Ok.....So you killed off Religion...

[Psykhronic]

So the Supreme Court got rid of prayer in school - a spike in crime also happened a year later. How did you draw the connection that no prayer equals the increase in crime? More than prayer in school was going on during the 1960s.

[ronedee]

Here's the facts: anyone causing harm in god's name is doing it for nothing.

Good observation no matter your postion...because no God (real or in theory) would condone this!

I would change "nothing" to "no good" though. It's evil for their own use, and a mockery to God who is life.

How many of those causing harm are acting in what they think is God's wishes? Then how many are just "using" it for their own agendas? Or are they just mentally ill?

There is no doubt that many people of different states of "difficulty" are drawn to religion! Mentally, physically and otherwise. Where else can they go? Your house? God's house is open always.

But the heart of God's Law is, Love and Mercy. So we have to accept our brothers and sisters in whatever their state of being is! And thus we are associated in good and bad! I don't like having that association...but as a follower of Christ it is necessary and expected.

Do I want tolerance from you and the many complainers? YES! But I won't get it, because Jesus says that we won't. All I can do is enlighten as many as I can to the Truth through the Holy Spirit.

As much as anti-theist's want to point to the OT for unjust Godly punishment, I have to point to His Son who came to change Law & Punishment, to Love and Forgiveness.

If we all lowered our expectation of each other and "tried" to see it as a need for [love and understanding], rather than a [corrective measure] that will never happen...we may actually get along!

[downbeatplumb]

Atheist Syrian boy executed by rebels.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/06/...d=webmail2

This looks like a religious reason for killing to me.

Here you guys go again believe I said one thing when I actually said another, you all are plain ol' dishonest. The OP is about killing off religion, and I was making the point that God is being driven out of this country (did not state anything about another) and look at what is already happening. The highest jump in overall crime came the year after the Supreme Court tossed prayer out of school, this is also info in another post so I'm not going to post the actual evidence go get it.

Are we to assume that you are only talking about the US unless otherwise stated?

I am from the UK and don't have such a blinkered view of the world.

but here have a US one.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/15/nation...tion=&_r=0

The police said Monday that they were increasingly focused on religion as the motive for a man's murderous rampage through a church service on Saturday at a suburban Milwaukee hotel, promising a full investigation even though the killings ended in suicide.

[pocaracas]

It seems I'm late for the party...
If religion dissolves and the absence of a god is apparent to all...
I guess, dumbasses would still be dumbassas, bullies will still be bullies, gullibility will still exist, nutjobs will still be nutjobs... and normal people will still be normal people.
Nowadays, most follow the law, the civil law, not the law of the holy book. So I anticipate that nothing would happen... maybe a bit less traffic on Monday morning, because people would be more rested from the weekend... on average.

[Godscreated]

There is that superior complex showing again GC. I mean "kiddo".

How convientent though of this "God" to try to help us from this unstoppable fate. How generous and all we have to do is grobble at his Feet? Well by golly that seems to be splendid news. I'm sure he is trying his darnest to warn us huh?

His warning are quite clear to those who have eyes to see.

[Baalzebutt]

Really what's to stop kids from continuing to kill kids and teachers and principles. What's to keep people from walking in malls and theaters and blasting people to bits. What's to keep the drugged out mothers and fathers from killing their children. What is going to stop any of it, all I see is less God and more crime.

You are right, cause god has done such a bang up job of preventing that kind of thing so far.

Do you really think these are new problems? Or could it just be that we now KNOW about these things happening due to increased media saturation?

[Walking Void]

Fair enough. If there were no god, these killings and fucked up societal "morals" wouldn't exist.

Really what's to stop kids from continuing to kill kids and teachers and principles. What's to keep people from walking in malls and theaters and blasting people to bits. What's to keep the drugged out mothers and fathers from killing their children. What is going to stop any of it, all I see is less God and more crime.

http://psychology.about.com/od/socialpsy...itudes.htm Perhaps it would help if We took the time to understand how We think in place of what influences us to think.

