Why do the God-haters persist?

[sealybobo]

The idea of atheism being a religion is hilarious.

Picture this...

The atheist church doors open at 9 AM sharp.

Everyone files in and sits down in the pews ..9:05 AM

9:06 AM The "paster" walks up to the podium and asks out loud "Do you believe in a god?"

The atheists scream back as one..."NO !!!!!"... Still 9:06 AM...

The atheist congregation rises and files out of the atheist church.. 9:10 AM

I think this thread with over 5k posts serves as evidence that wouldn't be the case. See, you're missing the part where each Atheist is compelled to come before the congregation and pontificate on why God is not real, why people who believe in God are stupid, how this god belief got 'invented', various contradictions and out of context interpretations of scriptures, etc. After each Atheist had their turn at the podium, they would begin to repeat the process for days on end... at the end of the 30th day, one Atheist turns to another and says... "Oh yeah, this is why we don't go to church!"

Not so...It is the religists that must waste hours upon days pontificating why they believe in sky fairies.

Ask an atheist why he does not believe and the answer comes in two words.. "It's nonsense".

As atheists we all get it. There is no reason for us to attempt to convince each other.

The only reason for atheists to come to the pulpit and give/make witness would be if the congregation was full of christians that needed reasons to come out of the darkness of ignorance and into the light as here at USMB..

Amen! I talk to so many people and so do my other atheist friends and we are finding many many other like minded friends who either don't believe or say they believe but then after a few questions you find out they either:

a. Were raised into it so they were "born" christian but never gave it much thought.

b. Were told if you don't believe you will go to hell. Pretty powerful tactic. Many people wouldn't dare even question it in their minds. Even if they do have some doubts, they just say yes I believe jesus is lord and savior.

Very few people are strict christians/muslims/jews.

My Iranian Atheist friend said the middle east is going to be 100 or more years behind us on evolving beyond religion. They are very strict over there. Perhaps that's the only way to keep people from enlightening themselves and freeing themselves. But no one in their 20's believes in god. They believe in clubbing, video games and their smart phones. None of them are going to church on Sunday. Maybe not in the bible belt but here in the big city north at least.

Most people realize religion was made up to teach right from wrong. I say it is also used to control people. If you can convince them there is a god, you can convince them pretty much anything. You can even use religion (gays and abortion) to get people to vote against their own financial interests.

 

[sealybobo]

Of course, behavior you disagree with or consider immoral must be a lack of spiritual connection. Even amongst believers, they aren't REAL believers.

It's not a matter of what I consider immoral. I'm not going to spiritually judge your soul. Self-destructive behavior is what it is, and very few people are intentionally self-destructive. Meaning, most people can rationalize or justify their own self-destructive behavior.

Now, it's just my personal experience, but I have found that it's much more difficult to rationalize self-destructive behavior when you have a strong spiritual connection. I tend to be more aware of self-destructive behavior and recognize it as such. I am also less inclined toward it because I am not trying to fill a void. That said, like every human, I struggle with my weaknesses. A strong spiritual connection helps me to cope with those instead of falling into a more dangerous cycle of 'ignorant bliss.'

Name me a few vises you have. Ones you have not been able to give up even with god watching. For example, jacking off and thinking about that hot wife of your friends. Or smoking. Got any vises?

 

[Delta4Embassy]

I think this thread with over 5k posts serves as evidence that wouldn't be the case. See, you're missing the part where each Atheist is compelled to come before the congregation and pontificate on why God is not real, why people who believe in God are stupid, how this god belief got 'invented', various contradictions and out of context interpretations of scriptures, etc. After each Atheist had their turn at the podium, they would begin to repeat the process for days on end... at the end of the 30th day, one Atheist turns to another and says... "Oh yeah, this is why we don't go to church!"

Not so...It is the religists that must waste hours upon days pontificating why they believe in sky fairies.

Ask an atheist why he does not believe and the answer comes in two words.. "It's nonsense".

As atheists we all get it. There is no reason for us to attempt to convince each other.

The only reason for atheists to come to the pulpit and give/make witness would be if the congregation was full of christians that needed reasons to come out of the darkness of ignorance and into the light as here at USMB..

Amen! I talk to so many people and so do my other atheist friends and we are finding many many other like minded friends who either don't believe or say they believe but then after a few questions you find out they either:

a. Were raised into it so they were "born" christian but never gave it much thought.

b. Were told if you don't believe you will go to hell. Pretty powerful tactic. Many people wouldn't dare even question it in their minds. Even if they do have some doubts, they just say yes I believe jesus is lord and savior.

Very few people are strict christians/muslims/jews.

My Iranian Atheist friend said the middle east is going to be 100 or more years behind us on evolving beyond religion. They are very strict over there. Perhaps that's the only way to keep people from enlightening themselves and freeing themselves. But no one in their 20's believes in god. They believe in clubbing, video games and their smart phones. None of them are going to church on Sunday. Maybe not in the bible belt but here in the big city north at least.

Most people realize religion was made up to teach right from wrong. I say it is also used to control people. If you can convince them there is a god, you can convince them pretty much anything. You can even use religion (gays and abortion) to get people to vote against their own financial interests.

My impression of strict or fundamentalist religions is they're the most insecure about things thus the rigidity. Cults accused of brainwashing frequently control their members every waking moment. Many fundamentalist religions and versions do this too incporating themselves into the follower's every day life (as opposed to just worship days.) Most of Islam (would say all, but I've seen personal ads from gay Muslims so apparently there really are liberal Muslims heh,) orthodox Jews, some of the Christian denominations.

