Atheist Alliance

[voltianqueen]

Yeah, that's basically what my mom told them... She told me they said they would never accept it :( Who knows, people change, but it's awfully sad to think that they'd be willing to push their daughter away over something like this. The gf is really fighting them on it, and I feel proud in a way... She's standing up for the stuff she believes in, but in this situation I'm afraid it won't help much. I told her I'd always be there for support, but it seems like I can't or else I'll get dragged into this big mess, too..never mind that she can't contact me anyway ~__~

Hopefully the situation will get cleaned up soon, for better or worse ._.

(Feels like the banning Japanese stuff is just to put dirt on us cos we like it :P)

 

[Shining Raichu]

Well we should move on now, since we're probably heading into LGBT Club territory, so here is a little article I picked up on why this particular writer thinks atheism is bad for you. I think my favourite part is this paragraph:

As an atheist you may be able to fulfil or satisfy some of your material or physical needs, e.g. cars, house, food etc. but atheism will never be able to satisfy man's spiritual needs. Atheists will experience feelings of emptiness, a gap or void in their lives. "Something is missing in my life." They will resort to try to fill that gap with various things but inevitably those feelings of emptiness will return. Atheists will of course vehemently try and deny this.

My favourite part being the last sentence: "Atheists will of course vehemently deny this." The writer put that in so that she could contradict in advance anything an atheist might say in response to the article. It is the ultimate cheap shot in debating tactics, because even though what she says is utter crap, if we go and try to say that, we'll just be atheists 'vehemently denying' the "truth".

 

[voltianqueen]

I hate it when people say stuff like that... I've had a friend say to me that I might think I have a great life, but without Jesus I'll never know how much better it is :|

I never really know how to respond either XD Usually it's like "Well, no, not really, but okay." It was also weird because I didn't really wanna get into a religious discussion at Chuck E Cheese..

 

[CarefulWetPaint]

I hate people like that so much >:@

How does she know what atheist feel? Is she an Atheist, NO. She has no right to say they we are "empty" because we don't believe that a deity has control over our lives and we have to bend the knee to this deity all the time. Ugh this kind of stuff makes me so angry!
Saying "Atheists will of course vehemently deny this" is an extremely cheap shot. I could write an article about how religious people are stupid and then at the end say "Religious people will of course deny this".

And your friend volti, slap them across the back of the head for me for being a tool. Saying your life is better then someone elses because YOU BELIEVE A FAIRY TAIL ONE THING its just so narrowminded and ugh! Makes me angry.

Being Atheist does not make you empty and being Religious does not make you full my god, people are stupid and it makes me cry.

 

[Esper]

"Religion is true inb4 atheist counter-arguments"

So we non-believers like to talk about science being the best way of learning about the universe and all that, but how many of us have a scientific background/understanding/interest? How many of us came to atheism through science compared to those of us who were confronted with religion and rejected that?

 

[voltianqueen]

I basically started questioning the religion I had been (pretty lightly) taught because when I was a kid I freaking loved dinosaurs... Yeah. In my dinosaur/prehistoric books, it talked about the first organisms and early mammals and (obviously) dinosaurs..and all that.. Really, my turn from really liberal Christianity to atheism had a lot to do with me being like "lol this makes no sense." Besides that, the way my family approaches their religion is pretty inconsistent, so.

 

[CarefulWetPaint]

"Religion is true inb4 atheist counter-arguments"

So we non-believers like to talk about science being the best way of learning about the universe and all that, but how many of us have a scientific background/understanding/interest? How many of us came to atheism through science compared to those of us who were confronted with religion and rejected that?

I do.. I have a really good scientific understanding and Im very interested in science, especially physics and chemistry.
I would say it was half half, when I was younger I wasn't atheist I was more just like "this seems kinda like my bedtime stories not a true story" and didnt really have an opinion on it but as I got older and into science and such more I was just like "None of this makes sense at all." and became full atheist.

