Any atheists here who were once believers?

[lightgigantic]

Considering there's no such thing as an atheistic ideology, you're point is moot.

On the contrary, you are full of more of it than a bag full of bat guano

 

[(Q)]

The idea of one kind of animal changing into a completely different kind, is a theory, hence the theory of evolution.

Yes, that is true, and if you knew anything about science and theories, you would know that a theory is very powerful. Evolution is fact and theory. I know you are unable to understand that because you have never taken the time to remove your nose from the Bible to see the real world around you.

But it doesn't matter if one prefers darwinian ideas, it should not prevent one from reading the scripture as it is, instead of designing it to fit in with the latest fashions.
Perpetually doing that, despite being shown to be incorrect, means one is concealing something.

Exactly, the Bible is incorrect and believers have been forced over the centuries to form fit their beliefs to facts and theories.

You can read scriptures till your blue in the face and nothing will change the facts and theories of our world, scriptures will always remain wrong.

 

[(Q)]

obviously not a fan of architecture, music, literature, philosophy, art or food.

Of course, but they have nothing to do with indoctrinated beliefs in invisible super beings.

 

[(Q)]

On the contrary, you are full of more of it than a bag full of bat guano

LOL. That's Colonel Batguano, to you, mister.

 

[(Q)]

If darwinian evolution was a fact, we wouldn't be having this discussion, so in order to make it so, it has to be as convincing a fact to all the scientists and laymen, just like other established facts.

jan.

The only reason it is not convincing for you is the fact you have never taken the time to understand it. All scientists and laymen who have taken the time to understand it are convinced.

 

[arauca]

Yes, that is true, and if you knew anything about science and theories, you would know that a theory is very powerful. Evolution is fact and theory. I know you are unable to understand that because you have never taken the time to remove your nose from the Bible to see the real world around you.



Exactly, the Bible is incorrect and believers have been forced over the centuries to form fit their beliefs to facts and theories.

You can read scriptures till your blue in the face and nothing will change the facts and theories of our world, scriptures will always remain wrong.

Curious, what is yout scientific or technical background

 

[lightgigantic]

Of course, but they have nothing to do with indoctrinated beliefs in invisible super beings.

of course not.
they have to do with god and religious ideals expressed through culture.

 

[Fraggle Rocker]

The only reason it is not convincing for you is the fact you have never taken the time to understand it. All scientists and laymen who have taken the time to understand it are convinced.

Including the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the heads of virtually all the relatively sane branches of Christianity and the other Abrahamic religions.

Jesuit universities have been teaching evolution for decades. So have the mainline-Protestant universities, such as USC and Occidental.

Even churchgoers and their leaders have accepted the fact that the fairytales in the Bible are metaphors. This does not dilute their power.

As I've said before, King Arthur, Romeo & Juliet, Robin Hood, Frodo Baggins and Kermit the Frog aren't real either, yet they have taught us a lot of wonderful things.

 

[Sarkus]

If darwinian evolution was a fact, we wouldn't be having this discussion, so in order to make it so, it has to be as convincing a fact to all the scientists and laymen, just like other established facts.

Just to be clear, what exactly do you mean by "Darwinian evolution"?
Are you meaning the theories of evolution as put forth by Darwin, which have since been superseded by modern theories?
Or are you perhaps just referring to evolution as a general concept, that one animal can, over time, mutate into another creature that would be unable to procreate with its original descendent (that being a fairly general definition of species)?

But please clarify what you mean by Darwinian evolution, so as not to propagate any misunderstanding.

 

[(Q)]

of course not.
they have to do with god and religious ideals expressed through culture.

LOL. Good one, thanks for the laugh. :roflmao:.

 

[(Q)]

Including the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the heads of virtually all the relatively sane branches of Christianity and the other Abrahamic religions.

Jesuit universities have been teaching evolution for decades. So have the mainline-Protestant universities, such as USC and Occidental.

