Posts by NewChapter

91

Why do Americans still dislike atheists?

by behemot in

jw
friends

by gregory paul and phil zuckerman (washington post).

long after blacks and jews have made great strides, and even as homosexuals gain respect, acceptance and new rights, there is still a group that lots of americans just dont like much: atheists.

those who dont believe in god are widely considered to be immoral, wicked and angry.

NewChapter

If they found a perfect homo sapien skeleton that predated the oldest neanderthal, I would be so FREAKING excited I would not be able to contain myself. I would hungrily read every morsel of the information, I would rewrite the narrative, I would be ecstatic that new information has been found to further explain evolution. It would be quite exciting. I would not hold onto an old understanding, not at all. That is the difference between science and religion. New information doesn't scare science it enriches it. Change is welcome and common. The entire "belief system" doesn't smash to the ground, it just grows. For those that believe in creation, any evidence to the contrary would completely tear it down. It is not exciting, but satanic.

PS, you believe in evolution so I suspect you too would do a little dance if a stunning find like that ended up in the book.

NC

91

Why do Americans still dislike atheists?

by behemot in

jw
friends

by gregory paul and phil zuckerman (washington post).

long after blacks and jews have made great strides, and even as homosexuals gain respect, acceptance and new rights, there is still a group that lots of americans just dont like much: atheists.

those who dont believe in god are widely considered to be immoral, wicked and angry.

NewChapter

Perhaps some atheists are arrogant. Perhaps I am. Perhaps some are humble and some are criminals. But does that absolve Americans from discriminating? If I know an arrogant black man, can I then dismiss all African Americans and discriminate? Atheists have a right to be arrogant. Everyone has that right. To suggest that arrogance is reason enough to discriminate isn't really thinking it all through. And as far as most people having an atheist friend, that reminds me of something. When a racist tries to prove he's not a racist he will often say "Some of my best friends are black" or whatever. So if an atheist doesn't make waves, that is just fine. But if they do---well now we have a problem. This puts us in the mind of a "token". At my church, UU cuz they accept atheists and I need community, we studied the many degrees of acceptance that reach beyond prejudice. It's a process. In the beginning, groups may accept the outsider as long as they act like the rest of the group and don't cause trouble. It is offensive to say that people don't mind atheists they mind arrogance.

Dawkins speaks his mind and has an attitude about it. Well he is probably tired of the constant testing and arguing. I think I heard here that he has decided to simply not debate creationists anymore. That is probably wise. Some people find it arrogant to claim that you are saved and the rest are going to hell, or whatever spin the belief is given. So what is arrogance then? A tone of voice? Or believing you have superior knowledge?

When African Americans started to demand their rights they were often called arrogant. Hell, even Obama got called arrogant. I guess no one likes an arrogant black man---or an arrogant atheist.

NC

91

Why do Americans still dislike atheists?

by behemot in

jw
friends

by gregory paul and phil zuckerman (washington post).

long after blacks and jews have made great strides, and even as homosexuals gain respect, acceptance and new rights, there is still a group that lots of americans just dont like much: atheists.

those who dont believe in god are widely considered to be immoral, wicked and angry.

NewChapter

Think and Think, are you familiar with Tim Minchin? A songwriter/comedian from Australia (though he lives in London now) who often sings about atheism and religion.

NC

91

Why do Americans still dislike atheists?

by behemot in

jw
friends

by gregory paul and phil zuckerman (washington post).

long after blacks and jews have made great strides, and even as homosexuals gain respect, acceptance and new rights, there is still a group that lots of americans just dont like much: atheists.

those who dont believe in god are widely considered to be immoral, wicked and angry.

NewChapter

I don't think that ALL that was written about God in the OT was wrong, some of it was indeed and we are warned about that ( Jeramiah 8).

But how do you decide WHICH parts are right and wrong? Did god not reveal himself to Moses? How about the prophets? Do you just go on what FEELS right?

IF we are made in God's image then we reflect God and the FACT that we know those things attributed to the OT God are wrong and immoral reflects that true essence of God within US, as such, believing in Jesus is more rational than believing that the OT writers got it 100% right about YHWH.

So people that existed before the NT and wanted to serve a god didn't have the same option? Were they not made in god's image as they slaughtered a race of people? Sure believing in Jesus seems more rational but is that to say all those that came before were not rational?

Jesus also mentioned how the scribes had written/copied things according to what THEY wanted them to say and not How God is.

You would have to show this to me. I've read the bible extensively and at NO TIME did Jesus disown the scriptures. On the contrary he would add authority to his teachings by saying "It is written...".

