Atheists on this board answer this question....

[Carla_Danger]

"It has been estimated that in less than the past 100 years, governments under the banner of atheistic communism have caused the death of somewhere between 40,472,000 to 259,432,000 human lives.[7][8][9][10][11][12] Dr. R. J. Rummel, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Hawaii, is the scholar who first coined the term democide (death by government). Dr. R. J. Rummel's mid estimate regarding the loss of life due to communism is that communism caused the death of approximately 110,286,000 people between 1917 and 1987.[13]"

Mass murder - Conservapedia

That's a wacko site.

 

[koshergrl]

"While wary of open conflict with the churches, Hitler generally permitted or encouraged anti-church radicals such as Himmler, Goebbels and Bormann to conduct their persecutions of the churches."

"He moved early to eliminate political Catholicism, while agreeing a Reich concordat with Rome which promised autonomy for the Catholic Church in Germany. His regime routinely violated the treaty, closed all Catholic organisations that weren't strictly religious, and conducted a persecution of the Catholic Church."

"Hitler's Table Talk has Hitler often voicing stridently negative views of Christianity. Bullock wrote that Hitler was a rationalist and materialist, who saw Christianity as a religion "fit for slaves", and against the natural law of selection and survival of the fittest."

"Laurence Rees concludes that "Hitler's relationship in public to Christianity - indeed his relationship to religion in general - was opportunistic. There is no evidence that Hitler himself, in his personal life, ever expressed any individual belief in the basic tenets of the Christian church"

"Though Hitler retained some regard for the organisational power of Catholicism, he had utter contempt for its central teachings, which he said, if taken to their conclusion, "would mean the systematic cultivation of the human failure."

"Hitler's intimates, such as Joseph Goebbels, Albert Speer, and Martin Bormann record that Hitler was deeply hostile to Christianity. Ian Kershaw wrote that, while Hitler would occasionally tell his inner circle that he wanted to delay the "church struggle" out of political considerations, his inflammatory remarks gave his underlings license to intensify it."

Religious views of Adolf Hitler - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

 

[Where_r_my_Keys]

Whenever Christian teachings are literally applied to secular governance horrible things happen. History provides plentiful examples why "Christian nations" are bloody and tyrannical.

Provide one of those plentiful examples.

The catholic church, their vassal states and the bloodbath that occurred during the reformation is all the example anyone needs. More people have been put to the sword in the name of Jesus Christ than any other "reason". History has all but excluded the nationalistic christian dogma that allowed Hitler to kill millions so add that to your list. The Crusades are another example of Christian solders wading in the blood of the unbelievers. Want me to continue?

Proof?

You have none. The crusades resulted in the deaths of paltry thousands, many of them muslim invaders; nothing compared to the atheist regimes of the 20th century.

There weren't as many people to kill back then. That's the only reason Christian kill totals are smaller.

Christian motivated killing began to recede once we started getting rid of Christian theocracies.

Folks, it is pointless to quarrel with idiots who cannot reason soundly over events taking place before their very eyes, wherein Islam REPEATEDLY attack Israel, which require Israel to defend itself, that these cranks conclude is Israel attacking the Arabs.

Israel, a NATION whose footprint is smaller than the COUNTY I have lived in for most of my life. THEY Claim that THAT nation is ATTACKING a people who live in A DOZEN NATIONS THAT COMPRISE A FOOTPRINT THE SIZE OF NORTH AMERICA!

The same idiots blame the US for the Islamic attack upon US! The same fools then blame the US for making the Muslims which were CENTRAL TO THAT ATTACK >UNCOMFORTABLE< .

Now, friends... where there exist a people employing such a perversion of human reasoning, there is no potential for one to reasonably expect that one will ever be able to reason with them.

Now, historically speaking, WHAT would you say is the natural result of a circumstance wherein an unreasonable people press their unprincipled, foreign ideas hostile to another people?

Go ahead... guess.

