Atheism is Abdication

[Thumpalumpacus]

I hate atheism. Yes. I don't hate atheists; actually I prefer atheists to the religious people I know. But I hate atheism with a rather extreme passion. Thank God it's all imaginary. Perhaps I'll wake up one day and it will all be gone.

Bias spotted, in this thread.

Ehhh, so what, everyone is biased in some way or another.

I´ve spotted several other biases of other people, in this thread.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I haven't asserted otherwise.

I pointed out this particular bias for my own purpose; to wit, contrasting his "not the ordinary theist" rhetoric against his, well, ordinary theist rhetoric.

[Asmodean]

You know, it's funny, I tried to sit on the fence but it's impossible. I don't want to be a Christian, because I don't want to be associated with the con artists, the molesters, the hypocrites and the evildoers. And yet, I love Jesus Christ and God. I am a Christian whether I want to be or not.

It's kind of like being an idiot... A hard habit to shake... Or so I hear.

[Edward the Theist]

EtT, you've obviously missed the point.  Either I'm a good example of an atheist, or I'm not, but you can't have it both ways.  But I digress.  I'm tired of you, given you're about as entertaining as a brick wall.  Consider yourself foed.  :bananacolor:

[Edward the Theist]

You know, it's funny, I tried to sit on the fence but it's impossible. I don't want to be a Christian, because I don't want to be associated with the con artists, the molesters, the hypocrites and the evildoers. And yet, I love Jesus Christ and God. I am a Christian whether I want to be or not.

It's kind of like being an idiot... A hard habit to shake... Or so I hear.

See how Whitney lets you break the rules, but enforces them with me. That's because I'm greater. And yet not me, but Christ in me. Because one thing atheists know, and they know it down deep, to not have faith is a weakness.

So, you get a break.

[Asmodean]

See how Whitney lets you break the rules, but enforces them with me. That's because I'm greater. And yet not me, but Christ in me. Because one thing atheists know, and they know it down deep, to not have faith is a weakness.

So, you get a break.

Nowhere in your quote did I break the rules.

EDIT: I guess I'll have to explain, since you obviously don't know your way around words that well.

I did not call you or anyone an idiot. Nor have I directly implied as much. What I did was compare the state of being unable to break from pointless speculations and ancient superstitions to the state of idiocy in regard to breaking out of the named states.

Not only is this not against the rules, it's not even in the grey zone. Maybe just a little in regard to unfriendliness, but you have not deserved anything more from me, as judged by your conduct here so far.

How about answering the core of my first question in clear terms, for instance?

What use does the Universe have for your god? Or, on microscale, what use do I have for it?

[Edward the Theist]

See how Whitney lets you break the rules, but enforces them with me. That's because I'm greater. And yet not me, but Christ in me. Because one thing atheists know, and they know it down deep, to not have faith is a weakness.

So, you get a break.

Nowhere in your quote did I break the rules.

EDIT: I guess I'll have to explain, since you obviously don't know your way around words that well.

I did not call you or anyone an idiot. Nor have I directly implied as much. What I did was compare the state of being unable to break from pointless speculations and ancient superstitions to the state of idiocy in regard to breaking out of the named states.

Not only is this not against the rules, it's not even in the grey zone. Maybe just a little in regard to unfriendliness, but you have not deserved anything more from me, as judged by your conduct here so far.

How about answering the core of my first question in clear terms, for instance?

What use does the Universe have for your god? Or, on microscale, what use do I have for it?

It is held in existence by Him, and so are you.

[Asmodean]

It is held in existence by Him, and so are you.

All you have to do is produce one shred of plausible evidence for that.

After all, slightly rephrasing the question, why would the Universe need your god to keep it going? (And why do I, for that matter? I need food, water and correct climatic conditions to survive - that's all - unless of course you have scientific evidence to the countrary)

That said, I'm willing to examine even indirect evidence which can be defined as such. Witness testimonies, pre-scientific method scriptures, tales of miracles and vague prophecies still do not qualify.

[Heretical Rants]

EtT, you've obviously missed the point.  Either I'm a good example of an atheist, or I'm not, but you can't have it both ways.  But I digress.  I'm tired of you, given you're about as entertaining as a brick wall.  Consider yourself foed.  :bananacolor:

...so now it's a matter of who can endure the other for longer, huh?

[humblesmurph]

Your point may be meaningless.  Setting aside your obvious misinterpretation of my post, I have to ask, what would you have me do?  Join your two person cult?

By your definition, everybody is abdicating except you and the one other person who believes what you do.  Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and Atheists all reject your theories.  Why are you singling out atheism for attack?

Yeah, even I have rejected my theory. It doesn't work. It was based on a limited understanding of God. I went as far as I could with it, but in the end, as we discussed already, one has to take a leap of faith.

My two-person cult is not open for membership. You can't be a Veridican. You can only be you. Why? Because there is no organization. Veridicanism has two tenets: God is monistic in nature and the human purpose is to be Christ. So, what do I want you to do? Become Christ. How? Now that you're an atheist read two Gospels: the Gospel of John, and any other one you want, even the Gospel of Thomas if you want. But when you read, consider Jesus as your higher self, and consider all the disciples to be aspects of your current personality. Then you will begin to see that the Gospel was written by you, for you, at this moment in history.

