The Atheist Delusion

kstu

Golden Member
Feb 23, 2004
1,544
31
91
it says so right there on page one of the book god himself says he wrote... CHECKMATE :laugh:
 

DaShen

Lifer
Dec 1, 2000
10,710
1
0
:roll: :laugh:

Seriously. Even St. Augustine warned Christians to not try to figure out the Genesis story and to view it as a depiction of our relationship with G-d. People are too serious about taking things literally even when the truth is painfully staring them in the face.
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,612
3,834
126
"I am 100% sure God exists"

Oh...well...when you put it that way you do have a point....
 

DaShen

Lifer
Dec 1, 2000
10,710
1
0
Originally posted by: glenn beck
I have this strange feeling guy was making fun of Christians

Look at the end. Inspired by Richard Dawkins. Of course he is making fun of Christians.

But I find that both camps. the ultra-conservative Christians (ignorant) and the religious-hating Atheists (ignorant) are both hilarious in their illogical thinking.

People more middle of the road understand much more. Agnostics are just skeptical about everything, but they are logical. When it boils down to it, every core belief really takes faith.
 

mercanucaribe

Banned
Oct 20, 2004
9,763
1
0
Originally posted by: DaShen
Originally posted by: glenn beck
I have this strange feeling guy was making fun of Christians

Look at the end. Inspired by Richard Dawkins. Of course he is making fun of Christians.

But I find that both camps. the ultra-conservative Christians (ignorant) and the religious-hating Atheists (ignorant) are both hilarious in their illogical thinking.

People more middle of the road understand much more. Agnostics are just skeptical about everything, but they are logical. When it boils down to it, every core belief really takes faith.

You're wrong about agnostics. Agnostics like to think they are the most logical but I don't think this is true at all. Are they agnostic about things other than religion? For example, are they agnostic regarding the tooth fairy? Does anyone call them ignorant for not acknowledging that there MAY be a tooth fairy?
 

AbAbber2k

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2005
6,474
1
0
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Originally posted by: DaShen
Originally posted by: glenn beck
I have this strange feeling guy was making fun of Christians

Look at the end. Inspired by Richard Dawkins. Of course he is making fun of Christians.

But I find that both camps. the ultra-conservative Christians (ignorant) and the religious-hating Atheists (ignorant) are both hilarious in their illogical thinking.

People more middle of the road understand much more. Agnostics are just skeptical about everything, but they are logical. When it boils down to it, every core belief really takes faith.

You're wrong about agnostics. Agnostics like to think they are the most logical but I don't think this is true at all. Are they agnostic about things other than religion? For example, are they agnostic regarding the tooth fairy? Does anyone call them ignorant for not acknowledging that there MAY be a tooth fairy?

No... there's no such thing as the tooth fairy or santa. Every coin you've received for a tooth or present that "santa" left was the work of your parents/guardian/someone very much real and of this earth. There is no faith required to know with 100% certainty that those two don't exist. The same doesn't hold true for for more supernatural beings such as dieties.
 

Kilim

Member
Sep 8, 2004
60
0
0
When you completely believe in something that is impossible to truly know through empirical means, a little bit of delusion is quite helpful.
 

Toastedlightly

Diamond Member
Aug 7, 2004
7,215
6
81
Originally posted by: AbAbber2k
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Originally posted by: DaShen
Originally posted by: glenn beck
I have this strange feeling guy was making fun of Christians

Look at the end. Inspired by Richard Dawkins. Of course he is making fun of Christians.

But I find that both camps. the ultra-conservative Christians (ignorant) and the religious-hating Atheists (ignorant) are both hilarious in their illogical thinking.

People more middle of the road understand much more. Agnostics are just skeptical about everything, but they are logical. When it boils down to it, every core belief really takes faith.

You're wrong about agnostics. Agnostics like to think they are the most logical but I don't think this is true at all. Are they agnostic about things other than religion? For example, are they agnostic regarding the tooth fairy? Does anyone call them ignorant for not acknowledging that there MAY be a tooth fairy?

No... there's no such thing as the tooth fairy or santa. Every coin you've received for a tooth or present that "santa" left was the work of your parents/guardian/someone very much real and of this earth. There is no faith required to know with 100% certainty that those two don't exist. The same doesn't hold true for for more supernatural beings such as dieties.

Santa =/= christian, really.
 

DaShen

Lifer
Dec 1, 2000
10,710
1
0
Originally posted by: AbAbber2k
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Originally posted by: DaShen
Originally posted by: glenn beck
I have this strange feeling guy was making fun of Christians

Look at the end. Inspired by Richard Dawkins. Of course he is making fun of Christians.

