Also, I do understand the purpose of religion. As I said before...... "CONTROL!!!"
You explained it in your post.

So.... As Loki said in the Avenger's. "Humans don't want to be free. They long to be controlled." Paraphrasing here.

REALLY? You clearly need to do some research.

Who is controlling who? Who exactly is in "control"? Having a law that someone can't steal your car doesn't mean you or anyone is being "controlled". It means your rights are being protected. The only person that would interpret that as being "controlled" and be resentful towards it would be the guy who really wants to steal cars.

You are misinterpreting and distorting what I said to fit a predetermined belief that you have, which you wish to defend. I said nothing about "control".

People don't want to be "controlled". They want structure. They want rules. They want order. They want leaders. They want to survive and reproduce. And "what they want" is the best means to that simple end.

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

btw, I'm laughing at you, not with you.

more lolz


:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

My genes don't like being lied to.
In the end the Morman's will prove you right. BTW. They are prepared for the next total war and as a group they are the strongest in the US.

So I'm not saying that you are incorrect in some the effects of religion in humans. Survival of the sheeple.

I am saying that a lie is a lie and controling and manipulating people for their own good via religion is a control method of the powerful.

BTW, the majority of the atheists I know are really intelligent and care about the earth, humanity and doing the right thing. They are the most ethical folks around.

Did anyone say otherwise? This is about what works best overall, as has been determined by many many eons and by every organized civilization in the history of man. The fact that your barista at Starbucks adopts puppies doesn't mean any arguments presented are invalid.

Your misunderstanding of religion could be summed up well in your inability to answer the simple questions... "who exactly is in control". Many 1000s of religions out there. Billions of followers. The answer is obvious... no one is in control. We are all free to believe as we choose, yet the majority of people on this planet believe in a higher power. Our brains are wired for it. It's built in to who we are.

Yes, it is.....
And the one group who really don't give a fuck what color you are, what sex you are, your sexual preference, etc... are atheists. (for the most part)

Hell we don't even discriminate againt religious zealots. We will do business with you no matter your belief, Islam, Christian, Jew, Hawiian Huna, etc...... We just think you are delusional idiots in that area, But we will never turn you away or not do business with you because you belive differently about the exsistance of a god.

I said control and your post was an example. In interperate your post to say you agree with being lied to and manipulated for the good of your genes living on. Contol of one form or another.

My only belief here is that I live amongst crazy ass MFers that beleive in ancient fairy tales. If the crazy MFers stop beleiving in BS and start working for a common human cause My beleif goes away.
If there weren't people who beleived in god/gods I wouln't have to disbeleive it. I long for the day when people are reasonablee.

Laws are not control of the same magnitude as religion. If I violate them there is real punishment for my crimes. (I know, what if get get away with it? right?)

A slave is a slave is a slave.

Of course, the personal attacks usually start right around this point in the conversation. (it's only a small attack but, that's worth mentioning)

I you have such religious conviction.... Why are you in the adult business? On an adult board.
Clearly you interpret your religious texts differently than others do.
I have yet bto read a text for the 3 main religions that says selling pussy and cock is OK.

I am not religious but definitely spiritual, so I guess the question is not for me, and if it was this would VERY likely not be the appropriate forum to discuss it, but I believe there are more planes of reality than what we experience and interact with physically and consciously, and that the universe we perceive with with our bodies both influences and is influenced by the others.

In the same way we are all, as parts of the universe, on a journey to unify ourselves with the other parts.

When I "pray" I am expressing and focusing my will, affirming my intentions to the universe but also opening myself to the universe's intentions at the same time so that hopefully my will and "God's" will can become one, either by casting the one vote needed to change the overall consensus or else allowing my own will to change to better serve the harmony of the universe.

Sometimes this causes amazing things to happen for me. Other times it helps me to focus my intentions and act in a way that make my goals reachable. Yet other times it enables me to deal with and understand situations and events I would have preferred to avoid.

It's entirely possible that without the concept of "God" or "prayer" nothing would happen differently and that all these things could be expressed in purely mundane and secular terms, however that's just the way it works for me.

So lets summarize your stance on religion.

1) Our team is right (atheists)
2) Their team is wrong (religious)
3) Our team is righteous and good
4) Their team is evil and wrong... and "delusional idiots" and "crazy motherfuckers"

etc etc etc....

You are starting to sound quite religious.
:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

you made it personal

here's a refresher for you


I simply stated the fact that any one would be hard-pressed to prove religion has done more harm than good.

MOreover, you're assuming I have "such religious conviction blah blah".

but keep trying, I'm getting a kick outta the lolz.

:1orglaugh

:thumbsup

You are following the playbook buy the numbers, in case you didn't know it.
Phase 2 of debating with and atheist is to tell them they seem like or are in a religion.

I have a question: Is there any religion that you know of.... that is based upon other peoples opposite beleifs? If your beleif goes away I have no need for mine. it's not a religion. A beleif certainly, a disbeleif mostly.

And yes, I think people are delusional,. (Crazy MFers) But it doesn't mean I hate them etc......
I think everybody has the right to beleive what they want. I also beleive that people have been manipulated since birth to beleive the religious bull shit. It's an unfair advantage for a really bad idea in a war of ideas. Kinda like diet coke. The marketing is so strong people drink it even though it's freaking harmful and the artificial sweetener should never have been made legal

Just sayin'

:upsidedow

its basically the same thing as crossing your fingers.

