OK, so you're an atheist. What next?

Penn · 23-01-2014 08:37AM

J C wrote: »

I'm not going to blame or judge you ... but you are confirming that if you burn in Hell ... it will be because you have decided to do so.

... sounds a bit pyrrhic to me ... but that's just me.

As a fellow Human Being I can empathise with you ... authority (and infinite authority in the case of God) is something of an affront to my pride and my autonomy ... but I'm prepared to accept authority over my life because the alternatives are significantly worse.

I can understand your position, but to me, that viewpoint equates God as being little more than a wife-beater.

bumper234 · 23-01-2014 08:46AM

J C wrote: »

... I accept that this was your experience ... when under immement danger from 'incoming' ... but in the quiet before the action starts I am told that (at least some) Atheists do 'pray' ... and certainly are deeply superstituous ... a feature that they retain to this day.
They explain their superstituousness on the basis that 'mind over matter' can have effects ... and I happen to agree with them ... but for very different reasons!!!:)

Again you are talking from hearsay whereas i am talking from experience

In the "quiet before the action starts" You don't have time for reflection of "God" or any of that other bull**** because you are too busy checking and rechecking equipment, Placing ammunition magazines within easy reach, Having medipacs at the ready.

Combat situations in real life are nothing like the ones you or your "sources" watch on TV. There is no quiet moment of reflection while having a cigarette, There is no passing letters for relatives or showing pictures of your "Gal" It's just check, check, check action!

Delirium · 23-01-2014 08:48AM

J C wrote: »

... I accept that this was your experience ... when under imminent danger from 'incoming' ... but in the quiet before the action starts, I am told that (at least some) Atheists do 'pray' ... and certainly are deeply superstituous ... a feature that they retain to this day.
They explain their superstituousness on the basis that 'mind over matter' can have effects ... and I happen to agree with them ... but for very different reasons!!!:)

And who/what are these hypothetical atheists praying to?

smacl · 23-01-2014 08:56AM

J C wrote: »

Scientists who are Christians (or indeed Creationists) are just as eminently qualified ... and just as capable of doing an outstanding job, as Scientists who are Atheists.

... and the appliance of science and logic isn't something unique to Atheists ... just because they don't believe in God.:)

Quite so, but my point was that most scientists wouldn't consider Christian scientists (as opposed to scientists who are co-incidentally Christians) to be scientists at all. Christianity isn't a science, it is a religion. I won't bite on the Creationist thing here, it has already been flogged to death in other threads, and I for one don't want to see it smothering yet another thread here.

bumper234 · 23-01-2014 08:57AM

J C wrote: »

Why would it be a 'punishment' ... when Heaven is Paradise ... and the alternative is ... er ... Hell?

BTW, there is no such thing as a 'good' Christian ... just Saved and un-Saved ones.

How is it "paradise" when your one and only thought is ZOMG it's "GOD"!!!!!

No memories of loved ones or friends,

No meeting loved ones or friends,

Just an eternity of mindless worship of a "God" that allows pain and suffering :rolleyes:

REXER · 23-01-2014 09:21AM

bumper234 wrote: »

I have been in the military,

I have been in combat situations,

I have NEVER seen or know of ANY soldier who has "prayed" while under enemy fire. You are usually to pepped up on fear/adrenaline to think of anything other than shoot shoot shoot.

What he said!
I fully endorse what bumper234 has said.

housetypeb · 23-01-2014 11:02AM

I think JC mentioned NUI as his Alma mater in some thread or other.
Although without a biblical passage/post-it note from Ken Ham to back it up, can it be true?

PopePalpatine · 23-01-2014 11:49AM

Maybe he was a classmate of Ronan Mullen? :pac:

Sarky · 23-01-2014 11:53AM

How embarrassing. I hope everyone knows that NUIG produces far more real scientists than creationist woo-mongers.

lazygal · 23-01-2014 11:53AM

J C wrote: »

Why would it be a 'punishment' ... when Heaven is Paradise ... and the alternative is ... er ... Hell?

BTW, there is no such thing as a 'good' Christian ... just Saved and un-Saved ones.

So once you're "saved" you can be as bad as you like?

robindch · 23-01-2014 12:06PM

lazygal wrote: »

So once you're "saved" you can be as bad as you like?

Depends on who you're asking. Most fundamentalist protestants will agree, most catholics will disagree and moderate protestants tend to be unsure.

In theological terms, it's referred to as "Once Saved, Always Saved" and it's even got its own acronym - OSAS.

Gordon · 23-01-2014 12:43PM

Once a sinner, always a sinner..

Pherekydes · 23-01-2014 01:57PM

housetypeb wrote: »

I think JC mentioned NUI as his Alma mater in some thread or other.

NUI what? Was it the seminary in Maynooth?

I've never seen anyone who claims 3rd level education use exclamation marks the way old JC uses them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oops, my keyboard's shot...

Mr_A · 23-01-2014 02:09PM

The seminary is St Patrick's College, co-located but separate from NUI Maynooth (or at least it was in my day).

pinkypinky · 23-01-2014 02:54PM

Something that bugs me is the giving evidence in court, must swear on bible thing. Now, to be clear, I understand that I can swear on the constitution but I have never seen anyone do this, or be given any option. I've had to give evidence in court and felt that it would somehow prejudice my evidence if I refused to swear on the bible*. How has anyone else gotten around this?

*Of course, this did not change my evidence a jot.

