Why do Atheists care about religion?
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From: OR
why does a heterosexual care about gay marriage?
if you think you are right about something, and others are wrong, you want to "help" them and change their mind
if i see someone doing a math problem wrong i want to help them get it right, same idea just applied to a part of life that isnt as simple as a right and wrong answer
also im a determinist if that changes your opinion of me
if you think you are right about something, and others are wrong, you want to "help" them and change their mind
if i see someone doing a math problem wrong i want to help them get it right, same idea just applied to a part of life that isnt as simple as a right and wrong answer
also im a determinist if that changes your opinion of me
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i never said that definitively yes, there is a god. my point is that the most any one human being can accurately say, in my opinion, is, "i don't know."
yeah, that's totally not the same thing. having a better understanding of what exists around us still does nothing to answer the question of whether a supreme being created all of this.
humanity also thought that the earth was flat and center of the solar system for millenia. is it arrogant to say that the earth is round and it rotates around the sun?
i think that it's the vast advancement in undertanding of natural laws that allow us to believe differently than what people believed hundreds or thousands of years ago.
i think that it's the vast advancement in undertanding of natural laws that allow us to believe differently than what people believed hundreds or thousands of years ago.
CHRISTMASTIME IN IRAQ
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The problem is that many athiests, and also many other non-christian religions or philosophies get so swung around by the extreme christianity that's taken a foothold in this country, we get resentful. I frankly want to live my life, by my moral set, without being imposed upon by someone elses religion. And I welcome anyone who's christian as long as they don't superimpose their beliefs upon me. Hell, most of my girlfriends have been devout christians of various "flavors", and we got along fine
Unfortunately, imposing behavior seems to be the modus operandi of a large portion of christians in the US right now. Kinda sucks for the rest of us.
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we beleive in gravity, its been proven with science, sure a god could be responsible, but common beleif is that it is a real force based in this world
what is different about this than other things?
if we follow our "proven" scientific rules then i see no evidence for a supreme being or metaphysical force
saying "i dont know" about god seems to me to simply "i dont know" about anything at all in this world
not trying to discount god or anything else, just pointing out that if you apply that to one thing, be consistent and apply it to all
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From: Sloppy onshore junk.
People label me an athiest because I'm a Taoist. Just because I don't believe in God, and I believe (roughly, this is just the super short and condensed answer) that all religions that call to a god or gods are attempting to personify the Tao, doesn't make me arrogant or stupid. In fact I have a very strong set of moral beliefs that govern how I act and treat other people, and surprisingly enough, there's no threat of damnation or promise of reward behind my actions. I treat people positively just because that's the way to do things.
The problem is that many athiests, and also many other non-christian religions or philosophies get so swung around by the extreme christianity that's taken a foothold in this country, we get resentful. I frankly want to live my life, by my moral set, without being imposed upon by someone elses religion. And I welcome anyone who's christian as long as they don't superimpose their beliefs upon me. Hell, most of my girlfriends have been devout christians of various "flavors", and we got along fine
Unfortunately, imposing behavior seems to be the modus operandi of a large portion of christians in the US right now. Kinda sucks for the rest of us.
The problem is that many athiests, and also many other non-christian religions or philosophies get so swung around by the extreme christianity that's taken a foothold in this country, we get resentful. I frankly want to live my life, by my moral set, without being imposed upon by someone elses religion. And I welcome anyone who's christian as long as they don't superimpose their beliefs upon me. Hell, most of my girlfriends have been devout christians of various "flavors", and we got along fine
Unfortunately, imposing behavior seems to be the modus operandi of a large portion of christians in the US right now. Kinda sucks for the rest of us.
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correct me if i'm wrong, but i thought taoists do believe in "deities" or whatever...
as for the "Christian right" and their "imposing behavior", i only recall once in my 29 years (if you don't count Jehovah's Witness) where a group of Christians tried to push their flavor of Christianity onto me. i went to their shindig out of respect, made it clear it wasn't for me, and that was that.
on a side note, though, if you’re going to talk about groups pushing their religion, you should be fair and mention the Muslims as well.
as for the "Christian right" and their "imposing behavior", i only recall once in my 29 years (if you don't count Jehovah's Witness) where a group of Christians tried to push their flavor of Christianity onto me. i went to their shindig out of respect, made it clear it wasn't for me, and that was that.
on a side note, though, if you’re going to talk about groups pushing their religion, you should be fair and mention the Muslims as well.
Last edited by reno96teg; Oct 4, 2006 at 11:47 AM.
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I believe existence was catalyzed by a combination of science and God. What does that make me? A scientist? 
h:
I don't know for a fact if there is a heaven or a hell. But I figure I'll live a moral life just to be safe
h:I don't know for a fact if there is a heaven or a hell. But I figure I'll live a moral life just to be safe
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correct me if i'm wrong, but i thought taoists do believe in "deities" or whatever...
as for the "Christian right" and their "imposing behavior", i only recall once in my 29 years (if you don't count Jehovah's Witness) where a group of Christians tried to push their flavor of Christianity onto me. i went to their shindig out of respect, made it clear it wasn't for me, and that was that.
on a side note, though, if you’re going to talk about groups pushing their religion, you should be fair and mention the Muslims as well.
as for the "Christian right" and their "imposing behavior", i only recall once in my 29 years (if you don't count Jehovah's Witness) where a group of Christians tried to push their flavor of Christianity onto me. i went to their shindig out of respect, made it clear it wasn't for me, and that was that.
on a side note, though, if you’re going to talk about groups pushing their religion, you should be fair and mention the Muslims as well.