 

[koshergrl]

""Without God, everything is permitted." - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

 

[Where_r_my_Keys]

"It has been estimated that in less than the past 100 years, governments under the banner of atheistic communism have caused the death of somewhere between 40,472,000 to 259,432,000 human lives.[7][8][9][10][11][12] Dr. R. J. Rummel, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Hawaii, is the scholar who first coined the term democide (death by government). Dr. R. J. Rummel's mid estimate regarding the loss of life due to communism is that communism caused the death of approximately 110,286,000 people between 1917 and 1987.[13]"

Mass murder - Conservapedia

That's a wacko site.

Your concession is duly noted and summarily accepted.

 

[Carla_Danger]

"It has been estimated that in less than the past 100 years, governments under the banner of atheistic communism have caused the death of somewhere between 40,472,000 to 259,432,000 human lives.[7][8][9][10][11][12] Dr. R. J. Rummel, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Hawaii, is the scholar who first coined the term democide (death by government). Dr. R. J. Rummel's mid estimate regarding the loss of life due to communism is that communism caused the death of approximately 110,286,000 people between 1917 and 1987.[13]"

Mass murder - Conservapedia

That's a wacko site.

Your concession is duly noted and summarily accepted.

Okay, I'll let you get back to your pissing match.

 

[JoeB131]

The question then is:What do atheists have to fear from people that believe in something?

As long as that something does not do as the majority of radical Muslims believe, i.e. any person that is an infidel must be put to death, why do atheists fear NOTHING i.e. they don't believe in the existence of God or gods..?

You mean other than THIS?

It's not your imaginary sky pixie we worry about, it's your inclination to do terrible things to people who don't believe in him or don't believe in him the right way.

 

[Where_r_my_Keys]

"It has been estimated that in less than the past 100 years, governments under the banner of atheistic communism have caused the death of somewhere between 40,472,000 to 259,432,000 human lives.[7][8][9][10][11][12] Dr. R. J. Rummel, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Hawaii, is the scholar who first coined the term democide (death by government). Dr. R. J. Rummel's mid estimate regarding the loss of life due to communism is that communism caused the death of approximately 110,286,000 people between 1917 and 1987.[13]"

Mass murder - Conservapedia

That's a wacko site.

Your concession is duly noted and summarily accepted.

Okay, I'll let you get back to your pissing match.

Your re-concession is duly noted and summarily accepted.

 

[Where_r_my_Keys]

The question then is:What do atheists have to fear from people that believe in something?

As long as that something does not do as the majority of radical Muslims believe, i.e. any person that is an infidel must be put to death, why do atheists fear NOTHING i.e. they don't believe in the existence of God or gods..?

You mean other than THIS?

It's not your imaginary sky pixie we worry about, it's your inclination to do terrible things to people who don't believe in him or don't believe in him the right way.

What's an imaginary Sky Pixie? And who would worry about the conjuring of someone's imagination?

 

[Luddly Neddite]

""Without God, everything is permitted." - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

heavily paraphrased - If you need a god to make you behave decently, you're not worth keeping alive.

A lot of believers have been horrendous criminals and some of them have been preachers/priests.

 

[Syriusly]

I mean truly if I were a true atheist believer I'd commit suicide. !

Wow that is really sad for you. I am sorry that your life is so devoid of meaning without your god that you would commit suicide without it.

As a true atheist, I love life.

Without needing any God.

Why do you love life? There is no meaning after death.

You really only love life because of your belief in an afterlife? How very sad.

My life is so full- why would I care about what happens to me after I die?

I have a wonderful marriage to my best friend and beautiful wife. I have have a fantastic child that I enjoy tremendously.

I love my friends, and my family. I have a great job that I enjoy. I live in a great place- go walking on the beach, enjoy the smell of the ocean and the sound of the waves crashing.

I go walking in redwoods, and enjoy the smell of eucalyptus after a rainstorm. Eating fresh oysters and drinking great wine. Making a great meal- and then enjoying it.

The feel of the sun on my face, the joy of a great new book, laughing with friends, enjoying a good new....

