Microbe: //your venom poisons only you

And like so common on the interwebnet your sweeping generalizations make you look like a tool.

I am happy. I am moral. I am not a deist or theist or atheist. You're just as full of venom as those posting overtly and thats why you hate it so much. We always hate the flaws we see in others that we know we possess in outselves.

St. Apatheism:

Perhaps you would like to explain this, and where this "capital A" distinction comes from.

Well not to link to wiki agian (one source for everything, can you blame me?) but here ya go.

Under the heading "Types of Atheism."



I don't see it, or anything that would refute the practical distinction between atheism and Xtians as non-religious vs religious. What part of your link proves your point, and makes the "capital A" distinction?

oops, sorry motherbuster...you beat me to it...but imitation IS the highest form of redemption...or is it flattery???

Weak atheism is lower case atheism, Strong atheism is capitol letter Atheism. In that context Atheism is a religion because it requires faith that the human mind can determine if God exists or not. Which is foolish and if you cannot see why then we'll have to simply agree to dissagree.

St. Apatheism

I am happy. I am moral. I am not a deist or theist or atheist.

Hey, you have nothing to prove to me. I am only making an observation. Interesting that you chose to respond personally though.

I can feel the happiness traveling across the space between us.

Thank you.

lordjupiter

To you. Citing "God is God" as proof for the unprovable and ignoring the context of Biblical writing is narrow-minded to me.

Other people believing the tribulation would come sooner than it is not me "ignoring the context of Biblical writing." The people who have decided that they knew when the end of the world is coming are the ones who have made assumptions about Scripture when God himself never gave a particular time or date of when the world was going to end. I am quite familiar with Scripture. When I said "That's why God is God and I'm not," I was saying that there are many things in the Bible that even the most intelligent and well-read Christians do not completely understand. I feel there is a reason for that.

religion Audio pronunciation of "Religion" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (r-ljn)
n.

1.
1. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
2. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
2. The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
3. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.


Someone please tell me what A/atheism worships. I would love to know from one of you farkers calling this a religion. Thanks.

"it requires faith that the human mind can determine if God exists or not."

Wow. I agree. Well put.

"Which is foolish"

As foolish as beliving there's a god in the first place? So it's foolish to declare there is NO god, yet not foolish to declare that there is one?

St. Apatheism:

Weak atheism is lower case atheism, Strong atheism is capitol letter Atheism. In that context Atheism is a religion because it requires faith that the human mind can determine if God exists or not. Which is foolish and if you cannot see why then we'll have to simply agree to dissagree.

So this "capital A" thing is something you made up?

I'm closer to agnostic than atheist, so I would say that strong atheism (if we accept the term for sake of discussion) is indeed probably, PROBABLY foolish in terms of hedging one's bets, but it is NOT a form of faith as you claim.

All beliefs are not based on faith in a religious sense. The tendency to do so among Creationists ("Intelligent Design" as the flowery, pseudoscientific term goes) is intellectually dishonest and inapt.

Lack of belief in god(s) and lack of evidence to disavow that lack of belief is NOT a form of religious faith. It's merely a belief that's held based on observable reality. Relgious, theistic faith is DEFINED by adherance to belief in one's system even in the face of evidence to the contrary. Atheism has no such "faith".

Atheism is NOT a religion. Period.

Just so we get this straight, atheism is certainly not a religion, its a philosophy. Darwinism is not a religion either, it is a broadly accepted scientific theory.

Microbe:

Hey, you have nothing to prove to me. I am only making an observation. Interesting that you chose to respond personally though.

Anytime, joe.

meshman:

As foolish as beliving there's a god in the first place? So it's foolish to declare there is NO god, yet not foolish to declare that there is one?

Assumption will kill you.

yeahthatsright:

Someone please tell me what A/atheism worships. I would love to know from one of you farkers calling this a religion. Thanks.

See above quote of me by meshman. Its worship of ones self as a God, Atheism that is.

St. Apatheism: Its worship of ones self as a God, Atheism that is.

Just to clarify, you have to be a God to be able to determine if God exists or not.

yeahthatsright:

Someone please tell me what A/atheism worships. I would love to know from one of you farkers calling this a religion. Thanks.



They're trying to say that "capital Atheism" worships its own disbelief, which is false. There is no "blind faith" in the face of contrary evidence.

If God were to show himself to us all, there would be no more atheists. If someone proved scientifically that the Bible was written by Martians to manipulate us, millions of people would deny it and STILL believe the dogma they were taught.

Therein lies the main difference.

This guy has a Jesus complex, or, he's really, really sorry for all the crappy music he foisted upon unsuspecting youth.

"You know when you get angry and it builds up? I felt like hurting someone before, now I feel like hugging people."

This guy is a creep and a fanatic that can't recognize the reasons for his "anger", so propping a big ole cruch underneath his armpit is going to make it all better. Better to be angry than brainwashed.

St. Apatheism

Its worship of ones self as a God, Atheism that is.


