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Post by mystery on Mar 26, 2022 14:35:23 GMT
I consider myself an atheist (agnostic - not possible to know) and I have had premonitions that I cannot explain. But I still think it is some sort of natural thing that not everyone has. And, just FYI, I am not a materialist. I am Secular Humanist, and much of my time is spent volunteering for a non-profit group. I am able to lessen the suffering of some sentient beings, and I consider doing that as a kind of 'mission', and I use that word very loosely. It gives me a reason to keep on living. That's interesting that you've had premonitions, too. As I've said before, that was one of the main factors that ended my atheistic phase. I tend to think that most atheists in Western countries are primarily rejecting the Christian concept of God, while my view of Divinity is definitely more paganish. I was raised Evangelical, but it's pretty debatable as to whether or not I ever actually believed in it. I certainly tried to, but I don't think my faith ever went any deeper than my belief in Santa Claus. I live out in the country, and I always felt like my real religion was the Land--- the connection with Nature, the animals, the trees and wildflowers, the clouds and sunshine, the moon and the stars. My idea of going to Church is going for long walks in the wilderness, and being at one with Nature. That was sacred to me. So, for me, it's very easy to conceptualize Divinity as The All, rather than some invisible sky genie counting our sins. With paganism, I also developed a deeper connection with the feminine Divine, the Goddess archetype, which is something I find woefully lacking in Christianity. I think it's good for women to have a clearer conceptualization of what it means to be strong and wise and empowered, and to know that exists within us, too. I really do think that the West is experiencing an identity crisis right now, as Christianity fades, and people lack a framework to help them cope with life. My spiritual path works for me, but I'm not sure I'd want something like it to replace Christianity, either. People can so easily become fanatical. What for me is a gentle and joyful faith focused on simplicity and humility, could easily be distorted and turn people into rabid eco-warriors and feminazis that would make a mess of everything. It's kind of a bummer, really. |
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Post by Sarge on Mar 26, 2022 20:05:46 GMT
I consider myself an atheist (agnostic - not possible to know) and I have had premonitions that I cannot explain. But I still think it is some sort of natural thing that not everyone has. Sometimes it's your subconscious linking clues in the background, that animal portion of our brain that has evolved over billions of years to detect danger. Your conscious mind is preoccupied with work, relatives, bills, whatever, but your lizard brain is still alert. So we get that sense of danger right before something happens and it seems like precognition but it's our brains working the way they should.
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Post by mystery on Mar 26, 2022 21:26:58 GMT
I consider myself an atheist (agnostic - not possible to know) and I have had premonitions that I cannot explain. But I still think it is some sort of natural thing that not everyone has. Sometimes it's your subconscious linking clues in the background, that animal portion of our brain that has evolved over billions of years to detect danger. Your conscious mind is preoccupied with work, relatives, bills, whatever, but your lizard brain is still alert. So we get that sense of danger right before something happens and it seems like precognition but it's our brains working the way they should. Just curious, of the stories I've posted in this thread and elsewhere, which of them do you think could be due to the lizard brain? Please feel free to answer honestly, because I actually enjoy having my views challenged, so don't worry about hurting my feelings or anything. I really do appreciate your input. |
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Post by rizdek on Mar 26, 2022 21:55:59 GMT
I suppose a lot of atheists are materialists, but it doesn't seem they need to be.
I feel I am a pretty firm atheist, but waver about on the issue of nature including things far above/beyond what we know or can even know/understand. But then my idea of what a god is is kind of narrow. Your experiences would be completely within my world view....well except for your 'challenging' divinity experience and even there...it would depend on what happened. I don't know. But I'm pretty open to a whole lot of things that could happen within my worldview...and would adjust it according to what I experienced. Would you mind if I ask you some questions about your views? Do you believe in some form of afterlife? Do you think things happen for a reason, or is everything meaningless? By what mechanism do you think things like premonitions can happen? Just curious. You don't have to answer if you don't want to, of course, but you are rather unusual for an atheist, I think. I find it interesting that you're a firm atheist and I'm a firm theist, and yet our views are still surprisingly similar. The distinction is not quite as stark as we tend to assume. Do you believe in some form of afterlife? In general no...at least in the sense that I would somehow go on living for years, decades or eternally as a conscious entity that identifies as 'me' after my brain dies and deteriorates. IOW I don't think the individual's mind continues on for a long time after the brain dies. Consciousness may be emergent from some field or group of fields and if so, those field continue on, but they wouldn't be 'me' living in an afterlife any more than the molecules that once made up my body remain 'me' after they are recycled as something else...like another animal.
