I love FSM. Who told you I didn't?!

(June 1, 2021 at 11:47 am)Mister Agenda Wrote:

(June 1, 2021 at 9:27 am)johndoe122931 Wrote: Thank you for giving us your story I greatly appreciate it. 

I am curious as to what you mean by the god wars and exclusion?

LOL, I like the question you pose to me for evidence, but my reason here is not to debate nor evangelize. I am sure you have heard it all so no point really for me to put in my own 2 cents on this subject. 

I am happy to hear you have made amends with your family. I hate to hear families broken apart based on whether or not you believe in God.
Thank you again so much for sharing with us your story!

---

Yeah, that's my bad. I should not have posed the question in such a way, my apologies.

Welcome, John. After your initial post in this thread, you come off as very polite. I appreciate that.

Thank you Mister Agenda I really appreciate those kind words it means a lot to me!

(June 1, 2021 at 8:57 am)Belacqua Wrote:

(June 1, 2021 at 8:49 am)Brian37 Wrote: The move to hiding behind "allegory" or "metaphor" is recent in theist apology.

This is not true. 

Paul interpreted the Old Testament as allegory. Jesus spoke in parables. Augustine wrote a whole book on non-literal Genesis.

There is absolutely NO evidence that there were the claimed 12 disciples at the actual alleged time the bible claims the Character Jesus existed. The first known book was written way after the alleged 32/33 years the bible claims. 

It makes much more sense to me, a person, or group of people, got tired of the old Hebrew ways and decided to create a splinter sect. Those individuals used the real time to sell fantastic stories, and after they died, the popularity of their fantastic adventures caught on, just like L Ron Hubbard was able to start Scientology. Just like the Rasta religion is a spin of mix of African/Jewish/Catholic motifs.

The 12 Disciples were pseudonyms, like ghost writers, except they were not contemporary witnesses. They were writers who simply took advantage of legend and mythology and made it popular after the fact. 

Much like in the industrial revolution, someone comes up with an idea, but someone else sees their idea, and beats them to the patent office. 

But in the case of the Jesus Character, they were not marketing a truth, just a legend, a myth. 

The first official bible was not compiled until 329 CE. And even then, by that time there were books left out.

(June 1, 2021 at 12:02 pm)Brian37 Wrote:

(June 1, 2021 at 11:47 am)Mister Agenda Wrote: Welcome, John. After your initial post in this thread, you come off as very polite. I appreciate that.

STOP THAT! We can't destroy our reputation of being kitten BBQers  or baby eaters. I like pineapple on my BBQ kitten. 


We must let every theist believe that we drink goat's blood, and record professional sports without the league's express written permission. How can we continue to rip the tags off of our mattresses illegally, if theists don't see us as monsters?

Don't make me bring out my big guns, don't make me talk about the fab 4, don't make me talk about the double "A" with the double "B" in the middle. "I will not be ignored DAN"..

^^^^^^^ Nothing to see here, just another lesson as why eating lead paint is not a good idea. We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread already in progress.

Well, I hear that supposedly cat makes a good meal. Not sure myself I just love those darn cute little critters so much I could never bring myself to hurt them. I'm kinda a cat person lol. 
I have no problem with you drinking goat's blood. I know in some cultures pig blood is used pretty often in cooking. I personally do not partake, but hey to each their own.
Well, I'm sure the MLB won't mind too much if you download their content without express written permission. I promise I won't tell on you.
Wait, it's illegal to rip tags off mattresses!!!! Oh man I messed up bad. Please don't tell on me!
Not sure what fab 4 is or what double-A with double B in middle is or who Dan is, but I won't judge... Out loud at least lol jk.
Hey, you bunch of atheists are alright I like you guys and gals and nonbinary, and well whatever else you describe yourself as!

