(May 2, 2011 at 12:44 am)Cinjin Cain Wrote: First of all. It's nothing like church. Usually between 20 and 30 of us gather in an informal circle. The person who runs it is just the man who represents the organization of free-thinkers that brought all of us together by way of the internet. We have a guest speaker each week. Speakers range from college professors to atheist writers to local scientists and national lecturers who happen to be in town and want to kill a sunday morning. The speaker usually only speaks for 15 or 20 minutes and this is followed by a lengthy group discussion. "Preaching" is not something you would ever get at one of these meetings. Topics range a great deal. There's actually very little "god-bashing" and much of the discussions turn to societal issues and the like. It's quite a collection of intellectual minds and the perspicacity with which many of them speak makes it somewhat of an elite group. It's not for everybody, but I can't get enough.

Sounds more interesting than I imagined. Although I don't presume that every group such as yours have the luxury of location location location to which people, that you would care to hear speak, frequent.

Quote:Do you seriously have a problem with the fact that I wear black and white and can find the look attractive if it's done right?

Hey if the mime look does it for ya, I say rock that shit.

(May 1, 2011 at 7:44 pm)cGodfrey Wrote:

(May 1, 2011 at 7:34 pm)bozo Wrote: cGodfrey, are you sure you are an atheist?
I ask because in your initial post you refer to the lack of an afterlife when maybe you would prefer one?
I am of the opinion that people of faith hold on to that faith in the hope of " eternal life ".

I'm very sure that I am an Atheist. I think that what I prefer and what I know to be true are different. Who wouldn't want to party with a crap load of virgins for eternity, then again those virgins could be wierd nerdy kids who idolize Harry Potter and Star Trek and speak Klingon all the time. Reality is much more boring than delusions, otherwise hallucinogins wouldn't be so popular. What I believe or prefer is not what is on trial here. You might as well say: "Are you sure you are a poor person? Because you keep refering to how you would like to live in a mansion and drink expensinve champagne." Yep, I'm pretty poor and pretty Atheist, but lets stick to the topic please.

If you don't mind I'd prefer to stick with the question of whether there is life after death...after all you raised it! None of us know for certain what happens when we die. I subscribe to the view that it is lights out or the blackness you talk about in your post. I am perfectly content with that and believe it fits atheistic attitude. I don't seek immortality, particularly if it some reward for deeds done in the name of religion ( your reference to the 75 virgins ).
Are you saying you would prefer immortality? If so, what will you be doing for all eternity....and who will you be sharing it with?
Also, I don't think the analogy you draw with being poor holds up. I would guess 99.99% of poor people would all say they would prefer being wealthy.

(May 1, 2011 at 8:39 pm)padraic Wrote: Well, me for a start. Virgins are overrated. Give me an experienced 30 year old any day.* (minimum age)

I mean, have you ever tried to get a virgin to give you blow job?


*I'm 63; my girlfriend is 52 and twice married. (I have no intention of being number 3).

Haha, good one old geezer

Its an herculean job to pop a cherry, it fucking really is!

(May 2, 2011 at 6:09 am)bozo Wrote: If you don't mind I'd prefer to stick with the question of whether there is life after death...after all you raised it! None of us know for certain what happens when we die. I subscribe to the view that it is lights out or the blackness you talk about in your post. I am perfectly content with that and believe it fits atheistic attitude. I don't seek immortality, particularly if it some reward for deeds done in the name of religion ( your reference to the 75 virgins ).

You guys are acting more like theists than I and fingers are pointing at me. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone I guess. Shall we talk about the hot dogs at 7/11 next, or wait I have an idea, let's talk about the one thing we all agree on, only we'll say it different ways so that I sound more right. Guys, I don't care about how our views as atheists sound (read) coming from someone else. We believe the same thing. There is no cultural difference like how mexico and spain speak two different spanishes. My question isn't about what happens after we die, so you can stop working to convince me. I posted in the "atheist" section of the forums and asked a specific question. If you chose to dwell on not that question, I will chose my technique used for mormons...pretend I'm not home. You remind me of a recruiter trying to get me to join the army after I've already joined-11 years ago.

Quote:Also, I don't think the analogy you draw with being poor holds up. I would guess 99.99% of poor people would all say they would prefer being wealthy.

I think you would be wrong. Tons of poor people do not care that they are poor. They are perfectly content with the "hand they were given" so to speak (I can already picture the comments on that statement). I believe they are called ignorant. I think you missed the important part of the analogy: The fact that you can't say that I am rich because I wish I were. Just as you can't say that because I wish atheism didn't get the short end of the stick for afterlife parties, makes me theist. Niether changes reality. Wish in one hand, shit in the other.

