What's wrong with atheists?

[Meriweather]

People do claim that they have had experience with leprechauns.

Crichton leprechaun revisited: Meet the man who discovered the legend


And at the end of LeCren Street Shun Thomas said he's the one who discovered the leprechaun.

"Halfway through one beer, I'm looking through this tree here and I could see this image," Thomas said.

"I'm seeing this image, so I do several double takes and he's still there. So I finally mentioned it."

Thomas said he told his brother, cousin and friend who were with him to look at the tree. One by one they saw the image as well.

Thomas described the appearance as a "metamorphosis," with the mouth or nose appearing first, followed by the rest of the face.

"It just looked like a leprechaun to me. It was only an image from the chin to the top hat but that's what I thought about," Thomas said.

Grin. Do you think I didn't do my own search before posting my question? The Crichton report was that people were seeing what they thought was an image of a Leprechaun, not an actual Leprechaun, and no interaction with an actual Leprechaun.

 

[presonorek]

Why would I?

Why would i believe in leprechauns or unicorns? Why don't I believe in Coyote? Why don't I believe in Thor? Or Ganesh? Or the Flying Spaghetti monster? Or the Vampire Lestat?

Do people have experiences with leprechauns or unicorns...or, like Hobbits, does everyone recognize a story character?

On the other hand, down through time--even through today--we have stories from real people who have had actual encounters with God. Yes, at different times different cultures may have referred to God by different names, but a rose by any other name (and all the rest).

With people of all cultures and all ages having experiences of God, and telling of them--with actual people of today continuing to have actual experiences of God and the after life and telling of them--why don't you believe? Why not pursue your own investigation? Why, instead, conclude there is no God?

 

[Meriweather]

We have people of all cultures and all ages claiming experiences of gods or gods- and fairies- and UFO's

I have no reason to believe in gods, leprechauns or UFO's.

But I don't begrudge you your belief in them. If you have faith in a god, then good for you- I am sure it is great comfort for you.

As long as you don't attack me for not believing what you believe in, I don't really care at all.

You forgot The Borrowers (if you ever read that series). The difference between all you list and God is that is recognized universally, whereas the rest are limited to a particular time or region. As far as saying you are sure faith in God is a great comfort to me, it's like saying faith in math must also be a great comfort to me. Do you find great comfort in math? Faith and math tests probably bring about the same amount of comfort.

 

[presonorek]

Atheists go through their lives, raising a family, not bothering anyone

Until Christians....not Muslims, not Jews
Come around and start forcing their religion on the community and our schools

When Atheists speak up, Christians accuse them of being miserable and trying to force their beliefs on others

The average atheist doesn't care.

You wouldn't know what the 'average atheist' thought if Jesus himself told you.

I think over 50% of the population is atheist. Most of them wouldn't tell you that they are an atheist for a million dollars. They probably don't even tell their spouse, their family, their co-workers or anybody else. I think the OP is talking about those screaming atheist all over youtube that think the world will be a better place when religion is wiped off the face of the earth. I think those types of atheist account for a very small percentage of atheist.

Those types of atheist just want sexual freedom. If God doesn't exist then it does make any sense to talk about it. That's just my observation. The average atheist feels the same way. How do you see the world? Do you really believe all atheist are militant psychos trying to rid the world of Christianity? I don't.

 

[rightwinger]

Atheists go through their lives, raising a family, not bothering anyone

Until Christians....not Muslims, not Jews
Come around and start forcing their religion on the community and our schools

When Atheists speak up, Christians accuse them of being miserable and trying to force their beliefs on others

The average atheist doesn't care.

Mostly we look at our religious neighbors, chuckle lightly, and go on with our lives

 

[presonorek]

Atheists go through their lives, raising a family, not bothering anyone

Until Christians....not Muslims, not Jews
Come around and start forcing their religion on the community and our schools

When Atheists speak up, Christians accuse them of being miserable and trying to force their beliefs on others

The average atheist doesn't care.

Mostly we look at our religious neighbors, chuckle lightly, and go on with our lives

I don't believe that God exists but I like Christians more than atheist. Just my preference I suppose. I'll just keep pretending I believe that Jesus had magic blood that can wash sins away 2,000 years later. I know it is fucking retarded but I keep pretending to believe it because I like Christians. Mainstream atheism suggest that Christianity is detrimental to mankind. That is more retarded than believing in magic blood.