As for being athiest, many people feel as if the idea of a god is absurd and not backed by any scientific proof. Therefore, to the extent of knowledge that humans have, there is no god. We have yet to discover everything about the universe. Does that mean the answers do not exist? Absolutely not.
CHRISTMASTIME IN IRAQ
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 12,413
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From: Bay Area
correct me if i'm wrong, but i thought taoists do believe in "deities" or whatever...
as for the "Christian right" and their "imposing behavior", i only recall once in my 29 years (if you don't count Jehovah's Witness) where a group of Christians tried to push their flavor of Christianity onto me. i went to their shindig out of respect, made it clear it wasn't for me, and that was that.
on a side note, though, if you’re going to talk about groups pushing their religion, you should be fair and mention the Muslims as well.
as for the "Christian right" and their "imposing behavior", i only recall once in my 29 years (if you don't count Jehovah's Witness) where a group of Christians tried to push their flavor of Christianity onto me. i went to their shindig out of respect, made it clear it wasn't for me, and that was that.
on a side note, though, if you’re going to talk about groups pushing their religion, you should be fair and mention the Muslims as well.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/taoism.htm
# Tao is the first-cause of the universe. It is a force that flows through all life.
# "The Tao surrounds everyone and therefore everyone must listen to find enlightenment." 4
# Each believer's goal is to harmonize themselves with the Tao.
# Taoism has provided an alternative to the Confucian tradition in China. The two traditions have coexisted in the country, region, and generally within the same individual.
# The priesthood views the many gods as manifestations of the one Dao, "which could not be represented as an image or a particular thing." The concept of a personified deity is foreign to them, as is the concept of the creation of the universe. Thus, they do not pray as Christians do; there is no God to hear the prayers or to act upon them. They seek answers to life's problems through inner meditation and outer observation.
# In contrast with the beliefs and practices of the priesthood, most of the laity have "believed that spirits pervaded nature...The gods in heaven acted like and were treated like the officials in the world of men; worshipping the gods was a kind of rehearsal of attitudes toward secular authorities. On the other hand, the demons and ghosts of hell acted like and were treated like the bullies, outlaws, and threatening strangers in the real world; they were bribed by the people and were ritually arrested by the martial forces of the spirit officials." 3
# Time is cyclical, not linear as in Western thinking.
# Taoists strongly promote health and vitality.
# Five main organs and orifices of the body correspond to the five parts of the sky: water, fire, wood, metal and earth.
# Each person must nurture the Ch'i (air, breath) that has been given to them.
# Development of virtue is one's chief task. The Three Jewels to be sought are compassion, moderation and humility.
# Taoists follow the art of "wu wei," which is to let nature take its course. For example, one should allow a river to flow towards the sea unimpeded; do not erect a dam which would interfere with its natural flow.
# One should plan in advance and consider carefully each action before making it.
# A Taoists is kind to other individuals, in part because such an action tends to be reciprocated.
# Taoists believe that "people are compassionate by nature...left to their own devices [they] will show this compassion without expecting a reward."
# "The Tao surrounds everyone and therefore everyone must listen to find enlightenment." 4
# Each believer's goal is to harmonize themselves with the Tao.
# Taoism has provided an alternative to the Confucian tradition in China. The two traditions have coexisted in the country, region, and generally within the same individual.
# The priesthood views the many gods as manifestations of the one Dao, "which could not be represented as an image or a particular thing." The concept of a personified deity is foreign to them, as is the concept of the creation of the universe. Thus, they do not pray as Christians do; there is no God to hear the prayers or to act upon them. They seek answers to life's problems through inner meditation and outer observation.
# In contrast with the beliefs and practices of the priesthood, most of the laity have "believed that spirits pervaded nature...The gods in heaven acted like and were treated like the officials in the world of men; worshipping the gods was a kind of rehearsal of attitudes toward secular authorities. On the other hand, the demons and ghosts of hell acted like and were treated like the bullies, outlaws, and threatening strangers in the real world; they were bribed by the people and were ritually arrested by the martial forces of the spirit officials." 3
# Time is cyclical, not linear as in Western thinking.
# Taoists strongly promote health and vitality.
# Five main organs and orifices of the body correspond to the five parts of the sky: water, fire, wood, metal and earth.
# Each person must nurture the Ch'i (air, breath) that has been given to them.
# Development of virtue is one's chief task. The Three Jewels to be sought are compassion, moderation and humility.
# Taoists follow the art of "wu wei," which is to let nature take its course. For example, one should allow a river to flow towards the sea unimpeded; do not erect a dam which would interfere with its natural flow.
# One should plan in advance and consider carefully each action before making it.
# A Taoists is kind to other individuals, in part because such an action tends to be reciprocated.
# Taoists believe that "people are compassionate by nature...left to their own devices [they] will show this compassion without expecting a reward."
Last edited by Epoch; Oct 4, 2006 at 11:58 AM.
CHRISTMASTIME IN IRAQ
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From: Bay Area
My mom's a diest in fact