Why Do Atheists Return to Theism?

by B_Deserter 145 Replies latest jw friends

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  cognizant dissident

  Back to my original point, on the "inherent need" of man to believe in God, I will demonstrate the fallacy of that statement using only FHN's acceptable list of sources, "Wikipedia" quoting from the "EuroStat poll", that FHN herself provided! Please keep in mind that Wikipedia did not state whether the author of this article was atheist or Christian (probably because it is IRRELEVANT!)

  According to the most recent relevant EurostatEurobarometer poll, in 2005, 52% of European Union citizens responded that "they believe there is a God",whereas 27% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 18% that "they do not believe there is a spirit, God, nor life force". Results were widely varied between different countries, with 95% of Maltese respondents stating that they believe in God, on the one end, and only 16% of Estonians stating the same on the other. [10] Several studies have found Sweden to be one of the most secular countries in the world. According to Davie (1999), 80% of Swedes do not believe in God. [11] In the Eurostat survey, 23% of Swedish citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", whereas 53% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 23% that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force". This, according to the survey, would make Swedes the third least religious people in the 25-member European Union, after Estonia and the Czech Republic. In 2001, the Czech Statistical Office provided census information on the ten million people in the Czech Republic. 59% had no religion, 32.2% were religious, and 8.8% did not answer. [12]

  So according, to FHN's "source" 48% of Europeans do not believe there is a god. I guess they are all genetic mutants who are missing the gene responsible for the "inherent need" for God! Poor, silly, mutant Europeans.

  I think this particular genetic mutation is caused by living in a liberal environment where human rights are guaranteed by law and many children are allowed to grow up believeing what they want to believe without fear of repercussion by society.

  Cog
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  MsMcDucket

  Voodoo and Christianity are the same. They're both based on the belief in magical beings/creatures.
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  Mariusuk.

  Except that for some strange reason christians only stick the pins in the hands and feet of their dolls
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  FlyingHighNow

  So according, to FHN's "source" 48% of Europeans do not believe there is a god. I guess they are all genetic mutants who are missing the gene responsible for the "inherent need" for God! Poor, silly, mutant Europeans.

  I provided you with sources varying rates of non belief around the world including Europe. Obviously the rates depend on the poll taker or author. I gave you sources that also show the rate much lower. Please post those as well.

  Ms. McDucket. My point was that a poster called certain people not-humans- yet. And I made a valid point that people in the past have called Africans AND Native American savages. Some were slave traders and some just wanted to take land from the Native Americans. Please read my post again. The Africans and the Native Americans were most certain fully human. And the poster brought this up in the first place becaus I sited the Bush people in southen Africa who were completely isolated from other peoples and modern man, yet had a form of worship. His implication was that such peoples cannot be considered fully human, which is ridiculous and insulting. I am pointing out that his argument is not new.
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  FlyingHighNow

  Except that for some strange reason christians only stick the pins in the hands and feet of their dolls

  This is very true. Thank you for the laugh.
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  Mariusuk.

  Fickleness and shallowness are really underrated qualities these days
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  FlyingHighNow

  FHN you use circular reasoning too! "I have known of God since I was a baby." What kind of crazy statement is that? We are supposed to believe that? Just cause you said it?

  Ms. McDucket, you are quite insulting and condescending. This is why I am posting on this thread. I am rather tired of this type of attitude from those like you towards people who know there is a God. I am not saying believe. We know. Just like you know you are a woman, a human being. Now, nothing we say or do is going to convince you there is a higher power. That's fine. But you can stop with the condescending insults. That's basically what I'm trying to say.

  You're an atheist or agnostic, bully for you. Please don't come to JWD and be disrespectful to those of us who do not share your disbelief or doubts. Talk about your feelings and beliefs or disbeliefs all you want. No problem with that have I. Just please keep a level of respect. And for the record, I don't lie about knowing God as a baby. I have a lot of memories of times when I was too young to think in words and then when I could think in words my first thoughts were of God or a higher power, call him great spirit if you will. It's not important to me whether you personally believe me. My experiences are not unique to me.
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  FlyingHighNow

  The only silly circular reasoning being used here is yours, FHN. According to your reasoning, the only acceptable source of statistics on the rate of atheism would be from a couple of Christian researchers. All other statistics would be suspect.

  Absolutely not. I told you that you cannot go to sources like Billy Graham or Pat Roberson for reliable statistics on atheists obviously you did not read my post thoroughly I said that your using an athiest for your source on statistics is about as credible as someone using roberson or graham> you need unbiased sources>
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  hamilcarr

  Ms. McDucket. My point was that a poster called certain people not-humans- yet. And I made a valid point that people in the past have called Africans AND Native American savages. Some were slave traders and some just wanted to take land from the Native Americans. Please read my post again. The Africans and the Native Americans were most certain fully human. And the poster brought this up in the first place becaus I sited the Bush people in southen Africa who were completely isolated from other peoples and modern man, yet had a form of worship. His implication was that such peoples cannot be considered fully human, which is ridiculous and insulting. I am pointing out that his argument is not new.

  Have you actually read my post in context? I thought reading comprehension used to be a compulsory subject at American schools.

  I've never felt any inherent need for spirituality, so I'm still wondering what's your definition of humanity and why do you deny my humanity?
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  beksbks

  Isn't it amazing how many times we've been told how insulting/condescending etc. we are, by someone who refuses to respect our beliefs? Who has so little regard for our journey to those beliefs or our right to hold them, that she tells us smugly that we will eventually grow out of them? Then when we try to explain sincerely where we stand, we are told again, that most of us are actually just playing at this, and will one day change our minds. If we let this disrespect and condescencion bother us to the point of responding in kind, we are told not to come to JWD and be insulting and condescending.