 

[Redpath]

I had someone ask me recently why, if atheism is so fulfilling, why are atheists so angry? I have been thinking about it and this is what I came up with:

Number one, atheists have to establish some kind of victimhood status so they can make it personal. They'll go back a thousand years to complain about something the Church allegedly did (and they usually make that up) to establish some level of butthurtedness. (I know, that's not a word, stay on point.) The Crusades is one of their favorites because they can make things up about that and nobody bothers to check the facts.

One of their complaints is that they claim Christianity (It's always Christianity, they never bitch about Judaism or Islam) "passes laws" that keep them from doing things they want to do, whatever that is. Well, we don't "pass laws", we have state and federal legislatures to do that. So the real problem is that we vote. The idea that people who don't believe what they believe vote is repugnant to them. So they hate freedom.

Finally, if I ever meet an atheist who has the slightest inkling of a clue about what Christianity really believes I will shake his hand and buy him a cigar. What they usually do is twist the beliefs of a doomsday cult and claim that's what the Bible teaches and what Christianity believes.

BUT, let some cult (you know who you are) speak up and they will defend them with their dying breath because they think the very fact that heretics exist must mean they have a case.

Pathetic. Hypocritical. Illogical. Non factual. Atheists.

I don't know any atheists who are "angry". I do know atheists who can't be bothered listening to others try to tell them they have to believe in something they find silly.

personally, white I believe, I have little patience for idiots who try to tell me I'm going to hell if I don't believe in their brand of religion.

i'll also point out that there are other religions besides Christianity and that some of us find Christianity silly and false. I personally don't care what you believe in, but there are choices other than Christian or atheist

As an atheist, I can't go to Hell

Because I don't believe in Hell

If Heaven doesn't exist , neither does hell

As an Atheist, I can't go to a hell I don't believe in

That's the rub about "Satanism" as well. Before you can believe in the devil, you first have to believe in the Christian god.

Why would the Devil let me into hell if I am a nonbeliever?

Exactly thus. Its like voodoo. It only works if you believe it works and for that, you need a Christian who believes in God.

 

[Redpath]

I wasn't there so can't say what Jesus believed it but its likely he believed in all the same gods that his peers believed in.

Jesus was not a Christian.

Christians are those who believe what Jesus taught. Do you believe Jesus believed what he taught?

You're mixing up now with then.

"Christianity" didn't even exist until after Jesus was dead and even then, it was copied from other, older religions.

I'm not trying to disavow you of what you choose to believe but today's Christianity has not even a passing resemblance to what Jesus taught. Especially the evangelical hate cults and certain other recent inventions.

I seriously doubt Jesus would join any of the Christian religions/churches of today's Christian.

 

[Meriweather]

You're mixing up now with then.

"Christianity" didn't even exist until after Jesus was dead and even then, it was copied from other, older religions.

I'm not trying to disavow you of what you choose to believe but today's Christianity has not even a passing resemblance to what Jesus taught. Especially the evangelical hate cults and certain other recent inventions.

I seriously doubt Jesus would join any of the Christian religions/churches of today's Christian.

No, I am not mixing now with then. I understand with the Protestant Reformation, things got very convoluted to the point that people today can write of "magic blood erasing sins two thousand years later." Some also began to believe that their own interpretation of scripture is as valid as what the points intended by the the original New Testament authors. The hash some denominations today make of the Book of Revelation is insane. No wonder outsiders who come across this "interpretation" think Christians delusional. They forget the greater majority of Christians pay no attention to these ridiculous interpretations of Rapture or Tribulations in their various forms and timings.

I think there are many congregations--both Catholic and non-Catholic--that Jesus would be very proud to join. (Actually, Catholics view him as part and parcel of the entire congregation--and perhaps some non-Catholic denominations feel the same.) Jesus started The Way, so yes, even though it didn't adopt the name until after his resurrection, Christianity did exist in Jesus' day, and numerous congregations do teach exactly what Jesus taught when he walked the earth. It is a case of, "The more things change, the more they remain the same."

Don't get me wrong. I know some teaching are so far out, they are no longer in the same ballpark. That's why we all need to be continually cognizant of the history, language, and culture of Jesus' day.

 

[Syriusly]

People do claim that they have had experience with leprechauns.

Crichton leprechaun revisited: Meet the man who discovered the legend


And at the end of LeCren Street Shun Thomas said he's the one who discovered the leprechaun.

"Halfway through one beer, I'm looking through this tree here and I could see this image," Thomas said.

"I'm seeing this image, so I do several double takes and he's still there. So I finally mentioned it."

Thomas said he told his brother, cousin and friend who were with him to look at the tree. One by one they saw the image as well.

Thomas described the appearance as a "metamorphosis," with the mouth or nose appearing first, followed by the rest of the face.