 

[Shining Raichu]

I have very little scientific knowledge or background lol. It was one of my worst subjects in high school; I was just terrible at it. I definitely came to atheism through rejection of religion, because in the end I'd rather put my trust in something that can be proven rather than something that can't. The idea of faith - believe without proof - is utterly terrifying. It opens the door to brainwashing and cults and the thought that faith is enough... that's horrific.

 

[Esper]

I have very little scientific knowledge or background lol. It was one of my worst subjects in high school; I was just terrible at it. I definitely came to atheism through rejection of religion, because in the end I'd rather put my trust in something that can be proven rather than something that can't. The idea of faith - believe without proof - is utterly terrifying. It opens the door to brainwashing and cults and the thought that faith is enough... that's horrific.

I had a moment like that when I was in high school. I wasn't raised with religion in any way so I kinda didn't even know the first thing about it for quite a while and was one of those atheists-by-default (I didn't have a science-y background or anything either). Then in high school I learned that my two closest friends (not actually that close) were Mormons and I was basically dropped into the deep end of the religion-vs.-science argument in biology class when evolution came up. If the religious types hadn't been so adamant that evolution wasn't possible I probably would have a better impression of religion in general now, but from then on it seemed like it just made people really selective in what they wanted to accept as real.

 

[Mockingjay]

"Religion is true inb4 atheist counter-arguments"

So we non-believers like to talk about science being the best way of learning about the universe and all that, but how many of us have a scientific background/understanding/interest? How many of us came to atheism through science compared to those of us who were confronted with religion and rejected that?

I, for one, find scientific reasoning for how the universe was created (The Big Bang) to seem more logical than religion's point of views (God created the universe out of dust? ..I never really understood).

I've always been into science and everything, yeah. Even as a kid, it was one of my favorite subjects. I have a giant book titled The Atlas of the Universe. It has a bunch of galaxies in it...and people wonder why people think there's no God. The world we live in is just a speck in this vast universe..I highly doubt a God made the entire universe just to make ONE planet for his people. No.

I was raised Catholic (as I've stated in this thread already) but overtime I've felt as if it isn't ... true. I felt this way whenever I found out Santa wasn't real. I was 8 when I started my doubts..!

It's quite difficult because my family is filled with religious people. The other day I was with my mom, grandma, step-dad, sister, and cousin, and we passed in front of a Catholic church. When you pass in front of a Catholic church and you're Catholic, you're apparently supposed to "make the sign of the cross." My grandma noticed I didn't do it, and she started automatically asking me if I was Atheist. I didn't want to make a scene in front of my family, so I just said that I never said that. If I could tell my family about this, everything would be easier.. lol

Okay so I was talking to my friend in class Friday, and she said that, because of her religion, she doesn't approve of homosexuals. I was utterly shocked at this because I always thought she wasn't one to judge because of things like that..!

 

[Alice]

I, for one, find scientific reasoning for how the universe was created (The Big Bang) to seem more logical than religion's point of views (God created the universe out of dust? ..I never really understood).

God didn't create it the universe out of dust. He just created it out of his own power.

I've always been into science and everything, yeah. Even as a kid, it was one of my favorite subjects. I have a giant book titled The Atlas of the Universe. It has a bunch of galaxies in it...and people wonder why people think there's no God. The world we live in is just a speck in this vast universe..I highly doubt a God made the entire universe just to make ONE planet for his people. No.

Humans were originally meant to live forever, thus an infinite universe would be necessary to account for our infinite expansion.

 

[Mockingjay]

God didn't create it the universe out of dust. He just created it out of his own power.


Humans were originally meant to live forever, thus an infinite universe would be necessary to account for our infinite expansion.

I don't quite remember my bible quotes or anything, so I'm not the one to talk. However, I was always told it was "dust" He made it out of or something. There's also that thing where he needed Adam's rib to make Eve..yet he created the entire universe without anything..?

Anyway, if what you're getting at is true, then why would there be uninhabitable planets? It seems like a waste of energy, mass, etc. I can understand for gravitational purposes (for other planets to be able to be in the "Goldilocks zone") but otherwise I don't see a point. Why wouldn't he supply us with the ability to zoom out of the planet with ease to other planets? Or is the Earth good enough?

