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If a person is generous and kind to others, because he thinks god is watching, i'm fine with that, more so then I am with someone who thinks he can do whatever he wants, be as mean and cruel and selfish, as long as it's not illegal or if it is, as long as no one catches him."""
Ya, I know christians like that...like the kid who bragged about all his DUIs and then was shocked that I didn't believe in "the Lord"...
"""The problem with religion is that it can be perverted by men, who will convince others that murder and killing of certain people, is God's wish. Humans have progressed far enough along, that only one religion is still being perverted for that purpose.
Checked out that history of the world and those kindly christians yet? Didn't think so.
Now, WHICH religion is being perverted? Islam? Christianity?
I appreciate your honesty. Your words reinforce what I've thought of Atheists all along: People who have ZERO desire to be accountable for their actions while on this Earth. Pascal's Wager......... Is it worth it to not be accountable only to find out you were wrong all along?
I guess that would depend on what you consider 'being accountable', wouldn't it. My son the atheist may not worry about what God might think of his actions, but he damned well DOES worry about what his mother thinks of them!
Everyone gets upset because we've insulted the Christians with a billboard. Don't you think we get a bit upset when you restrict a woman's right to choose, discriminate against people based on their sexuality, and generally infiltrate our government with your personal beliefs?
This isn't about us caring about what you believe in, it's about far more important issues. Even if it was directly meant to insult (which it isn't) why is it okay for Atheists to be insulted but not Christians? You guys certainly don't deserve any special treatment, and you are no more important than anyone else in society. It's called equality.
There are many disparities from true Atheism and such a site as Atheism.org. What little information I gathered of the site, it appears to appeal more to a skeptical communtity rather than atheism.
Pulled from its site:
Quote:
The American Atheists billboard is now up, on rt 495 @ Kennedy Bvd (on the NJ side of the Lincoln Tunnel). The purpose of the billboard is threefold:
1) To address those atheists who “go along to get along”, and to encourage them to come out of their closets
2) To attack the myth that Christianity owns the solstice season
3) To raise the awareness of the organization and the movement
1) To "go along to get along" is very athiest. We are motivated by thought,logic and yes, reason. To fight against emotional appeal ( and belief ) is counterproductive and gets nowhere.
2) This is a statement reserved for skeptical communities. Particulary becuase of its focus.
3) Well, they surely have done so.
In contrary to my disapprovals of the site, I also do not see much difference in what Christains have been doing with their own advertisements on sign boards. They are both very aggressive. Why would I want to see "GOD" written in letters bigger than the grand cannon? Push it til they believe it?
Has it ever occured to anyone, that after years of watching advertisements and seeing them everywhere, it amounts to nothing more than entertainment at best? Ok, maybe I am being unfair. Some people DO suck up to advertisement. I suspect those same people also rely on emotion more than the logical side of their brain.
Originally Posted by Metro Matt I wonder if an Atheist had a near death experience or death of a loved one if that would shake them up a bit into believing in a higher power greater than oneself?""""
Quote:
Originally Posted by pollyrobin
I don't know, why not ask Richard Tillman, commenting
at his brother Pat's funeral:
"He's not with god, he's ****ing dead"
Does that answer your question
I've always wanted to ask ... when you die and go to heaven, do you have to spend time with a relative you hated while you were here on this planet?
Today, about 2.5% of the world's population describes itself as atheist. Between 64% and 65% of Japanese are atheists, agnostics, or do not believe in God. Up to 85% in Sweden are nonreligious (where 17% identify themselves as atheists), 80% in Denmark, 72% in Norway, and 60% in Finland. Many now, atheists are former Catholics
and Mormons (go figure)
An atheist will tell you, the higher power that is greater than oneself is earth and the universe.
The celebration of Winter Solstice - the reason for the season occurs exactly when the Earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun at its maximum of 22 1/2° 26'. The seasonal importance of the winter solstice is in the reversal of the gradual lengthening of nights and shortening of days. This is of great significance if you
are a farmer or if you are addicted to sun bathing
Winter Solstice celebrates winter and the beauty it brings. It has everything Christmas has, without any of the guilt
I asked Metro Matt why he thought that would happen....neither he nor any other christian could answer.....
Honestly? I haven't really seen a lot of "reason" in the neo-atheist crowd.
Yes because reason is overflowing in Christianity. I am going to surmise from your username that you are a Calvinist. Now there's a "reason" oriented ideology.
If a person is generous and kind to others, because he thinks god is watching, i'm fine with that,
Me, too, but I still think it's rather - conditional. How about being generous and kind to others out of empathy, or thanks to considering the golden rule, or even out of basic enlightened self-interest - I'll take it. I really do not think you should need an external factor to be a decent human being.
Quote:
more so then I am with someone who thinks he can do whatever he wants, be as mean and cruel and selfish, as long as it's not illegal or if it is, as long as no one catches him.
- or as long as he can count, ultimately, on being forgiven.
Quote:
Humans have progressed far enough along, that only one religion is still being perverted for that purpose.
Ehm - what? Did the Balkan War get stricken from the books while I wasn't looking? Srebrenica ring a bell? Or have you missed out on the Sikh/Hindu religious wars?
Everyone gets upset because we've insulted the Christians with a billboard. Don't you think we get a bit upset when you restrict a woman's right to choose, discriminate against people based on their sexuality, and generally infiltrate our government with your personal beliefs?
This isn't about us caring about what you believe in, it's about far more important issues. Even if it was directly meant to insult (which it isn't) why is it okay for Atheists to be insulted but not Christians? You guys certainly don't deserve any special treatment, and you are no more important than anyone else in society. It's called equality.
This is why I'm seriously considering moving out of the country. This country is held captive by religious ideologues. Look at what you pointed out, look at the priorities in this country! Look at what gets people enraged! We have a few flailing threads about wikileaks and taxes and 30+ page long debates over "Christianphobia!" People get more enraged when someone says "Happy Holidays" than the thought at people dying without adequate health care. People care more when some stupid billboard gets up than about the fact we've pissed a trillion+ dollars away in worthless foreign wars and bailing out fat cat banksters who were complicit in sabotaging the American and global economy. Vince Lombardi said it best:
As with all advertising, it is a revenue generator. They use the revenue just like any church does, to push their message, to get GOD out of peoples lives, as there can only be one ruler of the world. As opposed to the churches message of GOD in everyone's life as he is the ruler of the world.
How is this a "revenue generator" for anyone other than the company that owns the billboard and rented it to this group? How does this group make any money off this billboard?
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Didn't think so.
People get more enraged when someone says "Happy Holidays" than the thought at people dying without adequate health care. People care more when some stupid billboard gets up than about the fact we've pissed a trillion+ dollars away in worthless foreign wars and bailing out fat cat banksters who were complicit in sabotaging the American and global economy. Vince Lombardi said it best: