At what age did you come to realize that God/Devil/Heaven/Hell/Angels/Demons are all man-made fairy tales?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Nice. Maybe that's why we Socialists want to boil the blood of Christian children in our Matzohs. Since our Father abandoned us and chose you in our place, we're just petty and jealous. Keep it up, you're on the right path.

Socialist Jews scare me. They used to be called "Bolsheviks", and they played a very active role in what ended up being the second largest genocide (USSR) in the 20th century.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

But there is. If a person takes the position that they believe there is no God, regardless of whether they can prove it, they are no different from someone who believes there is a God.

But it doesn't take any faith to assume that something that has not and cannot be proven to exist doesn't exist. That would be a reasonable assumption. Nothing more and nothing less. To believe that a God exists despite the overwhelming - scratch that - exclusive empirical evidence to the contrary takes faith, indeed. To deduct from that exclusive empirical evidence that no God exists doesn't take any faith at all.

Look at it this way: To say that gravity doesn't exist would take faith of some sort seeing that all the empirical evidence clearly points to the fact that it does indeed exist. Am I now suddenly considered religious because I believe that gravity exists even though I have at the very least an exclusive set of empirical evidence on my side?

[scandal 951]

Socialist Jews scare me. They used to be called "Bolsheviks", and they played a very active role in what ended up being the second largest genocide (USSR) in the 20th century.

Actually at the very beginning, the Bolsheviks were organized around the gentile Lenin. The Jewish faction was led by Martov in the competing Menshevik party. Even after the Bolsheviks eventually absorbed the Mensheviks, the most prominent Jew in the party, Trotsky, was ultimately expelled and exiled and finally murdered in Mexico City. The whole concept of Trotskyism is entirely opposed to authoritarian Stalinism and the horrors it engendered. Stalin, as you surely know, was as gentile as they come, having been trained in the seminary early in his career. Look at the history of socialism in the early decades of the Soviet Union and you will find Jews involved in the theoretical Marxist ideological committees, but precious few acting as guards in the gulag or NKVD. The true architects of totalitarianism - Stalin, Beria, Molotov and their ilk - none were Jewish.

You know what is really scary about socialist Jews? They build Kibbutzim, eat hummus and falafel, and play accordion music around the campfire while caring for their children in communal care facilities. That's outright terrifying.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

How do you explain a true beginning of all matter?

Who says that there has to be a beginning? In fact, I'd reject that idea altogether since I'd otherwise have to ask the question what preceded the "beginning". It's the same with the infinity of the universe. Maybe the universe isn't infinite but just a marble in some giant being's pocket. Who knows? And, more importantly, who cares? What difference does it really make?

[Markieboy 104]

Look at it this way: To say that gravity doesn't exist would take faith of some sort seeing that all the empirical evidence clearly points to the fact that it does indeed exist. Am I now suddenly considered religious because I believe that gravity exists even though I have at the very least an exclusive set of empirical evidence on my side?

Apples and oranges.

Gravity is a natural law. One that is proven to be true over and over again. Faith is a belief, not a fact.

There is quite a difference.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Gravity is a natural law. One that is proven to be true over and over again. Faith is a belief, not a fact.

There is quite a difference.

You're preaching to the choir. Tell that to Steve.

[Peikko 1,575]

He definitely did boggle that one last year, without a doubt! Yet, I believe his point was accurate that the root of problem doesn't lie in a plastic bag. In fact, I recently read that he said the use of the condoms was a 'first moral step/obligation'. He's right in that aspect (my opinion again) that if you're going to do it, then protect yourself/partner.

The most recent pronouncement I heard on the topic (this morning) was that the pontiff has softened his line on homosexuals using condoms - of course I could have misunderstood it, it was early.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

The most recent pronouncement I heard on the topic (this morning) was that the pontiff has softened his line on homosexuals using condoms - of course I could have misunderstood it, it was early.

But condoms won't work if it's soft.

[Peikko 1,575]

But condoms won't work if it's soft.