 

[Slyhunter]

Of course, behavior you disagree with or consider immoral must be a lack of spiritual connection. Even amongst believers, they aren't REAL believers.

It's not a matter of what I consider immoral. I'm not going to spiritually judge your soul. Self-destructive behavior is what it is, and very few people are intentionally self-destructive. Meaning, most people can rationalize or justify their own self-destructive behavior.

Now, it's just my personal experience, but I have found that it's much more difficult to rationalize self-destructive behavior when you have a strong spiritual connection. I tend to be more aware of self-destructive behavior and recognize it as such. I am also less inclined toward it because I am not trying to fill a void. That said, like every human, I struggle with my weaknesses. A strong spiritual connection helps me to cope with those instead of falling into a more dangerous cycle of 'ignorant bliss.'

Name me a few vises you have. Ones you have not been able to give up even with god watching. For example, jacking off and thinking about that hot wife of your friends. Or smoking. Got any vises?

God watches me jack off. Oh God, I'm screwed.

 

[sealybobo]

No, you obviously don't understand what I feel. If you did, there would be no question in your mind about God's existence. I have answered all your questions. I told you that I don't know if bears and babies have souls.

Grow up to be 18? The age of 18 is a physical notation of time passage, what does that have to do with spiritual energy that isn't physical? Grow up? You mean in a physical state of existence? No, there is no "grow up" when the spirit is timeless. Do they get to have sex or get drunk? You mean the physical things you do in a physical state of existence? Why would they need to do this? Why are you having such a hard time understanding the differences between physical and spiritual existence? I thought you believed as I do a few months ago? Sounds like you believed in some imaginary physical fantasy world to me.

There use to be no question in my mind too. I evolved out of that stage. Maybe someday you will too. Which brings me to my thought on the way in today. I've been asking friends what religion they are. Most of them, it seems like 90% of them hardly give a thought to god at all ever. Most of them say they were "raised" Catholic or "raised" fill in the blank.

They hardly give a thought to god. And this is the common man's understanding of god. They were told as a child the stories and no one ever even dared to ask them if they even believed in a god since they reached adulthood. Most of them, without giving it much thought will say sure they believe in god. They'll even claim to be christians. But how much do they really believe and are they really christians? The only thing that makes them christian is they were scared enough to say out loud that they believe Jesus is their lord and savior. They don't dare even question the stories or dare think maybe the whole thing is made up.

Seems a lot of people I talk to even admit that they don't believe in god. But I doubt they are being surveyed or claiming to be atheists. I think most people just want to fit in, so they go with the group. I'm a christian.

But really are they? Not enough people have had this adult rational conversation. Fine, if after all this you still believe in a god, what can I say? That's great for you. I bet that makes you feel special.

I feel special without the wild imagination or hope that a god talks to me and wants me to live forever when the sheeps soul just dies. Wishful thinking. But I'm sure none of these questions even shakes your faith a little. Scardy cat. Scared god's gonna punish you for doubting he is real. Or will you feel stupid all those years you were talking to yourself?

I remember driving around for a week feeling a little guilty not believing in god. I use to talk to him and suddenly I found myself talking to myself about what a fool I was to believe in a god. And he didn't strike me down.

PS. This isn't a karma thing. Its ok to not believe in god. As long as you don't turn into a dick thinking there are no consequences to your actions then it should be alright. I hope if you one day realize there is no god you don't start murdering, lying and raping. Would you? Then you don't need a god to keep you in line. Or maybe as a kid you did but grow up.

I'm sorry that you've convinced yourself God isn't real, but that is something your soul will have to pay the consequence for in the end.

I have noticed, whenever people convince themselves there is no God, as you have done... the first thing they usually begin to do is try and fill that void with pleasures of the flesh. Sexual promiscuity, drinking, drugs, etc. nds.

roblems with relationships, issues of trust, or even the ability to rationalize right from wrong. This never happens overnight, it takes years sometimes. You'll never meet an Atheist who isn't trying to fill that void in some way. And mind you, it's not always just Atheists, it can be so-called Christians or religious people as well. Just because someone claims they are a Christian doesn't mean they know God.

So even though you aren't a christian you believe in hell? Wow what a dope.

#2. If belief in god makes you a better person, very cool. My brother is religious and a very good person too. Unfortunately religion doesn't help most people. It only makes bad people think they are safe from hell because they believe the fairy tale. Its ok to be a sinful dick because I believe in jesus. I don't care what spin off you are boss, you're all the same. And I bet you are a dick too in real life. Based on your politics I'm sure of it.

I feel sorry for people who believe in god. When I was finally able to wake up I felt reborn. Free from that bullshit. Now I appreciate every second because when it's over it's over buddy. Get over it.

4. Nope. Nothing has changed in my life other than I finally took the leap to atheist and then to agnostic atheist, which is the most rational position. I can't know and neither can you. On top of that man made it up when we were barely smarter than apes. We had a natural fear of the unknown and wild imaginations. Put 2 and 2 together and you get god.

5. I have noticed that most people who found god later in life, in other words the people who weren't brainwashed as kids, usually they are the drug users, prostitutes, thieves, killers who hit rock bottom and someone tells them about god and it turns their life around. But maybe for that person the lie about god is necessary. I do know god isn't all bad boss. But a lie is still a lie and has to be exposed.

6. I see what you are doing when you say atheism leads to your life falling apart. Similar to the story about hell. Its like karma. If you do or think something bad, your life is going to be bad. That's a lie too. So if my car gets a flat, that's god. If I lose my job, that's god. If someone in my family dies or I get cancer or aids that's god. Bullshit. That's life. Good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. So far since I've converted to agnostic atheism, nothing bad has happened. Even when something did go bad and I did wonder for a second if that was god, I quickly realize how irrational I was being.

