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March 2011 Blog Posts (161)

Is the question, "is there a god?" a valid inquiry?

Is there a god?

Which one are you referring to?

Are you asking me to deny your god or a specific god, or are you asking me to deny all gods?

I'll need you to elaborate more in order for me to give you a proper answer.

Are the defined gods with all-powerful or intervening attributes impossible?

Yes they are impossible. #1 all-powerful is an impossibility you cannot be so powerful that you can't do something because of your all-powerfulness. The concept… Continue

Added by Shane Jones on March 25, 2011 at 4:00pm — 2 Comments

I just published a rather anti religous irreverant book...

In case you're interested here's a book I've co authored...

www.dicshitnary.com

I take a lot of pot shots at various religions and its a skewering of many cultures in a kind of homage to the great Diogenes.

Added by ryan cameron on March 25, 2011 at 12:52pm — No Comments

What do you think pisses off God more?

The Atheists constantly questioning his existence or the Christians constantly milking his tits for favors.

Added by Odin Zeus McGaffer on March 25, 2011 at 9:28am — 11 Comments

Natural desasters as signs of a god: the difference between rhetorically skilled priests and the general public

As we all know 2 weeks ago a disaster has hit Japan. Over 10.000 people are dead, people are fighting against a nuclear meltdown in Fukushima.

Why did all this happen? Was it a natural disaster? Was it the plan of a god? Did a god merely allow it to happen?

The problems of theodicy (bad things happening despite the supposed existence of a merciful and caring god) are old. And of course the standard answer to all is a typical "god might have a plan, we do not… Continue

Added by Tarentola Mauritanica on March 25, 2011 at 8:50am — No Comments

Vatican to the UN: homosexuality should be punishable, homophobes are the real victims of intolerance

(March 22, 2011) In a stunning development for the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, today, Colombia delivered a Joint Statement during General Debate (Agenda Item 8 – Follow-up and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action) that…

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Added by Tarentola Mauritanica on March 25, 2011 at 5:36am — 5 Comments

The online rules of debating that you should "always" refer to (you'll get the joke in a second)

Avoid the use of Never.

Avoid the use of Always.

Refrain from saying you are wrong.

You can say your idea is mistaken.

Don't disagree with obvious truths.

Attack the idea not the person.

Use many rather than most.

Avoid exaggeration.

Use some rather than many.

The use of often allows for exceptions.

The use of generally allows for exceptions.

Quote sources and numbers.

If it is just an opinion, admit it.

Do not present opinion as… Continue

Added by Shane Jones on March 24, 2011 at 6:17pm — 4 Comments

The illogical compulsory religious defense and why it sucks.

As a logical man I have always considered those who willfully choose religion but do not solicit it to be awarded a respectable status of religious faith. Any other kind of garbage like sticking up for your religion (because your belief should hardly need the re-enforcement) I find rather contentious and soliciting in nature. And I know some people try to say that "Atheists have faith in science, and in logic, and refuting religion with scientific facts is sticking up for our own beliefs."…

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Added by Shane Jones on March 24, 2011 at 3:00pm — 1 Comment

Why I searched for this site

As the title suggests I searched for an atheist site to interact with like minded people.

My mam passed away last week at the age of 58, although my family aren't religious they believe that she's up there looking down on us, for me when I saw her take her last breathe I knew that that was it, she doesn't exist no more and all that is left is her memory. I mentioned that I didn't believe in the afterlife and my auntie said that I had no soul, a soul to me is just spiritual crap, to… Continue

Added by Kelly Williams on March 24, 2011 at 1:51pm — 6 Comments

A Personal Relationship With God?

Growing up, I was never a very religious person. My family didn't go to church and no one really ever talked about God. Therefore, my journey into atheism was pretty easy and uncomplicated by prior beliefs and family blow-back. As such, I feel it is hard for me to understand what people mean as a "personal relationship" with God. I, being a rational person, always assumed this to have a figurative meaning where people didn't ACTUALLY talk to God and hear him talk back. Instead I thought of…

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Added by Greg on March 24, 2011 at 1:15pm — 7 Comments

Always Seeking the Truth

There was no single “AH HA!” moment that I discovered the truth. There was no single event that opened my eyes to the truth. Nobody came along and convinced me that the truth was real and changed my life forever. No it wasn't a single spark but a slow burning flame that started off dim and is on it's way to becoming a burning fire. No matter how I ended up discovering the truth is somewhat irrelevant. However, now that I know the truth is out there, I couldn't turn away from it if I tried. I… Continue

