Saw this question on r/atheism today.

[FelixDeCat]

The Flying Spaghetti Monster said it first! Your god copied His Pastafarian Holiness!

Why do you hate the FSM? He wishes only to touch you with His Noodly Appendage so you gain Enlightenment. Why? Why do you not Believe?

Where is this written in any credible historical text that your mockery of religion said anything at all?

 

[LunarRay]

Your stoning is scheduled for Friday at 8:30 am.

Don't be late -- we have a tight schedule, lots and lots of people need to die in order for there to be "justice".

Well.... I ain't showing up! Consider my absence a miracle. I'll be there in spirit though and you can do as you wish with that. As for all the others who'd be lining up to die, I can only say that by accident of birth were they destined to the insanity mankind invokes in the name of religion.

Dam... Religious folks can sure appear to be dangerous to my notion of freedom....

Some folks ran for President and sit in Congress holding the same view as Herr Meowkitty... Maybe the Rose garden IS the garden of Eden and not Missouri.

 

[Phanuel]

And then you shoot me in the back as I walk away, fantastic.

How is atheism ignorant and backward? I focus on asking "why?" instead of deferring to god as the answer.

What else should I be doing? Because I'm not going to turn to your lack of empirical evidence man in the sky for answers to questions. I'm going to go look for answers myself that can be explained and be reliably repeated using evidence upon request.

 

[OCNewbie]

Where is this written in any credible historical text that your mockery of religion said anything at all?

credible? According to whose standards?

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Where is this written in any credible historical text that your mockery of religion said anything at all?

You first.

 

[jackstar7]

Where is this written in any credible historical text that your mockery of religion said anything at all?

That corner you just painted yourself into looks lovely.

Your footprints are going to ruin it. Pity.

 

[LunarRay]

And then you shoot me in the back as I walk away, fantastic.

How is atheism ignorant and backward? I focus on asking "why?" instead of deferring to god as the answer.

What else should I be doing? Because I'm not going to turn to your lack of empirical evidence man in the sky for answers to questions. I'm going to go look for answers myself that can be explained and be reliably repeated using evidence upon request.

'Why' questions tend to imply the notion that the answer is known and the search for the support produces rejection and acceptance consistent with the 'Why'.

'How' questions seem more in line with discovery and acceptance of what is discovered.

How some folks can reject the obvious is beyond me... Why they do is obvious.

 

[Zebo]

I want to say one thing that being religious (IMO) definitely has in its favor: Movies that have a demonic theme to them (Event Horizon is one that stands out in particular for me) are MUCH MUCH scarier if you actually believe that such things/places exist! I bet the Exorcist is so much scarier if you believe what you're witnessing on screen is actually possible (even if not quite to such an exaggerated degree)!

Same with old episodes of Unsolved Mysteries, etc. Back when I was a believer, I remember watching some episode where this demon was supposedly terrorizing this family in their home, and supposedly the demon was female (or one of them was) and the female demon actually raped the father!

Life itself is a lot scarier when you believe things that go bump in the night might actually be demons, or supernatural stuffs.

There is a lot more than that. Religious People live longer and happier in general. Eases mind when total explanation of the universe human rights and rituals is provided. I'm kinda a health freak run 7 miles a day takes vitamin 10 fold what you need so perhaps religion would do me some good. I just can't believe any of it and I've tried believe me.

 

[FelixDeCat]

And then you shoot me in the back as I walk away, fantastic.

How is atheism ignorant and backward? I focus on asking "why?" instead of deferring to god as the answer.

What else should I be doing? Because I'm not going to turn to your lack of empirical evidence man in the sky for answers to questions. I'm going to go look for answers myself that can be explained and be reliably repeated using evidence upon request.

Please, spare me the melodrama. It is ignorant to assume that those who believe in God seek not answers to scientifically observable phenomena and merely think "God did it". God created you and me using the tools he created at his disposal including evolution. Is that dismissing a scientific observation, giving God credit for life? No. And it is ignorant to think otherwise.

 

[FelixDeCat]

There is a lot more than that. Religious People live longer and happier in general. Eases mind when total explanation of the universe human rights and rituals is provided. I'm kinda a health freak run 7 miles a day takes vitamin 10 fold what you need so perhaps religion would do me some good. I just can't believe any of it and I've tried believe me.

You know, just for the heck of it, Ive tried to think like an atheist would. Dismissing everything wonderful that God does as coincidence and whatever else I had to do to see what its like on certain occasions. It was pessimistic, disappointing and frankly....disgusting.

 

[sandorski]

If there was a god, one of the 10 commandments would undoubtedly be, "Thou shalt not trollz the Internetz"

No intelligent all knowing being would not have neglected to address this.

 

[OCNewbie]

It is ignorant to assume that those who believe in God seek not answers to scientifically observable phenomena and merely think "God did it".

It may be ignorant to assume they ALL do that, but it's pretty clear that a great many of them do.

God created you and me using the tools he created at his disposal including evolution. Is that dismissing an scientific observation, giving God credit for life? No. And it is ignorant to think otherwise.

The words in bold, isn't that you saying "God did it"?

 

[Zebo]

You know, just for the heck of it, Ive tried to think like an atheist would. Dismissing everything wonderful that God does as coincidence and whatever else I had to do to see what its like on certain occasions. It was pessimistic, disappointing and frankly....disgusting.

