Antlerman Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 I have more relationship and communication going on with my dogs, and I don't doubt their existence. Dog, is God spelled backward. Set your dog in front of the mirror, and you shall know God face to mirror-face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 I have more relationship and communication going on with my dogs, and I don't doubt their existence. Dog, is God spelled backward. Set your dog in front of the mirror, and you shall know God face to mirror-face. So true. And they even hear my prayers too. "Sit!" ... dog licks my face "Roll over!" ... dog runs out to fetch the toy "Play dead!" ... dog sits down and tilts her head cutely with the ears slightly pulled up *sigh* I guess not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest end3 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 I'm not so sure about that. Consider this: I have a wife, I communicate with her, and I spend time with her, but yet, I don't ask "I wonder if my wife exists..." And the reason is that at a certain point a level of certainty kicks in depending on the relationship we have with someone. I think what you have said here is accurate, and is certainly what God thinks as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted August 5, 2009 Super Moderator Share Posted August 5, 2009 Jebus - and this is only "Part 1." My doG is snickering in his sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest end3 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Oh, I don't personally give a shit. AM's original statement was less than adequate. And then the whole gang has to run in and agree.....gheez, what a life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Oh, I don't personally give a shit. AM's original statement was less than adequate. And then the whole gang has to run in and agree.....gheez, what a life. Of course. It's his birthday. It's policy to agree and go along with the birthday boy/girl, didn't you know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted August 5, 2009 Super Moderator Share Posted August 5, 2009 I'll believe in god when he produces a valid birth certificate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Realist Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 I think this post is a troll. Made to try and convert. An utter failure. I'm not a troll. I'm an honest ex-Christian facing difficulties after my deconversion. I may be many things, but I'm not a liar. The idea of Christians lying continues to baffle me, as even though "the ends may justify the means," lying is obviously forbidden according to the Bible. Also, pardon me for not responding immediately. Okay, there are some very nice responses here and I thank everyone who responded helpfully. I will be making more posts soon. I am not trying to convert anyone. I'm just looking for comfort and assurance in my deconversion. ...... you state "The idea of Christians lying continues to baffle me, as even though the ends may justify the means." You might find this difficult to accept but I have found with MANY Christians lying seems to come as 2nd nature! With others it seems to border on a mix of both lying and ignorance.... some just plain ignorance! To accept the lie of Fundamentalist Christianity in particular I guess the two go hand in hand .... so to me not surprising. I have had numerous instances of this proved to me at immediate family or personal friends level. I was brought up in this crap from the day I was born and it has taken 50 odd years to come to grips with the evil of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest end3 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Oh, I don't personally give a shit. AM's original statement was less than adequate. And then the whole gang has to run in and agree.....gheez, what a life. Of course. It's his birthday. It's policy to agree and go along with the birthday boy/girl, didn't you know? Oh, well hell, a person can say whatever he wishes on his birthday....happy b-day AM! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmIReallyThatBad Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 Jebus - and this is only "Part 1." My doG is snickering in his sleep. Yeah, Part 2 will likely be coming next week. I'm having a friend over for the weekend and there are also several family activities I need to partake in; should be fun. Again, I appreciate everyone's imput. Be warned, though. If only you knew how many things still bother me as an atheist... [i'm sure a lot of my "worries" aren't rational though and will be easily put in perspective. I could give an explanation as to why I tend to think this way and have trouble with the things that I do, if anyone really wants to know. At the very least I can say that Fundamentalist Christianity was psychologically damaging to me and so also has all of the New Age garbage I shoveled into my brain before becoming a Christian and then an atheist.