7. Last night on Animal Sex on PBS they explained how Whales use to walk on land. I bet you don't believe that do you boss? I just love how you guys deny/argue with scientists on all this stuff. They showed where the hip bone still remains from when it had back legs. Amazing stuff. When you watch shows like that do you yell at the tv WRONG every time they state a fact like that?

 

[sealybobo]

Not so...It is the religists that must waste hours upon days pontificating why they believe in sky fairies.

Ask an atheist why he does not believe and the answer comes in two words.. "It's nonsense".

As atheists we all get it. There is no reason for us to attempt to convince each other.

The only reason for atheists to come to the pulpit and give/make witness would be if the congregation was full of christians that needed reasons to come out of the darkness of ignorance and into the light as here at USMB..

Amen! I talk to so many people and so do my other atheist friends and we are finding many many other like minded friends who either don't believe or say they believe but then after a few questions you find out they either:

a. Were raised into it so they were "born" christian but never gave it much thought.

b. Were told if you don't believe you will go to hell. Pretty powerful tactic. Many people wouldn't dare even question it in their minds. Even if they do have some doubts, they just say yes I believe jesus is lord and savior.

Very few people are strict christians/muslims/jews.

My Iranian Atheist friend said the middle east is going to be 100 or more years behind us on evolving beyond religion. They are very strict over there. Perhaps that's the only way to keep people from enlightening themselves and freeing themselves. But no one in their 20's believes in god. They believe in clubbing, video games and their smart phones. None of them are going to church on Sunday. Maybe not in the bible belt but here in the big city north at least.

Most people realize religion was made up to teach right from wrong. I say it is also used to control people. If you can convince them there is a god, you can convince them pretty much anything. You can even use religion (gays and abortion) to get people to vote against their own financial interests.

My impression of strict or fundamentalist religions is they're the most insecure about things thus the rigidity. Cults accused of brainwashing frequently control their members every waking moment. Many fundamentalist religions and versions do this too incporating themselves into the follower's every day life (as opposed to just worship days.) Most of Islam (would say all, but I've seen personal ads from gay Muslims so apparently there really are liberal Muslims heh,) orthodox Jews, some of the Christian denominations.

Well I have that free satellite tv that the government mandated all public broadcasters must provide and I get about 30 channels for free. I'd say 4 of them are 24/7 religious channels. Sometimes catholic, sometimes baptist, sometimes indian christians, bible belt, 700 club, etc.

I get a kick out of it sometimes but I can only watch so long. I always get mad when they get to the part where they want you to send money in. Suckers.

But I guess the more I think about it, how many people does this god make feel better? So maybe some people do need god. And if they don't mind sending in the $ that's their business. Plus religion is like a big business. It employs a lot of people. Maybe religion like the banks is too big to fail?

But that doesn't mean I won't try to help people that don't need it to wake up, evolve and educate themselves. I think the reason those people need god is because they are pathetic and unevolved/uneducated/sad/lonely/not bright. Maybe if they educate themselves that is a way to better themselves. Instead of just being happy in your station in life because you are waiting for the afterlife.

 

[sealybobo]

I should have rented this one last night instead I rented a movie that turned out to be a b list movie at best. We all need to watch this and come back and report: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God's_Not_Dead_(film)

I bet you in the end, the kid can't prove god exists but he appeals to the classes emotions, just like Miracle on 34th Street proved Santa was real. And the class votes for the student over the teacher who makes everyone write an essay on how god isn't real. I know the prof is probably the villain in the movie but to me he's the heroine. LOL.

 

[Boss]

1. How you can be 100% certain about this god thing you talk about is beyond me. Just because the idea of god was planted into your head and you've grown attached to it doesn't make it real.

But it wasn't planted in my head. Religious beliefs were planted in my head but they didn't stick. As I got older, I rebelled against religion and God entirely. I was just like you. I spent about 20 years being dismissive of God, believing that I didn't need no stinkin' God. It took a life-changing event to shake me up enough to realize how wrong I had been. I suspect the same thing will have to happen for you as well. Once I began being conscious of God, I looked back on those 20 years and saw just how far down the path of self-destruction I had travelled. You don't realize it while you're on the journey, I guess you're having too much fun. What I realized was, it wasn't really that much fun, it was more of a desperate attempt to try and fill that void. Sex, booze and drugs didn't do it. I was basically a miserable person, I ruined a good marriage, several other relationships, disappointed my parents and family, but more important, I let myself down. I wish I had those years to live over again, but I don't.

I'm 100% certain about this "god thing" I'm talking about because I haven't tried to make it conform to some screwed up fantasy of a physical being that is invisible, sitting in a cloud casting judgement on me and making demands or threats. Instead, I've realized it is a powerful source of energy that is outside the physical, which enables humans to do amazing things, have amazing strength in the face of adversity or challenge, confidence in the ability to achieve, filling the void inside me which makes me complete.

2. I really was just like you. I talked to god all the time. I didn't believe organized religion. My buddy who converted me to atheist and I were talking about all this last night. He agrees that society really is stupid for believing in god and/or religion. It really is holding us all back. Thank god for the 1 or 10% scientists of which 90% don't believe in god. All the great things they have done to move society forward while the 90% of us who do believe in god sit around like stupid sheep worrying about the afterlife.

