Religion: What it means to you

I'm an atheist, and it's relieving to see a lot of atheists here. It just seems so dumb to believe in any religion.

One of the things I hate about religion is how it DOES affect my everyday life. I don't want to have to deal with religion if it's such a pointless endeavor. Show me proof of god and I'll change my ways. It almost seems stupid to argue about religion. It should've been a null point a long time ago. Hopefully someday soon we'll look back on religion the same way we look back on alchemy.

I could say more on the subject, but it's late and I'm sleepy. I'll vent some other time.

How ya doing, buddy?

I was raised atheist. Cuz you see, it's stupid to believe in a god when you're presented with the choice.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I agree with you, but that would only work on a theoretical level. Religion is everywhere anymore, there's no way to deny that.

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It would be impossible to abandon religion completely anymore. I would like to think that we could just ignore it and religion would go away completely, but people are wasting more and more time and money on nonsense such as a creationism "museum." Teaching atheism would enlighten the world.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by CelticWhisper

Breeding licenses and mandatory reversible sterilization upon reaching puberty.

People could be free to be religious, but then they don't get the license to have kids. No kids = losing the most effective vector for spreading the religion.

Agnostics/atheists/apathetics (those who just don't give a damn about even wondering whether there's a god) apply for the breeding license, maybe take a "parental competency" test with some other criteria, and get desterilized and made able to propagate.

Converting/lying on the test/otherwise exposing children to religion in a proselytizing or other non-academic fashion (i.e. anything more than "The $RELIGION system of belief is A, B, C, with doctrines X, Y, Z") is grounds for removal of one's children from one's custody and placement into a foster home. Additionally, parents will be irreversibly resterilized and possibly serve prison sentences as well.

Draconian, but if you want to get rid of religion, it should solve the problem within a couple generations.

I like the idea!

I was speaking idiomatically.

You mean besides the senseless bombings in the name of Allah the Almighty? Or the corruption of morals by allowing people to pay the church to forgive their sins? What about all the religious wars?

To answer your second question, I wouldn't want to play thought police. Religion is already doing that. I want to stop the thought policing if you will.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Capo

You're simply turning atheism into a religion. Even the word "atheism" reflects this. Just live your life the way you see fit, but, please, don't infringe upon the rights of others. Religion would be fine with me were it not for people constantly using it as justification to further their respective agendas.

Like Christians and Jews have never done the same damn thing.

Ok, you're wrong again by even comparing atheism to a religion. We atheists don't believe in a god or gods, therefore, we are NOT a religion. That argument needs work my friend.

Originally Posted by Lord Styphon

Previous statements indicate otherwise.

Have you ever heard of satire?

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Smelnick

My church does a missions trip every summer to help out people who are less fortunate. Sometimes its building a home for a family in mexico that doesn't have one, or its something as simple as going to serve soup at a homeless shelter.

Does that make you feel good about yourself? Or does it just make you feel high and mighty for helping the people that aren't as good as you? By the way, don't missionaries try to convert people?

Originally Posted by Smelnick

Sometimes there is strife between different members of the church over small church politics stuff, but thats to happen with any community. But all in all, we keep to ourselves and don't interfere with other people. Now tell me what is pointless about this.

Wait wait wait, so sending missionaries down to mexico is keeping to yourself?

Originally Posted by Smelnick

Are you to say that we are better off to just tear down this church and build some houses in its place? All of us who have become friends under a common cause should just disband?

I'm not saying tear own the churches. We could use them to be warning to other about the evils of religion. And your pack of friends wouldn't have to disband, where did that even come from?

Originally Posted by Smelnick

I really don't think there is anything pointless about religion. Many of our criminal laws are based off of religious morals set forth by past religions.

No, our criminal laws are based off fucking common sense. You shouldn't steal, kill, etc. If you need religion to tell you that these things are wrong, then there is something seriously wrong with you.

Originally Posted by Smelnick

Our system of politics have things in them that were based off of religion.

Once again, it's based on COMMON SENSE. I suppose you religious folk have never heard of that though.

Originally Posted by Smelnick

Many people who hit rock bottom, and end up on the streets, are saved by religion because they found love and support in a church when noone else would help them.

Yes, and many people who end up on the streets, stay on the streets until they die. Where the fuck was god then?

Originally Posted by Smelnick

You can make a general statement saying that religion is pointless and horrible. However, by making such a statement, you are ignoring the more positive, and less pointless aspects of religion as well.

Needless to say, I do know that religion has positive aspects, but these positive aspects aren't religion exclusive. Just because religion can have some positive aspect does not outweigh the negative parts of it. Some of the people I care about most are religious. That's why it pains me to see them, and any other people, sucked into religion.

Originally Posted by Smelnick

Religion isn't just some fanatical pastime that people get roped into. For some people it is a crutch and a way of life.

Yes, religion is VERY fanatical, and people ARE roped into it. Kids don't have a chance to open their mind because their parents are religious, and force it onto their kids. As for religion being a crutch for some people, and a way of life, that is just wrong. Religion should NOT, of all things, be a crutch.

Originally Posted by Smelnick

I feel sorry for atheists, because without belief in something beyond themselves, what do they really live for? What can you strive to attain?

There are so many things wrong with those questions. I think Denicalis said it best:

Originally Posted by Denicalis

Understanding and self-realization, you arrogant prick. Betterment through oneself, not a fantasy man who forgives my mistakes if I ask nicely. What do we have to live for? Where the fuck do you get off? Only a belief in god can provide meaning? How hollow and empty is your life that this is true?

Originally Posted by Denicalis

Atheism is a belief structure. I wouldn't call it a religion, but its certainly a belief structure on par with religions with its ability to produce radical idiots who make the moderates look bad.

