Atheism to Defeat Religion by 2038

[EdSed]

rio wrote:

<quoted text>
No, I simply believe in God.
I have spent most of my life trying to convince myself I was an atheist, but I see no sense in my life if there is no meaningful afterlife, hence I started to believe again. But I haven't turned into a religious fanatic.
It's all very simple and peaceful, and I don't mind if people think I am misguided.

Now this is a far more reasonable point of view. However, why you see no sense in your life if there is no meaningful afterlife seems odd to me.

It seems most healthy to be reasonably sceptical and believe nothing beyond what can be justified by reason and evidence, but you offer one motive for doing otherwise. Assumptions about gods and aferlives are not always so benign. I think many suicide bombers are partly motivated by the belief in afterlife rewards, as if all the injustices they feel they see can be put right in a later 'life'.

[EdSed]

jacktheladat1 wrote:

<quoted text> Alcohol pickles the liver. I have a theory it also pickles the brain. After all, there are sufficient numbers to support it.

I sometimes wonder which is the most damaging addicton in the UK, alcohol or religion.

[rio]

EdSed wrote:

<quoted text>There is much wrong with this point of view you express.
Atheists in general don't have beliefs in the sense of religious beliefs. Religious beliefs ARE superstitious. It isn't insulting to say so, it is merely acknowledging reality - or do you seriously believe that Mohammed was sent by Allah or that Jesus died for our sins? That religious people delude themselves is a reasonable, honest and objective point of view, not an insult. It might not always be necessary to say these things, but pretending they aren't true or that isn't what people are thinking is being reticent (at best), not polite.
Atheism isn't growing, exactly. It would be more accurate to say that religion is declining in the face of religion and science. An increasing number of people (religious or otherwise) are acknowledging that relgions are ALL man made and that some are simply worse than others.

The bottom line is "Do you believe in God or not?"

If you don't believe, like atheists, that's a statement, a belief in itself. You are convinced there is no God,(it's your intimate BELIEF) and you would argue your case. The negation of God IS a belief!

Then, you mix up belief in God with religion. Belief in God is one thing that engages one individual. Religion is the need to accept a structure around your belief, with dogma, rules, etc... That's quite different.

Atheists don't hold the high ground to tell believers they are supersticious. Atheists cannot prove the absence of God, no more than believers can prove its existence. So, this is a sterile discussion. Acceptance and tolerance on BOTH sides is needed.

For an atheist to turn religion into derision is a sign of aggression; if you don't believe in God, leave those who do alone!

[rio]

EdSed wrote:

<quoted text>Now this is a far more reasonable point of view. However, why you see no sense in your life if there is no meaningful afterlife seems odd to me.
It seems most healthy to be reasonably sceptical and believe nothing beyond what can be justified by reason and evidence, but you offer one motive for doing otherwise. Assumptions about gods and aferlives are not always so benign. I think many suicide bombers are partly motivated by the belief in afterlife rewards, as if all the injustices they feel they see can be put right in a later 'life'.

Without afterlife, life itself has no meaning for me. I think that we are more than mere vegetables. I cannot really explain it, but I think that life is just part of a cycle, and that something is waiting beyond death.

If you wait for it to be justified by reason and evidence, fine. But I think you will be waiting for ever whilst I am ready to take a leap of faith and believe in it. That's the difference between an atheist and a believer.

Now, not all believers are suicide bombers!

[Adam]

rio wrote:

<quoted text>
if you don't believe in God, leave those who do alone!

Many of us here are ex christians, so know the damage psychologically that religion can do. Helping people recover from entrenched delusions is a service.

[Adam]

rio wrote:

<quoted text>
Without afterlife, life itself has no meaning for me.

Thats a ridiculous statement. We each give our own meaning to our lives.

To give your life meaning through fairy tales of jewish mythology is silly. Far better to look for meaning in the real world, and relationships with real people.

[Givemeliberty]

You and all who believe in Sharia law believe Malala deserved to be gunned down. Watch this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch...

ya heba wrote:

<quoted text>
i don't believe in that evolution mumbo-jumbo, all i am saying is only technology evolves, nothing else.

[rio]

Adam wrote:

<quoted text>
Many of us here are ex christians, so know the damage psychologically that religion can do. Helping people recover from entrenched delusions is a service.

I am an ex-christian too.
I can't say I suffered "psychological damage", but I never accepted Christianity as a religion for me.
Too many contradictions in that religion.

Also, I suspect that people who claim they are atheist in reaction to a religion they rejected are not really genuine; I know I wasn't.

[EdSed]

rio wrote:

<quoted text>
The bottom line is "Do you believe in God or not?"

"The"? Why? Why isn't 'the bottom line' that one should only believe anything based on reason and evidence? Or belief should only be a matter of degree? Or some other 'bottom line'?

rio wrote:

<quoted text>
If you don't believe, like atheists, that's a statement, a belief in itself. You are convinced there is no God,(it's your intimate BELIEF) and you would argue your case. The negation of God IS a belief!

No it is a statement of disbelief. We don't believe in pixies either. It isn't the same as religious beliefs which are superstitious acts of faith. If one believes in a god or afterlife, one should have evidence and reason to support it. That is what motivates creationism and ID.

rio wrote:

<quoted text>
Then, you mix up belief in God with religion.

