Atheism only a recent conspiracy

Atheism is still a joke, its the reason that society is in the mess its in.

Atheism and Communism are good friends, in today's society Marxism is taught to our children daily, nothing good can come from it.

reply to post by randyvs


I feel sad for them. It's not like a "Yes that's right I believe in God and you are a fool and you beneath me"

No.

I feel......sad for them. That's why I ignore their posts or posts about them, but then I feel guilty. Sure, they will say "Oh honey don't waste your time thinking about me i'm happy"


But I do think of them I feel so bad for them. Whats in store for them Whats waiting for them.

reply to post by skepticconwatcher


Well don't worry, I am sure "we" feel the same way about "you". It's not like "I know everything and you don't!"

It's more ...

"What a waste."

we are not born believing in any deity. that simple fact alone is enough to dissolve such an inane suggestion that atheism is "conspiracy". IMO- the sun and the praise given to it at the beginning of civilization was a natural catalyst contributing to ever evolving thought and awareness, the ultimate question about our purpose, and, if we have purpose, has always been around being quietly contemplated inside each of our minds. religion progressed from there, with the human population expanding and moving over years and years, religion evolved along with it... and here we are today.

I always laugh when I read such ridiculous claims as the OP's.

Pharaoh was one guy, not his whole people. He may have spent his life preparing for the afterlife but only if we truly understand ancient Egypt. Even if he did, it was more of a tradition than a belief. Because he built his monument for the afterlife does not necessarily mean that he believed in it.

Romans and ancient Greeks: only the nobility participated in religion. Regular people were not allowed to participate or even believe in the gods. As for the nobility, here again you talk about tradition. Read about Caesar, Mark Anthony, Claudius, etc and you will soon realize these guys were atheists.

Sure, Socrates was put to death for saying there were no gods, but that was just a pretense; nobody actually believed in them. This was admitted publicly shortly after his death.

The Gauls refused to believe in gods and ridiculed anybody who did. Toutatis and Belenos were not gods. They were ETs who seeded the Earth, then went on to do so on other planets.

Religion, as we currently understand it, is a very modern concept. Less than 500 years old. Before that, religions were used to make political and military alliances; during the Roman empire, you were with Rome or against it. Simple. After it fell, Christianity and Islam became ways of forging alliances; nobody actually believed in these religions.

The Spanish inquisition took place in a small part of Spain only. Galileo was arrested by the Italian church for saying what the French and British had been saying for, at least, decades, if not centuries.

The reformed history of the world (between 1820 and now) has given the Catholic church a role it never actually had.

Once you weed this out, your realize that the religious have always been a small minority in the history of the world.

One last thing; don't confuse issues. By saying that belief in an afterlife means you are not an atheist is incredibly wrong. Atheism is believing there is no god or gods. The afterlife can have a scientific explanation that does not require any kind of deity whatsoever.

Oh, and second line, pics or it didn't happen, etc

Originally posted by FOXMULDER147
How can not believing in something be a 'conspiracy'...?

the conspiracy is promoting a disbelief in God and calling it normal.

Originally posted by Griffo
Not really a conspiracy, or am I missing something?

You could say, and I would suspect most people to agree, that as out species has progressed and matured, and as our knowledge of the universe and they way it works has increased, the more likely it is that people are atheist.

In other words, as we have become less ignorant to how things work, there is less of a need to believe in religion. We can explain a great many more things now than anyone could have done all those years ago, and as such feel less of a need to attribute it to god(s)

I would in turn argue that we are NOT becoming more progressive or mature as a species. Even as our technology explodes, we're really become far more base in our actions & behavior.

When I was in college at a very large university, a group of God-believing professors took out an ad in the school paper every year and put their names on it, by department. What I always found amazing was that the science & engineering professors were more likely to believe in God than the liberal arts professors.

So the group that knew the MOST about the universe and its inner workings - was the group MOST likely to believe in a creator.

Originally posted by ajmusicmedia
Religion, as we currently understand it, is a very modern concept. Less than 500 years old. Before that, religions were used to make political and military alliances; during the Roman empire, you were with Rome or against it. Simple. After it fell, Christianity and Islam became ways of forging alliances; nobody actually believed in these religions.

This is such ignorant & blatant revisionist history that I don't even know where to start. So I'm not going to bother.

The Council of Nicea, where tiny details of belief were hammered out by church leaders, was nearly 1700 years ago. That is only from ONE religion, one of the more recent ones. By the time Jesus was born, Buddhist missionaries had been traveling the world for over 1,000 years. Buddhism is a recent offshoot of Hinduism. Judaism is nearly as old as people.

Your post shows a profound ignorance of human history.

