Does anybody else feel sorry for religious people?

[Fendon]

You're right. It is stupid, and my reason is even stupider. My stupid reason for having a Christian Girlfriend is because I love her, and although I waste my time going to church every weekend, it's worth it so I can be with her. I also want her to know that I may not support the cult she's in, but I support her choice to follow it and want her to know that if she starts questioning her faith, I want to be by her side to help her and support her, and guide her in the right direction because she won't get support from other religious people. I'd want her to know that it's okay to question faith and that I will support her every step of the way.

It doesn't seem stupid to me. My Girlfriend is a Christian as well, although she doesn't attend church after her pastor told her it wasn't a good idea for her to be with me.

Seriously dude, keep up the support for your Girlfriend. I have a lot of respect for that shit. I've said my bit in this thread, and I'm not looking to become particularly active, but you deserve more recognition for this "stupid" act. Keep that head held high, man. No atheist here is going to question your motives.

[IanHulett]

Really, shows you do not know much about the scriptures. They tell us we (Christians) can know those who are not really believers.

Damn dude. Can't even see how what you believe is a fallacy. Why don't you go look up the No True Scotsman Fallacy. Just because your holy book of fairy tales is saying that to support your claims doesn't mean it isn't a No True Scotsman fallacy. MAYBE, your "perfect holy book" isn't perfect and has committed a few of these fallacies. It's filled with fallacies like Argumentum Ad Hominems, Logical Fallacies, Formal/Informal Fallacies, etc. Learn the fallacies, go back through your book, and instead of having a bias in favor of your book of fairy tales, criticize your damn book. It was written by men and like any other story book, it's fake.

Here's a nice video talking about 10 fallacies:




Now that you know what ten of these fallacies are, reread your book.

God says only a fool will call others fools.

You obviously haven't seen:




I was quoting Mr. T and I wasn't being serious. The fact that you said "pity" made me think of that phrase, and that's why I posted that. Not to insult anybody. Now, if you're going quote your "Gawd" that doesn't even exist, then I can literally say YOU'RE the one who is calling ME a fool. You're welcome.

Pffft, I've never claimed to be persecuted and Christians in this country are not, those living and working in Muslim countries are the ones who suffer persecution. Your understanding of Christians is so warped I'm surprised you would want to be within a mile of one. If you think you're persecuted go to Iran and claim to be a Christian.

Pfffffffffft, my point exactly about the fact that they're not, but yes I know what persecution is, I FUCKING EXPERIENCE IT!!! And there are Christians EVERYWHERE in america who are claiming THEY'RE being persecuted.

What churches have you been to, the churches I've attended have had many women as teachers, even over men, I've learned much from women in churches. I've known women who would be great deacons, women have great responsibility in church.
You say those things above and then show men and women are to be equals in the church and life. You have a warped idea or at least confused sense of the role of men and women in the church and life.

Wow. Just wow. You don't need to be in a church to know the rules. You just need to read your so called "scriptures."

1 Corinthians 7:3-5
3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

This isn't the only passage that mentions that a wife needs to submit. It's a passage that says a man needs to submit too.

No, I do not and to pretend to would be lying. Could it be.... no you would never accept that. Again I say your sense of sexuality in a Christian relationship is warped and it could be because of your own problems. You ever read the book "Songs of Solomon." As far as sex only within marriage, if you had ever studied the Bible instead of running down something you haven't even tried to understand, you might just realize that a sexual experience between a man and women is what God recognize as marriage. There were no marriage ceremonies, no vows, that's something man made up.

How, prey, is my view on sexuality "warped?" In what way am I confused, and forgive me if I'm twisting your words here, but are you also suggesting that two men or two women aren't allowed to have sex according to your god?

I'm willing to bet you have no idea where the monies collected in church goes to, I do I've set on financial boards. There is no waste of money and pastors are not allowed to set on this board, there wages are set by the board and voted on by the church, some of the monies do not even stay with the church, they go to mission works and those in need, monies are given to other Christian programs to help fund them. Before you judge you should learn what you're talking about and so far as I can see you do not understand in the least.

Okay, fine. I'll tell you how your church is wasting money. Like I said, your god doesn't exist, he's made up by men to control people like you who don't actually question things, or if you do, you don't question things enough, and are gullible to the point where you hear a claim and you accept it without thinking about the inconsistencies of that persons claim. So, by sending money to the church you attend, you are paying for not only YOUR indoctrination, but you're also paying for the indoctrination of children. If those children grow up and deconvert, thus becoming atheists, then did you not waste your money? Also, if Atheism were a religion, it would be the fastest growing religion in the world. Yay science!