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabbleRabble Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Be warned, though. If only you knew how many things still bother me as an atheist... [i'm sure a lot of my "worries" aren't rational though and will be easily put in perspective. I could give an explanation as to why I tend to think this way and have trouble with the things that I do, if anyone really wants to know. At the very least I can say that Fundamentalist Christianity was psychologically damaging to me and so also has all of the New Age garbage I shoveled into my brain before becoming a Christian and then an atheist.) I went through some similar difficulties during my deconversion. A lifetime of christian indoctrination had screwed up my thought processes so badly that it was almost impossible to use my rational mind. Being raised to think like an apologist and creationist, I had no tools to distinguish between real science and the pseudoscience that had been presented to me as evidence for my beliefs. If you haven't already, I highly suggest that you begin reading books about the scientific process, critical thinking, and (since you identify as an atheist) the logical arguments behind atheism and rejection of the supernatural. I started with Richard Dawkin's "The God Delusion." I found the all the ill-formed arguments that had been rolling about in my own head explained clearly and eloquently along with many new things. I also recommend Carl Sagan's "The Demon Haunted World." On the difference between science and pseudoscience and how to tell the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antlerman Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Oh, I don't personally give a shit. AM's original statement was less than adequate. And then the whole gang has to run in and agree.....gheez, what a life. Of course. It's his birthday. It's policy to agree and go along with the birthday boy/girl, didn't you know? that's right. don't mess with the elderly. Besides, I only give my best efforts on odd numbered days. Oh wait. 5 is an odd number isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmIReallyThatBad Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 Be warned, though. If only you knew how many things still bother me as an atheist... [i'm sure a lot of my "worries" aren't rational though and will be easily put in perspective. I could give an explanation as to why I tend to think this way and have trouble with the things that I do, if anyone really wants to know. At the very least I can say that Fundamentalist Christianity was psychologically damaging to me and so also has all of the New Age garbage I shoveled into my brain before becoming a Christian and then an atheist.) I went through some similar difficulties during my deconversion. A lifetime of christian indoctrination had screwed up my thought processes so badly that it was almost impossible to use my rational mind. Being raised to think like an apologist and creationist, I had no tools to distinguish between real science and the pseudoscience that had been presented to me as evidence for my beliefs. If you haven't already, I highly suggest that you begin reading books about the scientific process, critical thinking, and (since you identify as an atheist) the logical arguments behind atheism and rejection of the supernatural. I started with Richard Dawkin's "The God Delusion." I found the all the ill-formed arguments that had been rolling about in my own head explained clearly and eloquently along with many new things. I also recommend Carl Sagan's "The Demon Haunted World." On the difference between science and pseudoscience and how to tell the difference. I've heard good things about both books, but haven't read either. I've read a ton of Christian stuff but only a little bit written by skeptics; mostly stuff you can find on various "skeptics" websites you can find around the net. I also found a large e-book attempting to debunk the claims of Christianity, but it was on a website that was set out to prove the supernatural and debunk skeptics (it might have actually been something like debunkingskeptics.com). It's hard for me not to react to websites that try to "counter" what I believe without a feeling of great fear. I also see all of these "debunking the debunkers of the 9/11 Truth Movement" websites and that scares the crap out of me, too. I used to be forehead deep in conspiracy stuff. Christianity and end times conspiracy theories can go very easily hand in hand and I filled myself to the brim with that kind of stuff. Now, I don't believe it and don't want to believe it but the fact that there are people out there who think they have debunked the debunks and are confident in that and can even write up a whole website to showcase them doing it scares the crap out of me, because I can't fathom how they could still be wrong. I know that's not rational, that's just the state I'm in right now when I think about these things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefranden Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Just suppose for a minute that God is the Supreme Deity of the Universe thing. That in itself is not enough? There would still be the people that said....oh, it's just the universe. Seriously. Just suppose for a minute that the Universe is all that exists by itself. Isn't that enough? There would still be the people said... Oh, God did it. Seriously, I'm not kidding, they would! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev R Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 5 is an odd number isn't it? man let me tell you. there was this one time at 6's party...dude that was odd. Then of course there are the antics recorded in 3's tell all book. Happy Late Birthday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Oh wait. 5 is an odd number isn't it? Yes, it's very odd. Just look at the odd way it curves at the bottom, while it is squarish at the top. It's one of those weird numbers, and most definitely oddly shaped. It's like it wants to be an S, but can't make up its mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antlerman Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Oh wait. 5 is an odd number isn't it? Yes, it's very odd. Just look at the odd way it curves at the bottom, while it is squarish at the top. It's one of those weird numbers, and most definitely oddly shaped. It's like it wants to be an S, but can't make up its mind. Yes, that is odd. I knew there was something about that