Atheist vs. Theist
Luck and Superstition
Submitted by Aberglaube on February 25, 2008 - 6:20pm.Hi everybody, atheists and theists alike!
I'm quite new to this site, so please forgive me if this has been subject to a previous discussion. I'm still working myself through all the content on the site, which I found, clicking on a banner on some other site.
Anyway... I was going to ask you all this: Do you believe in luck?
I know, I do. On some rare occasions I'm very superstitious, for example, when I play Poker (I never pick up single cards, before all of them have been dealed) and also I regularly knock on wood. I have certain rituals that I always follow through, even though the rarely lead to better luck. I do it anyway. I think of myself as a strong atheist, but still I find myself silently "begging" (NOT praying) for better luck. Example: When I watch a match of my favorite sports team or when I gamble I go "Come on! Let this happen! Just this once!". I do however not address HIM, the Almighty, for i absolutely deny his existence. It's something different, I just wish for good luck and try to enforce it by using said rituals. I know its not rational but I probably will never stop it, neither do I feel the need to.
Prove to me the world is 6000 years old
Submitted by NickB on February 25, 2008 - 9:01am.Science has proven through many different forms of radiocarbon dating that the world is 4.5 billion years old. In the face of all this evidence creationist persist that our earth is 6000 years old. To this day I have not seen a shred of evidence to support the assertion that the earth is 6000 years old. I do not want to sit here and argue some irrational theist about the Earths age all I want is proof that the Earth is 6000 years old. So to anybody that can prove to me that the Earth is 6000 years old I will give $6,000. When I say proof I mean irrefutable evidence that is based on logic not faith so in other words no bible quotes.
P.S. I am completely serious about this.
Calling all skeptical theists and atheists to please take the stand.
Submitted by SteveTheMonkey on February 25, 2008 - 1:16am.I have formed my own conclusion to religion that I want you to scrutinize. I want you to rip it apart piece by piece and smudge the rotten illogical pieces in my face. You have to understand, this is my own personal opinion and I am asking you to critically analyze it and formulate a conclusion as to why I am wrong. Prove to me, why I am wrong. I've suggested before to myspace forums that we have been asking the wrong question in regards to divine nature but recieved no responses for no one seemed to understand. I've left there with a brutal personal attack that changed the outlook of a 45 year old self-ish man and I never came back. What always seemed to be asked is if a higher being exists? And that basis serves to constitute the difference between theists and atheists.
Response Squad VS. AL MOHLER
Submitted by akolutheo on February 24, 2008 - 9:26pm.I think the Rational Response Squad should offer Al Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Society in Louisvile, KY, a debate on atheism. He recently gave four seminars on atheism at Dallas Theological Seminary.
Here are the seminars
http://www.dts.edu/media/play/?MediaItemID=7da9a043-fb24-412e-b0e4-efded1f6a61a
Free will doesn't exist
Submitted by Loc on February 24, 2008 - 8:33am.(Apologies if this has already been done)
Free will is a integral part of the christian faith. Christians often cite it to demonstrate the great love of their god. "God could have made you love him, but he doesn't want mindless robots,so you have free will.'' or "It hurts god when you don't serve hime,but he gave you free will because he loves you." Now that is all well and fine. Such god might deserve some respect right? The problem is, the christian god doesn't actually give free will. An example of free will would be:
"If you serve me,thats good.If you don't,that's ok too."
But what we get is:
"If you serve me,thats good.If you don't, you'll suffer eternally."
Now, how is that in any way free will? Where is the choice? "Love me or I'll punish you eternally." The christian god would be no better than King Nebuchadrezzar when he demanded everyone bow to the statue of him or be thrown into the fiery furnace.
My simple argument against Theism.
Submitted by daedalus on February 23, 2008 - 11:51pm.Of all the arguments against god (and I really love them all, especially when you are stumped by one and have to re-read it to find the fallacy - for example, WL Craig has challenged my understanding, but eventually I have seen where his arguments fail).
Anyhow, I thought I'd share my basic problem with theism, and while this is quite basic, I find that returning to the original problem helpful in resetting oneself in light of all the arguments that follow.
Basically, it is a Noncognitivist position.
To anyone, I pose the scenario:
It is blue, triangular, wavy, pumpkin-like and causes the leaves on the trees to move. I call it "flurb".
It is maximally good, it is maximally powerful, and maximally knowing and causes the universe to exist. I call it "god".
They are both equal propositions. The issue would be "do you believe that flurb exists? Yes or no? (The answer "it could exist" isn't a position, since it is also the mirror statement "it also might not exist". And this is simply not a position at all.)
No?: Why not? What evidence do you have?
Yes?: Why? What evidence do you have?
I can point out that blue, triangles, wavy-ness and pumpkin-like things exist, and point to the trees moving. But the clever people out there might notice the problem:
ANGER
Submitted by Xeron on February 21, 2008 - 5:58am.Sometime in 2006 , in remote vilage in romania , a 26yo young woman, mentally ill (schizo i think) was taken to a monastery to be healed . They deemed her posessed , tied her up to a cross , chanted shit for several days untill she eventually went into a coma , died hours later on an ambulance cause of starvation/thirst and abuse
Finaly the verdict : The priest gets 7 years in jail , the nuns 5 .
A friend of mine does 9 years for beeing caught with a rather large bag of marihuana
I`ll get back with details later on , but just google " tanacu " or " tanacu case "
Some Youtube videos I currently commented on. Looking for some info
Submitted by Magus on February 20, 2008 - 4:13pm.This one is just crazy to me what the hell is this person talking about?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfOB429YFb4#VFSf7rHZRNE
This person seems to be attacking me in their comments, just wanted to know if I had said something wrong that deserved to be attacked
http://youtube.com/comment_servlet?all_comments&v=QO4d6Uhj43Q
Proof that God exists
Submitted by Badbark on February 20, 2008 - 9:59am.While debating on YouTube a guy told me he had proof that God exists. I was intrigued and he seemed like a decent fellow so I asked for his proof. This is what I was sent. I’d be interested in hearing everyone’s views.
Jesus was an ancient Atheist friend
Submitted by I AM GOD AS YOU on February 20, 2008 - 1:43am.
.... jesus still on trial ? come on .... just look at the religious loons. Hey atheists, "jesus" was one of ours. The ressurection has barely begun ! Don't throw away jesus nor his "god" . I AM GOD he said. YEAH dude !