No, you weren't like me. At least not like I am now. You may be like me before I rejected God and became like you for 20 years. Your "buddy" is no buddy, he simply needs you to help reinforce his disbelief. You are a codependent enabler. 90% of the human race is spiritual, there simply can't be that many stupid people in our species or we wouldn't exist. The fact that we've done things no other species has even come close to, is pretty much enough to dispel the myth that we are stupid. As for science, the people who were most instrumental in creating science were also devoutly spiritual people. I've given you the quotes and anecdotes from Isaac Newton. Without that man, science probably wouldn't exist as we know it.

3. We turned on one religious show and the guy was rambly mumbo jumbo about some guy who introduced John or Peter to Jesus. We were laughing at the people that were sitting at home truly watching and interested and taking heed of all the bullshit he was saying. Where was he going we didn't know. He was all over the place. I love watching those shows. Then I turn to the black religion channel and with one wave of his suit jacket the entire first 3 rows all collapsed from the holy spirit. Really boss?

I can't speak for different religions and how people spiritually worship, but the fact is, they are worshiping and experiencing something spiritual. How many Atheist channels do you watch? What? There aren't any? Well, that's probably because Atheists make up about one in ten people. There is no market for Atheist programs. You know it's bad when the miracle healers and snake handlers outnumber you as a demographic.

4. We all have to watch this and see how the kid wins over the professor who makes every kid write an essay on how god doesn't exist.

We have to watch? I beg your pardon, no we don't have to watch. I have my own story to relate here...

Professor: There is no scientific evidence God exists, therefore there must be no God.
Student: Sir, I respectfully disagree.
Professor: My dear lad, on what basis do you disagree?
Student: Sir, do you believe that 'cold' exists?
Professor: Well of course cold exists.
Student: No sir, cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Heat exists, we can measure it, but we cannot measure cold.
Student: Sir, do you believe darkness exists?
Professor: Well yes, I believe darkness exists.
Student: No sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is the absence of light. We can measure light, we cannot measure darkness.
Student: God is like cold and darkness, it is present in the absence of evil.

The Student: Albert Einstein.

 

[Boss]

I should have rented this one last night instead I rented a movie that turned out to be a b list movie at best. We all need to watch this and come back and report: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God's_Not_Dead_(film)

I bet you in the end, the kid can't prove god exists but he appeals to the classes emotions, just like Miracle on 34th Street proved Santa was real. And the class votes for the student over the teacher who makes everyone write an essay on how god isn't real. I know the prof is probably the villain in the movie but to me he's the heroine. LOL.

Really? You think he's transexual???

 

[Delta4Embassy]

It's not a matter of what I consider immoral. I'm not going to spiritually judge your soul. Self-destructive behavior is what it is, and very few people are intentionally self-destructive. Meaning, most people can rationalize or justify their own self-destructive behavior.

Now, it's just my personal experience, but I have found that it's much more difficult to rationalize self-destructive behavior when you have a strong spiritual connection. I tend to be more aware of self-destructive behavior and recognize it as such. I am also less inclined toward it because I am not trying to fill a void. That said, like every human, I struggle with my weaknesses. A strong spiritual connection helps me to cope with those instead of falling into a more dangerous cycle of 'ignorant bliss.'

Name me a few vises you have. Ones you have not been able to give up even with god watching. For example, jacking off and thinking about that hot wife of your friends. Or smoking. Got any vises?

God watches me jack off. Oh God, I'm screwed.

Masturbation isn't sinful. 'Sin of Onan' was coitus interuptus, withdrawing the penis just before climax to prevent pregnancy. So you're not screwd, but you should probably still be embarassed if you make silly faces when you orgasm

 

[Delta4Embassy]

1. How you can be 100% certain about this god thing you talk about is beyond me. Just because the idea of god was planted into your head and you've grown attached to it doesn't make it real.

But it wasn't planted in my head. Religious beliefs were planted in my head but they didn't stick. As I got older, I rebelled against religion and God entirely. I was just like you. I spent about 20 years being dismissive of God, believing that I didn't need no stinkin' God. It took a life-changing event to shake me up enough to realize how wrong I had been. I suspect the same thing will have to happen for you as well. Once I began being conscious of God, I looked back on those 20 years and saw just how far down the path of self-destruction I had travelled. You don't realize it while you're on the journey, I guess you're having too much fun. What I realized was, it wasn't really that much fun, it was more of a desperate attempt to try and fill that void. Sex, booze and drugs didn't do it. I was basically a miserable person, I ruined a good marriage, several other relationships, disappointed my parents and family, but more important, I let myself down. I wish I had those years to live over again, but I don't.

I'm 100% certain about this "god thing" I'm talking about because I haven't tried to make it conform to some screwed up fantasy of a physical being that is invisible, sitting in a cloud casting judgement on me and making demands or threats. Instead, I've realized it is a powerful source of energy that is outside the physical, which enables humans to do amazing things, have amazing strength in the face of adversity or challenge, confidence in the ability to achieve, filling the void inside me which makes me complete.

2. I really was just like you. I talked to god all the time. I didn't believe organized religion. My buddy who converted me to atheist and I were talking about all this last night. He agrees that society really is stupid for believing in god and/or religion. It really is holding us all back. Thank god for the 1 or 10% scientists of which 90% don't believe in god. All the great things they have done to move society forward while the 90% of us who do believe in god sit around like stupid sheep worrying about the afterlife.

No, you weren't like me. At least not like I am now. You may be like me before I rejected God and became like you for 20 years. Your "buddy" is no buddy, he simply needs you to help reinforce his disbelief. You are a codependent enabler. 90% of the human race is spiritual, there simply can't be that many stupid people in our species or we wouldn't exist. The fact that we've done things no other species has even come close to, is pretty much enough to dispel the myth that we are stupid. As for science, the people who were most instrumental in creating science were also devoutly spiritual people. I've given you the quotes and anecdotes from Isaac Newton. Without that man, science probably wouldn't exist as we know it.

