Meet the staff- Tackattack

[tackattack]

I'd like to thank everyone who submitted questions, it was fun. Well brief bio is in order I suppose, then onto the questions. I'm a 33 yr. old married father of 2 beautiful kids. My wife and I have been married for 9 wonderful years now. I was raised Christian. I never really understood or questioned my belief or even thought about it. After taking care of my handicapped brother and god-sister and dealing with being falsely accused I fell deeply away from the Church. I reasoned my way through several years of looking into different religions and trying them. Finally, it ony made sense, to settle on not caring about God anymore and just living my life. A string of improable coincidences brouht me back to Church. I decided to learn with newer open eyes and give religion another try as long as it were reasonabe. I invited God into my heart after a few months. That was 11 years ago and life keeps getting better.
I came here to learn about atheism and found a place to discuss religion openly with intellegent people. Now on to the questions.



#Adrian - "Will you marry me?"
No Adrian, you're far too scrawny for me, plus .. well.. I'm not into blonds


#If you only had one meal left, what would you choose?

Calamari or shrimp cocktail as an appetizer
Guacamole and chips for snacking
Sushi and sashimi as 1st Course
main course would be lobster and pork pad thai
finish up with a light ceasar salad
Dessert in the rare mood I'm wanting it would be baklava covered in maple butter and walnut sauce or just a tub of cream cheese icing until I puke.


# What's it like being a theist mod on an atheist forum?
A little unnerving, I definitely have a sense of burden being the first here, but I'm also definitely honored. I just find it another way to be a good witness.


# Do you get tired of all the anti-Christian feelings here?
No. I sometimes have anti-some-Christians feelings as well. Lots of people like to claim a label without knowing what it means. The anti Christian vibe can get intense after some fundamentals come to flame it up, and it's a little discouraging at times, but for the most part I'm fine with it. IT is an atheist forum

# Where do you come from?
My mother and father. On a side note they're much shorter and rounder than I am so I always thought that I came from the postman. Then I met all my mom's brothers and we'll all broad shouldered and over 6'2"

# What do you do for a living?
I'm a Gov. contractor who fixes computers and unix and windows administrator. I can't get in to too much more.

# If God is peace and love and infinite mercy, why is the Bible so violent and intollerent?
People are violent and intolerant. That's not saying God isn't or can't get angry. If someone tried in every way to convince people you don't exist you'd be justifiably angry as well. Why are Christians intolerant? well People are usually intolerant because they like to be right and a lot of Christians feel they have moral high ground by default. That's not a Biblical teaching, we are all sinner, atheist, theist and sinner and as a whole, Jesus teaches Unity not segregation.

# Favourite types of movies?
Lately comedies, although I love martial arts flicks and adventure movies. Generally anything that warps your perception and has a lot of plot twists and turns that make it hard to predict the ending. Basic formula movies turn me off, so do black an whites (except the stooges, LOVE IT)

# What for you, would be the perfect end to the week?
Sitting down with a few close friends having a glass of wine and talking about life. Eating some good food and playing a board game or some group console game.


#Have you rediscovered any talents or pastimes of yourself over the last few months?
I went back to rpg's over fps'. realized why I hated them so much.


#Have you had a major change in philosophy regarding any issues over the last few months?
Yes, I've realized that there are far more Unchristians in Christianity, than atheists. And that they're far harder to argue with because they don't even use logic and reason.


#Do you enjoy Wombat soup more with, or without ketchup?
Ketchup makes everything better... except steamed vegetables.. nothing can make that better, other than someone else eating them.


#If you were given a god-like power to build a single thing, whatever it was, however you wanted it... what would that thing be? I'll assume that this is coming from an atheist, we'll assume God doesn't exist.

A view-only time machine with built in answer-all-box and endless free health-food generator

#Which is the greater evil... bringing order to the universe (even if you have to choke the shit out of it), or creating chaos in the universe (to the point that only the luckiest survive to carry on)?
Well from a my theist perspective creating chaos where the chaos comes from the negative. I'm a big proponent of moderation (in ideology, not practice) though and destruction is a key in both ofthe options proposed, and I prefer building not destroying. I was the kid who got upset when you knocked over the lego tower, but enjoyed rebuilding it.


#Is spaghetti better with meatballs? depends on the spaghetti, regular yes, baked spaghetti no ground turkey.

#Do you prefer to read books or watch movies?books, althought the older I get the easier my eyes tire.

#Which genre(s) of movie/book//game/tale do you most enjoy?
anachronistic fantasy, religious or non-detective make-you think books


#Are squirrels really as evil as they seem? Hashtehasd

#What climate(s) do you prefer? Which ones do you hate?
Love=Colder than moderate. very cloudy but usually dry. Windy.
Hate=Sweaty, muggy, wet or Hot


# So, do you ever let the things that go on here effect those you teach?
Yes my life affects my teaching, and AF is a very daily part of my life. I've shared on here what I teach and why I teach and have gotten input from forum members.

