Buffalo range NEW OWNER

[Dude]

I don't know why some of you guys still are on the fence. Dude proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt in post 400-something.

Yeah, it's so thirty pages ago. http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/sho...=1#post3934829

[feldspar]

The second is because most athiests are whiney little *****es and can't stand any reference to a higher power because they think they are their own Gods,

Did you take a poll? I'd say atheists don't want religious beliefs that they don't share shoved down their throats. I'm not talking about intolerant repression type-things, I'm talking about imposing beliefs onto others or such condescending, patronizing behavior such as telling me that they'll "pray for my soul" because I'm not part of the club. The general vibe is that they think you are ignorant in the most fundamental way, when it's all laid out on the table. Them telling me that they'll pray for my soul is really no different than if I were to call them idiots.

Me? I'm fascinated how people can believe such things. I actually let the Jehovah's Witnesses into my house, or have several times in the past. They tell you that they're not trying to convert you, but of course that's exactly what they are doing.

I'm more of an agnostic with severe atheist slants, but I sure do not believe in the Bible. I'm not about to claim knowledge about such things.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

I don't know why some of you guys still are on the fence. Dude proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt in post 400-something.

I'm not on the fence, I called it in post #9. I'm just surprised he admitted it.

[The King]

Just checking in. We're still not on board with microscopes = Literate yet?

maybe I'll check back in 20 pages from now and see where we are.

[Dr. Lecter]

In my 10+ years in these communities he's one of just two people in all of these forums that I think is a miserable excuse of a human being (the other one knows who he is).

Sorry, I will try to do better

[Historian]

Christianity: A cosmic Jewish zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree.

Well if you're going to take all the fun out of it....

[Discotrish]

Did you take a poll? I'd say atheists don't want religious beliefs that they don't share shoved down their throats. I'm not talking about intolerant repression type-things, I'm talking about imposing beliefs onto others or such condescending, patronizing behavior such as telling me that they'll "pray for my soul" because I'm not part of the club. The general vibe is that they think you are ignorant in the most fundamental way, when it's all laid out on the table. Them telling me that they'll pray for my soul is really no different than if I were to call them idiots.

Praying for someone's soul is a good thing, from a Christian perspective. It's akin to "I'll keep you in my thoughts," or "I wish the best to you and your family," or something you would do to offer someone encouragement or well wishes. So, how does that translate into them calling you an idiot?

It is more reflective of YOUR perspective in the sense that what they are offering has no value to YOU. So essentially, they are offering you well wishes, and you are calling yourself an idiot on their behalf.

Now how does this supposed imposition of belief affect your life? Did you roll over an Easter Egg with your car?

Patti

[WagonCircler]

Did you take a poll? I'd say atheists don't want religious beliefs that they don't share shoved down their throats. I'm not talking about intolerant repression type-things, I'm talking about imposing beliefs onto others or such condescending, patronizing behavior such as telling me that they'll "pray for my soul" because I'm not part of the club. The general vibe is that they think you are ignorant in the most fundamental way, when it's all laid out on the table. Them telling me that they'll pray for my soul is really no different than if I were to call them idiots.

Me? I'm fascinated how people can believe such things. I actually let the Jehovah's Witnesses into my house, or have several times in the past. They tell you that they're not trying to convert you, but of course that's exactly what they are doing.

I'm more of an agnostic with severe atheist slants, but I sure do not believe in the Bible. I'm not about to claim knowledge about such things.

Here's the thing. Regardless of how you (not you personally) feel about religion, or lack thereof, it's deeply personal. Anyone who straight up bashes someone else's viewpoint on the subject is acting like a giant douchebag.

I find extremists on both sides of the issue incredibly annoying, but the Atheists win by a nose in the annoying department, because they have just that little added bit of arrogance that takes them over the top.

The central question comes down to something the exceeds human understanding, no matter what you believe. That notion that, before the alleged Big Bang, there was nothing, is not for a second answered by science or philosophy. How could there have been "nothing"?

To me, the answer lies somewhere in the middle. The notion that the astounding complexity of every animal, vegetable or mineral in the vast universe as we understand it happened totally at random, or that our understanding of existence on this plane of reality is all there is, is every bit as absurd as you feel the biblical stories are.

It should be remembered that the stories in the bible needed to be comprehended be civilizations far less advanced than we are now, so they are just that--stories. And cultural traditions like Christmas presents and Easter eggs are a product of society, they're not insipid lies with evil intentions, just pleasant customs like 4th of July fireworks. People laying presents under the tree that are labelled "from Santa" aren't carrying out some evil plot, they're just doing what their parents did, hoping to make their kids happy. Carrying on a tradition. Assigning some evil subtext or motivation to those traditions is asinine. People are largely just trying to pay the bills and raise honorable families who will grow up to do the same.

There's hypocrisy on both sides, and it's certainly evident here.

But to me, the truly important thing about religion and the current, popular bashing of it, is that Atheists love to pretend that Judeo-Christian tenets, like the Ten Commandments, for example, had no importance in the establishment of our laws. This is historically inaccurate, no matter what version of reality you subscribe to. Thou shall not kill, steal, etc. are and were necessary to maintain an ordered society. There has to be a baseline.

