any mormons or jw's in this forum??

[floo]

I find people at both ends of the spectrum of religious - atheist (antitheist, whatever) to be wearing and worrying. As a wise person once said:

“There’s nothing quite as frightening as someone who knows they are right.”

(It was Faraday btw)

A wise saying.

We have no way of knowing with absolute certainty if there is any god out there, or an afterlife of some sort. I am of the opinion none of the gods worshipped by humans exist, but I could be very wrong, which is quite scary.

[Robbie]

I find people at both ends of the spectrum of religious - atheist (antitheist, whatever) to be wearing and worrying. As a wise person once said:

“There’s nothing quite as frightening as someone who knows they are right.”

(It was Faraday btw)

I agree Trent. We may think we are right on some issues but unless it's something provable beyond all doubt, like wiring a plug (blue is neutral etc), we don't actually know & have to be open to others who have different interpretations and experiences.

Also Owl said something on previous page & I want to say sorry to Owl for not including his beliefs, (which he doesn't declare as absolute facts);  in the past I was delighted he answered my questions with good explanations.

The world & people in it are interesting.

[Harrowby Hall]

A little history. GoG.

This forum is a successor to a forum run by the BBC and many of the posters here posted on the BBC forum.  My recollection is that the balance of believers/non-believers is pretty much the same as in BBC days but a larger overall membership - then - resulted in a variety of religious views being expressed.

One of the most remarkable series of postings came from a member calling himself Nicholas Marks. If I recall correctly he seemed to present highly idiosyncratic views close to - but not identical to - JW/Adventist beliefs. He believed that Christ was the greatest scientist that ever lived.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

A little history. GoG.

This forum is a successor to a forum run by the BBC and many of the posters here posted on the BBC forum.  My recollection is that the balance of believers/non-believers is pretty much the same as in BBC days but a larger overall membership - then - resulted in a variety of religious views being expressed.

One of the most remarkable series of postings came from a member calling himself Nicholas Marks. If I recall correctly he seemed to present highly idiosyncratic views close to - but not identical to - JW/Adventist beliefs. He believed that Christ was the greatest scientist that ever lived.

By any stretch or measure Nicholas Marks underwent by far the most disrespectful treatment from the antitheists on this board. I'm sure there are red faces as people are made to remember their treatment of him.

[SweetPea]

Yes, Nicholas was/is a JW, with a difference. In recent years he seems to appear once annually for a few weeks only to disappear again; he can be found though on Google+. He certainly responded to any attacks with much grace.

Christians I miss on here are.... Keturah, 2Corrie, Honey56, McGillicious, Pow Wow. TW could be impatient but he had good understanding of biblical knowledge.

Non-believers that I miss are.... Jack Knave and feelin_blue.

Lapsed Atheist was as his username describes - it would be good to see him posting again.

[Owlswing]

I have to be fair here and say that I believe most arguments are not won or lost, they result in stalemate.

Too damned true! Mostly with the Christians on one side and everyone else on the other!

I see things differently to L'ilRoses & obviously believe I'm right in this case but that doesn't mean I am right. My belief is tht LR nails her colours to particular flags and won't budge from that position

Just like the Christians!!

We move on.

It's a pity there isn't more diversity but it is what it is & not bad.

There might be more diversity if it were not for the tunnel-vision - there-is-only-one-true-religion - of the Cristians. There is only one Pagan and he is only here one in a while mostly because of the contempt heaped upon my beliefs by the majority of the Christians.

I opened a thread asking anyone who wished to have my beliefs explained in an attempt to reduce this unpleasant attitude to Paganism and the Craft and I think I got only one or maybe two posts on it!

Maybe the title of the Forum should be changed to The Left Wing Christian and Atheist/Agnostic Forum?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Too damned true! Mostly with the Christians on one side and everyone else on the other!

Just like the Christians!!

There might be more diversity if it were not for the tunnel-vision - there-is-only-one-true-religion - of the Cristians. There is only one Pagan and he is only here one in a while mostly because of the contempt heaped upon my beliefs by the majority of the Christians.

I opened a thread asking anyone who wished to have my beliefs explained in an attempt to reduce this unpleasant attitude to Paganism and the Craft and I think I got only one or maybe two posts on it!

Maybe the title of the Forum should be changed to The Left Wing Christian and Atheist/Agnostic Forum?

As far as I know there hasn't been any onslaught by the Christians on here on pagans.

The thread you opened garnered three pages not one or maybe two posts.

Pagans here on the other hand have largely joined the antitheist posse at the drop of a hat.

[Robbie]

I'm sorry Owlswing feels the way he does. Early this morning I read every post on his thread on the Pagan section, it went into three pages. Was interesting.

[floo]

I'm sorry Owlswing feels the way he does. Early this morning I read every post on his thread on the Pagan section, it went into three pages. Was interesting.

