Why an atheist

[Meriweather]

Geez, I thought the topic was "Why an atheist" -- "I can't wait for your take on" what you think it really is..?

Shrug. Just following your lead. You introduced the word "superfluous", and I responded to that.

 

[Grumblenuts]

So atheists are superfluous to a discussion about "Why an atheist"? You're making so much sense!

So to all those of faith out there who use their beliefs to better their lives and the lives of others I say, "good for you". To all those who use their faith as a place to reinforce their hatreds and bigotry I say, "Damn you"!

Notice how the OP asks you religionists exactly nothing?

 

[Meriweather]

So atheists are superfluous to a discussion about "Why an atheist"? You're making so much sense!

You did not say atheists are superfluous. You said in Post #256:

Ah, so "God" is superfluous.

And I agreed that to atheists God is superfluous. I get that you like to pick fights, but this time the only one you are fighting against is yourself. I was agreeing with you.

 

[Grumblenuts]

No, slowpoke. I was agreeing with you. Sarcastically!

Ah, so "God" is superfluous. Really "has nothing to do with our discussion."

But keep pretending you didn't get it the first time..

 

[Meriweather]

No, slowpoke. I was agreeing with you. Sarcastically!

Which is why I said you are not superfluous. Still looking for a fight, hmmm? May want to try someone else.

 

[Grumblenuts]

Which is why I said you are not superfluous.

No you didn't. And I'm not the subject, clown. Neither is your family.

 

[BreezeWood]

So you never trust anyone, eh? Administrators, doctors, professors, plumbers.. until they pass a religious test? Oh, sure sure.. Like it or not, we mere "humans" have decided everything we've been dealing with our entire lives. Who else has really been around to make "the right decisions" for us? Gee, let's look.. Is He hiding under the table? Nope, no weapons of mass delusion there!

We have to rely upon each other while appreciating that there are no guarantees in life other than death and taxes. That's why we're vastly built to do just that as adults. Retain a healthy mix of empathy and caution. Trust but verify. Life's constant struggle. In reality, there's never been any alternative. "Sociopath" is the term for those truly believing otherwise.

Life's constant struggle. In reality, there's never been any alternative.

having created itself in the beginning, physiology by its spiritual content already performed the unimaginable feat as a single cell and continues a quest that does not just involve "each other" but as well those not yet present the struggle to improve and also for the spirit itself to free itself for life beyond its physiological constraints, the Everlasting ... for some who are not - nuts.

 

[Meriweather]

No you didn't.

See Post #259. Last word to you.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

the desert religions are not mythological you should learn to speak for yourself.

I am. And yes they are. By every definition we use in the real world, yours notwithstanding.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Well OUR codes are based on what you call a primitive religion.

No they aren't. Utter nonsense. The transparent con. Your mythological code of ethics and religion is itself just one of the first and worst attempts to codify things we already knew. So neither our code nor your personal morality is based in any of that. You simply retrofit your personal morality (and possible immorality) to the iron age handbook, when it suits you to say so.

 

[Grumblenuts]

See Post #259.

Indeed:

Many atheists in my family, and to them, God is superfluous. They, however, are not and neither are you, especially in this discussion.

Translations: {In your opinion}
You have many atheists in your family.
Superfluous (to practically any discussion), appeal to numbers fallacy.
To them, God is superfluous.
Anecdotal. As FF just said, you really should "learn to speak for yourself."
They are not superfluous and neither are you.
To what exactly? Again, I'm not the subject and your family isn't here. Although anecdotally dragging your own family into such discussions, as you so often do,.. is not a rule violation, no one else can even challenge such unverifiable assertions of fact without violating the family rule to boot here. An incredibly sissified, bad habit of yours.

 

[Votto]

Most people are handed their religious beliefs like an inheritance, something you are given as a family heirloom and never question. Consequently I believe that most of our everyday Christian beliefs are quite shallow. Even those who seem devout have never really given their religion the kind of attention it needs.

I come from a non religious family, with no religious relatives. Of course God was always there but simply as a picture on the wall, nothing to make it real. It was like getting up in the morning, you always do it but it hasn't any real meaning in your life.

Like so many high schoolers I began to question, but I began to question what I was not taught. Why was it that so many people seemed to believe in god and I did not? I began to read and would continue to do so for the next couple of decades.

I am not passing myself off as a bible scholar. Nor am I saying that those years were spent in intensive academic study, nothing like that. Now and then I would simply read books, mostly histories of biblical times that traced the evolution of Christian beliefs as events unfolded. The faith continues to evolve even today. It always seemed to be a question of "change or die", and change it did.

So unlike many true believers, who view the bible as a constant, I see the Bible being constantly "reinterpreted" in order not to fall victim to current events.

What the fanatics like fail to realize is that the Bible made less history than it followed. They go to "bibel collage" swallowing whole the dogma of their particular bent. Never realizing that the "never changing" faith they profess to hold bears little resemblance to the same faith of a couple hundred years ago. To question is to blaspheme and that is never good.

I am now finished questioning. It has been over for very long time. I still read now and again but it is pretty much over. Been there, done that. I have reached a conclusion and now all that matters is that I keep reasonably current. I try to pay attention to new thoughts but I don't need to constantly rehash the old.

