http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/ ... s-is-a-cop-out/?hpt=hp_c1

Caught this on Alexa and I am curious what everybody feels about it. I do think it's weird that CNN has something of this sort, but that's the media for you

Personally, up until the last couple of months, I hadn't dared think about religion. It had been an issue that I would rather ignore and I would put myself (at that time) under a catagory of no religion. Not Athiest, not Christian like the rest of my family, not anything else either. I just didn't think of it.

I must say that a few months ago I went through a tough period of time mentally where I finally faced the fact that I am an athiest. I don't wish that upon anybody, and I don't want to argue my case. It's an overly pessimistic view point honestly, but it is mine no matter how hard I fight it. I just know that I am unable to beleive in a religion.

I just don't see what's wrong with not facing the issue of religion. My life would have been alot easier if I would have been able to just ignore the issue forever. Actually, I think it's some what selfish to feel like people have to decide.

Why do you feel forced to decide. I've never felt religion neither, it's the cause of so many bad things in the world, billions of people believe in something that doesn't have ONE single evidence, yet many of them are convinced we're the only living beeings in the entire universe. Go figure.

CBA to read that article,but - welcome in club,dude! Religion always through history has been an opium for masses,just to calm them down and give "hope".

Quote from Boris Lozac :

Why do you feel forced to decide.

I don't. The article was stating that people should decide what they are and join the appropriate church or become an athiest .

Religion just seems to be a good way to make people follow you alot of times.. Through fear of death..

Thanks Rony

Quote from Cornys :

...I am an athiest. I don't wish that upon anybody, and I don't want to argue my case. It's an overly pessimistic view point honestly, but it is mine no matter how hard I fight it. I just know that I am unable to beleive in a religion.

There is nothing pessimistic about being atheistic. That's just an utterly strange thing to say. But since you just brought it but don't want to "argue about it" then I'll just say you are just feeling the social pressure of being guilty about not believing into a fairytale (but I don't want to argue my case).

Quote from Cornys :

It's an overly pessimistic view point honestly, but it is mine no matter how hard I fight it. I just know that I am unable to beleive in a religion.

Huh? How so? I'm an atheist and I don't feel that my point of view is pessimistic. Actually, I'm rather a helpless optimist.
I don't think that I'm missing anything at all by not being able to experience "relgious feelings", as the universe and life itself, as I see it, is full of wonder and excitement without having an entity crating it all on an ineffable purpose.

Also, the thought that I and everyone else simply ceases to exist when they die is not pessimistic or hopeless. It just means that you should make the best out of the time you have and appreciate it.

Im just wondering, how is it being atheist in USA? Christianity has got a firm grip over there I think, but what does your family and friends say?

Religions are the cancer of humanity...
However, people are free to believe what they want and I don't think less of them.
They are the victims of stories made up by a bunch of power-hungry bastards many centuries ago.

There's plenty of times where people will try to brush their religious knowledge and such onto you randomly which is what i hate the most. If it's a random person on the street corner trying to talk to everyone that walks by about it, just keep walking by and say no thanks. If it's somewhere with no exit without being impolite, i simply let them know i have no interest. It's a pretty rare occurrence for me however thank goodness.

I think it must be a bit different in the USA - I've never had to 'come to terms with the fact that I'm an atheist' any more than I've had to do something like come to terms with the fact that I have arms. It's just a thing that is.

Quote from sueycide_fd :

it's a pretty rare occurrence for me however thank goodness.

:d

Personally I believe it's irrelevent what anyone chooses to believe. It really comes down to how you choose to live your life and how you choose to relate to other beings.

If you accept that all beings are equal and should be treated as such then, only in my opinion, your probably on the right path. But that's certainly not me telling anyone what they should believe or how they should act, that's your s#!t to deal with.

What I find amusing is the way that many religions ( and particuarly sub groups of religions ) have the opinion that only they are 'RIGHT' and anyone with a different opinion is 'WRONG'

I've been a Tibetian Buddhist for years simply because it suits me, we don't care what others think or choose to believe, and we believe that if science can prove any of our beliefs wrong then we'll change our beliefs. Also our teachings start with the statement 'Don't believe what I say, do your own research and come to your own conclusions'
But thats not an advert, we really don't care what others believe and I'm certainly don't want to change anyones current views or opinions, we all come to our own path for this life over time.