The only interpretation then that matters is yours, not the Church's, not your past Sunday school teacher's, not your parents', not your big sister's--you are the expert. What you say it means is what it means.

That's what I would have you do.

That's it?  Read the bible and interpret it for myself?  I did that years ago.  If it means what I say it means then it is gibberish.  I hoped you had a point.  I really did.  

[Sophus]

You know, it's funny, I tried to sit on the fence but it's impossible. I don't want to be a Christian, because I don't want to be associated with the con artists, the molesters, the hypocrites and the evildoers. And yet, I love Jesus Christ and God. I am a Christian whether I want to be or not.

It's kind of like being an idiot... A hard habit to shake... Or so I hear.

See how Whitney lets you break the rules, but enforces them with me. That's because I'm greater. And yet not me, but Christ in me. Because one thing atheists know, and they know it down deep, to not have faith is a weakness.

So, you get a break.

I think that by acting uncivil you forfeit  your right to be treated in a civil manner. Not to mention you continue to break other rules, such as preaching.  

[Edward the Theist]

I think that by acting uncivil you forfeit  your right to be treated in a civil manner. Not to mention you continue to break other rules, such as preaching.  

Oh, so if I state what I believe, it's preaching. If I say Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life, that's preaching. I would think preaching is when you state things and then don't come back in to debate them. Otherwise, you might as well just say that theists in general are breaking the rules by posting in here. Or just not allow them in to begin with.

[Edward the Theist]

That's it?  Read the bible and interpret it for myself?  I did that years ago.  If it means what I say it means then it is gibberish.  I hoped you had a point.  I really did.  

Oh, BS. Look how you just blow off the advice that would save you. You have other reasons for being an atheist. It has nothing to do with belief when it comes to you.

[Sophus]

I think that by acting uncivil you forfeit  your right to be treated in a civil manner. Not to mention you continue to break other rules, such as preaching.  

Oh, so if I state what I believe, it's preaching. If I say Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life, that's preaching. I would think preaching is when you state things and then don't come back in to debate them. Otherwise, you might as well just say that theists in general are breaking the rules by posting in here. Or just not allow them in to begin with.

This is preaching:

There is a morality in the world that basically stems from Christianity....

And, yes, atheists follow that same morality and even brag about how they are better at it than Christians, but that doesn't matter because it all stems from the notion that Christ is perfection and we should be like Him. You don't have to like it; you don't have to believe it; but anyone who's lived a day in their life knows it's the way things are.

You believe in the genetic goodness of mankind, but that doesn't exist. We are all, to a person, cruddy selfish assholes. Take away the Chrisitian foundation--take away all the little churches along the side of the road you see everywhere here in the South--and we will eat each other.

Society will fail. Social contracts will fail. We will have to go back to the forest and live in the trees, just like all the other animals.

Atheism is a belief that stems from an utter hatred of humanity. It must be stopped at all costs.

Why is it preaching? There's no claim, data, warrant format to this. No evidence, no examples, no real argument. Just assertions, atheist bashing, flamboyant arrogance and - although you avoided fire and brimstone - you included a good dose of end of days nonsense (with of course us to blame) which is not in any way productive or anywhere near a mark of sanity. It's also perpetuating already corrected stereotypes, which have demonstrated no interest in reconsidering. Atheists do not, as a whole, share any beliefs. We only share the lack of one belief. That's it.

[spoiler:2yf9fnsi]This is where, I predict, Edward will once again enlighten us as to what atheism really is. AKA preaching.[/spoiler:2yf9fnsi]

By the way, I was a raised Christian, so I think that counts toward having spent a few "days in the life".

[hismikeness]

Dear Edward the Theist

I have just re-read through this entire 8 page thread. I commented about mid way, and admittedly haven't been following it all that much. But I wish I had. I have been enlightened by your positions. I feel I'm ready to convert to your religion and give up my evil ways as an atheist.

Currently, I am a "closet" atheist to some, because there are people in my life (mainly my parents) that I'm just not sure how they would react if they *knew* I was an all out evil heathen, as I've come to realize I am. But, the people that do know that I am currently an atheist still love me. My wife, my brother, my closest friends. But, it isn't fair to them that they should have to willingly associate with an evil person, so I should just convert back so that they won't go to Hell.

I don't know how I ever could possibly have fallen in to the trap of atheism. I mean, look at some of the blatant judgements and vitriol with which they write In the comments that follow:

What planet are you freakin living on?

You guys are so absolutely full of shit it's beyond me.

You let others do your thinking for you and then follow them, because that's the easy thing to do.

But I know you're FOS.

So, your mission shall be complete. You have converted on person to your ideals. You can stop posting now.


Respectfully,

Hismikeness
[spoiler:21gqgaax]Those were all quotes, from this thread, from Edward the Theist.[/spoiler:21gqgaax]
[spoiler:21gqgaax]Also, this post is laced with sarcasm, in case anyone missed it...  [/spoiler:21gqgaax]