---

(June 1, 2021 at 12:02 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote: Since we're disclosing, I was raised in a literalist Christian sect and decided I ought to actually read the Bible. Then I decided to read it again in a modern version to be sure the King's English wasn't confusing me. That experience did not make me an atheist, but it did make me an agnostic theist. I could not believe that the authors were actually in touch with and accurately reporting the messages of a morally perfect being. Perhaps ironically I think rather better of the ancient Hebrews today now that my opinion is that most of their claimed pillaging and genocide were foundational myths rather than actual events. There were some contradictions I noticed, but it was mainly the barbarity and injustice that God seemed to be a part of that repelled me from Christianity.

I had minimal critical thinking skills at this point, and believed lots of stuff without much evidence to support it. Over the next 20 years I gradually developed the insight to reject most of it, at least to the point of having the opinion that a reasonable person should not hold those things to be true if they thought about it as I had. This had nothing to do with religion directly, just realizing that the evidence to support Bigfoot, ESP, and Nessie wasn't sufficient to warrant justified belief. Around the end of that, iI realized that at some point I had stopped believing in any kind of God or god, and supernatural beings in general.

Thank you for sharing your story Mister Agenda. I have a question if I may. How does your family feel about you being an atheist? Do they know now and if so do you still have a relationship with them?

---

(June 1, 2021 at 12:31 pm)Nay_Sayer Wrote: I love FSM. Who told you I didn't?!

Not sure what FSM is. Can you please elaborate?

(June 1, 2021 at 12:56 pm)johndoe122931 Wrote:

(June 1, 2021 at 12:02 pm)Brian37 Wrote: STOP THAT! We can't destroy our reputation of being kitten BBQers  or baby eaters. I like pineapple on my BBQ kitten. 


We must let every theist believe that we drink goat's blood, and record professional sports without the league's express written permission. How can we continue to rip the tags off of our mattresses illegally, if theists don't see us as monsters?

Don't make me bring out my big guns, don't make me talk about the fab 4, don't make me talk about the double "A" with the double "B" in the middle. "I will not be ignored DAN"..

^^^^^^^ Nothing to see here, just another lesson as why eating lead paint is not a good idea. We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread already in progress.

Well, I hear that supposedly cat makes a good meal. Not sure myself I just love those darn cute little critters so much I could never bring myself to hurt them. I'm kinda a cat person lol. 
I have no problem with you drinking goat's blood. I know in some cultures pig blood is used pretty often in cooking. I personally do not partake, but hey to each their own.
Well, I'm sure the MLB won't mind too much if you download their content without express written permission. I promise I won't tell on you.
Wait, it's illegal to rip tags off mattresses!!!! Oh man I messed up bad. Please don't tell on me!
Not sure what fab 4 is or what double-A with double B in middle is or who Dan is, but I won't judge... Out loud at least lol jk.
Hey, you bunch of atheists are alright I like you guys and gals and nonbinary, and well whatever else you describe yourself as!

---

(June 1, 2021 at 12:02 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote: Since we're disclosing, I was raised in a literalist Christian sect and decided I ought to actually read the Bible. Then I decided to read it again in a modern version to be sure the King's English wasn't confusing me. That experience did not make me an atheist, but it did make me an agnostic theist. I could not believe that the authors were actually in touch with and accurately reporting the messages of a morally perfect being. Perhaps ironically I think rather better of the ancient Hebrews today now that my opinion is that most of their claimed pillaging and genocide were foundational myths rather than actual events. There were some contradictions I noticed, but it was mainly the barbarity and injustice that God seemed to be a part of that repelled me from Christianity.

I had minimal critical thinking skills at this point, and believed lots of stuff without much evidence to support it. Over the next 20 years I gradually developed the insight to reject most of it, at least to the point of having the opinion that a reasonable person should not hold those things to be true if they thought about it as I had. This had nothing to do with religion directly, just realizing that the evidence to support Bigfoot, ESP, and Nessie wasn't sufficient to warrant justified belief. Around the end of that, iI realized that at some point I had stopped believing in any kind of God or god, and supernatural beings in general.

Thank you for sharing your story Mister Agenda. I have a question if I may. How does your family feel about you being an atheist? Do they know now and if so do you still have a relationship with them?

