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RE: Atheism - less war?
April 22, 2013 at 3:40 pm
(This post was last modified: April 22, 2013 at 3:41 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
to add, at least the cost in human lives (when the inevitable occurs) will have been paid for in resources, instead of some intangible (and idiotic) item- like the satisfaction level of a pixie.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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Re: RE: Atheism - less war?
April 22, 2013 at 3:56 pm
(April 22, 2013 at 3:18 pm)Fidel_Castronaut Wrote: (April 22, 2013 at 3:00 pm)frz Wrote: It seems the spiritual argument is confusing things. What I know of people who have claim spirituality is mostly about not taking sides as to which religion is right, but overall, they believe in god and all that monbo jombo stuff of ghosts and goblins. Because after all, spirituality is part of the whole god thing. So I don't understand why people are claiming both spirituality and atheism. They are just deists.
It's because atheism doesn't make any claims on spirituality, just on the lack of belief in a god or gods.
you can be "spiritual" and not believe in any gods (for example, mumbo jumbo about ghosts or whatever). Spiritual is not synonymous with deities.
I know some people who are de facto atheists, but who also believe in the powers of Chinese medicine, mainly the spiritual aspect of it. No gods included. Is is stupid? Probably, yes, but nobody is claiming that atheists can't be stupid, nor that they can't believe in a whole myriad of things.
If one wanted to exclude spirituality (I'm not a spiritualist), one could quantify by saying "I'm a materialist, and an atheist", as they don't inform each other all. oh well, guess I need to be more specific on the nature of my atheism now. In the words of the governator", "I'll be back".
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RE: Atheism - less war?
April 22, 2013 at 5:05 pm
(This post was last modified: April 22, 2013 at 5:10 pm by Dawud.)
I've learned here that WWII and Stalin's communist revolution happened because of religion.
Does everyone agree on that?
Basically most people I've spoken think that this Wiki article needs to be changed severely:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USSR_anti...1928–1941)
I don't think this means that atheists are dangerous just as I don't think 9/11 means that the Muslim children I teach in school are wanting to blow up Scotland.
But I do think it is quite a clear example of atheism gone wrong - a misinterpretation granted - but definitely done in the belief that atheism is superior...
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RE: Atheism - less war?
April 22, 2013 at 5:14 pm
(This post was last modified: April 22, 2013 at 5:15 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
No, I'd say that's stretching it a bit (WW2 and Stal). Atheism-gone-wrong? Sigh.
My lack of belief in god compells me to - you fill in this blank in an effort to see why this is still far below the bar-
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Atheism - less war?
April 22, 2013 at 5:17 pm
I don't think there are such mystical things as 'religions' out there - I just think that there are teachings. Some come from women and men that pretend to be the source of creation, some come from women and men that admit they are human and I also see that some do indeed come from the source of creation. I don't discount any of them.
I think that everyone has a set of beliefs, a world view, set of practices and a sense that some things are if the utmost importance - I don't think their is a benefit in valuing some people less than others or that there is some kind of fundamental difference between someone 'religious' and someone who is not.
If you are into philosophy then look for a Wittgensteinian definition of religion (post-positivism)!
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RE: Atheism - less war?
April 22, 2013 at 5:20 pm
(This post was last modified: April 22, 2013 at 5:20 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
(April 22, 2013 at 5:17 pm)Dawud Wrote: I don't think there are such mystical things as 'religions' out there Which simply establishes a pattern in your perception of reality. That of being disconnected in some way with it.
Quote: I just think that there are teachings. Some come from women and men that pretend to be the source of creation, some come from women and men that admit they are human and I also see that some do indeed come from the source of creation. I don't discount any of them.
b-mine
That might be the problem. You can safely discount pixies.
Quote:I think that everyone has a set of beliefs, a world view, set of practices and a sense that some things are if the utmost importance - I don't think their is a benefit in valuing some people less than others or that there is some kind of fundamental difference between someone 'religious' and someone who is not.
There plainly is - in that one is religious...and the other is not. That's pretty fundamental. But at the end of the day - we're all humans, granted.
Quote:If you are into philosophy then look for a Wittgensteinian definition of religion (post-positivism)!
Why?
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Atheism - less war?
April 22, 2013 at 5:20 pm
Sorry - to clarify: Stalin was an atheist who's attempt to convert people to abandon religion resulted in deaths of hundreds if not thousands.
If it is fair to say that had Osama Bin Laden not been Muslim he wouldn't have done what he did - I think it's fair to see that had Stalin dropped his denial of God then he would not have killed so many in the aim of ridding religion from Soviet Russia.
Had he dropped his atheism would he still have done what he did?
You see how it can motivate people. Believe me - atheism can and does!
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RE: Atheism - less war?
April 22, 2013 at 5:22 pm
(This post was last modified: April 22, 2013 at 5:23 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
(April 22, 2013 at 5:20 pm)Dawud Wrote: Sorry - to clarify: Stalin was an atheist who's attempt to convert people to abandon religion resulted in deaths of hundreds if not thousands.
If it is fair to say that had Osama Bin Laden not been Muslim he wouldn't have done what he did - I think it's fair to see that had Stalin dropped his denial of God then he would not have killed so many in the aim of ridding religion from Soviet Russia. "religion" was a clever codeword for "dissident".
Quote:Had he dropped his atheism would he still have done what he did?
You see how it can motivate people. Believe me - atheism can and does!
This is idiotic, "I don't believe in god therefore I must kill people"? Go fuck yourself.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Atheism - less war?
April 22, 2013 at 5:25 pm
He seemed to target especially Christians, Jews and Muslims...
Why didn't he say dissidents?
You seem to have quite a different view to most people - what is it informed by?
The theory that atheism cannot motivate any behaviour?
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RE: Atheism - less war?
April 22, 2013 at 5:27 pm
(This post was last modified: April 22, 2013 at 5:27 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
"I'm going to kill everyone who doesn't agree with my political ideology" said no populist dictator - ever.
My view is informed by reality.
I can't, personally, think of any behavior that a "nothing" could compel.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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