 

[Oryx]

I don't quite remember my bible quotes or anything, so I'm not the one to talk. However, I was always told it was "dust" He made it out of or something. There's also that thing where he needed Adam's rib to make Eve..yet he created the entire universe without anything..?

Anyway, if what you're getting at is true, then why would there be uninhabitable planets? It seems like a waste of energy, mass, etc. I can understand for gravitational purposes (for other planets to be able to be in the "Goldilocks zone") but otherwise I don't see a point. Why wouldn't he supply us with the ability to zoom out of the planet with ease to other planets? Or is the Earth good enough?

Keep in mind that 90% of the Old Testament isn't meant to be taken literally. The Genesis account isn't meant to be taken as science, it's meant to be taken in parallel with things such as the Babylonian creation narrative since it was written during the Babylonian exile, and with each point a hidden meaning that shows why it was written in that way and not any other. Adam's rib wasn't 'required' to make Eve, but making her in that way was meant to prove a point. Same as how in the beginning it was just God, who created from nothing, but then he created Adam from earth. He didn't have to use earth, but it was a metaphorical point about how we are part earthly, with our bodies, and part with God, with his breath that he used to make humans. You can't look at Genesis and pick it apart literally.

I'm still agnostic, it's just hard for me as someone who's been to Catholic school for 5 years now (3 in high school, 2 in college) and has taken 3.5 years of Theology to hear people make their opinions without knowing all the facts. Even if it's not believed in, Christianity and the Bible are surprisingly interesting and complex when you get into it, from a literary standpoint.

 

[Shining Raichu]

If I understand correctly, the Bible isn't necessarily always to be taken at its word. Just like any other book, it uses creative writing techniques to put across a point. So when it says that Eve was made out of Adam's rib, I'm not sure if that was meant to be taken literally (since it's well established in this universe that a God would have infinite power and is therefore capable of creating a woman from scratch, just as he created the man from scratch) or figuratively to make a point. The point in this case, I believe, would be man's dominance over woman.

EDIT: ...ninja'd damnit toujours

 

[Mockingjay]

Keep in mind that 90% of the Old Testament isn't meant to be taken literally. The Genesis account isn't meant to be taken as science, it's meant to be taken in parallel with things such as the Babylonian creation narrative since it was written during the Babylonian exile, and with each point a hidden meaning that shows why it was written in that way and not any other. Adam's rib wasn't 'required' to make Eve, but making her in that way was meant to prove a point. Same as how in the beginning it was just God, who created from nothing, but then he created Adam from earth. He didn't have to use earth, but it was a metaphorical point about how we are part earthly, with our bodies, and part with God, with his breath that he used to make humans. You can't look at Genesis and pick it apart literally.

I'm still agnostic, it's just hard for me as someone who's been to Catholic school for 5 years now (3 in high school, 2 in college) and has taken 3.5 years of Theology to hear people make their opinions without knowing all the facts. Even if it's not believed in, Christianity and the Bible are surprisingly interesting and complex when you get into it, from a literary standpoint.

I've tried to sit down and read the Old Testament, but I just couldn't. I've never really been able to grasp a lot of what the Bible's "trying to say"..I guess some people just don't get it. *shrug*

Well, I was in Catholic schools from ages 4~9, and from 10~14, I was in after school Catholic classes. I was taught how to be a good little Catholic girl and whatnot xD

If we had a copy of the Bible in my house, I'd check out some parts. The only thing I've ever really read into was the Revelation part..although I don't quite remember it all. Also I tried to read this one part a few years ago that was basically saying "(insert name here) who was the son of (insert name here) who lived to be 924 and had 32 other children.." and I was so lost. Whoever knows what that may be, let me know. :D

 

[Oryx]

I think the book you're talking about is part of the Pentateuch but I'm not sure. Numbers maybe?

Yeah I looked it up and you're thinking of Numbers. The thing about the Bible is it's a lot like other really heavy literary works; you can't just read it and 'understand'. You have to study it, and probably with a teacher or a scholar to even begin to scratch the surface. I've learned more in this past semester in college in Theology than I did in all 3 of my high school years, and more than the year and a half of RCIA I took to become Catholic way back in high school.

