08-31-2009, 01:53 PM | #41 (permalink) |
Please touch this.
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Have you ever successfully "saved" someone from a religion to atheism? If so, tell us about it.
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08-31-2009, 02:09 PM | #43 (permalink) | |
... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.
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I've had more than a few incidents where people find out I'm atheist and start asking me questions. I'm not going to lie (unless it's an emergency), so I generally answer as best I can. For a few people, it seems to have lead them to change their minds. I don't like the idea of taking credit, though. They open the door and walk through. |
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08-31-2009, 02:15 PM | #44 (permalink) | |
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I mean the bible is especially crafted to target those with self esteem issues. It says, if you don't believe in Heysus your a fool. By default, all Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and especially Atheists are fuckin idiots who are just asking to go to hell! |
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08-31-2009, 11:00 PM | #45 (permalink) | |
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This is a pretty interesting thread. I consider myself spiritual, but not religious. I find that religion breads zealotry and intolerance, often without intent. I believe that it's very possible there is an afterlife, or some spiritual existence outside of our mortal coil. In fact, I find it appalling that any intelligent, thinking person could be a gnostic atheist. If science is your basis of belief, then this is further ridiculous.
Ponder this... science (even hard science) is ever changing. Laws of physics are bent or broken. Most scientists consider it good science to hold theory over law, as theories are designed to be built upon. I believe a good scientist believes that what is proven is ONLY proven to the best of our current ability, and is equally likely to be disproven later. This applies to god, God, angels, demons, spirits, ghosts, yeti, et cetera. I'm pretty much agnostic with life in general. What I see may or may not really exist, as may something I do not. I can only live my life in accord with what I see fit. Maybe I am an agnostic agnostic. I consider myself a realist... or preferably EXTREMELY pragmatic. If God, in the Abrahimic version, exists... it is equally likely that other deity do as well. Frankly, I believe the bible claims, as I read it, that other gods DO exist beside God, Allah, whatever. Consider this: Quote:
At any rate, just my 2¢
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09-01-2009, 06:01 AM | #47 (permalink) | |
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What I see most often is people wanting evidence or honestly answered questions, of which there are no valid, evidence based answers. And then the questioners are told they are going to hell. A big winner of an answer is the circular "It's true because it's in the bible, and god wrote the bible, cause that's what the bible says...." I think you might just be taking offense at the opinions stated, and it makes you feel as if you are being oppressed somehow.
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09-01-2009, 06:14 AM | #48 (permalink) | |
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09-01-2009, 06:26 AM | #49 (permalink) |
warrior bodhisattva
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Will, these questions will be answered differently atheist to atheist, so I pose this to you rather than atheists in general:
What is the source of your morality? What is your benchmark for determining what is right and wrong? What are your influences in terms of how to live a good life?
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09-01-2009, 06:43 AM | #50 (permalink) |
Please touch this.
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The source of my "morality" is rooted in my compassion. As humans, we feel empathy - it is part of why we naturally form communities.
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09-01-2009, 07:14 AM | #51 (permalink) | |
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Atheist Revolution: Secular Humanist First, Atheist Second
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09-01-2009, 07:22 AM | #52 (permalink) |
warrior bodhisattva
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I've considered myself a secular humanist for a while now. What's interesting is that much of my morality is actually based on Judeo-Christian values intuitively (via the dominant culture) and Buddhist values by design (adult exploration of morality).
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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot |
09-01-2009, 10:11 AM | #53 (permalink) | |
... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.
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Three things:
1) Millions of years of social development. Evolutionary or biological altruism developed because humans are a social species and cooperation was absolutely necessary for the survival of the species. It took more than one cave-man to take down a mammoth or to fight off a saber-tooth tiger. Because our numbers were so important, it was necessary for survival to help other members of your tribe or roving band to also survive. 2) The social contract. A part of living in society means that everyone has necessary social rules that we observe in order to maintain order. If you hurt someone or steal from someone, you breach the social rules and face real consequences. 3) "Be the change you want to see in the world" A principle I discovered that really appealed to me was a Mahatma Gandhi quote. Assuming my own standards are acceptable, modeling those standards to other people spreads a better example of the social contract. Also, it makes me happy to be "good". Quote:
Innately, it's the morality and ethics that are built in, but consciously it's pleasurable. I like helping people and being good. |
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09-01-2009, 10:14 AM | #54 (permalink) | |
follower of the child's crusade?
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Have you ever heard of "Broadhurts' wager"? Basically that it a waste of time to follow a religious life, because if God does exist He would surely forgive you (being a good and just God), and if He does not the religious life means you have denied yourself many base pleasures.
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09-01-2009, 09:44 PM | #55 (permalink) | |
bad craziness
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09-02-2009, 04:52 AM | #56 (permalink) | |
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