We are not quite yet living in a world of "I, Robot". The last I heard it is doctors who wield the instruments that cut out the tumors and pilots who fly our planes. But I am afraid that we shall never see a staff of wood turn into a snake again. And if we ever will see a virgin giving birth, it'll be by artificial insemination. But then, in days of old all these things were so much more advanced. Moreover it was just two gods (father and son) who provided relief for all the people over the entire earth. Or was it misery? Dang, it was so long ago, my memory fails.......Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
I don't think it's religion that's important, so much as the benefits which can be found to varying extents therein. Community, meaning, hope, comfort, etc.. No. As I said, it's the benefits that such belief reaps that is important, not the means by which they are delivered. And, as you'll notice from many atheists and otherwise non-believing folk, none of it requires belief in a god. I'm happy, I'm fulfilled, I'm excited about life and looking forward to things, and all of this without any whiff of godly superstition. Because I don't need it. I won't say there aren't crutches in my life, but they thankfully don't take the form of religion.
:facepalm: Clearly God, Jesus and other religious icons have put more effort into "community, meaning, hope, comfort, etc.." then the atheists. Thank God for God, religion and spirituality.
What are you facepalming, you halfwit? You just asked me to communicate those things as if I'm more than just one person. It was an odd request, which is why I asked you to elaborate. Obviously, since atheism isn't a belief system. If you want to know where those concepts are beyond religion, just ask your local atheist. Seriously, how do you explain happy atheists? And how do you reconcile the fact that you're miserable in spite of your faith?
Can't stand to hear those things, eh? SPOILER ALERT!!! The Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy don't exist, Mazulu.
So now I'm a halfwit?:roflmao: Does that make you a quarter-wit? It's the absence of a belief in deities. Yea,...aha... Who cares about happy atheists. Here are some happy theists. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
"On today's "Bring It On!" segment, "Kimberly" told Pat Robertson that a few years ago, she'd invited one of her neighbors to crash at her place after his father kicked him out. It turned out he was a Muslim who kept to the schedule of praying to Allah while staying with her. One night, she felt a "demonic presence" and felt compelled to tell her neighbor to leave. She's felt apprehensive about it since then, and wondered if only extending charity to other Christians would violate Matthew 25:45-46's command to help those in need. Robertson seemed to indicate that she was right to kick him back out because he had brought an "unclean spirit" into her house. Robertson said that while he doesn't know the specifics of the situation, you shouldn't offer hospitality to someone who is "worshiping some sort of a demonic presence then that will pervade your home." And yet, "Kimberly" says that the guy was very polite while staying with her, and wasn't being disruptive in any way. If he was being disruptive, like praying really loudly at all hours, it would have been a different ball game. So let's get this straight. In Robertson's world, it's remotely acceptable not to open your home to someone just because he or she believes differently from you. That, ladies and gentlemen, is yet another reason why our country is so divided--we have a significant segment of the population that's been taught to believe merely sitting and talking with those who think differently from you is verboten." http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/...lim-who-invited-unclean-spirit-into-her-house Pat Robertson is as close to an antichrist as you're likely to find. He is an evil old man who's quite insane. And a very rich man. If Christianity turns out to be absolutely true, you won't be seeing his crocodile smile there. GrumpyPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Are you just attacking the ethics of Christians? Or do you hate all spirituality? All spiritual practices?
I thought that I answered that question earlier. Deities are (belief) systems without properties and the attempt to explain them leads to MORTAL (as in death) spiritual practices.
I agree, it is the practice that makes the religion and the practice is always exclusive of other beliefs or non-beliefs. It is not atheists who insult religion, it is the religious who insult atheists and other believers who do not follow their dogma. The proof lies in the labels religions have given to those who do not follow their practices and the permission to kill each other in the name of the religion, even if the religions believe in the same god. That is not only delusional, it is dangerous. Zealots are scary people. They assume authority to which they are not entitled.
Mazulu Pat Robertson is not a Christian(no matter what he calls himself), and if he has any ethics they are not evident. I've had personal history with that A_hole, the smile is as fake as a three dollar bill. How people who hate so many of their fellow men can be ALLOWED to name themself a Christian is beyond me. I met better men in a lockdown prison block(where I was visiting them, as Jesus said. You will not see Pat visiting unless it's a photo op). Spirituality is hardly the exclusive domain of believers, and what exactly are spiritual practices? Rituals and dogma are meant to shut off your thinking processes, not enhance them. They seem to be working for you. GrumpyPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Asking someone if they have a belief in a god is the same thing as asking them if they have religion. That's how religion is defined.