OPs post is false. Atheism was present in the past, and as always, it was the intelligentsia that tended to be atheist. The difference between then and now is that today, even common people in developed world are much more educated and intelligent and also widely aware that atheism is an option, thus the rise of atheism. Religion blossoms in ignorance, which was the norm in the past.

"Religion is considered by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful"

Seneca

So I would say the opposite is true - religion is an ancient conspiracy to manipulate and enslave the people.

Originally posted by visualmiscreant
reply to post by jessejamesxx

 

Although Christianity (among many other religions) has in fact been used in the way you describe, anyone who reads The New Testament will see that this is not it's intent. It's always people in power who change the message to fit their agenda, and then enforce it. They have their reward.

The Old Testament is different of course; don't confuse the two. Christians are not under that covenant, only Jews. Even Jesus taught against Moses and The Ten Commandments. I'm paraphrasing for convenience but Jesus "said" "You have heard of old Thou shalt not steal. But I say, Do not horde riches unto thyself and tempt a man to steal." The true Christian message is about loving others as oneself, and has no judgmental or controlling features in it. Even the thief who was crucified with Jesus was saved. He also has his reward.

edit on 10/27/2011 by visualmiscreant because: grammar

What does this rant about religion have to do with a lack of belief in religion.
Absolutely nothing.
Just another attempt be a religious fanatic to sound of and to denigrate people who don't believe what he/she does.
Folks - you BELIEVE in religion, Jesus, Mohammed, whoever -whatever, that is fine. But you cannot ever say you are factually right. That is the impossible problem you guys have.

Originally posted by Schkeptick

Originally posted by Griffo
Not really a conspiracy, or am I missing something?

You could say, and I would suspect most people to agree, that as out species has progressed and matured, and as our knowledge of the universe and they way it works has increased, the more likely it is that people are atheist.

In other words, as we have become less ignorant to how things work, there is less of a need to believe in religion. We can explain a great many more things now than anyone could have done all those years ago, and as such feel less of a need to attribute it to god(s)

I would in turn argue that we are NOT becoming more progressive or mature as a species. Even as our technology explodes, we're really become far more base in our actions & behavior.

When I was in college at a very large university, a group of God-believing professors took out an ad in the school paper every year and put their names on it, by department. What I always found amazing was that the science & engineering professors were more likely to believe in God than the liberal arts professors.

So the group that knew the MOST about the universe and its inner workings - was the group MOST likely to believe in a creator.

Really shows how stupid your "professors" really were.
Still only shows a BELIEF, not factual truth.

The way I see it, is your not born a Christian or Muslim, you become one. You are not born religous, you become religous. Therefore Athiesm outdates religion.

It is interesting to see how the oppresive class used religion to enslave its population. It is also interesting to see how the transition from advanced civilization to the "dark ages" occured. For example, as the Roman Empire was crumbling, the Christians in Egypt killed the Pagans. After the Christians killed the Pagans, the Pagans themselves converted to Chritianity (not that the Pagans didn't kill Christians) and the Christians next fought with their Abrahamic brothers, the Jews. After many Jews died and converted during these clashes, the clash between the Muslims and Christians occured. It is rather facinating how leaders with their own sectarian (but often secular) agendas have manipulated those enslaved to religion to kill.

In my eyes the dark ages can be attributed to numerous things. The collapse of the Roman Empire being one, but the rise of religous domination in society to be another. While, I certainly don't suggest that religous is synonomys with backwardness, I believe it is interesting to see the relation between secularism and often athiesm and the development of governmental structures, society and the economy. In fact the age of enlightenment (a great period of development and certainly a great period for humanity, which saw the birth of the modern republic, democracy, free market system and inspired both the American and French revolutions) was often propagated by athiests interested in universal values and so forth.

The rant may be rather long but I think it can be summed down to this. Religion can either be used in a positive sense as a moral compass or turn you into a slave and a drone. Unfourtanately more often then not it results in slavery to a diety. I often say religions motto should be "thou shall not kill unless they are different".

Another thing I find is the idea of religion as a moral compass. I think it is all good, however your a dummy if you need a master to tell you murder, rape and slavery is wrong.

reply to post by randyvs


If an individuals religion is what they believe then I see atheism as just another religion.

i.e an atheist believes there is no such thing as deities therefore this is his/her religion, atheism.

Originally posted by randomname

Originally posted by FOXMULDER147
How can not believing in something be a 'conspiracy'...?

the conspiracy is promoting a disbelief in God and calling it normal.

When it isn't.

