A matter of degree ....
I do not remember not being a non theist. There were many years when it was worse to be an atheist than it was to be an alcoholic or one who wasn't trusted alone with children.
It was therefore, only when I was older and more confident in myself that I "came out" and stopped being an agnostic. A few years ago I discovered Christopher Hitchens and I made another huge change in my attitude and belief system.
It's all a matter of degree. The difference between a rabid christian and an atheist, is less than the difference between a moderate (pacifistic) atheist and an atheist who fully appreciates the evil that religion has done and will continue to do, if permitted. They (christians and islamic) will put civilization back into the 1600's, and keep it there if allow to.
I thought religion was harmless enough and gave some people like my granny, comfort, a good thing. WRONG !!! So so wrong. Christian and Islam doctrines have the same teachings about how to deal with non believers, or family who don't follow the faith. The Catholics during the inquistion, killed an estimated 50 million people. Islam could take lessons from catholics on barbarism.
I have to do a pile of posts to become an accepted participant so I hope to entertain you using the dictionary definition of agnostic, atheist, faith, evidence etc. I hope that I'm not too much of an atheist. If I get too far over the top, let me know why and how you think it should be.
I love being an atheist and I qualify, hands down, as a happy atheist. Most of you will understand me when I say "I'm FREE". Free to be a good person because I WANT TO BE. Free of guilt, I wasn't born in sin. I love our beautiful imperfect world. I'm beholding to no god as slave or deciple. I sleep soundly. I'm not looking for a mythical cookie as a future payoff, nor am I doing anything "Just In Case".
Organized religions have not rolled over and quit. They are going to protect their cash cow and they have the money to do it well.
Your in a fight, take the gloves off. It's just a matter of degree!
Hi Ateo
Well you have to only do 10 posts to get let loose on the rest of the forum, for a while it was 50!
So tell us a little bit about yourself and ask any questions about here and us that you would like an answer to.
Thanks for making the effort to sign up and join in.
Welcome to HAF. (https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg32.imageshack.us%2Fimg32%2F2922%2Fcheersi.gif&hash=d22c932723fd55512134b1ae98b018246ccbb424)
Regards
Chris
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Users who comply with forum rules will graduate to full membership after 10 posts.
Till that time your ability to post is limited to the "Getting to Know You" (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php#2) section of the forum.
It is our hope that this small restriction improves the overall atmosphere of HAF.
Some threads you might find interesting.
Where did you get your username from? (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=5133.0)
10 Things About Yourself (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=4940.0)
Tell us A Bit About Where You're From (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=8215.0)
Photography (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=7607.0)
Non-religious pet peeves (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=6917.0)
Pets...what do you have? (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=7.0)
Favorite Song, with video (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=8830.0)
How to tell your family you are an atheist. (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=5111.0)*
*You will need 10 posts before you can add a post to this thread, but you can read it at any time.
Welcome!
Once you start to really look at religion and to question it critically atheism becomes inevitible. Welcome to the neighborhood.
Welcome fellow Freethinker!
Quote from: Ateo on January 05, 2012, 08:44:43 PMThe Catholics during the inquistion, killed an estimated 50 million people.
That 50 mil estimate sounds a bit wacky.
Sounds too much even if every holy war casualty and small pox infected native is included.
I suppose if religion prevents us gaining maturity and taking responsibility for the planet 50 mil will pale in comparison to the loss.
Anyway this is sounding controversial, welcome Ateo.
QuoteI have to do a pile of posts to become an accepted participant
Just ten posts.
Welcome Ateo
Quote from: Tank on January 05, 2012, 09:07:26 PM
Well you have to only do 10 posts to get let loose on the rest of the forum, for a while it was 50!
It was! And I had to do them!
But then Tank gave me a gold sticker, so it was all worth it in the end.
Welcome, though I agree with Puddin', that 50 million stat doesn't seem accurate to me. That would have been more than 1/10th of the entire population of the world during most of what we'd consider the medieval ages.
Thanks for the Welcome. Just having a look around - feel at home already.
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on January 06, 2012, 03:22:25 AM
Quote from: Tank on January 05, 2012, 09:07:26 PM
Well you have to only do 10 posts to get let loose on the rest of the forum, for a while it was 50!