---

(June 1, 2021 at 12:31 pm)Nay_Sayer Wrote: I love FSM. Who told you I didn't?!

Not sure what FSM is. Can you please elaborate?

You are new here so I will forgive you.  But think of 1970s Disco Music, and take note of my avatar in each post and the foil method in algebra, outside first, inside second.  Look at my AVATAR, an "A" on both ends and two "B"s in the middle. 

You may be a theist here, but trust me, there is a lot of blasphemy and ridicule of my favorite band. I like to bring them out when I feel cornered.

"I will not be ignored Dan" is a line from "Fatal Attraction".

"FSM" = Flying Spaghetti Monster" which was started decades ago, someone wrote an entire spoof of the bible and replaced "God" with the Flying Spaghetti Monster". I wish it had been me, but I don't have the attention span to write something like that.

(June 1, 2021 at 12:56 pm)johndoe122931 Wrote:

(June 1, 2021 at 12:02 pm)Brian37 Wrote: STOP THAT! We can't destroy our reputation of being kitten BBQers  or baby eaters. I like pineapple on my BBQ kitten. 


We must let every theist believe that we drink goat's blood, and record professional sports without the league's express written permission. How can we continue to rip the tags off of our mattresses illegally, if theists don't see us as monsters?

Don't make me bring out my big guns, don't make me talk about the fab 4, don't make me talk about the double "A" with the double "B" in the middle. "I will not be ignored DAN"..

^^^^^^^ Nothing to see here, just another lesson as why eating lead paint is not a good idea. We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread already in progress.

Well, I hear that supposedly cat makes a good meal. Not sure myself I just love those darn cute little critters so much I could never bring myself to hurt them. I'm kinda a cat person lol. 
I have no problem with you drinking goat's blood. I know in some cultures pig blood is used pretty often in cooking. I personally do not partake, but hey to each their own.
Well, I'm sure the MLB won't mind too much if you download their content without express written permission. I promise I won't tell on you.
Wait, it's illegal to rip tags off mattresses!!!! Oh man I messed up bad. Please don't tell on me!
Not sure what fab 4 is or what double-A with double B in middle is or who Dan is, but I won't judge... Out loud at least lol jk.
Hey, you bunch of atheists are alright I like you guys and gals and nonbinary, and well whatever else you describe yourself as!

---

(June 1, 2021 at 12:02 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote: Since we're disclosing, I was raised in a literalist Christian sect and decided I ought to actually read the Bible. Then I decided to read it again in a modern version to be sure the King's English wasn't confusing me. That experience did not make me an atheist, but it did make me an agnostic theist. I could not believe that the authors were actually in touch with and accurately reporting the messages of a morally perfect being. Perhaps ironically I think rather better of the ancient Hebrews today now that my opinion is that most of their claimed pillaging and genocide were foundational myths rather than actual events. There were some contradictions I noticed, but it was mainly the barbarity and injustice that God seemed to be a part of that repelled me from Christianity.

I had minimal critical thinking skills at this point, and believed lots of stuff without much evidence to support it. Over the next 20 years I gradually developed the insight to reject most of it, at least to the point of having the opinion that a reasonable person should not hold those things to be true if they thought about it as I had. This had nothing to do with religion directly, just realizing that the evidence to support Bigfoot, ESP, and Nessie wasn't sufficient to warrant justified belief. Around the end of that, iI realized that at some point I had stopped believing in any kind of God or god, and supernatural beings in general.

Thank you for sharing your story Mister Agenda. I have a question if I may. How does your family feel about you being an atheist? Do they know now and if so do you still have a relationship with them?

---

(June 1, 2021 at 12:31 pm)Nay_Sayer Wrote: I love FSM. Who told you I didn't?!

Not sure what FSM is. Can you please elaborate?

FSM is the Flying Spaghetti Monster; The one true creator of the universe, The name above all names, The Seer of Seers, The Sage of Sages, The prognosticator of prognosticators, and a damn good bowler. 

