(April 24, 2016 at 2:16 am)robvalue Wrote: We could replace him with a word salad / emoji algorithm and no one would notice. Not even himHe's a troll.
I honestly don't think he's a troll. He's just a nutter, as you Brits would say.
![[Image: fbee9cfa943a5ea73806e546f95a511d43eabdf4...f457f4.jpg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=s2.quickmeme.com%2Fimg%2Ffb%2Ffbee9cfa943a5ea73806e546f95a511d43eabdf4589109caec019c0ff0f457f4.jpg)
On the other hand, Rik actually makes some coherent points, in this last exchange.
Atheism/atheist comes from the Greek atheos, "no gods", or "godless". I think that's a perfect way to define us.
If you think a god-story is really a true god, then you are a believer, though not necessarily a servant of that god (as my Christian family liked to say, "even Satan believes in God"), meaning you are not godless.
We who do not accept any of the god-stories as real are simply godless. We have none. We need none.
Beyond that, you get into the subdivisions of the godless, such as Secular Humanists, strong vs. weak disbelief, et cetera.
A Christian told me: if you were saved you cant lose your salvation. you're sealed with the Holy Ghost
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
