Comment Thread for The Resurrection of Jesus - Apologiaphoenix vs Gary

[Apologiaphoenix]

*Looks through whole thread*

Nah. Don't see any real objections worthy of time today. Cornell has everything covered and I agree with Stein.

[Gary]

There are certainly a number of factors involved in the matter of increasing and declining numbers: however, the number of religious adherents actually shifting to the atheistic ideology is negligible by comparison with those who are shifting to alternative religions.

Not atheist, "non-religious". The non-religious now represent over 20% of the American population and that percentage doubled in just the last seven-ten years.

[Gary]

None doesn't mean atheism. It means "spiritual but not religious" in most cases.

I shifted to a different religion. I'm not counted by the original denomination, but I'm now counted by another.

"Non-religious" can mean "spiritual but not religious" but it also encompasses agnostics, atheists, and all those who just aren't concerned about any form of religion or belief in a god, the issue of whether there is a Creator or not just doesn't matter to them.

[Gary]

Dear Gary,

If there is no God then you are nothing but a conglomerate of pointless matter that came from stardust (as Carl Sagan puts it) and you are a cosmic accident like everyone else.

Therefore your moral opinions as just as arbitrary and meaningless as everyone else, and your subjective moral stance amounts to matter 'fizzing' one way rather than another way.

So stop pretending that you are significant to the universe, because you aren't. Your life is just as valuable to the universe as a cockroach.

You can pretend that you are 'special matter' but that is as far as it goes. Your thoughts of being special are just brain states, and are ultimately a delusion to help you survive so the mindless evolutionary process can do its thing.

The end

The typical ranting and ravings of a brainwashed cult member.

The "herd" determines morality and our "herd"---western culture----values individuals. I matter. You matter. Every person on earth matters. We don't need your ancient superstition and middle-eastern deity to be moral, kind, and compassionate.

[Cornell]

The typical ranting and ravings of a brainwashed cult member.

The "herd" determines morality and our "herd"---western culture----values individuals. I matter. You matter. Every person on earth matters. We don't need your ancient superstition and middle-eastern deity to be moral, kind, and compassionate.

So which herd determines it? The Middle East? Nordic countries? North Koreans? Americans?

Do you see the problem you have? This is what "not having a foundation to ground your moral truths" ends up looking like. All you have is your feet planted firmly in mid-air.


You say that I matter, but what if that is just the evolutionary process talking?

Try dealing what I actually say for change and stop running from the obvious problems that atheists have to constantly deal with.


Typical ranting and ravings of an ignorant atheist is too afraid to apply skepticism to his views.

[Gary]

So which herd determines it? The Middle East? Nordic countries? North Koreans? Americans?

Do you see the problem you have? This is what "not having a foundation to ground your moral truths" ends up looking like. All you have is your feet planted firmly in mid-air.


You say that I matter, but what if that is just the evolutionary process talking?

Try dealing what I actually say for change and stop running from the obvious problems that atheists have to constantly deal with.


Typical ranting and ravings of an ignorant atheist is too afraid to apply skepticism to his views.

Non-religious people do have morals. In fact, we are probably more moral than religious people because we are nice just to be nice, while you are nice to earn an extra star in your crown or to avoid a fiery pit.

Like it or not the "herd" determines the rules of acceptable behavior for the herd. Our particular herd is the United States. The moral standards of our country have changed dramatically over the years as the majority opinion of the herd has changed: Slavery, Jim Crow, Segregation, decriminalization of homosexuality, etc.

Your imaginary god has never established any absolute rules. Just look at the ancient Hebrews. In Moses time they killed a woman for not having an intact hymen on her wedding night. No one on earth follows this moral standard today. Morality changes. It always has.

[psstein]

We're going to start playing a game. Every time Gary babbles about delusion or control or brainwashing, drink.

Use a non-alcoholic beverage for this one.

[Christianbookworm]

We're going to start playing a game. Every time Gary babbles about delusion or control or brainwashing, drink.

Use a non-alcoholic beverage for this one.

Of course, then one dies from hyponatremia. And that one reason for the suffering is that God does leave us alone to make our own choices. And us adults are supposed to protect the little ones. If we fail, that's our fault. God ain't a babysitter.