If you do read a book from the Bible though, I would recommend Exodus. It's actually a really interesting story. Job is interesting too, but you have to keep in mind reading it that it's written as a fairy tale, with the Hebrew equivalent of "Once upon a time" starting it, so you don't feel like God is punishing Job unfairly or something like that haha.

 

[CarefulWetPaint]

If you do read a book from the Bible though, I would recommend Exodus. It's actually a really interesting story. Job is interesting too, but you have to keep in mind reading it that it's written as a fairy tale, with the Hebrew equivalent of "Once upon a time" starting it, so you don't feel like God is punishing Job unfairly or something like that haha.

I don't think I'm reading this correctly but everytime I look at it, it seems to me that you are saying that part of the Bible is just a made up story (Fairy Tale) and if you think of it that way anything in it is no more relevant to the creation of everything then saying Harry Potters war with Voldemort actually happened and wasnt just a made up story.

Eh if that didnt make any sense what I'm trying to say, how can we possible take something as god's word and the truth if you admit that a part of it is just a fairy tale?

 

[Oryx]

I don't think I'm reading this correctly but everytime I look at it, it seems to me that you are saying that part of the Bible is just a made up story (Fairy Tale) and if you think of it that way anything in it is no more relevant to the creation of everything then saying Harry Potters war with Voldemort actually happened and wasnt just a made up story.

Eh if that didnt make any sense what I'm trying to say, how can we possible take something as god's word and the truth if you admit that a part of it is just a fairy tale?

It's like a fable, in which a moral is conveyed. In Job, Satan tells God that Job is only pious because Job is happy, healthy, has a wife and kids and a lot of money. In reply, God allows Satan to take everything from Job to test what Satan claimed. In that time, it was believed that if you were afflicted with tragedy, it was basically a result of your own personal sin and not random happenstance as happens to everyone. His wife tells him to curse God, his friends accuse him of sinning, his family dies, his fortune is lost, but he still remains pious and praises God and claims he did not sin terribly to deserve what happened to him. At this point, God comes to speak to him and his friends and rebukes the friends for their accusations to Job, and puts him in good health with twice what he had before.

The point of the book is to refute the idea of the time that if something bad happens to you, it's a direct result of your own sin. It's also meant to encourage people to suffer without blaming or cursing God, as if you suffer and still praise God then you will be rewarded in the end.

Saying that you can't take it as important because it's not a true fact is like disregarding every parable Jesus ever said as unimportant because they didn't actually happen.

Edit: the reason I used the term "fairy tale" is because of the phrases used to open it and end it, which would have signified to people back then that the story wasn't real, but something that we don't see nowadays because of translation and changes in colloquial language. The closest approximation is the idea of the beginning of a fairy tale, which has a formula that everyone knows.

 

[Mana1]

"Religion is true inb4 atheist counter-arguments"

So we non-believers like to talk about science being the best way of learning about the universe and all that, but how many of us have a scientific background/understanding/interest? How many of us came to atheism through science compared to those of us who were confronted with religion and rejected that?

I r scientist.

Technically a Bachelor of Science in a few months :) so that best explains my route. I went to a Church of England school, we weren't taught the bible but it was often referenced - and we made a prayer before each assembly. Well I say we, I didn't like it so just sat and watched, even as a 7 year old.

God was just never the option for me.

------------

As to all the Bible shizz, from what I know about the Bible I would say it's more a collection of horror stories than fables. All are simply to demonstrate the power that God has and/or to say that if you sin then you will go to hell. It's just a scare tactic to gain power over people.

To me, God just comes across as a bully.

 

[Oryx]

As to all the Bible shizz, from what I know about the Bible I would say it's more a collection of horror stories than fables. All are simply to demonstrate the power that God has and/or to say that if you sin then you will go to hell. It's just a scare tactic to gain power over people.

To me, God just comes across as a bully.

You don't know much about it at all then.