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REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS
Godless and proud: Atheists rally in D.C.
Sunday, March 25, 2012 2:14 AM
GEEZER
Keep the Shiny side up
Quote:WASHINGTON - They are godless, they are proud and they are demanding a political voice. And they are no longer happy with being the silent minority. Thousands descended onto the National Mall Saturday morning for the "Reason Rally." It was a show of force and a show of unity. "This is the largest gathering of atheists in the country in our history," says Hemant Mehta, an atheist activist and blogger for Friendly Atheist. He says atheists are tired of being ignored by Congress and want to be heard. Neither the religious right nor the liberal left is paying any attention, Metha complains. "We want them to realize there are a lot of us here and we vote and you should listen to what we have to say as well," he says. The rally drew Americans from across the country, from all walks of life and from all ages. It was aimed at shattering the stereotype of the "angry atheist". "We are regular people," Mehta says. "We are your neighbors, your friends and we are good people even if we don't have God." Many are afraid to tell family and friends they are atheists because of possible backlash, like getting thrown out of their homes or losing their jobs. But Jesse Galef with the Secular Student Alliance says Americans probably know more atheists than they think. Plus, being nonreligious can mean many different things such as agnosticism, humanism and plain skepticism. "Whatever people call themselves, we are a distrusted minority because people don't understand us," he says. Shelly Hattan traveled from Texas with 10-year-old daughter and her husband. She spoke at the 2002 Godless American March on Washington and says this rally is about reaching out to others. "We are regular people and we shouldn't hide in the closet," she says.
Sunday, March 25, 2012 3:03 AM
AURAPTOR
America loves a winner!
Sunday, March 25, 2012 5:33 AM
BYTEMITE
Sunday, March 25, 2012 5:45 AM
NIKI2
Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...
Sunday, March 25, 2012 6:55 PM
Monday, March 26, 2012 2:24 PM
RIONAEIRE
Beir bua agus beannacht
Monday, March 26, 2012 2:44 PM
6IXSTRINGJACK
Monday, March 26, 2012 4:37 PM
Quote:Originally posted by Bytemite: Not necessarily a majority, no, but they are the fastest growing religious designation in America. Grown from 12% at the turn of the century to 18%.
Monday, March 26, 2012 6:57 PM
PHOENIXROSE
You think you know--what's to come, what you are. You haven't even begun.
Quote:Originally posted by 6ixStringJack: For those of you who are hard core atheist out there, I hope you really have a lot to enjoy now.
Monday, March 26, 2012 7:22 PM
OONJERAH
Monday, March 26, 2012 11:56 PM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 12:39 AM
MAGONSDAUGHTER
Quote:Originally posted by 6ixStringJack: On the fence.... I can respect that. 50/50 to anything that can't be proven, either theoretically or theologically...... Agnostics hold more respect for me than any True Believer or any Atheist. In my mind, a blind Atheist is just as stupid as a blind Follower. There's only two differences that make the blind Athiest lose between the two extreme options.... 1) Their non belief is derived of nothing. "The Nothing", to quote the Neverending Story. There is absolutely NOTHING to support that there is, never will be, or never will be a God or Godlike creature who made this all possible. To be 100% confident that we're just a universal mistake or a result of Chaos is insanity. It may be the case, but science could NEVER prove it. 2) At least the mindless true believers on the other end of the spectrum have hope for a future beyond this mediocre existence most of us live. In the end, who knows.... it may very well be falsely laid beliefs, but we'll only know when we're done. At least the truly religious of my family who have passed had that hope. According to Greek Mythology, after Pandora's Box was open, the only good thing to come of humanity afterward was Hope. On the fence here (Admittedly Agnostic by design, but I'd really like to one day be a believer)...... I wish I could just take the plunge and believe with my entire being. For those of you who are hard core atheist out there, I hope you really have a lot to enjoy now. If your life is shitty, and you're an Atheist, I don't know how you even can get out of bed every day. "Life here sucks balls, and there is nothing after we die" It's too sad a viewpoint for me to even contemplate without crying for somebody who would be so sure that's the way that it is. For your sake, to all the unhappy and unfulfilled Atheists out there, I do hope you're wrong. "A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned." ~Shepherd Book
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 4:31 AM
Quote:In my mind, a blind Atheist is just as stupid as a blind Follower. If your life is shitty, and you're an Atheist, I don't know how you even can get out of bed every day. "Life here sucks balls, and there is nothing after we die"
Quote:For your sake, to all the unhappy and unfulfilled Atheists out there, I do hope you're wrong.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 5:44 AM
HERO
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 6:42 AM
Quote:Originally posted by Magonsdaughter: The thought that when I die there is nothing does not worry me particularly, as when I don't exist I wont be able to worry about not existing.
Quote:Originally posted by Hero: Athiesm is just bad planning (and an excuse to ignore social morality).
Quote:Is that really what they want? "Son, if you live a good life you have an eternity of nothing to look forward to."
Quote:...what's to make him want to live any sort of meaningful life.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 6:52 AM
MAL4PREZ
Quote:Originally posted by Hero: Suppose you die and there is a God. Then the athiests are totally screwed. I mean even picking the wrong faith is better then rejecting faith altogether. Suppose you believe in God, its just the wrong one...depending on who is right and who is wrong and what you believe, you might not get an A+ but its still possible to get a passing grade.
