Ouroboros Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 Christmas is coming, and we will be assailed by stories of the wonder of believing in Santa Claus. These stories never include the ending: the child discovers that all this believing was false, for there is no Santa. Why does our society consider this wonderful? Why do we consider it good to accept claims without proof, to be convinced of the existence of creatures we cannot verify? Santa, elves, Jesus, Allah, Krishna, Big Foot. Because they're reflections of ourselves. Santa, Jesus are images of the "perfect" father or brother etc. Elves the willing and trustworthy workers. Myths tells us about who we are, and what we want to be (Jesus), or what we don't want to be (Devil). Our deep internal wishes comes out as stories, to make us feel good, and to have things to strive for. If we remove that need, we won't have religion, movies, books, cartoons or fairytales. Basically, we would remove the right brain completely from our existence, and become mechanoids or zoombies. We need imagination for science. We wouldn't have airplanes, submarines, boats, rubberbands, computers, pens, cars, soda bottles or DVDs unless someone, at some point, had an imaginative mind. Unfortunately religion is the flipside of the coin of imagination. (Not general faith or belief, but structured, and organized religion). It creates a power structure, that resembles politics more than innocent belief. It's the religious power groups that are dangerous, not individual faith. IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saviourmachine Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 I noticed that the majority of this site community is Atheist. Next, would be Pagan and Agnostic, the rest would be other. I'm a Celtic Buddhist and I was curious if the majority of the atheist community dislikes either (can use more than one answer) 1. Christian belief. 2. Evengelical faiths period. 3. The way the christians treat themselves and others. 4. Anyone with an Supernatural belief. I'm just curious If some of you dislike other faiths just because they believe in something, or if any of you have religious contempts against anyone belief. And please be completely honest. I must admit I find myself disliking All monotheistic faiths and the majority of western organized religion. But I think that just stims from my contempt for Xtians. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm often calling me agnostic. But I consider myself atheistic too (in the lack-of-belief sense). Any belief in the biblical sense of "believing without evidence" I abhor. I don't consider xians, nor evangelicans, as in anyway different than other people on other grounds than their belief. I abhor "deus ab machina" quests, because they're so often obvious biased. I abhor people who don't know to say: I don't know. Lack of evidence for natural explanations is not evidence of lack of natural explanations. I abhor people who don't know stochastics. It would be extremely improbable not to experience something extremely improbable once in a lifetime. I dislike the incompetence of most beliefs to go along with humour, tasty sex, drugs, etcetera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kryten Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 ... Welcome GoD. BTW, Where have you been? People are saying a lot of very bad things about you-- mostly in a slanderous work called "The Bible". You better read it and then work to clear your name... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brick Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 The whole idea just annoys me. We're clever and learned enough to find REAL answers to our questions instead of supersticious butt-scratching. That is what faith requires, what religion requires; turn off the brain and turn on the fear response. If I could push a button and obliterate this impulse in us to gravitate toward hokus pokus, I would without a second's hesitation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MQTA Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 posts 20 and 24, ditto, couldn't say any more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quicksand Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 Question to literal Exchristian Atheists, What Now? What the hell is a literal Exchristian Atheist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnosis of Disbelief Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 Welcome GoD. BTW, Where have you been? People are saying a lot of very bad things about you-- mostly in a slanderous work called "The Bible". You better read it and then work to clear your name... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I was wondering when someone would figure out why I chose my "handle". Now you can say you were talking to GoD and really mean it. I've been really busy lately....I come in here when I can, but some days, all I can do is be a spectator. Fundy smackdown can be an entertaining spectator sport, though! BTW, I love Red Dwarf. (I assume that's where you got your handle.) Great show, wish they were making more of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kryten Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 I was wondering when someone would figure out why I chose my "handle".Now you can say you were talking to GoD and really mean it. I've been really busy lately....I come in here when I can, but some days, all I can do is be a spectator. Fundy smackdown can be an entertaining spectator sport, though! BTW, I love Red Dwarf. (I assume that's where you got your handle.) Great show, wish they were making more of it. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Red Dwarf is indeed where I derived my handle!! I relate to how Kryten was able to break his programming and free himself. Plus the way he feeds directives back to Rimmer when he tries to use them. I also think he's the funniest of the group. The first thing I noticed about your name was the GoD acronym, and I thought it was great! Welcome and keep posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnosis of Disbelief Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 Red Dwarf is indeed where I derived my handle!! I relate to how Kryten was able to break his programming and free himself. Plus the way he feeds directives back to Rimmer when he tries to use them. I also think he's the funniest of the group. The first thing I noticed about your name was the GoD acronym, and I thought it was great! Welcome and keep posting! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'll never forget what Kryten did at the holographic Little Women dinner party, either. The Brits have a way of taking sci fi in new, unexpected directions, don't they? Anyway, thanks for the welcome.....I'm sure we'll be talking here in the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 BTW, I love Red Dwarf. (I assume that's where you got your handle.)Great show, wish they were making more of it. Didn't the last episode said "The End", and then "The Smeg it is!" or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 Red Dwarf is indeed where I derived my handle!! I relate to how Kryten was able to break his programming and free himself. Plus the way he feeds directives back to Rimmer when he tries to use them. I also think he's the funniest of the group. "Smeee.. Heeee..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy-tiger Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 I'll never forget what Kryten did at the holographic Little Women dinner party,either. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> "Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear, I said: Supper is ready!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kryten Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 Red Dwarf (The Movie) is apparently close to coming out. I will patiently await it's release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 Red Dwarf (The Movie) is apparently close to coming out. I will patiently await it's release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnosis of Disbelief Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ^ I second the sentiment. This movie has been a long time in coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddhistCommunist Posted October 14, 2005 Author Share Posted October 14, 2005 What the hell is a literal Exchristian Atheist? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What I meant by that was, an actual Atheist not agnostic or anyone with a particular spiritual belief. And thank you all for the responses. I have great respect for anyone thats an Atheist. A person who doesn't care if lifes obsolete and just lives it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clergicide Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 I noticed that the majority of this site community is Atheist. Next, would be Pagan and Agnostic, the rest would be other. I'm a Celtic Buddhist and I was curious if the majority of the atheist community dislikes either (can use more than one answer) 1. Christian belief. 2. Evangelical faiths period. 3. The way the Christians treat themselves and others. 4. Anyone with an Supernatural belief. I'm just curious If some of you dislike other faiths just because they believe in something, or if any of you have religious contempt against anyone belief. And please be completely honest. I must admit I find myself disliking All monotheistic faiths and the majority of western organized religion. But I think that just stems from my contempt for Xtians. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well I'm closer to atheist than agnostic, but I don't want to get caught in that pitfall of claiming to know the unknowable. 1. Christian belief = Judeo-Christian belief. I fucking hate monotheism. That first commandment is what has caused the entire problem. That coupled with notion of 'God's Chosen People' has proven to be a lethally toxic combination of beliefs. There can be no harmony as longs these are the tenets of any religion. 2. Evangelicals..piss me off too. Not just because they spread this disease of a religion, mind you. But because they've found ways to bilk the terminally squash-minded out of fortunes on a mass scale. "Send us money, we need new radio towers to spread the WORD!" etc. Coupled with claiming to raise money for truly humanitarian efforts, and turning around and spending the money on bibles, bible tracts, etc to prostelyze to starving, undereducated, impoverished peoples..especially in disaster areas. 3. You mean how they try to exercise control over the lives of everyone around them. Yah, they’re bunch of fucking obnoxious busy-bodies. I try to feel bad that they would willingly select servitude over living life to the fullest, but what really bothers me is that they refuse to keep that shit to themselves. Waste your life, just stop convincing other people to as well. 4. If they have a tolerant belief structure, then whatever, do what you gotta do. I don’t mind Hinduism for that reason, they can at least function in a world of science and cooperate with others of different beliefs. And they aren’t interested in converts!! That’s a big one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quicksand Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 What I meant by that was, an actual Atheist not agnostic or anyone with a particular spiritual belief. And thank you all for the responses. I have great respect for anyone thats an Atheist. A person who doesn't care if lifes obsolete and just lives it. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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