for other Atheists out there

[kohala]

This has been fun reading!! My turn!

Look into your pet's eyes



Imagine



Love is a state of being, not an emotion

Walk in beauty

Focus on our commonalities, and our differences diminish

Do you feel good?

It's with you even when you aren't with it

Love

[Soledad]

Popcornbird -

I am not sure that any atheist on this thread said that they don't believe in God because they can't see him. If they did, it wasn't me.

I am not even technically an atheist. I lean towards agnosticism, but my concept of God, should it exist, is more of a force or an energy or simply something our tiny human minds can't possibly understand. My guess is that if there is a God, it is not out there writing down and keeping score of the insignificant details of our lives. And even should this God exist, I don't necessarily believe that means there is an afterlife. No one KNOWS about that one, but we'll all find out someday.

I don't go to psychics or anything else like that. However, I do believe in supernatural things, because I do not think science has advanced enough to explain these happenings. I know that my friend had brain surgery and afterwards she continues to have very strange flashes of an event that eventually happens to her. There is simply not enough knowledge about the brain for us to understand these things.

I am not immediately offended if some one wants to come up to me and discuss religion. What I get offended by are people pitying me because I don't believe what they believe, or people (who I thought were supposed to belong to a religion that says not to judge) telling me that I will burn in hell for my beliefs.

I don't need anyone's pity for what I believe. I think I'm a big enough person to have developed my own belief system without feeling the need to patronise others and click my tongue at them because they are childish in believing in such silly stuff as heaven, hell and some book a bunch of people wrote. I RESPECT religious people, I want to learn about other religions, but I also want to be treated with the same respect.

[NoahsMommy]

Originally posted by wolf_Q
Uhh...what is this supposed to mean? Mormons are Christians, and we definitely are "normal." I'm sorry, but I don't think a person of *any* religion enjoys being lumped into one type of person like you all are stating.

You are right....I completely worded that wrong. It should have been worded to say that "this is what I know from the religion I beleive in."

Sorry about that, now that I re-read it, it sounded horrible.

[COCatMama]

I wouldn't run around to people saying 'oh i love this XYZ vet, pet product' etc. I would give them my opinion when asked! the lady at work was looking for a steamer to give her daughter for Xmas and took me along with her for a lunch hour shopping expedition, I told her I have a steamer and pointed out the same brand at the store, I told her I've had it for years and I like it, so she bought one.
I expect people to treat me that way about religion, if I ASK for an opinion on someone's particular religion, then by all means, educate me, but if it is UNSOLICITED, well....I will take offense to that.
And as for this being a 'controversial' thread, there are other religious threads here right now, so why can us Atheists not have our own thread? my intention was NOT to start a war, but to have a discussion with like-minded individuals.

[babolaypo65]

Originally posted by Cookiebaker


Twisterdog, of all the replies on here, I agree with you the most. The number of times I have seen Christians that "talk the talk" but don't "walk the walk" is incredible. Even those who claim to have all the answers.That is one of my biggest pet peeves about Christians that go around and "preach". I believe that if I live the joy that is in my heart (that is there because I am a believer) that is going to speak more volumes than if I try to hash out technicalities with someone who doesn't want to know anyway. Just my .02.

[babolaypo65]

sorry. didnt mean to hit post quite so quickly.
i have an ignorant, innocent query...
i've never experienced LDS going door to door.
i know i've received materials (unsolicited) from JW but have never known LDS to just show up at a door unrequested. i lived across from a LDS "missionary residence" (for lack of proper term) for 6 years. was never approached (except the time i was hauling wood up stairs and they offered to help)
just curious about that.

Originally posted by Cookiebaker


Twisterdog, of all the replies on here, I agree with you the most. The number of times I have seen Christians that "talk the talk" but don't "walk the walk" is incredible. Even those who claim to have all the answers.That is one of my biggest pet peeves about Christians that go around and "preach". I believe that if I live the joy that is in my heart (that is there because I am a believer) that is going to speak more volumes than if I try to hash out technicalities with someone who doesn't want to know anyway. Just my .02.

[babolaypo65]

was actually trying to quote THIS one.... snipped the wrong one. sorry.
(regarding LDS going door to door)

"Originally posted by Twisterdog
My two cents worth on Christian "witnessing" ......

I believe that they way you live your life and the happiness, peacefulness and joy you have speak louder than any words. I am totally turned off by Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses, because they go door to door and try to convert people. If you live your life well, and hold yourself to your own moral and ethical code, others will notice, and if they are interested, they will ask. Then you can tell them about your religion.

Hmmmm......

[Twisterdog]

Maybe it depends on where you live. I live in Wyoming, and there are a lot of LDS people here, and they are forever going door to door, more so than the JW's do. Probably different churches have different philosophies, but the LDS people here are BIG on door to door "witnessing".

I HATE it when people ring my door bell and try to convert me. HATE it. But, in all fairness, I hate it when ANYone rings my door bell and tries to sell me something ... be it a vacuum cleaner, a magazine subscription, or their religion. I find it incredibly rude.

