I am an Atheist and always have been.

Status
Not open for further replies.
I research everything posted when I can. I don't disrespect anyone in these conversations. I am not trying to convince anyone that my way is the right way. I express what I feel and believe. Don't like it.................then don't reply. Don't follow.
Now here is the telling point............if you do reply then you are not so sure of your own understanding or at least are open to the possibility of that, maybe I need to rethink. All well and good and in fact what you should do. If you are confirmed in what you believe then leave the topic. Otherwise I am going to continue. Don't have anything to hand out. Not going to convince you to change. Not going to offer reasons why you should. Don't know your life. Don't know what you are going thru. Only know that we are both the creation of one God. He has time for me and he has time for you. Extremely simple but so hard to understand.
All.....have a peaceful evening.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
But shouldn't the consequences be quite serious to those who harm the innocent, or children? Our laws make it so. The same Bible that has those 2 verses also offers redemption to those who repent.
Click to expand...
Death by drowning? There is no redemption in that. You kill those that teach the children other things, as in how to differentiate between what can be real, and what is obviously fiction made up by uneducated ancients. Why is that necessarily harming the children? Wouldn't it be more like encouraging them to think critically?

Granted those are only two verses out of thousands, and even I would forgive a fatal flaw now and then. Basically, what it means to me is make sure your children believe the Bible. That would be more practical during the Dark Ages than now. But the Bible isn't all bad. It does provide some moral guidelines that would enhance our ability to live with each other. But many of those guidelines are not rocket science and don't need to be belabored with fire and brimstone.
 
JustDave said:
Death by drowning? There is no redemption in that. You kill those that teach the children other things, as in how to differentiate between what can be real, and what is obviously fiction made up by uneducated ancients. Why is that necessarily harming the children? Wouldn't it be more like encouraging them to think critically?

Granted those are only two verses out of thousands, and even I would forgive a fatal flaw now and then. Basically, what it means to me is make sure your children believe the Bible. That would be more practical during the Dark Ages than now. But the Bible isn't all bad. It does provide some moral guidelines that would enhance our ability to live with each other. But many of those guidelines are not rocket science and don't need to be belabored with fire and brimstone.
Click to expand...
I've already posted my feelings on the 2 verses in question and have no intention of engaging in ongoing debate.
 
Sorry if this has been mentioned previously. I just got here.
No one is an Atheist
Everyone believes in something.
Everyone worships something or someone.
It's a matter of who,what, and why.

Issac Newton called atheism "senseless" and warned against using the law of gravity to view the universe as a mere machine, saying, "This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent Being."
There's no such thing as an atheist.
 
Just this last Sunday I witnessed what I would call a “sign” at our monthly nursing home church service. A lady that helps brought a 1 page handout on “prayer”, not knowing that the speaker was talking specifically about prayer. The previous two times she brought a handout that exactly matched the topic as well. The first time i spoke on “beatitudes” and she brought a handout on “beatitudes“! If we were to assume only 20 possible topics, the probability of this happening randomly would be 1 out of 8000! In reality there are far more 20 possible topics however.
 
Lara said:
Sorry if this has been mentioned previously. I just got here.
No one is an Atheist
Everyone believes in something.
Everyone worships something or someone.
It's a matter of who,what, and why.
Click to expand...
An atheist may believe in other things, but none are defining of an atheist other than a lack of belief in a god. Not everyone worships something. Holding something in high regard is often satisfactory enough.
Lara said:
Issac Newton called atheism "senseless" and warned against using the law of gravity to view the universe as a mere machine, saying, "This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent Being."
There's no such thing as an atheist.
Click to expand...
Issac Newton is one of the great scientific thinkers in history, and he made contributions that have been supported by new information ever since. But he also believed the earth was 6000 years old to his dying day, even when it was already apparent that it had to be older than that. Scientists don't always get things right. Science doesn't always. It's a process, not an endpoint.

There are a lot of theist scientists, some of them let their theism get in the way of discovery. Others are more circumspect.
 
JustDave said:
I've noticed that forced practice develops it, just like forced practice develops skills. And then it becomes habitual. A refresher course once in a while would probably be useful too. Although, I don't refresh very often.

I didn't realize a movement had been underway, but I do remember reading books that included directions for positive thinking, usually never using the term, "positive thinking." Consequently, I didn't know a movement had faltered.

By the way, as for negative thinking, I often see it not as a reaction to life's woes, or strings of bad luck. I usually see it as simply a bad habit. A default mindset that seeks out negatives. Habits can be changed, usually without deep psychological intervention too.
Click to expand...

You do not have to be an optimist or a pessimist. There is another option called "realist" which is what I prefer.
 
JustDave said:
Not everyone worships something. Holding something in high regard is often satisfactory enough.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply Dave. Yes, everyone worships something. Broadly, it represents intense devotion, where someone dedicates significant time, talent, or wealth to something. It's the act of attributing worth or value to something.

It's where you place your focus the most in life. Could be a rock star, a hero, or chocolate 🤗
 
Last edited:
CallMeKate said:
Atheist... Greek. "A" meaning without. "Theos" comes from the term for God, or a god or dieties.
Click to expand...
Yes. Without a god. That's all.

That nonbelievers believe in something is a very common claim among theists. I think it's an attempt to make the playing field look even while it ignores variables that would qualify as an actual equality. Non believers in God don't make as big a deal about beliefs and don't defend them from a pulpit while holding a Bible tightly in the hand.
 
Lara said:
Thank you for your reply Dave. Yes, everyone worships something. Broadly, it represents intense devotion, where someone dedicates significant time, talent, or wealth to something. It's the act of attributing worth or value to something.

It's where you place your focus the most in life. Could be a rock star, a hero, or chocolate ☺️
Click to expand...
I never prayed to the Beatles.
 
Lara said:
It's where you place your focus the most in life. Could be a rock star, a hero, or chocolate ☺️
Click to expand...
This is not worship. This is admiration. Being awestruck. Even being obsessed (like me with chocolate!)

But worship? No. Someone's probably going to pinch me for posting another definition, but I think it's important here.
Worship is the act of showing reverence, devotion, honor, or adoration toward a deity or sacred being.
 
Lara said:
I think most get my drift so I'll leave it at that. Thank you for reading my post.
Click to expand...
I do.

It all boils down to where individuals place their faith, even though atheists prefer the terms reason, evidence, or trust, as opposed to faith.

By the way, I looked up "worship," and it isn't necessarily or always restricted to religious context. Merriam-Webster offers 2 definitions for worship:

1 - to honor or show reverence for as a divine being or supernatural power.
2 - to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion.*

*Some spouses seemingly "worship" their mates - hence the old saying, "She worships the ground he walks on."
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top