The God idea. Argue with this.

Zebra Airforce · Post by **Zebra Airforce** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:51 pm

You guys better be careful, LayDong is trying to fill your minds with his own special protein mix.

Super Laydock · Post by **Super Laydock** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:54 pm

Michaelm wrote:
jpj wrote:can you see that religion (whether you believe or not) - for 99.9% of people - has a positive affect on them as a human being?
NO !!
Or do you mean staying stupid and indoctrinated is a good thing ?
Or believing in the flying spaghetti monster has a positive effect too ?

If the spaghetti monster would be teaching tollerance, love and respect and people believe it... I can't see any harm in that delusion.
It would still be a delusion though.

Using this argument is just so wrong.

It's an argument I can understand (though I don't think it's valid). It's easily countered too.

Super Laydock · Post by **Super Laydock** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:56 pm

Zebra Airforce wrote:You guys better be careful, LayDong is trying to fill your minds with his own special protein mix.

!@$% it, you spoiled it now.

leave the dong out of it btw, or are you tryin to get personal here.

Rofl @ coop & Rando there... classic. (:D)

escadrille · Post by **escadrille** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 8:40 pm

The Coop wrote:
escadrille wrote:Nice to see a mix of fairly civil religious and non-religious people. Usually forums are either right-wing or left-wing, and consequently mostly super-pro-God or hardcore atheist.

I credit shmups with bringing people together. To my knowledge there hasn't even been a hori/vert schism leading to bloodshed.
You weren't here for massacre of '04, were you?

Why do you think most people who have been around these parts for a while have a join date of '05? Is it because that's when these new board went up? Well, there's a nugget of truth there, but it's more than that. It's because after what happened in March '04, it took this site nine months to recover enough to get back on-line, and the folks with '05 in their join dates were the ones who were there to read it all go down. The site hacks, the flames, hori lovers raging against vert-aholics, the personal grudges that resulted in three real murders... yeah, it took this site a good while before anyone in charge even wanted to try and get a community going again.

Rumor has it, that the people who murdered three members of the old boards, are still visiting this site from prison. They don't post much, but late at night, if you happen to catch the right thread, you'll find a post from one of them before the mods get a chance to delete it. It's not talked about much, even on the IRC channel. But they're there... in the shadows of the Web... watching.

How'd it get settled. Camp David conference? Or were UN peacekeepers deployed?

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 8:56 pm

Super Laydock wrote:
Michaelm wrote:
jpj wrote:can you see that religion (whether you believe or not) - for 99.9% of people - has a positive affect on them as a human being?
NO !!
Or do you mean staying stupid and indoctrinated is a good thing ?
Or believing in the flying spaghetti monster has a positive effect too ?
If the spaghetti monster would be teaching tollerance, love and respect and people believe it... I can't see any harm in that delusion.
It would still be a delusion though.

Using this argument is just so wrong.
It's an argument I can understand (though I don't think it's valid). It's easily countered too.

YESSSSS !!!!

it's not an argument; as far as i'm concerned, it's emperically correct. i'm afraid the friendships and relationships i've made over the years with various people aren't "countered" by yelling NO...!!!! down the internet

and again, i don't think "delusion" is the right word. do you really think everyone who believes in god must be stupid and insane? are you honestly telling me you haven't met some very bright people who believe in god? a better word would be "unfounded".

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 9:13 pm

Super Laydock wrote:If the spaghetti monster would be teaching tollerance, love and respect and people believe it... I can't see any harm in that delusion.
It would still be a delusion though.

If the spaghetti monster taught us to love the space invaders, people would have a lot more quarters in their pockets (and also be very invaded).

Michaelm · Post by **Michaelm** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 9:47 pm

jpj wrote:i'm afraid the friendships and relationships i've made over the years with various people aren't "countered" by yelling NO...!!!! down the internet

I'm afraid I don't know what you're on about here ?
I just replied to the question in what you call yelling.

and again, i don't think "delusion" is the right word. do you really think everyone who believes in god must be stupid and insane? are you honestly telling me you haven't met some very bright people who believe in god? a better word would be "unfounded".

