Ltrain wrote:If one is conceited enough to believe they are so sure that god doesn't exist, I put them in the same category as those that believe god does exist.
Who is the god that you are referencing? And, to help guide the discussion, would you please provide examples of statements about the world that you think are surely true?
Death and taxes.
I'll expand... Atheists tend to look at people that believe in a god, any god, as stupid and they are the smart ones when their certain disbelief is really the same as blind faith. I actually do believe in some kind of god, but I would never be so conceited as to say I'm right or convince someone else that my version of a god is the right one. And, no I'm not going to describe what that is over a message board!
It's like when you go out with your friends and that one guy is always going "bra, check this out, this is so friggin' rad!" and that other guy who is like "dude, that's fucking retarded, shut up."
Ok so maybe for starters you should focus on the various things that bother you about Mormons, specifically, being sure to add lots of South Park quotes to site your research?
Why not? Do you feel the same way about the little girls who come to your house selling mass produced, overpriced cookies? They're actually trying to TAKE YOUR MONEY, not just a few minutes of your, I'm sure very valuable time. I mean, you could be in the middle of responding to another more or less perfect stranger on an online risk site, of course, but variety is the spice of life! Besides, It sounds like a little socializing outside of your comfort zone maybe could do some good? Heck, a little light, face to face banter about the meaning of it all with a stranger could do most of us some good. Who knows, if you weren't busy judging, you might make a new forever-friend!
notyou2 wrote:I don't like them coming to my door for starters. Fuckin' cult
I can't remember who it was , but someone on this site took them up on their offer to do chores around his house as part of their good deeds requirement. When they realized they weren't going to get a convert, they left him alone.
notyou2 wrote:I don't like them coming to my door for starters. Fuckin' cult
I can't remember who it was , but someone on this site took them up on their offer to do chores around his house as part of their good deeds requirement. When they realized they weren't going to get a convert, they left him alone.
Might be an option to discourage future visits.
My father (who was a militant nudist, among other things) used to greet them at the door au naturel. When they would say things like "we bring Good News from the Lord!" he would give them a great big smile and welcoming embrace and yell, "I love hearing Good News! Come to my bedroom and tell me all about it!"
Poor things couldn't run fast enough.
My personal approach was a little more low-key. When Jesusfreaks used to accost me on the subway with their "I want you to know that I've accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour!" I would respond with, "I can dig it, baby! I've accepted Timothy Leary as my personal Lord and Saviour!"
“Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” ― Voltaire
Ltrain wrote:Of course you can be agnostic and atheist. But you can't have a semi religious atheist- again, by definition.
Of course you can. Atheism is just the lack of belief in God. There are many religions, most prominently nowadays being Theravada Buddhism, that do not require a belief in a God. Thus, one who is drawn to Theravada Buddhism but isn't certain that's what he wants to do, could very well be described as a semi-religious atheist.
“Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” ― Voltaire
I probably posted about the first time I encountered Mormon missionaries. Not sure if I am the one luns is thinking about.
I was shoveling the walk and two young ladies walked up, introduced themselves as "sister" last name and "sister" last name "from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, then claimed they would love to help. I was confused how that would work since neither of them had a shovel or a broom. I decided to go with, "No thank you. I am ok."
One then made the mistake of stating they had "a message about Jesus Christ that we feel you would like to hear. Is there a good time to come by?"
No time better than the present. I leaned on my shovel and said, "Right now would be perfect!"
They suddenly had a previous appointment they needed to get to. Further making it difficult to "help out" with the snow shoveling from the initial offer had I been interested.
They wandered off and I never saw or heard from them again. Eventually some months later two males came by since they are not allowed to mix genders on mission.
They are much better than the other predominate door to door guys here from the Watchtower society. The LDS kids will at least be polite and think while you ask them questions about how what they are trying to prove with parts of the bible, don't always make sense if you know the whole bible fairly well like I used to.
Once you back a watchtower society member into a corner where what they have been told to tell you, can't actually be from the bible in context, when they are used to people not knowing the bible as well as they think they know it. They get angry. It can be pretty entertaining, my dog bit one once.
I can almost always have a reasonable conversation about God with someone who does not believe in him.
Strange how someone who claims they do cannot. Odd how they will claim to believe in the teachings of a guy who said, "Love even your enemies." Then will raise their voice to tell you you are wrong while reading directly from their translation of a book they altered to attempt to help better prove their claims. So far the Watchtower translation is the only one I have found with things actually altered rather than just re-worded for changes in language.
Well I spent too much time on this. I should be taking my children swimming. Later.
When I was in early 20's I invited some watchtower folks in to hear their message. My girlfriend and I had just finished a fatty. I'm sure they could smell it. It actually was entertaining, then they became pests, different people coming by repeatedly. My mother told me to tell them I was Catholic and they would leave me alone. So I did.
It worked.
So you see FT, I have an open mind and two pretty good eyes and 2 excellent ears. I know bullshit when I hear it and see it. My folks didn't raise a fool.
If you and your kids enjoy swimming, 2dimes, I've got s Baptist friend that would just LOVE to meet you. PM me your number and I'm sure he can schedule a meeting whenever is most convenient for you!
notyou2 wrote:When I was in early 20's I invited some watchtower folks in to hear their message. My girlfriend and I had just finished a fatty. I'm sure they could smell it. It actually was entertaining, then they became pests, different people coming by repeatedly. My mother told me to tell them I was Catholic and they would leave me alone. So I did.
It worked.
So you see FT, I have an open mind and two pretty good eyes and 2 excellent ears. I know bullshit when I hear it and see it. My folks didn't raise a fool.
That's great, man! You've thoroughly convinced me through that example that you're an open-minded individual. Forget I ever mentioned it, I'm so embarrassed!
Ltrain wrote:Of course you can be agnostic and atheist. But you can't have a semi religious atheist- again, by definition.
Of course you can. Atheism is just the lack of belief in God.
To be specific, atheism is believing that there are no deities with the same degree of certainty as a theistic person believes there is a deity/are deities.
An agnostic atheist would be someone who believes we can't say for sure either way, but that it's more likely there is no deity.
Ltrain wrote:Of course you can be agnostic and atheist. But you can't have a semi religious atheist- again, by definition.
Of course you can. Atheism is just the lack of belief in God.
To be specific, atheism is believing that there are no deities with the same degree of certainty as a theistic person believes there is a deity/are deities.
An agnostic atheist would be someone who believes we can't say for sure either way, but that it's more likely there is no deity.
That's a common misconception. What you are referring to is called "Strong Atheism". It is only one tiny subset of atheism. In general, atheism simply means a lack of belief in god, regardless of whether that is the result of certainty that there is no god, or uncertainty, or even apathy.
I believe in God. Thor is kind and just. And he does not have all the rules that the christian god has. And speaking of the christian god, why do so many believe, but they all believe something different? Different buildings to pray in. Different days they have to do different things on? Exactly how many christian gods are there? And if there's only one, which of the christian religions are correct? With Thor, the god of thunder, you only need to worry about one thing....getting your ass out of the rain when all "hell" breaks lose. Join us.
