Why?

I guess I'm an atheist as I don't believe in any god.  Yet I do believe in the supernatural.  I think there is an afterlife, but it's what we believe will happen while alive.  For instance, if a christian who believes they've adhered to the bible and god's will, they will go to "heaven", or basically their consciousness will create a version of heaven for them to exist in.  An atheist who believes we are worm food will cease to exist only so much that they shut down all external and internal stimuli and basically rot for eternity.

urrrrgghh stop being so Romantic. I high doubt anything will happen, I mean do you remember what you were doing before you were born? Exactly, so why do you think anything will happen afterwards?

urrrrgghh stop being so Romantic. I high doubt anything will happen, I mean do you remember what you were doing before you were born? Exactly, so why do you think anything will happen afterwards?

I don't remember what I was doing when I was 5, but I'm pretty confident that I Was there.

I guess I'm an atheist as I don't believe in any god.  Yet I do believe in the supernatural.  I think there is an afterlife, but it's what we believe will happen while alive.  For instance, if a christian who believes they've adhered to the bible and god's will, they will go to "heaven", or basically their consciousness will create a version of heaven for them to exist in.  An atheist who believes we are worm food will cease to exist only so much that they shut down all external and internal stimuli and basically rot for eternity.

Waht about those that have no clear belief on the afterlife?

I think there is an afterlife, but it's what we believe will happen while alive.

I think this is the worldview I hate the most. It is completely illogical by any stretch of thought and has nothing at all behind it other then wishful thinking. Why would believe in an infinite amount of possible afterlives with unlimited possible experiences that you have never observed if you will not believe in one supernatural unobserved entity?

Quote from: WardoggKC130FE on September 02, 2008, 06:59:31 PM

Your right.  Maybe I should rethink my life and pick to worship something I can see.  Like alcohol.  Thanx Henessyman.  You just sent my wife to the hospital.

Well, wardogg, let me put it this way... If I could be sure that it was alcohol answering all my prayers, penning my holy books, and keeping me a master plan, I would consider worshiping it, even if it sent my wife to the hospital. (As if belief in God is without its damages!) As it stands though, I have no real way to tell that it is a Godly force holding anything together, and I should add that the fact that you have not produced any good reason for believing that such a force, if it does indeed exist, is any supreme god let alone your supreme god, is very telling. Now, don't misunderstand me, I'm not trying to be indignant, I'm merely trying to sort out why it is that you believe what you believe. After all, why put your faith in the screw you have no reason to believe exists, rather than the one you clearly can?

Explain to me why I have to justify my beliefs to you? But for the sake of argument here goes.  I believe there is a God because, lets say the earth is 4.5 billion years old(which is the common secular view).  Your pitiful life is approx 80 years.  80 YEARS!  How small and insignificant is that in comparison to the whole.  Don't you think there is more to life than living 80 years and then becoming worm food?  And if that is it, it seems such a waste.  I think religion give people purpose, guidance, and comfort in knowing that this isn't it.  There is something out there bigger than you or me.  Something watching and helping us along the way.  That my life wasn't started by some accident in some small volcanic super heated pool billions of years ago, and that when it ends Im not just filling some space on some small meadow for no other reason than that's what your supposed to do when you die.  If you don't want to believe it that's fine.  No one says you have to(well at least not here).  It kills me to see people time and time again come on here and ridicule or tear down religions, when for the most part they are ignorant to what it is, means, and stands for.  Granted I also believe that there is only one true way to get to heaven when you die.  But I am not out there shouting all the muslims and buddhists are going to hell.  And that they are stupid or that atheists are stupid.  Which is what I have been called on this board.  That's fine though.  Persecution is part of it.  Has been since the beginning.  Your last question in your post has me confused.  What can I see that I am supposed to be putting my faith into?

First of all, that is it. It's small and insignificant, and so are we. Atheism brings the realisation that we have one, pathetically short life, then we die, and all of our knowledge, our memories, our feelings, our personalities and everything that makes us us disappears, and all we become is a lifeless corpse like any other. That's why it's so important to spread it around. Imagine if Socrates or Hawking or Einstein thought these thoughts then died without telling anyone. Lives wasted. The only way any part of us can exist forever is to really make a mark on society.

