Abjay97:
Wise Analysis, but I have one assignment for you... Get caught by ritualists, when they try to sacrifice you, keep looking.. Yea, nothing will happen to you... But if you see anything strange, like a tree moving on its own, shout JESUS CHRIST and you will be saved....

AnonyNymous:
A lot of agnostics (myself included) have started caring less. Its not about "sitting on the fence" as you put it, but simply not caring enough to choose a stance on it. 'Believing' that whether a God/gods exist or not can never be completely known. We're more concerned with living good lives and trying our best not to be burdens to society. Statistically speaking, being a good person gives you the highest probability of a decent afterlife (assuming there is one), in the "expanded Pascal's wager" that factored in all religions with a significant percentage. I don't think I'm an asshole. At least I try not to be one. That's enough for me.

Tohzara:
That means, you're bordering on the apatheist....

AnonyNymous:

If that's the word to describe it, I'd say yeah. I got disillusioned with the ideas presented in those series of books you shared with me, lol.

DeLioncourt:
After ghosting for a while in this section, I have come to realize that a lot of people don't really understand what it means to be an atheist...even some of those that claim to be.
Atheism is simply a complete disregard of the notions that a god, gods or supernatural entities exist.

DeLioncourt:

The fact is that, the existence of god cannot be disproved...just as the existence of the flying spaghetti monster and his noodly appendages cannot be disproved. However, their existence cannot be proven either.
I have a question for stans of the god hypothesis. According to your belief, unbelievers will go to hell right? Why then are you bothered by atheists? I'll tell you why.
It's because you fear that they may indeed be right. Your indoctrination has eaten so deep that to even consider the possibility of god's non existence scares you. And it scares you because you fear death and the eternal flames you have been threatened with.
A very large majority of "religious people" are in their parent's religion. I strongly believe that if you were born in a whole nother side of the world, you will probably be a dedicated mormon or animist.

Religion has wrought nothing but misery on the world. Some argue that the world is more moral because of religion... Tell that to the victims of 9/11. Tell that to the victims of the Charlie hebdo attack...or the women accused of witchcraft and burnt to death by the church... Or to the thousands of people slaughtered by the inquisitions. Tell that to the Nigerians slaughtered by boko Haram.
Religion is a poison. A cancer.

The burden of proof lies with the believer. You concocted the idea of a god and you want us to believe...then prove that he exists. Don't ask me to prove that your imagination is infact imagination.

As for those that want to sit on the fence (agnostics), know that your choice is respected but is as impoverished as the choice to believe.
Let me humor you and assume that god indeed does exist... Do you think the infanticidal, genocidal, gambling god of the Bible will forgive you for your doubts?

As for the apologists that will attack this thread, I'll try as much as possible to answer all your questions and rants. Try to be as coherent as possible tho.

Your gods do not exist.

Abjay97:
Wise Analysis, but I have one assignment for you... Get caught by ritualists, when they try to sacrifice you, keep looking.. Yea, nothing will happen to you... But if you see anything strange, like a tree moving on its own, shout JESUS CHRIST and you will be saved.... You've not seen anything my brother.. Lol

Even Atheists like Darwin, Henreich Heine, and Yaroslavsky(president of the International atheistic movement) believed on their deathbeds..


You've seen nothing bro

winner01:
Atheism is simply impracticable. Either you steal morality from God, or talk constantly about God, or live life as if there is a purpose, or attach meaning to life..atheism remains impracticable.
You see what I bolded in your quote? You can't disregard something and go ahead to write an epistle on it.

Regard means "attention" or "concern" for something. You claim a complete disregard for God and god notions , yet you go ahead to write the epistle below.Impracticable Impracticable

Being on a religion section is enough proof, the need to evangelize and persuade people to be on your side of "truth" is enough proof. This is not "lack of regard" or "lack of belief".