3. We turned on one religious show and the guy was rambly mumbo jumbo about some guy who introduced John or Peter to Jesus. We were laughing at the people that were sitting at home truly watching and interested and taking heed of all the bullshit he was saying. Where was he going we didn't know. He was all over the place. I love watching those shows. Then I turn to the black religion channel and with one wave of his suit jacket the entire first 3 rows all collapsed from the holy spirit. Really boss?

I can't speak for different religions and how people spiritually worship, but the fact is, they are worshiping and experiencing something spiritual. How many Atheist channels do you watch? What? There aren't any? Well, that's probably because Atheists make up about one in ten people. There is no market for Atheist programs. You know it's bad when the miracle healers and snake handlers outnumber you as a demographic.

4. We all have to watch this and see how the kid wins over the professor who makes every kid write an essay on how god doesn't exist.

We have to watch? I beg your pardon, no we don't have to watch. I have my own story to relate here...

Professor: There is no scientific evidence God exists, therefore there must be no God.
Student: Sir, I respectfully disagree.
Professor: My dear lad, on what basis do you disagree?
Student: Sir, do you believe that 'cold' exists?
Professor: Well of course cold exists.
Student: No sir, cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Heat exists, we can measure it, but we cannot measure cold.
Student: Sir, do you believe darkness exists?
Professor: Well yes, I believe darkness exists.
Student: No sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is the absence of light. We can measure light, we cannot measure darkness.
Student: God is like cold and darkness, it is present in the absence of evil.

The Student: Albert Einstein.

Wish I'd seen this before the other thread. But if you take my word for it sometimes coincidences really do happen.

 

[GISMYS]

IT IS ALL YOUR CHOICE=BELIEVE GOD OR CHOSE TO REJECT GOD AND GOD'S LOVE====God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

18 “There is no eternal doom awaiting those who trust him to save them. But those who don’t trust him have already been tried and condemned for not believing in the only Son of God. 19 Their sentence is based on this fact: that the Light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 They hated the heavenly Light because they wanted to sin in the darkness. They stayed away from that Light for fear their sins would be exposed and they would be punished. 21 But those doing right come gladly to the Light to let everyone see that they are doing what God wants them to.”
JOHN 3:16-21

 

[Boss]

Of course, behavior you disagree with or consider immoral must be a lack of spiritual connection. Even amongst believers, they aren't REAL believers.

It's not a matter of what I consider immoral. I'm not going to spiritually judge your soul. Self-destructive behavior is what it is, and very few people are intentionally self-destructive. Meaning, most people can rationalize or justify their own self-destructive behavior.

Now, it's just my personal experience, but I have found that it's much more difficult to rationalize self-destructive behavior when you have a strong spiritual connection. I tend to be more aware of self-destructive behavior and recognize it as such. I am also less inclined toward it because I am not trying to fill a void. That said, like every human, I struggle with my weaknesses. A strong spiritual connection helps me to cope with those instead of falling into a more dangerous cycle of 'ignorant bliss.'

Name me a few vises you have. Ones you have not been able to give up even with god watching. For example, jacking off and thinking about that hot wife of your friends. Or smoking. Got any vises?

I hesitate confessing these things here because I know how this works. The focus will be redirected toward my confession and away from the topic. Every human has vices, it's normal because we are human. The problem is when those vices turn into obsession or addiction. Like you seem to be about sex... this makes about the 20th post where you've referenced sex in some way.

Okay, here are few of my vices... I drink WAY too much coffee and tea, I am addicted to caffeine. I eat WAY too many foods that aren't healthy for me, I love to eat. When I go to an outdoor music festival once or twice a year, I enjoy a slug or two of good Kentucky Bourbon or Scotch and may even hit the occasional doobie my friends pass around. Other than that, I really don't have any vices.

Ooo... wait.... One more I thought about! A few years ago, one of my liberal hippy friends offered me shrooms.. I had never done them before, so I though... what the heck, let me give it a try. I seriously had one of the most intense spiritual connections I've ever experienced while high on shrooms. Don't ever want to do it again, once was enough, but if you are having trouble connecting to spiritual energy, I can highly recommend it.

 

[Montrovant]

1. How you can be 100% certain about this god thing you talk about is beyond me. Just because the idea of god was planted into your head and you've grown attached to it doesn't make it real.

But it wasn't planted in my head. Religious beliefs were planted in my head but they didn't stick. As I got older, I rebelled against religion and God entirely. I was just like you. I spent about 20 years being dismissive of God, believing that I didn't need no stinkin' God. It took a life-changing event to shake me up enough to realize how wrong I had been. I suspect the same thing will have to happen for you as well. Once I began being conscious of God, I looked back on those 20 years and saw just how far down the path of self-destruction I had travelled. You don't realize it while you're on the journey, I guess you're having too much fun. What I realized was, it wasn't really that much fun, it was more of a desperate attempt to try and fill that void. Sex, booze and drugs didn't do it. I was basically a miserable person, I ruined a good marriage, several other relationships, disappointed my parents and family, but more important, I let myself down. I wish I had those years to live over again, but I don't.

I'm 100% certain about this "god thing" I'm talking about because I haven't tried to make it conform to some screwed up fantasy of a physical being that is invisible, sitting in a cloud casting judgement on me and making demands or threats. Instead, I've realized it is a powerful source of energy that is outside the physical, which enables humans to do amazing things, have amazing strength in the face of adversity or challenge, confidence in the ability to achieve, filling the void inside me which makes me complete.

