Is There a God?

[The Crimson Realm]

There are atheist parties, organisations and societies. It seems very counterproductive to claim that a movement can only be organised if it adopts the model of religion. The Democratic Party does not pray to Barack Obama every Sunday or worship at the altar of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, yet no one would claim that the left-wing is not organised.


It would be as much a leap in judgement as accusing someone of supporting religious extremism simply for being religious.

I edited that post, sorry 'bout that, I realize my argument there was as fallacy-driven as yours. My apologies.

Wow, you guys never cease to amaze me... Look, the question was 'Do you believe in God', some of us answered yes. May the persecution begin! But really, brow-beating us into submission didn't work in the days of the Roman Empire, what exactly makes you think it'll work today?

[Mavorpen]

That outlier enables and gives power to the firebomber and marketplace jihadist. The masses of pacifistic believers only serve to give power to the extremists.

So I suppose every Atheist is a Josef Stalin now? How quaint.

What did being an atheist have to do with what he did?

[Anollasia]

I meant when I pray for a good cause.

[Of the Free Socialist Territories]

I meant when I pray for a good cause.

What do you consider 'good causes'?

[Frisivisia]

Well, for one, I'm not saying "kill all the religious people and hang the pope, I'm saying that religion is dumb and people should stop following it.

A fair enough opinion. But I do not see why that precludes the coexistence of atheism and theism. I am not a conservative, and I often take offence at the actions of the right-wing in my country, but that does not mean I would simply see the right-wing disappear. Every civilisation is enriched for having a multi-faceted culture. A monolithic culture of any description would be insufferable. The existence of religion does not pose an inherent threat to the existence of atheism. It seems that leaders from both sides of the divide are intent on driving their followers to war, simply for the sake of posturing and popularity.

My words came wrong, I don't see religion as something to revolutionarily destroy, I see it as something to evolutionarily weed out. Do not create a false equivalency between atheism and religion, they just aren't the same thing. Atheism is a scientific fact, but it needs a label because there is a similar label for groups that reject such a fact with several divisions.

[Frisivisia]

I meant when I pray for a good cause.

I'd say a billion dollars or a ps3 are good cause. Why won't God help me out here?

[Anollasia]

I meant when I pray for a good cause.

What do you consider 'good causes'?

Not for something I want. Something I need.

[East Cranstonia]

STOP. Think. Is there anyone writing on this thread who is actually going to be persuaded by any of the posts? Doubt it. Theists and atheists alike are usually (if they're honest with themselves) the way they are because of a multitude of reason EXCLUDING intellectual ones. And at the end of the day, we are all probably gonna stay that way.

[Samuraikoku]

What do you consider 'good causes'?

Not for something I want. Something I need.

I need a job. Praying won't give me a job.

[Anollasia]

Not for something I want. Something I need.

I need a job. Praying won't give me a job.

Yes, but not everything can be given by praying. Some things.

[The Crimson Realm]

So I suppose every Atheist is a Josef Stalin now? How quaint.

What did being an atheist have to do with what he did?

He persecuted all forms of religion (as is the ideology of Stalinism and other forms of nationalized Communism). It is obviously a false statement that "Josef killed people because he was Atheist" but so is the retracted statement of Frisivisia... Also, do I remember you from somewhere?

[Frisivisia]

I edited that post, sorry 'bout that, I realize my argument there was as fallacy-driven as yours. My apologies.

Wow, you guys never cease to amaze me... Look, the question was 'Do you believe in God', some of us answered yes. May the persecution begin! But really, brow-beating us into submission didn't work in the days of the Roman Empire, what exactly makes you think it'll work today?

Wow. just wow. You realize what you just said. Oh my God. What a Christian centered way of thinking. Romans were not atheists. In fact, I'd say that anyone who proclaimed that there was no Gods would be thrown in the lion pit with the Christians. The Romans are a great example of religion killing. You've defeated yourself worse then I when I made my dumbshit post.

[Samuraikoku]

I need a job. Praying won't give me a job.