First of all, that is it. It's small and insignificant, and so are we. Atheism brings the realisation that we have one, pathetically short life, then we die, and all of our knowledge, our memories, our feelings, our personalities and everything that makes us us disappears, and all we become is a lifeless corpse like any other. That's why it's so important to spread it around. Imagine if Socrates or Hawking or Einstein thought these thoughts then died without telling anyone. Lives wasted. The only way any part of us can exist forever is to really make a mark on society.

Man, its no wonder they make anti-depressant drugs.  I would be depressed to if I thought that.

It's not depressing. It means we only have one chance, so we shouldn't waste our lives away not doing anything in case it's a sin, we should just do something to improve the world! It'd be more depressing if we just quietly and sinlessly lived our lives to die and there be no heaven to reward us.

It's not depressing. It means we only have one chance, so we shouldn't waste our lives away not doing anything in case it's a sin, we should just do something to improve the world! It'd be more depressing if we just quietly and sinlessly lived our lives to die and there be no heaven to reward us.

Impossible.  You CANNOT live a life sinlessly.  I don't care who or how religious you are.  See I get the best of both worlds.

You're missing the point.

No I don't think I am.

Trust me, you are.

It's not depressing. It means we only have one chance, so we shouldn't waste our lives away not doing anything in case it's a sin, we should just do something to improve the world! It'd be more depressing if we just quietly and sinlessly lived our lives to die and there be no heaven to reward us.

Trust me, you are.

Tell me, what am I missing out on being religious that you are not?

Murdering people?

Quote from: GravitySlave on September 03, 2008, 12:11:45 AM

I guess I'm an atheist as I don't believe in any god.  Yet I do believe in the supernatural.  I think there is an afterlife, but it's what we believe will happen while alive.  For instance, if a christian who believes they've adhered to the bible and god's will, they will go to "heaven", or basically their consciousness will create a version of heaven for them to exist in.  An atheist who believes we are worm food will cease to exist only so much that they shut down all external and internal stimuli and basically rot for eternity.

Waht about those that have no clear belief on the afterlife?

Purgatory.

Quote from: GravitySlave on September 03, 2008, 12:11:45 AM

I think there is an afterlife, but it's what we believe will happen while alive.

I think this is the worldview I hate the most. It is completely illogical by any stretch of thought and has nothing at all behind it other then wishful thinking. Why would believe in an infinite amount of possible afterlives with unlimited possible experiences that you have never observed if you will not believe in one supernatural unobserved entity?

Ah yes, faith in anything has to be logical doesn't it?

Tell me, what am I missing out on being religious that you are not?

Lots of fallacies and a nice childish imagination.

Tell me, what am I missing out on being religious that you are not?

The problem is when you wake up one day and realized you wasted a good part of your life following ridiculous rules such as not eating meat on Fridays or not shaving your beard. All those mornings you wasted in church were canoe trips, hikes, and rock climbing expeditions for me.

Oops total fail.

Im not catholic, which means I especially eat meat on Fridays.  I have to shave my beard because the military says so.  The Sunday before last I went fishing with my daughter and heres a pic of me 1600ft above Oahu.  I can't remember when this hike was.  Definitely on a weekend, possibly a Sunday as well.

Try again.

*Edit*

[pic removed, it has served its purpose]

i wish someone would push you off that cliff in the name of logic

Jealous much? 


You're just mad because I wouldn't send you a picture of my penis.  It's ok dude.  One day you will find that special dick to get shoved up your ass. 

it's alright, if your cock is bigger then 10 inches it hurt and damages woman so good luck never having sex again

it's alright, if your cock is bigger then 10 inches it hurt and damages woman so good luck never having sex again

Uhh..I think that was a win for me.   

what about? You never having sex again? I suppose it is, then you can have kids NOW THATS A RELIEF!!!

USER RECEIVED TWO-DAY PARTIAL BAN FOR THIS AND ABOVE POSTS

what about? You never having sex again? I suppose it is, then you can have kids NOW THATS A RELIEF!!!