2. I really was just like you. I talked to god all the time. I didn't believe organized religion. My buddy who converted me to atheist and I were talking about all this last night. He agrees that society really is stupid for believing in god and/or religion. It really is holding us all back. Thank god for the 1 or 10% scientists of which 90% don't believe in god. All the great things they have done to move society forward while the 90% of us who do believe in god sit around like stupid sheep worrying about the afterlife.

No, you weren't like me. At least not like I am now. You may be like me before I rejected God and became like you for 20 years. Your "buddy" is no buddy, he simply needs you to help reinforce his disbelief. You are a codependent enabler. 90% of the human race is spiritual, there simply can't be that many stupid people in our species or we wouldn't exist. The fact that we've done things no other species has even come close to, is pretty much enough to dispel the myth that we are stupid. As for science, the people who were most instrumental in creating science were also devoutly spiritual people. I've given you the quotes and anecdotes from Isaac Newton. Without that man, science probably wouldn't exist as we know it.

3. We turned on one religious show and the guy was rambly mumbo jumbo about some guy who introduced John or Peter to Jesus. We were laughing at the people that were sitting at home truly watching and interested and taking heed of all the bullshit he was saying. Where was he going we didn't know. He was all over the place. I love watching those shows. Then I turn to the black religion channel and with one wave of his suit jacket the entire first 3 rows all collapsed from the holy spirit. Really boss?

I can't speak for different religions and how people spiritually worship, but the fact is, they are worshiping and experiencing something spiritual. How many Atheist channels do you watch? What? There aren't any? Well, that's probably because Atheists make up about one in ten people. There is no market for Atheist programs. You know it's bad when the miracle healers and snake handlers outnumber you as a demographic.

4. We all have to watch this and see how the kid wins over the professor who makes every kid write an essay on how god doesn't exist.

We have to watch? I beg your pardon, no we don't have to watch. I have my own story to relate here...

Professor: There is no scientific evidence God exists, therefore there must be no God.
Student: Sir, I respectfully disagree.
Professor: My dear lad, on what basis do you disagree?
Student: Sir, do you believe that 'cold' exists?
Professor: Well of course cold exists.
Student: No sir, cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Heat exists, we can measure it, but we cannot measure cold.
Student: Sir, do you believe darkness exists?
Professor: Well yes, I believe darkness exists.
Student: No sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is the absence of light. We can measure light, we cannot measure darkness.
Student: God is like cold and darkness, it is present in the absence of evil.

The Student: Albert Einstein.

Isn't that from a silly chain email, or something of the like? I'm pretty sure it's not something Einstein ever actually said.

 

[Boss]

I think it's from his autobiography.

 

[sealybobo]

1. How you can be 100% certain about this god thing you talk about is beyond me. Just because the idea of god was planted into your head and you've grown attached to it doesn't make it real.

But it wasn't planted in my head. Religious beliefs were planted in my head but they didn't stick. As I got older, I rebelled against religion and God entirely. I was just like you. I spent about 20 years being dismissive of God, believing that I didn't need no stinkin' God. It took a life-changing event to shake me up enough to realize how wrong I had been. I suspect the same thing will have to happen for you as well. Once I began being conscious of God, I looked back on those 20 years and saw just how far down the path of self-destruction I had travelled. You don't realize it while you're on the journey, I guess you're having too much fun. What I realized was, it wasn't really that much fun, it was more of a desperate attempt to try and fill that void. Sex, booze and drugs didn't do it. I was basically a miserable person, I ruined a good marriage, several other relationships, disappointed my parents and family, but more important, I let myself down. I wish I had those years to live over again, but I don't.

I'm 100% certain about this "god thing" I'm talking about because I haven't tried to make it conform to some screwed up fantasy of a physical being that is invisible, sitting in a cloud casting judgement on me and making demands or threats. Instead, I've realized it is a powerful source of energy that is outside the physical, which enables humans to do amazing things, have amazing strength in the face of adversity or challenge, confidence in the ability to achieve, filling the void inside me which makes me complete.

2. I really was just like you. I talked to god all the time. I didn't believe organized religion. My buddy who converted me to atheist and I were talking about all this last night. He agrees that society really is stupid for believing in god and/or religion. It really is holding us all back. Thank god for the 1 or 10% scientists of which 90% don't believe in god. All the great things they have done to move society forward while the 90% of us who do believe in god sit around like stupid sheep worrying about the afterlife.

No, you weren't like me. At least not like I am now. You may be like me before I rejected God and became like you for 20 years. Your "buddy" is no buddy, he simply needs you to help reinforce his disbelief. You are a codependent enabler. 90% of the human race is spiritual, there simply can't be that many stupid people in our species or we wouldn't exist. The fact that we've done things no other species has even come close to, is pretty much enough to dispel the myth that we are stupid. As for science, the people who were most instrumental in creating science were also devoutly spiritual people. I've given you the quotes and anecdotes from Isaac Newton. Without that man, science probably wouldn't exist as we know it.

3. We turned on one religious show and the guy was rambly mumbo jumbo about some guy who introduced John or Peter to Jesus. We were laughing at the people that were sitting at home truly watching and interested and taking heed of all the bullshit he was saying. Where was he going we didn't know. He was all over the place. I love watching those shows. Then I turn to the black religion channel and with one wave of his suit jacket the entire first 3 rows all collapsed from the holy spirit. Really boss?

I can't speak for different religions and how people spiritually worship, but the fact is, they are worshiping and experiencing something spiritual. How many Atheist channels do you watch? What? There aren't any? Well, that's probably because Atheists make up about one in ten people. There is no market for Atheist programs. You know it's bad when the miracle healers and snake handlers outnumber you as a demographic.

