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RE: How important is it to you to convert theists to atheism?
November 17, 2016 at 2:39 am
(This post was last modified: November 17, 2016 at 2:40 am by robvalue.)
Once we can get people to understand how absolutely balls-out crazy the idea of "praying" is, maybe some progress will be made.
Do you like God's plan, or do you want him to change it?
Does God need your advice or feedback?
Is God generally a cunt and needs begging not to be?
Does God have some actual obstacles, and draws power from prayers to overcome them?
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RE: How important is it to you to convert theists to atheism?
November 17, 2016 at 3:54 am
Pretty much unless you fancied a purely personal, on-board god. That changes everything.
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RE: How important is it to you to convert theists to atheism?
November 17, 2016 at 4:18 am
Sure yeah, where everyone else just gets fucked over for your convenience.
Can you imagine if every religous person really did have a personal God? I think we'd notice the disadvantage we were at by now.
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RE: How important is it to you to convert theists to atheism?
November 17, 2016 at 4:20 am
(This post was last modified: November 17, 2016 at 4:20 am by The Grand Nudger.)
You -are- at a disadvantage. Ever seen the eyes of a motherfucker who screams allah hu akbar before he pulls the pin? Nothing to do but get out of the way, lol.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: How important is it to you to convert theists to atheism?
November 17, 2016 at 5:40 am
It is important to me to lead people away from irrational mindsets. But, currently in my country, what concerns me waaay more is the uncritical belief in pseudomedicine and antivaxxers.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
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RE: How important is it to you to convert theists to atheism?
November 19, 2016 at 2:58 pm
(November 16, 2016 at 1:25 pm)8BitAtheist Wrote: I only care about their beliefs when they use them as justifications to negatively impact the rights of others.
Same here, BUT, just when I feel safe from legislation being inundated with conservative Christian horse-shit, suddenly they're back in charge.
And so while my strong preference is to be left alone and let everyone believe whatever they want, I have to think that the rise of Trump can be traced to the same magical thinking required to believe in a god. Both require a remarkable and willful ignorance of facts, the ability to believe in what they wish were true, and the ability to discard a truth because it doesn't accord with what they want to believe.
And that's fine as long as it doesn't diminish the rights of others. But it's about to do just that. And what is the solution but to try and educate when the opportunity arises? It's not that atheism is some sort of cure-all for the problems of democracy, but man, differences of opinion over facts can be dealt with as long as both parties know what the facts are. When one side is coming from pure fiction and is only eager to add more fiction to support the already existing non-reality, what the hell do you do?
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RE: How important is it to you to convert theists to atheism?
November 19, 2016 at 3:28 pm
4 because I'm mostly only exposed to the nones at present. When there's a bunch of Christians around, I get more evangelical with my atheism. 
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RE: How important is it to you to convert theists to atheism?
November 19, 2016 at 4:17 pm
(This post was last modified: November 19, 2016 at 4:18 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
(November 17, 2016 at 5:40 am)Alex K Wrote: It is important to me to lead people away from irrational mindsets. But, currently in my country, what concerns me waaay more is the uncritical belief in pseudomedicine and antivaxxers.
We pick our battles. Same for me. I don't -care- do argue any given belief system, here in my country., Instead, I endeavor only to make it apparent that acceptance of those belief sets is not a requirement to -be- an american, or a decent person who agrees, largely, with every non god-related thing. To show that the counter-narrative exists, is familiar, and cannot be discounted out of hand.
People will make up their own minds, from there.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: How important is it to you to convert theists to atheism?
November 20, 2016 at 2:13 pm
I want to revise my original point a little bit. I do find it important to spread accurate, truthful information concerning religion and the concepts related to faith and such. One day I hope to publish a book a la The God Delusion or God Is Not Great... but of course most books like this are published by individuals who have excelled in some field or another and actually have an opinion people want to hear. So maybe some day, with the right platform express my views I will do so.
But as far as interacting with Christians or other religious folk one on one? I have honestly never interacted with a single Christian, Muslim, Jew, etc. who has been willing to concede even on a single point let alone allow themselves to see through the thick, opaque veil of faith into the world of science and reason. They always change the subject, dodge your question in some way by giving an answer that doesn't really address your question or they revert back to preaching to you like you're in Sunday school. Others, as we have seen, like to just repeat the same nonsense over and over and over until anyone with an iota of self awareness and intelligence wants to hang themselves.
I do, however, believe that there exists some magical combination of words that one could use in the right way, in the right tone of voice, in the correct context that could allow a religious person to break through and see the light, so to speak. Why do I believe that? I'm not quite sure. I guess it's just blind faith.
“Love is the only bow on Life’s dark cloud. It is the morning and the evening star. It shines upon the babe, and sheds its radiance on the quiet tomb. It is the mother of art, inspirer of poet, patriot and philosopher.
It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.
Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll
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RE: How important is it to you to convert theists to atheism?
November 20, 2016 at 2:29 pm
I don't think I've ever had a religious discussion with anyone in person either. I would like to, it would be interesting. My best opportunity would be to surprise the JWs I sometimes get, as they have disrupted by day to preach so I deserve to slap some shit back in their face.
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