Autonemesis

What if your Congress stood on the steps of the Capitol and loudly pledged their Allegiance to One Nation Under Root Working, to which all your friends and family nodded in agreement?

What if your President launched a program of Root-Based initiatives, funded with public money?

Would you find it a bit more interesting, perhaps even important to discuss the topic, even though you found it ridiculous?

Ab_Normal

(emphasis added)

Just what I needed! Don't do that to me - I have a vivid imagination!

luvluv

Cthullhu:

I'll grant you that Cthullhu, but if that were the case, I would simply spend time fighting against those particular incarnations of Satanism. I certainly would not devote any measure of my time on a message board trying to disprove the existence of God. Nothing you or anyone else does here will change any of the things that you or K mentioned. If your goal was really to dissuade people from a harmful fantasy, or if it was to prevent the harmful effects of faith, you would be justified in invading the various Christian messageboards on the internet. But there really is no good reason to debate the dozen or so Christian apologists on this website.

K, I would say the same things about your objections. You would obviously be justified in keeping the government from pushing religion down your throat. I'd likely be on your side in many of those cases (I think the pledge is mildly fascist, with or without the God reference). You have no idea how much I am pissed off by those people who seem to think that republicanism, Americanism, and Christianity are one continuous fabric of belief. We'd be side by side in those fights, because I happen to think that is the primary blunder of modern American Christianity: we somehow think everyone in this country owes us their belief and have forgotten to show them WHY they should believe.

But I digress. The point is that if you were simply fighting to keep church vs state seperation the law of the land, or fighting to keep Intelligent Design out of schools, that would be logical. But none of the things you mention are adequate justification for what you do on this website. Indeed, I would imagine many theists on this site would agree with you on the necessity for church and state seperation, so the question of whether or not God's supposed qualities are contradictory is apparently not necessary to address any of the ills to which you are reffering.

Bottom line: if you truly disbelieve, then yes, there are many valuable and logical uses of your time that can be spent advocating the various causes of atheism. However, debating on this website is not one of them. If you truly see me and Van and Somms and Tercel and RJ and all of the other theists on this board as no more intellectually competent as the people who believe in psychics, aliens, or root-workers, then there is something inexplicable in the fact that you persist in (seemingly) serious debate with us. I could not argue with root-workers, or people who call psychic hotlines for any duration of time. Serious challenges are only made to serious claims. We should all admit that the question of God is a serious one, it is a claim that cannot easily be dismissed or affirmed, and is therefore worthy of a more serious debate than other supposedly supernatural phenomenon. You really cut your legs out from underneath yourself when you equate God and Santa Claus. There is only one thing more absurd than believing in Santa Claus, and that is engaging in serious debate with someone who does.

Cthulhu

The President wouldn't return my phone calls, so I had to take my frustrations out on someone.

And please put some pants on.

luvluv

Mr. Darwin:

I think that is the real reason most of us are here.

But my objection remains: I like to argue, but I don't like to argue on issues which are to me so settled that it makes argument redundant, ridiculous, and an innane waste of time. Some of you claim that the question of God is such an issue, which is why it makes no sense for you to debate it so often or so strenuously.

luvluv

RJS:

Speak for yourself.

I'm not wearing underwear.

Autonemesis

Of course hypothetically. In what other sense could I consider your question? My views are atheist. Eternal bliss is a fantasy.

What's so great about eternal bliss anyway? Why do you want to obtain eternal bliss? Do you think you're too good to enjoy only a mere human lifespan? Do you really want to continue talking about pride, and who has it?

Starboy

luvluv,

The reason I am here is because I am an atheist and this is an atheist web site. After a lifetime of putting up with religious sh*t I am so very happy I have found a place where there are people who understand my point of view. There are plenty of places for theists to get together but places for atheist are few and far between. You are right, I really don't care to argue the existence of god. What I do care about is theists making it their life’s work to make this country and the entire world religious. I care about religious folk subverting science with creationism and ID. I care about religious folk subverting the separation of church and state and taking over the government. I am disgusted by the religious folk who lie and manipulate and force their beliefs on others. I care about religious folk that are pushing to get the US into a stupid war. I care about the religious who have no problem with taking over the Supreme Court and stymieing or reversing law that conflict with their religious belief. I don't give a rat's ass what you believe as long as you recognize my right to not believe in it and you have the decency to keep your wacky ideas to yourself. I would like to point out again that this is an atheist site and it is where we hangout. Why are you here? If you don’t want to argue god then why are you posting? No one is making you post, least of all me.

Sorry for the rant, but Christians just don't see how obnoxious they are to those who do not share their beliefs.

Starboy

ManM

luvluv,
Didn't you know? We are just here for the entertainment of the locals. Haven't you gotten your paycheck yet?

RJS

It is the only way to make a thread go from beginning to 6 pages in one day. Happens every time - like hitting a hornet's nest.

Oh, and notice the first word of the thread.

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

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