(April 26, 2013 at 11:46 pm)ChadWooters Wrote: I hang around just to learn new swear words.

You've certainly come to the right place.

(April 26, 2013 at 2:01 pm)whateverist Wrote: "D"?

Substance D.

I like to know that at least SOME people are sane. That's why I came here, and I remind myself of it everytime I come back

(April 28, 2013 at 3:54 pm)TromboneAtheist Wrote: I like to know that at least SOME people are sane. That's why I came here, and I remind myself of it everytime I come back

You were saying..?

I am an atheist and I have the power to believe as well. I just don't. Plain and simple.. I did for a while and then almost in an instant I realized the bullshit. I honestly just want to learn more about religion. It is horrible to humanity

I came here, quite frankly, because nobody I know wants to talk about these issues. The Christians I know get glassy-eyed or offended when I question their beliefs. Most of my friends are atheists, but are far more interested in getting high and talking about themselves than religious or philosophical things. The good (and bad) thing about the internet is that no matter what, there's a community that is interested in the same things you are.

(April 26, 2013 at 4:53 am)Rayaan Wrote: 5. I can talk to members who have a variety of beliefs (atheists, deists, agnostics, Christians, etc). Some also have interesting personalities, some are witty and intelligent, and some are crazy enough to declare themselves as gods or goddesses and rulers of the universe and even write their own book of laws.

hock:

That's... that's freaking AWESOME!

I AM HERE TO WRITE MY OWN BOOK OF LAWS!

You think you've done everything... and then, just as the noose is knotted and you're standing on the ladder, and your intentionally illegible letter is stamped to be sent to your ladyfriend:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCSBoOcGFFE

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(April 28, 2013 at 3:54 pm)TromboneAtheist Wrote: I like to know that at least SOME people are sane. That's why I came here, and I remind myself of it everytime I come back

I actually didn't join AF.org or .com to speak to theists or debate them. I live in a country where 50% of people are de facto atheists (at least), but I was interested in learning about the experience of atheists elsewhere in the world and meeting new folk from areas I'll most likely never be able to afford to visit.

The theists that pontificate and condemn those Who disagree with them to hell are just a mild distraction. I really don't have too much of an interest in talking to them mainly because I've heard every argument almost without exception before.

I've noticed... whenever I'm gone for a good while: all of the threads just... die.

They don't live to be nearly as long... there are fewer threads, and it just feels like the place is disinterested. Then I enter the battlegrounds, and I observe my friend withering away under the weight of the melancholy... and I heal them.

I'm here to heal the world.

I came here because I'm surrounded by a bunch of dumb-shit neanderthal Evangelicals. And spend more than 10 minutes in the presence of evangelicals and suddenly you start wanting to either
A: Gnaw your own legs off just to get them to go away or
B: Find others who think like you do so you can actually discuss something with some thought behind it.

I chose option B.

I like my legs too much.

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Oh, right, I'm also here because I wanted to witness how people without preconceived notions and biases debated and discussed things and how they thought as compared to those with preconceived notions and biases. Around the time of me joining, I'd just started to take an antitheistic stance and I was curious to see if this worldview was valid or invalid based on rational discourse and witnessing it in action.

The theists more than the atheists proved just how valid antitheism is. The atheists here didn't need to even say anything; the theists have all said, quite repeatedly in fact, all that needed to be said for me to realize how right I was to pursue antitheistic approaches to religion. The sheer contemptuous and despicable shit they've said in defense of their fairy tales and superstitions.

And of course now we have dickweeds [there ya go, Chad, another word for ya ] like John V and Catfish and goodnews running around and just beating that poor dead horse even harder than ever...