Yup your exactly right there. Can, and did X3.  Hopefully they are beating on your retarded children in the schoolyard as we speak.


BTW can we ban this stupid fuck yet?  I think he has totally ruined a perfectly good conversation here.  Either that or someone call Guessed to run him off.

Oops total fail.

Im not catholic, which means I especially eat meat on Fridays.  I have to shave my beard because the military says so.  The Sunday before last I went fishing with my daughter and heres a pic of me 1600ft above Oahu.  I can't remember when this hike was.  Definitely on a weekend, possibly a Sunday as well.

Try again.

Well, I meant "you" as related to a generic religious person, not you the individual. I wouldn't know what outlandish rituals you adhere to without your first telling me, as there's a stunning variety across the major religions. If you're part of an organized religion, you are generally made to follow rules, and those rules curtail your freedom and your time. That's the downside I was talking about.

What the fuck happened to this thread?

Quote from: WardoggKC130FE on September 03, 2008, 09:59:24 AM

Oops total fail.

Im not catholic, which means I especially eat meat on Fridays.  I have to shave my beard because the military says so.  The Sunday before last I went fishing with my daughter and heres a pic of me 1600ft above Oahu.  I can't remember when this hike was.  Definitely on a weekend, possibly a Sunday as well.

Try again.

Well, I meant "you" as related to a generic religious person, not you the individual. I wouldn't know what outlandish rituals you adhere to without your first telling me, as there's a stunning variety across the major religions. If you're part of an organized religion, you are generally made to follow rules, and those rules curtail your freedom and your time. That's the downside I was talking about.

But don't you see.  That's where religion has gotten such a bad rap.  I am telling you according to Christianity, and Im talking the kind that more and more churches are coming to see, is that those rules and rituals don't mean a fucking thing.  They are not what gets you to heaven.  Unless you can specifically tell me one thing that you can do that I can't and still not make it to heaven, then you fail.

*PREACHING FOLLOWS*  If you don't want to be preached to don't read.  The reason for it is to explain my beliefs.


There is a saying that I believe in, in regards to my Christianity.  "You don't have to get cleaned up, to take a bath."  People say all the time, you have to quit cursing, and quit drinking and quit smoking and blah blah blah.  I say bullshit.  God loves you no matter who you are or what you do or have done.  That's why Christians believe He sent his son down to Earth to die for our sins.  Pretty cool huh?  And all he asked in return is for you to believe.  Truly believe.


So I figure it this way.  I get to do the same stuff everybody else does.  And when I die if there is something after I win, If not, I win.  The problem is for those that don't believe, if there is something after its not a win/win.  

What the fuck happened to this thread?

You're expecting logical reasons for why certain people belong to certain religions?

Quote from: Oscar Wilde on September 03, 2008, 10:22:00 AM

What the fuck happened to this thread?

You're expecting logical reasons for why certain people belong to certain religions?

No, I was expecting penis pictures dammit!

But don't you see.  That's where religion has gotten such a bad rap.  I am telling you according to Christianity, and Im talking the kind that more and more churches are coming to see, is that those rules and rituals don't mean a fucking thing.  They are not what gets you to heaven.  Unless you can specifically tell me one thing that you can do that I can't and still not make it to heaven, then you fail.

*PREACHING FOLLOWS*  If you don't want to be preached to don't read.  The reason for it is to explain my beliefs.


There is a saying that I believe in, in regards to my Christianity.  "You don't have to get cleaned up, to take a bath."  People say all the time, you have to quit cursing, and quit drinking and quit smoking and blah blah blah.  I say bullshit.  God loves you no matter who you are or what you do or have done.  That's why Christians believe He sent his son down to Earth to die for our sins.  Pretty cool huh?  And all he asked in return is for you to believe.  Truly believe.

So ethics have nothing to do with religion? Hedonism may reign so long as you "believe" in God?

So I figure it this way.  I get to do the same stuff everybody else does.  And when I die if there is something after I win, If not, I win.  The problem is for those that don't believe, if there is something after its not a win/win.  

This is known as Pascal's Wager and it is an extreme example of intellectual dishonesty and moral cowardice. I recommend that you do not use it in serious debate.