Do you think things happen for a reason, or is everything meaningless? I think things that people do happen for a reason or reasons. I can't picture how just natural things are happening 'for a reason.' But that doesn't make the world around me meaningless. I think all things that happen are caused and are part of a normal/natural progression of events and therefore we can derive something like meaning from thinking of this sequence of events. I think the world around us can represent meaning to us if we let it. IOW I can find great meaning in a walk on the beach or through the woods or while looking out over a marsh or at a mountain or at a waterfall even though I don't think the ocean or mountains etc. are there or happen for some external 'outside of human' reason. We can find purpose in the world around us even if it doesn't seem to have purpose in and of itself.
By what mechanism do you think things like premonitions can happen? I would have to know more about the details. But a) I'm not asking for details and b) even if someone tried to lay it all out with as much detail as they could, it still wouldn't become part of my thinking/psyche. I think we may have intuitions that arise from our subconscious that is continually monitoring the world around us. I think perhaps brain waves or whatever may emanate outside of the human skull such that it is remotely possible that another person or animal can pick up on someones 'brain waves.' I don't really know and I don't run my life as if that happens.
I could entertain the idea that humans or minds in general can affect and pick up 'signals' from, and make things happen in, the world around us in ways we don't understand. I think of an analogy.
As humans, we have a pretty good idea what makes our limbs and body parts move. We think in terms of the central nervous system, with the brain and nerves, and we picture nerve impulses going from our brains to our muscles and making them contract and our bones moves accordingly. We 'do' things, our arms move our mouth moves, etc. But let's think of say a dog. The dog runs fast, barks and perhaps homes in on a prey animal or a toy it's chasing. The dog very ably makes its muscles move, thinks ahead and modifies its movement to accomplish something...like catch something or get up on the couch or whatever. But I don't think the dog understands how it all works even to the extent humans do. But they do it quite efficiently even while not understanding how. Same with a bird. Humans have gone to great lengths figuring out how to fly...we study aerodynamics and nature of various materials to determine HOW to make something that flies. We have at least a rudimentary understanding of what's going on. But a bird....with (I imagine) no thought whatsoever of HOW they can do it seems to effortlessly fly about with great precision. These animals minds either instinctively know or somehow unconsciously 'learn' how to make things happen whether they understand the mechanism or not.
The same thing COULD apply to humans and some aspects of the world around us. Certainly we can see how we 'move' our muscles and therefore modify the matter/energy of the world, but maybe our minds can also affect the world around us in ways we don't understand and more than the dog or bird understand what its doing. Therefore these unexplained events happens sometimes apparently by accident or as if some OTHER mind was causing them. And viola...a premonition, a miracle, an unexplained event. But if it happens, I don't think of it as supernatural, just not understood. That could explain why premonitions, while often useful are not as reliable as, say, our ability to make our muscles move and thereby allow us to get a drink or eat something or build something.