4. We all have to watch this and see how the kid wins over the professor who makes every kid write an essay on how god doesn't exist.

We have to watch? I beg your pardon, no we don't have to watch. I have my own story to relate here...

Professor: There is no scientific evidence God exists, therefore there must be no God.
Student: Sir, I respectfully disagree.
Professor: My dear lad, on what basis do you disagree?
Student: Sir, do you believe that 'cold' exists?
Professor: Well of course cold exists.
Student: No sir, cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Heat exists, we can measure it, but we cannot measure cold.
Student: Sir, do you believe darkness exists?
Professor: Well yes, I believe darkness exists.
Student: No sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is the absence of light. We can measure light, we cannot measure darkness.
Student: God is like cold and darkness, it is present in the absence of evil.

The Student: Albert Einstein.

So god is everything/anything good and the devil is everything/anything evil? Why didn't you say so.

We already have names for those things. If someone is raped or murdered, we have names for what they did. And yes what they did was evil. But there is no devil there. And when I help someone out of the kindness of my heart, that is not god, that is me. Why give something/someone else credit? If you see a beautiful landscape, that is not god, that's a beautiful landscape. No god necessary. And if you want to believe in god, either keep it to yourself or expect criticism for your silly belief.

And notice atheists do good things and religious people do bad things. So what does it matter if we believe in god or not? Do you think your belief in god makes you any more sorry for the sins you've committed? I doubt it does. I think god is just your safety blanket.

Who was the guy who said he believes because he wants to believe? He's the most honest guy here.

 

[BillyP]

1. How you can be 100% certain about this god thing you talk about is beyond me. Just because the idea of god was planted into your head and you've grown attached to it doesn't make it real.

But it wasn't planted in my head. Religious beliefs were planted in my head but they didn't stick. As I got older, I rebelled against religion and God entirely. I was just like you. I spent about 20 years being dismissive of God, believing that I didn't need no stinkin' God. It took a life-changing event to shake me up enough to realize how wrong I had been. I suspect the same thing will have to happen for you as well. Once I began being conscious of God, I looked back on those 20 years and saw just how far down the path of self-destruction I had travelled. You don't realize it while you're on the journey, I guess you're having too much fun. What I realized was, it wasn't really that much fun, it was more of a desperate attempt to try and fill that void. Sex, booze and drugs didn't do it. I was basically a miserable person, I ruined a good marriage, several other relationships, disappointed my parents and family, but more important, I let myself down. I wish I had those years to live over again, but I don't.

I'm 100% certain about this "god thing" I'm talking about because I haven't tried to make it conform to some screwed up fantasy of a physical being that is invisible, sitting in a cloud casting judgement on me and making demands or threats. Instead, I've realized it is a powerful source of energy that is outside the physical, which enables humans to do amazing things, have amazing strength in the face of adversity or challenge, confidence in the ability to achieve, filling the void inside me which makes me complete.



No, you weren't like me. At least not like I am now. You may be like me before I rejected God and became like you for 20 years. Your "buddy" is no buddy, he simply needs you to help reinforce his disbelief. You are a codependent enabler. 90% of the human race is spiritual, there simply can't be that many stupid people in our species or we wouldn't exist. The fact that we've done things no other species has even come close to, is pretty much enough to dispel the myth that we are stupid. As for science, the people who were most instrumental in creating science were also devoutly spiritual people. I've given you the quotes and anecdotes from Isaac Newton. Without that man, science probably wouldn't exist as we know it.



I can't speak for different religions and how people spiritually worship, but the fact is, they are worshiping and experiencing something spiritual. How many Atheist channels do you watch? What? There aren't any? Well, that's probably because Atheists make up about one in ten people. There is no market for Atheist programs. You know it's bad when the miracle healers and snake handlers outnumber you as a demographic.

4. We all have to watch this and see how the kid wins over the professor who makes every kid write an essay on how god doesn't exist.

We have to watch? I beg your pardon, no we don't have to watch. I have my own story to relate here...

Professor: There is no scientific evidence God exists, therefore there must be no God.
Student: Sir, I respectfully disagree.
Professor: My dear lad, on what basis do you disagree?
Student: Sir, do you believe that 'cold' exists?
Professor: Well of course cold exists.
Student: No sir, cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Heat exists, we can measure it, but we cannot measure cold.
Student: Sir, do you believe darkness exists?
Professor: Well yes, I believe darkness exists.
Student: No sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is the absence of light. We can measure light, we cannot measure darkness.
Student: God is like cold and darkness, it is present in the absence of evil.

The Student: Albert Einstein.

Isn't that from a silly chain email, or something of the like? I'm pretty sure it's not something Einstein ever actually said.

We can measure cold, it's called a thermometer. Dark is varying degrees of black. Einstein was too smart to say something that stupid.

 

[sealybobo]

It's not a matter of what I consider immoral. I'm not going to spiritually judge your soul. Self-destructive behavior is what it is, and very few people are intentionally self-destructive. Meaning, most people can rationalize or justify their own self-destructive behavior.

Now, it's just my personal experience, but I have found that it's much more difficult to rationalize self-destructive behavior when you have a strong spiritual connection. I tend to be more aware of self-destructive behavior and recognize it as such. I am also less inclined toward it because I am not trying to fill a void. That said, like every human, I struggle with my weaknesses. A strong spiritual connection helps me to cope with those instead of falling into a more dangerous cycle of 'ignorant bliss.'

Name me a few vises you have. Ones you have not been able to give up even with god watching. For example, jacking off and thinking about that hot wife of your friends. Or smoking. Got any vises?

