How many of you are Atheists? What about Theists?

[Farnhamia]

Hold up on the beer for a sec, athiests that I know (that follow morals) justify their morals based on a fellowship of man mentality and a good-will way to live that keeps society together and well off, to them they do not need a divine being to tell them yes or no on what they will perceive as negative and what they will perceive as positive

Funny, those are the same things that justify my morals, and I believe in God.

The "fellowship of man" and "goodwill towards all" are the wisdom that God gave us, and we are to act accordingly. Specific laws and rules are generally cultural dressings.

That's how I see it, anyway. Belief in the existence of God does not preclude individual thought and responsibility, but rather, requires it.

No "supreme being" is required for humans to follow those tenets. I find the theist suggestion that one is insulting, frankly.

[Copenhagen Metropolis]

What about all of that holy son holy ghost spirit holy father stuff?

What about it? What relevance does it have to Christianity?

Uhhhhhhhhh

Have you talked to many christians these days?

There aren't exactly a lot of us.

Christian. I was raised as a Christian. No one will ever be able to convince me that God does not exist.

Then you're not a Christian. A Christian necessarily does not believe in a god.

you're right, the average amount of 2 billion christians isn't alot..funny that

Err, there's nowhere near that number. Maybe a couple thousand.

trollin'trollin'trollin'... People caught the bait and eventually you made your point, but please, next time, just make your damn point and quit the trolling. I know it probably boosts your ego when people have to ask; please, please tell us what you mean, share the wisdom that we do not possess - but for the rest of us, it's just plain annoying.

[Maddtopia]

My bes tfriend is atheist...she used to live in Utah so she was Norman but she switched...


True story

[Novaya Leviathan]

I believe in the Holy Trinity: The Father Darwin, The Son Dawkins, and The Holy Spirit Nietzsche.

[Dumb Ideologies]

Instinctively I believe there is some force/existence beyond human understanding driving things.

I've not been given any revelation or advice as to which, if any, of the current major religions is correct so it doesn't have a terribly great impact upon my life, and when I see people used 'God' as a justification for something I'm more than a bit sceptical.

[Novaya Leviathan]

Instinctively I believe there is some force/existence beyond human understanding driving things.

I've not been given any revelation or advice as to which, if any, of the current major religions is correct so it doesn't have a terribly great impact upon my life, and when I see people used 'God' as a justification for something I'm more than a bit sceptical.

Surely, you can't be serious ¬¬....

[Esternial]

Instinctively I believe there is some force/existence beyond human understanding driving things.

I've not been given any revelation or advice as to which, if any, of the current major religions is correct so it doesn't have a terribly great impact upon my life, and when I see people used 'God' as a justification for something I'm more than a bit sceptical.

Surely, you can't be serious ¬¬....

One has to respect all other ideologies and opinions, my good friend. Like it or not.

[Risottia]

The burden of proof lies with atheism (which is like a religion in it's dogma) because more people are theists than not.

---

Can something just come from nothing?

If you say it can't, whence came your deity?
And saying "it was always there" is called "pleading special". Which is a logical fallacy.

[Risottia]

I believe in the Holy Trinity: The Father Darwin, The Son Dawkins, and The Holy Spirit Nietzsche.

The Father SUGAR, The Son YEAST, and the Holy SPIRIT here.

[Samuraikoku]

I'm not sure how, except for an excessively and incorrectly narrow understanding of the possible senses of the word "divine."

Okay then, how would you define "divine"?

[Dumb Ideologies]

Instinctively I believe there is some force/existence beyond human understanding driving things.

I've not been given any revelation or advice as to which, if any, of the current major religions is correct so it doesn't have a terribly great impact upon my life, and when I see people used 'God' as a justification for something I'm more than a bit sceptical.

Surely, you can't be serious ¬¬....

Oh no. Not disdain! I assure you that I am now quite visibly upset.

[Kazomal]

Funny, those are the same things that justify my morals, and I believe in God.

The "fellowship of man" and "goodwill towards all" are the wisdom that God gave us, and we are to act accordingly. Specific laws and rules are generally cultural dressings.

That's how I see it, anyway. Belief in the existence of God does not preclude individual thought and responsibility, but rather, requires it.

No "supreme being" is required for humans to follow those tenets. I find the theist suggestion that one is insulting, frankly.

Never said that it was. That's not what I was trying in imply, sorry if it came across like that. I'm rejecting the idea that one should embrace these values rather than the idea of a "supreme being," as if it were an either-or choice.