But I find that both camps. the ultra-conservative Christians (ignorant) and the religious-hating Atheists (ignorant) are both hilarious in their illogical thinking.

People more middle of the road understand much more. Agnostics are just skeptical about everything, but they are logical. When it boils down to it, every core belief really takes faith.

You're wrong about agnostics. Agnostics like to think they are the most logical but I don't think this is true at all. Are they agnostic about things other than religion? For example, are they agnostic regarding the tooth fairy? Does anyone call them ignorant for not acknowledging that there MAY be a tooth fairy?

No... there's no such thing as the tooth fairy or santa. Every coin you've received for a tooth or present that "santa" left was the work of your parents/guardian/someone very much real and of this earth. There is no faith required to know with 100% certainty that those two don't exist. The same doesn't hold true for for more supernatural beings such as dieties.

Bingo.

Although I do see your point mercanucaribe about some Agnostics. Some people say they are agnostic, but really it is because they are too lazy to really find out what they believe. Most of the real agnostics I know though, are very logical in the way they approach things, and know quite a bit of philosophy. They just can't believe anything either way without proof (they are true skeptics).

I, on the other hand, have chosen to believe in something and it has made me a much better person for it. :) I believe it and trust that it is true.

An atheist ultimately does the same except that they choose to believe in the fact that the universe is easily explained without G-d. A theist on the other hand believes that the universe can be easily explained with G-d. Science and the search for the truth should be the driving force behind both beliefs, but sadly because of idealogues and ignorant people this is not always the case.

**EDIT**

For instance, many advances in the theories of multi-verse (multiple universe) ar ehappening right now. String Theory -> Brane Theory -> Multiverse Theory. Hawkings (who is quite brilliant and respected), as well as other atheists, points out that this explains the creation of the known universe. But that takes a leap of faith in itself. Even if the multiverse is true (which would explain the fact that a particle can be in hundreds of places at the same "time" until an observer looks at it), it doesn't explain the multiverse. Again a matter of faith.

You can either believe that the multiverse created all these parallel universes and the multiverse always existed, or you can say G-d created the universe /multiverse and this deity always existed. Again a matter of faith.
 

DaShen

Lifer
Dec 1, 2000
10,710
1
0
Originally posted by: Kilim
When you completely believe in something that is impossible to truly know through empirical means, a little bit of delusion is quite helpful.

What you call delusion, I call trust or faith.

But you can see it as delusion if you want.
 

preslove

Lifer
Sep 10, 2003
16,754
64
91
Originally posted by: DaShen
Originally posted by: glenn beck
I have this strange feeling guy was making fun of Christians

Look at the end. Inspired by Richard Dawkins. Of course he is making fun of Christians.

But I find that both camps. the ultra-conservative Christians (ignorant) and the religious-hating Atheists (ignorant) are both hilarious in their illogical thinking.

People more middle of the road understand much more. Agnostics are just skeptical about everything, but they are logical. When it boils down to it, every core belief really takes faith.

Agnosticism is a hollow philosophy. It gives equal weight to religious myths and science. I'm an atheist and I DO NOT HATE RELIGION. But, I am rational enough to realize that the likelihood of any particular myth of a particular bronze age tribe magically coming up with the absolute Truth about the universe to be so remote as to be operatively non-existent.

I do not believe in science. I'm just smart enough to know that the scientific method is 1000X more accurate at describing and analyzing natural phenomena than mythology. Agnostics are too stupid to get this point.

I love to read about religions, and think that they often positively influence their society or community. But to give their theologies equal weight with science is lunacy.
 

DaShen

Lifer
Dec 1, 2000
10,710
1
0
Originally posted by: preslove
Originally posted by: DaShen
Originally posted by: glenn beck
I have this strange feeling guy was making fun of Christians

Look at the end. Inspired by Richard Dawkins. Of course he is making fun of Christians.

But I find that both camps. the ultra-conservative Christians (ignorant) and the religious-hating Atheists (ignorant) are both hilarious in their illogical thinking.

People more middle of the road understand much more. Agnostics are just skeptical about everything, but they are logical. When it boils down to it, every core belief really takes faith.

Agnosticism is a hollow philosophy. It gives equal weight to religious myths and science. I'm an atheist and I DO NOT HATE RELIGION. But, I am rational enough to realize that the likelihood of any particular myth of a particular bronze age tribe magically coming up with the absolute Truth about the universe to be so remote as to be operatively non-existent.

I do not believe in science. I'm just smart enough to know that the scientific method is 1000X more accurate at describing and analyzing natural phenomena than mythology. Agnostics are too stupid to get this point.