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Post by Sarge on Mar 26, 2022 23:14:44 GMT
Sometimes it's your subconscious linking clues in the background, that animal portion of our brain that has evolved over billions of years to detect danger. Your conscious mind is preoccupied with work, relatives, bills, whatever, but your lizard brain is still alert. So we get that sense of danger right before something happens and it seems like precognition but it's our brains working the way they should. Just curious, of the stories I've posted in this thread and elsewhere, which of them do you think could be due to the lizard brain? Please feel free to answer honestly, because I actually enjoy having my views challenged, so don't worry about hurting my feelings or anything. I really do appreciate your input. I haven't read all the posts. I saw one about a flight premonition, but if you surveyed everyone on the plane and half had a premonition and half didn't, what have you proven? If something happens, half predicted it. If nothing happens then half predicted it. It's a coin toss. And if you ask the question at boarding, you are planting the idea. If you ask after the flight, you are playing with memory which is unreliable. Some will remember having a bad feeling they didn't have because we easily trick ourselves. My lizard brain comment is when your mind is connecting data and drawing conclusions at the subconscious level and communicating with you through emotion. When you've subconsciously read someone's body language and get a bad vibe, or you 'know' the car at an intersection is going to pull out in front of you, the car ahead is going to abruptly change lanes, that someone you invited over isn't going to show. Despite what I said earlier, it doesn't have to be bad.
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Mar 27, 2022 1:31:06 GMT
I consider myself an atheist (agnostic - not possible to know) and I have had premonitions that I cannot explain. But I still think it is some sort of natural thing that not everyone has. Sometimes it's your subconscious linking clues in the background, that animal portion of our brain that has evolved over billions of years to detect danger. Your conscious mind is preoccupied with work, relatives, bills, whatever, but your lizard brain is still alert. So we get that sense of danger right before something happens and it seems like precognition but it's our brains working the way they should. I do admit to one very memorable lizard brain moment; that I understand. But there are other things that don't fit that criteria, and I have no idea how they happened. Projected brain waves sounds like a possible explanation, but any of them could have just been coincidence. My experiences are anecdotal. I don't think of them as supernatural, but perhaps a special area of the brain is responsible, and not everyone has that special area or sensitivity. Anyway, it is all speculative and I have learned to live with uncertainty, and take the world as it appears. I can relax when out in nature, and let all the daily noise go away. I am happiest when surrounded by trees, wildlife, and/or gardens. I like to photograph things that will remind me of that feeling.
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Mar 27, 2022 1:44:48 GMT
I consider myself an atheist (agnostic - not possible to know) and I have had premonitions that I cannot explain. But I still think it is some sort of natural thing that not everyone has. And, just FYI, I am not a materialist. I am Secular Humanist, and much of my time is spent volunteering for a non-profit group. I am able to lessen the suffering of some sentient beings, and I consider doing that as a kind of 'mission', and I use that word very loosely. It gives me a reason to keep on living. That's interesting that you've had premonitions, too. As I've said before, that was one of the main factors that ended my atheistic phase. I tend to think that most atheists in Western countries are primarily rejecting the Christian concept of God, while my view of Divinity is definitely more paganish. I was raised Evangelical, but it's pretty debatable as to whether or not I ever actually believed in it. I certainly tried to, but I don't think my faith ever went any deeper than my belief in Santa Claus. I live out in the country, and I always felt like my real religion was the Land--- the connection with Nature, the animals, the trees and wildflowers, the clouds and sunshine, the moon and the stars. My idea of going to Church is going for long walks in the wilderness, and being at one with Nature. That was sacred to me. So, for me, it's very easy to conceptualize Divinity as The All, rather than some invisible sky genie counting our sins. With paganism, I also developed a deeper connection with the feminine Divine, the Goddess archetype, which is something I find woefully lacking in Christianity. I think it's good for women to have a clearer conceptualization of what it means to be strong and wise and empowered, and to know that exists within us, too. I really do think that the West is experiencing an identity crisis right now, as Christianity fades, and people lack a framework to help them cope with life. My spiritual path works for me, but I'm not sure I'd want something like it to replace Christianity, either. People can so easily become fanatical. What for me is a gentle and joyful faith focused on simplicity and humility, could easily be distorted and turn people into rabid eco-warriors and feminazis that would make a mess of everything. It's kind of a bummer, really. I live out in the country, too, and I need a daily 'fix' of nature. I don't view it as a religion but a connection to the natural world. I was raised as an evangelical also, and when that started conflicting with reality, my sense of 'faith' faded, eventually to nothing. Now, it is just the real world, and it can be so beautiful, yet so many humans and other animals are suffering. I understand the lure of a religious faith, where everything has a purpose, but I can't reach that anymore. And so many people contort their religious belief with something else - control of others, monetary gain and other less sterling qualities. So I just live my life, and try to lessen the suffering of others. It can be discouraging, there are so many bad things that go on in this world, and always have.