Even my commute- seeing hawks on the fence posts, cows in and horses in the pastures, the wind causing ripples in the water.....why wouldn't I love being alive?

Why don't you?

OH I do! And I enjoy every moment ALSO knowing that I'll be in an even better place because I've made good use of my time here.
I've laid up treasures in heaven and as such my future is even brighter! The only sadness I have is reading about people like you that
because you believe in nothing hereafter you will not be better off IN the hereafter.
I am hedging the bet. Since it takes more energy to be a good person, a constructive person in this life I'm doing so because I believe in the hereafter
what I've done here will stand me in good stead in the here after.
But you...while you've enjoyed the fruit of this life, you have convinced others there is nothing and that is truly a shame.
Because YOU don't have empirical proof of life after death you need to convince others that there isn't any to reinforce your belief structure.

Oh well I am glad that you enjoy your life, I am just sad that you would commit suicide if you didn't have a god.

Who have I convinced of anything? I am not trying to convince anyone that they should- or should not believe in your god- or any god.

Remember you started this thread- you asked for atheists to respond- and that is what I have done.

I simply don't care whether you believe in god or not- and I have no need for you agree with me. I need no 'empirical proof' for my atheism, any more than I need empirical proof that I shouldn't collect stamps.

You seem to care whether I believe in your god or not. I don't care whether you do- or you do not. I am fine with you believing- or not believing in a god.

 

[Syriusly]

Meanwhile, let's continue with reality and reason.

In my time here at USM, I have yet to see you use reality or reason in any post.

 

[2aguy]

Whenever Christian teachings are literally applied to secular governance horrible things happen. History provides plentiful examples why "Christian nations" are bloody and tyrannical.

Provide one of those plentiful examples.

The catholic church, their vassal states and the bloodbath that occurred during the reformation is all the example anyone needs. More people have been put to the sword in the name of Jesus Christ than any other "reason". History has all but excluded the nationalistic christian dogma that allowed Hitler to kill millions so add that to your list. The Crusades are another example of Christian solders wading in the blood of the unbelievers. Want me to continue?

No, more people were put to death to perpetuate socialism than any other reason....ask the victims of hiltler, Stalin, Mao and pol pot......hitter was an atheist...his followers in the SS were pagans and atheists....

the Crusades were defensive wars against the Muslims when the muslims invaded
Spain and France....50 years before the first Crusade....

 

[dblack]

First a definition:
"An Atheist"... a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.
An atheist's belief is by definition based on "nothing".

The question then is:What do atheists have to fear from people that believe in something?

As long as that something does not do as the majority of radical Muslims believe, i.e. any person that is an infidel must be put to death, why do atheists fear NOTHING i.e. they don't believe in the existence of God or gods..?

I don't fear "people that believe in something". I fear belligerent assholes, regardless of what they believe in.

 

[TimothysAlaska]

First a definition:
"An Atheist"... a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.
An atheist's belief is by definition based on "nothing".

The question then is:What do atheists have to fear from people that believe in something?

As long as that something does not do as the majority of radical Muslims believe, i.e. any person that is an infidel must be put to death, why do atheists fear NOTHING i.e. they don't believe in the existence of God or gods..?

Because of what some religious people want! For instance teaching creationism in school! It just opens the door for a host of religions to be added to the curriculum. Why should the state teach something that the parents can teach or go to Sunday school. To me it just shows how lazy parents are to want the school to teach what the parents should. Not only schools but government offices your opening the door to all sorts of religious and religions to dominate what should be impartial to all religions. Because if you open that Pandora's box, then the fickle way Americans can be, religion can change to whoever holds the majority. Just keep it out and let the religious worship in their own house.

 

[Syriusly]

Whenever Christian teachings are literally applied to secular governance horrible things happen. History provides plentiful examples why "Christian nations" are bloody and tyrannical.

Provide one of those plentiful examples.

