Science vs Religion

[Shogun]

We are very lucky in this country we can practice our faith and we can be what ever we want our country is the envy of the world when it comes to freedom of speech and belief,we have sacrificed a lot in the past and fought costly in life's wars to be free from religious oppression and outside dominance,

[Ryedo40]

I have viewed the links. i have always known that terrible events have happened in the name of religion,and i recognise that tragic events still happen. I know though that there are also many good and positive things about religion,which some people appear to overlook.

 

Yes, and a lot of terrible things happen because of religion - things that many of the religious overlook, ignore or are part of.

 

I have never considered myself to be a radical,but if ever faced with the probability of a mass movement threatening to take away my freedom to practice my religion and remove the religious establishment in this country i would fight with every ounce of energy i have got left,because i consider that it is a valuable institution worth preserving.So long may it live.

 

I'd fight for people's right to a practice religion or worship a god. But if that religion was intolerant of others - or propagated hate and mistrust against those who don't believe - and sought to impose its intolerant views on society, then I couldn't possibly fight for their right to practice that religion.

[quisquose]

Tom, what happened to your promise in #166?

 

[Shogun]

a. what do you mean by "believe in"?

 

b. from what I've seen of religion it causes nothing but trouble...

 

c. No

 

d. nothing.. it's the end..

 

e. not particularly as long as they don't preach to me..

You did not put your case over very well there I was trying to get a sort of inside opinion of what an atheist thinks its not a challenge or an attempt at conversion or anything

[truman]

You did not put your case over very well there I was trying to get a sort of inside opinion of what an atheist thinks its not a challenge or an attempt at conversion or anything

 

I'm not trying to put a case over..just answering your questions...

[Shogun]

Tom, what happened to your promise in #166?

 

Do you mean I rattle on a bit,just got on flow I guess:)

[RootsBooster]

You did not put your case over very well there I was trying to get a sort of inside opinion of what an atheist thinks its not a challenge or an attempt at conversion or anything

I know this isn't a response to me but I will expand on mine a little for you..

All sorts of things! The list is too long!

I believe in balance and harmony, wherever possible, I believe in treating others with respect as they deserve, I believe in peace and love wherever possible. I also believe in lots more.

I also believe in equality (this includes race, culture, sexuality, gender etc), I believe in fairness, I believe abstainance is a bad thing, the list goes on...

I was never "on" religion, but I don't think organised religion is necessary at all, there are many reasons for this. Individual faith is different and I think some people need it.

I don't think people need a religious body (of the thousands of different religions out there) to tell them how and when and where to worship their God(s). I don't understand why they want you to worship the "Creator" by sitting in a building that man made, surrounded by decorations and splendour that man made, listening to a reading from a book that man wrote.

Who are these men to decide where God wants you to worship him? If I believed in a God I would much rather be outside or at least have a view of the outside to appreciate HIS splendour and creations when I "worship" him.

 

Not currently, I have no reason to. Atheism is simply being"without belief in Gods" so this would disqualify me as an atheist!

Self explanitary, it's a bit silly asking an atheist if they believe in God

 

Nobody has ever given me a reason to believe any gods exist. It doesn't matter to me if there is a God or not, the only thing I ask of believers is "why do you believe?". Nobody ever answers, the closest I have got is yourself saying that you don't need a reason, which leaves me in the same position.

 

So no, I currently do not have a belief in God.

 

My body will decompose or be burnt, anything more than that, I don't KNOW but I have no reason to believe anything alse happens

I have no idea if anything of us continues after death, but there is no reason to think anything does, so no reason to jump to unlikely conclusions.

Nobody will ever know until it's too late, so it makes no difference to me either way.

 

Not really

I do not dislike people because just for being religious, I dislike people based on their words and actions. Example,

 

I quite like Janie48, she is a Christian, she is open and discusses things positively.

 

I disliked Grahame/Agbus, he is a Christian, he was abusive, bigoted, hypocritical and bigoted again.

 

 

I'd like to add that I'm not ONLY an atheist, I'm also an agnostic, apatheist, humanist, artist, musician and much more.

Also technically a Christian, according to the OED definition and the bible, depending on your interpretation.

 

You are seeking to understand atheists more, atheists are not a group. Atheism is merely a box to be ticked, a "do you believe in God? Yes/No".

Atheists are just people, all different. The only thing they have in common is that they DON'T have a belief in God.

[Shogun]

Rootsbooster

Everything you say makes scene its your opinion that's fine,I can live with atheism no problem, its the extremists I would have a problem with like in any thing, I say live and let live,and I try to have an open mind.

[PaliRichard]

I would like to ask the atheists a few things, what do you believe in , have you been put off religion, do you believe there is a God,what do you think happens when you die,do you dislike religious people,Im not after judging anyone I just would like to know what you think.

 

I've avoided this for the most part for two reasons, firstly I really can't get on with the closed minded attitudes of some of the posters and secondly after reading through the thread its evident that very few have understood what I was trying to do, and why there were so many rules.

 

However, it seems that the thread has taken a turn for the better and I would like to add my thoughts to Toms query.

 

1) What do you believe in.

 

I am a human being, I think we all, even the religious, believe something slightly different based on our personal experiences. But in general I follow the teachings of Buddhism. I have some difficulty with the more 'supernatural elements', but overall it makes sense from my personal experiences.

 

2) Have you been put off religion.

 

No, what I have been put off by is religious institutions and the religious extremists, but as someone rightly pointed out earlier, there are extremists on both sides of the debate.

 

3) Do you believe there is a God.

 

No. I don't know but all the evidence put to me by the theists has not stood up under scrutiny. I have nothing against believers, but I object to being told there IS scientific evidence for God where there is none.

 

4) What do you think happens when you die.

 

I believe, at present, that our conciousness dies and our bodies decompose.

 

5) Do you dislike religious people.

 

Not at all, but I get frustrated by anyone who claims they KNOW anything 100%

[flamingjimmy]

<snip>

I was hoping you might actually respond to my point this time, but alas! You've chosen to pick me up on a single insignificant sentence and ignore the main content of my argument, kudos to that 'open' mind of yours!