Should Atheists be Skeptics?
Or maybe they have developed common sense, and decided that although we don't know everything, everything we don't know wasn't done by the tooth fairy!
A religious leader once stated that all should "question with boldness" expecially when it comes to faith. In other words we all have the right to question and test all doctrine and systems of belief. We were never meant to blindly follow people or a faith that may lead us to certain destruction. Question with boldness! That is part of the promised relationship with deity. If we question with boldness and exercise in testing what we are questioning then our personal answers will be made manifest. Even if the ending result leads one to believe that there is no God or purpose in life. They have exercised their right and have made a decision through their own agency of choice - and that's the gift that can never be denied.
LOL
That was ironic - right? I am starting to like you.
I am in France - half way through mine.
Actually - I was being semi serious in what I said. I have tried to explain to people before that making the sort of claim you are making is where I think a lot of the clash between believers and non believers is coming from.
I have tried to get a straight answer to this on numerous occasions and all I get is an argument.
This is how I see it. You believe by faith and faith alone - and I have no problem with you believing what ever you want to believe, but the very second you tell me that you have - in this case - "questioned boldly" - I think you are full of shit.
It is not possible to "question boldly" - or in other cases - tell me that "Faith is evidence," or "tested proofs" or whatever BS believers want to say they have done.
And the reason it causes a clash is this:
All the time you tell me that you have faith - I can say nothing against you. OK = you believe - fine. Not an issue.
The moment you start telling me you have evidence, or proof, or have tested or questioned - this is telling me that my tests and evidence and proof are garbage. I have found no evidence or proof or been able to test whether or not you are going to become a god on another planet after you die. Is is not possible to test for these sort of things. You cannot question them other than to see if you still believe with no answer or proof or evidence.
So - every time you tell me that you can and do - you are insulting me, my intelligence and my ability to do the same.
Does that make sense?Greetings, I am back from work. I thoroughly understand your analysis. Just remember that it goes both ways. When you, and others, say our comments are garbage it is putting to shame the testing that we have done and find pertinent in our own lives. This might be where I differ from 99% of other Christians. I try and evaluate both sides of an issue and at all times keep my temper and understanding in check. If we let our emotions run wild we negate all reason.
Based on your comments it seems that part of the conflict is in each of our definitions of testing and evidence. Some accept testing and evidence according to faith and the results in life. Others accept testing and evidence that is tangible or received by the outward senses. Both are fine and I don't have the right to slander either trains of thought nor does anyone else.
Be it known, though, you will never receive a straight answer, accomodating your desire, from someone who tests and receives by faith. Why? Because the answers are offered in a language of faith and not hard science. This, too, causes conflict. I think deep down most of us want to get along but the means of communication differ and annoy the other side.
I do want to thank you for the opportunity for this civil exchange. It is times like these that, to me, make being on the forums worth while. It is only when both sides take a breather, be calm and collected before we establish our posts and words that civility and understanding can take place. At those times what needs to happen is you would lay out your entire concerns and "bold" questions and, in effect, your case. On the other side I would lay out my case. In the end there would be understanding without the intention of conversion. Just understanding. Thanks again for this exchange. I look forward to further civility between us as we are both humans in this world living in the same time. To be anything else but civil would be mute and totally counter productive.
Thanks again! No - not really. You are using the word "tested" to mean something other than the real meaning. I call this "lying"
No - you are exactly the same as all the other kristians and are twisting the words to suit your itrrational beliefs.
No - both are not fine because I can now say - "Oh - I have tested and found that you people who believe that are utter scum and need to be killed inmmediately."
Not really. You are the one causing the conflict - 100%. I would like to bet that when we both test to see if that is boiling water and should we pour it on our heads - we use the same tests. But you expect me to throw that out the window and swallow your ridiculous beliefs without arguments and suck it up that my tests are now total garbage and I should accept your ridiculous "tests" LOL as the same. LOLOLOLOLO
My pleasure -
Sadly - all you have done is defended your right to say whatever you like and lie about it being a test. Invalidating everything I said in favor of your ludicrous beliefs. And are too ignorant to see that this will cause conflict.
So - you have lived up to expectations.
Pity you do not see how this causes conflutc. But - that does not really matter does it?
What is really inmportant is making sure that I understand you do not care about how much conflict you cause.
A real Kristian. Thanks for completely ignoring everything I said.
LOLOLOLOLO
Why am I not surprised.
.LOLOL
Dear me. Once again discarding everything I said and lying.
Why?
When I dsay I ave teste dand you habv beenfund wanting why you ar fryting me ythis wya?
WOt u dun wot van vec be why?
U hating me I no it
TOLERANCE is alkl wot I want. I sez u die then you shopuld like wot giod sed No?
Thsi is teh same wpt testing?Lik in science? No?
U riong and iyed to me.
Me uss new words an u no wuse the same - this no lyine we grtee>NO?
I tested and i sez u lye. LYE p -= esaam wurds K?
B not
TOLERANCE 4 WOT I SEZ!!!
U Lid and did - K? MY Gud
You desreve nothing but my contempt - because that is all you offer me.
But - that is OK - because you have the word of a god and do not need to validate anything you say.
My god sez you are a liar. I not sed it. My god sed it - It was tested and proven to be true.
- StormRyderposted 14 years ago
0 A healthy bit of scepticism is a good thing - especially regarding politicians and religion!
No. Not to say a good dose of skepticism is ok, but like faith can blind, I believe to much skepticism can prohibit our minds to.
Like with anything, too much of one quality is a bad thing.
I may be an atheist, but for many things, I am very open-minded, however I maintain my skepticism to a point and ALWAYS question.That could well be the understatement of the month.
No - but feel free.
I have had a few people mention my new avatar - why is that?I think your avatar has the look of James Bond
It's kind of sexy and mysterious!looks like Jack Nicholson
Nicholson is what I've been thinking as well. Kinda cool! If I had such a closeup shot my nose would prevent any hint of light from being seen.
Ah - so I should cover my face more often?
Jack Nicolson/James Bond? I should cover my face more often for sure.
@pb - yup - that is an awful lot, but I am glad you did so.Good, glad I could enlighten you a little about the way women think. Now that I know you've seen it, I can delete much of it to keep from being guilty of revealing female secrets.
No need to delete it - your secret is safe with me.
NO! Don't cover your face. I like Nicholson. He's cool!
He is a "strikingly" featured person. If that made any sense. He became one of my favorite actors ever since I first saw "The Shining" some thirty years ago or so.
Personally, I like the picture!
- sneakorocksolidposted 14 years ago0
Well quite apart from the assumptive inclusions, you base your beliefs on a book that is only matched for promoting division, hate and death by the quoran, so you could expect opposition from that.
No atheist or any other person who simply does not believe what you do, is implying that you will rot in hell are they?
I don't see a lot of new threads from atheists with headings like the ones on these religious threads do you?I can see the validity in all of this point of view, reinforced as usual by the lack of a reply. Good enough, well said.
- sneakorocksolidposted 14 years ago0
No! They should be Christians!
Hey - it is nearly 10 'o' clock here.
Ten hundred hours then.
The sword of logos cuts deep.
LOL
In all seriousness - I have been attempting over the last few weeks to explain what I think is one of the root causes of the ill feeling between the Christians and the non believers - and it runs both ways.
As you can see from goldenpath's last response - it is falling on deaf ears.
Next!!
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