What It Feels Like To Be An Atheist

[The ClayTaurus]

Ready, set, controversial!

http://brentrasmussen.com/log/node/363

 

[manu1959]

Ready, set, controversial!

http://brentrasmussen.com/log/node/363

there is an exact reciprocal argument to his rant.....

 

[Hobbit]

there is an exact reciprocal argument to his rant.....

Yeah, it starts with, "Imagine if you will, a world where a vocal minority of people don't believe that the federal government exists. After all, they've never seen the government, and just because so many other people believe it exists doesn't make it so. You continually point out how there are roads, utilities, government agencies, etc., but they insist that these things were built as a result of the species wide instinct to protect their own kind, and that the government was just a fairy tale told to children to get them to go along with it. You point out that the system is too complex and deliberate to have occurred randomly, but they reply with, "Well, it must have happened that way, because the federal government doesn't exist and there's no other explanation." I could go on and on about how the downright wacky ways they 'prove' the government doesn't exist, but I digress. Now, imagine if they were so confident that they were right that they forbid the teaching of the 'theory of government' in history classes, since it's not history, it's just some form of fanaticism. Now imagine that they sue people left and right, in local court, of course, for putting up government emblems because it belittles and offends those who don't believe in the government and that there be no special concessions made for these 'fanatics' holidays such as Independance Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans' Day."

 

[MissileMan]

there is an exact reciprocal argument to his rant.....

You're probably right!

Yeah, it starts with, "Imagine if you will, a world where a vocal minority of people don't believe that the federal government exists. After all, they've never seen the government, and just because so many other people believe it exists doesn't make it so. You continually point out how there are roads, utilities, government agencies, etc., but they insist that these things were built as a result of the species wide instinct to protect their own kind, and that the government was just a fairy tale told to children to get them to go along with it. You point out that the system is too complex and deliberate to have occurred randomly, but they reply with, "Well, it must have happened that way, because the federal government doesn't exist and there's no other explanation." I could go on and on about how the downright wacky ways they 'prove' the government doesn't exist, but I digress. Now, imagine if they were so confident that they were right that they forbid the teaching of the 'theory of government' in history classes, since it's not history, it's just some form of fanaticism. Now imagine that they sue people left and right, in local court, of course, for putting up government emblems because it belittles and offends those who don't believe in the government and that there be no special concessions made for these 'fanatics' holidays such as Independance Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans' Day."

This isn't it.

 

[Hobbit]

This isn't it.

It's just as rediculous. Ok, maybe a little more so, but I didn't take the time to formulate something better. It does put things in perspective, though.

 

[5stringJeff]

That link was little more than a 10-minute version of the statement "God is no more plausible than Santa Claus." Talk about overly verbose.

 

[Powerman]

That link was little more than a 10-minute version of the statement "God is no more plausible than Santa Claus." Talk about overly verbose.

Really? At least we know that a person named St. Nick existed. Of course he isn't the person we've all been told he was in our childhood but at least we know the guy existed at some point in time. I'd say there is at least some uncertainty on whether or not God exists. I'm pretty sure everyone here has questioned it at some point in time.

 

[5stringJeff]

Really? At least we know that a person named St. Nick existed. Of course he isn't the person we've all been told he was in our childhood but at least we know the guy existed at some point in time. I'd say there is at least some uncertainty on whether or not God exists. I'm pretty sure everyone here has questioned it at some point in time.

We also know that a man named Jesus existed, and that a few of His disciples wrote biographies of him, so that we can know some of the events of His life, including the fact that He was crucified, and that He rose from the dead again.

Oh, wait. Those aren't the kind of facts you wanted to see... my bad.

 

[Powerman]

We also know that a man named Jesus existed, and that a few of His disciples wrote biographies of him, so that we can know some of the events of His life, including the fact that He was crucified, and that He rose from the dead again.

Oh, wait. Those aren't the kind of facts you wanted to see... my bad.

All of these stories were written well after Jesus died. I'm not sure that we can deem them all factual although I'm sure part of the stories were factual. How do we know Jesus didn't go into a coma?

 

[Hobbit]

All of these stories were written well after Jesus died. I'm not sure that we can deem them all factual although I'm sure part of the stories were factual. How do we know Jesus didn't go into a coma?

