it turns out that I've brought some of the nastier Environment Forum vermin here. Not you, of course, but you make me think of some of the other folks that hang there.

And they make me think of you.

 

[Insaneworld]

Ohhh. I see. You want to BE god. Oh well. That's not going to happen.

Could you explain your thinking a little bit, why is that the conclusion you come to?

 

[Crick]

Ohhh. I see. You want to BE god. Oh well. That's not going to happen.

I didn't see a huge distinction between being like god and being god. ; - )

 

[Crick]

Ohhh. I see. You want to BE god. Oh well. That's not going to happen.

Did you ever see that movie "Bruce Almighty" with Jim Carrey and Morgan Freeman? Who the heck wouldn't want to be god? At least for a day or two. See the world. Meet a nice girl you can bring home to mother. Set up your retirement fund. And give my childhood dog back its sight.

 

[Concerned American]

This is a statement of fact? And this indicates I'm a narcissist?

You know I'm going to feel a little guilty if it turns out that I've brought some of the nastier Environment Forum vermin here. Not you, of course, but you make me think of some of the other folks that hang there.

And they make me think of you.

I notice you're as forthcoming with anything redeeming to this thread as you are in the envirowhacko forums.

 

[BackAgain]

Because you and several others have accused me of having come here and flooded the Religion forum with my evil atheist viewpoints,

I have made NO such claim about you.

Why are you suddenly making up so much bullshit?

when, in fact, this is the one and ONLY thread in which I have ever posted ANYTHING here and that began December 11th of 2023.

Good for you.

That's all that's required.

Whew. What a relief.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

I notice you're as forthcoming with anything redeeming to this thread as you are in the envirowhacko forums.

I'm pretty sure I told you that you're not allowed to talk about scientific topics.

 

[Crick]

Well, taking for granted the question of interpretation of scripture, Christian scriptures are only one aspect. There's many more, I believe all religions try to understand God, and they all have a spark of truth to them, but the majority of the content of religions is, I think, curated and understood to advance the material interests of humans. So, I try to emphasize the message of Jesus (as I understand it, based around having compassion for other people) over the scripture itself.

So you believe it is correct and proper for scripture's primary thrust be improving the material interests of human beings? Makes me wonder for what or whom religion actually exists.

If faith itself is of value to God, I believe it's genuine faith that has value, not a performative declaration but deep genuine belief. That said, we all have personal blockers that we can overcome with enough introspection on these questions. It's important to pick the right question though. It isn't about Christianity necessarily, those are finer details. The main question, I think, is about God. About the way each of us understands the idea of God, and how we square that understanding with what we see around us, and what we each perceive as 'inconsistencies'.

What if faith fails to be of material human interest? ; - ) I agree. Pascal didn't think much of his god.

This is why I think it's good to separate the idea of God from any single religion, from Christianity for instance. Because Christianity is filled with inconsistencies in the modern day, unless people can truly separate the two and reflect for themselves on the fundamental questions, they will often reject God altogether, as opposed to Christianity, which is only one of many historically significant groups that have claimed to speak for God in a total sense.

Would you merge Jahweh with the Hindu pantheon? Why not? All things are possible.

Not exactly. The discussion you're referencing started from the claim that religion 'usurped' morality. I don't believe it did, and since it was also claimed that the progress and reason of Hellenistic times was 'squashed' by Christianity, I chose to reference the immoral places reason alone has taken people, since it was those traits of the Hellenistic times that were emphasized as valuable. The point is not really about the Hellenistic period, more about reason, morality and Christianity's role in it.

I couldn't find it when I went back but I thought there was a hard reference to Jesus or his teachings. But I see you wondering what christianity's role might have been in the Hellenistic period. Were you under the impression that christianity preceded the birth of Jesus?

 

[Crick]

My memory isn't what it used to be but maybe you ought to see a doctor...

Crick said:

Because you and several others have accused me of having come here and flooded the Religion forum with my evil atheist viewpoints,​

I have made NO such claim about you. Why are you suddenly making up so much bullshit about me.

You have:

I’m still wondering why so many of you atheists imagine anybody needs to hear how you don’t believe in God.

AND

I don’t think so. You’re merely sharing your personal lack of belief. That doesn’t invite a discussion.

I don’t buy that you care what I do or don’t believe. And I suspect that most people don’t care what you do or don’t believe.

AND

Why would anyone care about your atheism? What’s the point in sharing your basic disbelief?

Are you hoping to convert believers into becoming disbelievers? Why? What difference does it make in your life what other people believe?

 

[BackAgain]

My memory isn't what it used to be but maybe you ought to see a doctor...

Crick said:

Because you and several others have accused me of having come here and flooded the Religion forum with my evil atheist viewpoints,​

You have:

AND

AND

Again, your rebuttal fails to do the main thing associated with a rebuttal. It fails to rebut what I said.