I could go on for days about this, but the essence is, people's beliefs are their own. Respect for those beliefs is the only thing that separates our society from the animals.

It sickens me to see how our culture has devolved, with each subsequent generation having less and less respect for anything. I honestly think the future is going to look and awful lot like A Clockwork Orange. That's the road we're on.

[Skooby]

I know in denial atheists that go to Catholic Church every Sunday, those fakers sicken me the most.

[The King]

Praying for someone's soul is a good thing, from a Christian perspective. It's akin to "I'll keep you in my thoughts," or "I wish the best to you and your family," or something you would do to offer someone encouragement or well wishes. So, how does that translate into them calling you an idiot?

It is more reflective of YOUR perspective in the sense that what they are offering has no value to YOU. So essentially, they are offering you well wishes, and you are calling yourself an idiot on their behalf.

Now how does this supposed imposition of belief affect your life? Did you roll over an Easter Egg with your car?

Patti

I personally, am grateful that Patti prays for me. It takes the pressure off a bit and it's nice to know someone is on my side. Of course realistically, Patti cares more about me than any god does, but it's nice to know if I am wrong in my beliefs the big guy has at least heard of me.

[feldspar]

Praying for someone's soul is a good thing, from a Christian perspective. It's akin to "I'll keep you in my thoughts," or "I wish the best to you and your family," or something you would do to offer someone encouragement or well wishes. So, how does that translate into them calling you an idiot?

It is more reflective of YOUR perspective in the sense that what they are offering has no value to YOU. So essentially, they are offering you well wishes, and you are calling yourself an idiot on their behalf.

Now how does this supposed imposition of belief affect your life? Did you roll over an Easter Egg with your car?

Patti

You are not understanding the context I said that in.

There are many different contexts in which that is said, "I'll pray for your soul." If an atheist and Christian are having a hot-topic conversation, both sides sees the other side as ignorant, no matter how nice they try to be. It's the nature of the thing, and there is no way around it. When it comes to that major point of contention, telling me that they'll pray for my soul BECAUSE I don't share their beliefs amounts to me telling them that I hope they snap out it and wake up...I can say THAT with the same level of benevolent well-meaning too, without any meanness to it. "I want to help you stop living a lie." Uh-huh. Works both ways, and I don't think either side exactly likes it.

Not that anyone around here did, but if somebody wants to look me in the eye and tell me that I'm going to burn in Hell for eternity for not accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal savior, then it's really hard to turn around and talk about the weather.

It's this type of reason that I don't generally discuss religion with people, especially if I know they have beliefs that I don't share. If they want to pray for my soul for not sharing their beliefs, great. Fine. In turn, I hope they stop believing in a fairy tale. Are they offended by that then? If so, then why? It's just the other side of the coin.

Imposition of beliefs is a different topic.

[feldspar]

the essence is, people's beliefs are their own. Respect for those beliefs is the only thing that separates our society from the animals.

It sickens me to see how our culture has devolved, with each subsequent generation having less and less respect for anything. I honestly think the future is going to look and awful lot like A Clockwork Orange. That's the road we're on.

Good post.

Animals mostly just believe they are hungry or something. They don't have the capacity to understand the concept of a belief, can't generally think very abstractly, and aren't capable of understanding that they are going to die. There is that, so I agree.

But those that WANT respect, GIVE respect. That's the thing.

As the example here, if somebody wants to tell me that I have no business celebrating Christmas because I'm not a Christian, and I'm a hypocrite for doing so, and they'll pray for my soul as a result...well, in real-life, I'd say "OK," and go eat a taco or something, celebrating Christmas anyway. That doesn't really bother me, but there is a basic lack of understanding or respect that is coming from that person. While that type of thing slides off my back, there really is a bone to pick. Since this is a message board, that's what I did.

Nobody can really know very much about the meaning behind existence.

[WagonCircler]

Nobody can really know very much about the meaning behind existence.

And yet, so many claim to.

[feldspar]

And yet, so many claim to.

Well, I'm sure that's all very comforting for them, and I actually envy them for it in that respect.

[WagonCircler]

Well, I'm sure that's all very comforting for them, and I actually envy them for it in that respect.

Sort of runs contra to your feelings on Santa, no?

Just saying. :)

[feldspar]

Sort of runs contra to your feelings on Santa, no?

Just saying. :)

I hated Santa ever since he gave me that lump of coal one year.

[swiper]

He admitted he is to me.

I knew it was him as he is arguing QBs in an Andy Dalton thread with nyjunc. As soon as he said "fantasy numbers don't matter to me" I knew it was him. That is the drum that Lit beat.

[swiper]

I don't know why some of you guys still are on the fence. Dude proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt in post 400-something.

I missed that and couldn't find it when I went back to look.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

I knew it was him as he is arguing QBs in an Andy Dalton thread with nyjunc. As soon as he said "fantasy numbers don't matter to me" I knew it was him. That is the drum that Lit beat.

That's nyjuncs catch phrase, not Lit's

[feldspar]

I missed that and couldn't find it when I went back to look.

I'm pretty sure it happened in this post:

http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/sho...=1#post3934829