• Global Study Finds One in Six People Follow No Religion.
    43 replies, posted
Atheists are going to jump all over this shit claiming how much of an accomplishment this is. Congrats, 17% of people agree that fuck all happens after death and that people who believe in something optimistic are fucking stupid!
[QUOTE=zacht_180;38885732]You're actually not. Even the Catholic Church teaches that Noah's Ark, the Creation Stories, and a few other things in the Bible are suppose to be taken metaphorically. I could go into so much detail about this if I had the time or energy, maybe I'll write up a response if you really want.[/QUOTE] The Catholic Church has been far from consistent in their teachings. Also, the Catholics aren't the infallible word of god when it comes to biblical interpretations, even though they claim to be: [quote=Catechism Chapter 2 #100]The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him.[/quote] But of course, the pope claims direct communication with god. Maybe I'm just a satanic heathen, but I find any beliefs in a god that has active involvement in the world today (rather than a deistic god) to be quite ridiculous. This doesn't mean that the believers are morons. I'm more inclined to believe that they are victims who were brainwashed with misinformation and fear. I'm sorry if that sounds patronizing, but after spending years as a Christian apologist and having all my sincerely held beliefs fall apart, I can't help but hold onto some hostility towards Christianity.
[QUOTE=zacht_180;38885732]You're actually not. Even the Catholic Church teaches that Noah's Ark, the Creation Stories, and a few other things in the Bible are suppose to be taken metaphorically. I could go into so much detail about this if I had the time or energy, maybe I'll write up a response if you really want.[/QUOTE]That's only because we've come to a point where they cannot continue to perpetuate these myths as facts. Remember that at one time the Catholic Church also adamantly attested that the Earth was the center of the universe along with many other concepts that today we can definitively show are false. [QUOTE]I might not be understanding too well, but how does this make the religion irrelevant? It's not specific people, as in individuals, coming up with these interpretations. It's the religion itself, you're just choosing to agree with the interpretations that the religion sets. Now if you do individually believe something different, then yeah you could argue that following a certain religion is irrelevant to an extent.[/QUOTE]It actually is specific people, as individuals, coming up with these interpretations. For instance Martin Luther or King Henry VIII, who establish a differing set of ideals and then hand it on to others to continue their interpretations. Then it is left to the people to decide where they will go. But the very act of deciding, making that choice, shows that the religion was unnecessary. I've made it plainly clear already but I'll state it again. If you can choose what ideals to drop and what ideals to keep, or what religion has ideals that you feel best represent you, then you don't need the religion to begin with because you're making these decisions based on your own internal values. If you're a horrible homophobic individual, then you're just a horrible person with horrible views justifying through the religion you willingly chose. The very act of being able to make that determination means the religion isn't necessary for you to have your views. You hold your own views without the religion, you're just adding the religion on afterwards. [editline]18th December 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=scout1;38885614]A religion is irrelevant because it's one of many options?[/QUOTE]If you can choose between those options, then yes, the religion is irrelevant.
[QUOTE=Spot of Tea;38885909]Atheists are going to jump all over this shit claiming how much of an accomplishment this is. Congrats, 17% of people agree that fuck all happens after death and that people who believe in something optimistic are fucking stupid![/QUOTE] Way to make an incredible assumption about a huge group of people. It's not like there are any atheists who believe in reincarnation. I'm sorry that the atheists you have been exposed to on facepunch have been so mean, but don't confuse all atheists as militant atheists.
To be honest, the real reason i would be happy about any situation where theistic people start to become a minority is not becuase it feeds the massive all-consuming ego that all us atheists are supposed to have- but becuase an atheist majority wouldnt have any real harm they could do to a theistic minority- at the moment you have all these fundies and other utter nut jobs all over the world, doing horrible things to people who dont follow their chosen faiths, in some cases they endeavor tirelessly to take rights away from and opress certain groups of people, in more severe cases they tourture and kill anyone who doesnt abide by the rather outdated rules of their particular faith, all becuase they have this misguided idea theres an all powerful deity that wishes they cause such harm to others- where as in my mind, i cant think of anything athiests would do other than enforce a more secular system, where everyones religion is considered equally undeserving of effecting the lives of those who dont practice it.