Yes, but not everything can be given by praying. Some things.

You said when you pray, your wish comes true. What do you pray for?

[Frisivisia]

I need a job. Praying won't give me a job.

Yes, but not everything can be given by praying. Some things.

But you said that everything you had ever prayed for had come true.

[Mavorpen]

What did being an atheist have to do with what he did?

He persecuted all forms of religion (as is the ideology of Stalinism and other forms of nationalized Communism). It is obviously a false statement that "Josef killed people because he was Atheist" but so is the retracted statement of Frisivisia... Also, do I remember you from somewhere?

He persecuted all forms of religion for political power. So again, what did him being an atheist have to do with anything he did?

[The Crimson Realm]

Wow, you guys never cease to amaze me... Look, the question was 'Do you believe in God', some of us answered yes. May the persecution begin! But really, brow-beating us into submission didn't work in the days of the Roman Empire, what exactly makes you think it'll work today?

Wow. just wow. You realize what you just said. Oh my God. What a Christian centered way of thinking. Romans were not atheists. In fact, I'd say that anyone who proclaimed that there was no Gods would be thrown in the lion pit with the Christians. The Romans are a great example of religion killing. You've defeated yourself worse then I when I made my dumbshit post.

When did I say the Romans were Atheist? I simply said that the Romans and modern-day Atheists have the same views of Christianity, "Ewww, icky, make it go away"... You'll want to retract that statement too.

[Anollasia]

Yes, but not everything can be given by praying. Some things.

But you said that everything you had ever prayed for had come true.

But I don't pray for everything.

[Frisivisia]

STOP. Think. Is there anyone writing on this thread who is actually going to be persuaded by any of the posts? Doubt it. Theists and atheists alike are usually (if they're honest with themselves) the way they are because of a multitude of reason EXCLUDING intellectual ones. And at the end of the day, we are all probably gonna stay that way.

False equivalency, woo! I'm here because it's fun to debate religion. I get entertainment and mental and social enrichment out of this.

[Samuraikoku]

But you said that everything you had ever prayed for had come true.

But I don't pray for everything.

What is it that you pray for?

[The Crimson Realm]

He persecuted all forms of religion (as is the ideology of Stalinism and other forms of nationalized Communism). It is obviously a false statement that "Josef killed people because he was Atheist" but so is the retracted statement of Frisivisia... Also, do I remember you from somewhere?

He persecuted all forms of religion for political power. So again, what did him being an atheist have to do with anything he did?

Can you not read? I already answered that exact question...

[Frisivisia]

But you said that everything you had ever prayed for had come true.

But I don't pray for everything.

So you get everything you pray for, because you only pray for things that could reasonably happen? What if the things aren't coming true because you're praying, but rather because they could reasonably come true?

[Of the Free Socialist Territories]

I need a job. Praying won't give me a job.

Yes, but not everything can be given by praying. Some things.

But you said that all your prayers have been answered. Using inductive "logic", it therefore follows that all your prayers will continue to be answered, so long as they are for good causes. Therefore, please pray for peace in the Middle East tonight. That's a good cause, and if you do it, it'll happen.

Here's the deal - if I wake up tomorrow morning and find that the ME is at peace, then I'll get down to my local church and accept the supremacy of Yahweh. (Oh, according to Leviticus 24, I should be stoned for having said that. Isn't Biblical tolerance nice?) If the Middle East is not at peace tomorrow morning, then I'll just add this to my list of unanswered prayers and continue to not believe in Yahweh. OK?

[Anollasia]

There is a god. End of story.
Now, I'm leaving this thread.

[Mavorpen]

He persecuted all forms of religion for political power. So again, what did him being an atheist have to do with anything he did?

Can you not read? I already answered that exact question...

You answered it with something factually incorrect. Persecuting religion for political power=/=persecuting religions because of atheism.

I'll ask again, what did Joseoh Stalin's atheism have to do with his actions?

[Samuraikoku]

There is a god. End of story.
Now, I'm leaving this thread.

By the Emperor, we've won.