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Atheism
Sept 16, 2004 15:50:09 GMT -5
Post by redwine with valium on Sept 16, 2004 15:50:09 GMT -5
Bored- XD I'm an atheist. I don't believe in God. To me, religion is just a story. I'm sorry. You must be a fairly lonely person. I think that everyone, absolutely everyone, has there own religion of sorts. For some it's Christianity, for some it's another formal religion, for some it's money or power, and for some it's the absolute UN-belief in God. Don't know why that's important, just thought I'd point it out. I am an Orthodox Christian, which means I basically believe what the very first Christians believed. While I myself am fairly religious, I can enjoy a good debate from a well-informed athiest/person of another religion. In fact, if most people were well-informed on their religion or lack thereof, I think the world would be a much less violent place. I know my religious history, and I know that many Christians, especially in medieval times, did some very horrible things in the name of God. So have Muslims and other religions. (I mention this because many athiests have pointed this out to me like it's some sort of revelation.) Every religion has its fanatics. What these people do is no reason to condemn an entire religion, especially not all religions. To fanatics, religion is simply an excuse. And btw, if any atheists have some specific questions/challenges about Christianity, I'm interested.
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Atheism
Sept 16, 2004 16:22:30 GMT -5
Post by Soidanae on Sept 16, 2004 16:22:30 GMT -5
I have no specific challenges, but I applaud your belief that knowledge about other religions is important.
Secondly, did you know that Jesus is considered a prophet in the Koran?
Third, have you any challenges to the atheists among us?
And fourth, why must Tyler be lonely?
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Atheism
Sept 16, 2004 16:50:29 GMT -5
Post by redwine with valium on Sept 16, 2004 16:50:29 GMT -5
I have no specific challenges, but I applaud your belief that knowledge about other religions is important. Secondly, did you know that Jesus is considered a prophet in the Koran? Third, have you any challenges to the atheists among us? And fourth, why must Tyler be lonely? Yes, I know Jesus is considered a prophet in the Koran. Though Christians believe he is the Son of God, other groups took different views on his miracles. Same as you, I don't have any specific challenges, though I do have a thought-provoking question: If, as many athiests believe, Christianity has always been a sham, why is it that so many people who personally knew Jesus died for him? Could he really be THAT charismatic? I mean, if it was a sham, wouldn't they have been the ones in on it? Just want to hear a take on this. Perhaps Tyler isn't lonely. I simply say this because, in my opinion, atheism is very lonely. It states that all humankind is is a biological product, a stepping stone in evolution, and that our lives mean nothing more than the pointless meaning we infuse them with. And that when our brief span on this life is over, it's all been pointless. We're dead. Period. All dressed up and nowhere to go. How can you take that kind of hopelessness?
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Atheism
Sept 16, 2004 17:17:13 GMT -5
Post by Soidanae on Sept 16, 2004 17:17:13 GMT -5
Because I also firmly believe that I am alive, that if I wanted to I could try to rule the world, that I'm in love, that my life has meaning because I say it does, and that I'm the most powerful person in the world simply because I can give my life meaning. I believe that I matter because I'm me, and that I believe anything I want to about myself, even if I know I'm wrong.
I don't need a god, I'm my own, even if I'm just one in a pantheon 6 billion large.
I don't believe that Christianity is a sham, nor do I believe that Jesus was the son of God. I believe that perhaps Christ didn't believe that he was the Son of God either-he may have known how to reach an audience. Perhaps the Gospel writers played that bit up a bit more to reach a wider audience, perhaps Christ was delusional. And if a man has nothing to die for, he is no man at all.
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Atheism
Sept 16, 2004 21:26:23 GMT -5
Post by trish on Sept 16, 2004 21:26:23 GMT -5
The thought of being an Athiest scares me. The thought of just being dead after you die, having nothing, thinking nothing, being absolutely nothing terrifies me.
But not as much as some church-goes and Christians. The majority of churches I've attended in the past have completely alienated me because I didn't regularly attend that church since the day I was born. How Christian of them. My friend had a terrible experience at some Christian camp of hers. Supposedly the power of Christ was giving the blind vision, making the disabled abled. Well, it turns out, it was a sham. They weren't blind or disabled to begin with. Another acquaintance of mine cries when she gets sick on Sundays, because she knows if she misses church, she will get a speech from her parents and a cold shoulder from her church friends. That same friend pressures me to take on Christianity full-time. Again, and again, even though I've told her I don't wish to do so.
I'm not saying that all Christians are like this, just that some so-called-Christians have worse morals than some Athiests.
