The main gripe I have about religious dogma, especially the most popular religion in this country, is the fact that parents force it upon their children at an age in which they are most vulnerable. The human mind has certain genetic characteristics that enable it to absorb more knowledge at a younger age, as well as adapting to the mores of whatever culture it happens to appear in, hence a child born in Alabama may pray to Yahweh(the Bible Dude), a child in Saudi Arabia will pray to Allah, and so on ad nauseum. When certain facts appear at a later time that contradict these beliefs, such as rationality, logic, and evolution, that child may experience negative feelings that could have been avoided if raised in a secular but loving environment. I too use to believe in a god but not in any way like the god of the Bible. More like an intelligence greater than my own until I started really looking at the world around me, especially the way in which organisms adapt and change according to their environment. The evidence for evolution is too much to ignore, so until I find out about another alternative, the concept of a god is unnecessary and does more harm than good in the long run.

By all means, if you get a warm feeling inside at the thought of a being who watches over you at all times and for some reason thinks cancer and starvation will make people feel better, then you have every right to your happiness. There is no fight with me on this but that does not make it true, hence the need for faith, or the acceptance of something as true without evidence. As far as me looking down on those that hold irrational beliefs, well, those beliefs have caused thousands of deaths throughout history and are now affecting our laws in some cases. A new law here in Ohio will have a devastating effect on the lives of those who gain an income dancing at or operating strip clubs. What is the cause? Is it an atheistic group? Nope, we are logical and fair thinkers and feel no need to legislate morality unlike a number of people who love the Jesus guy, which makes them think that they have the final say on what's good for the community. Our own president claims to have talked to his god about the war in Iraq but it's funny that this all-knowing god failed to tell him about the three opposing religious factions that inhabit that region or the effect that it will have on trying to stabilize the country, once the government is eliminated.

Does a god belief help people cope with the stress of being a human being? Sure it does but so does five or six shots of Jack Daniels. I have become a better, more compassionate person because of my atheism but I don't love everyone just because they are a part of my species. Yes, it's time to drink heavily. Enjoy life...

 

I have found out over the last year or so, (since moving to a very small town) that people are going to believe what they want to believe and that's about it. It doesn't matter if it's religion, or politics, or even something as stupid as the best way to cook a steak.

I'm looked down on because I have a very loud motorcycle, I support the troops, and I spend 80% of my day washing and cleaning firetrucks/hoses/painting street numbers on sidewalks.

But I'm loved because parents can use me as an example to their kids as the proper way to ride and motorycle or ATV. I'm always seen with my helmet and using turn signals and never hot shot it unless i'm on a closed track.

And when someones house is on fire they don't give a damn if I know where their house is, they just expect us to know how to find them.

I try to be nice, and understanding. I dont' have to like what you stand for, but at least you stand for something. Next time someone is being an ***, just walk away. The world would be alot nicer place is people would just keep their nose in their own ****.

 

If ya'll all dont believe in what I believe then you all stupid.

 

one day i was watching a documentary on HBO.

this gay dude went into this televangalist's house and started asking questions on homosexuality

the televangilist was pretty pissed off, saying "being gay is a human life choice and everyone that is gay is going to hell and all christians who are supposed to tolorant of every culture should hate gays because they're the most evil of all people" blah blah blah

well, after the televangilist was done bitching about this, the gay dude put in a DVD and made the televangilist watch it.

on the DVD were 400 different species of gay animals having gay sex. mostly male on male.

that blew that televangilist's mind. he didn't know what to say. he was so pissed off he stopped the interview

was the funniest **** i've ever seen.

but anyway, i am an agnostic. i was born christian, and even my dad is a babtist reverend at a church. i think i mostly believe in the karma and buddhism faiths.

just live your life good, be respectful of all creatures that walk the earth, and no harm will come to you in the afterlife.

it's way better than hating people for who they are, like gay people. seriously. any religion that says to love some people and be less tolorant of others is ****ing stupid in my opionion. no human life is less valuable than another. whether is be an american, a canadian, an afghan, a gay, or voodochyl

 

Absolutely. Evolution is the mechanism for life but to say it occurs without impetus is inexcusably egocentric. Try setting up an aquarium in your house and see how long it lasts without doing anything to promote the life of the fish and coral within--death is soon to follow. Without me as their 'god', life ceases, it doesn't adapt on its own to meet the conditions. If one of those fish got sick or were attacked by another fish, blaming, cursing, and denying the existence of me as the almighty feeder being would be futile. Now imagine setting up the biggest, most infinitely complex terrarium/aquarium in the solar system and see if it just spins into life on its own. It won't.

