[Mot]

Prometheus, I'm not advocating for the other side, but maybe you should cool it with the excessive use of bible quotes and stuff. You're attacking religion with a scary kind of fervour that I used to think was only capable by secular extremists.

I admire his use of the bible. I think most Christians only hear the bible one hour on a Sunday and never bothered to read what else in there.

What better way to disprove a Christian than with their own holy book.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

Prometheus, I'm not advocating for the other side, but maybe you should cool it with the excessive use of bible quotes and stuff. You're attacking religion with a scary kind of fervour that I used to think was only capable by secular extremists.

that's like telling a court to disregard evidence. in order to make the points i have to make, i need to quote. i don't see anything wrong with that. if a theist whose religious belief is based on the bible can make claims, why can't i cite the bible to counter their claims?

and it's not like i went into their church and starting verbally blasting them. they came into my thread. they are welcome to debate, as so am i.

 

[ShonTron]

On a side note, I am concerned about the tone of some of the posts in this thread - it has gotten quite nasty just in the past few pages.

Just a reminder to keep it civil.

 

[Hipster Duck]

Prometheus, you can do whatever you want, but you're probably not going to change their minds.

But, for a non-believer like me, your tactics are eerily reminiscent of the kinds of traits in fundamentalists that turns me off religion in the first place. Remember that for many atheists their reasons for non-belief have as much (or more) to do with the behaviour of the people that preach and follow it than the content of the religion itself. Essentially, you're yelling at a brick wall and turning allies (like me) away from your cause.

 

[digi]

Oh, wait, I stopped bothering with you a few pages ago. I seemed to have forgotten. My mistake..

you forgot that you were ignoring me? What a doofus.

 

[Mot]

You can do whatever you want, but you're probably not going to change their minds.

But, for a non-believer like me, your tactics are eerily reminiscent of the kinds of traits in fundamentalists that turns me off religion in the first place. Remember that for many atheists their reasons for non-belief have as much (or more) to do with the behaviour of the people that preach and follow it than the content of the religion itself. Essentially, you're yelling at a brick wall and turning allies (like me) away from your cause.

If your personal support for free thought and Atheism is contigent on the behavior of others over your own research and comtemplation, then it was never on solid ground to begin with. You either believe or you don't and you are welcome to go back to religion because you are so impressionable from the posts made here.

Our society gives religions a free pass, it's beyond time they get challenged on facts and the words their holy books contain.

 

[Hipster Duck]

If your personal support for free thought and Atheism is contigent on the behavior of others over your own research and comtemplation, then it was never on solid ground to begin with. You either believe or you don't and you are welcome to go back to religion because you are so impressionable from the posts made here.

Don't be condescending.

Our society gives religions a free pass, it's beyond time they get challenged on facts and the words their holy books contain.

Our free society gives every belief a free pass. To do otherwise would be to curtail civil liberties.

 

[Mot]

Don't be condescending.


Our free society gives every belief a free pass. To do otherwise would be to curtail civil liberties.

After you, concidering that is exactly how you came off.

Free pass? So Religions are above criticism, while religionists often criticize.
Sorry I am not buying it.

 

[urbanboom]

i'm a human. i do not possess supernatural powers. don't compare me to your god. are you going to say to me next that at least god tried to create a universe, that i didn't even attempt to?

you can't compare someone who lives by the rules of nature vs. someone that created the rules of nature and could break those rules at will. god can prevent the child from being hurt, i could only do my best to try and make it avoidable. i'm not supernatural.

It's called a "medephore". Actually, I hear they're quite common actually.

I'm saying, that since we have free thought, we are quite able to change the world for good or for ill. God isn't to blame for the evils of men.

That's one thing I don't get about these Atheist groups that call themselves "Free Thinkers". That seems to imply that religious people are "not free thinkers". Of course they're free-thinkers, they freely think about the existence of God! Just because they disagree with others doesn't mean that they free-thought. That sort of language incites a form of hierarchy, and they sink to the levels of the evangelicals... I'd have more respect for the Richard Dawkins types if they weren't so freaking snobby about their beliefs.

 

[digi]

I'd have more respect for the Richard Dawkins types if they we're so freaking snobby about their beliefs.

Do you know what a hypocrite is?

 

[Hipster Duck]

Free pass? So Religions are above criticism, while religionists often criticize. Sorry I am not buying it.

Religion is not above critique, but why should we stoop to the tactics of the fringe element of that belief to precisely fight that fringe element?

 

[urbanboom]

A Question to Prometheus:

Do you think that if we all lived in the way that Jesus did, do you think the would would be a better or worse place?

(Going on a limb, I'd think you'd say "a worse place" - if so, why?)

 

[digi]

Do you think that if we all lived in the way that Jesus did, do you think the would would be a better or worse place?

You mean, if we hung out with prostitutes and long haired, barefoot guys?

 

[Mot]

Religion is not above critique, but why should we stoop to the tactics of the fringe element of that belief to precisely fight that fringe element?

That is your opinion of what Prometheus is doing. I certainly don't see it that way. He's not proselytizing in any way. He's using their own holy book to refute their points. It's brilliant.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

On a side note, I am concerned about the tone of some of the posts in this thread - it has gotten quite nasty just in the past few pages.

Just a reminder to keep it civil.

yes. i don't wanna have this thread closed guys.

Prometheus, you can do whatever you want, but you're probably not going to change their minds.

But, for a non-believer like me, your tactics are eerily reminiscent of the kinds of traits in fundamentalists that turns me off religion in the first place. Remember that for many atheists their reasons for non-belief have as much (or more) to do with the behaviour of the people that preach and follow it than the content of the religion itself. Essentially, you're yelling at a brick wall and turning allies (like me) away from your cause.

it was not my objective to change anybody's mind. what exactly are these tactics of mine? if you are an atheist just because of the way religious people act, that's not good enough a reason for me. it took more than church scandals & the actions of religious people to break my faith. how am i turning you away from my "cause"? are you going to be religious or have faith just because you don't like the way i conduct my arguments?

sometimes honesty is brutal. i'm sorry, i can't change that.