It was! And I had to do them!
But then Tank gave me a gold sticker, so it was all worth it in the end.
Welcome, though I agree with Puddin', that 50 million stat doesn't seem accurate to me. That would have been more than 1/10th of the entire population of the world during most of what we'd consider the medieval ages.
Newbies get it easy these days, not like when you woz a newb.
But the hard slog of those fifty posts made you a better contributor.
Newbs get it easy these days, they complain but they've got it so easy.
They don't understand how you suffered, you try to tell 'em but they don't listen.
Tell them how we suffered with 65x65 avatars and they'll look at you with disbelief.
We fought for the changes and they get it all handed to them on a plate.
Ungrateful, know it all, can't be told, nrerten, gnyerten, grrr, nyaaa, grrrrr ....
And what's Tank doing giving out gold stickers?
The bastard, he'll be flogging my steak knives next.
Quote from: Ateo on January 06, 2012, 03:32:05 AM
Thanks for the Welcome. Just having a look around - feel at home already.
Glad to hear it :D
welcome to the forum Ateo, you'll find plenty of similarly free people here
Welcome, Ateo, you sound like you belong here.
QuoteThey (christians and islamic) will put civilization back into the 1600's, and keep it there if allow to.
This is what I've been saying for years; generally received with condescending disbelief.
Ateo
I snipped off your posts about the the Inquisition and dropped them into Religion where you can get at them aft your first 10 posts ;D
Welcome! I'm new here too, and enjoying it immensely.
Hello and welcome aboard from another happy atheist. :)
Quote from: The Magic Pudding on January 06, 2012, 04:12:59 AM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on January 06, 2012, 03:22:25 AM
Quote from: Tank on January 05, 2012, 09:07:26 PM
Well you have to only do 10 posts to get let loose on the rest of the forum, for a while it was 50!
It was! And I had to do them!
But then Tank gave me a gold sticker, so it was all worth it in the end.
Welcome, though I agree with Puddin', that 50 million stat doesn't seem accurate to me. That would have been more than 1/10th of the entire population of the world during most of what we'd consider the medieval ages.
Newbies get it easy these days, not like when you woz a newb.
But the hard slog of those fifty posts made you a better contributor.
Newbs get it easy these days, they complain but they've got it so easy.
They don't understand how you suffered, you try to tell 'em but they don't listen.
Tell them how we suffered with 65x65 avatars and they'll look at you with disbelief.
We fought for the changes and they get it all handed to them on a plate.
Ungrateful, know it all, can't be told, nrerten, gnyerten, grrr, nyaaa, grrrrr ....
And what's Tank doing giving out gold stickers?
The bastard, he'll be flogging my steak knives next.
Remember the old forum? Oh, I do.
Thank you for your sympathies.
And the gold sticker wasn't so much an actual gold sticker as it was me asking for a gold sticker and Tank saying that I had earned one.
I now have a (fairly accurate) reputation for liking shiny things.
Some day that sparkly knife will be mine!
Welcome to HAF Ateo
You said Islam and Christianity both view unbelievers the same way . I have to disagree because doesnt the BIble say to love and pray for those who are unbelievers and who may persecute you...where as the Koran says to retaliate toward those that persecute you for your Islam faith ? That is my understanding .
Struggling Atheist ...... Sorry, the christian bible says the same thing, I'm not going to try to find it, but it's there. That statement isn't a hing pin for believing anything about christians or the bible anyway.
This isn't a intro area topic, so if it needs to be discussed further (struggling atheist) then start a new thread in the Religion section. But yes, there are parts of the christian bible that call for the killing of non-believers; granted most if not all examples are in the OT but that's part of the christian bible even if some christians consider it archaic.
Quote from: Ateo on January 08, 2012, 09:50:02 PM
Struggling Atheist ...... Sorry, the christian bible says the same thing, I'm not going to try to find it, but it's there. That statement isn't a hing pin for believing anything about christians or the bible anyway.
If you're going to make the claim, you should probably back it up with the source. We're not going to believe you "just because" you say it's there.