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So late to the reply...
I still managed, though...
Damn these trolls that keep adding a page to the thread as soon as I end reading one....
I've hidden my replies so they don't create too much distraction on those just browsing... click the button bellow:
(June 26, 2013 at 11:44 am)ShadowWolf1986 Wrote:
(June 26, 2013 at 11:39 am)pocaracas Wrote: This thread is evolving at a crazy pace! I can't even reply... others have done so more or less like I would!
History and Archeology have provided no evidence whatsoever for the existence of any god... They do provide evidence that people have believed in several gods.... Last I heard, the count was just shy of 3000 gods, for the whole of humanity's history.
How does a newborn discern which of those 3k gods is the REAL one?... if any!
Brainwashing? indoctrination? parents teaching what they think they know that was taught to them when they were children by other people who suffered the same teachings, who got the same message from other people...?
What makes you so sure your god is the REAL one?
What makes you so sure there is no God? Did your misguided parents make you suffer from the same teachings?
Look folks, most of what you are accusing Christians of is Atheists do too. This is turning into a school yard fight based on who has the most koodies.
When did I say I was sure there is no god?
When did I say my parents taught me anything?
I think you're seeing things we don't write, because you've been told about how we think... and it seems you've been told the wrong tale... again.
(June 26, 2013 at 12:48 pm)ShadowWolf1986 Wrote:
(June 26, 2013 at 12:40 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote: So you're just going to pretend I didn't say many atheists make an effort to expose their children to religion so that they can make an informed decision?
Good for them. Now don't assume all Christians brainwash their children and we'll be square.
Who ever assumed that?
At best, you may have a "most".
Most religious people are so because they were indoctrinated as children.
The others picked some parts of it from society around them and then veered into one particular god/religion... for some reason... one common such reason is the other half follows that god/religion.
Again, note the words used: most, common.
It's always very dangerous to generalize.
I do note, however, that you didn't say you weren't indoctrinated.
(June 26, 2013 at 1:05 pm)ShadowWolf1986 Wrote: Lol, I have something to prove to you guys? Really? Alright, here is the deal. When you people publish a tome of the details of your life that lead you to Atheism I will have mine rolling off the presses too. Till then, I refer to my previous response.
There are threads about it.... yes, plural! Click the little green arrow below to go to one of them.
(March 27, 2013 at 11:48 am)pocaracas Wrote: Actually.... why would I not be an atheist?
When I was 10... some 20 years ago, I remember thinking, about some news story in some remote village in China or something like that, "boy, these reporters have cameras everywhere!!... you know what else people claim is everywhere? god!.... how come no one has filmed the guy??"
And that was the start of doubt.
Then I learned about evolution.... goodbye Adam&Eve.
And if that is wrong... what else is wrong?....
Holy crap, the flood is also on other far older Mesopotamic mythology? One more point to the christian crap-o-meter.
Around this time, I was 12.
So, why should I believe people who tell me these things as truth.... but they're not.... what credibility do these people have?
NOTE: I'm talking about believing in people, not in the story.... first, you have to believe the people, only then you accept the story.
(June 26, 2013 at 2:18 pm)ShadowWolf1986 Wrote: Thank you for demonstrating that you don't know what creation is or how it works or what evidence is. In fact, you don't understand biology in general.
From a recent bout with a fellow christian creationist, I have a pretty good idea of the "evidence" for it... and none of it holds after a little scrutiny....Sorry, The Earth is over 4 Billion years old, so is the moon.
(June 26, 2013 at 2:36 pm)ShadowWolf1986 Wrote: My secondary goal was to show you how hypocritical you are so we find some common ground. No one is perfect, not even Christians. However, it quickly spiraled into hurling insults.
I'm not going to try to make hay of you saying our common ground is how hypocritical we both are, it's too easy and I know what you meant.
Funny how trying to convince people they're hypocrites leads to insults. Bet that only happens with atheists, never with Christians, eh?
(June 26, 2013 at 3:03 pm)ShadowWolf1986 Wrote: With our lineage has come the knowledge of the Oneness of God,the inheritance of Baptism in Jesus name, and the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. No one else claims this.
You do know that the passage concerning 'speaking in tongues' is not original to the Bible, right? It is a later addition.
Mark 16:8 is the original ending.
You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
(June 26, 2013 at 2:36 pm)ShadowWolf1986 Wrote: My secondary goal was to show you how hypocritical you are so we find some common ground. No one is perfect, not even Christians. However, it quickly spiraled into hurling insults.
I'm not going to try to make hay of you saying our common ground is how hypocritical we both are, it's too easy and I know what you meant.
Funny how trying to convince people they're hypocrites leads to insults. Bet that only happens with atheists, never with Christians, eh?
Yes, but I am a hypocrite so don't be believe me.
Lulz, dis waz teh funz but now itz time to goez. Bi bi
(June 26, 2013 at 10:13 am)ShadowWolf1986 Wrote: What is it?
Asked a different way, what is the end goal of Atheism?
As everyone and their dog has mentioned, there isn't an "end game" to atheism. We just don't buy into your, or anyone else's holy texts.
What I, personally wish to see, in no particular order (I'm in the US, so these will mainly pertain to American issues):
1: A more fair tax exemption system. Currently all a church has to do is say, "We're a church." And they get tax exempt status. Meanwhile, secular organizations have to jump through hoops to prove and maintain their tax exempt status. This is biased towards religious organizations. I would also like to see churches, but not necessarily their charitable organizations lose their tax exempt status. Dependent upon whether or not these religious, charitable organizations pass through the same hoops as their secular cousins.
2: A complete separation of church and state. Of course religious people will still be elected to office, however the way they govern and/or their reasons for proposing/supporting legislation should have no relation to what religion they practice. Also, churches should be held to the no politicking from the pulpit rule, if not followed there should be enforced repercussions.
3: In a similar vein, I'd like to see an end to religious missions overseas. Helping out people is grand, teaching them evangelical dogmas, however, is not. Google: "gay persecution in Uganda" to get an idea of what I'm getting at.
4: I'd like to see some form of protection in place for kids. Both young kids to prevent/limit indoctrination and older teens who are closet atheists for fear of being kicked out of their homes. This is a tall order, I'm not really sure how this could be legislated and enforced, but it's on my wish list.
5: Religious, particularly Catholic, health organizations need to start working in the best interests of the patient population they serve, not simply adhere to their belief system. Performing abortions, tubal ligations, and vasectomies are necessary functions for many people. When a Catholic hospital is the only option in your area, you're screwed, whether you're Catholic or not.
6: That society at large shifts it's view of the meanings of atheist and atheism. As you so clearly show how these terms are confused with some form of religion.
There's more, and I'm sure some other atheists will take issue with some of these. But that's enough food for the troll for now.
(June 26, 2013 at 2:59 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote: Oh, poor, poor, you. You SO wish we really wanted to kill theists, that's how much you love that tingly victimhood feeling.
Why would I want you to kill Theists? We outnumber you by billions. You would be the victims in that war.
Of course you don't want us to kill theists. You just want us to WANT to kill them. That's all you need to get whatever feeling it is you're satisfying by making such an outrageous accusation. I admit you're making a game effort to provoke that feeling, but it's just not how we roll around here.
You know, a thread like this has all the elements of a Shakespearean farce. You have the meaningful and eloquent dialogue of our antagonist ShadyGuy and our protagonist MisterClean. But throughout you get the never ending banter of the a greek chorus on laughing gas. Honest to god, I've got to stop because my gut is hurting. Carry on you fine actors, carry on.