You too can know Xis truth if you just let Xim into your heart,

RAmen

(June 1, 2021 at 2:46 pm)Nay_Sayer Wrote:

(June 1, 2021 at 12:56 pm)johndoe122931 Wrote: Well, I hear that supposedly cat makes a good meal. Not sure myself I just love those darn cute little critters so much I could never bring myself to hurt them. I'm kinda a cat person lol. 
I have no problem with you drinking goat's blood. I know in some cultures pig blood is used pretty often in cooking. I personally do not partake, but hey to each their own.
Well, I'm sure the MLB won't mind too much if you download their content without express written permission. I promise I won't tell on you.
Wait, it's illegal to rip tags off mattresses!!!! Oh man I messed up bad. Please don't tell on me!
Not sure what fab 4 is or what double-A with double B in middle is or who Dan is, but I won't judge... Out loud at least lol jk.
Hey, you bunch of atheists are alright I like you guys and gals and nonbinary, and well whatever else you describe yourself as!

---

Thank you for sharing your story Mister Agenda. I have a question if I may. How does your family feel about you being an atheist? Do they know now and if so do you still have a relationship with them?

---

Not sure what FSM is. Can you please elaborate?

FSM is the Flying Spaghetti Monster; The one true creator of the universe, The name above all names, The Seer of Seers, The Sage of Sages, The prognosticator of prognosticators, and a damn good bowler. 

You too can know Xis truth if you just let Xim into your heart,

RAmen

BLASPHEMER! Everyone knows ABBA ARE THE ONLY GODS.

(June 1, 2021 at 5:04 am)johndoe122931 Wrote: <snipping the bullshit and snide personal attacks>

And my post in the introductions thread has been shown to be entirely accurate. Guess I shouldn't have been so charitable.

Let me ask you a question, why are you so filled with hatred for those who don't share your beliefs? I don't hate christians unless they personally attack me, in fact I get on well with some very devout christians in my own life. They know I'm an atheist, I know they're catholic, but we can all recognise that everybody is a good person and we can all get on well with each other, and nobody is trying to impose their beliefs anybody else.

(June 1, 2021 at 2:46 pm)Nay_Sayer Wrote:

(June 1, 2021 at 12:56 pm)johndoe122931 Wrote: Well, I hear that supposedly cat makes a good meal. Not sure myself I just love those darn cute little critters so much I could never bring myself to hurt them. I'm kinda a cat person lol. 
I have no problem with you drinking goat's blood. I know in some cultures pig blood is used pretty often in cooking. I personally do not partake, but hey to each their own.
Well, I'm sure the MLB won't mind too much if you download their content without express written permission. I promise I won't tell on you.
Wait, it's illegal to rip tags off mattresses!!!! Oh man I messed up bad. Please don't tell on me!
Not sure what fab 4 is or what double-A with double B in middle is or who Dan is, but I won't judge... Out loud at least lol jk.
Hey, you bunch of atheists are alright I like you guys and gals and nonbinary, and well whatever else you describe yourself as!

---

Thank you for sharing your story Mister Agenda. I have a question if I may. How does your family feel about you being an atheist? Do they know now and if so do you still have a relationship with them?

---

Not sure what FSM is. Can you please elaborate?

FSM is the Flying Spaghetti Monster; The one true creator of the universe, The name above all names, The Seer of Seers, The Sage of Sages, The prognosticator of prognosticators, and a damn good bowler. 

You too can know Xis truth if you just let Xim into your heart,

RAmen

Ok fine, but he still sucks, because I have friends who still don't know how to use chopsticks.

(June 1, 2021 at 3:07 pm)Brian37 Wrote:

(June 1, 2021 at 2:46 pm)Nay_Sayer Wrote: FSM is the Flying Spaghetti Monster; The one true creator of the universe, The name above all names, The Seer of Seers, The Sage of Sages, The prognosticator of prognosticators, and a damn good bowler. 

You too can know Xis truth if you just let Xim into your heart,

RAmen

Ok fine, but he still sucks, because I have friends who still don't know how to use chopsticks.

That's why FSM invented the spork