[Gary]

Of course, then one dies from hyponatremia. And that one reason for the suffering is that God does leave us alone to make our own choices. And us adults are supposed to protect the little ones. If we fail, that's our fault. God ain't a babysitter.

There is no invisible security guard in the sky, folks. We are all on our own.

When I first lost my faith, it was a frightening prospect. But after a few months of not seeing the sky fall, I came to appreciate the fact that I and chance control my destiny. If I am killed in an accident it will either be due to blind chance or my own fault for not being more careful. There is no "loving" God who has determined that it is in HIS best interest to "take me home". I do not fear death. I enjoy every day of life living in the moment, not pining away for the "sweet by and by".

[tabibito]

I see he's on the "moral superiority" platform again.

Now, o crusader -

There is no invisible security guard in the sky, folks. We are all on our own.

When I first lost my faith, it was a frightening prospect. But after a few months of not seeing the sky fall, I came to appreciate the fact that I and chance control my destiny.

which is not inconsistent with Christianity in any way. Christians are far more in control of our own destiny than you in your vain philosophy can imagine.

If I am killed in an accident it will either be due to blind chance or my own fault for not being more careful.

No different from anyone else.

There is no "loving" God who has determined that it is in HIS best interest to "take me home". I do not fear death. I enjoy every day of life living in the moment, not pining away for the "sweet by and by".

And yet, here you are, whining day by day about how hard done by you were when you were a Christian. Doesn't look a whole lot like enjoying every day to me.

[Cornell]

Non-religious people do have morals. In fact, we are probably more moral than religious people because we are nice just to be nice, while you are nice to earn an extra star in your crown or to avoid a fiery pit.

Like it or not the "herd" determines the rules of acceptable behavior for the herd. Our particular herd is the United States. The moral standards of our country have changed dramatically over the years as the majority opinion of the herd has changed: Slavery, Jim Crow, Segregation, decriminalization of homosexuality, etc.

Your imaginary god has never established any absolute rules. Just look at the ancient Hebrews. In Moses time they killed a woman for not having an intact hymen on her wedding night. No one on earth follows this moral standard today. Morality changes. It always has.

It is easy to say that you have morals when "anything goes as long as the herd says so" and you just make up your own moral compass as you go along.

For instance you bring up the US, ok so I look at the US and I see a lot of gun violence, in fact we have the highest gun violence ratio in the developed world, so is this what you consider your good upstanding morals that is something to brag about?

If you are for the "herd" then you can't complain about the religious"herds" or Nazi "herds" that once ruled the land, because according to you... What the "herd" decides goes.

In ancient times there was also a "herd" moral standard that didn't include gun violence and identity theft, so according to your arbitrary moral standard what the ancient "herd" used as a moral law is ok, because it was from the "herd".

So you seem to be for a lot of crazy things and to you it is ok, because it came from the "herd"...this is sickening and you should seek mental help.

If the "herd" told you to kill rape people to get beads (like in parts of Kenya) would you do it?

The difference between me and you is the case that I don't need a "herd" to tell me that raping people for fun is wrong...apparently your sheeplike mentality needs a "herd" to tell you this.

[Apologiaphoenix]

Watching Gary is like watching a street preacher. They don't know what they're talking about, are thoroughly convinced they're authorities, and you just want to see what crazy thing they'll say next.

[Cornell]

Watching Gary is like watching a street preacher. They don't know what they're talking about, are thoroughly convinced they're authorities, and you just want to see what crazy thing they'll say next.

It is funny to watch

Apparently he needs an arbitrary, change things when it is convenient "herd" to tell him what's good and what is bad.

I guess this means that right now Gary is pro 2nd and 14th Amendment.

[Christianbookworm]

What if one was not allowed to communicate anything negative about God? If you tried to verbalize it, you'd be unable to say anything. If you tried to write or sign something, your hands would cramp up so you couldn't use them. Same thing would happen if you tried to put said negative comments on the internet. Since that doesn't happen, what does that prove?

[tabibito]

What if one was not allowed to communicate anything negative about God? If you tried to verbalize it, you'd be unable to say anything. If you tried to write or sign something, your hands would cramp up so you couldn't use them. Same thing would happen if you tried to put said negative comments on the internet. Since that doesn't happen, what does that prove?

It isn't done, so that proves there is no God.
Were it to be done - it proves that God is a nasty, autocratic tyrant who denies people the right to free speech.

Children in the market place.