Beaudry Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 http://www.wired.com/news/wiredmag/0,71985-0.html Web article title "The Crusade Against Religion" but print was "The New Atheism". It's hella long, but I figure some might enjoy the read. It's a question you may prefer not to be asked. But I'm afraid I have no choice. We find ourselves, this very autumn, three and a half centuries after the intellectual martyrdom of Galileo, caught up in a struggle of ultimate importance, when each one of us must make a commitment. It is time to declare our position. This is the challenge posed by the New Atheists. We are called upon, we lax agnostics, we noncommittal nonbelievers, we vague deists who would be embarrassed to defend antique absurdities like the Virgin Birth or the notion that Mary rose into heaven without dying, or any other blatant myth; we are called out, we fence-sitters, and told to help exorcise this debilitating curse: the curse of faith. The New Atheists will not let us off the hook simply because we are not doctrinaire believers. They condemn not just belief in God but respect for belief in God. Religion is not only wrong; it's evil. Now that the battle has been joined, there's no excuse for shirking. click link at top to continue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Im still going to shirk. I dont believe in God, but i dont care to join any kind of crusade. Im lazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Atheists and atheism doesn't scare me. What's the old song, "If lovin' you is wrong, I don't want to be right." If in my life I err in my faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ, then my error costs me nothing. However, if the atheist errs in rejecting faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ, then his/her error costs them everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Atheists and atheism doesn't scare me. What's the old song, "If lovin' you is wrong, I don't want to be right." If in my life I err in my faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ, then my error costs me nothing. However, if the atheist errs in rejecting faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ, then his/her error costs them everything. What if Allah is the real God? Then you are ****ed! :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen-like Todd Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Interesting that one can be lazy for failing to engage in either side of the debate of what is a wholly artificial construct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 What if Allah is the real God? Then you are ****ed! :laugh: If Allah is the real God, and is accurately represented in the Koran, then no thanks I'll join the atheists and we can all roast together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeman38 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 So from reading this brilliantly written, non-biased article we are to believe that truly intelligent people have to see the error in religion and fight to eradicate it on the whole? So, enlightened people preaching intolerence to the masses? Sounds a little like religion no doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOVA2Tampa Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Im still going to shirk. I dont believe in God, but i dont care to join any kind of crusade.Im lazy. What he said. Agree 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCsportsfan53 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 If Allah is the real God, and is accurately represented in the Koran, then no thanks I'll join the atheists and we can all roast together. I feel the same way about all religion. I always like to say, I'm not saying there isn't God, I just don't think he's written any books. To me, if there is(are) one(s) out there, the kind of person you were will speak for itself when and if the time comes. I find it hard to believe that faith and repenting will trump out over being a good person if there is an ultimate justice, just doesn't seem right to me and I can't get past the (to me) OBVIOUSLY human contradictions in all the holy texts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 So from reading this brilliantly written, non-biased article we are to believe that truly intelligent people have to see the error in religion and fight to eradicate it on the whole? So, enlightened people preaching intolerence to the masses? Sounds a little like religion no doesn't it? It is always fun to mess with people who try to defend or attack religion using Modernistic ideas of truthfulness, reason and logic. When religion by its very essence is based upon faith, when faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. So when I see someone attacking faith because it lacks evidence, well, I just :laugh: , because they miss the whole point. 1 Corinthians 1:25-29 For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. 26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predicto Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I'm glad for people who have faith. I envy them, in fact. And forget it - I'm not joining no damn crusade on either side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I can't get past the (to me) OBVIOUSLY human contradictions in all the holy texts. I understand your frustration, indeed I do because for many years I was right where you are. I will however pass on the opportunity to hijack this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashburnskinsfan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 So from reading this brilliantly written, non-biased article we are to believe that truly intelligent people have to see the error in religion and fight to eradicate it on the whole? So, enlightened people preaching intolerence to the masses? Sounds a little like religion no doesn't it? Richard Dawkins is a big part of the article and is a little too zealous for me, but I think this movement comes as a reaction to the rise in fundamentalism over the past few years. Dawkins and others used to hold the view that, while they thought organized religion is essentially another fairy tale, if it didn't affect their daily life they would just ignore it. The only time they would get involved, say might be if a religious group tried to change a local law based on their faith. With the rise of religious fundamentalism and the threat it presents to society I think Dawkins and others now take the approach that is no longer sufficient to sit, wait and react, but they need to be more proactive in getting their message out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashburnskinsfan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 If Allah is the real God, and is accurately represented in the Koran, then no thanks I'll join the atheists and we can all roast together. Irrespective of whether there is a supreme being or not, I think Mark Twain got it right ... "Heaven for the weather, Hell for the company". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwbiggs Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Quote:Originally Posted by PleaseBlitz What if Allah is the real God? Then you are ****ed! If Allah is the real God, and is accurately represented in the Koran, then no thanks I'll join the atheists and we can all roast together. No way dude...I'll take my 80 virgins please. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Irrespective of whether there is a supreme being or not, I think Mark Twain got it right ... "Heaven for the weather, Hell for the company". I just can't help but LOL at this! Mark Twain American novelist and humorist he was, orthodox theologian....not so much.:laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashburnskinsfan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 It is always fun to mess with people who try to defend or attack religion using Modernistic ideas of truthfulness, reason and logic. When religion by its very essence is based upon faith, when faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. So when I see someone attacking faith because it lacks evidence, well, I just :laugh: , because they miss the whole point.1 Corinthians 1:25-29 For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. 26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God. I understand what you are trying to say, but this is a "conman's charter". It has been used and abused by corrupt preachers for hundreds of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 No way dude...I'll take my 80 virgins please. :laugh: Fine, but you have to remember that with every virgin, comes a mother in law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I understand what you are trying to say, but this is a "conman's charter".It has been used and abused by corrupt preachers for hundreds of years. A truthful statement used wrongly does not negate the truthfulness of the claim, only the one using it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOVA2Tampa Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 A truthful statement used wrongly does not negate the truthfulness of the claim, only the one using it. True, but what is your verifiable, objective evidence that the Bible passage you posted is true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashburnskinsfan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 So, enlightened people preaching intolerence to the masses? I think this is a fair comment. Dawkins and others do come across as intolerant, but they would argue that with the threat posed by fundamentalism, the time for politeness and tolerance has passed. They argue that society needs to reject and become intolerant of the conscious, deliberate ignorance of some religious fundamentalists who try to enforce their agenda on others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerPacker Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 If Allah is the real God, and is accurately represented in the Koran, then no thanks I'll join the atheists and we can all roast together. join me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerPacker Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Irrespective of whether there is a supreme being or not, I think Mark Twain got it right ... "Heaven for the weather, Hell for the company". aint that the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 True, but what is your verifiable, objective evidence that the Bible passage you posted is true? Faith, hello, that's the whole point. You are asking me for an explanation of faith that fits in Modernistic terms, and the two simply do not exist in the same sphere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I think this is a fair comment. Dawkins and others do come across as intolerant, but they would argue that with the threat posed by fundamentalism, the time for politeness and tolerance has passed. They argue that society needs to reject and become intolerant of the conscious, deliberate ignorance of some religious fundamentalists who try to enforce their agenda on others. Yes, but in their correct response to abuses in the current manifestation of fundamentatlism they are throwing the baby out with the bath water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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