Christians are easily startled, but they'll soon be back. And in greater numbers 36:11

[Gethelred]

Welcome to the Ask an Atheist thread II.

Previous part:

Win Prizes - Ask an Atheist - Shoe's on the other foot now!

Alright, we're going to have a change of tack. As I'm sure you can see, the thread title has been changed to Ask an Atheist. People who have a question to ask of the atheists who populate this thread - more than the christians do - should feel free to ask questions of them. If you've still got...

www.bigfooty.com

Standard board rules apply.

 

[Roylion]

I’m not here... to convince you of anything.

Yes you are. You're here to tell us the truth of Jesus, salvation, the fact we are all sinners who need to be saved and so on.

except that we have a desire for others to be saved from themselves and their sin.

So you are here to convince us of the truth that we need to be saved from ourselves and our sin. There is no evidence to support whether that is in fact true.

But that only works when people are convicted of sin in their lives.

And you are trying to convince us that we are all sinners and need to be saved. There is absolutely no evidence that is in fact true.

I don’t know the fate of those who have no need for salvation. Maybe you’re ok.

There's no reason to suggest we won't be "ok", after we die. There is no evidence to suggest anything other than we will simply cease to exist. As each one of us did not exist before conception.

What we know is Jesus came to save us from ourselves.

You don't "know" that. You surmise that, from your readings of ancient writings by people who themselves had no evidence that what they were writing about was true. Similar to those who conceived ancient myths explaining the world's phenomena.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

I can't believe all you barbarians are not bowing down to Odin right now.

Odin's been co-opted by far-right f*ck-knuckles. Who'd want to be caught up in that shit?

Far-right extremists keep co-opting Norse symbolism – here’s why

Norse symbols and references to Valhalla repeatedly show up the manifestos of far right terrorists. An expert explains why.

theconversation.com

June 17, 2022

Payton Gendron, the suspect in the killing of ten people in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, is the latest far-right extremist to allegedly murder defenceless people in the name of white supremacy. His hate-filled manifesto is full of baffling contradictions, vile stereotypes, unhinged conspiracy theories and, predictably, Norse symbolism.

Gendron ended his manifesto with the contradictory message: “God bless you all and I hope to see you in Valhalla.” This follows the lead of the terrorist who attacked a summer camp in Utøya, Norway, who named his guns after the weapons of the Norse gods. Even more recently, the shooter who attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand bookended his manifesto with references to Norse culture.

In pre-Christian Norse belief, Valhalla is the hall where those who die heroically are taken to prepare for Ragnarök, the battle at the world’s end, under the watchful eye of the god Odin. Dying heroically, according to most Norse sources, means having fought bravely in battle. There is no mention that massacring unarmed civilians earns you a seat at the table. According to Norse tradition, Gendron is more likely destined for Náströnd (Corpse Shore): an area of the underworld reserved for cowardly murderers to wade rivers of poison until the end of the world.

Neo-Nazis have never been particularly good at reading the medieval sources they are so drawn towards. They find what they want to find in Norse myth –- violence, ruthlessness, an existential war that will lead to the rebirth of a new world -– and they read no deeper...

 

[Vindicater]

Odin's been co-opted by far-right f*ck-knuckles. Who'd want to be caught up in that shit?

That is because the Norse are a battle-based religion. They will always be co-opted by those who want to do damage.

 

[ManInTheArena]

So no photos of your exquisite “exotic” automotive collection?
No photos of your multi million dollar house?
No evidence of your $300 million dollar idea business?
No evidence of the extraordinary claims you’ve made at all?
Well, I’m shocked truth be known, I thought you’d be capable given the audacity and courageous attitude you attested to!
I suddenly feel like James Hird, mystified by my own ignorance.
Man in the arena isn’t more than a poor cover band of a group no one ever cared to listen to.
Shocked!

I offered to verify it if it would make any difference but you've been nothing but a knob so it won't. Why would I bother unless it actually means anything afterwards? You'll still go on like a fool so it's a waste of time.

"Man in the arena" is a Theodore Roosevelt speech. I wouldn't have a clue nor care if there's a band named after it as well.

 

[Leeda]

Cherish

 

[carltonchelsea]

I offered to verify it if it would make any difference but you've been nothing but a knob so it won't. Why would I bother unless it actually means anything afterwards? You'll still go on like a fool so it's a waste of time.

"Man in the arena" is a Theodore Roosevelt speech. I wouldn't have a clue nor care if there's a band named after it as well.

26+ hours and I think that all of my claims have been verified, you aren’t a CEO of a $300 million dollar company, you don’t have a lavish home nor exotic car collection.
A poor braggadocio is all you are, how embarrassing!

 

[ManInTheArena]

26+ hours and I think that all of my claims have been verified, you aren’t a CEO of a $300 million dollar company, you don’t have a lavish home nor exotic car collection.
A poor braggadocio is all you are, how embarrassing!

You got me champ.

Enjoy your workshop.

Maybe one day I can aspire to work for you.

 

[carltonchelsea]

You got me champ.

Enjoy your workshop.

Maybe one day I can aspire to work for you.

Not even one pic of your cars, pool, house, business, nothing?
Yes I do work in a rather large workshop, fabricating whatever we need to build.
Multi skilled tradesmen.
But that’s only a small portion of what I do.
Event management is multi layered, I spend most of the day on the computer or on the phone with clients and suppliers etc.
You could only hope to work in my industry knackers!
You’re most likely unemployable!
Enjoy your fantasy world!

