Atheists... Your life is pointless

Gee E ! What a horrible idea.It's nearly as bad as having to travel on public transport.

Intrepid

You use the emotive phrase "hold dear to their beliefs" presumably to evoke the pathos of a martyrdom scenario. However perhaps you should consider the fact that the word "dear" has the alternative connotation "expensive" .

It sure is expensive.I'll agree to that.In fact it is a downright bloody liberty.

.....and I'll drink to the "bloody"..... !

Sorry, but there was no assumption made and none intended that all haven't. This was specifically directed at some who have made specific posts. It would certainly be presumptuous to assume that agnostics or atheists are ignorant of belief. There are many who have made a choice based on their knowledge, research and particular beliefs. That was not the issue.

The issue was those who make a deliberate attempt to bring conflict into the discussion. I know many agnostics and atheists who are perfectly lovely people. The fact that they do not have a particular belief does not change that. The difference is they accept their beliefs and do not belittle mine and vice versa.

Presume you do. For I intended to invoke nothing with that phrase. Neither did I put it into the context of expensive, but I am sure that you knew that. The simple explanation would have been that they hold their belief close to their heart.

I think its absolutely hilarious that the Intrepid propeller beanie shows up, immediately sneers at other members, and then starts a rant about people who attack others for their beliefs. Once again, my advice is that he (she? it?) revisit the scriptural injunction which deals with motes, beams and eyes.

That seems to be your only purpose on this forum.

Your only purpose in this forum seems to be for the very purpose of the drivel written above. The hilarity is misguided and going in the wrong direction.

Everyone,

The first thing I want to do is clear something up. Mesquite did or said nothing to upset me. I did not run screaming from the room because of Mesquite and I am very sorry that I made it appear that way. Mesquite has always tried to carry on civil discussions with me and I can say that I haven't felt intentional attack from him. Unfortunately, Mesquite's innocent post was the straw that broke the camel's back for me yesterday.

I used to hurt a lot of people with words and deeds at one point in my life. I didn't care what I said or did to anyone. It took me a long time to realize why I did that. I did it because I was hurting and lashed out at everyone and everything that I could just to stop my pain.

Well, I grew from that. I learned that is not the right thing to do. I learned how words can cut like double-edged swords. I learned how words can take longer to heal than actual deeds. That is why I don't like to see anyone do it to anyone else.

I try to remember that people commonly (not saying it is true in every case) do that because they are hurting for some reason. And there is so much of that going on in these threads that it actually hurts my heart.

I have been called many names in here. I have been told I am stupid, etc. That's just the way people are is what I am told. I ask over and over if we can use common courtesy. I try to be the peacemaker when little tiffs break out. I have been involved in those tiffs sometimes myself. I don't think any of us should start pointing fingers. I see some on here that never do that. I see some here that start it. I see some here that provoke it. But, I can only be responsible for my behavior.

I won't apologize for what I believe. I won't apologize for caring about hurting other people's feelings. I will not apologize for thinking everyone can be civil to everyone else.

If you don't believe what I believe, then don't. That's between you and whomever you wish it to be between.

A couple situations happened here this past week that shook me to the core. It had nothing to do with God. It had everything to do with people. It had everything to do with people hurting someone else just because they were hurting themselves.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and again, Mesquite, I apologize for running like that making it seem as though you were responsible because you were not.

You're absolutely right, they are in the minority contrary to what some may have you believe.

I think people like Setenta and CI get off on ridiculing people that don't agree with them. It's a kind of sick satisfaction and boost to their ego they get from stepping on others. It's so easy to simply scoff at someone who dares to challenge you. I wouldn't say that this is unique to the US but it certainly is very common here.

Creasy here don't derive any satisfaction out of telling atheists their lives are pointless to kick off an argument. Not much he don't. Talk about ego boost from stepping on others.

Why can't we all just say we have all made mistakes and just move on?

Yes I started this thread with an offensive title. I did so partially to provoke a reaction and partially because I was angry at all the theist-bashing that goes on here. I've already apologized for this. On the contrary, someone like set or ci continuously scoff at and belittle their opponents with each post. At least I try to be civil and reach an understanding with those I disagree with. They just want to be rid of us worthless believers.

That's your take. The way I see it, they want intellectual honesty.

You make little to no effort to be civil. So now you retail lies in addition to the other offensive characteristics of your "contribution."

For the record, i do not go around looking for fights to pick with the theists. You have a few crackpots who show up with long screeds, the texts of which contain blatant condemnations of those who may dare to disagree. I take swipes at loonies like that. You have threads like this, which explicitly and/or implicitly insult and belittle those with whom the author disagrees. I enter threads which have been started about "spiritual issues" in inappropriate fora, or threads the topics of which (such as evolution) are inappropriate to the religion forum. Finally, i enter the threads in which the religionists are bashing other religions, or other sects within their own religions. In all of those cases, they've made themselves fair game--by baiting or bashing others, or dragging their superstitions in where they don't belong.

When the religionists have discussions of scripture or doctrine, and it's not a bash fest for the religions or sects they scorn, i may read, but i don't comment. I've started threads in which i solicited answers to questions of people's doctrinal positions, such as the "Render unto Caesar" thread which i started, and in which having solicited people's opinions on a religious issue, i did not criticize their responses.

I let religionists have it for their hypocricy, or their intolerance and hatefulness (the latter characteristic much in evidence in the posts of the author of this thread, all over these fora), or when they attempt to impose their superstition on others inappropriately. As far as i'm concerned, complaints about that constitute special pleading. No one at this site gets a free ride with their political opinions, and i see no reason that religious gobbledygook should enjoy a special exemption. The worst of the stench of hypocricy around here is the whining and complaining of the religionists in a thread the title of which is an explicit insult to those with whom they disagree.

Amen, Set. They just love to be the persecuted. They have the gall to "apologize" for starting a forum on "Athiests.... you life is pointless," then cry wolf when we respond and challenge their religion. It's just another one of their hypocricy that they can't see for all the wool in front of their eyes.

As edgar says, all we want is intellectual honesty. We ain't seen it yet.

Let's see, for this Thanksgiving (and everyday actually) I am thankful for forgiveness, whether it be me being forgiven or me needing to forgive others.

Ya think? That's encouraging - I was starting to worry mebbe it was just me









Note to self - PREVIEW, fella, PREVIEW!! And Spellcheck too.