RJS

Ok - so hypothetically, would you say you were wrong for 72 brown-eyed virgins?

beliefisbunk

It appears most of this topic has already been gone over, but just for the record, if it hasn't already been said in another way, let me state my 1st on "heaven and hell."

Like religion, heaven and hell is simply one big interpretation. It baffles me how a bunch of morons could take the word of some hate-ridden preacher/pastor about who should go to hell and assume it's what "God" really thinks. Only to them. It's the interpretation, stupid.

Notice how many use the term "My God" more often then "God." Since multiple "interpretations" would otherwise render God a hypocritical idiot, the only other option is that there is more than one. I take the easy route: know, based on experience, and fact, that god (or god(s)) do not exist.

[ October 04, 2002: Message edited by: beliefisbunk ]

[ October 04, 2002: Message edited by: beliefisbunk ]</p>

Starboy

So I take it you're here to stir things up?

Cthulhu

luluv:

My frustration with the excesses of organized religion is only part of the reason I am on this forum. While I find some of the arguments of believers in defense of their dogma of choice to be rather goofy (and downright inane at times), I think philosophical discourse on such matters as are discussed here are very worthwhile. After all, I really haven't come to any absolute conclusions on some of these questions.I am in a continual process of trying to learn as much as possible. This forum is part of that learning process.

If you haven't noticed by now, there are some extremely bright and knowledgable individuals on this forum. I can only hope by listening to what they have to say, some of that will rub off on me, and my own understanding will increase.

RJS

No, not really. I'm here just to observe the atheists' opinions and behavior, and I can't resist occasionally participating. The ability of a believer to really get a thread going is just an observation.

Cthulhu

No, you don't.

Autonemesis

That's easy. I don't play on your team, I ride the bus, and I am a friend of Dorothy. But it is interesting to know that you think having one's way with six dozen inexperienced women would constitute enticement.

The answer is no. I would say I was wrong after I was shown I was wrong, even if I might not like discovering my error. There is no need for a reward.

[ October 04, 2002: Message edited by: Kind Bud ]</p>

K

luvluv:

Like Starboy, I came to this atheist website because it was refreshing to find other non-believers in a world where I'm surrounded by people who believe I am evil for not believing in God.

If the same thing were true with Santa Clause, I'd certainly be at a non-Santa-believers website. If Santa Clause believers entered discussions, I would certainly debate them as long as they tried to use logic to persuade me. I would hope that one or two might just see that their belief in Santa was mainly the result of cultural conditioning and the huge investment of life energy they'd put into the belief. If they didn't come to the realization, I would hope that at least a few on-the-fence lurkers would read the arguments and realize that the idea of Santa doesn't make a lot of sense. At the very least, I would hope that the Santa believers and lurkers would see that my arguments were logical and thoughtful and that maybe people who didn't believe in Santa weren't so bad after all.

When someone takes the time to think reason out arguments, I believe there is a chance that understanding will shine through and they will be able to let go of the myths they were force fed from a young age.

Don't forget that I was once in your shoes. I argued on the side of God for many years. But I found myself having to throw out logic and to dismiss clear observations from nature more and more often. It was very difficult for me to allow myself to think that maybe God didn't exist. But logic forced me too. Once I did, the walls came tumbling down. I believe that if a person argues with reason, there is a chance that they with the blaphemous unthinkable, whether they were brought up believing in God, ESP, Astrology, or even Santa Clause.

By the way, I would never go to a Christian board and post there. I will push back when I'm shoved, but I won't go out of my way to stir things up. This is not a jab at the theists here - they are explicitly welcomed here. I doubt Christian websites are looking for good atheist participants. If an offer was made for atheists to discuss things at a Christian site, I might do it then, but probably not. Like I said earlier, I came to this website because it was refreshing to find other atheists.

Unlike others here, I don't subscribe to the idea that theists come here because they don't believe. I do believe that some come to torment atheists (Gemma). I think many of them come because of the generally high level of discussion here. Sure several of the threads break down into a shouting match, but not nearly as many or as quickly as in other sites I've seen.

Starboy

Consider it as an indication that atheists don't care much for Christians and what they think. I understand the Christian point of view, I just don't agree with it. Christians are welcome to their beliefs, I just wish that "live and let live" was a cherished Christian tenet.

Starboy

Vanderzyden

OK, WHY is it pointless?

Surely, you don't mean that "Why?" isn't a legitimate question. If this is your view, then it is clear that you have denied even the possibility.

Make no mistake, I am not conflating the issues. Rather, I am distinguishing function from purpose.

Perhap you missed my explicit qualification:

So far, the posts that I've seen from you don't indicate that you have consider the issues carefully. You seem to categorically DISMISS anthropic and ID principles.

Vanderzyden