If you need other reasons why you're wasting your money, read this:
http://www.atheistrepublic.com/blog/xiok...aste-money

What makes you think we do not enjoy going to church to learn and worship, fellowship with each other is important to Christians in many ways, ways you can't understand because you want try. You go to church every Sunday and why?
As for knowing God's real all Christians do the NT teaches we can know, you believe we have hope He's real, this is where you misunderstand what hope is about, our hope is trusting in God to do what He says He will. Faith is what leads us to the truth of who God is, your lack of this knowledge, gives you a great misunderstanding of Christianity.
A global scam, just hows that to work and who benefits from such a scam, someones feed you a tremendous amount of bull.

First off, what makes you think ALL people want to go to church? Did you know that many people are being forced to go to church when they don't want to?

I already said why I go to church...

Do you still go to church because of family pressures?

Nah. I go to Church so that I can be with my Girlfriend. I just don't participate in any of the rituals, such as communion, prayer, that kind of stuff.

...and I love how you're so quick to say I misunderstood Christianity when I was incredibly devout, and you know what? At that time, I didn't understand Christianity, because all the priests/pastors/reverends/ministers/deacons were cherry picking the bible so that they can sugarcoat how Christianity is this kind loving religion when in reality it's a hateful cult. How do I know this? "Scriptures." Go back and read Exodus, Leviticus, Corinthians, Revelations... you know what, go back and reread your entire bible. Don't skip anything. Go cover to cover and become familiar with your cult and see why we call it a cult in the first place.

Let me say this sonny boy, I've studied and taught the scriptures for a long time, I actually know, unlike you, what's in the pages of scripture.

Bullshit. Because if you did, you'd know all the stuff I'm trying to show you and you'd understand why I think so poorly of Christianity. You don't have to agree, you just have to understand, and if you don't understand, then I declare bullshit on that claim.

You and all the atheist fall very short of my knowledge of scripture and God and, you have no idea why I'm here, your assumptions are dead wrong as to why I'm here. Sounds to me you want to challenge us to who knows the scriptures.
Fairytales are those things that are outside the truth, that would apply to atheist seeing your outside of God's truth ie. the truth of God.

lol You don't see how your "religion" is full of shit? You don't see how it's NOT the truth? LOL Tell me, how do you know Islam isn't the truth? How do you know Judiasm isn't the truth? How can you dismiss all other religions out there and still believe your religion is the truth? What kind of evidence do you have to support your claim?

Loving someone isn't stupid

Thank you, and I know. I was quoting you because you said it seemed stupid.

so I'm taking it you're being sarcastic.

Well at least we both agree on what sarcasm is.

I personally do not believe that a relationship between two who are so different in their world views can be healthy for either one.

Easy. It's called problem solving, loving unconditionally, and being accepting. I am accepting of her Christianity, and she's accepting of my Atheism. It's wonderful, isn't it?

The way you feel about Christianity really confuses me as to why you would even start a relationship with a Christian.

When we first started dating, we were both Christians. At the time, I was Catholic, and she was Methodist. (still is) This was five years ago a few months after my house was purposefully set on fire by the jackass downstairs. Then after an issue with my sexuality, I left the catholic church and became a Methodist like her, and then I found out Christianity was so inconsistent and contradictory, I actually RESEARCHED Christianity and after learning about the origins, I became an Atheist.

Her world view is something that is part of who *she is

Did you at all read what I said? I said I may not support the cult she's in, but I SUPPORT HER CHOICE TO FOLLOW IT.

and it's something you portray with hatred here, so how long before that will effect your relationship with her.

You know why I portray it with hatred here? It's because here I can express my hatred for religion, and because I'm around fellow atheists and anti-theists, I don't get judged for it unless YOU come in and start shit where shit doesn't need to be started. I come here to vent so that I can release stress and socialize with like minded people who have been in my shoes. I can't get that kind of support on a religious forum. And just because I hate religion, doesn't mean I hate the people who follow it. I'm sure we can agree, that even though we're arguing here, I still see you as a person, an individual who has value, who deserves to be treated as a fellow human being, and someone just like me, and I'm confident that you have the same view about me. The only thing between us is our views of religion. It's the same deal with me and my girlfriend. We both may have our differences on the whole God debate, but we both accept each other despite our choices, and thus we can be together. When I stop accepting her choice to be Christian, she'll end the relationship, likewise, once she stops accepting my decision to be atheist, the relationship is over. Funny how relationships are a two way street.

