(October 19, 2015 at 10:55 am)Blondie Wrote: I want the plain and simple truth period. Just like many of you, I want to make the decision for myself and not believe something because scientists tell me to or creationists tell me to.

I don't think this is true. If you REALLY wanted the truth, you would do research on evolution just to SEE if it is right for yourself. 

But you have said multiple times that you refuse to look up information about it. 

So no, you don't just "want the plain and simple truth", else you would've delved into research, came up with the realization that evolution IS a fact the same way in which gravity IS a fact, and we wouldn't be having this discussion. 

Most Christian-raised individuals who actually try to find the truth for themselves, the ones that REALLY want to know, they come out atheists. 

Be honest, Blondie. You only want the truth if it is aligned with your religion. If not, then the truth can F off for all you care. 

But it won't change the fact that it's still the truth.

(October 19, 2015 at 10:55 am)Blondie Wrote: I want the plain and simple truth period. Just like many of you, I want to make the decision for myself and not believe something because scientists tell me to or creationists tell me to.

Excellent!

The next question is, how should you go about determining what is true? Is there a reliable method which you can use?

(October 19, 2015 at 10:55 am)Blondie Wrote: I want the plain and simple truth period. Just like many of you, I want to make the decision for myself and not believe something because scientists tell me to or creationists tell me to.

The best way to determine that which is true is to determine which groups can most reliably provide it, and in this case, it's scientists. Scientists, by the way, do not simply tell you what to believe, they present a case for those beliefs consisting of evidence you can discover for yourself and experiments that can be replicated.

Creationists tell you what to believe. Scientists present a case for why you should believe as they do.

Blondie Wrote:

Quote:I never put myself above anyone else. I have been looked down on all my life so that is where you are sadly mistaken.  Most people claim Christians are bigots.  That is just a slanderous word one person calls another person who are set in their ways on a particular belief, value, moral, etc. I am the one who got put down first because I am what you call a theist.  If no one makes an adventure, there is nothing gained.  So everyone needs to get off their high horse.  We may not think alike, but we all think with our brain, bleed the same, and have the same organs.  With that being said, we are all humans period.

In the USA, more than 70% of people are Christians. In order for most people in this country to claim Christians are bigots, a goodly number of Christians would have to agree with that assessment. Do you live outside the USA?

Welcome to the forum, btw. I hope you become a valued member.

Blondie Wrote:

Quote:Those were reasons why the other I chose not to believe in those religions.  To another person, they can argue why they can't accept Christianity.  It is no different then the purpose of this forum which is to reject any belief of something the goes beyond logic or the human mind. It is no different then why Christianity doesn't work for you regardless of the reasoning or logic behind your thinking.  I expressed my opinion period. One member on here explained why she thinks that Christianity is false.  I did not persecute her or crucify her because she did not agree with me.  I explained the problem between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam face and the splits and argue that these three belief systems have.

As far as the persecution card, no this is by no means persecution.  Real persecution goes on everyday in the Middle East over the difference of opinion about religion. 

You all have, however, disrespected me in the beginning and some are still doing it. That is not persecution.  I really have no idea why I signed up.  For the same reason you all laugh at me about my belief in something is the same reason I started exploring the site to begin with after I found a dude dressed up in a dolphin costume just to get attention which was posted on this site.  I did not do a search for an atheist forum.    It was not my intention to stay on this site.  But something caught my attention so I decided to stay probably after ticking most if not all of this community off.  So, I apologize for the earlier posts.  Now give me a chance to learn your viewpoints along with anyone else who wants to share their viewpoints with me without the name-calling and drama crap.

The purpose of the forum is to have discussions. How the discussion goes depends on the attitude of those involved. This being a forum with a lot of skeptical atheists, you're likely to run into a fair number of people who consider claims that 'go beyond logic or the human mind' to be empty pretty much by definition.

I'm glad you don't consider having your ideas disrespected on the internet persecution. I have hopes for you.

Plenty of people get off to a rocky start here that settle in nicely after their initial difficulties. People get to know each other, how to take what the other is saying, and so on. You've many, many hostile religious people visiting here before you to thank for there not being much benefit of the doubt left around here. However, we have respected members who are theists of various stripes, and theist members who may get less respect, but have been around for years because they follow the rules. If you're getting anything out of this experience, I hope you stick around.

