Question for the well versed atheists

[Gawen]

Thanks for the welcome!

The pleasure was all mine...*grinnin*

Thanks for a well mannered and well thought out reply. My debate style as most will tell you is somewhat aggressive and at times rather caustic (sometimes I wonder why I haven't been banned yet). So, because your post, as it is, I'm trying a softer approach (and believe me, it's difficult).
I'm going to nitpick just one statement of yours instead of making a huge point-by-point post.

Basically we know it's okay to believe in ideas that aren't in the Bible. The CC doesn't oppose evolution like the sola-scriptura do, for example, and we practice traditions passed down through generations and adapt to modern more's. Some people claim to be Christian but if they took the time to read what is written, in stead of getting wrapped up in hype...

What makes you think that Catholicism is better than any other sect of Christianity?  Either the Bible is the word of God or it isn't. As far as traditions go:
Micah 6:16: You have observed the statutes of Omri and all the practices of Ahab's house, and you have followed their traditions. Therefore I will give you over to ruin and your people to derision; you will bear the scorn of the nations. "
Mark 7:4: When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.
Mark 7:8: You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
Mark 7:9: And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!
Galatians 1:14: I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
The scripture quoted above (in context) deals with following traditions of men and not of God. How do you reconcile this with all the man made traditions the CC follows especially having said other sects don't read their bibles and have "hype"?
Do you not see the irony of your statement?

[epepke]

When an athiest who only knows how to break down scripture tries to explain how scripture can't be taken literally, it's a mute point and they won't get very far with someone like me. If an athiest can explain how the morals or events that the religion teaches is wrong, then they've got my ear...I may not change my mind, but at least then there can be some dialogue.

Just trying to help, no need for the breakdown  

OK.  I followed you from your Introductions thread.

The problem is this.  You have no idea what an atheist is.  Really, none whatsoever.  At all.  If you have any desire to know what an atheist is, then you can ask about it, but there is no evidence that you do.  At all.

You haven't in your short tenure distinguished yourself from the hordes of theists who want all atheists to pay attention to your distinctions but who have no desire to get even a general grasp of the term "atheist."

[DropLogic]

BB,
I believe you are insinuating that Atheists don't have morals, and also fail at reading comprehension.  Your first mistake is roping Atheists together.  I've found over time that the only two things that Atheists tend to have in common is a lack of belief in the supernatural, and a love of science.  
Men wrote the bible...therefore your moral standards came from man.  We are men/women too.  
However, if you read the hundreds of passages from your book that have been combed over on this very forum, you will notice that the bible is not full of wisdom and grace.  There is some pretty ugly shit in that book.

[Thumpalumpacus]

To be fair, I've met plenty of atheists who didn't believe in god(s) but were suckered in by other woo.  Atheism is not a "get out of irrationality free" card.  To assert otherwise is simply another stereotype about atheists.  The fact that it is flattering causes it to remain largely unquestioned.

[Being_Brave]

BB,
I believe you are insinuating that Atheists don't have morals, and also fail at reading comprehension.  Your first mistake is roping Atheists together.  I've found over time that the only two things that Atheists tend to have in common is a lack of belief in the supernatural, and a love of science.  
Men wrote the bible...therefore your moral standards came from man.  We are men/women too.  
However, if you read the hundreds of passages from your book that have been combed over on this very forum, you will notice that the bible is not full of wisdom and grace.  There is some pretty ugly shit in that book.

I don't mean to say Athiests don't have morals. That's not what I was getting at, at all. My statement was about how Christians use biblical stories and events to teach morals, and that it would take proving those things wrong to get someone to change their mind. It wasn't implying that you had different or poor morals. You guys are correct, I don't know what goes on in an Athiest's mind, that's why I'm here. At one point in my life I seriously doubted faith, but it's because I couldn't wrap my mind around atheism that I'm not athiest....so while I understand the basic idea of Atheist=no God, I really can't immagine how life is without God to turn to. It doesn't mean I think poorly of Athiests, I just don't understand the lifestyle. I don't know how I fail at reading comprehension, but I'm really trying to learn as much as I can. Sorry I came off rude, I really wasn't meaning to.

[Being_Brave]

When an athiest who only knows how to break down scripture tries to explain how scripture can't be taken literally, it's a mute point and they won't get very far with someone like me. If an athiest can explain how the morals or events that the religion teaches is wrong, then they've got my ear...I may not change my mind, but at least then there can be some dialogue.

Just trying to help, no need for the breakdown  :verysad:

[Thumpalumpacus]

Well, I could explain why many Biblical lessons are wrong, but to what purpose?  That no more explains my atheism than my dislike of hip-hop makes me a blues guitarist.

[Gawen]

The quote above is the honest truth when an atheist starts referring to scripture to a theist. You may be speaking to one who already knows that the verse can't be taken literally. In that case an atheist could discuss what the story behind it is saying, and maybe even talk about how the event could not historically happened.

Well, when you have several different so called Christians claiming on thing or another about a piece of scripture, and one or two say it can't be taken literally, how is one to know WHAT IS to be taken literally? God didn't write in the foreword of the Bible that parts are allegory or litteral.

[elliebean]

I really can't immagine how life is without God to turn to.

It's exactly the same, except without all the wishful thinking.

[DropLogic]

BB,
I believe you are insinuating that Atheists don't have morals, and also fail at reading comprehension.  Your first mistake is roping Atheists together.  I've found over time that the only two things that Atheists tend to have in common is a lack of belief in the supernatural, and a love of science.  
Men wrote the bible...therefore your moral standards came from man.  We are men/women too.  
However, if you read the hundreds of passages from your book that have been combed over on this very forum, you will notice that the bible is not full of wisdom and grace.  There is some pretty ugly shit in that book.

I don't mean to say Athiests don't have morals. That's not what I was getting at, at all. My statement was about how Christians use biblical stories and events to teach morals, and that it would take proving those things wrong to get someone to change their mind. It wasn't implying that you had different or poor morals. You guys are correct, I don't know what goes on in an Athiest's mind, that's why I'm here. At one point in my life I seriously doubted faith, but it's because I couldn't wrap my mind around atheism that I'm not athiest....so while I understand the basic idea of Atheist=no God, I really can't immagine how life is without God to turn to. It doesn't mean I think poorly of Athiests, I just don't understand the lifestyle. I don't know how I fail at reading comprehension, but I'm really trying to learn as much as I can. Sorry I came off rude, I really wasn't meaning to.

I worded that incorrectly, sorry for the confusion.  I meant that you were insinuating that Atheists have poor reading comprehension.
When you turn to god...you realize you're just talking to yourself right?  I do it all the time too...weigh decisions and consequences in my head.  We all have an internal voice.
Logic and rationality go on in an Atheists mind.

[fazFwQo83]

Another argument is that of omniscience. Being omniscient means that you know everything. Including knowledge of future events. And if the future is set in stone, then there can be no free will.

If you find yourself getting stuck with this argument it's because it's like the "does god exist?" argument. With present technology, there's no way to go back in time and do it again just to see if you actually would've done something different. So there's no way to "prove" or "disprove" this one.

Personally, I don't think free will exists.