"It just looked like a leprechaun to me. It was only an image from the chin to the top hat but that's what I thought about," Thomas said.

Grin. Do you think I didn't do my own search before posting my question? The Crichton report was that people were seeing what they thought was an image of a Leprechaun, not an actual Leprechaun, and no interaction with an actual Leprechaun.

Well we all know that leprechauns don't talk to people like they used to during the era of burning bushes......

 

[Syriusly]

We have people of all cultures and all ages claiming experiences of gods or gods- and fairies- and UFO's

I have no reason to believe in gods, leprechauns or UFO's.

But I don't begrudge you your belief in them. If you have faith in a god, then good for you- I am sure it is great comfort for you.

As long as you don't attack me for not believing what you believe in, I don't really care at all.

You forgot The Borrowers (if you ever read that series). The difference between all you list and God is that is recognized universally, whereas the rest are limited to a particular time or region. As far as saying you are sure faith in God is a great comfort to me, it's like saying faith in math must also be a great comfort to me. Do you find great comfort in math? Faith and math tests probably bring about the same amount of comfort.

God is not recognized universally- not God with a big G. Christians and Muslims and Jews can't always even agree if they worship the same god.

Is Coyote God? Is Ganesh God?

Do you really think that the argument for belief in a 'god' is because more people believe in a god?

 

[Syriusly]

Atheists go through their lives, raising a family, not bothering anyone

Until Christians....not Muslims, not Jews
Come around and start forcing their religion on the community and our schools

When Atheists speak up, Christians accuse them of being miserable and trying to force their beliefs on others

The average atheist doesn't care.

You wouldn't know what the 'average atheist' thought if Jesus himself told you.

. I think those types of atheist account for a very small percentage of atheist.

Those types of atheist just want sexual freedom..

You are truly obsessed with sex.

No one needs to be an atheist to be promiscuous.

 

[presonorek]

Atheists go through their lives, raising a family, not bothering anyone

Until Christians....not Muslims, not Jews
Come around and start forcing their religion on the community and our schools

When Atheists speak up, Christians accuse them of being miserable and trying to force their beliefs on others

The average atheist doesn't care.

You wouldn't know what the 'average atheist' thought if Jesus himself told you.

. I think those types of atheist account for a very small percentage of atheist.

Those types of atheist just want sexual freedom..

You are truly obsessed with sex.

No one needs to be an atheist to be promiscuous.

I am an atheist but I don't fit in with other atheist. I see no incentive to hate religion.

 

[Syriusly]

Atheists go through their lives, raising a family, not bothering anyone

Until Christians....not Muslims, not Jews
Come around and start forcing their religion on the community and our schools

When Atheists speak up, Christians accuse them of being miserable and trying to force their beliefs on others

The average atheist doesn't care.

You wouldn't know what the 'average atheist' thought if Jesus himself told you.

. I think those types of atheist account for a very small percentage of atheist.

Those types of atheist just want sexual freedom..

You are truly obsessed with sex.

No one needs to be an atheist to be promiscuous.

I am an atheist but I don't fit in with other atheist. I see no incentive to hate religion.

I am an atheist and I don't hate religion. You don't fit in with other atheists because you think equate atheism with sex.

 

[presonorek]

The average atheist doesn't care.

You wouldn't know what the 'average atheist' thought if Jesus himself told you.

. I think those types of atheist account for a very small percentage of atheist.

Those types of atheist just want sexual freedom..

You are truly obsessed with sex.

No one needs to be an atheist to be promiscuous.

I am an atheist but I don't fit in with other atheist. I see no incentive to hate religion.

I am an atheist and I don't hate religion. You don't fit in with other atheists because you think equate atheism with sex.

Maybe so but I have nothing in common with them. I'm not a homo. I'm not an adulterer. I'm not an outspoken atheist that hates religion. I have nothing in common with them. Do you have anything in common with outspoken atheists? I don't.

 

[Syriusly]

You wouldn't know what the 'average atheist' thought if Jesus himself told you.

. I think those types of atheist account for a very small percentage of atheist.

Those types of atheist just want sexual freedom..

You are truly obsessed with sex.

No one needs to be an atheist to be promiscuous.

I am an atheist but I don't fit in with other atheist. I see no incentive to hate religion.

I am an atheist and I don't hate religion. You don't fit in with other atheists because you think equate atheism with sex.

Maybe so but I have nothing in common with them. I'm not a homo. I'm not an adulterer. I'm not an outspoken atheist that hates religion. I have nothing in common with them. Do you have anything in common with outspoken atheists? I don't.

