There are good things about religion and bad things. For example, many religious organizations help the poor and needy, which is awesome.

Bad things, they fight to keep homosexuals from having the same rights as straight people, they hinder stem cell research, they blame bad things happening in their country on the sin of everyone else (seriously, they said that Katrina happened because of the sin of the people of New Orleans), they make bogus claims and cause people to send them their money (look at Y2K, prosperity gospels, etc.).

Originally posted by johngrissom
Religion is no different from Atheism besides the belief system.

Originally posted by johngrissom
And finally, there is no proof God exists and doesn't exist but Atheists are determined to ruin life for religious people.

You are wrong. I don't want to ruin anyone's life. My life wasn't ruined when I became an atheist after being a christian for over 20 years. It's just interesting to talk about belief systems, and see what people believe and for what reasons.

Originally posted by johngrissom
So, what does all this have in common? HUMAN NATURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, I agree.

Originally posted by johngrissom
So, what exactly is wrong with religion? Nothing. Atheist for some reason find it in there destiny to ruin lives for others when in fact everyone has the will to kill someone. Doesn't matter if it is in the name of a religion or in the name of Atheism. Everyone has the power to do it.

Yeah, that's true.

Originally posted by johngrissom
Can't be forcing beliefs on anyone because Atheists do the same.
Can't be killing anyone because everyone is capable of this.
Can't be because there is no God, there is no proof there isn't one or more than one.
Can't be because of evolution, there are still monkeys.
Can't be because of the big bang theory, no one has proved there is life on other planets.

I'm not sure about the whole "forcing their beliefs" on someone thing, unless you mean like in a debate where these ideas are discussed. It's just dialogue. I don't force anyone to believe what I believe.

Yes, anyone can kill anyone.

No, you can't prove gods don't exist, I agree.

You don't understand evolution, not in the least.

What does this have to do with life on other planets?

Originally posted by johngrissom
What is wrong with having a book that reminds us to be good natured? Ten commandments and beliefs? What is wrong with all that?

I don't have a problem with people being reminded to be good-natured. I do have a problem when people use that book to justify traveling to another country and capture people to be their slaves, or to keep homosexuals from marrying, or to hinder scientific advancements, etc.

Originally posted by johngrissom
There is nothing wrong with not have beliefs in this but who is more susceptible to take money out of a cash register, become a "gangster", stab someone in the back, lie, cheat, etc...

A bad person, religious or not.

Originally posted by johngrissom
Religion encourages not to become a criminal but what is stopping an Atheist?

This is where I say, please don't stop believing in your god if that's all that is stopping you from caring for others and being good.

Originally posted by johngrissom
Where is the Atheist's book to put them on back on a good natured path, if wondered off? Speeding, disrespectful, stealing, cheating, greedy, revenge, obesity, obsessions, hurting, bullying, being the internet tough guy....is not being good natured.

We don't need a book to tell us to be good-natured. We don't need a book to keep us from being bad. There are people who DO need that, and I think you're one of them. So please, keep that book handy.

Originally posted by johngrissom
No one is forcing a religious individual to following every rule in their religious book. Hell, 60% of Mormons dont even follow there rules.

No one is forcing anyone to not believe either. We all have different opinions on things, and we discuss them. It's nice to be able to do that.

Never fails, does It, to get folk fighting one another?? There is nothing wrong with Religion per se. It is but the minds of men that make It into a deal worth fighting/dying/killing for... Jesus, Bob Marley, John Lennon, Ghandi and Mother Theresa all strove with one purpose in this sickened and sickening World..
TO BRING PEACE AND LOVE...
NOW if all folk of religious bent did the same we wouldn't need to have this endless discussion, would we? Hmmmm???

After reading every page of this thread I feel thoroughly schizophrenic. I agree with the person who said it's like a car wreck, you can't look away. It was a lot like:

"Hey, what's wrong with dictatorships?"

"Well, I don't like dictatorships because one person should not get to decide the fate of everyone else."

"But, Snapple!"

The OP is either a non-native English speaker, very young, or a troll. I'm going with B or C.

Originally posted by OccamAssassin
Really?

Can you show me an Atheist that has started a religious war?

Although I don't know about starting one per se; "Stalin followed the position adopted by Lenin that religion was an opiate that needed to be removed in order to construct the ideal communist society. His government promoted atheism through special atheistic education in schools, anti-religious propaganda, the antireligious work of public institutions (Society of the Godless), discriminatory laws, and a terror campaign against religious believers. By the late 1930s it had become dangerous to be publicly associated with religion."

...many churches had been leveled, and tens of thousands of priests, monks and nuns were persecuted and killed. Over 100,000 were shot during the purges of 1937–1938.


Stalin was probably one of the most evil men to have lived; and he was atheist. So to say that atheist have their hands clean of war, or atrocities is nonsense. I'm not religious but I had to point that out.

OP just wants to argue, this thread is pointless.

OP just wants to argue, it is pointless talking to him.


Double post, crappy phone!!!

Originally posted by OpenEars123
OP just wants to argue, it is pointless talking to him.


Double post, crappy phone!!!

edit on 19/11/12 by OpenEars123 because: (no reason given)

Don't blame the phone, it was all you man! All you!