Are you an atheist?

[Bladerunner]

How are either of those even ok? Why would you sign a contract with a company that isn't offering work?

INDEED? and I thought we were talking about educated people?



have a nice day :>)
Bladerunner

 

[scott-atkinson]

I think the "poverty" problem is greatly exaggerated.

Since I took early retirement, I have more income now than I did writing stupid databases for the NHS.
But, and a big but, from the age of 15 I was never out of work, I paid all taxes and pension subs, slogged my guts out, often 18 hours a day holding two jobs at times to afford a mortgage (now all paid off), now I can relax and let the money roll in.

Work is out there, it's just that the modern thinking is to want the state to support everyone too lazy to seek out a job. These so called poor people still find £10 for 20 fags and £3 for a pint.

Col

I think it is true in some cases, and not in others.

Where I live there is a women with 5 children, one of home is disabled, she has no husband, has never worked, yet she has been given rent free a 6 bedroom house. Each child has their own lap top, and TV in their bedrooms, and she has a Large TV in her living room and she has a brand new people carrier sitting on her drive.

I know this because a friend of mine once dated her for a little while, she certainly wasn't experiencing any poverty.

Yet there are other families, where one parent works part time, they receive limited benefits, have to pay their own rent and Council tax, and they have to occasionally go to Food Banks towards the end of the month when they run out of money...

It is the latter that is feeding the Pay Day Loan sharks, that are prevalent in the UK and pray on the poor..

 

[nanscombe]

How are either of those even ok? Why would you sign a contract with a company that isn't offering work?
...

INDEED? and I thought we were talking about educated people?



have a nice day :>)
Bladerunner

What good education if you find yourself desperate, without a job for a long time and relying on benefits.

 

[Bladerunner]

What good education if you find yourself desperate, without a job for a long time and relying on benefits.

Then evidently the person is not educated enough! Why you get out and make yourself needed instead of sitting there:''Oh, I have three degrees and cannot find a job, will not someone hire me,' and say please now.

That is the problem these days. They expect everyone to go to college and there are a lot of people not fit for college.

I have always gone by this:'Set your sights High but put it in low gear to get started'.

SOme will say, that is easy for some to say but it does not work. Well it use to when the liberals were not so prevalent with their ideas of Utopia. Now like in your nation, all you have is lazy (??????????????????) who want a handout.

Oops, better stop before I ruin my day..

Have a nice day :>)
Bladerunner

 

[electricjelly]

I love that statement "If God appeared in front of me, I Might change my mind" like saying I dont believe cars exist, but if I get hit by one, then ill consider it.

Besides that, I gave up my Christian religion a little while ago, been a strange world without the christian looking lens. Its tough yet empowering knowing that the only thing that I can rely on is myself and there is no higher power watching over me and protecting me. Life hasnt been easier for sure, but I do feel like there is no more excuses for things I do, which oddly enough, makes me want to do more with my life.

 

[Libre]

I love that statement "If God appeared in front of me, I Might change my mind" like saying I dont believe cars exist, but if I get hit by one, then ill consider it.

Atheists, by their nature, want proof before they subscribe to a position or a theory. That's why they're (we're) atheists in the first place. But the same sort of critical thinker that would normally be an atheist, is the same sort that is willing to modify their beliefs in the light of strong evidence that they hadn't heretofore considered. So the statement:
"If God appeared in front of me, I Might change my mind"
is perfectly consistent with the position that "I don't accept your fantastic theory without proof, but if you do come up with the proof, then show it to me and we'll talk."
To me it's the only tenable position of the lot.
It's not like your car example.
It's more like:
I don't believe your theory that there are flocks of purple sheep on the far side of the moon. I can't disprove it but it's not up to me to do so. I'm perfectly entitled to say there there ARE no such flocks of sheep. At the same time, since such a thing is unknowable to me, I can't say without any doubt that it is absolutely impossible. Show me evidence of the sheep, and I'll reconsider.

 

[Dick7Access]

Atheists, by their nature, want proof before they subscribe to a position or a theory. That's why they're (we're) atheists in the first place. But the same sort of critical thinker that would normally be an atheist, is the same sort that is willing to modify their beliefs in the light of strong evidence that they hadn't heretofore considered. So the statement:
"If God appeared in front of me, I Might change my mind"
is perfectly consistent with the position that "I don't accept your fantastic theory without proof, but if you do come up with the proof, then show it to me and we'll talk."
To me it's the only tenable position of the lot.
It's not like your car example.
It's more like:
I don't believe your theory that there are flocks of purple sheep on the far side of the moon. I can't disprove it but it's not up to me to do so. I'm perfectly entitled to say there there ARE no such flocks of sheep. At the same time, since such a thing is unknowable to me, I can't say without any doubt that it is absolutely impossible. Show me evidence of the sheep, and I'll reconsider.

You right, no proof that you would call proof but if you are right I will never know, but if I am right you will know, boy you will know!!!!!!!

 

[The_Doc_Man]

but if I am right you will know, boy you will know!!!!!!!