I hesitate confessing these things here because I know how this works. The focus will be redirected toward my confession and away from the topic. Every human has vices, it's normal because we are human. The problem is when those vices turn into obsession or addiction. Like you seem to be about sex... this makes about the 20th post where you've referenced sex in some way.

Okay, here are few of my vices... I drink WAY too much coffee and tea, I am addicted to caffeine. I eat WAY too many foods that aren't healthy for me, I love to eat. When I go to an outdoor music festival once or twice a year, I enjoy a slug or two of good Kentucky Bourbon or Scotch and may even hit the occasional doobie my friends pass around. Other than that, I really don't have any vices.

Ooo... wait.... One more I thought about! A few years ago, one of my liberal hippy friends offered me shrooms.. I had never done them before, so I though... what the heck, let me give it a try. I seriously had one of the most intense spiritual connections I've ever experienced while high on shrooms. Don't ever want to do it again, once was enough, but if you are having trouble connecting to spiritual energy, I can highly recommend it.

Even on acid I never found jesus.

Based on your vises, I say you don't have any vises. Ooohhhh coffee? You sinner you.

So you have never jacked off thinking about a woman you know that is maybe married to someone else like a friend? I find that very hard to believe. I daily look for the one who I will jack it to at the end of the night, if I'm not with a woman of course. Then I'm looking for a woman who I will pretend my woman is when I'm hitting it in the dark or doggy style. One time I was with a black woman and it was dark and we were drunk and I'm telling you she was Halle Berry! Talk about a spiritual experience.

But I don't believe those are your only vises. Those are pussy confessions. Sometimes I jaywalk. Shut the fuck you you racist bigot. Tell us some of your really sinful thoughts. The ones you can't even mention to strangers on USMB who will never meet you. You like little gilrls? Little boys?

Point is, you have good and bad in you. So you have the devil and god in you? If that's what you mean by god then all you are doing is redefining what god is. But at least its a start. So god is good and devil is bad. Right?

 

[sealybobo]

But it wasn't planted in my head. Religious beliefs were planted in my head but they didn't stick. As I got older, I rebelled against religion and God entirely. I was just like you. I spent about 20 years being dismissive of God, believing that I didn't need no stinkin' God. It took a life-changing event to shake me up enough to realize how wrong I had been. I suspect the same thing will have to happen for you as well. Once I began being conscious of God, I looked back on those 20 years and saw just how far down the path of self-destruction I had travelled. You don't realize it while you're on the journey, I guess you're having too much fun. What I realized was, it wasn't really that much fun, it was more of a desperate attempt to try and fill that void. Sex, booze and drugs didn't do it. I was basically a miserable person, I ruined a good marriage, several other relationships, disappointed my parents and family, but more important, I let myself down. I wish I had those years to live over again, but I don't.

I'm 100% certain about this "god thing" I'm talking about because I haven't tried to make it conform to some screwed up fantasy of a physical being that is invisible, sitting in a cloud casting judgement on me and making demands or threats. Instead, I've realized it is a powerful source of energy that is outside the physical, which enables humans to do amazing things, have amazing strength in the face of adversity or challenge, confidence in the ability to achieve, filling the void inside me which makes me complete.



No, you weren't like me. At least not like I am now. You may be like me before I rejected God and became like you for 20 years. Your "buddy" is no buddy, he simply needs you to help reinforce his disbelief. You are a codependent enabler. 90% of the human race is spiritual, there simply can't be that many stupid people in our species or we wouldn't exist. The fact that we've done things no other species has even come close to, is pretty much enough to dispel the myth that we are stupid. As for science, the people who were most instrumental in creating science were also devoutly spiritual people. I've given you the quotes and anecdotes from Isaac Newton. Without that man, science probably wouldn't exist as we know it.



I can't speak for different religions and how people spiritually worship, but the fact is, they are worshiping and experiencing something spiritual. How many Atheist channels do you watch? What? There aren't any? Well, that's probably because Atheists make up about one in ten people. There is no market for Atheist programs. You know it's bad when the miracle healers and snake handlers outnumber you as a demographic.



We have to watch? I beg your pardon, no we don't have to watch. I have my own story to relate here...

Professor: There is no scientific evidence God exists, therefore there must be no God.
Student: Sir, I respectfully disagree.
Professor: My dear lad, on what basis do you disagree?
Student: Sir, do you believe that 'cold' exists?
Professor: Well of course cold exists.
Student: No sir, cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Heat exists, we can measure it, but we cannot measure cold.
Student: Sir, do you believe darkness exists?
Professor: Well yes, I believe darkness exists.
Student: No sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is the absence of light. We can measure light, we cannot measure darkness.
Student: God is like cold and darkness, it is present in the absence of evil.

The Student: Albert Einstein.

Isn't that from a silly chain email, or something of the like? I'm pretty sure it's not something Einstein ever actually said.

We can measure cold, it's called a thermometer. Dark is varying degrees of black. Einstein was too smart to say something that stupid.

 

[sealybobo]

I think it's from his autobiography.

I'm going to try to find some more of your vises. How do you feel about those illegal kids at the border? Is life precious or not? If you won't pay to house, feed and doctor them, do you really care about life?

Ever find something and not turn it into the cops? Money or jewelry?

Ever lie on USMB?

Ever lie trying to pick up a girl?

Ever slack at work and get paid for doing nothing?

Were you ever mean to a kid when you were a kid? Are you going to hell for any and every bad act you ever committed? How do you decide who goes to heaven and who goes to hell? Are you just making all this shit up as you go along? Answer is yes.