Added by David Lawrence on March 24, 2011 at 11:12am — No Comments

Give Me Something I Can Feel

I have cancer. I wrestled with chemotherapy for six months then stopped treatment to gather my health. I mention this to tell a story that is related to my cancer. To keep my veins from collapsing during my treatment, a doctor placed a PowerPort on a large blood vessel just under my skin to allow treatment through the port. The surgery takes about 20 minutes. Before they put me under, the doctor asked if I minded if they prayed for me. Without hesitation I said that I didn't mind. After that,… Continue

Added by Donald R Barbera on March 24, 2011 at 12:14am — 2 Comments

Growth numbers of non-religious in America

From Wikipedia:

"A 2001 survey directed by Dr. Ariela Keysar for the City University of New York indicated that, amongst the more than 100 categories of response, "no religious identification" had the greatest increase in population in both absolute and percentage terms. This category included atheists, agnostics, humanists, and others with no theistic religious beliefs or practices. Figures are up from 14.3 million in 1990 to 34.2 million in 2008, representing a proportionate… Continue

Added by Shane Jones on March 24, 2011 at 12:00am — 5 Comments

Gnosticism/Agnosticism is not mutually exclusive from Theism/Atheism

Gnosticism is not a position for or against belief in God it is a position on knowing.

People can be Agnostic Theists and Agnostic Atheists, but it is not an exclusive concept on its own.

Theism/Atheism is a position on the belief of gods existence

Gnosticism/…

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Added by Shane Jones on March 23, 2011 at 11:45pm — 3 Comments

Skepticism and self education is a never ending struggle

Reasonable faith is the great crutch that allows man to navigate this world with his broken foot. Faith I say, in the cooperative nature of man to not impose their will upon others. Unreasonable faith is the broken crutch that the closed minded man uses regardless of needing other… Continue

Added by Shane Jones on March 23, 2011 at 11:30pm — No Comments

What to say when someone asks you, "Can you convince me that there is no god?"

I can certainly try to convince you that there is no god, at least none that we currently speak of. First, attempting to redirect the burden of proof onto the skeptic is futile and intellectually dishonest. However, I can and will prove to you, through logical laws, that the defined versions of our current god and gods do not exist. Becasue, I do not need to have an understanding of everything about the entire universe here to know that square circles, and cubed balls do not…

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Added by Shane Jones on March 23, 2011 at 11:16pm — 1 Comment

The logical implications on the classical laws of thought when applied to god's definition.

An understanding of the axiomatic Laws of thought, also known as the laws of logic make it easiest for you to know whether you are talking to an open minded Theist, (I know the concept seems like an oxymoron but people do run into a few) or you are talking to a closed minded Theist. The latter is one who wishes for nothing more than for you to give them the air of public debate to validate their beliefs all while not listening to you, nor responding to any of your inquiries or counter…

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Added by Shane Jones on March 23, 2011 at 10:59pm — No Comments

Where morality really comes from and why we don't have to defend our position against Theists.

If you desire release from the discomfort of Theism and the false assertion such as the definitions of god and morality having come from him you must study and understand a few definitions and you also must study and understand a few concepts.

1st definition, Enculturation - the process by which an individual learns the traditional content of a culture and assimilates (copies) its practices and values.…

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Added by Shane Jones on March 23, 2011 at 10:30pm — 1 Comment

Oils, Dreams, Curses, and Candles

Ok, so my family is christian but they are also very supersticious. They believe in ghost and voodoo and all that crazy stuff. Well just yesterday i was talking to my sister and she was telling me about how my dead grandmother came to her in a dream to tell her that she was cursed by our step great grandmother and thats why she died. my sister went on to say that they where getting ride of all the blessed oils and candles that they had just incase they where also cursed or whatever. i didnt…

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Added by Dawanna Johnson on March 23, 2011 at 1:25pm — No Comments

Two thirds of Brits not religious?

Yesterday i wrote about the European Court's decision concerning crucifixes in classrooms.

I argued that one could interpret the judgment less "pessimistic" if one took into account that the status of religion in Europe is quite different form the one it has in countries like the US.

Today i read the BBC once more and found an interesting survey that seems to fit with the idea of a different kind of religious belief or understanding in Europe (or some parts of… Continue

Added by Tarentola Mauritanica on March 23, 2011 at 9:14am — No Comments