Practice atheism.

dacanv:
People have done waaaaaaay too many dumb shits in the name of religion. Especially the Christians, Muslim do bloody stuffs and Pagan are just gross. There are more religion in the world than the number of tribes and cultures and they all claim to be serving the one true god. Even Christians wants you to leave your own Christian church for their own Christian church meanwhile na the same Christ. Muslims fight for their gods, and I mean literally. And I dey vex! When I see news that pastor or preacher or priest rip someone off.. I dey vex! Just yesterday, some igbos have already started calling one Nnamdi Kanu messiah and kissing his feet, na so the religious dey start oh. So guys abeg, reason for yourself.. I know most people are in a certain religious organisation because they were born into it. When you reason finish and decide yes, na this one be correct god, worship am but please keep it to yourself, don't try converting others (ndi ama jehovah).

DeLioncourt:


Speaking against a pernicious belief doesn't necessarily mean regard for it.
That I disregard something doesn't mean I can never speak or have an opinion concerning said thing.
I am not evangelizing...or trying to convert anybody. Believe what you want, but don't force it down people's throats.
Don't indoctrinate children who aren't old enough to make decisions and know what is right for them.

winner01:
Okay, keep speaking on a religion section while you maintain your belief that God does not exist

I was indoctrinated into atheism, don't you think atheist families should not also indoctrinate their wards?

winner01:
Atheism is simply impracticable. Either you steal morality from God, or talk constantly about God, or live life as if there is a purpose, or attach meaning to life..atheism remains impracticable.
You see what I bolded in your quote? You can't disregard something and go ahead to write an epistle on it.

Regard means "attention" or "concern" for something. You claim a complete disregard for God and god notions , yet you go ahead to write the epistle below.Impracticable Impracticable

Being on a religion section is enough proof, the need to evangelize and persuade people to be on your side of "truth" is enough proof. This is not "lack of regard" or "lack of belief".

Practice atheism.

DeLioncourt:


Encouraging people to consult reason before making decisions is not indoctrination. Taking a child to church and bible study classes is indoctrination.

DeLioncourt:

The fact is that, the existence of god cannot be disproved...just as the existence of the flying spaghetti monster and his noodly appendages cannot be disproved. However, their existence cannot be proven either.

DeLioncourt:


PS. Morality wasn't taken from god. Morality is defined by society.
The knowledge of good or bad is determined by upbringing.
There was a time when men killed men to impress their mating partners..and this was considered normal.
But now, even hitting another person is a questionable act.

DeLioncourt:

DeLioncourt:


Encouraging people to consult reason before making decisions is not indoctrination. Taking a child to church and bible study classes is indoctrination.

budaatum:

Incidentally, the Believer "consults reason" too before making decisions. And sitting my child down and drumming "there is no god" into it is indoctrination too.

winner01:
in my village, we crack peoples head open for fun.
And that is my upbringing too


No sucker has the right to explaiyn his own version of good to me

Imma crack yo head

winner01:
Atheism is simply impracticable. Either you steal morality from God, or talk constantly about God, or live life as if there is a purpose, or attach meaning to life..atheism remains impracticable.
You see what I bolded in your quote? You can't disregard something and go ahead to write an epistle on it.

Regard means "attention" or "concern" for something. You claim a complete disregard for God and god notions , yet you go ahead to write the epistle below.Impracticable Impracticable

Being on a religion section is enough proof, the need to evangelize and persuade people to be on your side of "truth" is enough proof. This is not "lack of regard" or "lack of belief".

Practice atheism.

budaatum:

I disagree! With profound apologies to the FSM worshippers.

Spaghetti is made with flour, eggs and salt, unless one means spaghetti bolognese, in which made a sauce made of onions, olive oil, garlic cloves, minced beef, mushrooms, dried oregano or mixed herbs, can or chopped tomatoes, beef stock, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, salt and ground black pepper is added to the cooked spaghetti. It must be noted that none of these ingredients is known to fly, either by itself or in any combination whatsoever unless someone picks it up and flings it into the sky, and even then, it is not flying but would be said to have been flung.

As to monsters in their own specific right, while it is possible to create, with the ingredients listed above, a thing that can be called a monster, it would not be a living thing as the mere act of cooking, and with the non-living ingredients above listed, will ensure a dead plate of inanimate spaghetti, which cooking will only further kill.

