Filanthropod here

[Filanthropod]

I'm not an atheist but I was having a look around and found it interesting, so I joined, as you can see. I probably disagree with the majority of views here but what's life without differences in opinion? I'm not convinced by any of the arguments against there being a god, but there you go. And now, to lurk, and probably join in soon.

[Tank]

I'm not an atheist but I was having a look around and found it interesting, so I joined, as you can see.

So far, so good!

I probably disagree with the majority of views here

Which of the following do you disagree with.

The Earth is essentially a spherical body.
The Universe appears to be in the order of 13.5 billion years old.
Evolution driven by natural selection, and without deistic intervention, is the reason we see the variety of life on Earth that we do today.
President Obama is an American.
The gun laws in Texas are perfect as they are.
Beer tastes good.
Cheese is better than Bacon.
Muslims are more moral than Christians.
Car tyres are round when viewed from the side.
2+2 = 4
Richard Dawkins is a good scientist but lacks empathy with the 'common people.'

but what's life without differences in opinion?

Peaceful, obviously you are not married  

I'm not convinced by any of the arguments against there being a god,

As yet, because you wouldn't want to be considered close minded would you?

but there you go. And now, to lurk, and probably join in soon.

Please do join in by all means but just join in as you, please leave the evangelist at the door.

Welcome aboard!

Useful links for new members
Mission Statement Why this place is here.
Forum Rules More of a set of guidelines really, upset Whitney (She who must be obeyed) and you'll find the exit door very quickly!
How do I use the quote feature? If you are new to forums this is an important feature to understand. The maximum number of nested quotes is 3.
Help desk. Any problems this is where to ask them.
What's on your mind today? The general chit chat thread.
Somewhere to discuss the fear of dying. Many ex-theists have to come to terms with death, this is a place to discuss this issue.
How to tell your family you are an atheist. Some suggestions about how to deal with this thorny issue.
Parenting Beyond Belief. The forum for discussing how to raise your children 'Faith Free'.
.

[The Black Jester]

Welcome!

[KDbeads]

Cheese is better than Bacon.

Now that all depends on the type of cheese and how you cook the bacon

[Filanthropod]

I'm not an evangelist, Tank. You're not an evangelist yourself, are you?

[Tank]

I'm not an evangelist, Tank. You're not an evangelist yourself, are you?

Of course I am! Atheism rules  

[Tank]

While I wrote those questions rather tongue in cheek I would rather like to know the answers just out of plain old curiosity.

[Filanthropod]

The Earth is essentially a spherical body.
Agreed. It's an ellipsoid.

The Universe appears to be in the order of 13.5 billion years old.
Don't know. I haven't looked at it that closely.

Evolution driven by natural selection, and without deistic intervention, is the reason we see the variety of life on Earth that we do today.
Yes and no. Yes there's evolution, and no it is not without deistic involvement.

President Obama is an American.
Haha, nope.

The gun laws in Texas are perfect as they are.
I don't know the gun laws in Texas.

Beer tastes good.
Yes.

Cheese is better than Bacon.
Depends what you do with it.

Muslims are more moral than Christians.
Per se, no.

Car tyres are round when viewed from the side.
Round enough.

2+2 = 4
For everyday purposes, yes.

Richard Dawkins is a good scientist but lacks empathy with the 'common people.'
I'm sure he's a good scientist. He's friendly enough with common people. A bit patronizing but in a very subtly funny way, although I'm not sure if it's intentional. Doesn't ask the right questions, spends too much time with charlatans, doesn't challenge himself as much as he could.

[Tank]

The Earth is essentially a spherical body.
Agreed. It's an ellipsoid.

Yep.

The Universe appears to be in the order of 13.5 billion years old.
Don't know. I haven't looked at it that closely.

http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/universe/uni_age.html

Evolution driven by natural selection, and without deistic intervention, is the reason we see the variety of life on Earth that we do today.
Yes and no. Yes there's evolution, and no it is not without deistic involvement.

So your world view is approximately Theistic Evolution?

President Obama is an American.
Haha, nope.