[Bluth Corporation]

I'm not sure how, except for an excessively and incorrectly narrow understanding of the possible senses of the word "divine."

Okay then, how would you define "divine"?

Sacred, enlightening, eternally true, immensely good.

[Farnhamia]

No "supreme being" is required for humans to follow those tenets. I find the theist suggestion that one is insulting, frankly.

Never said that it was. That's not what I was trying in imply, sorry if it came across like that. I'm rejecting the idea that one should embrace these values rather than the idea of a "supreme being," as if it were an either-or choice.

I ... think I see. You're quite welcome to embrace both, of course.

[Ferrond]

Sorry, the 616 theory is crap. Somebody messed up translating greek numbers.

The whole thing is crap, I was merely pointing out that there are different interpretations.

I agree about the whole thing but......616???? They could try and count at least they wouldn't seem like complete morons

[Samuraikoku]

Okay then, how would you define "divine"?

Sacred, enlightening, eternally true, immensely good.

Isn't God supposed to be in the same level? It's still contradictory.

[Bluth Corporation]

Sacred, enlightening, eternally true, immensely good.

Isn't God supposed to be in the same level? It's still contradictory.

Your argument seems to be:
A has trait T.
B has trait T.

Therefore, A is equivalent to B.

As I understand your argument, you're assuming that because a deity, if it exists, would also be "sacred, enlightening, eternally true, immensely good," then anything that is "sacred, enlightening, eternally true, immensely good" must be a deity in the sense understood by the Abrahamic faiths. I'm afraid then that your argument, if I'm understanding it correctly, is simply invalid by virtue of its very form.

Another problem: It is true that the Abrahamic deity, if it existed, would be "sacred, enlightening, eternally true, and immensely good." It is also true that I believe that the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth are "sacred, enlightening, eternally true, and immensely good." But consider this: It is true that a unicorn, if it existed, would have at least one horn (assuming it hasn't been hurt or anything). It is also true that I believe that a rhinoceros has at least one horn (assuming poachers haven't gotten to it or anything). But does it follow from that that, since I believe in fact of rhinoceroses having horns, I must also believe that unicorns exist?

[Norstal]

Learning math is somehow tedious. Fine.

And you know what, I'm not even sure if your supreme being dictates you anymore. Or if a supreme being even exists except as a aesthetics.
Especially when you get to "do whatever the fuck" you please.

Learning new math makes my head hurt.

I never said it dictates me, just that I know one exist.

...So it gives you no purpose, yet without a god, no one has a purpose.

Cool, that's contradictory.

[Ifreann]

Instinctively I believe there is some force/existence beyond human understanding driving things.

Yeah, that's me.

[Oterro]

Instinctively I believe there is some force/existence beyond human understanding driving things.

Yeah, that's me.

That's me on good days.

On bad days Yahweh's real and he hates me with a fucking passion.

[Ifreann]

Yeah, that's me.

That's me on good days.

On bad days Yahweh's real and he hates me with a fucking passion.

No, I mean that the force/existence beyond human understanding driving things is me.

[Conscentia]

I'm an atheist who hates all superstition with a passion. I sometimes self-identify as an anti-theist to keep atheists unsoiled by my conduct. Also, I'm not sure Buddhism counts as theism.

I define theism as believing in some kind of higher power.

Which Buddhists don't do.

Buddhism: The teaching of Buddha that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire ceases, and that enlightenment obtained through right conduct and wisdom and meditation releases one from desire and suffering and rebirth.

[The Sanguine Brothers]

I believe that it is silly to devote your life to a supreme being that may or may not exist. I respect those that believe in the Bible, Torah, Koran or any other religious texts, but what we believe has no effect on what is true. If we live our lives the best we can according to our own views, not according to a book, then we have done all we can in this life. If the being that does exist is indeed Omniscient like everyone says, then he will understand and appreciate that we lived our lives pleasing ourselves.

[Norstal]

That's me on good days.

On bad days Yahweh's real and he hates me with a fucking passion.

No, I mean that the force/existence beyond human understanding driving things is me.

Who knew such forces would be an Irishman.

[Oterro]

That's me on good days.

On bad days Yahweh's real and he hates me with a fucking passion.

No, I mean that the force/existence beyond human understanding driving things is me.

Oh I see.

So what did I do to get on your bad side?