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Is "Dublin" a real place?

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    MrPudding wrote: »
    As for hell on earth,,, It is almost as if some religious people are living on a different planet. Is it perfect? No. Are some people dicks? Yes, quite a few actually. Is it really hell on earth? Meh, not really.

    Exactly.

    The believers come across as scared and paranoid.

    Not a great sales pitch for their superstition really is it?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,304 ✭✭✭Lucena


    looksee wrote: »
    I am struggling with how it is a consolation to know that god is causing you grief and then watching you cope?

    I can't really understand it either, but you can't deny that some people are reassured by the fact that there's "someone watching over them". Logic has little to do with it.

    It's like when there's an earthquake and they find someone alive in the rubble after six days you hear stuff like 'God has answered our prayers' and I'm thinking "what about all those other poor f*ckers that he let die?"


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,836 ✭✭✭Captain Flaps


    I think it's just that the truly religious can't believe that God would do some of the ****ty things that happen in the world, so he must be going to make up for it with some sort of awesome afterlife. It can't just be that the world is sometimes a great place, sometimes a ****ty place, and that's all there is to it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 102 ✭✭NS77


    I know the title looks insulting to atheists but I am not attacking atheist beliefs.

    I respect that you don't believe in God but I don't understand how you can cope with life believing that when you die, that's it.
    If I had 100% definitive proof that there was no God, I'd turn into a depressed psycho murderer. That's if I didn't kill myself in a depression fulled rage.

    Can you please explain how you live life believing there is no God without going insane?

    You know what? I stopped going insane when I stopped believing. Was one of the most liberating things I ever did ;-)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,134 ✭✭✭Lux23


    I much prefer the idea of life without a god and an afterlife then one with a god etc. If all that Christian crap was true, I would be going to hell for sure.


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  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,582 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    Lucena wrote: »
    It's like when there's an earthquake and they find someone alive in the rubble after six days you hear stuff like 'God has answered our prayers' and I'm thinking "what about all those other poor f*ckers that he let die?"

    It's very simple,
    -They didn't believe in the god or believe in em enough
    -Nobody prayed for those people that died
    -It was part of God's plan

    To think that there is no god is unthinkable for these people, it's much easier to create any other reason for somebody living or dieing,


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,582 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    I think it's just that the truly religious can't believe that God would do some of the ****ty things that happen in the world, so he must be going to make up for it with some sort of awesome afterlife. It can't just be that the world is sometimes a great place, sometimes a ****ty place, and that's all there is to it.

    The truly religious ignore the countless deaths caused by God in the Bible, God kills many more people then the devil ever did in the Bible. Yet the devil is the bad guy


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 520 ✭✭✭Bduffman


    I think everyone on the thread should stop trying to justify atheism. What if the OP is persuaded by your arguments and turns into a depressed psycho murderer like he promised?

    Just keep telling him that god exists and maybe nobody will get hurt.

    As for me, I find that eating babies keeps my mind off becoming a psycho.
    Oh wait....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 48,990 ✭✭✭✭Lithium93_


    Just making an observation, and going to quote Arnold's End Of Days film, something Gabriel Byrne's character The Man said, and it's stuck with me all these years later..
    Something good happens, "It's His will." Something bad happens, "He moves in mysterious ways."
    Let me tell you something about Him. He is the biggest underachiever of all time. He just has a good publicist, that's all.

    I think those 2 quotes sum up God IF he did exist..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,873 ✭✭✭✭One eyed Jack


    Lithium93_ wrote: »
    Just making an observation, and going to quote Arnold's End Of Days film, something Gabriel Byrne's character The Man said, and it's stuck with me all these years later..

    I think those 2 quotes sum up God IF he did exist..


    Pacino's "absentee landlord" metaphor was better IMO -


    (Contains NSFW/unparliamentary language)




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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,419 ✭✭✭cowboyBuilder


    I know the title looks insulting to atheists but I am not attacking atheist beliefs.

