The non-thinking that is Religion.

[Thee Alex]

Originally Posted by johnny?

that a majority of free-thinking 'morons' (as you nicely put it) do not take literally, whatsoever.

Actually, a great many people take this book to be literal truth, including George W Bush.

[Keerin]

Originally Posted by Thee Alex

Um....it isn't.

Lot's daughters though, they both shagged their old dad.

Genesis 4:17

"...And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch..."

His mum seems to have been his wife. Unless it's just pulling up bits of history which are of interest?

[Thee Alex]

Originally Posted by Rebelius

An appropriate (and frequently used) analogy is a sealed box that you have no idea what's inside. The stances go as follows

Theist - I know what's inside the box, it's X

Agnostic - I don't know what's inside the box

Weak atheist - I don't know what's inside the box, so I'm going to assume the box is empty until I've seen evidence otherwise, and repeat this assertion until evidence is provided.

Strong atheist - The box is empty.

Oh Mr Rebelius, that is so much guff!

It should read -

Atheist - I can see evidence that the box is empty, the box appears to be empty, and if I open the lid I can see it is empty.

Agnostics are the absolute worst. I'd rather have to deal with a wrong headed believer than some 'sitting on the fence' coward.

Atheists aren't 'wacky' - they are people making an informed decision about what they think is real and what is imaginary.

Unfortunately for believers God is entirely imaginary.

[Keerin]

Originally Posted by Thee Alex

we should be amazed by this alone (the odds against it being rather astronomical) instead of propagating lies and superstitious rubbish.

I agree with this but maybe the "astronomical odds" are what make people to believe that it wasn't just chance and luck that brought us here. I mean, huge numbers are staggering to many people.

Originally Posted by RiseAgainst

ive always wondered why people who believe in god/buddah/allah are deemed fit to run countries yet if i was to say i believed the world was created by a purple dinosaur called Barney id be deemed crazy.

is there a difference?

I think it's just because of the age difference. your belief is less than an hour old, whereas the others you mentioned are thousands of years old and therefor are more trustworthy (not that I believe that, it just seems to be a common consensus)

[Thee Alex]

Originally Posted by Keerin

Genesis 4:17

"...And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch..."

His mum seems to have been his wife. Unless it's just pulling up bits of history which are of interest?

And where in that sentence does it say his wife was his mum? Or sister?

It doesn't. Anywhere.

Another verse says this -

Genesis 6:4

4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

It's mostly assumed that Cain married a woman from these 'other' people (whoever the hell they were)

[RiseAgainst]

Keiran, ive believed Barney to be god for years!

[Thee Alex]

Originally Posted by RiseAgainst

ive always wondered why people who believe in god/buddah/allah are deemed fit to run countries yet if i was to say i believed the world was created by a purple dinosaur called Barney id be deemed crazy.

is there a difference?

None whatsoever as far as I'm concerned. Keerin put it very well in his answer though.

[LesMts]

Originally Posted by Thee Alex

we should be amazed by this alone (the odds against it being rather astronomical)

The odds aren't astronomical. Given the size and nature of the universe it was a foregone conclusion that it would happen somewhere. So the probablity is, for all intents and purposes, 1 (i.e. a certainty).

That it would happen in any pre-selected location (such as a planet (or even a star system) chosen without insight) is astronomically improbable. But this doesn't make it any more amazing that it happened on Earth because these questions can only be asked and these things pondered wherever it did happen. It's the anthropic principle, more or less

[RiseAgainst]

i found the South Park episode about the Mormons to be the greatest example of religion ever, i cant believe anyone could understand that story and still believe it to be truth.

[Rebelius]

Originally Posted by Thee Alex

Agnostics are the absolute worst. I'd rather have to deal with a wrong headed believer than some 'sitting on the fence' coward.

Why should people make up their mind about something which doesn't affect them and they really don't care about? They're not being cowards, just saying I don't really care at all.

Believe what you like, I really don't care. It'd be nice if everyone felt the same way but I doubt you're going to have your mind changed by anyone, especially not here where you seem to think you're above everyone else and your opinions are absolutely infallible.

[Thee Alex]

Originally Posted by Keerin

I don't recognise books by the verses or whatever but are any of the above a mix of old and new testament verses? I've got a feeling they are.

As the 'inspired' word of god which Testament the verses come from shouldn't matter (most are from books describing the same events written around the same time anyway).

If god had 'written' the bible and was making sure that it stayed 'pure' to get 'his' message across no number of revisions or translations should make any difference to the text. The sheer number of contradictions shows the 'imperfect' hand of man at the helm of the Bible boat.

If it can't even get basics about the resurrection of Jesus right then why should anyone trust it to have got anything right?


Here's something to think on.

Old Testament God - Kill Kill Smash Smash
New Testament God - Love Love Forgive Forgive

God 'I am unchanging' (both testaments)

Seems to me that the OT and NT gods are different entities.

[RiseAgainst]

Originally Posted by Rebelius

Why should people make up their mind about something which doesn't affect them and they really don't care about? They're not being cowards, just saying I don't really care at all.

i agree, if you have no interest either way there is no reason you have to make up your mind either way.