[COCatMama]

I hate that too....I just open the door and if it's obvious they are soliciting i say "I'M NOT INTERESTED" and shut the door in their face. I also despise phone spam! once some...some....phone spam loser called and I knew right away they were spamming because they asked for "Mr. or Mrs. Roberts" I asked 'who's calling?' and they said "blah blah from XYZ company we'd like to offer" I cut the twit off "Sorry, I'm not interested, take us off your phone list" He/she said "Are you Mrs. Roberts, you don't sound old enough" or something. I FREAKED RIGHT OUT!!! " I SAID we are NOT INTERESTED and take us OFF your phone list before I file a phone harassment complaint!" He had the audacity to ask me my age.....ohhhh boy I was sooooooooooo mad.

[COCatMama]

Sweet!!!!!! Juneau is not enough to deter the JWs unfortunately! but *I* am !!!

[Twisterdog]

Ah, yes, phone solicitors ... hate em!! Try owning a business - I get SO many obnoxious phone calls!

I am to the point that I just have fun toying with them now. I have a line for all of them ... if they are selling newpapers or magazines, I tell them I'd love to have a subscription, but could they please send me the braille edition, because I am blind. ;-)

Sometimes I pretend I don't speak English.

I have told them I am in the process of selling all my worldly possessions and joining a convent, and that I would be happy to have some of the "sisters" come speak to them about the eternal damnation of their souls, if they would be so kind as to give me their address.

I have told phone solicitors that I died before, too. Hee hee hee. When they ask for me, and mis-pronounce my name, I just say, "Oh, are you calling from the funeral home?" When they stammer I say, "Oh, no! You didn't hear about the accident?!" and I start to sob hysterically. Trust me, NOTHING makes them leave you alone but death!

Some days, if it weren't for cheap thrills .....

[COCatMama]

OMG that's HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by Twisterdog
Ah, yes, phone solicitors ... hate em!! Try owning a business - I get SO many obnoxious phone calls!

I am to the point that I just have fun toying with them now. I have a line for all of them ... if they are selling newpapers or magazines, I tell them I'd love to have a subscription, but could they please send me the braille edition, because I am blind. ;-)

Sometimes I pretend I don't speak English.

I have told them I am in the process of selling all my worldly possessions and joining a convent, and that I would be happy to have some of the "sisters" come speak to them about the eternal damnation of their souls, if they would be so kind as to give me their address.

I have told phone solicitors that I died before, too. Hee hee hee. When they ask for me, and mis-pronounce my name, I just say, "Oh, are you calling from the funeral home?" When they stammer I say, "Oh, no! You didn't hear about the accident?!" and I start to sob hysterically. Trust me, NOTHING makes them leave you alone but death!

Some days, if it weren't for cheap thrills .....

[kohala]

Originally posted by Twisterdog
Ah, yes, phone solicitors ... hate em!! Try owning a business - I get SO many obnoxious phone calls!

I am to the point that I just have fun toying with them now. I have a line for all of them ... if they are selling newpapers or magazines, I tell them I'd love to have a subscription, but could they please send me the braille edition, because I am blind. ;-)

Sometimes I pretend I don't speak English.

I have told them I am in the process of selling all my worldly possessions and joining a convent, and that I would be happy to have some of the "sisters" come speak to them about the eternal damnation of their souls, if they would be so kind as to give me their address.

I have told phone solicitors that I died before, too. Hee hee hee. When they ask for me, and mis-pronounce my name, I just say, "Oh, are you calling from the funeral home?" When they stammer I say, "Oh, no! You didn't hear about the accident?!" and I start to sob hysterically. Trust me, NOTHING makes them leave you alone but death!

Some days, if it weren't for cheap thrills .....

Great Suggestions!!!!! Gotta try 'em.

[popcornbird]

I actually love it when Christians/Mormons come knocking at our door trying to convert us. We invite them in for tea and a little talk in which WE tell them about our religion and they tell us about their's. In the end, they always end up getting so impressed with Islam and take our phone number before they leave so they can call and talk again sometime. We once had two Mormon girls in their early twenties come to talk to us about their religion. They wanted us to convert, but well, we talked to them about Islam and they were so impressed and took our phone number. We gave them both a Quran translation copy. A few months later one of the girls came back and asked us for our mosque's phone number because she read the Quran and did lots of research on Islam and decided it was the religion for her. She converted the next week. So it turned out that she came to convert us, but we converted her instead.

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

originally posted by Ann
You go to school to learn facts. Evolution is a fact and is proven. God is not. Religion is supposed to be a personal choice, education isn't. Do you see the difference?

Actually evolution has never been proven ... that is why it is called the evolution theory... and Education is a choice.. but like Christianity is a religion .... I believe evolutionist are in a religion too. They have a lot of faith to believe in evolution.. because no one has ever seen evolution. It was just a good guess. And if no one is making people take christianity courses in college we shouldn't make us learn about some theory. And too he said they didn't just teach it they were VERY rude to christians and would talk to him like he was an idiot for believing in God and that is uncalled for from a professor. There is a website www.creationevidence.org where there are scientist who have come out and finally convinced themselves that evolution just could not have existed. In the website it gives scientific proof that evolution could not have existed and there had to be a greater creator. It is very interesting if you want to take the time and read it.