Blimey didn't you have anything better to do?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

At least the pagans set up a questions to pagan's thread.
Unlike the Atheists/antitheists....who seem to have a bit of the ''Ve ask Ze Qvestions'' attitude.

[Nearly Sane]

At least the pagans set up a questions to pagan's thread.
Unlike the Atheists/antitheists....who seem to have a bit of the ''Ve ask Ze Qvestions'' attitude.

http://www.religionethics.co.uk/index.php?topic=14203.msg683814#msg683814

[Walt Zingmatilder]

http://www.religionethics.co.uk/index.php?topic=14203.msg683814#msg683814

Sorry. I'm wrong about atheists not setting a questions for atheists.
However the OP (Nearly Sane) and the subsequent post (Bluehillside) seek to shut down discussion IMV.

[Owlswing]

Blimey didn't you have anything better to do?

Thank you for making my point for me

[Nearly Sane]

Sorry. I'm wrong about atheists not setting a questions for atheists.
However the OP (Nearly Sane) and the subsequent post (Bluehillside) seek to shut down discussion IMV.

Because in the sense of questions about atheism in the sense of what it comprises of - that's all there is. There is no set of beliefs similar to Owlswing's to ask questions about.

[Robbie]

Blimey didn't you have anything better to do?

  It was very early this morning while I was drinking tea and thinking about getting up. It was an interesting read LR but I'm only posting about it because Owlswing said he didn't have much response - & he did.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Because in the sense of questions about atheism in the sense of what it comprises of - that's all there is. There is no set of beliefs similar to Owlswing's to ask questions about.

I disagree. There's naturalism, materialism, secular humanism, physicalism. get back to your hutches ism, 7 types of atheism, Reason, Logic. Atheists are being secretive as if what they do believe in is made of fine porcelain.

[Nearly Sane]

I disagree. There's naturalism, materialism, secular humanism, physicalism. get back to your hutches ism, 7 types of atheism, Reason, Logic. Atheists are being secretive as if what they do believe in is made of fine porcelain.

But those are individual atheists. It's not part of atheism. You can ask me questions but nothing I say need have any application to anyone else.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

But those are individual atheists. It's not part of atheism. You can ask me questions but nothing I say need have any application to anyone else.

This post just piles on the sense of evasion for outsiders looking into your brotherhood.

[Stranger]

I disagree. There's naturalism, materialism, secular humanism, physicalism. get back to your hutches ism, 7 types of atheism, Reason, Logic. Atheists are being secretive as if what they do believe in is made of fine porcelain.

FFS Vlad, what is it about the meaning of atheism that is confusing to you?

Atheists may or may not believe in other things, like your favourite list of -isms but none of them are a part of being an atheist. Atheists may be rational, logical, and rely on evidence, or they may not believe in gods because they read it in the tea leaves or dead aunty Jane told them in a seance.

What's so hard?

[Nearly Sane]

This post just piles on the sense of evasion for outsiders looking into your brotherhood.

I don't have any brotherhood with atheists. It's a meaningless thing for the vast majority of my time. The only thing that atheists necessarily have in common is a lack of belief in gods.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

FFS Vlad, what is it about the meaning of atheism that is confusing to you?

Atheists may or may not believe in other things, like your favourite list of -isms but none of them are a part of being an atheist. Atheists may be rational, logical, and rely on evidence, or they may not believe in gods because they read it in the tea leaves or dead aunty Jane told them in a seance.

What's so hard?

No. According to Gray there are 7 types of atheism, According to Dawkins there are 3 or 4. So who is wrong. Clue....go and look in a mirror.

[Nearly Sane]

No. According to Gray there are 7 types of atheism, According to Dawkins there are 3 or 4. So who is wrong. Clue....go and look in a mirror.

Even if either of them were right, the only common thing across such types  is a lack of belief in gods. I suspect there are as many types of atheists as there are  atheists

[Stranger]

No. According to Gray there are 7 types of atheism, According to Dawkins there are 3 or 4. So who is wrong. Clue....go and look in a mirror.

There are probably thousands of 'types of atheist' if you set out enough additional criteria and I doubt you'd have covered them all even then - unless one of the categories was "none of the above".

There is still no atheist creed - no atheist set of beliefs. Atheists are all the people who have no belief in gods. That's it.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Even if either of them were right, the only common thing across such types  is a lack of belief in gods. I suspect there are as many types of atheists as there are  atheists

I have you down as a ''back to your hutches and shut the fuck upabout world views'' camp. It seems that suits someone who wants to takes pot shots but doesn't wish to bother with returned fire.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

There are probably thousands of 'types of atheist' if you set out enough additional criteria and I doubt you'd have covered them all even then - unless one of the categories was "none of the above".

There is still no atheist creed - no atheist set of beliefs. Atheists are all the people who have no belief in gods. That's it.

Shut the fuck up then.