Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ken Hughes on November 21, 2011 at 9:57pm

I was not claiming that dissolution within your company was comparable to the Crusades, my statement was that religious dissension between religions that are identical except for a few points, i.e. the sabbath or holy day, was the root cause of murder, rape and pillage down through the ages, with The Crusades and Irish Catholic v Irish Protestant with one killing the other in their god's name is freaking ridiculous.

Atheists don't fly or cause airplanes to be flown into tall buildings, nor do we seek paradise by blowing up innocent people along with ourselves.  I would much rather, and in fact do have more close friends and confidants who are atheists than believers in any holy spook or invisible friend.  We do good without doG.

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Permalink Reply by Michelob on November 21, 2011 at 11:42pm

You are suggesting that Atheists don't have prejudices based on belief of other groups?  I believe Stalin killed a few folks.  Back to a more practical scale, would it have made a difference if my boss was an Atheist having fired me because he didn't want to deal with someone that required a specific day off?  Yet, while I hold a certain belief that is similar to those who have committed atrocities I still don't follow suit.  

What does this mean?  Does a religion commit horrible acts or does a person commit them?  Be sure that you place blame on the hand that pulled the trigger.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Hughes on November 22, 2011 at 8:58am

Stalin, as do most cult leaders, especially those who ascend to any nation's top leadership role, i.e. Hitler, Pol Pot, and too may others to list here actually seek to place themselves in the godhead role; they see organized religion as a threat.  On a lesser place there are Jim Jones, David Koresh, to site the most egregious examples, who also see themselves  as the godhead, and in the end it all tumbles down to religion.

All the atheists I know, and I know a great many, don't seem to harbor outstanding prejudices.  It's mostly disgust for what we witness each and every day from the followers of supernatural and otherwise weird/spooky belief systems.  We also share a revulsion with and of religion.  However, we do not seek to kill any believers, we just want to be recognized for our equal rights as human beings.  When you bible-pounders claim that we'll be the "Left Behind", should your idiotic rapture come to pass, we'll gladly consider ourselves the "Left Alone".

A religion calls and inspires its followers to commit horrible acts.  Those who believe absurdities can be led to commit atrocities and both the bible and koran are full of commands and directives to do precisely that.  The hand would share the blame, but the belief commands it in many ways.  Atheists do not have such shitty reference books that somewhere therein can be used as justification for warped brains that believe the bull shit..

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Permalink Reply by Michelob on November 22, 2011 at 4:09pm

That grouping of leaders is a very over-used ploy to take the stigma of horrible periods of history.  Confusion between ego and religion does not make one and the other the same.  There is no doubt that Stalin had an ego problem, but he wasn't a religion.  He didn't see himself as God because he didn't believe in one.

There are horrible stories in the Christian bible.  I don't know how to reconcile some of them with what I understand as right.  I don't ignore them or pretend they don't exist.  There are many that are simply not condoned by God, but there are some that clearly state the opposite.  The truth is that I don't know.  I continue to search for the truth, but I am humble enough to say that I don't know why those things would be done.

 

As for religion inspiring evil I can only speak about my belief.  I am beginning to expand my understanding of others, but I am in no position to talk about them as I do not know enough.  I am not inspired to do those things mentioned above.  I know too many who are not inspired to do those things who are Christian.  I also know a few who I would not put it past them.  From my personal experience it hasn't been a religion thing, but an individual thing.  If you want to find something hard enough, then you can usually find it even if its not there.  I know you don't need examples.

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Permalink Reply by Dave on November 22, 2011 at 7:37pm

Hi Brian,

I haven't been discriminated against but I have a policy that there are 3 things you keep out of the workplace: Religion, Politics and Football (Soccer to the US folk here) and I find that especially true here in Glasgow!

 

I'm interested to know when your piece is being run if it hasn't already? Can you provide a link?

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Permalink Reply by William C. Walker on December 14, 2011 at 12:35am

Michelob, shut up & drink the kool-aid

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Permalink Reply by Michelob on December 14, 2011 at 2:05am

Is that reference intended for me to commit suicide?  I know you are just being dumb, but don't be.

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Permalink Reply by William C. Walker on December 14, 2011 at 9:10am

NO, Michelob, just continue to drink the figurative kool aid of religion - whichever of the 1.000s of brands suits you.   OR, read some history books on the pagan origins of Xianity. Up to especially the 4th century.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Hughes on December 14, 2011 at 9:32am

There's a book by James F. Welles Ph.D.The Story of Stupidity"subtitled,A History of Western Idiocy from the days of Greece to the Moment You Saw this Book.  Both he and the book have my unqualified endorsement and it's a must-read for anyone, especially us atheists and most of all jesus freaks, the latter of which are just as disgusting and incredibly stupid as their brother-believers, Jews and Moslems.

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Permalink Reply by Michelob on December 14, 2011 at 5:56pm

I am aware of the pagan origins of Christmas, Easter, Lent, Pentacost...  I am aware of how patron saints have taken the place of gods.  I am aware that the current image we have of Jesus is based off a painting of Cesare Borgia who followed at least some Assyrian religious practices.  I am aware of that much of the Jewish population has genetic roots in Russia.  I am aware that ancient china had a monotheistic god that began to lose foothold about 10,000 years ago.

You say there is no black swan, but how can you know?  I don't know.  I doubt the existence at times, but I can admit that I don't know.

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Permalink Reply by William C. Walker on December 14, 2011 at 9:28pm

Hi Michelob,  I happen to own an albino black sheep that I would let you have for, say $5,000.00.

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Permalink Reply by Michelob on December 14, 2011 at 10:06pm

Is it anything like the albino black bear?  I don't think I will buy it from you.  I would just turn it into a very expensive steak!

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