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You talk like atheism is some sort of religion when all it is, is just the refusal to accept silly fairy tales about Gods as being true. You should take the consequences of religion very seriously because more people have died in the name of religion than any other cause.

I can't reply in "Islam" 'cause me and Mo are banned.

..Just wanted to say "Yeah good luck to you!" Get in the ring and battle out the logic. I'll be in your corner, but I'm too battled and bruised to take part atm  ;)

i'm part of the elite crowd that are banned from there too.

:-)

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i'm part of the elite crowd that are banned from there too.

Maybe we could start a secular religion  :)
...the writings may take some work though ..lol

Sprintcyclist wrote on Jun 20^th, 2010 at 2:57am:

i'm part of the elite crowd that are banned from there too. :-)

I'm not ...... yet  ;D

Amadd wrote on Jun 20^th, 2010 at 3:08am:

Quote:     i'm part of the elite crowd that are banned from there too. Maybe we could start a secular religion  :) ...the writings may take some work though ..lol

Some  forms of Buddhism and Jainism come close.

muso wrote on Jun 20^th, 2010 at 10:10am:

Amadd wrote on Jun 20th, 2010 at 3:08am: Quote:     i'm part of the elite crowd that are banned from there too. Maybe we could start a secular religion  :) ...the writings may take some work though ..lol Some  forms of Buddhism and Jainism come close.

I am not familiar with Jainism, however, if I was ever to choose to adopt any religion, it would most likely be Buddhism.

Unlike Christianity and other oppressive religions, Buddhist teachings are typically phrased in POSITIVE and empowering terms...

Why are people attracted to supernatural ideas?
Religions are full of unproven nonsense.
e.g.
The doctrine of the infalliability of the Pope.
It requires that he has a supernatural power of not making an
error in judgment by some devine hand of God intervening
in his decisions.

I don't get it either, Bobby - but I suspect that there is something particularly suggestible in the mind that gravitates towards organised religion and god-fearmongering...

That, and the fact that the concepts of our origins and mortality are way beyond the comprehension of most of us - and therefore that some seek comfort in simple (however untenable) explanations...

Equitist wrote on Jun 20^th, 2010 at 11:17am:

I don't get it either, Bobby - but I suspect that there is something particularly suggestible in the mind that gravitates towards organised religion and god-fearmongering... That, and the fact that the concepts of our origins and mortality are way beyond the comprehension of most of us - and therefore that some seek comfort in simple (however untenable) explanations...

Carl Sagan sums it up better than I ever could:

Carl Sagan said:

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" Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof " " For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. " "Skeptical scrutiny is the means, in both science and religion, by which deep thoughts can be winnowed from deep nonsense. "

Yer, that's essentially what I was trying to say :-*

Equitist wrote on Jun 20^th, 2010 at 11:36am:

Yer, that's essentially what I was trying to say :-*

Good old Carl Sagan.
I wish more people were as wise as he was.

"
Bobby. wrote on Jun 20^th, 2010 at 12:52pm:

Equitist wrote on Jun 20th, 2010 at 11:36am: Yer, that's essentially what I was trying to say :-* Good old Carl Sagan. I wish more people were as wise as he was.

"

I think religion is used by people to explain what they don't understand...

It used to be a way to explain what caused thunderstorms.....'The gods do it'..

Now days it seems to be used by people as a life-line, sort of like 'even though my life sucks....there MUST be someone watching over me and my NEXT life will be better.."

It's a way of not taking responsibility or making an effort......

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Now days it seems to be used by people as a life-line, sort of like 'even though my life sucks....there MUST be someone watching over me and my NEXT life will be better.."

And what do they expect they'll be doing when they die?
Playing a harp on a cloud for the next trillion years?

Yeah , I suppose that is what they think....well the monotheistic ones anyway..(christian, judaism and islam)..

I think some of the Eastern ones believe in reincarnation...

gizmo_2655 wrote on Jun 20^th, 2010 at 2:06pm:

Yeah , I suppose that is what they think....well the monotheistic ones anyway..(christian, judaism and islam).. I think some of the Eastern ones believe in reincarnation...

Reincarnation is sort of true.
The atoms that make up your body are recycled & end up
in another living organism.

"
Bobby. wrote on Jun 20^th, 2010 at 2:08pm:

gizmo_2655 wrote on Jun 20th, 2010 at 2:06pm: Yeah , I suppose that is what they think....well the monotheistic ones anyway..(christian, judaism and islam).. I think some of the Eastern ones believe in reincarnation... Reincarnation is sort of true. The atoms that make up your body are recycled & end up in another living organism.

"

I read somewhere that all the atoms change between our bodies every 7 years or something.....

Not that it matters to me too much anyway....

I haven't believed in religion or sky-fairies for nearly 40 years..

If I'm wrong......well I won't be on a cloud playing a harp in any case....I'd be heading the 'other' way..

Which is just as well......I hate harp music and don't like heights.....

gizmo_2655 wrote on Jun 20^th, 2010 at 2:18pm:

Not that it matters to me too much anyway.... I haven't believed in religion or sky-fairies for nearly 40 years.. If I'm wrong......well I won't be on a cloud playing a harp in any case....I'd be heading the 'other' way.. Which is just as well......I hate harp music and don't like heights.....

Ohh no - you would burn forever in hellfire & damnation.
Oh well at least you'll have your forum friends there too.

Yep...what was that old joke??

There's only 2 things to worry about: whether your sick, or whether you healthy...etc


Ends up with :Only 2 things to worry about, whether you go to Heaven or Hell..

If you go to Heaven you have nothing to worry about.
And if you go to Hell, you'll be so busy saying hello to old friends that you won't have time to worry....

So don't Worry....

gizmo - religion prays upon people's fear of death to make
money out of them.
I think it's sick that they can even do that to little kids & get away with it.
The brainwashing continues into adulthood & the 10% tithe
is well received.

Bobby, you're 'preaching' to the converted...

I've been of that opinion since the 70's...

I haven't been to a church (other than for weddings, christenings or funerals) since about 1974....

So I do understand you, and think the same things...

I spent all of my High School years getting kicked out of scripture classes, because the NSW Dept of Education wouldn't give me a pass on religious instruction...

And I was declared a 'Minion of Satan' by a charismatic christian church (the Christian Life Centre).....I think they became Hillsong....or at least the guy in charge of Hillsong was from the CLC when I was trying to 'rescue' a friend from them....

gizmo_2655 wrote on Jun 20^th, 2010 at 1:54pm:

" Bobby. wrote on Jun 20th, 2010 at 12:52pm: Equitist wrote on Jun 20th, 2010 at 11:36am: Yer, that's essentially what I was trying to say :-* Good old Carl Sagan. I wish more people were as wise as he was. " I think religion is used by people to explain what they don't understand... It used to be a way to explain what caused thunderstorms.....'The gods do it'.. Now days it seems to be used by people as a life-line, sort of like 'even though my life sucks....there MUST be someone watching over me and my NEXT life will be better.." It's a way of not taking responsibility or making an effort......

Oi, do you mean that I have been lying to my kids, every time we have a storm and I exclaim: 'The Gods must be angry!'!?

Oh, the shock and shame of it...

:-[

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every time we have a storm and I exclaim: 'The Gods must be angry!'!?

My parents used to say "It's just God moving his furniture around".

LOL  ;)

LOL yeah....you have been misleading your kids...