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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5311 Posts |
 Posted - 11/03/2002 : 06:14:55 [Permalink]
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There's also an element of "everybody else believes in gods so there must be something to it" kind of thinking. It's obvious to me that most people don't really believe in god(s). They really don't expect gods to take care of their problems, they expect to work for a living, go to a doctor when they need help, etc. A lot of them don't really think there's a literal heaven or hell anymore. Some of them use god(s) to project their anger as in "god will get them someday." A lot of people that believe in gods still recognize that there is something really wrong with George Bush, for instance. Many don't of course.
"Not one human life should be expended in this reckless violence called a war against terrorism." - Howard Zinn |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5311 Posts |
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Tokyodreamer
SFN Regular
USA
1447 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2002 : 14:06:41 [Permalink]
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quote:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/93225_focus03.shtml
quote:
Proud atheists and agnostics may gnash their teeth at this thought: They are every bit as religious as the most devout believers. Irreligion is simply another form of religion. Show me a person who claims to believe in nothing, and I will show you someone who is either badly deluded or intellectually dishonest.
If the author doesn't have enough understanding of this subject to know that this is bullshit, he isn't worth reading.
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5311 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2002 : 15:17:41 [Permalink]
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I said the same thing, but after I thought about it a while, I agree in a way. I do believe in things. I try not to. When I find a belief, I try to lose it. I don't want to believe, I want to think. But I wouldn't say that I don't believe in things. I'd say that I probably do, but unlike this author, I think to believe is not a good idea. However, some of the other stuff he says is true. It's just as insane to believe other things as it is insane to believe in gods.
That's why I think a better question than why religion? would be why false ideas? Why beliefs? Religion is just a subset of false ideas.
Fundamentalist religion is no different certainly than the super-patriotism we've seen displayed in the last few months. Bush's ideas about the battle between good and evil isn't accepted just by fundamentalist Christians.
"Not one human life should be expended in this reckless violence called a war against terrorism." - Howard Zinn |
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Slater
SFN Regular
USA
1668 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2002 : 20:15:07 [Permalink]
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quote:
[quote]
If the author doesn't have enough understanding of this subject to know that this is bullshit, he isn't worth reading.
Sounds like he's on the board of the Washington State Boy Scouts.
Just another Xian claiming that Atheists are really into nilhilism. That we believe in nothing at all, just for the sake of not believing. That we have no values and only care about being hateful.
True there is your occasional nut case, but they are the exception and not the rule.
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I learned something ... I learned that Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Halloween. I guess they don't like strangers going up to their door and annoying them.
-Bruce Clark
There's No Toilet Paper...on the Road Less Traveled |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5311 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2002 : 05:45:28 [Permalink]
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Agreed. No question.
The idea that "political correctness" was somehow a horrible thing escapes me too. I'm sure it went too far in some areas, and I suppose that's important to point out, but the idea that going a little overboard in trying to be civil to one another is somehow to be equated with terrorism is beyond absurd.
"Not one human life should be expended in this reckless violence called a war against terrorism." - Howard Zinn |
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NottyImp
Skeptic Friend
United Kingdom
143 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2002 : 03:43:20 [Permalink]
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quote:
They really don't expect gods to take care of their problems, they expect to work for a living, go to a doctor when they need help, etc.
That's a really interesting point. I've often said to people with whom I'm having an argument about "facts", "evidence" and "proof" in a variety of contexts: How do YOU make everyday decisions?
They reply, in one form or another: Well, I collect all the evidence, weight it up, and then on the basis of that I make a decision that seems best to me based on the balance of probabilities as they appear.
When I then point out that if they do this for which bank they choose to leave their money in, which school they send their child to, they might want to consider doing it for their belief in UFOs/God/The Supernatural etc, they just seem utterly baffled.
Ah well.
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"My body is a temple - I desecrate it daily." |
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