number that just seemed off. Couldn't quite put my finger on it. It's like a broken, or half-flat S. If we were to inflate it with some more air, then it would be even again. So the lesson is, that odd numbers are partially deflated even letters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotBlinded Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I'd also like to say that perhaps the reason I sound so much like a Christian trying to convert is because, unlike most comfortable atheists, I am often left perplexed and bothered by many supposed "proofs" of Christianity and I have a hard time finding rational explanations for them. It's hard to fight these thoughts out of my brain. It's just something I struggle with. I felt like this would be a good website to talk about all of my troubles on. I'm seeking assistance and am not trying to deceive anyone. Then, welcome. I remember feeling pretty much the same way. It's hard...really hard. Stick around and many will help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotBlinded Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Again, if God were God, why be so cheap in selling himself? God wouldn't need tricks and miracles to make people believe, and to resort to them cheapens the whole Supreme Deity of the Universe thing. Seriously. Just suppose for a minute that God is the Supreme Deity of the Universe thing. That in itself is not enough? There would still be the people that said....oh, it's just the universe. Seriously. That's adding another element to the universe...it would still be just the universe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotBlinded Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Oh wait. 5 is an odd number isn't it? Yes, it's very odd. Just look at the odd way it curves at the bottom, while it is squarish at the top. It's one of those weird numbers, and most definitely oddly shaped. It's like it wants to be an S, but can't make up its mind. Yes, that is odd. I knew there was something about that number that just seemed off. Couldn't quite put my finger on it. It's like a broken, or half-flat S. If we were to inflate it with some more air, then it would be even again. So the lesson is, that odd numbers are partially deflated even letters. Great, now I'm going to have to outside and take exactly four steps between the cracks in order to even things up again. I only thought my obsessive-compulsive disorder was under control! 1,2,3,4 crack 1,2,3,4 crack 1,2,3,4...crack 1,2,3 crack...aarrrgghhh, damnit. Now I have to do it 2 more times to make it double even... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelloWorld Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 AITB: I just wanted to say that I understand your paranoia. Just when I think I have risen above it all, I am overcome with these feelings of "what if it is true..." Just last week I was freaking out about the Shroud of Turin. Two weeks before that was the Our Lady of Guadaloupe tilma. Before that Our Ladt of Fatima. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted August 10, 2009 Super Moderator Share Posted August 10, 2009 Just last week I was freaking out about the Shroud of Turin. Two weeks before that was the Our Lady of Guadaloupe tilma. Before that Our Ladt of Fatima. OMFG!!!! Still with the S of T? If you don't want to believe the historians and all that science junk like carbon dating, try this: Coat your face lightly with a colored face cream, then wrap a white cloth around your head. Carefully remove the wrap and look at the image your face made. It will be distorted, because your head isn't a flat surface. It will look as if the skin was removed and stretched out flat. There will be no eyes since your nose and cheeks prevent the cloth from touching the eye sockets. The S of T looks like a painted portrait. As for Our Lady of Whatever, I think some of the Hindu 'miracles' can give those ladies a run for the money. Look into the so-called miracles of other religions. Voodoo? Sheeeit! Catholics don't have a corner on mystical bullshit. Anyone can invent gods and miracles. What they can't invent is hard evidence. Deeply ingrained superstitious fears can be hard to shake, but now you know how to think for yourselves! Trust your rational conclusions. Trust the consensus of scientific investigation. Trust evidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Davka Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 5 is an odd number isn't it? man let me tell you. there was this one time at 6's party...dude that was odd. Then of course there are the antics recorded in 3's tell all book. None of those are really all that odd. I mean, they're whole numbers, easily imaginable. Little kids can understand them. Now, irrational numbers, stuff like the square root of 2? That's pretty damned odd, if you ask me. And don't even get me started on imaginary numbers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 It's just a lot of hyperbola! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmIReallyThatBad Posted August 10, 2009 Author Share Posted August 10, 2009 Just as an aside: Has anyone read up on any of those websites that "debunk" the film "Zeitgeist"? I agree with all of the debunking of the paranoid conspiracy theory stuff, but supposedly these websites also go into great detail debunking the idea that Christianity formed from Pagan religions and that the backbone of Christianity (virgin birth, crucifixion, resurrection, etc.) has been the backbone of many religions prior. Has anyone ever looked into this? Is there a good case for the idea that Christianity is NOT one of many "copy" religions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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