Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
AbeFrohman
Trad climber
new york, NY
|
|
I am what you might call a devout atheist. More than not believing in god, I truely and completely believe there is NO god. I feel a similar emotion that the "believers" feel towards me, in that I think they are foolish for believing. The universe just is. Accept it and deal.
I also feel I have no right to stop you from believing anything your little heart desires. You want an invisible pink unicorn? Enjoy.
There. I said it.
I was watching a recent Dana Carvey stand up Friday night, and I thought it amusing how quickly people make fun of one religion over another, ie Scientology. Why are Hydrogen bombs in volcanoes any more ridiculous than a virgin giving birth?
|
|
mcreel
climber
Barcelona, Spain
|
|
If I claimed to be an agnostic instead of an atheist, I'd be lying. How would that make me more honest? Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, for the sake of one whose name is omitted so as not to take it in vain!
|
|
Jennie
Trad climber
Idaho Falls
|
|
"ahem... @ Jennie
1 Corinthians 14:34"
"1 Corinthians 14:34 : Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law."
....we're not in church KuntryKlimber
|
|
Willoughby
Social climber
Truckee, CA
|
|
"ahem... @ Jennie
1 Corinthians 14:34 "
Good one!!!!
EDIT - ooooh, beat me to it. Still, hilarious!
|
|
Jennie
Trad climber
Idaho Falls
|
|
Those three pointers really bring cheers from the peanut gallery, huh guys !
....even when they miss.
|
|
Jim E
climber
away
|
|
Being agnostic shows a lack of commitment.
|
|
Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
|
|
I'll never understand why atheists try so hard to convince the religious that there is no God. It's almost as if they're insecure about their own beliefs unless they can convince others of their logic.
Faith is not logic or rational. It is most simply a belief you hold in your heart, head, gut, that what you believe is true. Personally, I've heard all the arguments. While many of them are interesting and prompt alot of discussion and thought, they still are incapable of disproving what is not subject to proof.
If atheists were half as smart as they think they are, they'd figure that out and leave people of faith to their own devices.
|
|
adam d
climber
CA
|
|
Some religious groups took issue with Obama's address when he said “We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers”
I take issue with him because I'm not a "nonbeliever"
I believe that the universe exists as I experience it...without a deity.
I believe that anything is possible and nothing is preordained.
I believe that people can believe anything they want as long as they don't start maiming and killing and discriminating about it. I respect a lot of religious people, and they tend to be people who don't have a problem with other people believing in a world without divine intervention.
|
|
GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
|
|
Klimmer wrote: Yes, Eistein was an enigma.
Actually, Einstein was pretty clear about his beliefs, and if you read these little quotes in context, his writing makes it perfectly clear what he thought:
That science borrows certain concepts from religion. And that these concepts (such as the quest for truth, and the certainty that there is an order inherent in the world around us) are necessary for science to work.
He is equally clear that the concept of a personal god is hogwash, and is essentially an anachronism.
GO
|
|
Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
|
|
hey FatDad, I don't really have a god in this fight, but what you said applies to religious people too, right? they should be secure in their own beliefs and leave everyone else alone....
...live and let live...
...and be amazed at the wisdom of separation of church and state.
|
|
Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
|
|
Ed wrote:
"hey FatDad, I don't really have a god in this fight, but what you said applies to religious people too, right? they should be secure in their own beliefs and leave everyone else alone...."
Absolutely. I'm the first one to agree that many of the religious seem far too interested in what other people are or aren't doing. Personally, I think they should be taking care of their own house first or, if they really think they have the religious thing down and still have that much time on their hands then do something "Christlike" and feed the poor, etc.
There's a quote in one of the Gospels about removing the beam from your own eye before trying to remove a mote from your neighbor's. That passage seems to be ignored all too often.
|
|
GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
|
|
DD wrote: Atheists are kind of like religious folks...
they both know the truth...
That's clever, and funny! Several people responded by claiming that being agnostic is actually more reasonable.
I disagree. We all form perceptions about what is and is not based on what our experiences teach us. How many times do you have to grab your coffee cup before you know how it feels in your hand? You can tell the coffee has gotten cold simply by the feel of the coffee cup, without needing to sip it. Because of your experience, you can come to conclusions that are pretty damn certain.
Why should conclusions about the (non-)existence of God be any different? I've lived nearly 40 years on this earth, and I think I should have been able to make up my mind about this one by now.
I say kudos to the atheists. They (we) recognize what *is* and what *is not* based on what we've learned. I think it's a sign of wisdom to know oneself, and take ownership of one's beliefs, even in the face of ridicule.
Cheers,
GO
|
|
cliffhanger
Trad climber
California
|
|
I rather like the Tao:
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and Earth.
The named is the mother of the ten thousand things.
Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one sees the manifestations.
These two spring from the same source but differ in name; this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery.
http://www.terebess.hu/english/tao/gia.html
Almost quantum mechanical, like a photon can be described as a particle or wave but really is neither.
|
|
jstan
climber
|
|
As I understand it, at this time, there is no empirical data regarding the existence of the Higgs. So it, just like God, is a theory.
Now we hope CERN will be able to produce data regarding the Higgs.
To my knowledge no one has suggested a way to get data or an experiment to indicate whether a God exists.
So is it not fair to say the existence of a God falls somewhere short of being a theory.
It might fairly be termed a supposition.
|
|
GDavis
Trad climber
|
|
Very bold to say that nothing exists unless your mind can grasp it.
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
I waver between atheism and agnosticism. A personal mythology might be fun, but I would go for a robust deity like Zeus over someone whose claim to fame is walking on water and feeding the multitudes.
|
|
Willoughby
Social climber
Truckee, CA
|
|
I can't believe you just posted a cartoon of Muhammad...
We're ALL GONNA DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!