After a Lifetime Wasted on Atheism - He Finally Gets It

by Perry 78 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Caedes

  So why do they feel the need to condemn all those that hold religious views?

  I'm not sure I've ever condemned all those that hold religious views, but I will try to answer anyway. The problem is that religious views hold too much sway in society and government. I want everyone to be free to hold whatever religious views they like and the only limit on the practice of those views being where it conflicts with the rights of others.

  As far as I am concerned this view protects religious practice since protecting people from having other people's religious views imposed on them works as much to protect minority religions as it does the secular population.
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  brotherdan

  There is no question but that the Muslim religion has not only slowed, but practically frozen, the progress of women in the middle east in places where they are in total power.

  Agreed. But has anyone read "Guns, germs, and steel" by Jared Diamond? He shows what makes a culture progress and not progress. Religion is not usually the issue. Race is NEVER the issue. But environment usually is.
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  Caedes

  He rose from the dead and we have proof, not hearsay

  Oh, good grief, fundies do say the funniest things. Proof?! LOL

  I'm still of the opinion that the bird is the brains of the outfit in Perry's case.
• 

  PSacramento

  I don't think the problem is that religious views hold sway, it is WHICH religious views hold sway.

  Most people tend to be aginst fundamentalists, but is there a group more fundi than the Amish? and does anyone have issues with them? find them dangerous or threatening?

  Nope.

  I doubt that anyone has issues with the religious views of Love, compassion, tolerance and equality for all, that all are equal under God, the we should take care of those that need our help and that we should love one another was we want to be loved.
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  james_woods

  As far as I am concerned this view protects religious practice since protecting people from having other people's religious views imposed on them works as much to protect minority religions as it does the secular population.

  An excellent point. And, it should be noted that a truly unbiased secular government would not try to force atheism on people as some communist regimes have attempted in the past, either.
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  OnTheWayOut

  Taking the Bible literally:

  Caption: "God, I screwed all these animals like you asked. It just isn't satisfying. Could you make something like a softer 'man' ? And those breasts that give milk on the other mammals, that would be nice."
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  SweetBabyCheezits

  Psac, you are a unique bird. I mean that in a good way.

  From the non-theist perspective, I hate hearing ad hominem attacks from atheists.... comments that attack Flew - or anyone who changes their viewpoint from atheism - to suggest he was a sellout or not a TRUE atheist, etc. That's judgmental. Or maybe prejudice is a better word.

  This is yet another reason why I detest labels like "atheist". Seems to me there's an enormous diversity of thinking among non-theists. Same can be said for Christians: look at the differences between Psac and Perry.

  I admire individuals who practice intellectual integrity and allow themselves the opportunity to change their minds instead of stubbornly clinging to ideas they can no longer rectify. Besides, to me, atheism and deism seem to have little practical difference. The deistic god isn't a self-absorbed glory hound. How does a conversion to deism change a person's daily affairs? That's just my perspective.

  BTW, Perry, did you send out apologies to all of the householders you spoke to as a JW?
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  brotherdan

  Where's his beard? How did he get so clean shaven?!?
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  thetrueone

  Oh wow, Perry takes the comments from one old man suffering most likely from dementia who states that

  biological life in all of its complexities proves that the source of this complexity is a creating spiritual deity.

  How lame and exploitive to support an argument.

  Scientific evaluation based on evidence doesn't have all the answers to the questions of the formation of biological life

  but thats a position of personal integrity and intellectual ingenious honesty, something quite void and disregarded with people like Perry.
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  PSacramento

  SBC,

  Thanks for the kind words, not sure if you know this but the main issue that has kept Flew a deist as opposed to a Christian, which he thinks is a great philsophy, is the issue of a God that allows suffering and seems a bit liek a glory Hound ( to use your won words).

  I think you might like reading his stuff.