Even churchgoers and their leaders have accepted the fact that the fairytales in the Bible are metaphors. This does not dilute their power.

As I've said before, King Arthur, Romeo & Juliet, Robin Hood, Frodo Baggins and Kermit the Frog aren't real either, yet they have taught us a lot of wonderful things.

Exactly, and what is left are the tiny minority of folks who are considered, "scientifically illiterate", they have yet to remove themselves from their fantasy world of scripture to understand anything about the world around them, let alone just the theory of evolution.

This tiny minority, however, is becoming smaller all the time, so there is little to worry about as they will become an insignificant dot on mankind's landscape and soon to be irrelevant to the human condition. They will soon be extinct.

 

[wegs]

1 Hindu's are a diverse set of people, who were called so due to their location in India. But let's go with it anyway.
Do you have any idea how these gods came about?

2 They never thought that these beings were the cause of natural phenomena, only that they were powerful enough to know how to manipulate it. That you don't accept anything other than what is acceptable in the mainstream is not my problem.

3 You do realize that when I capitalize ''God'', it means the supreme being, the origin of all manifestations, and the lower-case g's are demi-gods, the literal make-up of God's cosmic body.

American Indians believed in the Almighty Power, that is God, The Most High. Huh!
Can you post a link about that, because I can't find that information. Thanks.

jan.

Demi gods?

All this proves is that mankind has been trying to fill in the gaps of what he wishes he knew, with a god-construct, for centuries.

With all due respect, you tell atheists they are wrong ...but you don't even believe in one god. Lol You believe in a bunch.
Call it whatever you like.

And because I don't believe in inventing gods in my head, I'm wrong to feel as I do?

Yes, inventing. But I digress.

 

[Trooper]

Exactly, and what is left are the tiny minority of folks who are considered, "scientifically illiterate", they have yet to remove themselves from their fantasy world of scripture to understand anything about the world around them, let alone just the theory of evolution.

This tiny minority, however, is becoming smaller all the time, so there is little to worry about as they will become an insignificant dot on mankind's landscape and soon to be irrelevant to the human condition. They will soon be extinct.

But, not to worry...

 

[Fraggle Rocker]

Exactly, and what is left are the tiny minority of folks who are considered, "scientifically illiterate", they have yet to remove themselves from their fantasy world of scripture to understand anything about the world around them, let alone just the theory of evolution. This tiny minority, however, is becoming smaller all the time, so there is little to worry about as they will become an insignificant dot on mankind's landscape and soon to be irrelevant to the human condition. They will soon be extinct.

Unfortunately they still have tremendous political power in the USA.

We thought we had marginalized them by the end of the 1960s. But the Baby Boomers believed that they were the only people who ever did the things they did, from campaigning against war and racism to campaigning for sex and drugs. They were so ashamed of themselves for their dark side, that they compulsively found religion. Not their parents' relatively sane religions, but the fundamentalist sects that promised them salvation in return for their tithes--delirious over the sudden influx of well-paid attorneys, social workers and computer operators into their dilapidated storefront churches.

So in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Religious Redneck Retard Revival occurred, and they're back stronger than ever.

Meanwhile, throughout the rest of Western civilization, religion is on the wane. Except for the places with large Muslim immigrant communities. In Paris, more people attend Islamic services than Catholic.

 

[Bells]

Yes, this ^^
ALL the preaching needs to stop. And also, please stop the personal attacks of other members here. Try to be respectful. Not to mention, it's against forum rules to carry on the way you have been.

The interesting irony of all the preaching though, is I don't see religion helping those here who are preaching it. Lots of angry, judgmental and bitter folks, pretending they know something about ''God'', as if they are better than everyone else.

Such a lack of respect for those who simply disagree with your views, is why religion is viewed in a negative way. Bashing people for their beliefs, is wrong. One would think...that religion 'should' elicit joy, not contempt for those who follow it.