Cabaal · 23-01-2014 02:58PM

pinkypinky wrote: »

Something that bugs me is the giving evidence in court, must swear on bible thing. Now, to be clear, I understand that I can swear on the constitution but I have never seen anyone do this, or be given any option. I've had to give evidence in court and felt that it would somehow prejudice my evidence if I refused to swear on the bible*. How has anyone else gotten around this?

*Of course, this did not change my evidence a jot.

You don't have to swear on the bible,

pinkypinky · 23-01-2014 03:01PM

No I understand don't have to but in practical terms, I've never seen anyone be given the other option. I just read the other thread about jury duty where this has come up.

Brian Shanahan · 23-01-2014 04:57PM

J C wrote: »

Once you start making judgement calls on who should speak and make fair comment ... you have lost the concept of openess to new ideas, freedom of speech and promotion of diversity.

So its alright for you to tell others to shut up, but not all right when others tell you the same?

Given that you exist (in your mind) in a fantasy universe created 6,000 years ago created by a big beard in the sky, what makes you think you're better qualified than the average five year old, say, as to the worthiness of someone's words?

Oh, and your post is ignoring the fact that we're not shutting you up, just imploring you to stop spreading the lies you do about yourself, evolution and the other matters you post falsehoods about.

Brian Shanahan · 23-01-2014 05:18PM

J C wrote: »

'Better to not question Mother Church ... and stir up trouble Mr Gallileo Sir'!!!!:)

'Better to not question Atheists on the A & A ... and stir up trouble Mr J C'!!!

Same stuff ... different century!!!

No it isn't. Gallileo based his heliocentric view of the universe on observational data and precise calculations*, whereas you are spouting a whole heap of bull**** and subsequently crying "oppression" because we fail to swallow said bull****.

Oh, and an interesting choice of comparison, seeing as Gallileo postulated his heliocentric model in direct contradiction to the bible. I'm beginning to think that you only accept the word of the bible when it agrees with you JC. Way to put yourself above the word of god.

*and still got it wrong, the sun isn't centre of the universe. Though with better observational tools, and more powerful calculating tools he'd have probably seen that.

J C · 23-01-2014 06:43PM

Penncil Dick wrote: »

I can understand your position, but to me, that viewpoint equates God as being little more than a wife-beater.

Why so? ... do you think that all just judges are 'wife-beaters'?

J C · 23-01-2014 06:49PM

bumper234 wrote: »

Again you are talking from hearsay whereas i am talking from experience

In the "quiet before the action starts" You don't have time for reflection of "God" or any of that other bull**** because you are too busy checking and rechecking equipment, Placing ammunition magazines within easy reach, Having medipacs at the ready.

Combat situations in real life are nothing like the ones you or your "sources" watch on TV. There is no quiet moment of reflection while having a cigarette, There is no passing letters for relatives or showing pictures of your "Gal" It's just check, check, check action!

Did you guys never sleep or relax ?
... or is that something that Atheists don't do ... because they can't relax and trust in anything ... because they don't believe in God?

bumper234 · 23-01-2014 06:50PM

J C wrote: »

Did you guys never sleep or relax ?
... or is that something that Atheists don't do ... because they can't relax and trust in anything ... because they don't believe in God?

You walk into a war zone and relax :rolleyes:

Delirium · 23-01-2014 06:53PM

J C wrote: »

Why so? ... do you think that all just judges are 'wife-beaters'?

where did Penncil say God was a just judge?

J C · 23-01-2014 06:53PM

SW wrote: »

And who/what are these hypothetical atheists praying to?

... depends on their faith background ... they apparently revert to the prayers of their youth, when they really come under pressure ... or so I'm told.

... as it's hearsay ... I'm open to alternative opinions.:)

J C · 23-01-2014 06:59PM

smacl wrote: »

Quite so, but my point was that most scientists wouldn't consider Christian scientists (as opposed to scientists who are co-incidentally Christians) to be scientists at all. Christianity isn't a science, it is a religion. I won't bite on the Creationist thing here, it has already been flogged to death in other threads, and I for one don't want to see it smothering yet another thread here.

... the scientific method can and has been be applied to testing hypotheses that bolster an Atheistic faith position ... and it can also be used to test hypotheses that support a Theistic faith position as well ... but this is something that Atheists can't (or won't) do ... because they don't believe in God.:)

bumper234 · 23-01-2014 07:04PM

J C wrote: »

... depends on their faith background ... they apparently revert to the prayers of their youth, when they really come under pressure ... or so I'm told.

... as it's hearsay ... I'm open to alternative opinions.:)

I went to a catholic school and was forced to learn all of these prayers as a child. When I was under fire/pressure the last thing I thought of was "God" or prayers. When we were not under fire I thought of my family back home. Your "God" never entered my mind once.

Pherekydes · 23-01-2014 07:16PM

Hey, anyone, what's an atheistic faith position?

Anyone bar JC, that is.

lazygal · 23-01-2014 07:49PM

Pherekydes wrote: »

Hey, anyone, what's an atheistic faith position?

Anyone bar JC, that is.

Its the correct way to eat biscuits and/or a Hawaiian pizza. Slumped on the couch.

J C · 23-01-2014 09:16PM

lazygal wrote: »

So once you're "saved" you can be as bad as you like?

... Saved or un-Saved it's not a good idea to behave badly.
Nature, society and the State punish bad behaviour.

Kiwi in IE · 23-01-2014 09:18PM

Atheists can't use phrases like 'God did it' and 'God works in mysterious ways' as an response to every question for which there is no answer.

OK, so you're an atheist. What next?

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