Dirty Greek ~The fact that you were once "somewhat Christian" implies a certain level of ingnorance on your side. Its like being "somewhat pregnant".... there just is no such thing. You were never Christian if you never had a personal relationship with Christ. Going through the motions of going to church does not mean you are Christian. IF you had ever had a relationship with God, then you would not be able to say that there was no such thing as God. I am not judging, I am just pointing out the truths.On another note, I understand that not everyone is Christian; however, we will never have a God-less country. Religion is an important aspect of a society. There are pictures of Moses in the government buildings in DC... there are bibles in the cornerstones of two of those buildings.... and the ten commandments are also posted in congress. The fact is, this country was founded on Christian beliefs and they are held with a certain amount of respect. As far as Thomas Jefferson even making a statement about the separation of church and state........IF you read it in context, you will find that he is specifically speaking on the terms of tax supported churched and governmental repremand for belief or not belief in the church.I myself am a Christian..... and no matter how much people rant and rave about "stupid" Christians, you will not change my mind or my opinion. Christians should have just as much rights as non believers
3/14/2007 11:17:18 AM
"by Marc Fey In 1991, President George H. W. Bush appointed Del Tackett — now Focus on the Family Institute President — as the director of technical plans at the White House for the National Security Council. During this time of serving as the White House's liaison to federal agencies, Del often noticed three murals — memorials to America's foundations — in the Capitol's rotunda. The first was the landing of Columbus, the second the Christian baptism of Pocahontas, and the third the Pilgrims as they paused for prayer on their leaky ship Speedwell with the Bible open, eyes uplifted to heaven.Del saw other signposts of faith: the inscription "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free" above the CIA headquarters, the stone tablet of the Ten Commandments in the Supreme Court and the many Bible verses on the Library of Congress and on the steps of the Washington Monument.One evening, Del stood in the state dining room in the White House and read the prayer that John Adams had carved into the marble over the fireplace. Everywhere Del looked a story was being told about America's foundation; it was a story he knew but had not heard acknowledged in Washington — an overwhelming testimony to the presence and leadership of Almighty God in the lives of those who founded America.Del realized the founding men and women knew God was sovereign over all of life. They saw a larger story, understanding that underneath their individual lives was a deeper foundation, a deeper meaning, a deeper purpose. Del thought, These men and women knew God was real. In everything they acknowledged God's influence and involvement."My eyes were opened, and I hungered to know what a true Christian worldview was," Del says. "I spent years in biblical study and realized that a biblical worldview applies every aspect of life." He also realized many Christians did not understand this truth."from http://www.family.orgHow can we say that Christian thought had *nothing* to do with the founding of this country. Yes, I do know that these buildings were not created on the day this country was founded; however, it had such an impact that they were integrated into the design[Edited on March 14, 2007 at 12:45 PM. Reason : asdf]
3/14/2007 12:42:44 PM
3/14/2007 12:52:43 PM
bttt
3/19/2007 2:14:41 PM
3/19/2007 2:20:43 PM
delusion
3/19/2007 2:27:54 PM
If everyone else gets crap for their beliefs at some point or another, atheists shouldn't think they are any different.
3/19/2007 5:37:08 PM
btttI was hoping for a response from mrfrog.
4/4/2007 4:30:35 PM
oh lord...
4/4/2007 10:12:03 PM
Back to the topic of the video...This is where my stand on the topic is. Stop whining! The whole point of a democracy is to protect the rights of the MAJORITY of the population. Not a small minority of the population. If you are part of the minority (in this case, atheist) then suck it up.ExamplePretend the blue and pointy eared people (about 1/4 of the population) wanted to be in line first at every line in the country. Now, the pink and droppy eared people (3/4 of the population) don't agree with that. What do you think will happen? Most likey, the blue and pointy eared people will not get to pass the law that puts them first in line at every line in the country.That's the whole concept of democracy. You makes laws and/or protect the rights of the majority. Of course, you will have to do things to protect the minority too, but for the most part, the minority will have to adapt and cope. You're never going to please everyone. So as long as you please the majority, the country will be in good shape.Look at history, it proves that once you try too hard to please the minority, things just don't go so good for a country (i.e. genocides).In ConclusionIn a democracy, majority wins and minority whines.
