If you are an atheist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and while dahaha can carry the connotation of "egg-shaped", it's egg-shaped in the sense of something that has been rolled-out. So not "round and flattened" like an oblate spheroid. "Round and flattened" like a pita bread.

As I said earlier, it's not really relevant one way or the other--aside from to those who have a stake in the inerrancy of their holy texts.

Okay, like really? LOL. You do know that people actually spend years studying to understand Ancient Arabic? Maybe you can wikipedia "Arabic in the Quran". What you just wrote makes zero sense, and shows that you do not speak arabic. I really dont have the energy to try to convince you that a blue pen is blue if all your eyes want to see is green, it is a moot point!

This is a pretty entertaining take-down of the whole "ostrich egg" line:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xt-2uFH26Q

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a question for the Muslim poster. Your posts on this thread, that 1. theNew Testament was made up to make religion look better, and 2. Christianity condones stoning, seem like pretty solid evidence that you've participated in some heavy and erroneous bashing of other religions on other threads. Would you mind pointing us in the direction of some of your other posts re other religions, so that members of those faiths can do the public service of fact checking?

Actually, no, I have not participated in other Religion threads, this is my first time, and I am not bashing Christianity at all. I was telling that poster that every revelation taken out of context can be interpreted for what its not. Now as far as public service of fact checking, I think each person can research whatever is important to them on their own without relying on what anyone says on the internet especially DCMUM

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the reasons that atheists seem so pissed off all the time is that we can't a simple discussion of what atheists believe without it turning into this thread. In this thread, some crazy nutjob came in and trolled the board with "You're going to fry in hell." Then someone else came in and started a lengthy discussion of what Muslims believe.

We're strafed with hate and then the thread is high-jacked for a discussion of another topic entirely. Is it anyone wonder that a lot of atheists stridently profess that believers are hateful and narcissistic?

I am sorry you feel this way, but you're right that we always stir away from the original topic, but I don't think its about Atheists only, this is the case in almost all threads on DCMum, i guess when a conversation starts, people inject their own beliefs and it ends up going south. I am the Muslim Poster, and I apologize, I really don't want to sound hateful

Not hateful. Just a narcissist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a question for the Muslim poster. Your posts on this thread, that 1. theNew Testament was made up to make religion look better, and 2. Christianity condones stoning, seem like pretty solid evidence that you've participated in some heavy and erroneous bashing of other religions on other threads. Would you mind pointing us in the direction of some of your other posts re other religions, so that members of those faiths can do the public service of fact checking?

Actually, no, I have not participated in other Religion threads, this is my first time, and I am not bashing Christianity at all. I was telling that poster that every revelation taken out of context can be interpreted for what its not. Now as far as public service of fact checking, I think each person can research whatever is important to them on their own without relying on what anyone says on the internet especially DCMUM

Have you forgotten what you wrote? Because we can all go back and see it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a question for the Muslim poster. Your posts on this thread, that 1. theNew Testament was made up to make religion look better, and 2. Christianity condones stoning, seem like pretty solid evidence that you've participated in some heavy and erroneous bashing of other religions on other threads. Would you mind pointing us in the direction of some of your other posts re other religions, so that members of those faiths can do the public service of fact checking?

Actually, no, I have not participated in other Religion threads, this is my first time, and I am not bashing Christianity at all. I was telling that poster that every revelation taken out of context can be interpreted for what its not. Now as far as public service of fact checking, I think each person can research whatever is important to them on their own without relying on what anyone says on the internet especially DCMUM

Have you forgotten what you wrote? Because we can all go back and see it.

Go back and see then, I have not forgotten what I wrote

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the reasons that atheists seem so pissed off all the time is that we can't a simple discussion of what atheists believe without it turning into this thread. In this thread, some crazy nutjob came in and trolled the board with "You're going to fry in hell." Then someone else came in and started a lengthy discussion of what Muslims believe.

We're strafed with hate and then the thread is high-jacked for a discussion of another topic entirely. Is it anyone wonder that a lot of atheists stridently profess that believers are hateful and narcissistic?

I am sorry you feel this way, but you're right that we always stir away from the original topic, but I don't think its about Atheists only, this is the case in almost all threads on DCMum, i guess when a conversation starts, people inject their own beliefs and it ends up going south. I am the Muslim Poster, and I apologize, I really don't want to sound hateful

Not hateful. Just a narcissist.

Didn't know I come out that way, I will work on that. Thanks for letting me know. The only way we learn and grow in life is when people point us what we are doing wrong, so I appreciate the feedback and I apologize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

takoma wrote:I am an atheist. When I die, I think I am no more. That does not mean that I am not concerned about what happens to others (wife and kids, friends, etc) who survive.

If there were a God that is anything like the publicity, I will be up there in heaven for having tried to be a good person, and succeeded at least moderately well, I believe. A God that punishes us for using the brains we were provided would be a real disappointment.

I'm not saying anything like you're not going to Heaven or you're going to Hell or anything, but I'm curious if you understand that this is not how it works? You don't get into Heaven for having tried to be a good person -- or even for being a good person. Entry to Heaven is for those who kept the faith and lived by God's law, not "good" people.

No actually this is a subject of quite a bit of debate. That may be true of your particular sub-genre of Christianity (or Judaism, or whatever), but that is *not* a universal attribute of religions, or even Christianity.

In fact Pope Francis recently made that very point:

The Holy Father is full of surprises, born of true and faithful humility. On Wednesday he declared that all people, not just Catholics, are redeemed through Jesus, even atheists.