Beer tastes good.
Yes.

Cheese is better than Bacon.
Depends what you do with it.

I meant taste wise, but each to their own.

Muslims are more moral than Christians.
Per se, no.

This will bear further investigation in it's own thread, interesting!

Richard Dawkins is a good scientist but lacks empathy with the 'common people.'
I'm sure he's a good scientist. He's friendly enough with common people. A bit patronizing but in a very subtly funny way, although I'm not sure if it's intentional. Doesn't ask the right questions, spends too much time with charlatans, doesn't challenge himself as much as he could.

He should stick to science IMO.

Thanks for the answers. Would you like to ask any in return?

[Filanthropod]

If anything comes to mind, I'll ask. Probably in another thread though.

[pinkocommie]

Welcome!  Nice to have another viewpoint to mix into the fray.  

[Cecilie]

Welcome.

[Tank]

I'm not an atheist but I was having a look around and found it interesting, so I joined, as you can see. I probably disagree with the majority of views here but what's life without differences in opinion? I'm not convinced by any of the arguments against there being a god, but there you go. And now, to lurk, and probably join in soon.

Fil

This was the give away and I was right from the moment I read that. You have a world view and you don't want to change it. You can't afford to change it because it is the foundation of your very psyche. This foundation is that you are not responsible for anything you do or anything you say or any results of your actions as you are Gods toy, his plaything, his puppet. You are just an echo of Gods thoughts.

I expected you to behave in exactly the way you have, you have to come here and try to force people to believe you in ways that you would not accept yourself. So far all we have read is 'I think this... I feel this... You think that... You feel that...' It's all in your head Fil because you want to feel loved by your great sky daddy who will make things better in the end. Get with the programme, there is no Santa Clause to bring you eternal life or some sort of meaning to your existance. You're dead meat, you just haven't died yet, but you will die Fil, that's a given and you'd best get used to the idea that your life is finite and you are mortal, there is no hard evidence to the contrary. You've taken Pascals Wager and swallowed it hook, line and sinker. You're just hanging on by the skin of your teeth to a myth, a fairy story propagated to and by the huddled masses who are scared of peaking out from under their security blanket of superstition.

This is why the ideas you support are dangerous, ultimately the most dangerous, more dangerous than any war, more dangerous than any weapon, more dangerous than any disease. You deny reality. Wars are caused by the our evolutionary past, they are simply tribal battles writ large. If we can not admit our evolved and flawed existance we can't do anything about the reality of the situation we find ourselves in. Denying science is the worst sin of all, not the application, but the process of the scientific method. That process has proved to be the only way of really systematically improving our lot in life. Do you go to the doctor when you are ill or prey? I'd bet you do both as it doesn't hurt to hedge your bets does it Fil?

Does any Holy Book anywhere contain the periodic table of elements? No. What a surprise! Holy books are worthless as descriptions of reality. They exist to codify the mode morals of the time they were written. Some do contain nuggets of wisdom, but only because humanity has grown and learnt by itself through trial and error what morality really means and thus what those nuggets of wisdom are. Gods are an ancient sticky plaster used by our ancestors to cover up the gaps in their understanding. They were created by humanity to explain the wind and rain, night and day and everything else we can perceive but can not explain. It is no surprise that deists seize on the Big Bang and cover it with the sticky plaster of 'God'. God hides in the gaps of humanities understanding and always will, but as long as people like you try to shoe horn God into those gaps our understanding of the universe will be damaged.

I think your ideas, the ones you propound, are truly evil.

You said you liked a difference of opinion, I hope you meant that.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Here's why religion is dangerous --

Intolerance:



Female circumcision:



The provision of cover for crimes:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LjkTcIrZHko/S ... cision.jpg

The needless deaths of many, including children, due to superstitious medical practices:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.h ... 946096D6CF

... and I could go on ...

[Davin]

... and I could go on ...

Oh, please do:
Christian Witch Hunt Revival in Africa

Same thing, different source

Who would turn away a child who's seeking sanctuary from Christian nutters who beat and kill them?