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Need some help here!
July 12, 2014 at 11:04 am
Fellow atheists,
I am currently working two 16 hour shifts back to back this weekend. My job has a lot of downtime so I figured, "hey, my brain is mush with nothing to do so I may as well write about something intellectually stimulating that other people may want to read,too." So, here I am and I am in need of some help.
I haven't read the Bible in who knows how long, so naturally this is going to be a step in this entire thing. I Also have not read any other readings/books of other religions. I never, and have never, claimed to know EVERYTHING about religion so maybe you all can help.
The whole topic of my writing is how religion can be compared to mental illness and the negatives of religion. While looking up some facts about mental illness (I'm a caregiver for mental patients so the materials are literally at my fingertips) I found a relation between schizophrenia and religion, ironic eh?
What I am asking of you is to voice what you feel should be included in my writing. What kind of topics should I include, what sources do you hand that I could site and utilize?
![[Image: 5b0a445e-5b98-4e5f-a677-21a1fcbf1b9f_zps2afe46c5.jpg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=i34.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fd135%2FTheGamingAtheist%2F5b0a445e-5b98-4e5f-a677-21a1fcbf1b9f_zps2afe46c5.jpg)
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RE: Need some help here!
July 12, 2014 at 1:22 pm
There are so many lines you could take with this.
The ones that spring to mind are:
A: The possibility that the original prophets or the writers of the religious texts were nuts. Have you read revelations!
B: There is also religious mania people working themselves up to speak in tongues get struck by invisible illusory bolts etc.
The list goes on and I have to go out soon so must make myself pretty.
You can fix ignorance, you can't fix stupid.
Tinkety Tonk and down with the Nazis.
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RE: Need some help here!
July 12, 2014 at 1:32 pm
(July 12, 2014 at 1:22 pm)downbeatplumb Wrote: There are so many lines you could take with this.
The ones that spring to mind are:
A: The possibility that the original prophets or the writers of the religious texts were nuts. Have you read revelations!
B: There is also religious mania people working themselves up to speak in tongues get struck by invisible illusory bolts etc.
The list goes on and I have to go out soon so must make myself pretty.
Lol well thank you for the ideas. When I get home Monday I will post the list of topics I intend on covering. Hopefully I will get more replies from more members on the forum. It would be awesome to have many more items to include and elaborate on.
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RE: Need some help here!
July 12, 2014 at 1:36 pm
Remember Napoleon's comment: Never ascribe to malice that which is explainable by stupidity.
Most theists are not crazy. They are just intellectually lazy.
Similarly, most preachers are not crazy - they are just con artists fleecing their assorted flocks.
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RE: Need some help here!
July 12, 2014 at 1:42 pm
(July 12, 2014 at 1:36 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Remember Napoleon's comment: Never ascribe to malice that which is explainable by stupidity.
Most theists are not crazy. They are just intellectually lazy.
Similarly, most preachers are not crazy - they are just con artists fleecing their assorted flocks.
That was napleon? I thought that was mark twain?
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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RE: Need some help here!
July 13, 2014 at 6:33 am
Well, so far I have come up with these topics in no specific order:
-Studies correlating religion and schizophrenia, or any other mental disorders
-Different religions and beliefs and how these religions came to be
-Extremists and the negative impacts they have caused
-What mental illness IS
-Bible verses; what they mean (in a Christians' perspective) and what the world would be like if everyone actually followed the Bible word for word as a "law"
-ISIS and issues in the Middle East & Islam
-The Mubarak Bala story that just recently occurred
-Popular deaths, murders and suicides caused in the name of religion
-The mindset of religious children
-How long does it take for a childs brain to perform adult like functions (such as determining right from wrong, determining fact from fake)
-What is consciousness
-Abortion
-What is Life
-Proof of science dismembering religion
-Negative health effects religion holds (fasting, anti-vaccine, medical care/treatment)
-Atheism is not a religion (explanation for why it is not)
-Explaining why atheism does not necessarily mean you're entirely scientifically literate
-Hypocritical thinking and actions of religious people
-Paranormal/miracle happenings
-Praying, what does it really do and how does it really work? (Simply asking god to answer to a prayer that has an expected outcome, then thanking god for the outcome)
-Stating that god needed angels and this is why people have died. (the ignorance of this statement will be explained)
-Taking religion out of public schools and government (why is it so important)
-Equality for gay rights and what the bible states
-Sex before marriage is a sin? (Let's relate back to the 1800's and NOW where older men in their 40's are marrying children that are under 10 years old and trying to impregnate them but instead kill them from internal organ damage)
-What does the bible even really allow?!
-Why questioning god or the religion in general is considered terrible
-Why christians claim that their god is the only god
-How to come out to your family/parents/friends
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RE: Need some help here!
July 13, 2014 at 10:58 am
The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes might explain what you are thinking or pondering about. Richard Dawkins polemic ,"The God Delusion" is another good read and covers some of the mindset of religiosity very well. I'm sure that there are much more emotional issues , or mental, in religious belief and it's adherents and if you've ever been in or observed a pentecostal service, you might agree.
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RE: Need some help here!
July 13, 2014 at 12:24 pm
(July 12, 2014 at 1:42 pm)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: (July 12, 2014 at 1:36 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Remember Napoleon's comment: Never ascribe to malice that which is explainable by stupidity.
Most theists are not crazy. They are just intellectually lazy.
Similarly, most preachers are not crazy - they are just con artists fleecing their assorted flocks.
That was napleon? I thought that was mark twain?
Per Brainy Quote:
Quote:Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.
Napoleon Bonaparte
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RE: Need some help here!
July 13, 2014 at 2:31 pm
(July 13, 2014 at 10:58 am)vervillev Wrote: The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes might explain what you are thinking or pondering about. Richard Dawkins polemic ,"The God Delusion" is another good read and covers some of the mindset of religiosity very well. I'm sure that there are much more emotional issues , or mental, in religious belief and it's adherents and if you've ever been in or observed a pentecostal service, you might agree.
The God delusion is precisely why I'm doing this writing: )
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RE: Need some help here!
July 13, 2014 at 5:03 pm
There's a new mental illness in the DSM that is a direct result of denying ones own sexuality. Turns out homosexuality isn't a mental illness-- but denying your sexuality is. What's the #1 reason someone would deny their homosexuality?
For me I personally know what its like tobeat yourself up about feelings for the same sex. I had little self worth because I felt broken and like I was being tested by the devil constantly so I got paranoid. I felt like a bane and felt guilty about how I felt about girls so I avoided them because my biggest nightmare was that they'd find out.
It wasn't until recently that I found out my mum is bisexual as well.
Additionally my sister is a nurse in a prison and she said ALL of them have mental illness. I'm starting to believe crime is partly a symptom of mental illness.
If I were to create self aware beings knowing fully what they would do in their lifetimes, I sure wouldn't create a HELL for the majority of them to live in infinitely! That's not Love, that's sadistic. Therefore a truly loving god does not exist!
Quote:The sin is against an infinite being (God) unforgiven infinitely, therefore the punishment is infinite.
Dead wrong. The actions of a finite being measured against an infinite one are infinitesimal and therefore merit infinitesimal punishment.
Quote:Some people deserve hell.
I say again: No exceptions. Punishment should be equal to the crime, not in excess of it. As soon as the punishment is greater than the crime, the punisher is in the wrong.
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