The catholic church, their vassal states and the bloodbath that occurred during the reformation is all the example anyone needs. More people have been put to the sword in the name of Jesus Christ than any other "reason". History has all but excluded the nationalistic christian dogma that allowed Hitler to kill millions so add that to your list. The Crusades are another example of Christian solders wading in the blood of the unbelievers. Want me to continue?

No, more people were put to death to perpetuate socialism than any other reason....ask the victims of hiltler, Stalin, Mao and pol pot......hitter was an atheist...his followers in the SS were pagans and atheists....

the Crusades were defensive wars against the Muslims when the muslims invaded
Spain and France....50 years before the first Crusade....

Seriously I really don't want to get into a battle of "Christians are better than Atheists because Christians have murdered fewer millions than Atheists have murdered" but if you want to argue that I can.

Because it is easy enough to show that millions have been murdered in the name of Christianity.

The best you might be able to argue is that Christians didn't murder as many.

Which is hardly a great argument for Christianity.

 

[healthmyths]

This thread is not in any way suitable for the forum it currently resides in.

I'm thinking Badlands?

Or Religion?

OP?? Why did you put this in Politics?

Because the political process at Lake Worth injecting this atheist "invocation" into the political arena.
There was no need if the atheist believe there is no "God" or gods then what the hell difference does it make at a city council meeting?

 

[Mad_Cabbie]

Your concession is duly noted and summarily accepted.

Can I have some scrambled eggs with that spam?

 

[Mad_Cabbie]

This thread is not in any way suitable for the forum it currently resides in.

I'm thinking Badlands?

Or Religion?

OP?? Why did you put this in Politics?

Because the political process at Lake Worth injecting this atheist "invocation" into the political arena.
There was no need if the atheist believe there is no "God" or gods then what the hell difference does it make at a city council meeting?

Convoluted logic - you are doing the same thing to nonbelievers that other religions once did to Christianity; marginalizing it in order to better manage it.

 

[rightwinger]

Proof?

You have none. The crusades resulted in the deaths of paltry thousands, many of them muslim invaders; nothing compared to the atheist regimes of the 20th century.

So it's not like they massacred anyone that mattered? The protestant reformation was the most protracted period of warfare in European history, Christians fought on both sides of that one, explain how Jesus would approve of that?

Nope, that's not what I said or implied.

What I said is that your statements about Christianity causing more deaths than any other ideology is a flat out lie. And I provided the numbers to prove it.

You provided nothing. You can subtract Hitler from the count, his religious speeches urging his countrymen to rise up against the Jews in the name of German Christian identity are a matter of record. Not sure what his real feeling on Jesus was but he damned sure used him to get the power he wanted.

No, you proved nothing.

I made my case quite eloquently. Just because you're too stupid to understand how it works doesn't mean I failed. It just means you're too stupid to understand how this works.

“My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a
fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded
by a few followers, recognized these Jews for what they were and
summoned men to fight against them and who, God’s truth! was greatest
not as a sufferer but as a fighter. In boundless love as a Christian
and as a man I read through the passage which tells us how the Lord
at last rose in His might and seized the scourge to drive out of the
Temple the brood of vipers and adders. How terrific was his fight
against the Jewish poison. Today, after two thousand years, with
deepest emotion I recognize more profoundly than ever before the fact
that it was for this that He had to shed his blood upon the Cross. As
a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have
the duty to be a fighter for truth and justice… And if there is
anything which could demonstrate that we are acting rightly, it is
the distress that daily grows. For as a Christian I have also a duty
to my own people. And when I look on my people I see them work and
work and toil and labor, and at the end of the week they have only
for their wages wretchedness and misery. When I go out in the morning
and see these men standing in their queues and look into their
pinched faces, then I believe I would be no Christian, but a very
devil, if I felt no pity for them, if I did not, as did our Lord two
thousand years ago, turn against those by whom today this poor people
are plundered and exposed.”
[Adolf Hitler, speech in Munich on April 12, 1922, countering a
political opponent, Count Lerchenfeld, who opposed antisemitism on
his personal Christian feelings.

When I read that, I thought you were quoting one of koshergrls posts