I didn't say insane. I said indoctrinated. And well, stupid kinda goes with that.
And yeah, there have been bright people who believe in god. I'm not arguing that. But even though they might be bright I think they are stupid and indoctrinated in respect to the believing in god. I'm not saying they are all bad. Just in that respect. And unfortunately that is what keeps monotheism alive and kicking in a grand public manner.

PROMETHEUS · Post by **PROMETHEUS** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:13 pm

Michaelm wrote:
and again, i don't think "delusion" is the right word. do you really think everyone who believes in god must be stupid and insane? are you honestly telling me you haven't met some very bright people who believe in god? a better word would be "unfounded".
I didn't say insane. I said indoctrinated. And well, stupid kinda goes with that.
And yeah, there have been bright people who believe in god. I'm not arguing that. But even though they might be bright I think they are stupid and indoctrinated in respect to the believing in god. I'm not saying they are all bad. Just in that respect. And unfortunately that is what keeps monotheism alive and kicking in a grand public manner.

yep, agreed. It's very apparent when talking to anyone religious yet smart. If you use the right arguments, they'll agree the origin of their belief is mere indoctrination but still keep on believing because the indoctrination is stronger.

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:48 pm

Michaelm wrote:there have been bright people who believe in god.

cool. and to test the waters: will you admit that religion can benefit someone's life?

JoshF · Post by **JoshF** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:51 pm

Rev. Wright kicks ass.

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:59 pm

example A

Michaelm · Post by **Michaelm** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:07 pm

jpj wrote:cool. and to test the waters: will you admit that religion can benefit someone's life?

Religion, maybe.
Monotheism. No !

FIL · Post by **FIL** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:11 pm

This thread is starting to sound awfully familiar.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:13 pm

FIL wrote:This thread is starting to sound awfully familiar.

I couldn't have said it better...

shoe-sama · Post by **shoe-sama** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:52 am

godzilla flame breath attack

ZGOMZ!!!

DELUSIONAL

believing in imaginary beings is teh autosux ZOGMZ

jp · Post by jp » Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:09 am

FIL wrote:This thread is starting to sound awfully familiar.

Atheists are the new Jehova's Witnesses.

greg · Post by **greg** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:49 am

jp wrote:Atheists are the new Jehova's Witnesses.

QFT!

doctorx0079 · Post by **doctorx0079** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:37 am

@ SUPER LAYDOCK!!

There are better ways to argue against religion!

Please watch this video :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1jMD3bFJdI

In fact, watch the whole series, it's not that long.

In fact, everybody watch it.

And if you think they're wrong or they suck, I'll tell you right now that I don't care.

One more thing. James Randi has a good point. He says that people believe in things like life after death, because they need to. They have a psychological need they have to fill. Thus they need professional help. When someone has that kind of need, they have to decide to seek help on their own. No amount of arguing for atheism will ever convince them.

it290 · Post by **it290** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:11 am

greg wrote:
jp wrote:Atheists are the new Jehova's Witnesses.
QFT!

Sorry, but it just isn't. Most of us just want to be left the hell alone!

RGC · Post by **RGC** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:22 am

doctorx0079 wrote:They have a psychological need they have to fill. Thus they need professional help.

I don't like the idea that it automatically implies mental disorder or dysfunction. A psychological quirk (of nature?) only needs professionally addressing if it causes harm to the individual or those around him/her. This obviously doesn't represent the condition of the majority of religious folk. That said, I would agree that many have an overpowering need to believe in something out there, taking ultimate responsibility for us all. "Why?" is a much deeper issue, and it has nothing to do with stupidity, IMO.

