Religion in a nutshell.

If I am a bigot when it comes to religion, then by definition, you are a bigot when it comes to atheism!

Originally posted by 667joe
Music is real. Religion is wishful thinking.

Music is real religion is wishful thinking?

Have you ever heard of Alexander Scriabin? He was a great Russian pianist and composer.

He thought that he could write a piece of music so great and performed by musicians in white priestly garments, that the universe itself would collapse at the conclusion of the piece.

Real delusions of granduer. You talk about wishful thinking.

Regardless, Scriabin's music is fine to the ear in my opinion. But it wasn't as real as he imagined. He could not write a piece of music to end the cosmos as he dreamed he could.

Robert Schumann commited himself to a mental hospital. Brahms died crying. And don't even let me get to people like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.

If their great music was so real how come they couldn't be saved from depression and drug overdoses?

Originally posted by 667joe
If I am a bigot when it comes to religion, then by definition, you are a bigot when it comes to atheism!

Why? I recognize that there are people who state the they do not believe in God. Some of them may even believe that there is no God. I doubt that all of them really feel this way in the privacy of their thoughts late at night.

But a few I think really believe that there is no God. I am not a bigot as to think atheists don't exist.

A lot of it is wishful thinking. They hope that there is no God.

Now the kind of atheist I listen to carefully is the one who wishes that there could be God but honestly says he cannot believe in God. I have met some people like this.

Originally posted by jaywill
Why? I recognize that there are people who state the they do not believe in God. Some of them may even believe that there is no God. I doubt that all of them really feel this way in the privacy of their thoughts late at night.

But a few I think really believe that there is no God. I am not a bigot as to think atheists don't exist.

A lot of it is ...[text shortened]... here could be God but honestly says he cannot believe in God. I have met some people like this.

Why would anyone wish there to be such an entity.
Fair enough, if you think one actually exists, but why wish for one? I'm not so cynical about religions that I can't see that for many people the notion of a god is about love and compassion and all that, but these things aren't contingent on a god's existence.
There are many loving and compassionate people who do not believe or need to believe in a god.
You seem to need to have everyone secretly desire a god. Why is this? What does it say about the nature of your belief?
I don't believe in god. I don't lie shaking under the covers at night wishing or hoping I'm wrong.
I get on with my life of love and compassion and anger and hate and everything else that is a part of being human. I try to be the best person I possibly can.
Why would I need a god?

Originally posted by kirksey957
Let's try this one:

I wanted a bike. I prayed to God for a bike. I did not get a bike. I realized I wanted the bike, but really didn't need the bike. I gave thanks that God gave legs to walk. My therapist affirmed my insight.

Then I lost my legs in a car accident. But it's ok. It's God's plan, I'm sure.

Either music exists, or it doesn't. The same is true of religion. Music is explainable and can be reproduced. Religion is based on (misplaced) faith and thus by definition, can not be proved, or at least has not been proven so far. Never sign a contract where the payoff comes after you die.

I can't prove god does not exist, but I also can't prove there isn't an invisible monster under my bed. As an adult, however, I am quite confident there is no monster under my bed and no supernatural being in the sky. You can believe what ever you want, but that doesn't make it true.

Originally posted by 667joe
I was trying to say religion provides a mechanism to do bad things(and I am suggesting that religion is really a joke).

Rom 6:1&2a
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid.

Originally posted by amannion
Why would anyone wish there to be such an entity.
Fair enough, if you think one actually exists, but why wish for one? I'm not so cynical about religions that I can't see that for many people the notion of a god is about love and compassion and all that, but these things aren't contingent on a god's existence.
There are many loving and compassionate peopl ...[text shortened]... part of being human. I try to be the best person I possibly can.
Why would I need a god?

Why would I need a god?

So He can give you eternal life! I thought I told you this before amannion. You really should pay closer attention! 😀

We should be kind to each other and follow the golden rule. Most people knew the proper way to get along before Jesus, and most people do get along.God does not seem to be able to weed out the bad people though. If there is a god, he/she has done a half assed job. If I were the creator, I would have made earth a heaven and avoided all suffering for all creatures. I would also have designed the prostate to function much better passed the age of 50.

Originally posted by josephw
[b]Why would I need a god?

So He can give you eternal life! I thought I told you this before amannion. You really should pay closer attention! 😀[/b]

Yes, but as I've told you that's just mumbo jumbo crap. Eternal life might be useful if you believe in that sort of thing - or even want it. (Personally, while I'm happy to live longer, I couldn't think of much worse than living forever - losing more chess games to you could be one ...)
I don't need this supposed beneficience of this supposed god, so you're going to have to try something else ...

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Then I lost my legs in a car accident. But it's ok. It's God's plan, I'm sure.

Not really. People talk about God's plan for our lives sometimes as though it were an excuse for pain and suffering.

How could becoming a paraplegic be in God's plan for us? It's not.

But, God can use anything to accomplish His purposes. It can be quite complicated, and yet so simple.

Originally posted by 667joe
We should be kind to each other and follow the golden rule. Most people knew the proper way to get along before Jesus, and most people do get along.God does not seem to be able to weed out the bad people though. If there is a god, he/she has done a half assed job. If I were the creator, I would have made earth a heaven and avoided all suffering for all c ...[text shortened]... eatures. I would also have designed the prostate to function much better passed the age of 50.

Actually I have to disagree with you there.
If I was a god I think a bit of imperfection would work quite nicely. What a boring place perfection would be ....

Originally posted by amannion
Yes, but as I've told you that's just mumbo jumbo crap. Eternal life might be useful if you believe in that sort of thing - or even want it. (Personally, while I'm happy to live longer, I couldn't think of much worse than living forever - losing more chess games to you could be one ...)
I don't [b]need this supposed beneficience of this supposed god, so you're going to have to try something else ...[/b]

I'm hopeful that one of these days a thread will come along and...

Obviously you are an atheist because, to extend your logic, heaven, being perfect, would be boring! (Mark Twain felt the same way.)

Originally posted by jaywill

Now the kind of atheist I listen to carefully is the one who wishes that there could be God but honestly says he cannot believe in God. I have met some people like this.

So the only kind of atheist you listen to is one that wishes they weren't an atheist?

I was hoping you were a bit less narrow minded.