However, being critical here, anyone who says, ' Give your money for ....... ' is probably a materialist.

In the end I think it comes down to your view of 'reality' and where your comfortable being.

I wonder if there are any muslims here, i want to hear from a regular guy, LFS player, what's the deal with that shi**y 'anti-islam' movie and are muslims really that offended by it? How can you stop other religions making fun of yours, or stop some random guy making fun of it, he's not a muslim so why should he obey those rules?

Quote from Fastwalker :

Religions are the cancer of humanity...
However, people are free to believe what they want and I don't think less of them.
They are the victims of stories made up by a bunch of power-hungry bastards many centuries ago.

Atheists are the cancer of humanity.. quickly repent now and prais Jesus. Our lord and savior! May God have mercy on your souls. Love and Peace.

Quote from jan banan :

Im just wondering, how is it being atheist in USA? Christianity has got a firm grip over there I think, but what does your family and friends say?

It's something that nobody asks and I don't tell. I'm the kind of person not to care what others think, but I'm also not one to put my opinion where it's not needed. Nobody's asked my opinion of religion in the last few months. I'll still practice Christmas more of a second Thanksgiving. I don't hate religion, I just hate how it makes some people feel. The holidays can be cool at times

I feel that athisim is a very sad beleif, but my biggest fear has always been lack of existance so that infuences that fact greatly. This was true even before I had thought of what I was and accepted it. I finally quit trying to beleive any religion because I knew I couldn't It's what I am, and I'm not the kind to want others to agree with me. It's something that I had to come to terms with inside of myself because honestly it's against my society and the way I was raised to beleive (as you guys said). It's not a hard thing to admit, but it's very difficult to accept that your biggest fear WILL happen

That being said, I have a strong distaste for the society in which I live . I hope I answered all or most of the questions that were directed towards me.

Quote from Boris Lozac :

I wonder if there are any muslims here, i want to hear from a regular guy, LFS player, what's the deal with that shi**y 'anti-islam' movie and are muslims really that offended by it? How can you stop other religions making fun of yours, or stop some random guy making fun of it, he's not a muslim so why should he obey those rules?

This ^

Quote from Sueycide_FD :

There's plenty of times where people will try to brush their religious knowledge and such onto you randomly which is what i hate the most. If it's a random person on the street corner trying to talk to everyone that walks by about it, just keep walking by and say no thanks. If it's somewhere with no exit without being impolite, i simply let them know i have no interest. It's a pretty rare occurrence for me however thank goodness.

This as well At random times too.. Last year there were some crazed prachers out at Bristol before the night race on the cross walk corners (anybody who's been there might know what I'm talking about on the turn 1/2 side of the track by the campgrounds.) They were almost extremists and people were making a point to stay as far away from them as they could. Thankfully they weren't back this year

Quote from jan banan :

Im just wondering, how is it being atheist in USA? Christianity has got a firm grip over there I think, but what does your family and friends say?

Nobody really gives a shit unless you live in a small town in the deep south or corn belt.

Quote from jan banan :

Im just wondering, how is it being atheist in USA? Christianity has got a firm grip over there I think, but what does your family and friends say?

It isn't that big of a deal anymore as it used to be. I've never really thought about it. I never think "Atheist or Christianity" or "what will --- think of me?". It simply doesn't matter much here anymore. As Ben said it does sometimes still get looped up where you are born. If I left my house and drove north on the first road, I would pass 3 churches in less than 2 miles. Is that bad? I don't know, but the traffic is when they release.

Quote from Crashgate3 :

I think it must be a bit different in the USA - I've never had to 'come to terms with the fact that I'm an atheist' any more than I've had to do something like come to terms with the fact that I have arms. It's just a thing that is.