4/5/2007 10:07:31 AM
^^You said religion has cultural value. I said culture isn't necessarily valuable. Now you say that bad things can happen with and without religion. How insightful. As far as I'm concerned, the "fundamental idea of atheism" is not to demand proof of everything, but to do the best you can, which involves more thinking than accepting supernatural principles. Both sides of WWII and all other countries are out of touch with reality to various degrees. And if we haven't accomplished anything here, it's because you can't make a coherent point or valid argument.^Where the hell do you live? The constitution begins with "We the People," not "We the Majority." The purpose of our government is to promote the general Welfare and secure liberty, not to do whatever the majority wants. The country will be in good shape as long as you please the majority? Tell that to Martin Luther King.
4/5/2007 11:09:29 AM
^ We the people = We the majority. We the people != We the 10% (or whatever percentage) of Americans who are Atheists.My point is, in the video he is complaining about how all these laws require people to believe in God. Well DUH! What does he expect??? If you live in a muslim dominated country, for the most part you will have to abide by muslim influenced laws.The guy in the video really and honestly has problems with DEMOCRACY, not RELIGION.[Edited on April 5, 2007 at 1:14 PM. Reason : more clarity]
4/5/2007 12:54:30 PM
Culture has value, you agree but say that not all of it is necessarily valuable. I agree with that, but I'm guessing you're trying to implicate that religion is one of the worst aspects of our society.So we were whisked away to the Hitler example. Yes, an example of bad culture indeed, but does it help either of our points about religion? The Nazi party had science, politics, religion, all aspects of society helping it in it's vision.No, I don't think the ideas that brought the Nazi party together are the same ideas that bring people together for Sunday service. I'm in favor of separation of church and state as much as the next guy. My belief is that religion has a place in study of history (obviously) and in the traditions of our nation and even if every single soul on earth stops believing in Jesus or even God, the will to unite under the desire to have a higher purpose to life will remain.
4/5/2007 1:13:15 PM
4/5/2007 1:20:01 PM
Yeah, but just because they are written in stone for two religions don't give them the monopoly on what is pretty basic knowlege.
4/5/2007 1:33:38 PM
4/5/2007 2:21:25 PM
4/5/2007 4:54:56 PM
^ I was trying to say that atheism by principal gives no reason to try. at all. Note that I am not an atheist.And the will of the universe is relevant when DISCUSSING RELIGION.
4/5/2007 5:30:13 PM
Whatever you think you know about atheist principles, you certainly don't know mine. And what does "the will of the universe" even mean?
4/6/2007 1:52:51 AM
4/6/2007 3:41:11 AM
4/6/2007 6:14:40 AM
Did you sleep through government and history classes? American democracy isn't supposed to "please" at least 51% of the people; it's supposed to keep 100% of them free. Basing laws on oppressive religions doesn't help that.
4/6/2007 12:49:30 PM
Last time I checked Bush beat Gore by only 543 votes in Florida... thus winning him the election. Putting all theory about how our government "should" work on the shelf, you have to realize that laws are made by and for the "majority" of the population. Whether you like it or not the laws made inside a government will always go to benefit the "majority" and always leave the "minority" wanting more.I don't understand this concept of "oppressive" religions. Last time I heard, you're allowed to believe what you want to believe in America. You just have to return to my above comment and realize that, "the majority vote wins."Mundane ExampleIf an atheist went and passed a law that said, "You cannot use the words God/Jesus/Buddah/Mohammad in public." Then wouldn't you think a religious person would say, "That's such an oppressive law." Catch my drift?
