[Pops]

Yea, beliefs are a funny thing, ask someone what they think will happen when oil production peaks and then declines – then tell them they are wrong...

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AgentR', 'Y')ou ask why...
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')his group does not at all agree with my vision of American society…

[Homesteader]

There is no one right way to live, despite what Mother Culture whispers in your ear.

[Koyaanisqatsi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AgentR', '
')I strenuously reject such a characterization. The Soviet Union was definitely atheist, and it was far from peaceful.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cloud9', '
')As a mason I cannot trust an atheist because he as no true north for his moral compass. With what else will he bind his oaths?

[Cloud9]

The oaths are the same it matters not which God the believer grounds them in.

[rangerone314]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cloud9', 'T')he oaths are the same it matters not which God the believer grounds them in.

[IgnoranceIsBliss]

For reasons like the photo in RangerOne's avatar, I have cemented my position as an atheist.

The amount of suffering, cruelty, and misery in this world is absolutely overwhelming. Any God who would create such a thing is not for me. It's damn easy to believe in the power of a loving God when you are a fat, happy American. What we fail to realize is just how terrible things are on a daily basis for millions of people (esp innocent children) around the world.

I have to listen daily to Christians asking everyone to "please pray for the sale of my house" or whatever when in the grand scheme of things, their complaints are trivial at best. (and why should we have beg this loving God to stop inflicting the misery that he is bringing to his followers?)

Here in Georgia, the heart of the bible belt (where almost everyone is a Southern Baptist), I would stick out like a sore thumb if I spoke my mind. So we are planning our big move up to the frozen north where at least we can escape the Baptists!

[Carlhole]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('IgnoranceIsBliss', 'F')or reasons like the photo in RangerOne's avatar, I have cemented my position as an atheist.

The amount of suffering, cruelty, and misery in this world is absolutely overwhelming. Any God who would create such a thing is not for me. It's damn easy to believe in the power of a loving God when you are a fat, happy American. What we fail to realize is just how terrible things are on a daily basis for millions of people (esp innocent children) around the world.

[rangerone314]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('IgnoranceIsBliss', 'F')or reasons like the photo in RangerOne's avatar, I have cemented my position as an atheist.

The amount of suffering, cruelty, and misery in this world is absolutely overwhelming. Any God who would create such a thing is not for me. It's damn easy to believe in the power of a loving God when you are a fat, happy American. What we fail to realize is just how terrible things are on a daily basis for millions of people (esp innocent children) around the world.

I have to listen daily to Christians asking everyone to "please pray for the sale of my house" or whatever when in the grand scheme of things, their complaints are trivial at best. (and why should we have beg this loving God to stop inflicting the misery that he is bringing to his followers?)

Here in Georgia, the heart of the bible belt (where almost everyone is a Southern Baptist), I would stick out like a sore thumb if I spoke my mind. So we are planning our big move up to the frozen north where at least we can escape the Baptists!

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cloud9', 'T')he oaths are the same it matters not which God the believer grounds them in.

[hardtootell-2]

No disrespect intended but I like the Buddhist view of "God". To paraphrase- Gods are just beings trapped in an endless cycle of birth/life and death. Gods are simply more powerful and long lived. They are still subject to suffering and death but on a vastly greater timescale. They can be powerful, benign and wrathful but in the end they are ruled by the karma they create. They can be reborn in lower realms like those of animals, humans or hell beings.

For the record I am an Agnostic Theist and wish happiness to all and suffering to none.

Did you hear the one about the two fleas on the hair? One flea asks the other "Do believe there is a Dog?"

[Quinny]

My son's just gone to University and the other morning he sounded tired.

Conversation something like this.

Me: Had a heavy night?

Son: No just stayed up talking.

Me: Does he exist then?

Son: What you on about?

Me: God?

Son: How did you know?

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Carlhole', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('IgnoranceIsBliss', 'F')or reasons like the photo in RangerOne's avatar, I have cemented my position as an atheist.

The amount of suffering, cruelty, and misery in this world is absolutely overwhelming. Any God who would create such a thing is not for me. It's damn easy to believe in the power of a loving God when you are a fat, happy American. What we fail to realize is just how terrible things are on a daily basis for millions of people (esp innocent children) around the world.

[Carlhole]

God Introduces New Bird

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '&')quot;The bird is back," God continued, His booming voice parting the very heavens. "And baby, it's never looked better."

According to the latest specs, etched in two tablets of stone and handed down from atop Mount Sinai, the new bird is anticipated by God to be His finest creation to date. Available in two colors-—male and female—the bird reportedly combines everything God has learned from His previous works into one "new twist on an old favorite."

In keeping with tradition, the bird has not been given a name by God, who has left it to mankind to name all the animals.

"This came out at the perfect time," said Chet Clem, Chair of Biblical Science at Oral Roberts University. "God hadn't come out with anything in a long while, and people, quite frankly, were beginning to lose faith in Him. But this bird is totally worth the wait."

Added Clem, "It's classic God."

"Our Heavenly Father has really outdone Himself this time," ornithologist Dr. Avram Wasserbaum agreed. "Birds don't tend to be His strong suit—take the buzzard or the dodo, for instance. This latest bird, though, has all of God's patented design touches: splendor, grace, and an ineffable sense of timelessness. Trust me, once folks get a load of the brilliant plumage, this thing is really going to put God back on top."

"Plus, birds are hot right now," he added.

[IgnoranceIsBliss]

I guess watching my mother in law die a horrific, painful death over the course of the last year and a half didn't help me either. I would say the one thing that really cemented my atheist view is my realization of just how widespread and deep the suffering of children is in our world (and always has been). If there is a God, He would know this is how things would turn out, yet he chose to proceed with his creation anyway?

Weird.

Everyone goes around saying "God is great!" when they see a few good things, but they choose to ignore the other 10 evil things that just happened at the same time. (I have a friend who posts daily Bible quotes on Facebook. I still remember what her reaction was when I told her about a woman in Orlando who was abducted from the grocery store parking lot in broad daylight and murdered. My friend said "She must have done something wrong." No, in fact she did nothing "wrong." Bad things happen to innocent people. It's too much for some of us to deal with.
I wonder if Mother Theresa really did start questioning her faith at the end. I remember reading something about that. How could she not, when she saw the most raw human suffering on a daily basis?

[hardtootell-2]

I saw a great bumpersticker today

"Dog is my Copilot"