Same here anymore. The newer generation is making the whole "OMG ATHEIST" thing go away more and more. I honestly never really notice anyone caring except for a random person doing a survey at Uni for if you are religious or not.

But it matters where you live here. It's a big country. If I drove north 300 miles (barely getting out of my state), then it might be more noticable. If I drive another 500 miles, then it might be less.

Quote from mp5cod :

Atheists are the cancer of humanity.. quickly repent now and prais Jesus. Our lord and savior! May God have mercy on your souls. Love and Peace.

Too obvious
2/10 for making me reply

To OP: you should check out http://www.reddit.com/r/TrueAtheism/ if you're concerned with your current state of mind regarding religion. It may help you. (:

Quote from mp5cod :

Atheists are the cancer of humanity.. quickly repent now and prais Jesus. Our lord and savior! May God have mercy on your souls. Love and Peace.

Speaking as a pagan. ( Only the people of the book are non pagans )

"So who's this god person of which you speak ?"


Please accept that other peoples views are as justified as yours are, avoid preaching and proselytising and try just having a conversation.

All established religions are deities, various interpretations of the ultimate truth, but the point isn't in the truth, instead it is the search of the truth, the spiritual exploration of yourself, through meditation, art, music or use of natural substance that makes you feel funny etc.

I don't believe in any figurative god but logically the universe had to be bump started by something, and the basic rules of the physical world had to be defined, hence there has to be a creator. But that creator didn't make everything as it is like creationists like to do, to me the creator merely made the lego bricks, what happened is pure entropy.

Quote from Cornys :

I feel that athisim is a very sad beleif

Atheism is not "a belief". Atheism is about not having "a belief". What is exactly sad about atheism?

Quote from Hyperactive :

Atheism is not "a belief". Atheism is about not having "a belief". What is exactly sad about atheism?

Atheism is simply not believing in the Judian/Christian view of ' Yahweh/Jehovah' as your supreme deity. If you actually do some research then you will learn that they were actually 2 different deities with totally different roles.

I really do wish that 'Christians' would actually do some research into the history of their beliefs. Gnostic Christians ( burn all the heretics ! ) had a far clearer idea of reality than any of the current crop of conforming Christian 'give us your money' religions.

Quote from Boris Lozac :

I wonder if there are any muslims here, i want to hear from a regular guy, LFS player, what's the deal with that shi**y 'anti-islam' movie and are muslims really that offended by it? How can you stop other religions making fun of yours, or stop some random guy making fun of it, he's not a muslim so why should he obey those rules?

Most of this protests are in its core political motivated, it all comes down to a fight for power in those countries. I still say the islam is, from it basic rules, a more violent religion than say protestantism. But most normal muslims know where protests get silly.

Quote from JJ72 :

All established religions are deities, various interpretations of the ultimate truth, but the point isn't in the truth, instead it is the search of the truth, the spiritual exploration of yourself, through meditation, art, music or use of natural substance that makes you feel funny etc.

I don't believe in any figurative god but logically the universe had to be bump started by something, and the basic rules of the physical world had to be defined, hence there has to be a creator. But that creator didn't make everything as it is like creationists like to do, to me the creator merely made the lego bricks, what happened is pure entropy.

you have pretty much the same view I have on it. The deeper one digs to find knowledge about how everything works and started, there is always a point from which one can only guess or believe instead of know. Its irritating when people tell me things like "but you're an engineer, how can you still be a Christian?" as well as "how can you be a Christian if you don't believe and practice everything printed in the bible?" The latter are easy to shut up tho, just bring up some of the stuff from Leveticus

The movie that your quoting doesn't exist ! It was advertised by a bunch of farcical extremists that magically managed to come up with 20 mil to do a 24 hour webcast broadcasting a hate message.
I'll happily post details later if required to confirm this.
The murder of the US ambassador was carried out by UAE special forces, he was in fact rescued by Libian nationals. He died owing to injuries recieved. The FBI are still, 15 days later, awaiting approval to investigate the facts of the case.

Please be aware of the actual facts before you blame 'Muslim extremists' for this, they were in fact US trained special forces who are following their own agenda.

source?