(February 5, 2016 at 5:00 pm)athrock Wrote: How would God be able to reveal His existence without impacting your free will to accept or not accept Him as your Lord?

Easily...since his existence doesn't factor into my fealty.  A great many shitty kings and despots -actually- exist, and you don't see me bowing to them either..whereas the "better america" doesn't and I'll grind people under my feet for that cause.  


If your god isn't willing to do what -must be done- for me to declare my loyalty and lend my services.....which is a great deal more than just show me that he exists (my fucking dog exists ffs......)... then there's no point in him (or you) bitching about his failure, inability, or unwilling-ness. Now is there?

I couldn't be a christian even if your god was real, my "free will" is a moot point, an excuse. Yet another lie for christ.

Overwhelming us with a lot of shit as well. He could end all suffering and still hide.

(February 5, 2016 at 1:00 pm)FatAndFaithless Wrote:

(February 5, 2016 at 12:56 pm)athrock Wrote: Bully for you.

Still, I wonder how many atheists here privately share her experience of the presence of the God-who-does-not-exist in their daily lives.

More than will admit it publicly, I'm sure.

So, you're wondering how many atheists here aren't atheists?

Are you saying that the author of the article ISN'T an atheist?

Cause I'm just wondering how many people here can identify with HER?

(February 5, 2016 at 1:19 pm)drfuzzy Wrote:

(February 5, 2016 at 1:08 pm)athrock Wrote: Your flat was pre-wired for cable. You still have to subscribe and pay the monthly bill. But the potential for watching cable is there.

God may have pre-wired your brain for faith, but He's not going to trample your free will. You still have to act on that possibility.

Ah, but it's so easy to prove that cable exists.  And so impossible to prove that god exists.  That is god's failure, if there is such a creature, not ours.  And your silly analogy will only work when proof does exist.  Until then,   

Actually, the more accurate analogy would be whether or not the Cable company exists.

Whenever I call customer service, I'm pretty certain it doesn't.

Kinda like your experience in prayer, I suppose.

(February 5, 2016 at 1:20 pm)SnakeOilWarrior Wrote:

(February 5, 2016 at 1:00 pm)athrock Wrote: I haven't. Have you? 

If so, what can you tell us about them?

I never claimed that i had. But, since you asked, instead of duplicating the efforts of those who have gone before me, I've read studies by qualified scientists and found no reason to believe NDEs are anything more than the effects of hypoxia on a mind struggling to survive.

Have you got something other than unsupported assertions to counter that with?

No. 

I've never done any study of NDE's. That's why I asked you to share.

Thanks.

Or you can ignore that existence is irrelevant to demands of loyalty, because you've already realized that this conversation is stillborn due to your saying something incredibly silly.

Really shit on your own myths there. Gratz.

It's pretty obvious to me that the article author isn't struggling with her atheism, but certainly seems to still be detoxing from Stockholm Syndrome.

(February 5, 2016 at 1:56 pm)Whateverist the White Wrote:

(February 5, 2016 at 12:58 pm)athrock Wrote: Is atheism really only one step away from monotheism?

I would have thought that was two steps: atheism > theism > monotheism.

Even three if you place deism before theism.

Just thinking out loud...not quarreling with you.

I suspect he meant that atheism is closer to monotheism because of the reduction of deities over polytheism.  You've rid yourself of every god dreamt of by man except one.  We're ahead of you by one.

(February 5, 2016 at 2:03 pm)Evie Wrote: Exactly right Whatev.

Richard Dawkins Wrote:We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.

Which has never impressed me as an argument for Atheism.

That's like calling a married man a bachelor...except for the one woman who is his wife.

But in fact, life is full of situations wherein we examine multiple options...cars, job offers, apartments, etc....and we choose the one we deem to be the best.

You may have spent more time studying the brochures when you purchased your last washing machine than you have spent studying the claims of the world's greatest religions.

But as an ATHEIST, your choices are even more simple: it's not a question of choosing WHICH of the many variations of God you will accept but whether you will accept ANY version of God. And if you reject the notion of a god like Zeus or Marduk, fine; you have just rejected polytheism in favor of monotheism. It IS a winnowing process of sorts.

For this reason (and others), I think that philosophical arguments are far more useful to someone who is attempting to decide the binary God/No God question.

I see...

You irritate turtles like me.

(February 5, 2016 at 5:24 pm)athrock Wrote: Which has never impressed me as an argument for Atheism.

Probably has a lot to do with it NOT being an argument for atheism. Jesus tits.