It just seems counter productive to have a relationship like that.

GC

When things fall apart, I'll come crying. Until then, don't hold your breath.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I get the feeling though that many times they're aware of their complacency and simply comfortable with staying that way. My wife, for instance, has said on more than one occasion that she is aware that her beliefs are probably not rational, but she doesn't really care to find out.

I mean, if that works for them and they're not shoving it in my face, I guess I can accept that, but I don't think it's always as simple as their brainwashed. They just don't really want to know if their beliefs are valid or not because of they comfort they receive.

True enough, and I should not have made such a generalization. Some do indeed choose their irrationality.

[Chas]

Yes. It is sad that they remain mired in delusion.

[Minimalist]

Really, shows you do not know much about the scriptures.

Your precious scriptures are a pile of shit, G-C. They are not worth knowing. No more than any of the others you would roundly denounce like the koran.

[robvalue]

Atheists tend to know plenty more about the scriptures than christians. And we can read what the words actually say, without automatically translating them into what we want them to say, or what Pastor Dumbass had told us they mean.

I know enough about the bible to rip it to shreds from just about any angle, and never once do I receive anything close to a coherent response from theists. The best they can come up with is that God doesn't mean what he says. In other words, they don't care what is written as God is shit at writing.

[Thumpalumpacus]

First, I think calling them "scriptures" is horseshit. I cannot remember the poster here who mentioned it a few months back but he or she made a great point in that calling them "scriptures" essentially gilds the lily.

The Bible is an anthology, composed by primitive folk who didn't know shit from shinola about the world, cobbled together by the vote of men hundreds of years later in order to achieve political aims. It's good to read through it for that. But reading it for the purpose of finding truth is silly. You'd be much better off actually spending your Sunday mornings hosting a brunch for your friends, with the idea that they bring friends along as well; or going to the zoo, and learning something about the interrelationship of all living things; or going on a nice country drive with your lover. Each of those things, and many more I could name, will teach you at least as much as listening to some windbag lecture you about the "Good News" that you're going to die and be judged by a cruel, capricious, and evil deity who doesn't even exist.

Relax. This is the only life you have. Don't waste an hour of it in a goddamned pew.

Also, Rob's right: atheists tend to know the Bible much better than the adherents of said bullsh -- er, book.

[downbeatplumb]

I went to church on sunday, and I felt sorry for everybody there, because all I could think of was that they were brainwashed, and were giving their money away for nothing, and that the elders wasted their entire life, and the middle aged people are wasting their life, and they're oppressing themselves, etc. I just feel so sorry for these people.

Fortunately, my girlfriend, and the pastor knows I'm an atheist, but that's it. Nobody else at church knows.

Does anybody else feel sorry for religious people?

In the same way I feel sorry for people who send money to Nigerian princes or other cons. The really sad part is a lot of them will never realise they've been conned.

[watchamadoodle]

Atheists tend to know plenty more about the scriptures than christians. And we can read what the words actually say, without automatically translating them into what we want them to say, or what Pastor Dumbass had told us they mean.

I know enough about the bible to rip it to shreds from just about any angle, and never once do I receive anything close to a coherent response from theists. The best they can come up with is that God doesn't mean what he says. In other words, they don't care what is written as God is shit at writing.

When Christians study the Bible and theology in depth they often lose faith. That probably explains why many atheists seem to have a superior understanding of Christianity - they used to be the smartest Christians. I wasn't that type of Christian though. I tried, but I was not knowledgable and not successful in improving myself.

I went to Catholic church last night with my mother. I felt a bit sorry for people, but I also enjoyed the service, and I actually envied them for believing in something - even if it is false. A person needs things to believe in IMO. Atheism is just the absence of theism, so it doesn't substitute. Probably people who have a healthier mental state are more happy as atheists, because they have other things to think about when religion is gone.

[Radco]

This thread stinks with kumbaya-ness. All the atheists feel sad for the little children having their impressionism being taken advantage of, but because the so-called adults in the room feel some "holy communion" and don't know any better, they should not be held accountable for said child abuse? Are they not complicit? Are they not a cell in the cancer of religion that infects the world? C'mon, where are the AF anti-theists?

Sorry, got my blood up, as my dad would say.