Because he was, uh, STABBED IN THE HEART? Maybe? In fact, the Biblical account details that water and blood both poured from the wound. Now, skeptics for years claimed that this was just some spiritual metaphor thrown in as a fact to add to the mysticism of the story (a metaphor that was completely lost on modern audiences, apparently), but medical science later discovered that under the levels of exhaustion, dehydration, and starvation Jesus would have been under, a pocket of clear fluid resembling and mostly consisting of water would have formed around his heart and that stabbing the heart would release this fluid. The fact that this wasn't known 2000 years ago adds to the credibility of the story, as nobody would have known to add to it as a fabrication.

 

[LuvRPgrl]

All of these stories were written well after Jesus died. I'm not sure that we can deem them all factual although I'm sure part of the stories were factual. How do we know Jesus didn't go into a coma?

How do we know you arent in a coma?

 

[LuvRPgrl]

All of these stories were written well after Jesus died. I'm not sure that we can deem them all factual although I'm sure part of the stories were factual. How do we know Jesus didn't go into a coma?

Most of the stories of Hitler were written after he died. Does that invalidate them?

Doesnt having a picture up in every post you make take up a lot of bandwidth? Doesnt that cost the forum money?

Oddly enough, I find that Christians who are very secure in their saving KNOWLEDGE of Jesus the Christ, are never obtuse or "in your face" about it with anyone. But the anti Christians are so vehement and often downright vile

 

[Hagbard Celine]

It's just as rediculous. Ok, maybe a little more so, but I didn't take the time to formulate something better. It does put things in perspective, though.

No, it really doesn't.

 

[Hagbard Celine]

Most of the stories of Hitler were written after he died. Does that invalidate them?

Doesnt having a picture up in every post you make take up a lot of bandwidth? Doesnt that cost the forum money?

Oddly enough, I find that Christians who are very secure in their saving KNOWLEDGE of Jesus the Christ, are never obtuse or "in your face" about it with anyone. But the anti Christians are so vehement and often downright vile

See, the difference with your genius Hitler example is that we have photographic, video, audio, dna, physical, memorial and documentary evidence of Hitler and the things he did. The evidence validating the story of Jesus? A book written down hundreds of years after he died by people from different cultures who didn't know him that has been translated from Hebrew, to Aramaic, to Greek, to Latin, to German, to English. Don't get me started on the Old Testament. For the first 2,000 years, it survived only in oral tradition. But I guess primitive desert nomads never forget.

 

[Hagbard Celine]

How do we know you arent in a coma?

"How did Rudolph's nose get so red if Santa didn't exist? Huh?"

 

[manu1959]

"How did Rudolph's nose get so red if Santa didn't exist? Huh?"

prop man

 

[manu1959]

See, the difference with your genius Hitler example is that we have photographic, video, audio, dna, physical, memorial and documentary evidence of Hitler and the things he did. The evidence validating the story of Jesus? A book written down hundreds of years after he died by people from different cultures who didn't know him that has been translated from Hebrew, to Aramaic, to Greek, to Latin, to German, to English. Don't get me started on the Old Testament. For the first 2,000 years, it survived only in oral tradition. But I guess primitive desert nomads never forget.

what about the roman texts documenting that jesus existed

 

[Hagbard Celine]

We also know that a man named Jesus existed, and that a few of His disciples wrote biographies of him, so that we can know some of the events of His life, including the fact that He was crucified, and that He rose from the dead again.

Oh, wait. Those aren't the kind of facts you wanted to see... my bad.

Do you also believe in the legend of Hercules? Do you believe Buddha reached true enlightenment? Do you believe in the legend of King Arthur? He pulled the sword from the stone you know. Do you believe Muhammad was visited by the angel Gabriel and given the true word of God? If all stories passed down through history are so "factual" as you put it, why aren't you a Muslim or a Morman for that matter?

Or does the term "fact" only refer to the story of Jesus? If so why?

And if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?

 

[Hagbard Celine]

what about the roman texts documenting that jesus existed

To which ones do you refer? There were many texts written about Jesus. The ones that went into the New Testament were decided upon by the Council of Nicea based on source, age and in keeping with traditional "Christian" values, not unlike the values applied during the forming of the Septuagent, which eventually became the Old Testament. Everybody knows that.

 

[Hagbard Celine]

prop man

If you read the link, you would know that this was a question posed in the Atheist's diatribe. Luvergirl's question was just as ridiculous and is not in keeping with the rules of honest debate. But I guess double standards are only applied on those you disagree with right?