I agree with you. Everyone worships something, be it God, themselves, money, etc. Well put.

lordjupiter: If God were to show himself to us all, there would be no more atheists.

And what proof could God offer of his existance that a god could also not also accomplish?

BearToy

But Jesus wasn't an Arab. He also thought wearing a towel on his head was the ghey.

St. Apatheism:

lordjupiter: If God were to show himself to us all, there would be no more atheists.

And what proof could God offer of his existance that a god could also not also accomplish?



What?

crawlspace
Ahh. Another religion thread greenlit. Another excuse for the 20-something dough-headed neo-commie zealot goth-drama-fags to crawl out of the woodwork and post their dopey opinions. Fark never disappoints. Religion is the opiate of the masses, right fellas? Fellas?

I always thought that opium was the opiate of the masses.

He probably converted to Christianity because his wife is Christian and his little girl believed in Jesus too and he saw how retarded his life was religiously promoting Korny principles when he could be using his gifts to promote more positive principles like peace, love, and joy.

But, some people find focus on the faults in everything and never devote their life to anything positive - they're devoted to Cynicism and they like it that way - they actually think their self-serving Cynicism is a gift to the world. Oh well, I suppose it's easier to sit and judge than stand and walk.

Thankfully it's a free country. Hopefully neither side of the religion vs. anti-religion wins. Balance is good.

In a finite universe what power could God show a mortal that a god could not also show?


C'mon use that thing in your skull.

St.Apatheism

I'm not going to refer to a dictionary again as a quote, I will just tell you that I found absolutely nothing about atheists referring to themselves as gods. Also, I know a couple myself that would tell anyone that their lack of belief is just a lack of belief. In atheism, it could be considered by that particualr atheist that for all that they know, they are god. However, lumping all of them into the category from personal definition is a little excessive, don't you think?

Assumption will kill you.

arrowtouch: Balance is good.

Word to your mother.

ttrafford: I always thought that opium was the opiate of the masses.

Religion is the opiate. Television is the pipe. Fear is the flame.

lordjupiter

I'm off to lunch. It was good talking to you, and actually engaging in an intelligent debate with someone on Fark. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, even if we do disagree.

As foolish as beliving there's a god in the first place? So it's foolish to declare there is NO god, yet not foolish to declare that there is one?

"Assumption will kill you."

So will heavy drinking. What's your point?

"In a finite universe"

How do you know the universe is finite?

yeahthatsright:

However, lumping all of them into the category from personal definition is a little excessive, don't you think?

Reading comprehension much?

Now granted I've been a bit confusing so I'll make it as simple as possable.

Weak athiesm is a philosophical idea. Strong atheism is a religion of self worship. Thats it. End of statement. End of point. Anything else is something you've read into on your own behalf.

kendi823:

lordjupiter

I'm off to lunch. It was good talking to you, and actually engaging in an intelligent debate with someone on Fark. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, even if we do disagree.



Same to you. I have no problem with religious people as long as it enriches their lives and as long as they don't interfere with the lives of others based on their own dogma.

I have my own beliefs about things, but the main one is that I'm not God, and nobody can say for sure what the real answers are, so all I can do is defend my right to live the way I see fit.

meshman: How do you know the universe is finite?

Because if it isn't then somewhere out there there's an infinite number of me doing an infinite number of things and all reality has no meaning and I might as well kill myself and so should you.

Is it foolish to declare "There are no pink unicorns playing frizbee in Texas?"

But... but... I have no PROOF that there AREN'T any! I also have no proof that the universe wasn't actually sneezed out of the nose of a being called the Great Green Arkleseizure, and that we're all just waiting for the Coming of the Great White Handkerchief.

But by christian logic, all of these have basis, as does the existence of their god, and have the same strength in reality, because I don't have PROOF of their NON-existance.

Yea, these people have a grasp of reality.

Atheism itself is just an umbrella term really, philosophy and theology don't really see things in term of theism v. atheism. What's MORE important is how one understands truth.

Quick example: Neither an existentialist nor a modernist really believe in the traditional concept of God. You put them both together though and you'd be hard pressed for them to agree on AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANYTHING else. I'd suspect most of the atheists on Fark are of the modernist persuasion.

St. Apatheism:

Weak athiesm is a philosophical idea. Strong atheism is a religion of self worship. Thats it. End of statement. End of point. Anything else is something you've read into on your own behalf.



Why is "strong atheism" a religion of self-worship? Please explain how you conclusively extrapolate this from the data available.

St.Apatheism

Sir, I will say it again.

By your own definition.

That's all. It's been enlightening. Thanks.

meshman: So will heavy drinking. What's your point?

I'm an apatheist. That's my point, why are you assuming that i'm for one side or another.

St. Apatheism,
"Strong atheism is a religion of self worship." Wrong, that's Satanism as acutally taught by Satanists.

Strong atheism is an assertion based on a complete lack of tangible evidence. See last post.

