That’s a good argument, and I agree. Sad isn’t it? People out there believe that god created this planet that we live on, yet they can’t listen to the teachings of Jesus and realize equality.
your missing the point…its not about the belief system of a few but of the civilization you are a part of. My Grandmother or a religious nut in South Carolina or even you may not agree with the morality of it. But the culture of the USA agrees with it. And that culture determines the morals we all have to live by in order to survive in this civilization.
Its definitely not what I practice. I personally hold myself to a standard not much different than your own. But I also don’t believe in a “right or wrong” or a “good and bad” and I don’t look down on someone for seeing things differently than I do. I understand that the culture you are surrounded by determines the way you conduct yourself.
Why does an atheist have to be immoral?
Also if I die and there happens to be this god dude he will be cool with me. I don’t think said god would hate on people living good lives because they are not religious weirdos. He would appreciate people who don’t suck…religious people suck, cause wars, slow progress, etc etc so they go to hell.
There you have it folks if you want to go to heaven repent religion. /end
the American culture has a belief system based on both science and religion that spends all it’s time fighting. it’s a big part of why the USA is falling behind the world in technology, medical, and so on.
God knowing the choices your going to make does not at all mean your not going to make them. Althgough the choices you make may be negative or evil, that doesnt mean god is stopping you. All knowing does not mean all controlling of human mind function.
Edit–> why the fuck was this thread started? This is more stupid than starting a thread about politics.
Tons of stuff. You didn’t live your life in the way that would maximize its enjoyment. What if you died a 40 year old virgin because you didn’t find a marriage partner and you believed pre-marital sex was wrong? What if you were gay and spent an unfulfilled life married to a woman because God says being gay is bad? What if you spent your time in church every Sunday when your true passion was doing something else? What if you were a woman and stayed married to a guy that beat you your whole life because you didn’t believe in divorce? Etc. etc. etc.
where did i say that?
Ok so you do not believe they are absolute and an atheist is fully capable of being moral?
i’m saying you can be moral as an aethesit, but you’re not following ALL of the 10 basic christian “rules”.
This is not an arugment that justifies knit picking. A belief is a belief. You can’t tell me i’m wrong as i can not tell you you’re wrong. I will stay on topic with the title of the thread and that’s it. I don’t feel like being trapped into a 20+ page argument where in the end…nobody “wins”.
wait, how can you say that is the ‘culture of the USA’ belief, when not everyone in USA believes it. Contradictory statement imo.
I don’t look down on anyone else. In fact, I wish I was having this convo over some beers instead of on the internet. If Joe wants to bang hookers, let him. He is living his life differently and it doesn’t bother me. Tis the beauty of the US of A. We’re allowed to have different beliefs/opinions, on any subject.
most of the scientific argurments you guys are bringing up, (abortion stem cell research etc.) is opposed by the roman catholic church and the vatican. The vatican is a church of lies and deception. They contribute to the atheist movement by promoting their agenda and continuing to practice rituals which are not in the bible. True crhistians know to love all, even thy enemies. This means that someone doing something that your religion doesnt approve of is their own business and is of no concern to you. So most of the media attention focused on groups yelling and screaming about abortion or stem cell research are people who live by the roman catholic creed and not true christian creeds. Focusing on your family, and your children, and raising your offspring according to christian values (if you are a christian) is what matters. Not what anyone else does. But people marching in the streets to promote their agenda and making radical claims like that crazy baptist church and pat robertson or whatever his name is, are the reason there is so much scrutiny towards christianity.
I do know that god CERTAINLY hates hondas and that anyone who mods FWD cars will be going to hell with homos and queers and baby killers.
FML
shit…
roger that…everything is just going in circles at this point. which is how every religious discussion goes. I’m done here.
Religion hurts more people than it helps. If every single person on the planet was conned into believing in the exact same religion, then maybe it would help. Unfortunately there’s more Gods up in the sky than people on the ground, and according to everyone, everyone else is wrong.
And just because some religions teach morals doesn’t mean it’s a good way to teach them. That just happens to be a silver lining in a belief system that ultimately keeps people in fear. "I was kidnapped, beaten, and raped, but he did give me some delicious cake afterwords, so he must be ok 
"
How many suicide bombings do you think there would be, as compared to today, if the bombers didn’t believe that they would go to heaven with a bunch of virgins for their actions? How many african americans do you think would have been hanged if not for bible humpers?
edit:
Also, i just want to say that earthquakes, tidal waves, hurricanes etc have been occurring since long before Jim Henson wrote the bible.
E-respect for you just plummeted
worst argument ever. Islamic scriptures and the Koran specifically say suicide and killing is a major sin. Please quote the reference.
with every religion, you have people who are extreme and bend/twist scriptures to go beyond what the scriptures ever say.
according to the Koran:
“And do not kill yourselves, God is merciful with you. And whosoever does that (kills self) with aggression and inequity, we will make them suffer in Hell fire, and this is easy for God to do” (29-30, 4).
I will lose sleep tonight.
1st) on the bombing issue, i rather not have the 72 virgins, i would take half of that number and rather them be down right whores! at least i will have more fun!
2nd) i though every time fry’s wife touch’s him, god created a natural disater?
So it might not be what religion wants them to do however they have been manipulated to believe they are doing it in the name of religion. The same as the crusades and many other wars/deaths. So if it were not for the extreme belief in religion wanting them to carry out these acts do you think they would have a different reason?