I don't. I just regard both as essentially superstitious. Religionists, atheists and agnostics would presumably accept any clear and unequivical evidence of a god. Religions have a more defined god.'God/Allah' in without religion might mean any higher power.

rio wrote:

<quoted text>
Belief in God is one thing that engages one individual. Religion is the need to accept a structure around your belief, with dogma, rules, etc... That's quite different.
Atheists don't hold the high ground to tell believers they are supersticious.

Do. I did.

rio wrote:

<quoted text>
Atheists cannot prove the absence of God, no more than believers can prove its existence.

Or pixies, or Santa. If one says there is an Abrahamic god, or any other one, it is incumbent on those who propose the notion to substantiate it, not for others to disprove. I am not interested in god(s), pixies or religion per se.

rio wrote:

<quoted text>
So, this is a sterile discussion. Acceptance and tolerance on BOTH sides is needed.

Are you suggesting I am being intollerant?

rio wrote:

<quoted text>
For an atheist to turn religion into derision is a sign of aggression; if you don't believe in God, leave those who do alone!

I am not attacking anyone who believes in god. I only point to the damage consequent to such superstition. Like organised religion, segregation of children, attacks on science, prejudice against gays and women, etc, etc.

If one keeps one's superstitions out of education, the law, morality, science and politics, I have no objections to anyone's religion, superstitions, faith or beliefs. When they affect me or are seen as detrimental to society I simply point it out.

[rio]

Adam wrote:

<quoted text>
Thats a ridiculous statement. We each give our own meaning to our lives.
To give your life meaning through fairy tales of jewish mythology is silly. Far better to look for meaning in the real world, and relationships with real people.

Who says that afterlife has anything to do with Jewish mythology?

Apart from the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), many religions believe in afterlife, reincarnation, karma, etc...

[Givemeliberty]

'Aisha: I used to wash the semen off the clothes of the Prophet and even then I used to notice one or more spots on them.
Sahih Bukhari 1:4:233

"Aisha said, "The Apostle of Allah married me when I was seven years old." (The narrator Sulaiman said: "Or six years."). "He had intercourse with me when I was 9 years old."
Abu-Dawud 2:2116

Narrated 'Aisha: that the Prophet married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old, and then she remained with him for nine years (i.e., till his death).
Sahih Bukhari 7:62:64

At the Massacre of Khaybar, Muhammad brutally tortured a Jewish chieftain for extracting information about where he had hidden his treasures. When the treasure was uncovered, the chieftain was beheaded. This chieftain was the husband of the most beautiful Jewish woman of Khaybar, the 17-year-old Safiyaah. Safiyaah's family members had been annihilated by Muhammad at the Banu Qurayza massacre. Now having beheaded her husband, the Prophet took Safiyah as his sex-slave and copulated on the same night.

In the massacre of the Jewish Settlement of Bani Mustaliq, Muhammad captured their women and took twenty-year-old Jewish girl, Juwayriya as his sex-slave

MUQ wrote:

<quoted text>
Where in Quran you find that our prophet had sex with a 9 year girl?
It shows that you have never read Quran and do not even know what are its subjects.
I could guess the "shallowness of your depth of Islamic knowledge" by the comments you were posting, now you have confirmed it.
Thank you, very much!!

[Givemeliberty]

Mariyam was a Christian slave girl and she was given to Muhammad as a gift by the governor of Egypt. Muhammad got her pregnant and she gave birth to a son. Afterwards Muhammad married her. The son died 18 months later.

[Givemeliberty]

FROM THE QURAN - 70:22-30



"Not so the worshippers, who are steadfast in prayer, who set aside a due portion of their wealth for the beggar and for the deprived, who truly believe in the Day of Reckoning and dread the punishment of their Lord (for none is secure from the punishment of their Lord); who restrain their carnal desire (save with their wives and their slave girls, for these are lawful to them: he that lusts after other than these is a transgressor..."

[Givemeliberty]

THE QURAN - 23:5,6

"...who restrain their carnal desires (except with their wives and slave girls, for these are lawful to them..."

[EdSed]

rio wrote:

<quoted text>
...Also, I suspect that people who claim they are atheist in reaction to a religion they rejected are not really genuine; I know I wasn't.

Well, I our mutual understanding is improved by this conversation.

[EdSed]

Atheism isn't a 'reaction to a religion', by the way. It is what religionists call the non-believers.

[rio]

EdSed wrote:

<quoted text<quoted text>Are you suggesting I am being intollerant?
<quoted text>I am not attacking anyone who believes in god. I only point to the damage consequent to such superstition.

Yes, you are intolerent in the sense that you feel the need to tell me I am wrong and you are right.
That's an assumption of superiority, akin to intolerence.

Myself, I don't think it's necessary for me to criticise your viewpoint; it's a personal matter. I explained my journey; that's all.

Belief in God and the way some people interpret old texts are quite different.

[Adam]

MUQ wrote:

<quoted text>
Where in Quran you find that our prophet had sex with a 9 year girl?

Kafir!! You denying Bukhari the most authentic hadith now? You already deny all the religions, all other gods and holy books. Only a very small step now, to join us!

[Adam]

rio wrote:

<quoted text>
Apart from the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), many religions believe in afterlife, reincarnation, karma, etc...

Yes there are many delusions. All religions are man made. I dont wish to discriminate between any particular group.

[rio]

Adam wrote:

<quoted text>
Yes there are many delusions. All religions are man made. I dont wish to discriminate between any particular group.

Let's say that I am happy with my delusion if you are happy with yours...

I suppose that everything is "man made" too for you?