A moderate atheist? That would be an agnostic.

How ya doing, buddy?

No, having a belief structure has nothing to do with being a religion. Besides, he was just trying to make a witty comment, not an actual point. Good one, btw. It was very funny.

How ya doing, buddy?

Religion, has to do with believing in a god. having a belief structure is nothing special.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

No. you guys have the worst arguments. Just because something has a set of beliefs, doesn't mean it's a religion. That's just ridiculous to say. That's like saying just because something has a set of wings, it's a bird. There is more to it than just a set of beliefs. Atheists are far from religion.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Capo

You're missing the point here: Whether or not your structure of beliefs centers around a god, absence of a god, or a fucking flying spaghetti monster is inconsequential. It's that these structures of belief foster a group superiority, and this applies to both Christianity and Atheism.

That wasn't your point. You were saying that Atheism is a religion. Yes it's true that some belief structures foster group superiority, but that doesn't make them religions.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Smelnick

Society's definition of a religion is that it is a set of beliefs.

No. It's not. Technically there is no definition of religion. But ALL religion has to do with belief in god(s). You can't tell me that's not part of religion.

Originally Posted by Capo

It makes them just as good as religions, which is what I've been trying to get across to you for the past few hours.

No, not at all really. Group superiority isn't the worst thing about religion.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Smelnick

I don't know if you noticed my post where I quoted the dictionary. But the first 3 entries say that religion is a set of beliefs. You can't say that there is no definition of religion, when you find it directly in the dictionary. It doesn't specify what it has to be a belief in. Scientology is a religion, but it doesn't believe in a specific god per se.



As you can see, It has been termed as a religion, and yet there is no belief in a specific god. simply a belief in an idea. Atheism is a belief in an idea. Maybe that doesn't quite term it as a full religion exactly. But you have to admit that its pretty darn close.

Dammit, I don't know if you're trying to be dense or what, but it's annoying. There is no definition for religion. You can find one in the dictionary, but techinically, there is no true definition. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion why don't you read up on this so you can bring an actual argument to the table.

Originally Posted by Capo

Then what is?

How about the murders it causes? That's just one.

Originally Posted by Lord Styphon

You're saying that atheism has absolutely nothing at all to do with belief in god(s)?

No, I'm saying that atheism is a belief that there is no god. In other words, I think it's ridiculous to believe in that stuff. You see, Atheism is based around religion, but that does not make it a fucking religion.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Denicalis

Actually, what I was saying was that one form of universal thought, extremism, was as bad as another. I'm a massive skeptic, and I believe there is currently much more evidence of no god, than of the existence of a god, and as such, I fall towards atheism. However, to argue that your way is right and everyone else is wrong is just bloody stupid, not to mention exactly what I dislike about religion.

The seperation of church and state is vital. Government and school have no place interfering in people's beliefs, and the church's politics have no place in secular institutions. But to say one or the other is the root of all evil is bloody idiotic. Moderate atheism exists, junior. And it isn't agnosticism, it just isn't millitant and close-minded.

P.S.

I just failed two students for using wiki as a main source in their term papers in a university level religious studies course. Get a real source so you can bring an argument to the table.

OK Professor, here it is.http://www.darc.org/connelly/religion1.html

As for being close minded, I close my mind to the idea of the existence of god because of how ridiculous it is. Sure I could say that there might be a god out there, but that's just fucking ridiculous and you know it.

Originally Posted by Capo

Which is often due to feelings of group superiority. You're really bad at this whole debate thing.

Bad at this debate thing? Do you even remember what you're original argument was?

To answer your inane argument, only in religion do you see people acting out violence in the name of god. It may be group superiority that caused it, but their belief that it's ok with god is what allows them to do it.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Denicalis

Any less ridiculous than the idea of matter forming from nothing prior to the big bang? Physics/science can't explain the beginning any better than anyone else. For all I know, they're all wrong. I think belief in god is stupid, but an absolute belief in -anything- is stupid. You're as bad as they are.

There is more proof to support the big bang theory than there is to support the existence of any kind of god. That's a bad argument and you should know that.
If you want a source, here ya go. http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/bigbang.htm

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

It's still got way more evidence than god. That was my point.

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It's the same way with gravity. It's only a theory. But there's no definite proof. That's the same argument Creationists are using against Evolution. Do you really want to go that path?

You're right, you can't disprove the existence of god, but that doesn't mean you have to actually give it a chance. You also can't disprove the theory that the flying spaghetti monster exists.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I just have strong beliefs about the issue. I used to be more flexible about the issue, as I used to be agnostic, but the more I've thought about it, the more ridiculous it all seems. And after having religion pushed in my face my whole life, I'm less likely to be nice to people who defend it.

How ya doing, buddy?

That's exactly it. It's maddening that they take this ridiculous notion of god and try to apply it to our everyday life. I wouldn't be so mad if they just pushed morality, or being a good person.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by RacinReaver

I hear godless Communist Soviet Russia was a pretty utopian place to be living. You know, no fear of war, no fear of famine, no fear of a brutal corrupt government.

Oh, wait.

Oh, you're so right, if they would've had Jesus they would've been just fine.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Pangalin

Oh, right. Whatever pisses off your Mom and Dad, I expect. THEY CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT TO DO ANYMORE

Actually, I was raised with a choice to believe in whatever I wanted.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Easy there killer, I never said anything harmful to you. If you have some thoughtful input, then go ahead, but that post was completely unnecessary.

FELIPE NO

Man, I've been posting thoughtful input. Read the last 3 pages.

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Wow, that's just beautiful. What the heck does this have to do with anything?

Jam it back in, in the dark.