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There are millions of Muslims who literally believe Mohammed flew to the moon on a horse. There are millions of people literally think they are drinking and eating the flesh and blood of Jesus (Through transubstantiation), there are people that literally believe if they pray to Jesus/God/Mary their tumors will go away.
DISBELIEF in any or all of these things is equally valid and not a religion.
And no, you got it backwards. A belief that there is no god is the same as a belief there is NO FSM.
edit: A better phrasing, a lack of belief in a god is the same as a lack of belief in the FSM.
Ah, but how many real Christians post on an atheist forum and insult, denigrate, etc. That happens here a lot and shows how valueless the non belief is, as it seems to produce some people who have no respect for others and no real morals and basically are full of themselves. Just read a few posts. It really turns people off as much as beliefs like ... well you did mention a few and I do not believe any of them.
Now the difference is a real kind and moral person will try to reason in a friendly and not an arrogant manner. Provide proof, not just what they think is logical or true. Kinda have a decent discussion, not a "hey stupid why do you believe something this idiotic?" type of conversation.
I hear this a lot, but honestly I am insulted when people say that ethics or ethical living comes from religion. It infers that non-religious people cannot be ethical or treat people well.
That's just complete bull****
Well part of the problem is that what is "moral" is what the majority (or the rulers) at any time think is. That is not mortality.
Yes we can look back 50, 100, 1000 years and see things that we NOW feel are not moral or ethical. Imagine 100 years from now how bad ... well today's morals could look to a new majority, who wants what they think is moral approved.
Ah, but how many real Christians post on an atheist forum and insult, denigrate, etc.
Well one Christian recently informed me that I am in torment (thanks for that ... I would never have known otherwise) and that I am frantically trying to determine that god will not judge my sins and that this serves as the motivation for my unbelief. In other words this Christian read my mind and acted as my judge and jury, and then cheered on my executioner. If that's not insulting and denigrating I don't know what isn't.
Quote:
Originally Posted by expatCA
That happens here a lot and shows how valueless the non belief is, as it seems to produce some people who have no respect for others and no real morals and basically are full of themselves.
Seems to, to you.
It seems that many Christians do not understand that I can respect your RIGHT to believe any random thing, even fight to the death to defend that right of yours, but this does not entitle you to automatic respect for the belief itself. A belief is either justifiable or not, respect worthy or not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by expatCA
Now the difference is a real kind and moral person will try to reason in a friendly and not an arrogant manner. Provide proof, not just what they think is logical or true.
Would you care to define how there could be "proof" absent it being logical and true?
Quote:
Originally Posted by expatCA
Kinda have a decent discussion, not a "hey stupid why do you believe something this idiotic?" type of conversation.
It is difficult for anyone to explain why they disagree with someone else without the implication hanging thick in the air that they therefore think the other person is wrong. You think my unbelief is wrong, and will say so, and I will not accuse you of being unkind or indecent. How about you do the same for me? Disagreement is not unkindness, indecency, or persecution. It is just disagreement. Quit confusing your beliefs with your sense of self and maybe disagreement won't seem like such an existential threat.
If theists want us to redact provocative or frank labels then maybe they can draw back their own impertinence and quit calling us sinners, blasphemers, idolaters, workers of iniquity, and other things that attempt to conflate belief with righteousness and unbelief with unrighteousness.
Some people believe that righteousness has something to do with what sort of actor you are in the world, not on some doctrinal litmus test. Start being more about doing right rather than being right and we might have more common ground, not to mention mutual respect.
We all know, most of us anyway, that the whole concept of religion was developed as a mechanism to control the masses throughout time.
Well, quite honestly, society and humanity now sees religion for what it is, and the entire concept of a higher being and religion in general seems dated and silly. The fact that people still die in the name of their religion just highlights how absurd the whole thing is.
Does anyone agree with me that maybe it's just time to "cut the cord" and let it go?
I think that organised religion is a relic from a more ancient time and that it seems it is being replaced with spirituality and that the concept of G()D won't diminish as a result because spirituality recognizes that G()D is evolving even as human understanding and experience is evolving - the idea of G()D is along for the ride and as long as spirituality remains part of the human evolution of consciousness, so to will the idea of G()D remain as part of it all.
Ah, but how many real Christians post on an atheist forum and insult, denigrate, etc. That happens here a lot and shows how valueless the non belief is, as it seems to produce some people who have no respect for others and no real morals and basically are full of themselves. Just read a few posts. It really turns people off as much as beliefs like ... well you did mention a few and I do not believe any of them.
Now the difference is a real kind and moral person will try to reason in a friendly and not an arrogant manner. Provide proof, not just what they think is logical or true. Kinda have a decent discussion, not a "hey stupid why do you believe something this idiotic?" type of conversation.
Hard to find on these forums.
And how many atheists go stand out in front of abortion clinics protesting them, calling the women whores...
And how many atheists go stand out in front of abortion clinics protesting them, calling the women whores...
And bring their KIDS with them...
Notice I said "real" Christians.
Jesus did not stand in front of a temple to Zeus, in front of a slave market or a house of prostitution and protest. He preached and taught, and that is what real Christians do VS pseudo Christians.
We all know, most of us anyway, that the whole concept of religion was developed as a mechanism to control the masses throughout time.
Well, quite honestly, society and humanity now sees religion for what it is, and the entire concept of a higher being and religion in general seems dated and silly. The fact that people still die in the name of their religion just highlights how absurd the whole thing is.
Does anyone agree with me that maybe it's just time to "cut the cord" and let it go?
I'm sure a lot of people agree fully with you. If they haven't done so already, I'd say it's past time for them to "cut the cord." For those of us who find value in our belief in God, your opinion means diddly squat.
Sure the religion of a form of godliness but deny all power from God is a useless waste of time other than a moralities check on people lives.... .... But for people who know God through Lord Jesus and Jesus spirit takes care of their lives and gives them more life than people who reject God ..God is the complete answer for the existence of their lives, and as to forsake the God that they know personally would be devastating and selfish in nature ...... See people who deny God can come up with all kinds of ways to deny God more and even become humanist who reject people from even having God in their lives , may never know the true God who they deny
We all know, most of us anyway, that the whole concept of religion was developed as a mechanism to control the masses throughout time.
Well, quite honestly, society and humanity now sees religion for what it is, and the entire concept of a higher being and religion in general seems dated and silly. The fact that people still die in the name of their religion just highlights how absurd the whole thing is.
Does anyone agree with me that maybe it's just time to "cut the cord" and let it go?
I would say that religion was originally developed to explain things we couldn't fully understand.
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