email468
Well-Known Member
I do not normally "bash" any religion publicly though I have no problem defending my right not to believe in things without evidence.Sure, there are alot of things about religion that I am fed up about. Like terrorists who think that killing you will make them martyrs because you don't accept their idea of God. But come on, in what way is Christianity effecting your life as an atheist email468 - Christians aren't going to stone you for not being Christian, you don't have Christians knocking at your door forcing you to repent your sins..
The problem I have with people who label themselves as atheists is that they generally tend to bash Christians. To a certain extent thats ok because everyone is entitled to an opinion, but it becomes a problem when atheists try to convince other people that religion is a lie. If you are an atheist - thats ok, its a choice you've made and a choice you are entitled to. If you are religious, thats fine - because thats a choice you've made and you are entitled to have that choice. Don't go around bashing people who turn to religion for hope just because of what you believe, as far as I know there is no mathematical formula that can prove or disprove either theories.
There is no way that we can prove or disprove the existence of an intelligent creator, when you show me this mathematical formula that can prove that billions of people were wrong I will denounce my beliefs.
I am all for freedom which would include believing whatever you want. Even if your beliefs include an end-of-the-world scenario and predictions. Since most of us are familiar with Christianity, and you specifically asked about Christianity in particular, I will use it as an example.
Revelations is mostly misinterpreted by devout Christians as being a prophecy when in reality it was most likely written as historical allegory - the destruction of the temple and all that - but I don't want to go into that right now. I will stick with the most agreed upon interpretation which is prophecy.
I will go out on a limb and say most devout Christians believe that Revelations has something to do with the end of the world and is prophecy - that is something that has yet to take place but will in the future. Revelations "predicts" the rebirth of Israel and another destruction of the temple among the things that must happen before Christ's return. What this means is, if you believe the bible is the word of God and is infallible, seeing a mushroom cloud in Jerusalem would have s silver lining - surely this must mean the end of days is nigh, right?
now you are free to believe this or not - the problem i have... as an atheist is when people who are in charge of nuclear (or even conventional) weapons believe this tripe. Another words, someone who believes that some sort of destruction is mandatory for a deities return (like in Revelations) should NOT be making decisions that could bring that possibility about.
What i want is policy decisions based on reality - not some ancient rambling and easily misinterpreted book. The burden of proof is on the one making the claim and that should hold through all policy decisions. I want leaders whose highest power in their life is the people they serve - not some God that they can use to justify any of their heinous (or even their good) actions.
So when someone who believes the Bible is absolute truth and the best thing for the world would be Christ's return and in order for that to happen the temple in Jerusalem must be destroyed and this person has access to the weapons that could make this destruction possible and said person is elected to be the US president... then i have a BIG FUCKING PROBLEM with religion. I'd have the same problem if we'd elect someone who "believes" a specific race inferior or superior or someone who "believes" the moon is made of cheese. The point I am making is - public policy should be based on reality - not in what someone "believes".
And let's not forget that Christians are responsible for the Inquisition and the subsequent witch burnings during the middle ages. It was also Christians, during the age of empires, that spearheaded the dual campaign of conversion and terror which decimated native populations. Christians were also responsible for the many pogroms throughout Europe (up to and including the Holocaust).
These are rather extreme examples (though a mushroom cloud in Jerusalem is getting more likely every day - thanks to religion).. so instead of focusing on the doomsday scenario, would you prefer to talk about Christians who want ID taught in schools instead of science? or Christians who fight against homosexual unions or birth control? Do you realize that there are Christian missionaries who will not hand out condoms in Africa because God doesn't like them (condoms that is) even though they would greatly reduce the spread of AIDS? very loving indeed.
In my opinion, the worse of all is Christian parents filling their children's heads with horrible stories of hell-fire and damnation. You know - the kind of parents who would be appalled at seeing some boobies on TV but have no problem telling their kids how God killed his only son by nailing him to a tree for all our sins. or that God killed all the first born in Egypt cause the Pharaoh refused to obey His nonsensical orders. Or how God turned Abraham's wife into a pillar of salt for what? oh yeah she looked behind her when God told her not to. I am talking about the parents who say you better be good kiddies or that ole devil will take you down to hell and not just for a day or two - forever and ever and ever. what a disgusting and sickening thing for a parent to tell a child.
I say this is the worse because it forever instills fear and guilt in an innocent child but it does something else potentially far worse and that is establishing faith as a virtue. faith is a virtue? how the hell is believing in something with no evidence at all - or worse - believing something IN SPITE of the evidence a virtue? more like close-minded idiocy to me - but hey - no harm done, right?
I wonder how many religious folks would be around if they weren't indoctrinated into it at an early age. I mean, how many folks would purposefully blind their eyes to reason to adopt a faith.
I will stop "bashing" religion when the "religious" folks are willing to vote for an admittedly atheist president. fair enough?