This is a variant of Pascal's Wager, if you think about it. The odds of being right are about 30,000 to 1 against, based on the number of major gods offered for worship through human history, and it is worst than that if you toss in the minor deities. How do you know which one is the right god to worship?

I have no problem with someone's beliefs as long as they don't try to browbeat me or use the typical "burn in Hell" scare tactics. I actually support everyone's right to believe in their religion as they think is right. I just ask for reciprocation on that right.

 

[Libre]

You right, no proof that you would call proof but if you are right I will never know, but if I am right you will know, boy you will know!!!!!!!

If critical thinking and a natural curiosity, coupled with reluctance to accept what one is told and reinforced not by reason but by the threat of punishment - if all that means that I burn in Hell, then I was damned the moment I was conceived and at least I'll be in good company.

 

[Dick7Access]

If critical thinking and a natural curiosity, coupled with reluctance to accept what one is told and reinforced not by reason but by the threat of punishment - if all that means that I burn in Hell, then I was damned the moment I was conceived and at least I'll be in good company.

How will you know you are in good company?

 

[Libre]

How will you know you are in good company?

Because critical thinkers and skeptics are, on the whole, more interesting to talk to at cocktail parties - so by extension...

 

[Dick7Access]

Because critical thinkers and skeptics are, on the whole, more interesting to talk to at cocktail parties - so by extension...

Troube with that scenario you will be tumbling and falling, and it will be pitch black, and you will be in burning pain. Not much for talking/

 

[Libre]

Have you ever considered the possibility that only those that have the intellectual integrity to withhold judgement, to wonder at all the possibilities, and who can't be frightened into blind obedience are the ones that "shall be saved"?
No, I suppose you haven't.
But maybe you should.
Pascal's wager works both ways.
Unless you know the mind of God - if he does exist.
But thinking you understand God and have figured out his game could be a bigger sin than admitting you don't have a clue.

 

[Brianwarnock]

Troube with that scenario you will be tumbling and falling, and it will be pitch black, and you will be in burning pain. Not much for talking/

Let us assume that we have a soul, what form does it take. Artists always depict human figures burning in hell or sitting in paradise, are they correct? Will we be recognisable , what will we actually do in paradise?

Brian

 

[Rabbie]

How are either of those even ok? Why would you sign a contract with a company that isn't offering work?

Simply because you don't get any benefit if you don't

 

[Brianwarnock]

You right, no proof that you would call proof but if you are right I will never know, but if I am right you will know, boy you will know!!!!!!!

You might be there with me because you chose the wrong path, heck I bet He will be more mad at those that chose the wrong god than those that chose none.

A real postcode lottery this religion lark.

Brian

 

[Dick7Access]

Let us assume that we have a soul, what form does it take. Artists always depict human figures burning in hell or sitting in paradise, are they correct? Will we be recognisable , what will we actually do in paradise?

Brian

We are not talking about what an artist depicts. We are talking about if atheists are right, I will turn to dust and its all over, and I will never know that they were Right. Now I acknowledge not all atheist believe alike, as all religions definitely don't all believe alike. As to what I believe is too leniently for this thread, but if I am right, atheist will definitely know. Something that I do not take pleasure in.

 

[Rabbie]

It seems to me that if god exists he should provide a little more evidence of his existence. It does seem a little perverse to expect people to believe in you without providing any evidence and then punishing them for eternity if they don't believe in him. Doesn't seem a very nice sort of person to me.

 

[Dick7Access]

It seems to me that if god exists he should provide a little more evidence of his existence. It does seem a little perverse to expect people to believe in you without providing any evidence and then punishing them for eternity if they don't believe in him. Doesn't seem a very nice sort of person to me.

I have learned a long time ago not to try and tell God how to do things.

 

[electricjelly]

Atheists, by their nature, want proof before they subscribe to a position or a theory. That's why they're (we're) atheists in the first place. But the same sort of critical thinker that would normally be an atheist, is the same sort that is willing to modify their beliefs in the light of strong evidence that they hadn't heretofore considered. So the statement:
"If God appeared in front of me, I Might change my mind"
is perfectly consistent with the position that "I don't accept your fantastic theory without proof, but if you do come up with the proof, then show it to me and we'll talk."
To me it's the only tenable position of the lot.
It's not like your car example.
It's more like:
I don't believe your theory that there are flocks of purple sheep on the far side of the moon. I can't disprove it but it's not up to me to do so. I'm perfectly entitled to say there there ARE no such flocks of sheep. At the same time, since such a thing is unknowable to me, I can't say without any doubt that it is absolutely impossible. Show me evidence of the sheep, and I'll reconsider.

If I don't believe that there really is a seed inside a Apple, and then someone slices the apple in half and shows me the seed, if I still then do not believe it then what else proof could exist to convince me?

I disagree with your sheep example, here is why:

God appearing in front of me is like me flying to the moon and seeing purple sheep on it, for me to deny it after that point, in my opinion, is stubbornness. Now, how can I prove that this supernatural being in front of me is God? is a valid question, but my point is this, given that there is no trickery or deceit or some other extraneous factor, God has just appeared in front of me, to then question whether he exist is not critical thinking, just denial.