I have a lot to learn about religion, for now I'm Agnostic. Or, I can say that I'm Agnostic, but I'm not really anything.
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Atheism
Sept 17, 2004 2:33:04 GMT -5
Post by embah on Sept 17, 2004 2:33:04 GMT -5
I have no specific challenges, but I applaud your belief that knowledge about other religions is important. quote] i agree. if everyone was more educated on religions, then i think they'd have a better understanding of that specific religion and the people who follow it. I, for example, don't know much about christianity, or any other religions for that matter, but i have been educated on them a little. the point is, before i learned about it, i thought christians were a bunch of freaks (no offence meant), although i still don't like some of the things they say and do, i understand it's because that's what their religion is, and it's their own business if they worship god or read the bible or attend church etc, and it's not up to athiest's to judge them because of it.
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Atheism
Sept 17, 2004 19:14:17 GMT -5
Post by Tay Sachs on Sept 17, 2004 19:14:17 GMT -5
I think it's fine if you want to be an athiest, as long as you don't get in my face about my religion, I will give you the same courtesy. People really should stay out of other people's religious beliefs.
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Atheism
Sept 17, 2004 20:06:07 GMT -5
Post by redwine with valium on Sept 17, 2004 20:06:07 GMT -5
About the Christian shams, I've heard of a few of those and I think they're just terrible. What a horrible thing to do in the name of God. Though I must add, Christianity is definently not the only religion with it's share of shams.
About the judgemental Christians, yes, I know many of them. And I simply can't stand them. Being open and friendly is key to being a good Christian, and they just don't understand this. Neither of my best friends ever went to church, but they went a few times with me and got hooked. Now, seperate from the rest of their non-churchgoing families, one has been baptized Greek Orthodox and the other is considering it and attends church weekly. And I accomplished this by being open and friendly, not judgemental and off-putting.
And to Soidanae: Ah, the religion of Me. A fairly interesting and highly egotistical concept produced by the Me-driven society of today. There's not a whole lot I can say in response to that sort of belief, though I will say this: When you're on your deathbed, do you really think the meaning you gave your own life will be enough to make you happy and secure? When you look back at the lost loves, the missed chances, do you think you will draw happiness from the power you think you have?
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Atheism
Sept 17, 2004 21:59:31 GMT -5
Post by Soidanae on Sept 17, 2004 21:59:31 GMT -5
No, see, you're missingthe point of my belief- Not only do I have power, everyone else has this same amount of power.
We are all equal.
And my life isn't about me, but any meaning in it is given to it by me. I don't plan on missing the chances I can take. I don't plan on losing loves I can keep.
If it happens, that's life-but I gave it my all, and that's what matters to me. Commitment and effort into making my life worthwile, to me.
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Atheism
Sept 17, 2004 22:05:07 GMT -5
Post by Tyler on Sept 17, 2004 22:05:07 GMT -5
I'm sorry. You must be a fairly lonely person. Hehe... ^_^;; How'd you know? Only kidding. I don't really think you have to be lonely in order to be an atheist...
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Atheism
Sept 17, 2004 22:25:20 GMT -5
Post by Indistinguishable Blob on Sept 17, 2004 22:25:20 GMT -5
Hehe... ^_^;; How'd you know? Only kidding. I don't really think you have to be lonely in order to be an atheist... I don't really think you should talk anymore..
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Atheism
Sept 18, 2004 21:15:20 GMT -5
Post by redwine with valium on Sept 18, 2004 21:15:20 GMT -5
I don't really think you should talk anymore.. Kindness kindness....even if that is annoying... So the whole point of life is trying? How do you know what to try to do? Is it just "what feels good to you"? How do you define what's right or wrong or what's worth trying for at all?
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Atheism
Sept 18, 2004 21:37:22 GMT -5
Post by Soidanae on Sept 18, 2004 21:37:22 GMT -5
Right or wrong is defined by a moral code. Something worth trying for is something you wish to attain, some goal you desire.
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Atheism
Sept 18, 2004 22:02:34 GMT -5
Post by redwine with valium on Sept 18, 2004 22:02:34 GMT -5
So if you personally have a very loose moral code and your life goal is to kill large numbers of people, and you do so, then, by your standards, that person has done nothing wrong and is in fact a success?
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Atheism
Sept 18, 2004 23:31:38 GMT -5
Post by Soidanae on Sept 18, 2004 23:31:38 GMT -5
No, they have done things wrong, in my sight and in the sight of many others. Perhaps not in their own, though,and they could, in fact, be defined as a success. Hitler was a failure-had he won, he would have been a sucess.
Needless to say, it is a very, very good thing he failed.
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