    I respect that you don't believe in God but I don't understand how you can cope with life believing that when you die, that's it.
    If I had 100% definitive proof that there was no God, I'd turn into a depressed psycho murderer. That's if I didn't kill myself in a depression fulled rage.

    Can you please explain how you live life believing there is no God without going insane?


    So the only thing stopping you murdering someone is a belief you will be punished for it by some divine being ?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,779 ✭✭✭MrPudding


    So the only thing stopping you murdering someone is a belief you will be punished for it by some divine being ?

    We have come across a few of those. I don't think it is particularly common, but it is a lot more common than one might think or hope. Such a sad, sad way to be.

    MrP


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,297 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    I know the title looks insulting to atheists but I am not attacking atheist beliefs.

    I respect that you don't believe in God but I don't understand how you can cope with life believing that when you die, that's it.
    If I had 100% definitive proof that there was no God, I'd turn into a depressed psycho murderer. That's if I didn't kill myself in a depression fulled rage.

    Can you please explain how you live life believing there is no God without going insane?
    But they have no beliefs even though they spend more time talking about God than believers do.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,361 ✭✭✭Boskowski


    I'm just a nice person I guess :D I don't need to be threatened with hell to make sure I'm not an a***hole or an axe murderer. I guess I have emphaty.

    As for the fear of it being over. I'd say it's just acceptance. It's not great but at least it's the same for everyone. And deep down we all kinds know it makes sense.

    And on a humorous note. All the depictions of heaven I've seen don't really appeal to me. I don't want to spend eternity all happy and smiley and virtuous and righteous sitting on a cloud playing harp. Sounds awful.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,744 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    Sam Kade wrote: »
    But they have no beliefs even though they spend more time talking about God than believers do.

    I doubt it. Outside of this forum I spend virtually no time thinking or talking about deities.

    If 'virtually no time' is more time than believers spend then no wonder religion is dying a death in this country.


  • Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 25,872 Mod ✭✭✭✭Doctor DooM


    Sam Kade wrote: »
    But they have no beliefs even though they spend more time talking about God than believers do.

    I seem to spend more time dissuading people about the fact they think I talk about god than talking about god actually.

    What website did this get put up on that everyone suddenly wants to use this argument?

    Anyway, standard response; the reason non believers talk so much about religion is, despite not believing in it, in countries like Ireland the separation of church and state is not clear, so in order to live our lives in peace and without the influence of (usually plainly corrupt) organisations we never bought in to, we simply have to speak out and fight our corner.

    In any case, there's many, many more you simply don't hear from, as they're just getting on with life.

    On topic, I think there's a certain beauty in an atheist being nice to another. To an atheist, there's a very limited time to your existence, and it's incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to extend the amount of time you have. Time is the ultimate finite resource. We are candles flickering in the void, and when the wick is gone, so is our mind and everything we are.

    Yet, with no orders from a supreme being, or a book to tell us what to do, because it is in people's inherent nature, we're nice to each other. We give up our time. We help people out. We give up the one thing for one another we can simply never get more of, time. When you think about it, that's amazing, because there's no god for us letting us into heaven, or threatening us with hell. With no reward other than how it simply makes you feel, most people do good. Isn't that amazing?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 919 ✭✭✭Danjamin1


    Was out for a few beers with my cousin the other day & this topic happened to come up in conversation. Can't remember exactly how the conversation went but it was mentioned that I don't believe in God. He was dumbfounded to learn this despite knowing me very well. His response when I told him I don't believe: "But then who do you pray to when you pray?".....

    Some people just can't fathom life without faith. Whatever gives people comfort & all that.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,419 ✭✭✭cowboyBuilder


    MrPudding wrote: »
    We have come across a few of those. I don't think it is particularly common, but it is a lot more common than one might think or hope. Such a sad, sad way to be.

    MrP

    Indeed, never did understand why some people see Religion or God as a moral compass!!! - have they not read the Bible ??