Atheists have always had a bad name thanks to their crusaders, who can indeed be as irritating as "good news" preachers. But again, typically they are no bother to anyone, and should be left alone in their lack-of-belief rather than universally branded 'raving heretics' or whatever. You won't find me proselytising towards atheism, or banging on about idiocy and feeble-mindedness, even if I do find Pat Condel's rantings amusing.

Randorama · Post by **Randorama** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:01 am

Some clueless people wrote:Richard Dawkins are the new Jehova's Witnesses

Much better and actually related to facts.

jp · Post by jp » Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:51 am

Randorama wrote:
Some clueless people wrote:Richard Dawkins are the new Jehova's Witnesses
Much better and actually related to facts.

But Richard Dawkins doesn't post here.

Maybe... Richardians... or... Dawkinites. Then... then it would make more sense.

Also:
I'm mostly just making fun of this stupid stupid thread. So don't take anything I say seriously mkay?

Randorama · Post by **Randorama** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:53 am

jp wrote:

But Richard Dawkins doesn't post here.

Maybe... Richardians... or... Dawkinites. Then... then it would make more sense.

I like to call them 'closet behaviourists'.

I'm mostly just making fun of this stupid stupid thread. So don't take anything I say seriously mkay?

Never did, but please don't mind the borg armies once they arrive for assimilation.

jp · Post by jp » Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:08 am

Randorama wrote:

Never did, but please don't mind the borg armies once they arrive for assimilation.

w00t!!!! Assimilation!!!! Resistance is futile!!!!!

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:22 am

doctorx0079 wrote:They have a psychological need they have to fill. Thus they need professional help.

that's a bit of a stretch isn't it?

No amount of arguing for atheism will ever convince them.

has the penny dropped?

D · Post by D » Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:07 am

I can't state this without sounding arogant.
It goes like this. we believe what they tell us.
brown bread is more healty than white bread.
ps3 games runs @ 1080p.
We believe them, until somebody claims otherwise. But we need proof before we can be pursueded to think different. How are you going to proof to somebody that something does not exist. impossible.
God does not exist? I can't prove it.

The thing that's going on in the Netherlands right now is that racism is OK. Politicians create racism and hatred and it is being done to protect the right of freedom of speach. Insulting people and their defense is that they should be able to say it because of freedom of speach. These guys over in the Netherlands are crazy!
I'm ashamed of being Dutch and I feel bad for all minorities suffering.
People, women and men all over the world are really not so different. If you take away the details, we're all the same!

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:49 am

what is this situation in the netherlands?

evil_ash_xero · Post by **evil_ash_xero** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:24 pm

jp wrote:
FIL wrote:This thread is starting to sound awfully familiar.

Atheists are the new Jehova's Witnesses.

That's sorta funny considering I was raised a JW, and now i'm an atheist.

s/m

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:16 pm

D wrote:God does not exist? I can't prove it.

Prove that I should care if God exists?

oshi-

evil_ash_xero wrote:That's sorta funny considering I was raised a JW, and now i'm an atheist.

My family's major "meeting" with JWs was when some came speeding over a hill and smacked into the side of my mom's old '91 Sable station wagon as she was pulling out of the driveway. I guess other ones have stopped by before, we don't talk to them though so lol

D · Post by D » Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:21 pm

jpj wrote:what is this situation in the netherlands?

politics!
politicians say crazy racist stupid stuff.
1 politician makes a movie against the Koran/moslimism.
Apparantly I was the only one who found it odd that politicians start to create movies now.
Anyway, people take these politicians to court. Politicians get equited because the court says: "no, it's not racist and not insulting!"
That's it in a nutshell.
You should youtube this movie he made. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37w-aXGk8M0
It's called FITNA. the creator is a crazy racist politician by the name of Geert Wilders. He even bleached his hair white!
Meanwhile our economy is stagnating because we haven't build a road for 30 years and every highway has traffic jams, costing the economy billions.

Well, Shave my legs and call me grandpa! (quote from father of Cow and chicken)