I love to read about religions, and think that they often positively influence their society or community. But to give their theologies equal weight with science is lunacy.

I agree if you mean to give theology equal weight with science in describing how nature works.

On the same hand I would not go to science over theology to figure out how we are supposed to treat each other because science would dictate that I do everything to further my seed and procreate and that is it. That there is no moral dilemna at all with killing another human being because that is nature at its best. That there are not any morals.

I would also not go to science (if I believe in G-d) to figure out how to conduct my relationship with the deity. But I do give theology more weight than science in describing how G-d works (if you believe or have faith in G-d that is).

Both deal with a form of truth. One deals with the natural (tangible) world, the other deals with the unknown (philosophical) world, both have equal weight in what they are discussing. But if both are done correctly (to search for truth no matter what the outcome), then there is no problem. The problem comes when illogical and ignorant people hold on to one or the other as the only way to search for what is true in the world (and if you are a theist, what is true about G-d). But I find there is a little bit of overlap depending on if you have this ideology, but only then.
 

preslove

Lifer
Sep 10, 2003
16,754
64
91
Originally posted by: DaShen
Originally posted by: preslove
Originally posted by: DaShen
Originally posted by: glenn beck
I have this strange feeling guy was making fun of Christians

Look at the end. Inspired by Richard Dawkins. Of course he is making fun of Christians.

But I find that both camps. the ultra-conservative Christians (ignorant) and the religious-hating Atheists (ignorant) are both hilarious in their illogical thinking.

People more middle of the road understand much more. Agnostics are just skeptical about everything, but they are logical. When it boils down to it, every core belief really takes faith.

Agnosticism is a hollow philosophy. It gives equal weight to religious myths and science. I'm an atheist and I DO NOT HATE RELIGION. But, I am rational enough to realize that the likelihood of any particular myth of a particular bronze age tribe magically coming up with the absolute Truth about the universe to be so remote as to be operatively non-existent.

I do not believe in science. I'm just smart enough to know that the scientific method is 1000X more accurate at describing and analyzing natural phenomena than mythology. Agnostics are too stupid to get this point.

I love to read about religions, and think that they often positively influence their society or community. But to give their theologies equal weight with science is lunacy.

I agree if you mean to give theology equal weight with science in describing how nature works.

On the same hand I would not go to science over theology to figure out how we are supposed to treat each other because science would dictate that I do everything to further my seed and procreate and that is it. That there is no moral dilemna at all with killing another human being because that is nature at its best. That there are not any morals.

I would also not go to science (if I believe in G-d) to figure out how to conduct my relationship with the deity. But I do give theology more weight than science in describing how G-d works.

Both deal with a form of truth. One deals with the natural (tangible) world, the other deals with the unknown (philosophical) world, both have equal weight in what they are discussing. But if both are done correctly (to search for truth no matter what the outcome), then there is no problem. The problem comes when illogical and ignorant people hold on to one or the other as the only way to search for what is true in the world (and if you are a theist, what is true about G-d). But I find there is a little bit of overlap depending on if you have this ideology, but only then.

You're not really talking like an agnostic.

The truths investigated by science and religion are distinct from each other. Religious Truth is gained through ignoring one's rational and worldly pursuits and focusing on assorted symbols, depending on what tradition one follows. A christian may focus on a prayer, the holy ghost, some form of christ, etc.. A buddhist meditates using methods to cancel their worldly concerns. The common theme running through religion is a rejection of the world as we experience it. All major religions have developed ascetic branches that reject worldly goods such as fine food, clothing, housing, etc. Christians used to freaking whip themselves to become closer to their symbolized form of christ. They gain wisdom, contentment, and clarity from a development of their inner lives, isolated from the world. The Mind and Thoughts are the enemy, as they interfere with ones connection with their soul/heart/connection to god/stillness.

This is methodology is absolutely antithetical to that of science. It is entirely of the world. Inner has no place. Belief is the enemy, as it clouds the rational mind and prevents progress.

Science and religion (or spirituality, or wisdom, or self knowledge.) are two absolutes on oposite polos of human experience. Creationism is stupid not just because it leads to fraudulent science, but also because it leads to irrelevant and meaningless religion. If you have to prove your theology, then you have no (or very weak) faith.

All this said, I have experienced a tiny bit of the inner Truth using secular meditation techniques taught by a teacher who refuses to ever call his teachings "religion" or "spirituality." This secular path (though my techniques do originate from Indian traditions), along with many other religious paths that share the same powerful experience, but have radically different theologies, leads me to believe that the theologies are irrelevant.