Quote:Is that really what they want? "Son, if you live a good life you have an eternity of nothing to look forward to." Assuming your kid does not blow his brains out...what's to make him want to live any sort of meaningful life.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 7:27 AM
Quote:Originally posted by Hero: Athiesm is just bad planning (and an excuse to ignore social morality). Suppose you die and there's no God. Its not like athiests can celebrate or have an 'I told you so moment'. They are just dead and gone. Suppose you die and there is a God. Then the athiests are totally screwed. I mean even picking the wrong faith is better then rejecting faith altogether. Suppose you believe in God, its just the wrong one...depending on who is right and who is wrong and what you believe, you might not get an A+ but its still possible to get a passing grade.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 7:38 AM
Quote: Athiesm is just bad planning (and an excuse to ignore social morality).
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 7:46 AM
ANTHONYT
Freedom is Important because People are Important
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 7:50 AM
Quote:Suppose you die and there is a God. Then the athiests are totally screwed. I mean even picking the wrong faith is better then rejecting faith altogether. Suppose you believe in God, its just the wrong one...depending on who is right and who is wrong and what you believe, you might not get an A+ but its still possible to get a passing grade.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 7:58 AM
WULFENSTAR
http://youtu.be/VUnGTXRxGHg
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 8:11 AM
Quote:Originally posted by Wulfenstar: The saddest people I've ever met are atheists. Not "sad" as in pathetic, selfish, spoiled, arrogant, holier-than-tho... (tho, most are) But SAD, as in depressed... hopeless.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 8:23 AM
Quote:Really, I laugh at those who equate atheism to unhappiness or emptiness.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 8:50 AM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 9:06 AM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 9:10 AM
Quote:Do you curse your father for having made you, deny his existence? Or be grateful for the chance at life, and building a better neighborhood for everyone?
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 9:12 AM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 9:13 AM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 9:32 AM
PIZMOBEACH
... fully loaded, safety off...
Quote:Originally posted by Wulfenstar: Some would say that free-will is the greatest curse we ever got. I used to agree. I deny that now. I believe, instead its our greatest gift. You can choose to be evil, or good. Choose to take responsibility for the choice, one way or the other.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 9:45 AM
Quote:"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 10:04 AM
M52NICKERSON
DALEK!
Quote:Originally posted by Wulfenstar: The saddest people I've ever met are atheists. Not "sad" as in pathetic, selfish, spoiled, arrogant, holier-than-tho... (tho, most are) But SAD, as in depressed... hopeless. ETA: So, your father raises you from crapping yourself, and eating garbage, to be a young adult (evolution), then gives you a home for free, in a nice neighborhood (Earth)... Your home has a burst pipe because of the cold (natural disaster)... and some of your neighbors decide to rob you and kill your family (crime, war and general humans choosing evil)... Your father also gives you a library of books (Bible, Koran, etc) to teach you rules and how to live with each other, and build a better neighborhood... Do you curse your father for having made you, deny his existence? Or be grateful for the chance at life, and building a better neighborhood for everyone? Atheists don't surprise me. They are just sad.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 10:06 AM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 10:20 AM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 10:49 AM
Quote:Originally posted by AnthonyT: It's not the route I have taken, but I at least have the decency to acknowledge that I am believing one thing from a plethora of equally likely (or even unlikely) possibilities. There's no need to assign negative or hateful motives to someone who chooses another path.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 11:02 AM
STORYMARK
Quote:Originally posted by Wulfenstar: Nonsense-Niki, Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!" "Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup? Your Buddhism is very Californicated. "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies"
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 11:05 AM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 12:23 PM
Quote:His ultimate punishment is sending people into a lake of fire for all eternity, at which there is not learning.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 1:21 PM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 1:32 PM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 2:16 PM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 2:49 PM
FREMDFIRMA
Quote:Originally posted by AnthonyT: Quote:"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup? Hello, If I look under Irony in the Encyclopedia Universal, there will be a photograph of Wulf uttering this quote.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 3:07 PM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 3:39 PM
Quote:Originally posted by Magonsdaughter: Hmmm, your logic has flaws in it. There is NOTHING to support the existence of a god or a creator of the universe. People who believe in god, do not do so because of evidence but because of faith. As someone who does not believe in a god/creator I don't feel either sad or unfulfilled. I have faced death of loved ones and much adversity in my life, and have managed to get through either without faith, but through possessing resilience and having support of loved ones. The thought that when I die there is nothing does not worry me particularly, as when I don't exist I wont be able to worry about not existing. It does make me ponder my place in the universe and my reason for being, but I don't suppose I'll have any more answers than any other person, religious or otherwise. I do dread the death of loved ones. But I see that as part of the human condition, which is sometimes unbearable in the face of terrible loss.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 4:01 PM
SIGNYM
I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 4:07 PM
Quote:Originally posted by SignyM: and one of the worst standards of living (for a developed nation, that is)? Hmmm... no connection there!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 4:39 PM
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 4:51 PM
Quote:Originally posted by SignyM: Rappy -prove it. Otherwise STFU.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 4:55 PM
Quote:Originally posted by SignyM: Religion: opiate of the masses. Did you ever wonder why the USA, which is the most religious developed nation in the world, also has the highest crime rate and one of the worst standards of living (for a developed nation, that is)? Hmmm... no connection there!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 5:08 PM
WISHIMAY
Quote:Originally posted by Wulfenstar: Doing right, is good for its own reasons. But knowing that there is someone looking out... hell that gives a person hope. "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies"
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 5:29 PM
Quote: Hope is just a figment of your imagination mixed with unrealistic emotional expectations. It's not a real thing, and it is just a distraction so that you won't have to deal with what IS.
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