The Atheist Thread (Long Time Coming)

October 24th, 2019 at 3:21:48 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: petroglyph
It's kind of ironic that if a criminal is willing to proclaim to a panel that he now believes in an invisible deity, the parole board is willing to reduce the prison sentence. But if a convict were to tell the same panel, that he sees no evidence of this invisible deity, he must serve more time in prison.


That's because the panel believes god
people are less likely to get into trouble.
When the prison is stuffed with god
believers and few atheists. They have
it backwards.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
October 24th, 2019 at 5:01:21 PM permalink
odiousgambit
Member since: Oct 28, 2012
Threads: 154
Posts: 5055
Quote: rxwine
Are you suggesting we are hopelessly stumped?
I think I was just rambling on.
I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me]
October 25th, 2019 at 4:57:10 AM permalink
aceofspades
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 83
Posts: 2019
October 31st, 2019 at 7:04:32 PM permalink
TominNV
Member since: Dec 3, 2017
Threads: 0
Posts: 15
Atheism does not preclude someone from other religious beliefs. The Wikipedia article on Jesus lays out a very convincing argument that he was here on earth for about 30 years a long time ago. The recorded history of him as a homeless hippie in the Middle East makes him seem like a pretty good choice for a spiritual leader. Someone can make that choice and become a follower of Christ, also known as a Christian, but it does not mean they must believe he was only half-human like the God-believing Christians think.
November 3rd, 2019 at 8:17:11 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Watching a Bertrand Russell interview.
He's asked, probably by a Xtion, when
did he decide to be an atheist. He answered
it just right, the same way I have answered
it many times. He said nobody wakes up
one day and 'decides' to be an atheist.
He realizes he is an atheist after a
long process.

Russell got there at age 18. It took me decades
longer. He said you slowly work it out
and eventually realize there is no god.
There's no conversion, no bolt of
lightening like realization. Just a slow
process to get to the conclusion.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
November 3rd, 2019 at 8:32:09 PM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 188
Posts: 18632
Quote: Evenbob
There's no conversion, no bolt of
lightening like realization. Just a slow
process to get to the conclusion.


It's also true of a lot of things. You aren't just born with a whole bunch of correct knowledge about the nature of things.

Some things take many years to discover and some things are learned pretty quick. Let a little kid touch an electric fence one time, and he won't need much reinforcement to know what he doesn't like.

I imagine if someone has fed you a lot of wrong information as a child, you have to work your way back from that, and it's actually probably a disadvantage compared to someone who was simply taught nothing either way on the subject. If you were born in a cult with all sorts of odd beliefs, you have to dig yourself out of that hole to get to the starting line.
You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really?
November 4th, 2019 at 12:13:07 AM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: rxwine
If you were born in a cult with all sorts of odd beliefs, you have to dig yourself out of that hole to get to the starting line.


Why do you think the Church
learned to teach kids and not
adults. In the 1500's the priests
in Calif were having a terrible
time teaching natives about
Xtionity, they thought it
was nuts. They got so sick of
the priests bugging them
that they pretended to 'get it'
and as soon as the priests left
they went back to their old
ways.

The Vatican realized they were
in this for the long haul so
they taught the kids instead,
brainwashed them and they
were converts for life. Once
you pump a kids head full
of superstitious nonsense,
it's very hard get rid of
it as an adult.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
November 4th, 2019 at 2:41:51 AM permalink
odiousgambit
Member since: Oct 28, 2012
Threads: 154
Posts: 5055
Quote: Evenbob
Watching a Bertrand Russell interview.
He's asked, probably by a Xtion ...
I can't fail to notice that you talk like this quite a bit. It seems to be Christians in particular that you really just can't stand.

Want to explain that?
I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me]
November 4th, 2019 at 10:07:56 AM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: odiousgambit
I can't fail to notice that you talk like this quite a bit. It seems to be Christians in particular that you really just can't stand.
Want to explain that?


I married into a Xtion family. My
wife's father, still alive at 94, has
been a Baptist minister all his
life. her brother is also and has
his own church. I have 4 rabid
Xtion sisters in law. I'm surrounded
by this religion. I have to hear
them thanking or blaming god
for every sunset, green light, good
parking spot, rainbow, you name
it. The superstitious nonsense of
it drives me nuts.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
November 8th, 2019 at 10:46:28 AM permalink
aceofspades
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 83
Posts: 2019