Some good news at last.

[Harleyman]

This seems to be more of a policy of the forum than anything atheists do. It does seem to happen a lot in the western world. It's fine to insult Jesus but not Mohammed. I think we should be allowed to criticise all belief systems. I would suggest you ask the helpdesk on that one. Us atheists are usually labelled racist if we criticise Islam.

 

 

 

Not sure why it happens. I personally think it's a form of racism in itself. People seem to associate Islam with dark skin and usually give it special dispensation as a result. See Melthebel on this.

 

 

 

I agree with you. Why protect one religion over another? It does seem strange and I'm sticking with the protective form of racism as one reason it happens.

 

I would like to have a free debate on all belief systems vs atheism. The shame is someone usually gets upset and has the discussion stopped.

 

I was banned last week for starting a thread claiming, "As an atheist I believe Christmas should be called Winterville". How unfair is that?

 

I'm a strong advocate of free speech and freedom of thought. I think there is enough stuff in other religions to warrant serious discussion. By denying the right to dicuss or criticize while it's open season on Christians is obviously a form of discrimination in itself.

 

I think the Christians have by and large been under dogs in these dicussions and while I'm far from being a Grahame I feel compelled to put in a word for them. That's the Englishman's way... defending the under dog

 

The Salavation Army are out and about where I live collecting money for the needy at Christmas... who can say that it would be "good news" if such an organisation ceased to exist?

[Shogun]

I'm a strong advocate of free speech and freedom of thought. I think there is enough stuff in other religions to warrant serious discussion. By denying the right to dicuss or criticize while it's open season on Christians is obviously a form of discrimination in itself.

 

I think the Christians have by and large been under dogs in these dicussions and while I'm far from being a Grahame I feel compelled to put in a word for them. That's the Englishman's way... defending the under dog

 

The Salavation Army are out and about where I live collecting money for the needy at Christmas... who can say that it would be "good news" if such an organisation ceased to exist?

The salvation deserve a lot of credit they are always there doing there bit for any one believer or not.

[janie48]

although i have a faith it doesn't mean i don't question the Religious Establishment and their justification for establishing rules that most people find to difficult to put into practice.i think that is one of the reasons why many people when asked if they have a faith would reply "i'm not religious but i do believe in something".i often myself, criticise many aspects of religious practice but for me personally not agreeing with everything a religion dictates

is not a basis for no longer having a faith in God.

[MrSmith]

although i have a faith it doesn't mean i don't question the Religious Establishment and their justification for establishing rules that most people find to difficult to put into practice.i think that is one of the reasons why many people when asked if they have a faith would reply "i'm not religious but i do believe in something".i often myself, criticise many aspects of religious practice but for me personally not agreeing with everything a religion dictates

is not a basis for no longer having a faith in God.

 

Wouldn't you need to know what God is in order to have faith in it, and it’s usually religions that define God. So without the religion and the definition you couldn’t have faith in God.

[RootsBooster]

although i have a faith it doesn't mean i don't question the Religious Establishment and their justification for establishing rules that most people find to difficult to put into practice.i think that is one of the reasons why many people when asked if they have a faith would reply "i'm not religious but i do believe in something".i often myself, criticise many aspects of religious practice but for me personally not agreeing with everything a religion dictates

is not a basis for no longer having a faith in God.

 

Do you ever question /review the source of conviction for your beliefs?

[janie48]

Do you ever question /review the source of conviction for your beliefs?

 

yes sometimes, but not lately...i seem to have to much to do.

[buck]

Don't think I don't ever question the existence of God. I'm an engineer,so it doesn't always come easy. Most of my life in Sheffield, Sundays were spent on a racing bike tearing around Derbyshire, going to church for weddings, baptisms, and funerals. I thought that I was thanking God for the beautiful peaks, and that was enough. I changed in August 1979, when a big rig lost control on the Massachusetts Turnpike, and hit us head on. I never saw my beloved wife again, she died immediately. My son, who was driving was trerribly injured, and he was the only reason I'm glad I didn't die in the ICU. Afterwards I sensed her presence on many occasions. In 1990 my gall bladder exploded and I was rushed into the operation room with peritonits. I had a cardiac arrest for five minutes, during which I experienced walking toward my wife who was crying and my mother who was signalling to me to go back. That image is as clear to me as the day it happened. I have been married to my second wife Pauline for nearly 30 years. She is Irish and a devout catholic, so I have been going to church for some time and am happy with it. I do not try to convert atheists in any way, I have friends who are christian, jewish, buddhist, muslim and atheist. That's not abnormal in America.

[RootsBooster]

Don't think I don't ever question the existence of God. I'm an engineer,so it doesn't always come easy. Most of my life in Sheffield, Sundays were spent on a racing bike tearing around Derbyshire, going to church for weddings, baptisms, and funerals. I thought that I was thanking God for the beautiful peaks, and that was enough. I changed in August 1979, when a big rig lost control on the Massachusetts Turnpike, and hit us head on. I never saw my beloved wife again, she died immediately. My son, who was driving was trerribly injured, and he was the only reason I'm glad I didn't die in the ICU. Afterwards I sensed her presence on many occasions. In 1990 my gall bladder exploded and I was rushed into the operation room with peritonits. I had a cardiac arrest for five minutes, during which I experienced walking toward my wife who was crying and my mother who was signalling to me to go back. That image is as clear to me as the day it happened. I have been married to my second wife Pauline for nearly 30 years. She is Irish and a devout catholic, so I have been going to church for some time and am happy with it. I do not try to convert atheists in any way, I have friends who are christian, jewish, buddhist, muslim and atheist. That's not abnormal in America.

 

That's truly awful and heartbreaking Buck, I cannot imagine the grief of losing my wife and the mother of my son.

I don't wish to analyse or speculate on your experience in hospital, but I can comment on my own- I have had two similar experiences which both felt extremely real and to this day I remember them clear as the day they happened.

Although they could be explained by the biology and chemistry of my brain I'm happier to just have them as memories. There's no reason for me to attribute it to a god or the supernatural though. To me it really doesn't matter what the cause is.