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Post by mystery on Mar 27, 2022 13:43:29 GMT
rizdek. Okay, so maybe our views are not so similar after all. Lol. Thanks for taking the time to explain your views. I really appreciate it. But just to clarify, you said that our minds might affect the world around us. So, are you saying that premonitions might actually cause things to happen, rather than merely sensing them? I have to say, I find that pretty unlikely. I picked up 9/11, but I'm pretty sure I didn't cause it!
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Post by mystery on Mar 27, 2022 13:48:16 GMT
Just curious, of the stories I've posted in this thread and elsewhere, which of them do you think could be due to the lizard brain? Please feel free to answer honestly, because I actually enjoy having my views challenged, so don't worry about hurting my feelings or anything. I really do appreciate your input. I haven't read all the posts. I saw one about a flight premonition, but if you surveyed everyone on the plane and half had a premonition and half didn't, what have you proven? If something happens, half predicted it. If nothing happens then half predicted it. It's a coin toss. And if you ask the question at boarding, you are planting the idea. If you ask after the flight, you are playing with memory which is unreliable. Some will remember having a bad feeling they didn't have because we easily trick ourselves. My lizard brain comment is when your mind is connecting data and drawing conclusions at the subconscious level and communicating with you through emotion. When you've subconsciously read someone's body language and get a bad vibe, or you 'know' the car at an intersection is going to pull out in front of you, the car ahead is going to abruptly change lanes, that someone you invited over isn't going to show. Despite what I said earlier, it doesn't have to be bad. Well, I highly doubt that many people had a premonition about the plane before the flight. I don't think premonitions are all that common, and I think more people would talk about them if they were. It was just notable for me because I've never had a premonition about a flight before, and then this happened. I guess my point is that anything that could be attributed to the lizard brain (subconscious cues, essentially), I personally wouldn't consider to be a genuine premonition. The real promotions are, as you say, completely irrational, and not based on any sort of evidence or logic or reason. |
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Post by mystery on Mar 27, 2022 13:54:17 GMT
That's interesting that you've had premonitions, too. As I've said before, that was one of the main factors that ended my atheistic phase. I tend to think that most atheists in Western countries are primarily rejecting the Christian concept of God, while my view of Divinity is definitely more paganish. I was raised Evangelical, but it's pretty debatable as to whether or not I ever actually believed in it. I certainly tried to, but I don't think my faith ever went any deeper than my belief in Santa Claus. I live out in the country, and I always felt like my real religion was the Land--- the connection with Nature, the animals, the trees and wildflowers, the clouds and sunshine, the moon and the stars. My idea of going to Church is going for long walks in the wilderness, and being at one with Nature. That was sacred to me. So, for me, it's very easy to conceptualize Divinity as The All, rather than some invisible sky genie counting our sins. With paganism, I also developed a deeper connection with the feminine Divine, the Goddess archetype, which is something I find woefully lacking in Christianity. I think it's good for women to have a clearer conceptualization of what it means to be strong and wise and empowered, and to know that exists within us, too. I really do think that the West is experiencing an identity crisis right now, as Christianity fades, and people lack a framework to help them cope with life. My spiritual path works for me, but I'm not sure I'd want something like it to replace Christianity, either. People can so easily become fanatical. What for me is a gentle and joyful faith focused on simplicity and humility, could easily be distorted and turn people into rabid eco-warriors and feminazis that would make a mess of everything. It's kind of a bummer, really. I live out in the country, too, and I need a daily 'fix' of nature. I don't view it as a religion but a connection to the natural world. I was raised as an evangelical also, and when that started conflicting with reality, my sense of 'faith' faded, eventually to nothing. Now, it is just the real world, and it can be so beautiful, yet so many humans and other animals are suffering. I understand the lure of a religious faith, where everything has a purpose, but I can't reach that anymore. And so many people contort their religious belief with something else - control of others, monetary gain and other less sterling qualities. So I just live my life, and try to