Quote:Are you saying you would prefer immortality? If so, what will you be doing for all eternity....and who will you be sharing it with?

My eternity, if I could chose it, would have something to do with Carmen Electra and Jessica Biel. Wait, does that make me theist? Hey, if you have to put a label on me, I guess you could say I'm a vaginaist (specifically theirs, but I like almost all of them depending on whom they are attached.).

(May 2, 2011 at 7:04 am)cGodfrey Wrote: You guys are acting more like theists than I and fingers are pointing at me. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone I guess. Shall we talk about the hot dogs at 7/11 next, or wait I have an idea, let's talk about the one thing we all agree on, only we'll say it different ways so that I sound more right. Guys, I don't care about how our views as atheists sound (read) coming from someone else. We believe the same thing. There is no cultural difference like how mexico and spain speak two different spanishes. My question isn't about what happens after we die, so you can stop working to convince me. I posted in the "atheist" section of the forums and asked a specific question. If you chose to dwell on not that question, I will chose my technique used for mormons...pretend I'm not home. You remind me of a recruiter trying to get me to join the army after I've already joined-11 years ago.

You might as well fuck off out of here, by me. That came across terribly pedantic. You don't get to come here and tell us how to speak. Deal direcly with others arguments and you might get a chance, read what others said!! Don't just re-read your posts in masturbatory motion.

(May 2, 2011 at 7:21 am)LastPoet Wrote: You might as well fuck off out of here, by me. That came across terribly pedantic. You don't get to come here and tell us how to speak. Deal direcly with others arguments and you might get a chance, read what others said!! Don't just re-read your posts in masturbatory motion.

So if I post my opinion that isn't welcome in other threads then I get to tell you how to speak? Do I have less rights on here than everyone else due to my post count?

I don't get to direct focus off of me back to the topic that I created? I asked for my topic to be evaluated and discussed, not me and yet you guys keep going back to me. That is wrong that I asked to not do that, you did, and then I became a dick? I fail to see the problem here other than you got your feelings hurt by a "noob".

---

At any rate I got some great answers from all of you, even the ones that didn't really answer my question and poked a stick at me. It was fun. I'll be taking my unwelcome thoughts somewhere where I have a higher post count so they become more welcome as I have less of a life.

Oh, you've edited significantly your post, how honest of you not to mention that. Nevermind me, I told you to fuck off, as you can read. And you are trying to say I pulled rank on you? To me, you came across as a pedantic idiot and that is all. I speak for myself when I say you to fuck off, but I speak for the great majority of this forum's populace that I have the right to post here. If you cannot see this then your hanging on pride.

(May 2, 2011 at 8:12 am)LastPoet Wrote: Oh, you've edited significantly your post, how honest of you not to mention that. Nevermind me, I told you to fuck off, as you can read. And you are trying to say I pulled rank on you? To me, you came across as a pedantic idiot and that is all. I speak for myself when I say you to fuck off, but I speak for the great majority of this forum's populace that I have the right to post here. If you cannot see this then your hanging on pride.

Well sir, I happened to be editing my post when I was first told to fuck off by you, I guess that is a bit dishonest for someone to edit their post and not inform you. Nice insults though, it's much better to call names and dismiss than actually have an arguement or a rational thought. I never once said that you don't have a right to post here, I believe it was you who said that to me. It's not my fault if you couldn't stay on topic...

Tell you what, I'll create a topic that is entitled: Please evalute my beliefs and whether or not I'm actually an atheist, tell me to fuck off and call me names. This way you can keep up, how's that sound cupcake?

What arguments have you proposed then? You said yourself you came here with a question, It has been answered! A question is not a proposition! If you are not satisfied, then make your arguments, I Replied to Padraic's post, not your's originally. You don't get to impose rules.

As to the post count, I'm an ordinary member, just like you, you seem to fixate on that. Inferiority complex much?

Yes, when you edit your post (unless it's immediately after pos]ting to catch a typo or to add a sentence of clarification/remove something you didn't mean) it is rude to not inform everyone of precisely the reason you edited it (usually as part of the edit). An example: "Edit reason: said my argument backwards from how I meant it"".

I didn't even read the original post until fr0d0 mentioned that Goths were in your example... then I looped up and scanned for the word and read that paragraph and responded You can fix the unappealing nature of your posts by adding an avatar to your profile... I have a very hard time respecting new people enough to read through them when they haven't even taken the time to construct an 'identity'

Edit: I was going to make a joke about how I have 10 times Lastpoet's posts, yet remain a normal member. And I haven't even hit 5000 yet?! What is this madness?!