Hmmm....

Demi gods?

All this proves is that mankind has been trying to fill in the gaps of what he wishes he knew, with a god-construct, for centuries.

With all due respect, you tell atheists they are wrong ...but you don't even believe in one god. Lol You believe in a bunch.
Call it whatever you like.

And because I don't believe in inventing gods in my head, I'm wrong to feel as I do?

Yes, inventing. But I digress.

Is this respectful to Hindus and others who believe in multiple or different Gods?

Let us hope that Jan is not a Hindu..

I have to ask, you claimed earlier in this thread that while you were not into "religion", you did believe in God. What makes your belief in one God true, while Hindus and others who believe in multiple God's false or made up or invented?

 

[Bells]

But, not to worry...

Awwww..

But I thought we could get out the pitchforks and torches and give them a taste of their own medicine!?

:bawl:

 

[Mazulu]

Exactly, and what is left are the tiny minority of folks who are considered, "scientifically illiterate", they have yet to remove themselves from their fantasy world of scripture to understand anything about the world around them, let alone just the theory of evolution.

This tiny minority, however, is becoming smaller all the time, so there is little to worry about as they will become an insignificant dot on mankind's landscape and soon to be irrelevant to the human condition. They will soon be extinct.

You can be scientifically literate and still have faith and embrace religion/spirituality. People do it all the time. If souls and the big bang singularity came from the same place, and in fact share similar properties, then science and religion meet.

 

[(Q)]

You can be scientifically literate and still have faith and embrace religion/spirituality. People do it all the time.

Yes, I know, that is the point exactly.

If souls and the big bang singularity came from the same place, and in fact share similar properties, then science and religion meet.

However, there are those who pretend to be scientifically literate who attempt to merge and align their ridiculous beliefs with science, showing only to well their dishonesty and lack of integrity and morals.

 

[wegs]

Hmmm....


Is this respectful to Hindus and others who believe in multiple or different Gods?

Let us hope that Jan is not a Hindu..

I have to ask, you claimed earlier in this thread that while you were not into "religion", you did believe in God. What makes your belief in one God true, while Hindus and others who believe in multiple God's false or made up or invented?

Wasn’t any disrespect intended. All religions, in my opinion, are manmade constructs. I don’t know if there is a god or not, and I’m ok with not concerning myself with having to know anymore, is my belief. My reply to Jan was to state that he tells atheists, agnostics, etc…that they are wrong to not believe, he has made claims that if one believes in evolution, one mustn’t be a theist, likewise, he has offended people consistently with his posts …I’m not telling him he is wrong to believe in whatever he likes, I’m confused as to how why we should accept others’ beliefs as ‘true.’

My intent wasn’t to state that anyone is ‘wrong,’ but that it’s wrong to state that if one doesn’t hold some type of spiritual or religious belief, that we are wrong.

But…if I’ve offended anyone, certainly wasn’t my intent, and I apologize.

edit to add >> I can see how it could be construed to mean, I’m ok with one god, not ok with multiple ones. That wasn’t my intent, and definitely apologize for the poor wording I used.

My view is I don’t care what anyone believes. Believe whatever you wish. But, to infer that it (belief/religion) is somehow necessary in life, or to infer that atheists/agnostics are wrong to not believe in ‘some type of god,’ can be insulting and offensive, as well.

My reaction to demi gods, was because Jan uses Scripture to back up his beliefs, and I was taken aback that he believes in more than one god, and yet uses the Bible. It had nothing to do with people believing in whatever they like...it had to do with specifically Jan's use of the Bible, and yet also believes in more than one god. So, to believe a slice of one religion over here, and another over here...this shows me, that religion is rather a whimsical thing.

I think religion would gain more respect, if it stopped presenting itself as truth. Objective truth, it is not. Subjective truth, yes.

 

[wegs]

But, not to worry...

You always bring much needed levity to a thread. lol