I wish it had turned out otherwise. I really wanted to believe but I could not settle for blind belief. Everyone knows, or should know, that there is not one objective fact to support the existence of a god, any god.

I suppose, like most things, there are many routes to atheism. I have no idea. I only know a couple of people who say they are atheists. I know for sure that it is difficult for believers and atheists to have a civil discussion. I have no idea why that is. Perhaps because religion needs faith, blind faith, and it seems to me that an atheist must be a questioner.

Oddly enough, some of the best discussions I have had were with a Lutheran Pastor.

All I do know is that we should not put everyone in the same bag. There are good and bad people in every belief system. Some of the best folks I know are Christians. Some of the worst folks I know are Christians. As I said, I don't know enough atheists to matter.

So to all those of faith out there who use their beliefs to better their lives and the lives of others I say, "good for you". To all those who use their faith as a place to reinforce their hatreds and bigotry I say, "Damn you"!

Holy S###t!! Who ever taught you to never question? That only comes from the DNC and they will cancel you for it and never forgive you for it.

I heard once that the term, "Israel" was used to rename the father of the Hebrew nation whose name was Jacob. And the term means "struggle with God" There is a story of him struggling with an angel, an actual physical fight, in which Jacob demanded of the angel a blessing before he left. After the event his name was called Israel, or God's chosen people.

But you also had Moses stand up for the Hebrew nation after they sinned horribly and God wished to strike them all down. Moses said, if you do it to them then do it to me as well. So God let the live.

You obviously have no idea what being a person of faith is, do you.

 

[Votto]

No they aren't. Utter nonsense. The transparent con. Your mythological code of ethics and religion is itself just one of the first and worst attempts to codify things we already knew. So neither our code nor your personal morality is based in any of that. You simply retrofit your personal morality (and possible immorality) to the iron age handbook, when it suits you to say so.

Morality for the culture is now what is PC.

And to know what PC is, you have to ask the DNC.

But if you are a faithful democrat that never questions, you won't get censored or canceled and will earn your collective salvation which only comes through the state run by the DNC.

Now bow and lick their boots!!

 

[Votto]

Yet there are many who would want our laws defined by their religious beliefs. Gay/trans rights opponents have little more than their religious beliefs to support their goals, as well as those who would deny a woman the right to choose what happens to her own body. Hell, I know lots of Trump supporters who only supported him only because their religious leaders told them that God chose Trump. Religion its self isn't a problem, but religious nuts are.

Your telling me.

Those religion nuts actually believe the unborn are human beings

Sure, they always come out a human being but what they don't know is that the Darwinist science based Birth Fairy endorsed by none other than Dr. Fauci must first wave her magic wand over the unborn as they exit the womb to make them human.

Idiots

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Morality for the culture is now what is PC.

Some sure. But not all.

But you found a way to whine anyway. As usual.

 

[buckeye45_73]

No they aren't. Utter nonsense. The transparent con. Your mythological code of ethics and religion is itself just one of the first and worst attempts to codify things we already knew. So neither our code nor your personal morality is based in any of that. You simply retrofit your personal morality (and possible immorality) to the iron age handbook, when it suits you to say so.

Yes they are, they are built from English Common law, which is judeo christian based. Either you are deliberately lying or you are a complete moron. Either way, none of that has to do with the fact that humans are not good at being arbiters of morality..........Never have been, never will be.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Yes they are, they are built from English Common law, which is judeo christian based.

You aren't following. All legal code is just based in primitive, poor attempts at morality, because time only marches in one direction. Christianity gets ZERO credit for declaring murder and theft are immoral. And in fact, we have had to toss out the stupid thought crimes of the iron age mythology and expand and refine the morality.

So your iron age mythology gets zero credit, sorry. It's not even what you base your own morality on. If you say it is, you are lying out loud to yourself.

 

[buckeye45_73]

You aren't following. All legal code is just based in primitive, poor attempts at morality, because time only marches in one direction. Christianity gets ZERO credit for declaring murder and theft are immoral. And in fact, we have had to toss out the stupid thought crimes of the iron age mythology and expand and refine the morality.

So your iron age mythology gets zero credit, sorry. It's not even what you base your own morality on. If you say it is, you are lying out loud to yourself.

I dont give a fuck who you give credit too......you still are no closer to proving man can be inherently moral.......man is no more moral now than 3000 years ago.....which is my point.....And yes christianity got rid of horrific things like cannabalism and human sacrifice.......why did they exist you ask? Becasue some cultures thought they were just fine...aka moral........then the Spanish with God come along and say, nope.....we're not doing this.......

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

I dont give a fuck who you give credit too..

Irrelevant. Your morality is generally the product of the genetic accident that is your time and place of birth. Your morality is easily superior to the first and worst attempts at morality, one of which is the iron age mythology called Christianity. And you have superior, secular morality to thank for that.

 

[buckeye45_73]

Irrelevant. Your morality is generally the product of the genetic accident that is your time and place of birth. Your morality is easily superior to the first and worst attempts at morality, one of which is the iron age mythology called Christianity. And you have superior, secular morality to thank for that.

Wow you really don't get logic and facts.......the 20th century was the worst for human morality.........it's like the people with spears and bronze age were more moral......