 

[Ghost Patrol]

 

[Vdubs]

It's often been said, "Let there be light". That's what happened when God gave Jesus to mankind 2000 + years ago. The light we need to show us the way. Most people here are aware of this; just a matter of acknowledgement of sin, how it separates us from God, realising what history shows us and replying to the eternal question- is there any more to life than this...

 

[Roylion]

That's what happened when God gave Jesus to mankind 2000 + years ago.

God didn't give Jesus to mankind.

Most people here are aware of this; just a matter of acknowledgement of sin,

Sin? I make no acknowledgment of sin. There is no such thing.

how it separates us from God,

I see no reason to accept that "God".. whatever it is.. even exists.

 

[Vdubs]

God didn't give Jesus to mankind.


Sin? I make no acknowledgment of sin. There is no such thing.


I see no reason to accept that "God".. whatever it is.. even exists.

 

[Total Power]

It's often been said, "Let there be light". That's what happened when God gave Jesus to mankind 2000 + years ago. The light we need to show us the way. Most people here are aware of this; just a matter of acknowledgement of sin, how it separates us from God, realising what history shows us and replying to the eternal question- is there any more to life than this...

According to your own story sin separates us from God cause God cursed us. It's God's fault, there was no need for temper tantrums in the first place cause two babies made a mistake. Says a lot more about your deity than humans tbh

 

[Vdubs]

According to your own story sin separates us from God cause God cursed us. It's God's fault, there was no need for temper tantrums in the first place cause two babies made a mistake.

Very puerile and literal explanation.
The big picture is what counts.
God has let mankind run its own race, to its own destruction, yet he has given us the Light.

 

[Total Power]

Very puerile and literal explanation.
The big picture is what counts.
God has let mankind run its own race, to its own destruction, yet he has given us the Light.

All happening cause he 'knew' what will happen? or he didn't? when he cursed us?

Literal, gimme a friggen break. This is what Christianity preaches anyway, Jews don't believe in this rubbish

 

[Vdubs]

All happening cause he 'knew' what will happen? or he didn't? when he cursed us?

To humour you, suppose for a minute that He did, and He cursed us, and is sitting there playing games with us, like Squid Games? What are you going to do about it? Then you'd have to concede God is who He we think He is, and you are futile in your objections and criticisms.

 

[Total Power]

To humour you, suppose for a minute that He did, and He cursed us, and is sitting there playing games with us, like Squid Games? What are you going to do about it?

According to your wonderful deity befriending an atheist is a sin. Letting women speak in front of men is a sin, masturbation is a sin etc etc. Why pick and choose what 'constitutes' sin? shall we let women back in the stone ages so that we can stop sinning? Maybe that's what you want.

The answer to your question is, the concept of sin is clearly man-made as witnessed above. Society has progressed and we live in much better conditions than we did during the time of Jesus.

As Hitchens would say if i die and face God, i'd just tell him obedience over righteousness is everything that politicians would want. Christianity is basically a doctor running around cutting people's arms, and then offering bandaids and stitching if they accept that this doctor wants to forgive them if they accept that he murdered his son a few years back. Join the fanclub orelse.....

think about it: First he created sinners, and then he offers us the solution: We need God to be good, we have to pray daily, we have to study the Bible, deny ourselves any kind of pleasure, etc. But yet, despite all efforts, we're never able to overcome our sinful nature (again, how convenient, we're always dependent on him/the church).

If i live in North Korea i wouldn't follow Kim Jong Un. I am true to my conscience. You decide to live your life in guilt and consider yourself a sinner (and there waste your one and only life), i decide not to degrade myself and lower myself to a deity whose record itself is worse than humans.

Hope this answers your question.

 

[Vindicater]

I'll ask an atheist a question.

Which ancient deity/demi-god do you think was the real inspiration for Jesus?

Gilgamesh or Ra?

 

[Total Power]

I'll ask an atheist a question.

Which ancient deity/demi-god do you think was the real inspiration for Jesus?

Gilgamesh or Ra?

Gilgamesh is where the Genesis was copied from. It's a significant part of their belief system.

Most scholars, Jewish as well as non-Jewish, are of the opinion that Judaism was strongly influenced by Zoroastrianism in views relating to angelology and demonology, and probably also in the doctrine of the resurrection, as well as in eschatological ideas in general, and also that the monotheistic conception of Yhwh may have been quickened and strengthened by being opposed to the dualism or quasi-monotheism of the Persians.

ZOROASTRIANISM - JewishEncyclopedia.com

The early Christians were accused of copying Mithraism.but It's early Christian theologians who pointed the similarities, not me. They accused Mithras of copying Christianity, when Mithraism came first. It was the main religion where Paul came from. Hence there is a similarity, you can accuse Mithras of copying Christianity, but similarity clearly exists.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Very puerile and literal explanation.
The big picture is what counts.
God has let mankind run its own race, to its own destruction, yet he has given us the Light.

Why would "god" do that? Bored?

 

[Total Power]

Why would "god" do that? Bored?

I kind of thought Vdubs was describing a certain orange blumpy

 

[carltonchelsea]

Very puerile and literal explanation.
The big picture is what counts.
God has let mankind run its own race, to its own destruction, yet he has given us the Light.

And the people leading the charge are all religious, the rest of us want the world to continue, to learn, to study the universe, to exchange ideas between different peoples, ethnicities, tribes, groups, to love laugh and explore.
Religion always leads directly to as you say “destruction”.
Happy Saturnalia, Yuletide!

 

[Total Power]

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

View attachment 2187675

Well we already do that big time in Australia.

 

[Gough]

View attachment 2187675

Better off teaching spelling first.