[QUOTE=fulgrim;38886224]To be honest, the real reason i would be happy about any situation where theistic people start to become a minority is not becuase it feeds the massive all-consuming ego that all us atheists are supposed to have- but becuase an atheist majority wouldnt have any real harm they could do to a theistic minority- at the moment you have all these fundies and other utter nut jobs all over the world, doing horrible things to people who dont follow their chosen faiths, in some cases they endeavor tirelessly to take rights away from and opress certain groups of people, in more severe cases they tourture and kill anyone who doesnt abide by the rather outdated rules of their particular faith, all becuase they have this misguided idea theres an all powerful deity that wishes they cause such harm to others- where as in my mind, i cant think of anything athiests would do other than enforce a more secular system, where everyones religion is considered equally undeserving of effecting the lives of those who dont practice it.[/QUOTE] Any person who is willing to kill others for something as trivial as religion will just find another reason to kill people.
Maybe, but that's just conjecture. You don't know.
[QUOTE=Ltp0wer;38885933]The Catholic Church has been far from consistent in their teachings. Also, the Catholics aren't the infallible word of god when it comes to biblical interpretations, even though they claim to be[/quote] Never said they were consistent nor did I say Catholics were the infallible word of god. Oh and no you're not patronizing or anything lol. I actually agree with you. [quote="Doctor Zedacon"]Remember that at one time the Catholic Church also adamantly attested that the Earth was the center of the universe along with many other concepts that today we can definitively show are false.[/quote] Yeah, but at the time they just thought it would be a good idea to reject scientific reasoning and accuse Galileo of heresy. It was a really new concept at the time, but once they finally pulled their heads out of their asses they realized they had to comply to something that wasn't necessarily godly. That's why before the creation stories were taken literally, and once Darwin came along they again had to make changes to their beliefs because of illogical contradictions. I'd say it's just the scientific community having an impact on religion, specifically Christianity. Religions are bound to change as society changes. It's not so much, "If you can choose between this over that" as it is, "If you [i]do[/i] choose this over that." Then yes the religion is irrelevant, to that person who chose differently.
[QUOTE=zacht_180;38886655]Never said they were consistent nor did I say Catholics were the infallible word of god. Yeah, but at the time they just thought it would be a good idea to reject scientific reasoning and accuse Galileo of heresy. It was a really new concept at the time, but once they finally pulled their heads out of their asses they realized they had to comply to something that wasn't necessarily godly. That's why before the creation stories were taken literally, and once Darwin came along they again had to make changes to their beliefs because of illogical contradictions. I'd say it's just the scientific community having an impact on religion, specifically Christianity. Religions are bound to change as society changes. It's not so much, "If you can choose between this over that" as it is, "If you [i]do[/i] choose this over that." Then yes the religion is irrelevant, to that person who chose.[/QUOTE] So let me get this straight. the Catholic church, which claims to have direct communication from god, taught the creation myth as scientific fact but, because of scientific progress, had to change fundamentally how they interpret the infallible word of their god-breathed text? And this doesn't make the Catholic church seem irrelevant or misguided to you at all? You can't claim supernatural inside information and then make a human mistake discrediting you, and then go on continuing to claim supernatural info. [editline]18th December 2012[/editline] Oh, I see what you're saying. You're right that people of other denominations who don't believe in the teachings of another think that the others are irrelevant. the people who believe that all Christians, regardless of denomination, will go to heaven just makes all the different denominations seem silly.
[QUOTE=Ltp0wer;38886013]Way to make an incredible assumption about a huge group of people. It's not like there are any atheists who believe in reincarnation. I'm sorry that the atheists you have been exposed to on facepunch have been so mean, but don't confuse all atheists as militant atheists.[/QUOTE] Doesn't believing in reincarnation defeat the purpose of Atheism?
[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;38885989] If you can choose between those options, then yes, the religion is irrelevant.[/QUOTE] I don't think I understand what you're trying to say
[QUOTE=Spot of Tea;38886867]Doesn't believing in reincarnation defeat the purpose of Atheism?[/QUOTE] What is the purpose of atheism?
[QUOTE=supersnail11;38886551]Any person who is willing to kill others for something as trivial as religion will just find another reason to kill people.[/QUOTE] Not if the culture they were raised in is the reason they think such horrible actions are acceptable, several places still have people put to death for violating rules in holy books.
[QUOTE=scout1;38886934]I don't think I understand what you're trying to say[/QUOTE]Then you're either not very keen on critical thinking or you've ignored everything I've said. If you can choose what religion to adhere to, then the religion was unnecessary to begin with because you're choosing it based on your own values and ideals, not basing your values and ideals on those of said religion.
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