But aside from that, if anyone were to assert that "over there is a Flying Spaghetti Monster", one is bound to ask, “Where?" To wit further evidence would be required to ascertain that there, truly, is a flying, spaghetti, monster, and the non-provision of any credible evidence of a sighting of anything that can be called a Flying Spaghetti Monster in itself, would be proof that nothing of the sort exists, at least not in the location it is claimed to exist.

Do note that the converse, "look, there goes the Flying Spaghetti Monster", and the sighting of one actually flying, would be evidence that one does actually exist, mind.

Now, if you were to claim it is a spirit and only the spiritual can see it, or that one is not able to perceive it perhaps because one is not reborn or because one has not been bathed in the right water by the appropriate establishments as some claim with regards to other similar non-extant things, then rationally minded people of the scientific bent, which seems to be that of atheists by part, would claim your evidence is invalid as it is not repeatable but observer dependent.

So, again, I disagree, with apologies to those who's spaghetti is a monster that flies, and rather strongly assert that "the existence of the flying spaghetti monster and his noodly appendages can be proven, or disproved".

winner01:
Ah, okay.

Atheism is reason, while church is indoctrination.

Issokay.
I'll indoctrinate my children with the way of the Lord then.

DeLioncourt:


No one is asking you to sit a child down and say "there is no god." That is indeed indoctrination.
However, exposing the child to all the possibilities and allowing him make an informed decision isn't.
A large majority of "believers" were taken to churches and mosques before they could even form words.

DeLioncourt:


Lol. Fair point..now I say the flying spaghetti monster is divine and can therefore bend things to his will. He has willed these ingredients that make up his noodly form to fly and thus, he can fly.
He can't be seen however by believers or unbelievers...but it is said that he can appear in dreams of a special few to whom he gives his gospel.

Disprove that.

budaatum:

The atheists will say the onus is on the believer, and not on them to prove the impossible. I too think they talk rubbish!

I wonder if you've heard about the million pounds in my bank account. I've had it a few months now, and plan to go to the Ferrari shop and buy a spanking brand new red Ferrari with it. Problem is that the Ferrari salesman will not take my word for it. So I'm thinking of telling him the million pounds is divine and cannot be seen, but he will receive it in his dreams. Yep, that might work. Except last night in my sleep I ate a meal of pounded yam and egusi soup with panla, bokoto, abodi and the most succulent ogunfe meat and washed the whole lot down with one big odeku beer. It was served by 6 of the most beautiful naked women you could ever imagine who rubbed my belly and kissed my lips as I ate. I was so full I could burst! Funny though, I woke up starving and had to eat two eggs on toast to alleviate my hunger!

I just hope the Ferrari salesman does not say, "that's okay, we'll deliver the Ferrari, in your dreams!

Abjay97:
Wise Analysis, but I have one assignment for you... Get caught by ritualists, when they try to sacrifice you, keep looking.. Yea, nothing will happen to you... But if you see anything strange, like a tree moving on its own, shout JESUS CHRIST and you will be saved.... You've not seen anything my brother.. Lol

Even Atheists like Darwin, Henreich Heine, and Yaroslavsky(president of the International atheistic movement) believed on their deathbeds..

You've seen nothing bro

budaatum:

I pedantically wanted the distinction made. Thank you.

I do however wonder, in light if discussions heretofore had, whether it would be absurd for someone to claim that "exposing the child to all the possibilities", is not also indoctrination. The claim has after all been made repeatedly by some on here.

DeLioncourt:

As for those that want to sit on the fence (agnostics), know that your choice is respected but is as impoverished as the choice to believe.
Let me humor you and assume that god indeed does exist... Do you think the infanticidal, genocidal, gambling god of the Bible will forgive you for your doubts?

I FEEL SORRY FOR EVERYONE.

IF THIS GUY HAS THE MIND TO SEND 3YR OLD CHILDREN TO HELL TO BURN FOR ETERNITY FOR STEALING SWEETS BECAUSE THEY WERE HUNGRY, OR BECAUSE THEY TOLD LIES...

I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ALL OF US DRUNKARDS AND ADULTERERS.