Not all homosexuals are atheists, not all atheist are adulterers. Not all people who hate religion are atheists.

What do you have in common with any atheist- your lack of belief in fairy tales.

Most outspoken atheists argue for separation of church and state- which I agree with.

 

[presonorek]

Most outspoken atheists argue for separation of church and state- which I agree with.

This is a democracy. Christians who believe in ridiculous fairy tales get to have a say as well. Militant atheists think there should be a road block that prevents Christians for voting for Christian values. The first amendment prevents the government from doing that. The first amendment is in the Constitution. Banning Christians from voting their values is in direct violation of the Constitution. The first amendment is sufficient to me. I disagree with the separation of church and state. Joseph Stalin would probably agree with you. This is another point that I disagree with the outspoken atheist. Christians get one vote. Atheists get one vote. If the Christians outnumber the atheist then guess what? It doesn't take a political science degree to understand that you won't be getting your way if you are an atheist. Whining just makes them look absolutely stupid.

 

[Meriweather]

God is not recognized universally- not God with a big G. Christians and Muslims and Jews can't always even agree if they worship the same god.

Is Coyote God? Is Ganesh God?

Do you really think that the argument for belief in a 'god' is because more people believe in a god?

God is a term easily recognized here for discussion purposes. Personally I think the Native American designation of Great Spirit (some say more accurately defined as the Great Mystery) may be an even better depiction. Be that as it may, we are all talking about a Supreme Being (some will say Beings). That is why the Great Spirit/Mystery kind of says it all when people of different times and cultures can't seem to agree on a common description. If we all understood God as the Great Mystery, then the squabbling among religions wouldn't be over whether we recognize the same God--it would be over who best understands the mystery.

My argument is not over the number of believers, but the authenticity of people's experiences and interactions with God. There is also the question of if it takes a force to put an object in motion, what/who was the first to start motion? The Great Mystery, perhaps?

 

[Syriusly]

Most outspoken atheists argue for separation of church and state- which I agree with.

This is a democracy. Christians who believe in ridiculous fairy tales get to have a say as well. Militant atheists think there should be a road block that prevents Christians for voting for Christian values. The first amendment prevents the government from doing that. The first amendment is in the Constitution. Banning Christians from voting their values is in direct violation of the Constitution. The first amendment is sufficient to me. I disagree with the separation of church and state.

What militant atheists think that Christians should not be allowed to vote?

Why exactly do you think that a Jewish child should be forced to pray to Jesus in public school? Or that an atheist should be required to swear on a Bible? Or that Muslims should have their tax dollars used to build a giant cross in the city park?

 

[MarcATL]

I had someone ask me recently why, if atheism is so fulfilling, why are atheists so angry? I have been thinking about it and this is what I came up with:

Number one, atheists have to establish some kind of victimhood status so they can make it personal. They'll go back a thousand years to complain about something the Church allegedly did (and they usually make that up) to establish some level of butthurtedness. (I know, that's not a word, stay on point.) The Crusades is one of their favorites because they can make things up about that and nobody bothers to check the facts.

One of their complaints is that they claim Christianity (It's always Christianity, they never bitch about Judaism or Islam) "passes laws" that keep them from doing things they want to do, whatever that is. Well, we don't "pass laws", we have state and federal legislatures to do that. So the real problem is that we vote. The idea that people who don't believe what they believe vote is repugnant to them. So they hate freedom.

Finally, if I ever meet an atheist who has the slightest inkling of a clue about what Christianity really believes I will shake his hand and buy him a cigar. What they usually do is twist the beliefs of a doomsday cult and claim that's what the Bible teaches and what Christianity believes.

BUT, let some cult (you know who you are) speak up and they will defend them with their dying breath because they think the very fact that heretics exist must mean they have a case.

Pathetic. Hypocritical. Illogical. Non factual. Atheists.

My experience with atheists is different. Yes, some are angry, more are non-committal and matter-of-fact. As a whole they are intelligent, caring people. What I have noticed is something different than what you have picked up on.

It has been my experience that people are atheist, or become atheist, because God does not meet their expectations--neither in scripture nor in their individual life. They have their own ideas about what God would do, or would not do. God--even--or maybe especially--the one described by Christians does not live up to those ideas. Their conclusion is that there is no God, or if there is, He is useless, which is pretty much the same as no God.

If we, as Christians, are losing people to atheism, perhaps our approach to teaching about God is lacking.

I think it more our witness, as Christians, is failing, or has failed rather. There is a popular quote going around that encapsulates it succinctly, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians." See the religious right for a prime example of what I'm talking about.

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