lessen the suffering of others. It can be discouraging, there are so many bad things that go on in this world, and always have. I can understand your concerns with suffering. I used to pity people who lived in poverty in 3rd world countries, thinking they were miserable and suffering. And then I went there, and witnessed their endless joy. They have much stronger communities and social bonds than Americans do. They would sing and dance and laugh and joke around, and I had never seen such pure joy in my life. After my first trip to Africa, I came home pitying the miserable Americans, trying to fill the void in their lives with material things, and failing spectacularly. I suppose that's partly why I don't like traveling in Western countries. I have a lot more fun staying in a grass hut in Vietnam than I would in a luxury hotel in Paris. Despite what the "happiness index" claims, the most miserable people I've met are the ones who live in rich Western countries. The reality is that happiness tends to come from simple things, and when people think they're very sophisticated, they can easily lose sight of those simple joys. |
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Mar 27, 2022 17:01:23 GMT
I live out in the country, too, and I need a daily 'fix' of nature. I don't view it as a religion but a connection to the natural world. I was raised as an evangelical also, and when that started conflicting with reality, my sense of 'faith' faded, eventually to nothing. Now, it is just the real world, and it can be so beautiful, yet so many humans and other animals are suffering. I understand the lure of a religious faith, where everything has a purpose, but I can't reach that anymore. And so many people contort their religious belief with something else - control of others, monetary gain and other less sterling qualities. So I just live my life, and try to lessen the suffering of others. It can be discouraging, there are so many bad things that go on in this world, and always have. I can understand your concerns with suffering. I used to pity people who lived in poverty in 3rd world countries, thinking they were miserable and suffering. And then I went there, and witnessed their endless joy. They have much stronger communities and social bonds than Americans do. They would sing and dance and laugh and joke around, and I had never seen such pure joy in my life. After my first trip to Africa, I came home pitying the miserable Americans, trying to fill the void in their lives with material things, and failing spectacularly. I suppose that's partly why I don't like traveling in Western countries. I have a lot more fun staying in a grass hut in Vietnam than I would in a luxury hotel in Paris. Despite what the "happiness index" claims, the most miserable people I've met are the ones who live in rich Western countries. The reality is that happiness tends to come from simple things, and when people think they're very sophisticated, they can easily lose sight of those simple joys. You might want to read a rather lengthy novel, The Poisonwood Bible, written by Barbara Kingsolver, about a missionary family in the Congo starting in the 1960's. It covers times of peace and times of unrest, the continual protein shortage and a lot of other things. One of the missionary's daughter married an African man and had children, and much of their marriage, he was imprisoned for opposing the rule of Mobutu. It is a long-term view of African life, about a 30 year span that you may find interesting. I don't doubt that you've seen happiness in the simple joys among the indigenous tribes, but that is not the full story. Additionally, my first cousin spent 2 years in the Peace Corp in Tanzania, and she tells a very different story. Of course, that was fairly recently. To change direction just a bit, I think atheism has actually restricted my life, because there are so few atheists that I have only a small circle of friends. I live in the buckle of the bible belt, and 95% of my neighbors are Protestant Christians. I keep my mouth shut around believers, because if they know you are atheist, the proselytizing begins. And, when you say no, they 'shun' you. Your world view that recognizes a Divinity would probably be close enough to their understanding that they didn't see you as a devil worshipper, but believe me, if you say atheism or Secular Humanism, you are in league with the devil. It is part of why I post on this board; there are atheists here to interact with, honestly. I keep believers at arm's length, at most, associates that I have worked with, but no believer can resist the need to proselytize. When the subject comes up, I find some pressing task I need to take care of. Been there, done that, including proselytizing, and now I follow the science, because advances in medical science has given me 30 more years of life, when otherwise, I would have died of cancer, like many of my relatives, before the age of 40. But because of medical intervention, I am still in remission. Science works for me, as your worldview works for you.