As far as who or what keeps gravity working, I don't know. I'll probably never know. What I do know is that people, as evolved as they are, are dumb. They invent stories and books to cope with the brief flash of life they have--which leads me to believe that no one is right. The only incontrovertible evidence before us, is the grandness of this planet itself and the incomprehensible amount of time it took to mature. So, whatever force invented palm trees and bacon, thanks...

 

I liked the movie Evolution.

 

People teach their children what they think is right and what they believe in. If you say to yourself that you are not going to try to influence your child because they have a right to their own opinion when they are able to reason (eight or nine is it?), you areplain cracked! I am going to teach my children the things that I hold to be true, and you can teach your children what you believe to be true. I always find it interesting that people accuse God of all the bad things that happen in the world as a platform from which to debate. Ultimately, a man decides what he is going to do. To me, it is like if your boss tells younot to take money out of the till to buy yourself lunch and you do it anyway...that is not his fault. You are the one that broke the rules. You are the one that made the concious decision to take the money. People do all maner of evil in the name of God and people do all manner of evil who don't believe in God. It is MAN that decides to molest a child, blow up a church, rob a bank, judge another person...not God. "Well if God is so powerful, howcome there is cancer, and famine, and children dying". Guess what...I don't have an answer, but I can say that if there is no God, the same things are happening in the world, yes?. Whose fault is it then? If we must blame something or someonein a Godless world for all the bad, who is responsible? If everybody lived to be 100, and nobody died of cancer, and there was no famine could the world sustain itself? Can there be good without evil? Would we have a real sense of what love is without having our heart broken a time or two? Sometimes, we are just not going to know the answer. When it comes down to it, I have no right to judge anyone, nor do you, but people do it all the time. Pastors, athiests,priests in the church of satan.I guess, when we have breathed our last breath, only then will we know the truth...or, as you believe...we will cease to know anything.

 

I think the problem with many religions is that people are so worried about what is going to happen when they die that they miss out on living. I dont really care what other people believe or do as long as it doesn't stop me from doing my own thing. If I want to get married to a man then why the hell can't I? Who's it gonna hurt? And this doesn't just apply to religion either. I think the people that **** me off the most are vegans that try and stop me from eating meat. Its fine that they dont think its right to eat something that is living, but hey, i need my F***ing protein! Can't get guns like these without it! Show me one vegan bodybuilder and I'll show you that he's not a vegan because the protein supplements probably harm animals in one way or another, if they aren't made from animals in the first place. And how is being a vegan natural anyway? Humans started out as hunter gatherers, and we work best by eating a variety of stuff, including meat.
And some anti-abortion people **** me off too. I'm not for or against abortions, but how the hell can you justify murdering people over that crap. Like the people that bomb abortion clinics. Stuff like that reminds you that some people really are that dumb. Using violence for your cause, whether your cause is good or bad, makes you a terrorist. And theres no grey area for terrorists. Either you are one or you aren't and they are all the same. If you can't change peoples minds without violence then A) your cause sucks, B) your dumb.

I think religion and doing things that are good for something are good. Its the closemindedness of some people that makes what they stand for turn into a joke.

 

i'm not afraid of dying. i already know where i'm going...

the land of choclate of course!

 

The native Americans (and I'm sure plenty others) did it best: they kill a buffalo, then say a prayer thanking the animal for giving its life so that they might live. That's how you do it--show some appreciation for that bacon by eating in moderation and once in a while saying: "thank you pig, for giving me your protein, so that I might be healthy."