Is there a god?

[Thizzelle]

religious people say "if there is no god then why aren't you raping everyone you see". reply with "I rape as many people as I want, zero" Penn Teller

also what comes to mind with this question are questions like these

[Cliche Guevara]

Expound on this

The situation I'm in gives me the emotional and intellectual capacity to acknowledge that the concept of a god is irrational. If I had an extremely limited education and poor understanding of how the world works I would likely attribute numerous natural, easily explainable phenomena to god, as was previously commonplace. If my life were complete shit, I was addicted to drugs, had no friends, been disowned by my family, whatever, I think the only thing that could give me solace would be the idea that some deity has a plan for me.

Without those factors impacting you it's much easier to take a step back and analyze the evidence rationally.

edit: I should note that I don't believe these to be the only reasons people believe in god.

[Fusion]

I'm on the atheist side, though I have to warn you atheism isn't a belief. I don't like the atheist label tbh.
Just because you've decided to stay outside the pool doesn't mean you can't swim. You're probably just lucky enough to have noticed the shit in the water.

[Cliche Guevara]

I am inclined to criticize vocal nonbelievers as well, but another side of me thinks that we need them to counter the wacko Christians.

I prefer Neil DeGrasse Tyson to Hitchens and Dawkins (in part) because he is a much better ambassador to believers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_2xGIwQfik

The way I post in this thread is much different to how I post in threads somewhat related to this topic and vastly different to how I discuss the topic passively with people.

[z31maniac]

Atheism is definitely a belief of fortune.

Expound on this

[Cliche Guevara]

You are a fucking tool. Well giant pot stirring troll is more like it. You dont believe in a deity of your choosing thats fine, neither do I.

You know you are being no different than the really annoying fundamentalist bible thumpers on their self appointed high horse looking down and telling those that believe differently than them are stupid and wrong. Your being childish and immature as well as intolerant of other peoples rights to freedom of worship as they see fit. You need to grow the fuck up and worry about your own shit before you start telling others what they should believe in. You disgust me, yet again.

Dude, there's a reason I made this thread, I enjoy discussing this topic but I don't like picking fights with people over their beliefs. I would feel like a bit of a douche if I just went into every thread remotely related to this topic and screamed at them about how there isn't a god. That's the point of this thread, it's a place for people to engage in this sort of discourse. Most of my friends are very devoted Christians and I never give them shit for it. This is a thread for people that want to debate the existence of god, if you don't expect contentious statements to arise then you're quite naive.

Did you take issue with any of the content in my post or are you just going to attack me for coming off as a dick on the Internet? I'd love to see you try to rationalize your assertion that I'm intolerant of the freedom to worship. That's like saying I'm against freedom of speech because I strongly disagree with someone on whether pot should be legal.

There are no atheists in foxholes..... ;);)

Atheism is definitely a belief of fortune.

[frankenbeemer]

Great thread until post #5!

[StealthiE30]

[Farbin Kaiber]

There are no atheists in foxholes..... ;);)

Lulz.

[LBJefferies]

You are a fucking tool. Well giant pot stirring troll is more like it. You dont believe in a deity of your choosing thats fine, neither do I.

You know you are being no different than the really annoying fundamentalist bible thumpers on their self appointed high horse looking down and telling those that believe differently than them are stupid and wrong. Your being childish and immature as well as intolerant of other peoples rights to freedom of worship as they see fit. You need to grow the fuck up and worry about your own shit before you start telling others what they should believe in. You disgust me, yet again.

Meh, hes right Sleeve. We have a huge population of fundamentalist Christians in this country. Their beliefs have no evidence or proof yet they use them to vote and thus influence the lives of others. I am inclined to criticize vocal nonbelievers as well, but another side of me thinks that we need them to counter the wacko Christians.

[slammin.e28]

Also, during a hot steamy sex session, do you scream out "Oh Nothing, this feels soooooo gooood!!!!!!" ?

There are no atheists in foxholes..... ;);)

[mrsleeve]

Believing in something with absolutely zero empirical evidence simply because it makes you feel good is not a rational approach to life. It's no different from believing in big foot or the Loch Ness Monster, it is an irrational, unfounded opinion that deserves zero respect. The difference with a belief in god is that this particular irrationality typically has a huge impact on an individual's worldview.

You are a fucking tool. Well giant pot stirring troll is more like it. You dont believe in a deity of your choosing thats fine, neither do I.

You know you are being no different than the really annoying fundamentalist bible thumpers on their self appointed high horse looking down and telling those that believe differently than them are stupid and wrong. Your being childish and immature as well as intolerant of other peoples rights to freedom of worship as they see fit. You need to grow the fuck up and worry about your own shit before you start telling others what they should believe in. You disgust me, yet again.

it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.

[Farbin Kaiber]

Oh, I pinned you as more of the Búri type.

[Cliche Guevara]

I don't do it for your, or the respect of anyone else. I do it for myself. It doesn't affect my "worldview" in the slightest.

There's a reason I neither quoted you nor said that it always has an effect.

Can you prove Bigfoot does NOT exist?

You are familiar with the fallacy appeal to ignorance, yes? Surely I don't have to make the classic Flying Spaghetti Monster reference...

Also, during a hot steamy sex session, do you scream out "Oh Nothing, this feels soooooo gooood!!!!!!" ?

Nope, I yell "Oh Zues, YES!!!!"

[evandael]

"Oh Nothing, this feels soooooo gooood!!!!!!" ?

it's more or less 'oh scientifically unconfirmed yet faith-based omnipotent life-force, this feels soooooo goooood!!!!!!'



i am, of course, speaking to my left hand. i sitteth to the right hand of god.