# Do you teach the children the things you may have learned here at good ol' AF (In regards to my Sunday school class)? Well I'd say see above but what youre really asking is has my views changed enough from being a port of AF enough to change what I teach or believe in God less. No. No argument presented on here has made me conflicted about my belief or preveented me from teaching a subject. If anything my time on here gives me a different perspective to share with Christians. I do a lot of sharing with Christians how the world aside, which we're supposed to be set apart from scripturally, perceives us. I teach the adults and Children to be open minded, open hearted, questioning, compassionate, but through all things a good example of Christ's life.

[Shell B]

Cool, tack. I enjoyed reading your answers. It's funny how you can talk to (or around) someone nearly every day and still know very little about them.

[theVOID]

Since i missed out, your favorite beer?

[tackattack]

Very rare occasion I drink beer, I prefer plum wine (I know I'm a very foo foo drinker), but when I don't have access to a nice chocolate stout I guess a killians red or corona light with lime.

[Darwinian]

Nicely done tack

# If God is peace and love and infinite mercy, why is the Bible so violent and intollerent?
People are violent and intolerant. That's not saying God isn't or can't get angry. If someone tried in every way to convince people you don't exist you'd be justifiably angry as well. Why are Christians intolerant? well People are usually intolerant because they like to be right and a lot of Christians feel they have moral high ground by default. That's not a Biblical teaching, we are all sinner, atheist, theist and sinner and as a whole, Jesus teaches Unity not segregation.

Just a few points about the above. You say that it is people who are violent and imply it's not the Bible. But surely it is the Bible that teaches this violence and intolerance. When the Bible teaches that on discovering your new bride is not a virgin she should be stoned to death, surely this is a classic case of the Bible being violent and intolerant?

Also, you imply that God can get angry. How can this be true of an omniscient entity who knows all future events before they happen? And if he does get angry because he's fed up with people denying his existence then surely it would be logical to come and say hello, or at the very least not set the Cosmos up in such a way that everything points to him not existing.

[LastPoet]

A question for Tack: If you were god, what would you do?

[tackattack]

@ Void- Oh btw you weren't really late I was just early and as apparent am happy to entertain many more questios, I'm just bored at work and tired of having this saved as a draft.

Nicely done tack

# If God is peace and love and infinite mercy, why is the Bible so violent and intollerent?
People are violent and intolerant. That's not saying God isn't or can't get angry. If someone tried in every way to convince people you don't exist you'd be justifiably angry as well. Why are Christians intolerant? well People are usually intolerant because they like to be right and a lot of Christians feel they have moral high ground by default. That's not a Biblical teaching, we are all sinner, atheist, theist and sinner and as a whole, Jesus teaches Unity not segregation.

Just a few points about the above. You say that it is people who are violent and imply it's not the Bible. But surely it is the Bible that teaches this violence and intolerance. When the Bible teaches that on discovering your new bride is not a virgin she should be stoned to death, surely this is a classic case of the Bible being violent and intolerant?

Also, you imply that God can get angry. How can this be true of an omniscient entity who knows all future events before they happen? And if he does get angry because he's fed up with people denying his existence then surely it would be logical to come and say hello, or at the very least not set the Cosmos up in such a way that everything points to him not existing.

1. Only if you ignore parts of the Bile does it teach intolerance and hatred. A whole Bible approach with reason, intuition (for you secularists) and intent leads me to the conclusion that as a whole, the Bible teaches unity through a oneness of the Spirit, Love and Eternal Life as it's key proponents.

2. If ants had the ability to reason would that they might perceive getting stepped on or their homes desroyed as the act of a huge angry God? Emotion is a human thing and the only thing we have to remotely compare to the described nature of God, however dimunitive, is the unconditional Love of a Parent.

A question for Tack: If you were god, what would you do?

Nothing, as it would have already be done. Meaning specifically that I'm far more binary and black and white oriented than my belief about who God could be, and I would have just created robots, or mindless animals, or anything better than free will. Free will(perceived or otherwise) is a gift I don't think I would have allowed.

[Rayaan]

Question to tackattack (although it's late):

Since you're a theist, do you believe that God has a human-like appearance (with hands, feet, mouth, etc.), or is He something totally unique?

[tackattack]

I've shared this elsewhere. There's no way I can know what he looks like, scientifically or as Jesus states "no man has ever seen God". IF you want me to hazard a guess sure, I see no reason why God would nee physical extremities or anything of the like. I guess I see him as more of a sentient cloud of transcendent force. If you're asking how we were created in God's image that's a different question. That would be free will, communication to the broad scope of human intellect, observance with appreciation and the ability to cogitate, reason and decide.