Indeed I would love to know God's got my back no matter what and explains everything I can't explain. Perhaps we are jelly in way explaining some hostility. Don't take it personnel.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

You know, just for the heck of it, Ive tried to think like an atheist would.

I doubt you would know how to do this even if you wanted to.

Have you found a "credible historical text" to substantiate your mythology yet?

 

[OCNewbie]

I doubt you would know how to do this even if you wanted to.

Have you found a "credible historical text" to substantiate your mythology yet?

I'm assuming he'll reference the Bible as that text.

Which brings me to my next curiosity: MeowKat, if you recall, how old were you when you decided to consider the Bible credible, and for what reason(s) did you do so?

 

[FelixDeCat]

Indeed I would love to know God's got my back no matter what and explains everything I can't explain. Perhaps we are jelly in way explaining some hostility. Don't take it personnel.

I did not take it personal. You mentioned your attempt to embrace God and I described my attempts to embrace atheism. We were exchanging experiences.

I know there are lots of things I cant explain such as when my sister and I saw a dead, squashed wasp levitate off the ground before our eyes causing us to both run off in terror. This happened in 1976. Do I think God did that? No. That was an unexplained phenomena that some might even say was a faulty memory held by two separate individuals. Of course, it has to be faulty because dead things do not levitate on their own and we all do not posses any known powers of levitation or psychokinesis.*

*However, there are Saints known to have had the gift of levitation given by God for their deep faith, devotion and prayer:

https://www.google.com/search?q=st+...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

 

[OCNewbie]

*However, there are Saints known to have had the gift of levitation given by God for their deep faith, devotion and prayer:

https://www.google.com/search?q=st+...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Criss Angel and David Blaine are modern day versions of those saints.

Benny Hinn can cure people by touch too, I've seen it on T.V.

 

[FelixDeCat]

I'm assuming he'll reference the Bible as that text.

Which brings me to my next curiosity: MeowKat, if you recall, how old were you when you decided to consider the Bible credible, and for what reason(s) did you do so?

Well, the two books of the Bible have survived thousands of years. That FSM is a modern day invention created by some extremists as a joke. To answer your question I have believed in the credibility of the New Testament as the revelation of God since I was old enough to read it. Having a foundation in faith allowed me to do so. Biblical historians have done much to validate it.

 

[Phanuel]

'Why' questions tend to imply the notion that the answer is known and the search for the support produces rejection and acceptance consistent with the 'Why'.

'How' questions seem more in line with discovery and acceptance of what is discovered.

How some folks can reject the obvious is beyond me... Why they do is obvious.

Whoops, yeah, my bad. How is the more accurate question.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Criss Angel and David Blaine are modern day versions of those saints.

Benny Hinn can cure people by touch too, I've seen it on T.V.

You dont know what a magician is? It is someone who earns money by performing tricks for pay with the understanding that both you and him know its a trick.

You also have televangelists that have abused peoples faith in God by using it for their own glory and income. Jesus did not do that and neither did the apostles or saints. God punishes them by exposing them eventually and bringing them down.

But as far as BH curing people, you have to remember, this authority only comes from God, NOT Benny Hinn. If someone was cured after meeting with him, credit goes to God not Benny Hinn.

 

[LunarRay]

"Let he that has not sinned cast the first stone".

I guess we'd be just sittin' thar holding em'...:hmm:

Rob,
Does your comment mean that under God no one can punish another? It seems that all people sin and do so all the time...

That would leave Moonbeam able to harass mankind with impunity. Well... maybe he's the only stone thrower on earth.... hmmmm

 

[OCNewbie]

You dont know what a magician is? It is someone who earns money by performing tricks for pay with the understanding that both you and him know its a trick.

What happens when a "magician" claims he is a saint, and does so hundreds and hundreds of years ago when people are more inclined to believe such things and not be so skeptical?

 

[FelixDeCat]

What happens when a "magician" claims he is a saint, and does so hundreds and hundreds of years ago when people are more inclined to believe such things and not be so skeptical?

There were people who practiced sorcery and witchcraft during the time of the Bible. If they claimed to speak for God but were not of God (not one of the Apostles) they were eventually exposed. I think there is a few references to this in the Acts of Apostles in The Testament:

In the Acts of the Apostles, Paul and Barnabas encountered a false prophet named Elymas Bar-Jesus on the island of Cyprus.
"They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar‑Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.

Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 'You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun.' "Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord" (Acts of the Apostles , NIV).

 

[Retro Rob]

Rob,
Does your comment mean that under God no one can punish another? It seems that all people sin and do so all the time...

That would leave Moonbeam able to harass mankind with impunity. Well... maybe he's the only stone thrower on earth.... hmmmm

Simply put: Stop judging others - only God judges.

 

[LunarRay]

What happens when a "magician" claims he is a saint, and does so hundreds and hundreds of years ago when people are more inclined to believe such things and not be so skeptical?

Would a God find it necessary to convey this healing through a human?

Is 'Speaking in Tongues' another indication of the man induced limits of God in dealing with humans?

IF God does use humans to convey his Godness to humans then surely he'd use Youtube to broaden his message... Or interupt this program to bring this important message from God... or something like that...

The 'how' he could do it is easy... the 'why' he wouldn't is a mystery....