Tolerant christians...

[Marty_d]

Richard Dawkins (renowned evolutionary biologist and atheist, in case you've never heard of him) - reads out some of the "love letters" sent to him by those of a religious persuasion.

 

Bloody funny - but be warned there is some language of a coarser nature!

 

 

[facthunter]

People of the god fearing kind, must be somewhat insecure in their beliefs IF they find atheists so threatening. The coercion seems to be very much one way, and has been so for most of the last 1200 years OTA. Definitely not healthy to belong to the opposition religion at the time and of course to have "no invisible means of support" is very unacceptable. Nev

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

It's concerning that there are people that harbour those thoughts of wreaking violence on another for their beliefs - and they live amongst us

 

 

[David2ayo]

As a Christian myself, I find those emails very sad. Suspect their Christianity was acquired by their great-grandfather having once been to church (probably to attend his own funeral). A bit like Australian politicians with dual citizenship.

 

David

 

 

[Marty_d]

I don't know about that... you don't get that much bitterness and hatred without being a true believer.

 

Just like any other grouping you can think of, christians are on a spectrum from "absolutely lovely" to "f*cking nuts". I'd suggest most of those emails were from the latter end of the spectrum.

 

 

[facthunter]

In respect to myself David, your "suspicions " are completely incorrect . Any comparison with dual citizenship is also irrelevant. Religion is based on faith/ belief. You are either a dual citizen or you aren't. There are FACTS and documents involved there.

 

Surely some of the behaviour of "some" people of religion must appall you, not the least a self righteous attitude to other religions and no religion people. At one stage I was very committed to it and it was only a long term examination of how it works that I decided to severely question what had been my belief.. Note I may have misinterpreted your post as to which group your comment related to . If so I wish no offence. Nev

 

 

[David2ayo]

No "suspicions" of your good self, Nev, I can understand your change of viewpoint, especially when you observe the behaviour of "some" people of religion, its enough to make the Pope an atheist.. Anyone who uses religion for their own personal gain or gratification is very sick. Appalled? I have on many occasions had to retire to a private space somewhere, overcome with the stress of hating what I have seen on news reports, distressed for the victim and not being able to do a thing about it - apart from encouraging my own family and peer groups to not lower themselves to the level of these perpetrators of hate. Hate feeds off itself, my contribution is to try breaking the cycle.

 

I'd better lighten up a bit. Getting a bit morose here, sorry guys.

 

The dual citizenship - ok, a long shot, but! Yes, there are facts, in many cases though they are fairly well buried. Its only when you take a lawyers eye view of it that the cracks appear. The link was intended to be, a fleeting contact with a church or another country shouldn't confer all the rights and privileges of that church or country.

 

Going into Church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going into a garage makes you a motorcar.

 

Anyway, no offence intended to anyone, especially members of this forum, and Nev, I will be in the Woodford / Rochford region in a couple of weeks time. Eldest daughter's engagement party. If you think us young fellers need a lesson or two, bring your cat of nine tails and apply liberally.

 

David

 

 

[facthunter]

David I rather like this Pope. He actually cares about the poor. The yanks hate that and tell him to stick to his stuff and let them handle the capitalism. God wants you to be rich, they reckon. I didn't see that reference when I read the bible. There's a bit indicating the contrary view. Regards. I don't seek to offend and hope I haven't. Nev

 

 

[Bruce]

I agree nev. this pope doesn't use the popemobile.

 

Even as an atheist, was embarassed by the previous popes so blatantly demonstrating their own secret atheism by using the popemobile.

 

 

[storchy neil]

Nev god wanted you to be rich and you got what he wanted you to have a lot off riches? neil

 

 

[Marty_d]

This one's a fine piece of work.

 

Anti-gay Kiwi pastor moves to Australia

 

 

[facthunter]

Just what we need.. Another whacko claiming to be working for God, spewing hate. Nev

 

 

[Bruce]

Why do not these guys trust their god to do the punishing? God can smite anybody down at anytime or send them to hell or whatever.

 

My explanation is that they don't actually believe their own stuff, its just an act to get them power and money.

 

I wonder how long this guy would last with the Japanese cess-pool test?

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Why do not these guys trust their god to do the punishing? God can smite anybody down at anytime or send them to hell or whatever.My explanation is that they don't actually believe their own stuff, its just an act to get them power and money.

 

I wonder how long this guy would last with the Japanese cess-pool test?

Bruce I presume you meant to say "Why don't they leave it God to do the punishing?"

 

Top stuff, that's always mystified me. If their god is omnipotent, and disapproves of all these things, why can't he do his own damned punishing, and let us get on with living?

 

But then again, they don't seem to believe in the logic and commonsense that their creator gave them.