Look if you want to pick and choose what you believe and what you reject, that is fine. I'm just trying to figure out what method you use. If it feels wrong you don't believe? Or is there some process you use to test the writings to decide. It just seems that you would choose to discount all of the prophets that Jesus referenced. If they were good enough for him, why not today's Christians?

NC

91

Why do Americans still dislike atheists?

by behemot in

jw
friends

by gregory paul and phil zuckerman (washington post).

long after blacks and jews have made great strides, and even as homosexuals gain respect, acceptance and new rights, there is still a group that lots of americans just dont like much: atheists.

those who dont believe in god are widely considered to be immoral, wicked and angry.

NewChapter

As do I, newchapter. There seems, to me at least, to be a need for some Christians to divorce the OT from Christianity in order for their interpretation of Christianity to make sense.

Very true Nickolas. The problem with that is that Jesus did not divorce himself from the OT. Perhaps they need to concern themselves with Jesus' interpretation. However, if it gives them some type of peace or focus, that's okay. I'm just trying to understand on what basis they dismiss the OT when Jesus did not.

NC

77

Association: Am i being lied to?

by roxanesophia in

i don't hesitate to bring up with the girl i study with, my criticisms of the religion, and one of those is the association.

i keep reading on here that jw's don't make friends outside the cult, and this is what i used as an excuse for stepping further away from being baptized.

she tells me it's not true, and they can have what ever friends they want.

NewChapter

I guess you need to consider how much MORE time you want to invest. The pressure will only increase, and the stakes are high. Is your doubt only with the social structure or is it with the actual teachings? What holds you there?

NC

91

Why do Americans still dislike atheists?

by behemot in

jw
friends

by gregory paul and phil zuckerman (washington post).

long after blacks and jews have made great strides, and even as homosexuals gain respect, acceptance and new rights, there is still a group that lots of americans just dont like much: atheists.

those who dont believe in god are widely considered to be immoral, wicked and angry.

NewChapter

PS, this is an honest question because I don't understand. I understand how I was able to reconcile things when I believed, cognitive dissonance, but here is the part I don't understand. You've said the old testament description of god is wrong, but the new testament description is correct. What do you base your decision on? Jesus quoted extensivly from the OT, therefore in his opinion it was accurate. He never offered any corrections. He never pointed to any account and insist that it was a misrepresentation of his father. I just think he would have done that if his loving father was so slandered. Since he believed that satan was the father of the lie, I think he would have called out any lies in scripture. After all he was jealous for his father's name---reputation.

If it's because you like the message better, I totally get that. I have nothing against Jesus and his teachings sit well with me. I think that in a world surrounded by angry gods, including the Hebrew god, his message of love was noteworthy. But from everything he is recorded as saying, I conclude that he fully supported all actions of this murderous god, even though he wanted to bring about a new era. I just find it problematic.

NC

77

Association: Am i being lied to?

by roxanesophia in

i don't hesitate to bring up with the girl i study with, my criticisms of the religion, and one of those is the association.

i keep reading on here that jw's don't make friends outside the cult, and this is what i used as an excuse for stepping further away from being baptized.

she tells me it's not true, and they can have what ever friends they want.

NewChapter

That's strange that they don't invite you to social functions. They started inviting me and my husband immediately. I wonder if they are changing their view on that.

NC

91

Why do Americans still dislike atheists?

by behemot in

jw
friends

by gregory paul and phil zuckerman (washington post).

long after blacks and jews have made great strides, and even as homosexuals gain respect, acceptance and new rights, there is still a group that lots of americans just dont like much: atheists.

those who dont believe in god are widely considered to be immoral, wicked and angry.

NewChapter

Hmph. So our soldiers can fight to protect free speech and freedom of religion---they just can't exercise the rights themselves. NO, atheists feel perfectly at home here. No pressure.

NC

91

Why do Americans still dislike atheists?

by behemot in

jw
friends

by gregory paul and phil zuckerman (washington post).

long after blacks and jews have made great strides, and even as homosexuals gain respect, acceptance and new rights, there is still a group that lots of americans just dont like much: atheists.

those who dont believe in god are widely considered to be immoral, wicked and angry.

NewChapter

Yeah, American soldiers have recently complained about pressure. I don't know all the details, but I think they fill out a questionairre asking about their spiritual standing. Those that said they were atheists were "encouraged" to get spiritual counseling. Again, I don't know all the details and I don't know what policy is, but apparently the pressure is still there.

NC