However, he did emphasize there was a catch. Those people must still do good. In fact, it is in doing good that they are led to the One who is the Source of all that is good. In essence he simply restated the hope of the Church that all come to know God, through His Son Jesus Christ.

(http://www.catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=51077) (Warning, video auto-plays at link)

[Anonymous]

Thanks, PP, for the interesting Pope Francis link. Didn't know that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

takoma wrote:I am an atheist. When I die, I think I am no more. That does not mean that I am not concerned about what happens to others (wife and kids, friends, etc) who survive.

If there were a God that is anything like the publicity, I will be up there in heaven for having tried to be a good person, and succeeded at least moderately well, I believe. A God that punishes us for using the brains we were provided would be a real disappointment.

I'm not saying anything like you're not going to Heaven or you're going to Hell or anything, but I'm curious if you understand that this is not how it works? You don't get into Heaven for having tried to be a good person -- or even for being a good person. Entry to Heaven is for those who kept the faith and lived by God's law, not "good" people.

No actually this is a subject of quite a bit of debate. That may be true of your particular sub-genre of Christianity (or Judaism, or whatever), but that is *not* a universal attribute of religions, or even Christianity.

In fact Pope Francis recently made that very point:

The Holy Father is full of surprises, born of true and faithful humility. On Wednesday he declared that all people, not just Catholics, are redeemed through Jesus, even atheists.

However, he did emphasize there was a catch. Those people must still do good. In fact, it is in doing good that they are led to the One who is the Source of all that is good. In essence he simply restated the hope of the Church that all come to know God, through His Son Jesus Christ.

(http://www.catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=51077) (Warning, video auto-plays at link)

Then what is the point of believing? Why not just go through life and do good without having to pray or go to church?

[Anonymous]

I'm not Catholic, but my guess is that some people need/want a little extra guidance/help/instruction. If you want this, you can get it from your house of worship. Being "good" isn't easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

takoma wrote:I am an atheist. When I die, I think I am no more. That does not mean that I am not concerned about what happens to others (wife and kids, friends, etc) who survive.

If there were a God that is anything like the publicity, I will be up there in heaven for having tried to be a good person, and succeeded at least moderately well, I believe. A God that punishes us for using the brains we were provided would be a real disappointment.

I'm not saying anything like you're not going to Heaven or you're going to Hell or anything, but I'm curious if you understand that this is not how it works? You don't get into Heaven for having tried to be a good person -- or even for being a good person. Entry to Heaven is for those who kept the faith and lived by God's law, not "good" people.

No actually this is a subject of quite a bit of debate. That may be true of your particular sub-genre of Christianity (or Judaism, or whatever), but that is *not* a universal attribute of religions, or even Christianity.

In fact Pope Francis recently made that very point:

The Holy Father is full of surprises, born of true and faithful humility. On Wednesday he declared that all people, not just Catholics, are redeemed through Jesus, even atheists.

However, he did emphasize there was a catch. Those people must still do good. In fact, it is in doing good that they are led to the One who is the Source of all that is good. In essence he simply restated the hope of the Church that all come to know God, through His Son Jesus Christ.

(http://www.catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=51077) (Warning, video auto-plays at link)

Then what is the point of believing? Why not just go through life and do good without having to pray or go to church?

Any believers want to handle this one? Community? Bible study? Why do you go to Church? Is it just to punch the clock?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

takoma wrote:I am an atheist. When I die, I think I am no more. That does not mean that I am not concerned about what happens to others (wife and kids, friends, etc) who survive.

If there were a God that is anything like the publicity, I will be up there in heaven for having tried to be a good person, and succeeded at least moderately well, I believe. A God that punishes us for using the brains we were provided would be a real disappointment.

I'm not saying anything like you're not going to Heaven or you're going to Hell or anything, but I'm curious if you understand that this is not how it works? You don't get into Heaven for having tried to be a good person -- or even for being a good person. Entry to Heaven is for those who kept the faith and lived by God's law, not "good" people.

No actually this is a subject of quite a bit of debate. That may be true of your particular sub-genre of Christianity (or Judaism, or whatever), but that is *not* a universal attribute of religions, or even Christianity.

In fact Pope Francis recently made that very point:

The Holy Father is full of surprises, born of true and faithful humility. On Wednesday he declared that all people, not just Catholics, are redeemed through Jesus, even atheists.

However, he did emphasize there was a catch. Those people must still do good. In fact, it is in doing good that they are led to the One who is the Source of all that is good. In essence he simply restated the hope of the Church that all come to know God, through His Son Jesus Christ.

(http://www.catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=51077) (Warning, video auto-plays at link)

Then what is the point of believing? Why not just go through life and do good without having to pray or go to church?

Any believers want to handle this one? Community? Bible study? Why do you go to Church? Is it just to punch the clock?

Yes, support from a community, Bible study, weekly reminders to hold my tongue on DCUM....

[Anonymous]

18:08 again. Maybe I should add, being good is a journey, and faith is a journey. You don't just wake up and say, "that's it, from today on I'm going to be a perfectly good person." It's nice to have support and guidance along the way.

[Anonymous]

If its just support, join a club, make friends, find a hobby. You really believe just for support? You've got to be kidding me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If its just support, join a club, make friends, find a hobby. You really believe just for support? You've got to be kidding me

Just so we know where you're coming from: are you religious? It's hard to tell. In any case, I'm atheist, but I don't have any trouble imagining that if I were religious, I'd seek out the company of other believers, and take comfort in the weekly ritual. Is that really so hard to believe?