(October 19, 2015 at 11:29 am)Mister Agenda Wrote: In the USA, more than 70% of people are Christians. In order for most people in this country to claim Christians are bigots, a goodly number of Christians would have to agree with that assessment. Do you live outside the USA?

Welcome to the forum, btw. I hope you become a valued member.

No, I am in the USA.  Even being here in the US when homosexual marriage was put into place, there were some citizens calling Christians bigots and so on.  That's just life.

Thanks.

(October 19, 2015 at 10:55 am)Blondie Wrote: I want the plain and simple truth period. Just like many of you, I want to make the decision for myself and not believe something because scientists tell me to or creationists tell me to.

And so long as the truth remains your play thing .. a place where your own taste can prevail, you may do so. A rebel like you can not be constrained by evidence and all that rot. You maverick!

(October 19, 2015 at 11:04 am)Laika Wrote:

(October 19, 2015 at 10:55 am)Blondie Wrote: I want the plain and simple truth period. Just like many of you, I want to make the decision for myself and not believe something because scientists tell me to or creationists tell me to.

I don't think this is true. If you REALLY wanted the truth, you would do research on evolution just to SEE if it is right for yourself. 

But you have said multiple times that you refuse to look up information about it. 

So no, you don't just "want the plain and simple truth", else you would've delved into research, came up with the realization that evolution IS a fact the same way in which gravity IS a fact, and we wouldn't be having this discussion. 

Most Christian-raised individuals who actually try to find the truth for themselves, the ones that REALLY want to know, they come out atheists. 

Be honest, Blondie. You only want the truth if it is aligned with your religion. If not, then the truth can F off for all you care. 

But it won't change the fact that it's still the truth.

I never said refused.  More or less, did not care enough about it to look it up.  It is like out of sight, out of mind type thing until maybe get curious enough about it.  Then I might check it out.  I did come on this site ignorantly, but why not go ahead and learn something now that I am here?

I am not sure how to put this to get my idea across so please do not take any offense to it.  Evolution has been said to have scientific evidence behind it.  Now some creationists have also used science to show the earth much younger than what is originally thought.  I can't find it right off the bat.  But anyway, since science is science, both Creationists and Evolutionists use science to back their claims, who is right?

Like someone else said on this site that science has nothing to do with atheism, but it does help.

(October 19, 2015 at 12:54 pm)Blondie Wrote: I never said refused.  More or less, did not care enough about it to look it up.  It is like out of sight, out of mind type thing until maybe get curious enough about it.  Then I might check it out.  I did come on this site ignorantly, but why not go ahead and learn something now that I am here? 

I am not sure how to put this to get my idea across so please do not take any offense to it.  Evolution has been said to have scientific evidence behind it.  Now some creationists have also used science to show the earth much younger than what is originally thought.  I can't find it right off the bat.  But anyway, since science is science, both Creationists and Evolutionists use science to back their claims, who is right? 

Like someone else said on this site that science has nothing to do with atheism, but it does help.

If I asked you to research evolution, you would tell me, "No", would you not? That there is blatant refusal to broaden your horizons and learn more about something. And why don't you care to learn about it? Be honest with yourself, is it because you don't have an interest or is it because you don't want to accept it? What you experience in regards to evolution is known as "cognitive dissonance". You have a core belief in you. And whenever something pops up that directly contradicts it, there's this sensation of discomfort that you have to deal with. So what do you do? You protect the core belief, and deny the intrusion. You deny evolution because your brain can't handle it. You say you want to learn the truth? Research evolution. If you "don't feel like it", then that just proves that you really don't want to know. 

Creationists do not use science, they use their own personal branch of what they think to be true, rather than the objective truth that scientists pursue.

(October 19, 2015 at 12:54 pm)Blondie Wrote: I am not sure how to put this to get my idea across so please do not take any offense to it.  Evolution has been said to have scientific evidence behind it.  Now some creationists have also used science to show the earth much younger than what is originally thought.  I can't find it right off the bat.  But anyway, since science is science, both Creationists and Evolutionists use science to back their claims, who is right?