[웃 910]

Does this faith of yours extend to climatologist PhDs, geniuses and scientists?

I absolutely believe in climate change. But is a boring non issue to me. Also will admit i don't understand it.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

+1

Infidel.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

To believe that a God exists despite the overwhelming - scratch that - exclusive empirical evidence to the contrary takes faith, indeed. To deduct from that exclusive empirical evidence that no God exists doesn't take any faith at all.

Look at it this way: To say that gravity doesn't exist would take faith of some sort seeing that all the empirical evidence clearly points to the fact that it does indeed exist. Am I now suddenly considered religious because I believe that gravity exists even though I have at the very least an exclusive set of empirical evidence on my side?

I'm not sure what you mean with that part in red.

Gravity is something that we can observe and we can accurately create predictions based on the theory of gravity. While believing in God requires having faith in something unprovable, it doesn't require a suspension of logic or reason. In fact, many prominent philosophers believed in God and even made logical arguments as to why they arrived at such a conclusion. The faith part comes into play with regard to having no material proof, which both atheists and theists must rely on in order to hold firmly to their belief. Faith is not exclusive to religion. Faith is the confident belief or trust in a person, idea, or thing that is not based on proof.

As for atheism merely rejecting the belief in a God and therefore not really the opposite - that is like saying that if you were invited to a party and you said you'd think about it until the day comes and you still haven't decided whether to go or not. Well, if you never make up your mind whether to go or not, and don't go, in the end you didn't go, and that was the alternative to going. As I've said before, I can see the logic in one being unsure (Agnoticism), but not in making any definitive claim that there simply is no God, because that requires a form of faith in an idea that is unprovable.

Edited November 23, 2010 by 8TBVBN

[Peikko 1,575]

I'm not sure what you mean with that part in red.

Gravity is something that we can observe and we can accurately create predictions based on the theory of gravity. While believing in God requires having faith in something unprovable, it doesn't require a suspension of logic or reason. In fact, many prominent philosophers believed in God and even made logical arguments as to why they arrived at such a conclusion. The faith part comes into play with regard to having no material proof, which both atheists and theists must rely on in order to hold firmly to their belief. Faith is not exclusive to religion. Faith is the confident belief or trust in a person, idea, or thing that is not based on proof.

As for atheism merely rejecting the belief in a God and therefore not really the opposite - that is like saying that if you were invited to a party and you said you'd think about it until the day comes and you still haven't decided whether to go or not. Well, if you never make up your mind whether to go or not, and don't go, in the end you didn't go, and that was the alternative to going. As I've said before, I can see the logic in one being unsure (Agnoticism), but not in making any definitive claim that there simply is no God, because that requires a form of faith in an idea that is unprovable.

Yes Steven, it does. How do you personally reconcile the 'soul' with evolution? The idea that the soul is merely 2,000 years old is frankly a very bizarre notion that requires one to suspend logic and reason and replace it with sentimentality. I like theists, I like the idea of caring for ones fellow man for no good reason than common humanity. I respect and admire the good works of theists but there is no logic and reason behind the idea that one should do these things because doing so 'pleases' god, and that charitable works earn us a place in heaven.

There is no reason that you can not suspend reason and logic in order to believe in god, if that is what you require in order to conform to a moral code but to pretend that that is not what theists are doing is well, odd.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I'm not sure what you mean with that part in red.

What's not to be sure about? I mean that there is no a single shred of empirical evidence that God exists. From an empirical evidence point of view, God doesn't exist. Nobody has ever seen him, heard him, touched him, smelled him. Nobody. Ever. It's really just that simple.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

What's not to be sure about? I mean that there is no a single shred of empirical evidence that God exists. From an empirical evidence point of view, God doesn't exist. Nobody has ever seen him, heard him, touched him, smelled him. Nobody. Ever. It's really just that simple.

Moses? Abraham? Isaac? Noah?

ETA:

Matthew 3:16-17

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Edited November 23, 2010 by ##########