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Post by Admin on Mar 27, 2022 19:58:58 GMT
no believer can resist the need to proselytize. This one can. In fact, I don't even feel a need to be resisted. Perhaps, like so many atheists, you're confusing an explanation for said belief with proselytizing. Is it time to wash your hair? lol
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Mar 27, 2022 20:08:59 GMT
no believer can resist the need to proselytize. This one can. In fact, I don't even feel a need to be resisted. Perhaps, like so many atheists, you're confusing an explanation for said belief with proselytizing. Is it time to wash your hair? lol Nope, I know proselytizing when I experience it. Used to feel compelled, as a teen, to do it myself. I am not confusing an explanation with proselytizing. No, it's not time to wash my hair, that's a bit snotty. Usually it meant going back to my desk to work, which is what I was being paid for, not to be a "God-botherer". Believe anything you want to believe. Just don't force the issue with others.
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Post by mystery on Mar 27, 2022 20:11:36 GMT
I can understand your concerns with suffering. I used to pity people who lived in poverty in 3rd world countries, thinking they were miserable and suffering. And then I went there, and witnessed their endless joy. They have much stronger communities and social bonds than Americans do. They would sing and dance and laugh and joke around, and I had never seen such pure joy in my life. After my first trip to Africa, I came home pitying the miserable Americans, trying to fill the void in their lives with material things, and failing spectacularly. I suppose that's partly why I don't like traveling in Western countries. I have a lot more fun staying in a grass hut in Vietnam than I would in a luxury hotel in Paris. Despite what the "happiness index" claims, the most miserable people I've met are the ones who live in rich Western countries. The reality is that happiness tends to come from simple things, and when people think they're very sophisticated, they can easily lose sight of those simple joys. You might want to read a rather lengthy novel, The Poisonwood Bible, written by Barbara Kingsolver, about a missionary family in the Congo starting in the 1960's. It covers times of peace and times of unrest, the continual protein shortage and a lot of other things. One of the missionary's daughter married an African man and had children, and much of their marriage, he was imprisoned for opposing the rule of Mobutu. It is a long-term view of African life, about a 30 year span that you may find interesting. I don't doubt that you've seen happiness in the simple joys among the indigenous tribes, but that is not the full story. Additionally, my first cousin spent 2 years in the Peace Corp in Tanzania, and she tells a very different story. Of course, that was fairly recently. To change direction just a bit, I think atheism has actually restricted my life, because there are so few atheists that I have only a small circle of friends. I live in the buckle of the bible belt, and 95% of my neighbors are Protestant Christians. I keep my mouth shut around believers, because if they know you are atheist, the proselytizing begins. And, when you say no, they 'shun' you. Your world view that recognizes a Divinity would probably be close enough to their understanding that they didn't see you as a devil worshipper, but believe me, if you say atheism or Secular Humanism, you are in league with the devil. It is part of why I post on this board; there are atheists here to interact with, honestly. I keep believers at arm's length, at most, associates that I have worked with, but no believer can resist the need to proselytize. When the subject comes up, I find some pressing task I need to take care of. Been there, done that, including proselytizing, and now I follow the science, because advances in medical science has given me 30 more years of life, when otherwise, I would have died of cancer, like many of my relatives, before the age of 40. But because of medical intervention, I am still in remission. Science works for me, as your worldview works for you. I was in Tanzania in 2018, so it wasn't very long ago, although I didn't spend much time there. There is poverty, for sure, but you have to look deeper than the superficial, because quality of life involves far more than just having a big house and a nice car. I think a lot of Americans can't even comprehend how people could possibly be happy without all the trappings of wealth. But they do have