OP here, I'm not a troll. Yes, I'm VERY insecure, but I don't lack any critical thinking skills at all and I find offense with your post. I am a free thinker because I don't let religion influence my beliefs.

Anonymous wrote:OP here:

I care very much what others think of me and will continue to do so in order to be liked and not made fun off or viewed as some kind of freak.

OP, I think it's not a matter of religious/atheist, but to me it seems like your age is showing. 23 is very young. You seem to be letting other people get to you. Find your own stride, and stop being so concerned about what other people think of you. I'm an atheist, but sometimes it's a matter of maturity, not beliefs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I am with you on not getting atheism.
I think many of these atheists have never witnessed the miracle of birth.
People talk about the “randomness of the universe.”
It is not random at all.
The fact that so many, many things can go wrong with the birth of a child and most often, a baby is born nearly perfect proves to me that God’s hand is at work and that we have a good and loving God.
And, to think that a giant maple tree can grow out of a seed that is the size of a pea - simply miraculous.
I have witnessed miracles nearly every day.
There are some things that we simply cannot understand or explain through science.

So what happens when a baby is born not nearly so perfect? Was God's hand in that, too? I ask as a person with an extreme congenital muscular-skeletal defect. I'd prefer to think it was the randomness of the universe than some higher being who decided I should go through life with a body like this.

Sorry for your difficulties in life, pp. It must be difficult struggling with such troubles.
I do believe everybody has difficulties in life... some are visible and some are not.
It is how we deal with what we are given that is significant.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I am with you on not getting atheism.
I think many of these atheists have never witnessed the miracle of birth.
People talk about the “randomness of the universe.”
It is not random at all.
The fact that so many, many things can go wrong with the birth of a child and most often, a baby is born nearly perfect proves to me that God’s hand is at work and that we have a good and loving God.
And, to think that a giant maple tree can grow out of a seed that is the size of a pea - simply miraculous.
I have witnessed miracles nearly every day.
There are some things that we simply cannot understand or explain through science.

So if a seed doesn't sprout or a baby does in childbirth is it an anti-miracle?

Not at all. It simply was not meant to be - for whatever reason.
Not everything can be explained.
I don’t have all the answers, but I do have a strong faith in God.
There have been many unexplainable miracles in my life.

Just because YOU don't understand the science doesn't mean that the explanation is "God" instead of biology.

Ahh... but science does not have all the answers.
Science explains SOME of the miracles of life, but not all.
God’s hand at work.
I don’t expect you to believe. You can choose your course in life.
I choose to believe because of the miraculous events I have witnessed.
One of which is the birth of a child.
It doesn’t get much more miraculous than that.

Science has the ability to explain everything in time.

I have delivered two children personally and been present at other births. There is nothing miraculous about biology and technology. Sorry.

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I get the feeling that because I'm religious, people are always viewing me as some unintelligent mongo and to the person who said I'm not a free thinking individual, why don't you go suck a big fat one.

You wrote: "I'm 23 and supposedly most my age aren't religious, but I don't understand how you can just say you don't believe in God anymore? Do you think you're more intelligent because you're an Atheist? I'm pretty free thinking myself, so I obviously don't let religion influence my thinking. So what is it about Atheism that is appealing to you all?"

"Free thinker" or not, you posted with piss, vinegar, and hostility. You erected a straw man and made assumptions (pro-tip: never use the word "obviously" like you did -- it's not obvious to any of us that religion doesn't influence your thinking; on the contrary, it clearly does). You suggest atheists are angry, but there's more anger in this post than a defensive SAHM venting about being upbraided for nursing her 6 year-old in public.

What we have here is a classic case of not understanding how you are perceived. You think of yourself as one thing ("free thinker.") The rest of us see insecurity, defensiveness, anger, and a lack of critical thinking and reflection.

Or, you're just a troll.

Keyword is "several". Atheism is looked down in the black communtiy

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not angry at all, I'm stating the facts. Just because I believe in God doesn't mean I reject evolution and the big bang.

It's shit like that that pisses me off. I'm judged just because I go to church on Sunday.

Erm.

Anyway...

I don't assume all religious people are dumb. But I do assume people who are religious because that's just how they were raised, or they can't explain their beliefs, or they can't break down why they believe what they believe, and do so "just because," are probably a bit dim.

There are some very bright religious people. But a lot of people follow because they feel like they're supposed to or were brought up that way, and can't really try and rationalize it.

