Marinus 0 #26 October 26, 2011 350 hindus? Holy cow!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #27 October 26, 2011 Quote Quote Quote Take "karma" - atheists throw that term out a lot. I think you're thinking of Hindus. 350 mentions in SC...who knew we had so many Hindus in the ranks? 350 "mentions" in 10 years and hundreds of thousands of posts? Whoo! That really is "atheists throw(ing) that term out a lot." I'll admit I have probably used it as a metaphor, but never as an actual belief.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #28 October 26, 2011 QuoteQuoteStan, by being agnostic, is clearly holding out hope for an actual being. That god "may be real." WTF do you know about what I hope? The fact that you sit on the fence.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigel99 569 #29 October 26, 2011 QuoteQuoteQuoteStan, by being agnostic, is clearly holding out hope for an actual being. That god "may be real." WTF do you know about what I hope? The fact that you sit on the fence. I don't see it as sitting on the fence. I certainly have no "hope" that god exists. But I am not 100% certain that there is not a "spiritual" element to life that we don't fully understand. I don't attribute that to a god, it could just as easily be a force. Maybe it means different things to different people?Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marinus 0 #30 October 26, 2011 QuoteThe fact that you sit on the fence. You're kidding, right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #31 October 26, 2011 QuoteI'll admit I have probably used it as a metaphor, but never as an actual belief. and we come full circle to the point so, how seriously, on a scale of 1 to 100, do you have to be for the Metaphor to transform to a belief in someone's mind? Is it 61? I'd argue that whatever number you pick, someone will argue that it's a slightly lower number and you are evil for putting your number out there. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #32 October 26, 2011 Quote Maybe it means different things to different people? seriously, how far do you expect to get with THAT statement in Speaker's Corner? ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
captain_stan 0 #33 October 26, 2011 QuoteQuoteQuoteStan, by being agnostic, is clearly holding out hope for an actual being. That god "may be real." WTF do you know about what I hope? The fact that you sit on the fence. Fences are for smug, intolerant people like you to build. It's true enough that arbitrarily chosing one side or the other, for the sake of belonging, has little appeal to me. Atheists and evangelists, Democrats and Republicans all show me equal contempt for my refusal to commit to being their ally or enemy. And you pretend to know my hope. If I hoped for truth and ideological tolerance, I'd have a hard time finding them in any of these groups. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #34 October 26, 2011 QuoteFences are for smug, intolerant people like you to build. . . . . If I hoped for ideological tolerance, I'd have a hard time finding it in any of these groups. ok, that was funny and nicely executed ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #35 October 26, 2011 Quoteso, how seriously, on a scale of 1 to 100, do you have to be for the Metaphor to transform to a belief in someone's mind? You don't. If a person says something is a metaphor, then he is acknowledging the thing, whatever it is, doesn't exist as stated. If I were to say, "Sally is a gem." My guess is pretty much everyone will not believe Sally is actually made from rubies and can be taken to a jewelry story or pawn shop in exchange for cash. l mean, unless the person is crazy . . .quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #36 October 26, 2011 Here's your opening salvo; QuoteI'm not convinced that a rational mind can choose to believe or not when it cannot be proved or disproved. I'm convinced it can. In fact, it's been repeatedly proven rational people can make that choice literally billions of times in our own lifetime and continue to do so every day. Sir, I maintain it is you that have positioned yourself high on a pedestal looking down on both sides with smugness, yet your own statement proves just how wrong you are.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marinus 0 #37 October 26, 2011 Yeah, well, if US atheists and agnostics can't unite, I foresee a nice spiritual and religious future for the States. Good luck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #38 October 26, 2011 Quote Yeah, well, if US atheists and agnostics can't unite, I foresee a nice spiritual and religious future for the States. Good luck! Pfft. Like we had a chance to begin with. quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
captain_stan 0 #39 October 26, 2011 QuoteYeah, well, if US atheists and agnostics can't unite, I foresee a nice spiritual and religious future for the States. Good luck! Unite my ass! I'd settle for tolerance! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
