Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire National Holiday for Atheists

You are correct there ..... The Bible is clear with many warnings to beware of false prophets in the end times.

Just cause at some point someone was able to write down their crazy ideas, doesn't mean it's true. Hell, L. Ron Hubbard and the Mormons wrote books too.

Take the conception (pun intended) of the idea of a virgin birth. That concept is part of the following religions:

- Egyptian Religions (Pharaoh Amenkept III & Ra),

- Assyrian & Babylonian Religions (Tammuz, Zoroaster, Tukulti-Ninurta II, Ashurbanipal),

- Hinduism (Krishna, Karna),

- Greco Roman Religions/Myths (Alexander the Great, Antiope, Attis: Attis, Auge, Dionysus, Melanippe, Romulus).

- Buddhism (Gautama Buddha)

- Christianity

It's an idea that been copied and written about for a long time. What a concept? If you want someone to be seen as "special" make up a story of them being created in a special way.

Same goes for resurrection. That's been a part of many ancient religions. Again, not an original idea.

All religions, with few exceptions (Unitarian/Universalism come to mind), claim that only they are the true religion and all others are nonsense or blasphemy. When dealing in absolute truths(?) er, myths, ya can't be wishy/washy about it.

How do you know that? Is God an extortionist? Is it a good, moral act to threaten someone with "believe this or I'll kill you?"

they say the dude that recently ran the cop down in dc was a real religious dude. so he won't be participating in atheist holiday for a couple of reasons..

Heaven/Hell, another amazing and useful tool in the quest to control people's lives. As anyone who has tried to modify the behavior of any creature, the use of reward and punishment is very useful.

Redemption/Absolution/repentance/born again etc. all cool ways for those who "screw up" to get a mulligan, just so long as they now tow the line, show up at church, pay your bail money to the organization or tel-evangalist etc., you too can get a reward or avoid punishment. All one has to do is believe again and all one's indiscretions are forgiven. That's a way of gaining/regaining control over someone who was out of control. Very useful.

Because I believe.

the desperate insecurity expressed by some of you non-believers is sad. why the drive to tear down? oh, wait: i know why. yet, yet, He will continue to gently knock at your door ...

OK

Belief has it's usefulness. If your belief is what keeps you from killing me, stealing my stuff, screwing my wife, lying to me etc then I am grateful you believe. I'm also grateful for anyone who can refrain from doing all that bad stuff to me without needing belief in god or an afterlife of reward or punishment. Does belief automatically become reality?

The Catholic concept of purgatory. A kind of "we're not sure about you yet, so we're gonna keep you in limbo." It's a way, I guess, for your descendants to be extra-good, go to church, pay for and light candles, pray for you and you can get purified and be redeemed. But what if there's no one left to pray for you? I guess then you're SOL. A reason to have lots of children maybe.

But what if you don't believe in purgatory?? Most protestants don't. In that case, would you go straight to your hell? Maybe you skip the waiting room and go straight to the big guy himself. Belief in all these unknown/unknowable concepts; it's a strange thing. Since protestants don't believe in purgatory, do they just get to skip it? If I don't believe in heaven or hell does that mean I avoid both and just fade to black? You know the state of not being that we all were before we were born; that's my belief. So, therefore, that'll most likely end up being my reality. I can deal with that.

Either you believe or you don't. There's no price to pay for your rebellion as long as you are alive. There in lies the rub. How much do you like to gamble?

Christianity relies on love and if those Ten Commandments were honored by all it would truly be a wonderful world. Islam relies on hate and fear. If you choose not to go along with the program you'll be murdered and their God commands it. Islam was founded in the seventh Century AD by a dope addicted pedophile and it has split along political lines, sort of. The two differing political factions kill each other and both combine to kill everyone else.

All religions revolve around some Supreme Being. We are all human and have free will to follow whatever path we wish. Being human we are free to corrupt every religion in existence. The Roman Catholic Church was founded first and split along political, sort of, lines. It has endured centuries of abuse by corrupt Papal reign but the concept has remained. History has proven there truly was a Jesus and many of the Bible's teachings are corroborated by historical artifacts.

It's your choice. Democrats mostly defy religion with their actions while revering it with their words just as they do with the Constitution. Mmmm, you decide.

Ah, so religion, for some, is not really a true belief but a way to hedge one's bets, I guess?? "There may or may not be a god or heaven or hell but if I say "I believe" and profess that loudly enough if there is a god he just might believe me and let me into heaven". So you think your god is easily scammed. Not sure how that works with an all-knowing god or one that's able to see what's really on your mind. The impure thought being the same as actually doing something concept. That's religion not being content just to control your behavior but they must control your mind/thoughts too.

Oh, for sure I like some religions better than others. It's not an either/or situation though. I don't have to believe in any of them. They all have their preferred methods to control people. Some with the concept of love and reward and others thru punishment or a combination of both.

Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe.
Sin has left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

I am not talking about religion. I'm talking about the Lord God. BIG difference.

Well you are talking about religion. What you believe is dogma of the christian religions. All the other non-christian religions don't believe in Jesus as the son of god. Most religions that have existed believe in many gods. Mankind has created many, many gods throughout history. The only difference between me and you, I believe in one less god than you do.

And why should we believe such a claim?

Great post

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

A lack of conviction where there is insufficient evidence is not "rebellion."

Your proposition is " believe anyway or you die" "believe despite insufficient evidence or be damned for eternity."

That is not morality.