What was the cause of "The Big Bang"?

no doubt about that.

 

Huh?

I do not.

I merely point out the flaws I see in the doctrine. Christian belief is a matter of fear, desire for immortality, and a lifetime of inculcation and pressure. I think Christians suspend their intelligence to embrace the religion, and I don't even classify that as a necessarily stupid thing to do. It's my opinion that those who need a god have one, and life is too short and too difficult not to embrace those things which gives one comfort.

Is it stupid to help yourself feel better?

At the same time, however, I feel that religion is an overall detriment to the world. Having said that, though, myself and other atheists are caught in a dilemma the Christian doesn't inhabit: while there is no doubt in the Christian mind that non-belief should be eradicated, most atheists I know wonder if a large segment of our population is not ultimately better served and better behaved with a notion of a supreme avenging guardian.

 

Your opinion is fine, but I do question your use of the word eradicated. Regardless of your intended meaning, it sounds like you think Christians would prefer non-believers be exterminated rather than allowed to exist with them on earth. While it is the goal of Christians to see the world converted, true believers know the entire world will not be converted. Eradication would be a more appropriate word when discussing radical islam, although I realize as an atheist you might not make a distinction between the two.

 

he pretty clearly said belief, not believers, should be eradicated. many of you are having difficulty making tht distinction.

incidentally, i fully concede that there are believers who are my superior in almost every way. they just happen to not be able to squash their personal fright of death, or else they canot break free of their indoctrination. that is what is so vexing.

 

Well, as I clearly stated, true believers realize that the entire world will never be converted to Christianity. Therefore the only way to eradicate non-belief would in fact be to eradicate the non-believers themselves. Thus my reference to radical islam. His statement could have been due to his lack of understanding of true Christianity and the teachings of the Bible, or an example of a non-believer stereotyping as a means of attacking Christianity, as you both often do.

 

Er...

I understand true Christianity fully, being a former Christian, myself, and having made an understanding of its doctrine and a knowledge of its history a pastime.

I didn't say non-Christian belief would be eradicated. I said that a Christian believes it should be. That attitude doesn't change merely because the goal will never be reached.

Non-belief in any proposition, not just Christianity, can be changed through conversion, so your contention that I was in implying a general Christian wish to kill nonbelievers doesn't make any sense.

 

Hmmm...

I've never heard such doubletalk and crawfishing in all my life!

Let's summarize what you just said:

You only wish to fulfill your obligation to speak to somebody else, but you don't care if they actually listen. Jesus never told you to try to TEACH the word, only that you MOUTH the word.

You should have just admitted that I never accused you of wanting to kill non-believers. Now you're digging a bigger hole.

 

You guys, both sides, might want to try arguing with this.. you might get further. :wink:

 

no way, i have silently converted many lurkers to atheism. they dont talk about it, because they dont want to seem like god hating jerks. but don't worry, i convinced them and freed them from irrationality.