captain_stan 0 #40 October 26, 2011 QuoteSir, I maintain it is you that have positioned yourself high on a pedestal looking down on both sides with smugness, yet your own statement proves just how wrong you are. Now that's pompous as hell and almost clever! But what if I simply have enough humility to admit that there are things I don't know? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
winsor 236 #41 October 26, 2011 QuoteQuoteYeah, well, if US atheists and agnostics can't unite, I foresee a nice spiritual and religious future for the States. Good luck! Unite my ass! I'd settle for tollerance! Fuck tolerance. If you can accept me, cool. If you do not accept me, that's fine as well. I want nothing to do with the sanctimony of someone who sees fit to "tolerate" me. BSBD, Winsor Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrewwhyte 1 #42 October 26, 2011 Perfect! Here we have a thread about people being uncertain or not giving a shit and even this the good peeps of Speakers Corner can reduce to a spitting match. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marinus 0 #43 October 26, 2011 QuotePfft. Like we had a chance to begin with. I think the US has a good chance of becoming godless over the course of this century, but you heathens should really choose your battles wisely. Unless I missed out some type of humour I don't understand, it seems the tensions between agnostics and atheists on your side of the pond are worse the the tensions between christians and godless people on this side. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
captain_stan 0 #44 October 26, 2011 Quote I want nothing to do with the sanctimony of someone who sees fit to "tolerate" me. The thing is, they probably don't really want anything to do with you either, but may think you just aren't important enought to hate. So we tolerate you. You'd rather be hated? Some people are never happy... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
captain_stan 0 #45 October 26, 2011 Quote Perfect! Here we have a thread about people being uncertain or not giving a shit and even this the good peeps of Speakers Corner can reduce to a spitting match. Now that's a hilarious observation. Can you imagine how proud it makes me to have stirred this up? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Channman 2 #46 October 26, 2011 QuoteQuote“If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning.” -C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity Quoting C.S. Lewis isn't going to get you very far in the conversation. It's about as effective as quoting J.K. Rowling or L. Ron Hubbard. I thought the quote was very enlightening, but as a believer I should step aside from this discussion as to allow the non-believers the time to discuss such matters among themselves. Sorry for the intrusion. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marinus 0 #47 October 26, 2011 QuoteFuck tolerance. If you can accept me, cool. If you do not accept me, that's fine as well. I want nothing to do with the sanctimony of someone who sees fit to "tolerate" me. It's not that long ago that people were burned alive on the town square because people lacked toleration. I think toleration is a good thing even if that doesn't mean everyone sucks your ideological dick. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybird18c 24 #48 October 26, 2011 QuoteI certainly have no "hope" that god exists. But I am not 100% certain that there is not a "spiritual" element to life that we don't fully understand. I don't attribute that to a god, it could just as easily be a force. It all comes down to accountability. As long as it's just an unknowable or impersonal force, we're ok. Everyone wants to go to heaven (or some version thereof....or even just annihilation/cease to exist), they just don't want God to be there when they arrive. If we have offended the nature of a thrice holy personal God (by breaking His laws) and are justly deserving of punishment, there's a big problem. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
captain_stan 0 #49 October 26, 2011 Quote Everyone wants to go to heaven (or some version thereof....or even just annihilation/cease to exist), they just don't want God to be there when they arrive. If you can convince yourself that you know what "everyone wants," then you can convince yourself of anything. That would be called "delusion." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybird18c 24 #50 October 26, 2011 QuoteQuote Everyone wants to go to heaven (or some version thereof....or even just annihilation/cease to exist), they just don't want God to be there when they arrive. If you can convince yourself that you know what "everyone wants," then you can convince yourself of anything. That would be called "delusion." So what part of what I typed doesn't apply to you? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
