Video TLDW...
But going off Billi comment about prayer before a meal, I think it’s a good thing. A moment to stop and reflect, be grateful for what we have and appreciate the help and efforts of others. Sure most are a “thank god”, but even as an atheist when I’m with someone who says a grace before a meal I do stop and for just a few seconds appreciate life.
They may be thanking their god, but hopefully they remember that this is via other people and that they are in their thoughts.
Anyway, it is literally impossible for me to know exactly who or how many people were involved in order to make my meal in front of me possible, but guess what? Theologically, God knows. Grateful to God should be the same as being grateful to all those folks who made my meal possible.
If a Christian thinks that he only has to thank God and couldn't care less about other people, then this Christian obviously doesn't quite understand what Jesus is all about. The problem lies with him, not with Jesus nor Christianity itself.
BTW, I'm currently reading a book by canadian psychology professor Jordan B Peterson. He is actually very well versed with the bible and I agree a lot with his bible interpretations in his book, but according to wiki, I don't think he truly believes there is a God. He's kind afraid the God might exist, but he's probably leaning on the no God side...
Anyway, in his book, he was saying that there are actually no real 'atheists' in life... only folks who know or don't know which "God" they serve.
And 'Satan' has a job to confuse you..., either to make you not know which 'God' to serve or to dethrone this 'God' you're trying to serve.
Think of it as someone with a childhood passion or dream they're pursuing, then over the years he/she deviates from that and get lost or perhaps the mindset gets warped and became an extremist of his former passion?
I suppose the saddest scenario would be that 'Satan' does his work early so that a child came to this world having absolutely no passion nor dream whatsoever.
Anyway, my point is, if you want to be an atheist, make sure you still know what you're doing in life. I very much respect atheists like DN and this author I'm currently reading. Still able to value the good and wise part of the bible. If you're absolutely sure this goat herder's guide is absolute horseshit, then it's quite possible that satan has successfully tricked you.
You can be certain that the western civilization was not built up by atheists.
Of course, I'm not saying the west was built up by idiots either, but by God Himself and some less idiotic Christians!
Last edited by Crazed_Insanity; April 5th, 2018 at 08:59 AM.
Not sure I agree on the no real atheists, seems to assume there is a god.
You can argue over atheist v agnostic - anyone who is truly atheist is doing so with a guess. But I think in practice there is no real difference between atheist and agnostic assuming no god. Happy to be proven wrong but not actively seeking an answer. If a god wants to get involved then they can do it.
And I don’t think we need a belief in god or afterlife to be decent people. The “golden rule” works if you believe in god, karma or just that’ is the right thing for a social creature
Similarly, I just read an article from a Christian-turned-atheist on Vice saying that we, as atheists, aren't quick enough to condemn the alt-right, many of which are atheist or agnostic. They kept referring to "the movement" and how it wasn't doing enough to distance itself from the alt-right.
Half the point of this is there isn't supposed to be a movement. I certainly don't feel like I belong to any "atheist" movement, it's just my default state. I don't get together with other atheists because they're atheist. It makes me wonder how different it must be for someone who grew up in religion and then ended up rejecting that religion vs. someone who just grew up without religion. There's one podcast I listen to where both of the people on it fall under that, and my brother in law does as well, and in neither of their cases do they seem to be particularly concerned with any "movement", so I dunno.
For the record, this atheist thinks the alt-right are a bunch of fuckheads that I'd love to launch into the sun.
The "grace" portion of that video where he talks about giving thanks is only quite small. Mostly he's comparing it to a spell of magical enchantment that people seem to cast over their food. Incidentally, I trained my dog to not eat any food put in front of him until given the command "grace".
An atheist isn't somebody who believes there is not god, an atheist just doesn't accept any of the god claims out there. I dunno who came up with the following explanation, but the main difference between a Christian (for example) and an atheist is that the atheist believes in just one less of the thousands of gods that have ever been postulated.
This is along the lines of the whole "atheism is a religion" rubbish.Originally Posted by Tom Servo
Some people say that atheism is a religion in the same way that not collecting stamps is a hobby. Bill Maher says that atheism is a religion in the same way that abstinence is a sex position.
Ok sorry, I didn't mean literally with the above words, that's why I put single quotations for God, Satan and atheists...
Naturally people has to be intellectually honest to themselves. If you don't think God exists, no point forcing yourself to think otherwise. However, point was that everyone is serving somebody somehow. Most people worship money and power. Addicts end up worshipping drugs and gambling and sex, etc... who do you place above you? Your wives, pets, kids, job... or nobody?
True 'atheist' won't place anything or anyone above himself nor will he do/serve anything to anyone. He also will be immune to any addictions whatsoever. That's what the author meant about no true 'atheists' I think... inevitably, we all will end up worshipping something...
Well, that's shockingly insulting. Go fuck your giant pope hat billi.
Again, that 'atheist' wasn't meant as a literal atheist.
That author supposedly is an atheist according to wiki. DN is also a literal atheist who doesn't believe in the Christian God. However, I'm sure they actually do serve others and are not immune to addictions.
Point was, if you 'love', you're not really 'atheistic'. Buddha would be a true 'atheist'. But then Again even Buddha have great compassion for people so perhaps not (using authors stringent definition).
It is love that makes us 'worship' something/ somebody. One has to be incapable of love to be a true 'atheist'. That's what that author was talking about.
If you're a Scotsman and I'm claiming there are no true 'Scotsman', of course I can understand that's insulting, but I wasn't trying to insult anyone here...
Just redefining 'atheist' as someone not capable of love in this discussion. Are you an 'atheist'?
Last edited by Crazed_Insanity; April 6th, 2018 at 05:21 AM.
I think you need a better word than 'atheist' Billi
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