Posted on 09/04/2010 6:45:07 AM PDT by Big Bureaucracy
Have you ever seen a body in a casket? Something big is missing from it. What is it? What was that life that is no longer there? What ran it? Where did it go?
The human body runs on energy. Energy cannot be destroyed. All it can do is change form. What if, when that energy is dispelled from the body, it's conscience of itself? What happens to it then? What new type of existance does it have?
Have you ever thought about it?
Atheism is a faith....in the illogical!
So what can we call people who benefit from the work of others without contributing-- indeed, while denigrating that very work?
But I draw the line when someone makes it personal, by suggesting that as an atheist I can't consider myself a conservative or that as an atheist I am automatically harmful to America.
There have been posters on FR who have made those assertions and yes, I do take great offense in that case.
“So what can we call people who benefit from the work of others without contributing...”
How exactly atheists benefit from the work of others without contributing? Give me an example so I can understand what you mean, please.
I should probably develop my argument a little more:^p
1. Atheism has a soteriology...you must believe that Christianity is evil to be a good person.
2. Atheism has a ethic...anything is alright as long as you deem it alright. Whatever the athiest deems wrong is wrong. The Atheist is his/her own god.
3. Atheism has a theology....it teaches that each man is his own god.
4. Atheism has a eschataology....the human race, once rid of religion, will be at peace.
5. Atheism has a epistemology....we know what we know by what we experiece. Problem is, how does the atheist prove that statement?
^p
Atheism is a fully formed religion!
Excellent statement, ExTexasRedhead. I think you would agree that there are people who call themselves atheists and still adhere to basic moral standards.
It is a disgrace to a nation when its political leaders are morally bankrupt. Clinton led the way. Just measure his behavior against the Ten Commandments, and you can see that he violated each and every commandment dealing with relationships with fellow man, and did so for all to see. Yet he was re-elected and not convicted upon impeachment, which speaks volumes as to the moral degeneracy of the American voting population as a whole.
Glad you understand how it feels. I try my best to defend conservative values. Those of us who lived through communism know how important it is. Calling each other names based on religion is such a disappointment.
citizenK said it best, above:
"Atheists benefit from the stability to society that religious organization affords. This is isn’t a Judeo-Christian thing either - ancient Greeks and Romans who were polytheists found the same benefit to organizing their religion. In the the ancient context, individuals would belong to a specific temple, which served as a support network for the other aspects of their lives - business/commerce, art and culture, politics and warfare. I saw the Rabbi makes these comments, and he was citing the fact that human beings appear to be hardwired to seek religious affiliation - it provides basic meaning to the other aspsects of life mentioned above."
“you must believe that Christianity is evil to be a good person”
This is nonsense. I respect Christianity and its traditions and ethical principles.
I just believe there is no God.
You confuse atheism with Marxism.
I’m with you BB. It kills me that Lapin, a guy up to his ass in Jack Abramoff’s influence peddling and money laundering schemes and who declared personal bankruptcy to the tune of $3,000,000, has the temerity to call others parasites. Couple that with the fact that he does so while talking to Glen Beck, the biggest charlatan of all time. That people fall for his half-baked blubbering codswallop is beyond me.
There are millions more whose views can be described simply as "I don't accept the existence of anything supernatural. I don't really care what others may believe, but as for me, the natural universe is all there is."
I'm in the latter camp.
In other words, atheists are to society and religion what biker gangs are to society and technology: they like to act like they’re outlaws and brave go-it-alone folks, but, in reality, they would shrivel and die without the support afforded by the products of society, in the bikers’ case, gasoline, alcohol, motorcycles, electricity, etc.
“A patriot without religion in my
estimation is as great a paradox as
an honest Man without the fear of God.
Is it possible that he whom no moral
obligations bind, can have any real
Good Will towards Men?
Can he be a patriot who,
by an openly vicious conduct,
is undermining the very bonds of Society?
… The Scriptures tell us “righteousness exalteth a Nation.”
Abigail Adams
I just find it creepy when somebody views people as parasites. It has association in my mind with exterminating and gives me a pause and alarm goes off.
That’s an interesting question. If the traditional Christian view is true, then all the goodness in our society is God’s doing. We sinful humans only foul it up. So in that sense, Christians and atheists are parasites alike.
How popular this ‘parasites’ view of atheists is? I’ve heard it few times this days. Is it largely spread among the people of faith? Or is the Rabbi just a fringe?
Thomas Paine
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