 

 

[spacesailor]

OK

 

I have enough problems with the omnipotent bureaucracy, I don't need other peoples gods as well!.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[facthunter]

Most "believers" say THEIR particular one is the ONLY true god. Therefore all the OTHER s are BS, FAKE, IMPOSTERS, SATAN at work, or whatever . Believe or be killed is a hard sell and perhaps an unfair trading technique. Signing under duress etc. I think I would pretend at the time and I wonder how many DO that? Go to church for appearances and so on. IF we are talking about BELIEF, how is coercion a part of that? Nev

 

 

[Yenn]

Sign under duress? That won't work, God would know immediately.

 

What I see as the give away for the God side of things is that the God has to be adored and preyed to. Put above all others etc. Seems to me to be a God with an inferiority complex.

 

 

[facthunter]

Man created his God with all the flaws humans have. Nev

 

 

[farri]

Man created his God with all the flaws humans have. Nev

Therefore! If God created humans in the image of himself, as it says in the Bible, God also has many flaws!!!

 

It amazes me how the true believer, believes there is a God and the non believer, believes there is no God, neither one has any proof to their belief and yet! they are so certain they are correct, in their belief.

 

As this is the Recreational Flying Forum, I say this! Believe as much as you want, that you can fly, without an aircraft, you`re going nowhere,so,launch yourself off a tall structure and you will fly,straight down,till you come into collision with terrain...Believing it is so,doesn`t make it so!!!

 

Everyone is entitled to their beliefs and religion, provided it dose no harm to others.

 

Frank.

 

Ps, It also amazes me that God is Male....

 

 

[Yenn]

Am I ok believing in Unicorns. There is no proof that they do not exist, or at least only the same proof that god doesn't exist.

 

The whole question relies on your definition of god.

 

I believe there was something that started off all living organisms and that is still out there controlling life. Could that be God?

 

 

[Bruce]

There is a great cartoon I once saw... This guy with feathers stuck to his arms was about to jump off a tall building.

 

the cation... " The more sure are, the more wrong you can be"

 

Yes it also impresses me that god, in his personas of the father, son and holy ghost, the 3 of them are all male.

 

Thank god that the vikings were not so mysogynistic and we have Friday ( Freyas day) to remind us of this.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

It's just as likely to be The Force, but my preference is Rupert Sheldrake's Morphic Fields.

 

Morphic Resonance and Mophic Fields an Introduction

 

Rupert's Resonance

 

Rupert Sheldrake - Wikipedia

 

 

[farri]

Am I ok believing in Unicorns.

Absolutely! Why not? That`s your privilege! doesn`t follow though, that others have to believe in Unicorns.

 

My wife and I once went to a seminar in Cairns, where the guy running the seminar told everyone, there are little blue people, with special powers, who live in Pyramids, such as, Walshs Pyramid, near Gordonvale, that only come out at night, that`s why we don`t see them...He wasn`t very happy when I questioned what he`d said.

 

Michel J. P. Desmarquet was living here at Deeral, when he claimed he`d been taken by Aliens` to the ninth planet, I spoke to him about it and he tried hard to convince me it happened. ABDUCTION TO THE NINTH PLANET

 

The whole question relies on your definition of god.

That is a valid point.

 

I believe there was something that started off all living organisms and that is still out there controlling life. Could that be God?

Could it be???...I think it very unlikely that humans will ever solve all the mysteries of the universe.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Marty_d]

Basically you can believe whatever the hell you want, and anyone else can choose to disbelieve it. However the burden of proof is not on the UNbeliever but the believer.

 

So if you say that the world is populated by transgender unicorns who only appear at night, and I have doubts about this theory, it's not up to me to prove that transgender unicorns do not exist. It's up to you to obtain evidence to prove beyond doubt that said animal exists.

 

That's where anyone lumping in religious folks and atheists together, saying "you guys believe this and you other guys believe something else", is mistaken. The religious folk believe in their transgender unic... er, "god"... but have no proof. The atheists don't believe that god(s) exist and don't need proof of a negative.

 

However any intelligent atheist knows that in an infinite universe (or infinite to our knowledge), nothing is absolutely certain. Which is why even Dawkins says there's a 99.99% (or whatever) probability that there's no god.

 

 

[facthunter]

If it is, it took him a Looong time. The main factor in being what and where we are is the suitability of our particular circumstances ( the essentials for life) and a LOT of time. Not 6 days or 6 eons or six anything. Not much point in god being a man , having a beard etc unless Mrs god likes what SHE sees and no one has created Mrs God.

 

MEN run the show generally on earth (Particularly with religion , Have you noticed?) because they CAN, and have mostly kept it that way through force. Franco, if someone BELIEVES in something (God) that to somebody else has no meaning whatever, the second state is not one of actively disbelieving anything. Believers can become UNbelievers because they know what they now don't believe in. Many LOSE their FAITH. If you never had it you can't be in the same category. Which of the MANY god's out there, (and some yet undiscovered perhaps) don't you believe in? ( Not you particularly but everybody in general.). Nev