Originally posted by apathist
I know the difference between peoples and gods. Apparently you do not.

How would you know the difference if you don't believe in gods? What do you use to compare the difference. That just doesn't make sense on any level.

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
We also have a buffet.

😀

Originally posted by Nicksten
What you are trying to sell here is fake, its only sweet talk. I live in absolute freedom and am truly happy being a Christian. Good always outweighs evil. There is absolutely nothing wrong living withing the rules of the ten commandments. The only time this is impossible is when you are so selfish, so full of yourself and all about me myself and I.

That ...[text shortened]... “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.[/i]

Replying to your post a little more seriously, I would draw issue with a few of the points made:

1. You say 'good outweighs evil' and I would probably go along with this. I would not however equate 'evil' with 'atheism.' - If this is your intent then you are basically saying that people who don't believe in the thing 'you do' are inherently evil. I think that's a dangerous path to wander down).
2. I have nothing against the 10 commandments but it is erroneous to think religion has ownership of such basic morality as 'murder and stealing are wrong' or that 'parents should be respected. I'm happy to confirm that the majority of atheists also believe murder and the like are bad form, even without reference to the 10 commandments. - Such commandments didn't create or instigate such moral behaviour, it merely catalogued them for a religious group. (If, for example, I wrote down a list of polite rules for these forums, I couldn't claim exclusivity for human politeness and assume those outside of the forums didn't possess it).
3. My atheistic world view is not fake and I equally feel free and content with life. I also see myself as altruistic in nature and no more selfish than the chap who follows a particular faith.
4. We of course disagree on this, but I believe religion offers not hope, but false hope. It promises reward in the next life when I believe such reward is to be found here, with our family and friends.

Originally posted by Fetchmyjunk
So God cannot speak through people if he so wished?

checkmate! We end up with people claims. Seems to me a real god could do better.

Originally posted by Nicksten
How would you know the difference if you don't believe in gods? What do you use to compare the difference. That just doesn't make sense on any level.

I am pagan. Mother earth is kinda exasperated with you. I can feel her sigh.

Originally posted by apathist
I am pagan.
Mother earth is kinda exasperated with you.
I can feel her sigh.

Perhaps, but I suspect the thought of yourself being "pagan" is more appealing to you than actually being "pagan".
No, she isn't.
No, you can't.

Originally posted by divegeester
Perhaps, but I suspect the thought of yourself being "pagan" is more appealing to you than actually being "pagan".
No, she isn't.
No, you can't.

good reply - thank you.

Originally posted by twhitehead
A survey of this forum could have told you that.

I am willing to bet a few posters who don't know the difference between statistical statements and categorical statements will shortly jump into this thread, and most of them will be religious.

understand God and you dont need to understand the world anymore, although there are those who dont understand the world or The God Supreme

Originally posted by tutachess
understand God and you dont need to understand the world anymore...

Grown up, love-thy-neighbour, walk-the-walk people need to have an understanding of the world if they are to work to make it a better place and confront factors that are a barrier to that, defeatist and doomsday talk-the-talk Christians opting out [and instead self-obsessing over their personal "salvation"] notwithstanding.

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
Replying to your post a little more seriously, I would draw issue with a few of the points made:

1. You say 'good outweighs evil' and I would probably go along with this. I would not however equate 'evil' with 'atheism.' - If this is your intent then you are basically saying that people who don't believe in the thing 'you do' are inherently evil. ...[text shortened]... rd in the next life when I believe such reward is to be found here, with our family and friends.

1. No the intention was never to compare evil with atheism - if this is what you got from what I said then I do apologize. It actually goes with the following sentence with the ten commandments.

2. On a very technical note, the ten commandments does belong to the Christian religion as those are scriptures in the Bible which claims that God inscribed them on two stone tablets. Although other religions, faiths, denominations etc share some of the same values and believes it does not mean it created moral behavior as you also mentioned - but I do believe it instigates moral behavior in a sense (gives us a guideline). From my point of view, the commandments are meant for every person on earth whether or not you are religious.

3. I do respect your view, if you really don't believe in God and that He made the heavens and the earth then - if you can't see that, then it is respectfully a shame. I'm also not saying that atheists are all selfish. What I meant was that only at the point of a person not being able to live within the ten commandments - In my opinion, is a person being selfish.

4. Yes, the final reward is in the next life but God also rewards His children in this life. I have seen many prayers been answered and also many not. I don't have answers for those.

As I also respectfully disagree, God does offer hope: God promises to reward us for how we serve him on earth.

Luke 1:37
For nothing will be impossible with God.

Mark 9:23
And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.


I would like to find out more why you would think/know Christianity offers false hope, that is, if you want to go into this.

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
Take Geoffrey, brought up a strict Catholic and riddled with guilt due to his propensity to sin. His life is thoroughly miserable, constantly fearful of ending up in the fires of hell pounded into him every Sunday by his fire and brimstone priest.

Atheism could deliver Geoffrey from all that, take away the fear and have him live life to the full, ...[text shortened]... thoughts. Atheism will make him truly happy.

And you say atheism has noting to offer...

😉

Atheism has nothing to offer, there was no delivery brought about by Atheism that was just
a turning away from something not an offer, an other offer would mean of leaving that guilt
would be to accept the offer of God's grace and follow Him, that is an offer of something.

Originally posted by apathist
checkmate! We end up with people claims. Seems to me a real god could do better.

And you think it's impossible to test whether or not these claims are true?

Originally posted by Nicksten
1. No the intention was never to compare evil with atheism - if this is what you got from what I said then I do apologize. It actually goes with the following sentence with the ten commandments.

2. On a very technical note, the ten commandments does belong to the Christian religion as those are scriptures in the Bible which claims that God inscribed them ...[text shortened]... e why you would think/know Christianity offers false hope, that is, if you want to go into this.

Thanks for clarifying. 🙂

Will come back to your post later today, when I am finished at the buffet.

Originally posted by KellyJay
Atheism has nothing to offer, there was no delivery brought about by Atheism that was just
a turning away from something not an offer, an other offer would mean of leaving that guilt
would be to accept the offer of God's grace and follow Him, that is an offer of something.

Atheism allows the human soul to reach it's full potential, unhindered by the words of ancient men, designed to curtail and denigrate.

It is religion that has nothing tangible to offer.

Originally posted by tutachess
understand God and you dont need to understand the world anymore,

That depends on how you define 'need'.

But I ask you, can you honestly claim to understand God, yet fail to understand the world? By 'understand God' do you mean 'understand when he talks to you', or do you mean 'know all about him', or something else?