St. Apatheism
meshman: How do you know the universe is finite?

Because if it isn't then somewhere out there there's an infinite number of me doing an infinite number of things and all reality has no meaning and I might as well kill myself and so should you.

That assumes an infinite amount of mass.

"Because if it isn't then somewhere out there there's an infinite number of me doing an infinite number of things and all reality has no meaning and I might as well kill myself and so should you."

You cannot comprehend infinity. Unless you have some proof of the above?

lordjupiter: Please explain how you conclusively extrapolate this from the data available.

Round and round the merry-goes-round...


Man is no God. If no God no know God God or not God. Man who think he God is crazy. Man who think he God must think he best.

Maybe i'm not understanding what you're not understanding. But I don't see what the confusion is stemming from, because either all reality is pointless or you cannot prove the existance or absence of God. Who cares if you can prove or disprove God if reality has no meaning? And if you cant prove or disprove God in a reality that does have meaning then who should care about God?

I'm gunna leave it at that, because I just realized i'm being trolled, unwittingly or no.

People just have to jump on the guy who is neutral, makes them feel like they are accomplishing something. I guess since atheists and christians go round and round so often they need some way to pretend they're making progress.

St. Apatheism,
What's wrong with reality not having any meaning? Give it meaning. You have an awareness, you have senses, faulty though they may be, in essence, since you are the creator of any meaning your life has, you are, in essence, god. At least of your universe.

plz ignore dbl- "in essence"

St. Apatheism,
"I guess since atheists and christians go round and round so often they need some way to pretend they're making progress."

No we don't, a lot of us simply enjoy attacking theists out of spite.

Sing it: "I look like Jesus, so they say...."

/obscure TMBG reference

St. Apatheism
Who cares if you can prove or disprove God if reality has no meaning? And if you cant prove or disprove God in a reality that does have meaning then who should care about God?

Eh. *shrug*

Also, this country is not currently being run by Islamic fundamentalists, but it IS being run by the faceman for the Xtian Religious Right. That makes Xtianity an issue.


I read the transcripts of Pres. Bushs's supposedly off the record thoughts and I was very surprised. He truly believes in what he is doing and what you see is what you get. Like him or not you are seeing the real person. Nor is he a tool of any religious organization. He has some scathing things to say about some organizations. He has his own opinions and is the tool of no one. I was very impressed and I suppose that is why you do not hear about the tapes anymore. No revelations. Just the George W. Bush we have had for the last 5 years. I find that comforting and I guarantee you that other world leaders like that because in negotiations you have some idea where he stands. Even on a global scale relations between nations still need a level of trust. One of the reasons Reagan was so good was because the Soviets knew he believed what he spoke and his positions would reflect it. Character is important folks.

St. Apatheism:

Man is no God. If no God no know God God or not God. Man who think he God is crazy. Man who think he God must think he best.

Maybe i'm not understanding what you're not understanding. But I don't see what the confusion is stemming from, because either all reality is pointless or you cannot prove the existance or absence of God. Who cares if you can prove or disprove God if reality has no meaning? And if you cant prove or disprove God in a reality that does have meaning then who should care about God?


I don't think you understand the definition of atheism, or it's root, or it's application. It means "no gods", not "I'm god".

You presume that a god must exist in a belief system, but that's not the case. Atheism, by definition, has no god. Only a theist could consider atheism a religion with man as god, because only a theist believes in god. An atheist does NOT.

Again, see my previous posts regarding the scientific root of disbelief vs the persistence of religious belief.

Life is not pointless without deity. It may seem scary to those who are used to the crutch of dogma, but it isn't pointless. Life for its own sake is not bereft of morality or value.

Choices always were a problem for you.
What you need is someone strong to guide you.
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow,
what you need is someone strong to use you...
like me,
like me.

If you want to get your soul to heaven,
trust in me.
Don't judge or question.
You are broken now,
but faith can heal you.
Just do everything I tell you to do.
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow.
Let me lay my holy hand upon you.

My God's will
becomes me.
When he speaks out,
he speaks through me.
He has needs
like I do.
We both want
to rape you.

Jesus Christ, why don't you come save my life.
Open my eyes and blind me with your light
and your lies.

SophT:

I'm surprised this didn't make it until Tuesday, it was in our paper like Sunday or Saturday

I submitted this *LAST WEEK* with a better headline. I am now officially tired of Fark. Goodbye.

"I'm gunna leave it at that, because I just realized i'm being trolled, unwittingly or no."

Not me. You're stating 'facts' and I'm asking for evidence. You claim the universe is finite but have nothing but speculation to back up that claim. You apparently understand the nature of infinity. Wow, that's a big one, you'll have to tells us all the exact nature of the universe since you apparently know it. I enter these threads with one request; If you're going to state it like fact then prove it or STFU. You've done nothing but speculate and give some of the most confusing responses I've ever seen. And YOU point the trolling finger?