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Jeff, pointing to an increase in suicide in the US (it is going up worldwide) and blaming it on atheism ("suicide and atheism are joined at the hip"). And there may be a case there. Religion provides feelings that can be very depressing when they are lost. A feeling of being loved, needed, having a place in the worldd (not to mention hope of another life) if lost through unfaith can be devastating.
But deconversion stories, though they often recount terrible dismay at losing faith, never hint at suicide. The problem is perhaps a decline in community and an increase in individuality - which can often lead to a feeling of loneliness.
But the answer to drying out or cold turkey is not to go back to the drink or dust. It is to get help in coping. We don't need more religion, but we do need more support and social backup to go with the rise in irreligion. Society is still woefully uninformed about the issues because there is no will or funding to educate people about it. There is only us, shouting from the choirloft as one poster puts it.
I know. What an obsession these people have toward a fantasy... Fact is, they have hatred toward God and thus hate themselves and their children -- and all of humanity too.
If that is a fact you should be able to provide unbiased evidence for those facts. Just another opinion of a religious person who thinks that believing in who they think is the right God gives them permission to demonize or dehumanize those who do not. Especially as one of the poster is obviously missing their child dearly assuming them of hating that child is both offensive and totally without any of this Christian love that Christians brag about.
But then some who profess the good part of Christianity is loving everyone are people who despise those who are different in belief, sexual orientation or perhaps politics. Agape love does not mean hate those who are not like you, there are Christians on these forums you and Jeff could learn from.
We do know the writings of the bible and we know the workings of fundamentalists and extremists. I have a religious family and they can be a pain at times. Otherwise they are fine people. So what if my brother believes the earth is six thousand years old? Well, it is a bit odd.
Sounds to me like most atheists know the story of Noah and that's it. After all, you obsess over this one story post after post. I'm sure your religious family prays that you will be rescued from your blindness.
With that logic, every parent should be imprisoned for the actions of their children even if they are grown. They are responsible.
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Originally Posted by 303Guy
Besides that, is he not a compassionate God and all that? Well, obviously not. So why would anyone want to 'give their lives' to this God? Why worship him. Why praise him? Now if your God did step in and fix all theses messes, then yes, by all means praise him. BUT HE HASN'T DONE ANYTHING!
God is a compassionate God and He has done plenty. He gave us an escape route from the death penalty of sin and the opportunity to have eternal life forever in exchange for a few short year on this cursed land. That's a pretty amazing deal. The beauty of life is that God first gave us life which is an amazing gift. In return, we are asked to give that life back to Him. With God guiding and direction your life path, blessings and GOOD things can happen.
God is a big picture God. We can only reason without our limited human brain perspective. You think the worst possible thing is physical suffering when it reality, the worst possible thing is to lose your soul. With your reasoning, God should zap end the physical suffering. But from a spriitual perspective, what does that accomplish reality? It only delays the evidentable. The death of the human body. Your demand requires God to intefer heavily with free wil directing and forcing the actions of people until we are just puppets with no control of our actions.
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Originally Posted by 303Guy
Why do Christians commit suicide? They are God's children after all. Why did God not answer the prayers of the mother of my son?
Christians still live in a sin fallen world and deal with pain. We also have to deal with an enemy who relentlessly wants to discourage us.
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Originally Posted by 303Guy
This God of your's either doesn't care a **** or he doesn't exist.
No, man is too stupid and selfish to follow God's blueprint for life which would greatly defeat depression and suicidal thoughts. That blueprint is to put the needs of others before yourself. To love your neighbor as you love yourself. Even if everyone just went around giving each other the simple gesture of a hug, that would make a world of difference. The problem isn't God. It's that man doesn't care.
Do you have a Bible? Do you adhere fully to it? Since you don't, and most won't, why call on a God who you disdain? So, you're whining sounds pretty counterproductive.
Why would I have a book of bad fairy tales? I have read your "Holy Book", and at the tender age of 8, I was able to tell it was BS. Too bad you guys can't grow up and see that as well. Don't get me wrong though, I have read your Bible, and found it seriously lacking, and seriously flawed. There are more errors than not. Why would I fully adhere to that junk book?
Do you fully adhere to it? Do you stone non virgins? Do you treat your slaves how the Bible wants you to? If you have a daughter, will you sell her to me for some goats?
Get out of here with that mess. You are just another in a long line of ignorant religious fanatics. I do not hate your God any more than I hate Zeus or Krishna. I do not believe in your idea of God. What I have disdain for, are the people like you, who want your God to rule over all men, women, and children. I have disdain for the like of you, who think you should get special privilege for believing in an imaginary friend. I have disdain for bigotry and ignorance.
No, I don't hate your God, as he is not real. I do, however, have no respect for those like yourself.
With that logic, every parent should be imprisoned for the actions of their children even if they are grown. They are responsible.
...and there you are doing it YET AGAIN after you have had this argument debunked a dozen times. You CANNOT compare ordinary human parents with an omnimax deity.
Mortal parents may not know what their children are doing.
Omnimax deities DO.
Mortal parents, even if they know what their children are doing, may not be able to stop them.
Omnimax deities COULD.
If human parent know about but refuse to stop the actions of their children that do harm to others, they ARE held responsible under the law. Your deity must be held responsible too.
Stop this idiotic analogy between ordinary humans and omnimax deities.
No, man is too stupid and selfish to follow God's blueprint for life which would greatly defeat depression and suicidal thoughts. That blueprint is to put the needs of others before yourself. To love your neighbor as you love yourself. Even if everyone just went around giving each other the simple gesture of a hug, that would make a world of difference. The problem isn't God. It's that man doesn't care.
You need help pal. If your god came down and plunged a dagger in your heart just for the fun of it, you would still gasp your last breath apologising for 'making him do it'. What a sad case of indoctrination you present.
You need help pal. If your god came down and plunged a dagger in your heart just for the fun of it, you would still gasp your last breath apologising for 'making him do it'. What a sad case of indoctrination you present.
Yea, it must be sad living a life where you think you are worthless without your god of choice. Living a life where you NEED a god to make yourself feel special. I am glad I saw through that mess early on in life, as it has allowed me to live a much fuller life up to this point.
Why should God have to clean up all our messes? Starving children are usually the result of evil men who hoard the food. There is plenty of food for everyone. God provides this. And God does bless and aid those faithful people who provide relief to the needy.
But of course like sinful men, you want things to happen fast, immediate and easy. God snaps the food into existence in front of them or something. God puts the burden of relieving the suffering of the world onto the believers because it blesses and helps us in return and He is not forced to interfere heavily with free will. Sin has consequences and unfortunately those consquences can cause other people to suffer. When the final day comes that God ends sin for good, there will be no more suffering. And what a glorious day that will be!
Religious lesson of the day: When you use your little book of excuses, written by ancient, clueless men to explain the current state of the modern world, you will soon learn that you can't find plausible answers. Prime example, "Starving children are usually the result of evil men who hoard the food." There you have it, folks.
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as one poster puts it.