It seems atheists just want to ignore what the PTB are doing to our world, thru propaganda
in the media, entertainment, and education and it's even showing up and exposing the false religions, for what they truly are. If you see with moral eyes. This is how they refuse to see the possibility that they are being fed the
worst of lies.

Nurv47

Sorry, but just because something is new doesn't make it wrong or a conspiracy. The world was once thought to be flat, yet that is obviously false as was revealed with the advent of human advancement.

No the world wasn't once thought to be flat. Someone has told you this and you believe it.

If you told someone a few hundred years ago that if you stuck a plain piece of bread in a box for a minute or two, that it would become "toasted" they would call you a witch. That doesn't make toasters a conspiracy.

People were being told the earth was flat, i believe to keep them from discovering America before it was time.
It's actually kind of hard for me to believe that people would think there world was flat. When every once in awhile
the full moon was rising high in the sky for all to see. The other planets being round, the sun etc.

Wasn't this around the same time they were buiding the pyramids but didn't have the wheel but they did have chariots?

Please, the earth was flat ? I wouldn't be able to believe that no matter what age I lived.

Reply to post by randyvs

Well seeing as most people who believe in the powers that be seem to think religion is a tool I did before I became an atheist. I would say if anything atheists are ahead of the curve. We, for the most part, judge issues on their basis. Not based off some archaic belief system.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Originally posted by randyvs
reply to post by xxsomexpersonxx

 

People who believe in God don't try to commit genocide.

No matter what they claim.

Back on topic please.

edit on 27-10-2011 by randyvs because: (no reason given)

You haven't read much of the bible have you?

Hitler believed in god and he committed genocide.

Are you like this in real life or just when your behind a monitor and keyboard?

Stalin did not kill millions of people as a result of his atheism. That is one of the most specious arguments against atheism out there. It is also one of the most intellectually dishonest.
The problem with Stalin and his regime is that it was remarkably similar to religion. It was not atheism that caused Stalin to murder people it was dogma and his cult of personality.

No one has ever committed genocide in the name of atheism or reason. However, people have killed millions in the name of religion and their particular god.

Disbelief alone says nothing about the moral character of a person.

Originally posted by CrimsonMoon
reply to post by randyvs

 

If an individuals religion is what they believe then I see atheism as just another religion.

i.e an atheist believes there is no such thing as deities therefore this is his/her religion, atheism.

A disbelief in god is not a religion. You will have an extremely hard time defending that assertion.

You could say that humanism is a religion but a simple disbelief in god is just that, a simple disbelief in god.

Atheism is no more a religion than not collecting stamps is a hobby.

Originally posted by Schkeptick

Originally posted by Griffo
Not really a conspiracy, or am I missing something?

You could say, and I would suspect most people to agree, that as out species has progressed and matured, and as our knowledge of the universe and they way it works has increased, the more likely it is that people are atheist.

In other words, as we have become less ignorant to how things work, there is less of a need to believe in religion. We can explain a great many more things now than anyone could have done all those years ago, and as such feel less of a need to attribute it to god(s)

I would in turn argue that we are NOT becoming more progressive or mature as a species. Even as our technology explodes, we're really become far more base in our actions & behavior.

When I was in college at a very large university, a group of God-believing professors took out an ad in the school paper every year and put their names on it, by department. What I always found amazing was that the science & engineering professors were more likely to believe in God than the liberal arts professors.

So the group that knew the MOST about the universe and its inner workings - was the group MOST likely to believe in a creator.

Well you went to an odd university.

93% of the scientists in the National Academy of Science are atheist. There is a very obvious correlation between a persons level of education in the sciences and their disbelief in god.

That is besides the point though because basically what you just did is appeal to authority.

It doesn't matter if every scientist in the world believed in god, if they can't logically defend that position or present evidence to justify that belief than it is still nothing more than mere belief.

reply to post by xxsomexpersonxx

You're the OP, you're the boss. However, if you're making false claims, they'll be corrected. And more importantly, it is on topic to say that atheism isn't the source of any genocides, because you're using that in the angle of trying to say it's a conspiracy(though I've still yet to see how the word conspiracy applies).

k out of the gate I'm not the boss no how no way. The Mods own us all. Secondly the request wasn't addressed to you only. Was it?

Commit Genocide, even kill babies and innocent animals. The Biblical God's Commands. If this story were assumed true, Saul would be one example that I'd find it very hard for you to deny.

Deut 12:31
"You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

This really is nothing that can be brought against what I stated partner. This is an example of what I call the Creator creation relation. I know if I create something and it displeases me I have every right to destroy it and start over. To God I imagine that's just how it is. Of course Gods people will follow what he says. Christians
who are trying to follow Christ ? Genocide ?

Absurd.