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.

 

[Vdubs]

Wishful thinking? it's happening as i speak. I live in Europe where population has fallen off the cliff. I live in Bulgaria where when i first came population was around 8 million, right now about 6.5m.

Sustainability is important, this is why i have sustainable water development projects in Africa. Funny you try to teach me what i actually do for a living. Sustainability is absolutely possible if corrupt governments stop filling their pockets. I have a new project where you can desalinate water just by using sunlight, at a fraction of the cost of sea-water desalination. It's there to be done, but as i mentioned in one of my previous post, my Rwanda project didn't take off due to religion (Bible believers).

You really need to STOP having a negative outlook on life. How do you live your life thinking life sucks? Life is beautiful and live it to the full, without harming anyone...

Famine morality is literally at it's all time low.

Saying we as a race are destroying our planet does not mean life sucks.
I too enjoy many things, have never had depression, do not take meds, keep fit with multiple activities, still work 50+ hours a week because I can, not because I have to, and have an active involvement in society with many outreaches.
Might even replace our dog who died 2 years ago. Grandchildren are beautiful. Life is not miserable.
You always want to depict Christians as if we are just doing time, waiting for death and heaven.
Nowhere near reality. Reality is that we must work hard to not be too enamoured with all the trappings that life offers. Enjoy yes, but not to get addicted to materialism.

 

[Total Power]

Saying we as a race are destroying our planet does not mean life sucks.
I too enjoy many things, have never had depression, do not take meds, keep fit with multiple activities, still work 50+ hours a week because I can, not because I have to, and have an active involvement in society with many outreaches.
Might even replace our dog who died 2 years ago. Grandchildren are beautiful. Life is not miserable.
You always want to depict Christians as if we are just doing time, waiting for death and heaven.

That's the vibe i get from you. I enjoy Music, sports, travelling, farming and many other things which might be considered materialistic, but if you believe in god, for example, god has given us life in this MATERIAL world and there's nothing wrong with materialism, as long you use to make things better for others.

Materialism has given me the opportunity to help others. Howelse do you think i desalinate water for free for poor people? Do you think Albo has given me a blank cheque? i use my own money that i have earned to give back. Without me striving for it in my business, how would you think i get the capital for it to help them?

Some people lecture others about materialism but without material stuff how would you help feed others???

Lecturing someone about materialism is one thing, however real world is another thing. When you see extreme poverty in places like India and Africa, howelse are you going help without money?

It's as simple as that. Everything else is wishful thinking. Yes being greedy is not good, but then again, without greed you wouldn't have most of the things you enjoy today. We are having a conversation for 6 years despite not knowing each other on a platform (using google or apple) that is a product of greed.

Either way...the point is you are talking from an ideological pov, i am talking from a practical pov. As i said i will give everything away for the health of my family, friends and dog. This is what life is all about.

But your God doesn't want me to my love my family first...go figure.

Unchecked greed is bad, but greed is not necessarily bad, this is what they teach you in religion but this is not true. Being jealous of you loving someone (like your god) else ahead of him is also bad...but then again, i am not godly enough for that maybe.

If you really wish to learn about the practical approach and balance between materialism and spirituality, read Buddhism. I am serious, half the stuff Jesus said is copied from there.

 

[Vdubs]

That's the vibe i get from you. I enjoy Music, sports, travelling, farming and many other things which might be considered materialistic, but if you believe in god, for example, god has given us life in this MATERIAL world and there's nothing wrong with materialism, as long you use to make things better for others.

Materialism has given me the opportunity to help others. Howelse do you think i desalinate water for free for poor people? Do you think Albo has given me a blank cheque? i use my own money that i have earned to give back. Without me striving for it in my business, how would you think i get the capital for it to help them?

Some people lecture others about materialism but without material stuff how would you help feed others???

Lecturing someone about materialism is one thing, however real world is another thing. When you see extreme poverty in places like India and Africa, howelse are you going help without money?

It's as simple as that. Everything else is wishful thinking. Yes being greedy is not good, but then again, without greed you wouldn't have most of the things you enjoy today. We are having a conversation for 6 years despite not knowing each other on a platform (using google or apple) that is a product of greed.

Either way...the point is you are talking from an ideological pov, i am talking from a practical pov. As i said i will give everything away for the health of my family, friends and dog. This is what life is all about.

But your God doesn't want me to my love my family first...go figure.

Unchecked greed is bad, but greed is not necessarily bad, this is what they teach you in religion but this is not true. Being jealous of you loving someone (like your god) else ahead of him is also bad...but then again, i am not godly enough for that maybe.

If you really wish to learn about the practical approach and balance between materialism and spirituality, read Buddhism. I am serious, half the stuff Jesus said is copied from there.

I have MANY Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu mates and colleagues.
We have great discussions.
A Jewish fellow I work with weekly often says "Jesus" when he's under pressure during a procedure, as I'm sure many people around the world do, but I ask him if he wants me to pray for him in that situation, as a reminder.
I think Christianity is the most complete way to God and it totally makes sense to me, and the more I inhabit this thread, the more it is reinforced to me.

 

[Total Power]

I have MANY Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu mates and colleagues.
We have great discussions.
A Jewish fellow I work with weekly often says "Jesus" when he's under pressure during a procedure, as I'm sure many people around the world do,

I say holy shit all the time..doesn't mean my shit is holy. It's a figure of speech. Muslims say Insallah all the time, Hindus say Oh rama all the time. Most of it is figure of speech.

but I ask him if he wants me to pray for him in that situation, as a reminder.
I think Christianity is the most complete way to God and it totally makes sense to me, and the more I inhabit this thread, the more it is reinforced to me.

I disagree. Everyone believes that their religion is the right religion.

The most complete way to god is to serve people and make this world a better place. Jesus did say that, in Matthew and Mark (Paul aside). He did state you do not need to follow me, just feed the hungry and the poor.

What do you think this verse means:

“If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

and next verse goes

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

People who claim to be Christians are not Christians at all...they are Pauline Christians. If faith is the most important thing Jesus wouldn't have said the passage above. Trump is a Christian, do you think he's going to heaven just by salvation through faith alone?

This is what makes the world a shitty place.

Then came Paul and the rest is history. Hence i do not for once believe that faith is the way to salvation..this is what Bart said in the forged letters of Paul..that's what the church wants you to believe though.

I do not for once believe faith over righteousness is the correct approach. This is what Buddhism also tells us the same thing, lose your attachment over money and greed and lust, only then you can start to be free (or enlightened). Hence Paul is the 'campaigner', period. You won't like this but Jesus never appointed him as an apostle, he was a self appointed apostle.

That all that needs to be said about this subject.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

perhaps no one would risk it on purpose, but one almost started on accident in 1983

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Soviet_nuclear_false_alarm_incident#:~:text=From the accounts of CIA,on the USSR and initiated

I still think nuclear warfare is unlikely, in our lifetime atleast.

Check Eric Schlosser’s “Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety” and you’ll wonder how on earth we haven’t all been incinerated by a nuclear bomb accidentally falling out of a plane, or by someone misreading a gauge, or someone hitting the wrong button in a stressful situation.

There is an ongoing tension between nuclear weapons safety, and their ease of deployment. Authorities can impose all sorts of sensible failsafe measures, and they do, but they all add to the precious minutes it takes to launch a nuclear weapon. Not much use having the world’s most awesome weapons if they can’t be utilised almost immediately.

So there is a very natural instinct to go easy on the preventative protocols.

And every time they do, the risk of someone accidentally hitting the wrong button, or neglecting to do a last-minute check, increases, with catastrophic consequences.