4/6/2007 1:44:56 PM
4/6/2007 8:37:36 PM
^^You still don't get it. The Constitution is based on the concept of individual rights, not majority rule.^You misunderstand and misrepresent my position and make up nonsense about "the will of the universe." I'm not insulted; you should be embarassed.
4/8/2007 9:28:31 PM
I'm fairly sure that we're a democracy run by majority rule, the constitution says a lot of human rights, but that's not going to address atheism rights or Indian-American rights of whatever, just because you have a document that says what should be done doesn't mean it will be done that way. But rights of the majority and minorities shouldn't conflict unless people are trying to impose their will on others because they have power (well, when we're talking minorities based on religion).And no I'm not embarrassed. But thx for letting me know that I should be, I'll work on it.
4/8/2007 9:58:54 PM
Why don't Athiest care or complain about our time/date system? It's all based off the existence of Christ (BC/AD). I can't believe they leave this aspect out but cry about everything else christ related.
4/9/2007 4:36:56 AM
4/9/2007 4:48:23 AM
4/9/2007 5:00:09 AM
4/9/2007 7:56:56 AM
^^ If by "all academic and professional historical references" you mean some, then you are right. No one outside academia uses BCE and BC, and I doubt even a majority of historians use it. There is no point in changing BC and AD to BCE and BC. How many people know what the abbreviations really mean? Changing the abbreviations is silly and petty, because they are still zeroed around Christ...[Edited on April 9, 2007 at 8:03 AM. Reason : -]
4/9/2007 8:02:51 AM
4/9/2007 10:18:14 AM
4/9/2007 11:05:34 AM
Back in the 50's, a plane crashed on a pacific Island and was lost. When it was found years later, it was discovered that the primitive natives there had worshiped the airplane as a God.My point being, that no matter what you believe in, if it makes sense to you, great....but you are no closer to the answers if you stop looking.
4/9/2007 11:27:00 AM
4/9/2007 11:48:11 AM
I am an atheist. There is no reason for it, I simply don't believe in God. I don't use any bullshit reasons like, "If there was a God, my sister wouldn't have died." However, there are a great number of atheists that use this type of "reasoning" or "bargaining" to justify their disbelief in God.Atheism, for many other "atheists" I've spoken with, appears to not be true belief, but rather a front for a more troubling process in the mind. A person, at some point, must decide whether or not there is a God or not. Stands to reason that some people are still sitting on the fence in that area, but it seems that at least some of those people call themselves atheist. It turns into a search for something that can concretely disprove the existence of God. The atheist "crusade," if you could call it that, is less about proving to other people that there is no God, and more about proving to the atheists themselves that there is no God.
4/9/2007 11:53:13 AM
4/9/2007 11:55:27 AM
4/9/2007 12:02:33 PM
4/9/2007 1:23:12 PM
jesus christ...The reason we're on this subject is because you both seem to think our government is set up so the majority is allowed to shit on everybody else. It doesn't work that way. And this whole line of reasoning is flawed because of your assumption we live in a democracy, even though intelligent people have been telling you otherwise your entire life.
4/9/2007 1:45:45 PM
4/9/2007 2:22:16 PM
4/9/2007 2:30:20 PM
4/9/2007 2:57:21 PM
for one thing, there isn't a stem cell ban that i know of, just a ban on federal money.also, i respect the right for other people to want to die, just as i would hope people would respect my desire to lvie. i don't really see how you could imagine these two lines of thought would be mutually exclusive.the whole point is that my morals (nor the morals of others) shouldn't play into laws which affect people who aren't harming anyone else.
4/9/2007 3:04:02 PM
4/9/2007 3:30:34 PM
in fact you would think christians wouldn't need these laws, because they could follow through on their morals on their own because they're good christians.
4/9/2007 3:36:38 PM
4/9/2007 7:44:51 PM
4/9/2007 7:52:12 PM
God FTW
4/29/2007 9:19:43 PM
But do atheists really care? Do any of us really care?
5/5/2007 5:48:24 PM