Do you think blacks are dumb since they all practically follow some religion?

I think people who believe in religion are wrong, not dumb. Even very smart people can be wrong.

Try not to project your racism on other people.

It's been proven that Atheists are smarter than religious people, but don't let your white guilt and the facts get in the way of the truth. So you think that 98% of blacks in this country are "wrong" for their religious beliefs?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not angry at all, I'm stating the facts. Just because I believe in God doesn't mean I reject evolution and the big bang.

It's shit like that that pisses me off. I'm judged just because I go to church on Sunday.

Erm.

Anyway...

I don't assume all religious people are dumb. But I do assume people who are religious because that's just how they were raised, or they can't explain their beliefs, or they can't break down why they believe what they believe, and do so "just because," are probably a bit dim.

There are some very bright religious people. But a lot of people follow because they feel like they're supposed to or were brought up that way, and can't really try and rationalize it.

Do you think blacks are dumb since they all practically follow some religion?

Huh? I grew up Muslim, and I'm now atheist. I know lots of black Muslims, and several black Atheists & Agnostics. I do think you're a bit ignorant.

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised the KKK hasn't picked up atheism. Atheists are smarter than religious people. 98% of black folks in this country are religious. Ergo, this is proof that blacks are irrational humans who are dumb

This is just...wow.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not angry at all, I'm stating the facts. Just because I believe in God doesn't mean I reject evolution and the big bang.

It's shit like that that pisses me off. I'm judged just because I go to church on Sunday.

Erm.

Anyway...

I don't assume all religious people are dumb. But I do assume people who are religious because that's just how they were raised, or they can't explain their beliefs, or they can't break down why they believe what they believe, and do so "just because," are probably a bit dim.

There are some very bright religious people. But a lot of people follow because they feel like they're supposed to or were brought up that way, and can't really try and rationalize it.

Do you think blacks are dumb since they all practically follow some religion?

I think people who believe in religion are wrong, not dumb. Even very smart people can be wrong.

Try not to project your racism on other people.

OP here:

I care very much what others think of me and will continue to do so in order to be liked and not made fun off or viewed as some kind of freak.

Anonymous wrote:OP - I am with you on not getting atheism.
I think many of these atheists have never witnessed the miracle of birth.
People talk about the “randomness of the universe.”
It is not random at all.
The fact that so many, many things can go wrong with the birth of a child and most often, a baby is born nearly perfect proves to me that God’s hand is at work and that we have a good and loving God.
And, to think that a giant maple tree can grow out of a seed that is the size of a pea - simply miraculous.
I have witnessed miracles nearly every day.
There are some things that we simply cannot understand or explain through science.

So what happens when a baby is born not nearly so perfect? Was God's hand in that, too? I ask as a person with an extreme congenital muscular-skeletal defect. I'd prefer to think it was the randomness of the universe than some higher being who decided I should go through life with a body like this.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not angry at all, I'm stating the facts. Just because I believe in God doesn't mean I reject evolution and the big bang.

It's shit like that that pisses me off. I'm judged just because I go to church on Sunday.

OP - don’t let the non-believers get to you.
Your faith is important between you and God.
Don’t worry about others who judge you.
Have confidence in yourself and don’t worry what others think.
It matters not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not angry at all, I'm stating the facts. Just because I believe in God doesn't mean I reject evolution and the big bang.

It's shit like that that pisses me off. I'm judged just because I go to church on Sunday.

Erm.

Anyway...

I don't assume all religious people are dumb. But I do assume people who are religious because that's just how they were raised, or they can't explain their beliefs, or they can't break down why they believe what they believe, and do so "just because," are probably a bit dim.

There are some very bright religious people. But a lot of people follow because they feel like they're supposed to or were brought up that way, and can't really try and rationalize it.

Do you think blacks are dumb since they all practically follow some religion?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I get the feeling that because I'm religious, people are always viewing me as some unintelligent mongo and to the person who said I'm not a free thinking individual, why don't you go suck a big fat one.

If you can't wrap your mind around people thinking differently from how you do, then you are, by definition, unintelligent. Or at the very least, uninformed and closed-minded.

The anger I see on this particular thread comes from religious, not atheist people.

For the record, I am a moderately religious Christian (Lutheran).

I have no problem with other people's views. What I have a problem is is being unfairly stereotyped.