Atheism

My Emily Bronte quote was specifically chosen to allow atheists to be atheists and they didn't want to know. That might be a way of defining soft atheists.

Herald can do what ever he damn likes. To have geniuses, a world needs idiots.

Mr Genius, you cannot self-assess as genius - the assessment should come from outside.

In the capacity of being Atheist No.1 perhaps you should deal with the problem (cum problematis) instead of contributing to the theory of the logical fallacies by dealing with the person (ad hominem).
Actually your logical fallacy is even more distorted by making it ad double hominem by oversimplifying the problem to personal relations - which becomes in the end red herring.
The red herring fallacy on its side raises the suspicion that you may be fake even as atheist (you see how good as a teacher you may be ... when I start using ad hominem better than you).

You are right, of course, Edgar. If this thread attracts believers, it would probably be best if they were to concentrate on the dichotomy between belief/disbelief and avoid sectarian side trips.

But flabnabbitall, I just love to goad that Romeo feller. I'm trying to engage him elsewhere, though.

Never said I was one, but okay.

Don't tell me that little Emily's poem has got the nipsies all a twitching!!!

Speaking of women poets, I like Christina Rossetti's stuff like this one in which she likens life to a weary uphill trudge to seek lodging at the end of the day-

UPHILL
by: Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

Does the road wind up-hill all the way?
Yes, to the very end.

Will the day's journey take the whole long day?
From morn to night, my friend.

But is there for the night a resting-place?
A roof for when the slow dark hours begin.

May not the darkness hide it from my face?
You cannot miss that inn.

Shall I meet other wayfarers at night?
Those who have gone before.

Then must I knock, or call when just in sight?
They will not keep you standing at that door.

Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak?
Of labour you shall find the sum.

Will there be beds for me and all who seek?
Yea, beds for all who come.

If you can afford to assess who is genius and who is idiot this implicitly assumes that you are at a level 'Genius' ... to do so.

My dad must have been a genius because he was always telling me throughout my childhood that i was "rotten to the core","a disappointment", "A bad 'un", "useless", "idle and workshy" etc!
He kicked me like a dog once for throwing orange peel down the toilet and it wouldn't flush, wow i was a real badass..
As a kid I overheard him saying to my mam about me - "He's nutty! No don't laugh, I really do mean it, he wastes all his pocket money on silly plastic model aeroplanes then hangs 'em on string from his bedroom ceiling in full view of the street, I dread to think what the neighbours are saying about him. He's up there now building a bleddy great Superfortress, God only knows how much that cost him, when's he going to start saving his money instead?"
I got my own back though, I filled his radio with sand from a builders yard down the road and enjoyed his bewildered expression when he tried to tune in the Clay-Liston fight but all he got were electrical crackles and splutters. He he he
Then the sand began pouring out in torrents like an Indiana Jones temple and he freaked, "I don't believe it!" he yelled, "its full of bleddy sand, how the hell did that get in there?" Needless to say, I innocently denied all knowledge of it..
He's been dead now 30 years but I wonder what he'd say if he knew I still buy models and have currently got my eye on a cool Messershmitt 262 down the model shop...

PS- if anybody's interested in planes check out my photo galleries here-
WW2- http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=ForumsPro&file=viewforum&f=92

Vintage 1920's/30's- http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=ForumsPro&file=viewtopic&t=16352

WW1- http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=ForumsPro&file=viewtopic&t=16323

Dear hamsters, can we change this Topic's title to 'Needy Englishman's scrapbook of irrelevant memoirs' - in the interests of truth in labelling?

Ahhh, Romeo...the Lancasters brought back memories. There was a fleet flying out of RAF Sturgate when I was stationed there in the 1950's. Lots of noise...and lots of plodding. But they were more fun to watch then the B47's we were flying.

Are you envious hinge because you can't write one interesting ******* word for all your trying to impress us?

Yes we do --- in large part because you keep enabling and encouraging them. If it's any consolation, you are by no means the only enabler.

That would be:

• Needy Englishman's scrapbook of irrelevant memoirs, AND
  
• needy troll feeders feeding trolls because of whatever needs this satisfies for them, AND
  
• Needy German scolder scolding the troll feeders to secure his feeling of superiority.

But I'm afraid even the hamsters can't put bullet points into headlines.

Recursive hell!

What is that supposed to mean 'encouraging them' ... and who are those 'them'? Maybe the people that do not share the pathological cross-scientific misunderstanding of Atheism ... or maybe the people who are aware that atheism by definition has class of impossibility 3 - impossible to exist as a logical construct in any interpretation of the world.
... and what does 'encouraging' mean?
This is a forum and the definition of 'forum' is: A public meeting place for open discussion; a medium for open discussion or voicing of ideas, such as a newspaper, a radio or television program, or a website or a blog on internet, etc.
Everything in a forum is designed ... and organized ... and supposed to encourage people speaking (or writing) and expressing freely their ideas and their understanding of the things ... yes, on the topic.

Go baby, go go go!

Hummm...JATO for a jet. Don't see that much any more. Beautiful bird...first one I ever saw break the sound barrier. Saw it do so at just a couple thousand feet over Lake Geneva in up-state New York back in 1954.

Atheist Volunteers Snubbed By Soup Kitchen
Huffington Post article

A director of a South Carolina soup kitchen told a group of atheists that she would rather “resign” than have them volunteer at her organization.

Upstate Atheists, a Spartanburg, S.C., group that focuses on helping people in need, recently offered to help out at the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen, but their gesture was rebuffed by the Christian nonprofit, even though they had agreed to not wear their T-shirts or advertise where they were from, the Spartanburg Herald-Journal reported.

"This is a ministry to serve God,” Lou Landrum, executive director of the soup kitchen, told the nonprofit. "We stand on the principles of God. Do they (atheists) think that our guests are so ignorant that they don't know what an atheist is? Why are they targeting us? They don't give any money. I wouldn't want their money."

While the group was upset about not being able to contribute to the organization, they weren’t deterred.

The volunteers decided to, instead, dole out 300 care packages on Saturday to the homeless –- right across the street from the nonprofit that rejected them. Through an online fundraiser, Upstate Atheists was able to collect $2,000 to buy socks, gloves, deodorant, toothpaste and antiseptic wipes and other items, according to the Christian Post.



This was just one of a number of community service projects the group has spearheaded on its own.

Upstate Atheists has sponsored holiday gifts for foster children, adopted a highway and assisted with park clean ups, among other initiatives, according to the group.

The group is currently working on collecting money to obtain its 501c3 status to help with its fundraising efforts.

As the group’s story has spread, so has the overwhelming amount of support its getting from both religious and non-religious people.

“It’s so sad when a "Christian" group turns you away for your beliefs. We are all in this humanity thing together, whether you believe in God or not,” one supporter wrote on the organization’s Facebook page. “I wouldn’t want to be associated with a group like that anyway, so Kudos to your group for helping the less fortunate.”

While the group welcomes the encouragement, it’s also asking supporters to remain focused on the central mission.

"I was upset with the hateful remarks. It certainly wasn't necessary," Eve Brannon, president of Upstate Atheists, told the Christian Post. "However, it turned out well. Because we were turned away, we ended up being able to give the homeless care packages that they needed. The people in need are the ones who truly matter."