(November 23, 2016 at 4:22 am)robvalue Wrote: OpoponaxThere is always the possibility of just accepting your faith and rolling with it.

Does it make you happy, or at least contribute to the happiness in your life? Dies it give you a sense of peace? Satisfaction? Does it fulfill a sense of wonder in you?

If it does indeed do those things, then, well, there's no reason to leave it.

If you respect the rights of others to believe differently, and you're probably already doing that anyway,  then maybe don't worry about this atheism stuff.

For me personally, I'll briefly echo what some others have said. I like knowing things. learning without impediments, and being able to get as close to what's true as is possible. And for better or worse, God just doesn't fit in. I consider a creator to be possible, sure; but I'd put the odds at about 0.0000000000000000000001%. And that's not worth believing in. Also, if there is a Creator, I give it a hell of a lot more credit than its believers do. I refuse to believe that an entity who could create an entire universe would be so concerned about what we do with our genitals, and then be willing to torture us forever because of it. It really is absurd if you think about it for a minute.

That's it, really. It's about deciding whether you care more about what is true, or what feels good. I see religion as similar to alcohol in that regard. You go through life slightly out of tune from reality, but with a warm feeling.

I'm too much of an analyst to be able to settle for what feels good.

I agree.

For people who give up their faith, there's often a period of anger that can last from a few years to a lifetime. They feel betrayed. Its like a close relative offering to invest your life savings, taking it for himself, and then unapologetically never giving it back. And most people can't ever make nice with that relative again because that lingering feeling of betrayal never leaves. It would be so nice if things could be the way they were before the betrayal, but it's just not possible anymore. And so you have to deal with the reality that you've been lied to and stolen from and move on from it, so that it never happens again... or something like that.

As to the alcohol analogy, it's kind of like being drunk, but never suffering any negative consequences from it. And, perversely enough, the more severe of a drunk one is, the more admired by his fellow drunks he becomes.

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(November 23, 2016 at 4:58 am)Pandæmonium Wrote: For the poon.

Are you referring to atheism? 

I must profoundly disagree. Atheism is, for them most part, a cock-fest. And that's fine if one likes cock; not so much if one digs poon.

I think you can certainly have negative consequences. Your judgement is impaired and your morality compromised by always having to consider your dogma. In more extreme cases, you have people refusing treatment because they "trust in god" and such. So it's akin to a false confidence from alcohol, I suppose. A lack of responsibility, because you think an invisible man will make things okay.

(November 22, 2016 at 6:58 pm)The Joker Wrote:

(November 22, 2016 at 6:44 pm)Balaco Wrote: Before I begin, I ask that you please avoid being hostile or anything. I'm a Roman Catholic, but I feel like many people of faith immediately jump to degrading atheists as people, rather than trying to understand their mindset. I'm heavily confused right now, and am asking both Catholic and atheist sites for their mindsets. Obviously, Catholics are going to defend Catholicism, while atheists are going to defend atheism. I ask that you please be civil about it, as this could be life-changing for me.


I've been questioning how to improve in my Roman Catholic faith lately...but this morning I came to the realization that I never really questioned my faith itself. I was lightly raised Catholic and recently took it upon myself to grow closer to God. Now, for probably the first time in my life, I feel like I'm genuinely considering atheism as a possibility.

From what I understand, atheists do not accept the possibility of a supernatural being, and restrict themselves to our "natural" human thinking. Previously I thought that atheists are simply conditioned by society to the point where they are unable to "rationally" believe in a supernatural being...God doesn't allow us universally undeniable proof of his existence as a test of faith. Now, though, I feel like it's impossible to tell whether that mindset is correct, or whether atheists are correct in their focusing on our natural human mindsets. I do feel like I've felt something while praying throughout the past. 

The other night, for example, I was planning on praying for about fifteen minutes, but felt oddly calm and ended up taking about an hour. Now I feel like that could have just been because I was comfortable, and my mind was "making things up" as I was more convinced in my faith.


Atheists, why do you reject the idea of God, and why should I? I know that your answers will include "there's no evidence" and all that, but please try to explain.

 First of all, they aren’t looking; and second they want to avoid him.  If you don’t believe me, do a test, challenge them.

Fuck you, Joker. You have no authority whatsoever to speak for the people here. Most of us were religious at some point and all of us have looked. We're not trying to avoid anything.

OP, don't mind the clown. Follow the evidence. See where it leads you.

(November 23, 2016 at 1:37 pm)The Gentleman Bastard Wrote:

(November 22, 2016 at 6:58 pm)The Joker Wrote:  First of all, they aren’t looking; and second they want to avoid him.  If you don’t believe me, do a test, challenge them.

Fuck you, Joker. You have no authority whatsoever to speak for the people here. Most of us were religious at some point and all of us have looked. We're not trying to avoid anything.

OP, don't mind the clown. Follow the evidence. See where it leads you.

Thank You, Come Again!  

(November 22, 2016 at 6:58 pm)The Joker Wrote: First of all, they aren’t looking; and second they want to avoid him.  If you don’t believe me, do a test, challenge them.

How many gods are you actively avoiding by not believing in them?  Do you shy from Shiva? Run from Ra?  Flee from Freyja?

If it wasn't already obvious that he was a troll, well there ya go.

(November 23, 2016 at 2:19 pm)Jesster Wrote: If it wasn't already obvious that he was a troll, well there ya go.

So I am troll, because I opposed your worldview?

Nope. Because you openly celebrate when someone gets angry at you.

(November 23, 2016 at 2:22 pm)Jesster Wrote: Nope. Because you openly celebrate when someone gets angry at you.

Didn't you know, that I was saying I wasn't offended to "F*** you Joker"?

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(November 23, 2016 at 2:14 pm)Astreja Wrote:

(November 22, 2016 at 6:58 pm)The Joker Wrote: First of all, they aren’t looking; and second they want to avoid him.  If you don’t believe me, do a test, challenge them.

How many gods are you actively avoiding by not believing in them?  Do you shy from Shiva? Run from Ra?  Flee from Freyja?

Because there is no God but YAWEH.

I don't know what "F***" means. You'll have to spell it out for me. That is, unless, it offends you.