JCC Arena The Theist/Atheist Thunderdome™

A lot of religious folk don't say that their faith is a form of support, though, similar to therapy or AA. I mean, from an atheist persoective, that's what we see it as, but I'd imagine most religious people don't (at least not openly) -- they see it as The Truth, The Way, etc.

As I've said, I really have no issue with people using faith as a form of support, provided it's their own personal thing and they don't enforce it on others; I mean you don't see people who go to therapy banging on doors trying to sign you up to see their shrink. You also don't see people in therapy campaigning against homosexuality and whatnot. I think I speak for most atheists in saying our issue isn't with the religious people who have a personal relationship with god, but with the organisational effects religion, and the Church, has on the world.

I guess the only argument is that even the 'quiet Christian', by still referring to themselves as a Christian (just using Christianity as an example here), in a way enables the continued power of the Chuch, which is ultimately a bad thing, whereas if they simply removed such labels and referred to themselves as, I dunno, a spiritualist or something, that may help bring down organised religion quicker than its already downward trajectory.

 

I just...don't understand prayer or how it works...

 

I'm not sure that is what timmoishere is saying. "Claiming to do so only because your faith demands it" is something that crops up from time to time where a religious person will say rape is only wrong because god so if there is no god then rape is ok.

 

my christian faith plays the role of reminding me that i'm a dick sometimes and need to care about things bigger than myself or outside of my little world. it definitely serves a purpose in my life in that regard, and it's a positive one.

that said, i know many people who don't have any spiritual faith at all and have other things that play this role in their lives. it's not a thing that only religion can do.

that said, the motivation for whatever "good deeds" i do doesn't come from christianity or god or whatever. it comes from a decision i've made to live life the way i think it's supposed to be lived. my faith strengthens that resolve, but it not the catalyst for it.

 

That's not the point - the point is that if you do it only because God said so, you are only doing good because of fear of God... which makes human morality based only on fear which is illogical. No one said that all religious people are like this...

 

i know quite a few religious people and i've never met one who only did or did not do a certain thing because they believed god told them to. usually there are many other factors.

 

Except there are many who say without religion morality would not exist... so whether or not you have met them doesn't mean they aren't out there...

 

That's more about "the human conscience is a divine gift from above" style arguments.

 

I have always seen it as 'religion keeps society from falling apart' since religion and, I presume, God are two different things.

 

Reminds me of.

 

UN report: Vatican policies allowed priests to rape children

 

Durrr, ya think?

 

This reminds me of how much I truly deeply love Top Secret.

 

Illustrated Bible passages

 

The one with the crotch-grabbing always cracks me up.

 

A Roman Catholic priest who hid pedophiles has passed away

Good riddance.

 

heh heh.... there are still people who take things the U.N. has to say seriously? That's so cute!!

 

I found a way to get religious people to unfriend you on Facebook. Simply post this statment:

"It would be cool if people had some scientific literacy so they don't believe in pseudosciences and can make more informed decisions." -LazyStormTrooper 2015

 

This is a thread about religion. Please leave your statement about global warming out of it.

But you what would actually be cool? If people didn't tell others what to believe in and showed more tolerance - and less bigotry - to those of different belief structures.

 

You sure showed them! That's right, girl, stand up to that Big UN.

 

Ignoring your blatantly sexist remark, I don't feel your praise is necessary. The U.N. is very easy to stand up to. Unless they have the United States army working on their behalf, they're about as intimidating as a guy with a BB gun taking on an armored tank division.

Please stop! Nothing is more scary than those powder blue helmets!

 

The UN: more than just the General Assembly and Security Council.

 

Brave.