joy, something that most Americans seem to have forgotten how to do. I really do love Africa. I think it's a very special place, and it has taught me so much about life. I'm glad that modern medicine has given you all these bonus years. That's definitely something to cherish, and I understand how that can impact your worldview. Like I've said before, I have no problem with science. I studied it ad nauseam in college, but for me, it always seem a bit hollow. I guess there were other things in life I wanted to focus on, beyond deciphering a mass spectroscopy graph or sequencing DNA. I might have had more passion for it if I had experienced health problems, myself. But, I ultimately decided to take a different path in life, and I'm very thankful for that. To each their own.  |
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Post by Admin on Mar 27, 2022 20:12:38 GMT
This one can. In fact, I don't even feel a need to be resisted. Perhaps, like so many atheists, you're confusing an explanation for said belief with proselytizing. Is it time to wash your hair? lol Nope, I know proselytizing when I experience it. Used to feel compelled, as a teen, to do it myself. I am not confusing an explanation with proselytizing. No, it's not time to wash my hair, that's a bit snotty. Usually it meant going back to my desk to work, which is what I was being paid for, not to be a "God-botherer". Believe anything you want to believe. Just don't force the issue with others. Arguing isn't forcing, and it wasn't snotty at all... "Wanna meet for dinner tonight?" "Sorry, I have to wash my hair." It's a classic. Lighten up.
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Mar 27, 2022 20:16:56 GMT
Nope, I know proselytizing when I experience it. Used to feel compelled, as a teen, to do it myself. I am not confusing an explanation with proselytizing. No, it's not time to wash my hair, that's a bit snotty. Usually it meant going back to my desk to work, which is what I was being paid for, not to be a "God-botherer". Believe anything you want to believe. Just don't force the issue with others. and it wasn't snotty at all... "Wanna meet for dinner tonight?" "Sorry, I have to wash my hair." It's a classic. Lighten up. I disagree.
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Post by Admin on Mar 27, 2022 20:18:18 GMT
Arguing isn't forcing, and it wasn't snotty at all... "Wanna meet for dinner tonight?" "Sorry, I have to wash my hair." It's a classic. Lighten up. I disagree. If that's the case, then why do so many atheists try to make me stop believing?
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Mar 27, 2022 20:24:04 GMT
If that's the case, then why do so many atheists try to make me stop believing? Paybacks. A dose of your own medicine.
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Post by Admin on Mar 27, 2022 20:33:38 GMT
If that's the case, then why do so many atheists try to make me stop believing? Paybacks. A dose of your own medicine. I can't tell you how many conversations I've had that went like this: Atheist: Why do you believe? Me: Because [reasons]. Atheist: Stop proselytizing, you moron. Even Paul's Laugh, who I believe isn't even an atheist, accused me of trying to convert him "back into Christianity" simply because I refuted some things he said about it. support.proboards.com/post/7273380/threadI have yet to meet an atheist who can rationally argue his/her points without resorting to ad homs, straw men, and several other fallacies.
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Post by mystery on Mar 27, 2022 21:10:56 GMT
Paybacks. A dose of your own medicine. I can't tell you how many conversations I've had that went like this: Atheist: Why do you believe? Me: Because [reasons]. Atheist: Stop proselytizing, you moron. Even Paul's Laugh, who I believe isn't even an atheist, accused me of trying to convert him "back into Christianity" simply because I refuted some things he said about it. support.proboards.com/post/7273380/threadI have yet to meet an atheist who can rationally argue his/her points without resorting to ad homs, straw men, and several other fallacies. I don't have a problem with Christians, at least the good ones. The ones that I find truly grating are those who think they can act without conscience, because God will forgive them. They're completely amoral and their lives are just one trainwreck after another. I find them utterly bewildering. It's just really sad that their brand of Christianity has been dumbed down to a single verse, John 3:16. The rest of the Bible is ignored entirely. |
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