[Silver]

Really what's to stop kids from continuing to kill kids and teachers and principles. What's to keep people from walking in malls and theaters and blasting people to bits. What's to keep the drugged out mothers and fathers from killing their children. What is going to stop any of it, all I see is less God and more crime.

It has nothing to do with God. Those who believe in God still commit heinous crimes. After all, the majority of the prison population has a belief in God, had a belief in God before being incarcerated and the belief is not merely a result of repentance during a trying time. After all, the majority of those who leave prison still go back to their old habits despite having a belief in God. Obviously, prison and belief in God are not deterrents to crime.

One could take the position that in order to decrease crime, parents must teach their children right from wrong. Atheists prove everyday through being law abiding citizens that God is not needed for morality. However, even good parents cannot be at fault if their children are hardwired to be bad. Bad children come from good parents just as much as bad children come from bad parents. Good children also come from bad parents.

Crime has nothing to do with God, unless one is going to take the position that it is the belief in God that causes crime. After all, there is plenty of historical fact that many horrendous crimes against humanity have been done in the name of religion and God.

Atheists do not commit crimes because they are atheists. They commit crimes because they are bad people. Christians commit crimes because they are bad people who twist religion toward their own agenda, blaming the devil for their actions and also stating that their actions were in the name of God.

I am not stating that religion is the driving factor for all crime, because that is ludicrous. The real factor for crime is simply bad versus good, secular and without any divine hidden meanings. However, one has to be quite blind and ignorant to think the world would not be a much better place without religion, considering all the harm society has endured in the name of religion.

[Baalzebutt]

As much as anti-theist's want to point to the OT for unjust Godly punishment, I have to point to His Son who came to change Law & Punishment, to Love and Forgiveness.

If we all lowered our expectation of each other and "tried" to see it as a need for [love and understanding], rather than a [corrective measure] that will never happen...we may actually get along!

Ok, please explain this to me. If I commit the ultimate sin of not believing in jesus, I will be cast into hell and tortured for eternity.

However, jesus, who took on the sins of all mankind, was crucified, dead for three days, then rose and now sits at the right hand of god. Never did ANY time at all in hell, didn't stay dead, and basks in the light of himself for all eternity.

So how does this work? I go to hell forever for my sins but my sins were forgiven by a guy who had a really bad hangover for a couple of days?

And yeah, lowered expectations is EXACTLY what we need. That would fix everything. I think your statements are a little ironic considering you are simply overjoyed at the prospect of us atheists spending an eternity in hell as a "corrective measure".

[Esquilax]

How many of those causing harm are acting in what they think is God's wishes? Then how many are just "using" it for their own agendas? Or are they just mentally ill?

Nailed it, though from my perspective you went about it in a roundabout way. Those causing harm in accordance with what they perceive as god's wishes are- from an atheist perspective for sure, but I'm sure many theists believe in a nonviolent god- definitely causing harm for nothing. And the latter two reasons... I don't think anyone wants those people cloaking their nonsense in religion.

Now, from my perspective, removing religion might not do much to cease harm caused by those with agendas (they'll move on to the next excuse) and the mentally ill (though that's kind of debatable...) but we can certainly stop those killing in the name of god by... well, showing them their god doesn't exist...

Do I want tolerance from you and the many complainers? YES! But I won't get it, because Jesus says that we won't. All I can do is enlighten as many as I can to the Truth through the Holy Spirit.

Okay, come on. Seriously. Pointing out the problems with your religion isn't intolerant, any more than your veiled references to atheist immorality simply by dint of being atheist is intolerant against us. Nobody has a right to not be criticized. We tolerate your religion in that we support your right to free exercise and nobody is forcing you to deconvert. Tolerance isn't an obligation to only be positive about a thing, nor does our naysaying mean you're being persecuted.

As much as anti-theist's want to point to the OT for unjust Godly punishment, I have to point to His Son who came to change Law & Punishment, to Love and Forgiveness.

I dunno, I figure omnicide for a pretty big unforgiveable sin. But I guess I'm different than god, since he only fails to forgive disbelief.