Atheist billboards in Atlanta

[everythingafter]

Everything that has a beginning, has a cause, God didnt have a beginning, therefore God is the cause of the universe (as it had a beginning). I dont know where God came from, it does seem bizzare. However, I am sure one you can ask Him.

This is so flawed logically, I don't know where to start. You make a giant leap from saying everything has a beginning to "God didn't have a beginning." How do you know this? Because the Bible and doctrine claims he is omniscient and eternal? How can you possibly know anything about a omniscient, all-powerful god from cobbled together holy texts and voices in the head?

The fact that the universe had a beginning doesn't necessarily mean that God was the impetus behind that beginning. To say so is specious reasoning. We don't know how it began, but invoking a spiritual beings into the equation complicates matters to the Nth degree when a quite simple explanation will probably do, and it's a bit like giving up when we answer still-unknown questions with supposedly all-power beings to explain them.

[solja247]

Lets remove God out of the picture, lets say a being created the universe. That being was created by another being, that being was created by another being, that being was created by another and so forth. We dont get anywhere, unless we say there was an uncaused cause, which is God.

I dont see any logical inconsistencies...

[AnunZi]

I dont think atheism is wrong, I dont think its right either. I dont have any solid evidence to say you are right/wrong. Although, I will argue that the evidence is in favour of the theist...

I'm sorry WHAT?!?! Theism has more evidence than atheism?

Please share it with us then! I would love to see this “evidence”. When I say evidence I mean evidence. Not “I hear voices in my head” or “It says so in a book written by goat herders 2000 years ago”.

Lets remove God out of the picture, lets say a being created the universe.

So you’re saying lets remove god from the equation and replace it with a “being”. I.E god. That’s just pure genius mate.

I dont see any logical inconsistencies...

Of course you don’t. That is the problem. They are there, you just fail at seeing them.

[krazedkat]

Lets remove God out of the picture, lets say a being created the universe. That being was created by another being, that being was created by another being, that being was created by another and so forth. We dont get anywhere, unless we say there was an uncaused cause, which is God.

I dont see any logical inconsistencies...

You REALLY don't see it? Look closely, no, closer... See it now, Staring you in the face? "Everything has a cause, but oh that god thing doesn't. God must be more complex than the universe to have created it." By that logic it would be more realistic to believe the universe (something LESS complex) had no beginning and is therefore always been here than to believe god has no beginning (as he would be MORE complex).

[everythingafter]

Shit, son. I was happy in 2008 when we stopped electing it.

I prophesy more stupid to come in 2012.

---

Lets remove God out of the picture, lets say a being created the universe. That being was created by another being, that being was created by another being, that being was created by another and so forth. We dont get anywhere, unless we say there was an uncaused cause, which is God.

I dont see any logical inconsistencies...

You see, you're assuming there has to be a being to create the universe. And what name would we give this being who created everything if not God? I suppose we can call him/it anything we want, but then it's totally ambiguous. You're also assuming the universe has to be created, for this is the only way many people can make sense out of existence. But the only beings that create things, at least in complicated ways (like computers and metal and plastic), are humans. Everything else that we know about the world (how plants grow, why animals go extinct, how lightning works) are all driven by natural forces. There's no reason to suppose the universe would be any different, even if our very finite minds can't grasp it.

[Skipper]

Lets remove God out of the picture, lets say a being created the universe. That being was created by another being, that being was created by another being, that being was created by another and so forth. We dont get anywhere, unless we say there was an uncaused cause, which is God.

I dont see any logical inconsistencies...

You're right, going along them lines we do get nowhere, but do we get any closer to truth just by saying god did it?!?! Of course not, it's just a convenient answer for people that need an answer. They also ignore that the answer of god is a strange one when you consider god would have to be more complex than the universe he created, so it actually makes more sense to give the universe the attribute of "eternal" that they so willingly give god.

Of course if a god did create the universe than what makes people sure they are following the right god and it's not one of the thousands of gods people have invented over the years to explain things they don't understand. Then even if the Christians, Muslims and Jews have got it right, what makes either one think they understand how he wants us to live our lives and that their book is right? Then even if say Christians are the right ones, and the bible is the right book, how are we supposed to read the book? Literally? As stories? Not even the Christians agree. Pfft....nobody knows if a god exists and if one did certainly nobody knows how he wants us to live...Atheists are able to admit that, religious people are not.

[Thor]

Exactly my point! most Christians dont even know how to read their Bible, they just assume it has to be taken litteral...

We agree!

I dont think atheism is wrong, I dont think its right either. I dont have any solid evidence to say you are right/wrong. Although, I will argue that the evidence is in favour of the theist...

And what evidence would this be?

Funny enough, Creationists think evolution is just a big conspiracy theory...

I've seen where some Christians think dinosaur bones are planted by scientists! The conspiracy that would have to be undertaken for this to be true would be mind boggling.

Religion and God go hand in hand, unless you are a Deist, its the same thing.

My point is that "God" does not oppress people, kill people, force dubious "morals" on people, or dictate how people should live their lives. It is RELIGIONS that do these things. Therefore, to me, the world would be a much better place without it.

It's "unrealistic" to ask for tangible, observable evidence? It's "unrealistic" to ask for empirical evidence that demonstrates Jesus actually lived? It's "unrealistic" to ask for evidence that supports Biblical tales like the story of Noah's Ark?

No. Some Atheists ask God to reveal Himself or some sought of evidence which is ridiculous.

Why is this "ridiculous"? Hasn't this deity supposedly revealed himself in the past? Then why is it "ridiculous" to ask him to do so now?

What? Atheists "persecute" believers? Where? On the other hand, finding examples of believers persecuting atheists is pretty easy.

I could start with Communist Russia (Well a few decades ago) Thankfully, not many countries hold to atheist ideaologies anymore...
You read the question wrong. I said complain about persecution...

The old Soviet Union was definitely an atheist state. But the leadership was only concerned with holding onto power and persecuting its enemies (real or imagined). Atheism did not inspire the leadership to persecute anyone. It was simply tyranny. I must point out that European monarchs persecuted people who were the "wrong religion" for centuries. Thankfully, not many countries hold to theocratic dogma anymore....

Absolutely true of creationists. For the most part, atheists merely try to demonstrate how the beliefs of creationists are contradicted by observable evidence. If you think trying to get people to acknowledge the discoveries of science is "seeing the light", then I suppose you're correct.

Science doesnt = Atheism.

I didn't say that it did. I was specifically talking about that segment of believers who shut their eyes to scientific discovery when it contradicts their holy book.

Most Atheists are missionaries at heart...

Most atheists couldn't care less what other people think about the existence of a deity or how to worship it. Just like most believers don't care whether or not another person thinks their deity is real.

The difference is that the beliefs of creationists are deluded and irrational. The beliefs of atheists are supported by mountains of evidence and a few centuries of scientific research.

Mountains of evidence?

I was referring to Evolutionary Theory here. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[Ashendant]

Lets remove God out of the picture, lets say a being created the universe. That being was created by another being, that being was created by another being, that being was created by another and so forth. We dont get anywhere, unless we say there was an uncaused cause, which is God.

I dont see any logical inconsistencies...

Or we can say that the universe is infinite and eternal and then we don't require a god

[Watson]

Or you've just used words that are used to define God quite often to define the universe...

[Ashendant]

Or you've just used words that are used to define God quite often to define the universe...

I know and it's far more probable than a god existing