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,419 ✭✭✭cowboyBuilder


    Lucena wrote: »
    I can't really understand it either, but you can't deny that some people are reassured by the fact that there's "someone watching over them". Logic has little to do with it.

    It's like when there's an earthquake and they find someone alive in the rubble after six days you hear stuff like 'God has answered our prayers' and I'm thinking "what about all those other poor f*ckers that he let die?"

    Exactly such a selfish disrespectful thing to say when others have suffered or worse.
    I also can't stand athletes who claim that God is on their side, or makes them win .... f'uck off!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,937 ✭✭✭galljga1


    Indeed, never did understand why some people see Religion or God as a moral compass!!! - have they not read the Bible ??

    Very few christians, particularly catholics have read fcuk all of the bible.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,369 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    Danjamin1 wrote: »
    "But then who do you pray to when you pray?"

    Magnificent.


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,582 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    Indeed, never did understand why some people see Religion or God as a moral compass!!! - have they not read the Bible ??

    No, no most Catholics and Christians haven't.
    They've heard bits of it from priests and in school, thats it


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 824 ✭✭✭magicmushroom


    Mr_Muffin wrote: »
    Why doesn't God just come to Earth tomorrow to show everyone he is real and then go back to where ever he lives? That way we would all know that he is real and life would be easier.

    And whilst he's here maybe he could explain himself in regards to cancer, animal cruelty, child abuse, rape, wars, homosexuality...the list goes on!

    PLEASE NOTE I meant to say Homophobia is an issue, not homosexuality!
    Sorry, genuine mistake - I'm a strong supporter of same sex marriage. It took me a while to notice my silly mistake, I apologise.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,361 ✭✭✭Boskowski


    And whilst he's here maybe he could explain himself in regards to cancer, animal cruelty, child abuse, rape, wars, homosexuality...the list goes on!

    Yes because homosexuality is right up there with cancer, wars, child abuse...

    Seriously?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 824 ✭✭✭magicmushroom


    Boskowski wrote: »
    Yes because homosexuality is right up there with cancer, wars, child abuse...

    Seriously?

    I didn't state anywhere in my post that the issues I've mentioned were on par with each other - they're just examples with what's wrong with the world and why I am an atheist. All listed off the top of my head.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,937 ✭✭✭galljga1


    Exactly such a selfish disrespectful thing to say when others have suffered or worse.
    I also can't stand athletes who claim that God is on their side, or makes them win .... f'uck off!!
    This confused the sh!t out of me on first read as I took athletes for athiests.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,361 ✭✭✭Boskowski


    I didn't state anywhere in my post that the issues I've mentioned were on par with each other - they're just examples with what's wrong with the world and why I am an atheist. All listed off the top of my head.

    Fair enough. But call me a do gooder or whatever, I fail to see how homosexuality is one of the wrongs of the world. I'm not homosexual but that would imply that homosexuals would rather not be that. I don't think that's true really.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,779 ✭✭✭MrPudding


    Exactly such a selfish disrespectful thing to say when others have suffered or worse.
    I also can't stand athletes who claim that God is on their side, or makes them win .... f'uck off!!
    This is one of the biggest irritants I have with the religious. "I'm sorry mother of 6 in a famine and drought ridden country, I can't save any of your children, I am too busy helping overpaid, soft as sh1t football players score goals. It's all about priorities love."

    MrP


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 824 ✭✭✭magicmushroom


    Boskowski wrote: »
    Fair enough. But call me a do gooder or whatever, I fail to see how homosexuality is one of the wrongs of the world. I'm not homosexual but that would imply that homosexuals would rather not be that. I don't think that's true really.

    Oh! I'm so stupid - I meant homophobia is an issue and NOT homosexuality...
    I totally came across as a homophobe myself there!

    Apologies to all that I have may have offended, totally genuine mistake.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,937 ✭✭✭galljga1


    Oh! I'm so stupid - haha I meant homophobia is an issue and NOT homosexuality...
    I totally came across as a homophobe myself there!

    Apologies to all that I have may have offended, totally genuine mistake.
    Magic.


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