Nope... not personal. I really want you to do some research.

You can't take the good parts of religion and keep them and discard the dastardly shit religion has done.

Would you say "Hitler was a great fucking guy!!! He created the best and most powerful coutry in the world, he created roads and museums, art,, gorgeous buldings, the V2 rocket, advancements in medical science. etc......"

No you wouldn't!!! Hitler has to take ownership for all the bad shit he did. PERIOD!!!!
So does religion.

keep assuming.

not to mention this has absolutey zero to do with the fact that anyone would be hard-pressed to prove that religion has done more harm than good.

You are so completely unsure of your view you interpret my comment as one-sided.

Here, I'll state it another way, just for you:

anyone would be hard-pressed to prove religion has done more good than harm.


:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

OK, the only reason I'm even talking about this with anybody here is that I think this is the only life we have, That there is no paradise after death. (My working model)
So I think we should not destory this world in hopes of the next. Religions mostly say it's all gonna happen in the next lifein paradise. That this is just a trial run for evermore. This harms society and the earth. Why care about this world if you have another in the que? Bad ideas are "Just bad"

Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you just quote an example of two businesses that athiests WOULDN'T do business with? Or TRIED to put OUT of business?

Other than than though, I agree with your post.

I am doing research all the time, I have read more religious texts than most anybody you will ever meet. (Reading these texts completely will lead you to atheism)
I get as much history in my brain as I can. Don't forget scientific princliples.

My working model changes evey time I get more input. I am not unsure of my current position on this topic. It is the best working model I have at this time based on information available that I have been exposed to.

If a god came to me and said hey MFer you have been wrong this whole time and said "Kneel before me and pray" I would tell it to "Kneel before me and start sucking!!! You horrible fucking bastard!!!!"

You talk like you're the only one around here who has read/can read/does read.

And no, reading "these texts completely" will not lead everyone to atheism.

Which 2 things are you talking about, please. It wasn't my intention. Point it out for me.

I don't pray for rain. It it rains, it rains. If it does't, my grass still gets watered and I have plenty to drink.

I only pray for the safety and security of my own family. So far that's been working fine.

That's not true if you look at the world today. Nations that have high percentages of atheists have higher life expectancies than more religious nations.

I was pointing out how and why my viewpoints change and it is base upon input. Reading etc.... I am not saying I am smarter than any person here.
What I am saying is that I haven't been indoctinated in this resoect. So my views are worthwhile if just as a counterpoint to conventional points of view.

Never argue with a crazy person. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
I am open to the idea that I am the crazy one here, are you open to the idea you are?

Either way this is just wanking off at this point for us both.

From my reading it has become apparent to me that the ancient Israelites, the group that invented monotheism and an omnipotent creator/king of the universe, were brilliant. The development of their religion, Judaism, was much more about politics than spirituality. They were a semi-nomadic tribe in lands surrounded by powerful empires constantly at war vying for more land and resources. Their religion is what they used to bind their people to the cause of nationhood, they had nothing else. In the Torah/Bible, every other group of people in Canaan are painted as their wicked and evil enemies.

Atheists don't seem to understand or can't admit to themselves that their freedom of thought was made possible by centuries of progress and stability that Christianity brought throughout Europe and then the New World. They aren't the intellectuals they think they are today without the influence of religion and they can mock religion all they want but much of who they are and what they think comes from religion, it's in the air from the moment we're born.

We may be at a point in our development that religion is no longer necessary but we'd not have reached this stage without it.

I personally don't have a problem with FAITH. MY problem is with organized religion.

People can gain strength from faith and there's nothing wrong with that. I might see it as weak, but if it benefits them, who am I to say faith doesn't help people.

Organized religion on the other hand is little more than a tax exempt big business that takes advantage of it's forum by spewing hate towards certain groups under the guise of a belief, all the while preaching, "love your fellow man". All of THAT is based on nothing more than THAT church leaders INTERPRETATION of a book. Why will one priest say being gay is a hell bound sin, yet another will marry a gay couple with no second thought? That being said, even organized religion CAN do good things, like food drives etc.

The bottom line for ME is believe in what you want but don't ram it down my throat or judge me based on what I believe in, because I'm not judging you. And don't spew hate disguised as a "belief".

Again, I'm not the one who quoted you claiming you clearly need to do the research.

I was referring to this exchange (and earlier)...

Just like dems and republicans are not above the dirty tricks, christians AND athiests are BOTH willing to boycott businesses based on their beliefs. That last line contradicts your line "Yes, it is...".

"Grapesoda" responds to Shap:

"Why to go"? Sounds like you are the retard... :1orglaugh

Shap is a well-respected person in this business, and when you attack him, you are antagonizing potential clients.

Yet, it is okay to disparage whole religions and races as you do in your frequently racist and bigoted posts. :helpme

http://global3.memecdn.com/dont-worr..._o_2357037.jpg

As you set up the argument, you must only have clients that are white racist homophobes, since you constantly post divisive posts that alienate minorities, liberals, gay people, religions, etc. :1orglaugh

:stoned

I didn't write the line but did write yes it is. And now I see what you reffer to. chick-fli-a promotes censorship, so that's to what I was referring. (I still eat there occasionally, even though I hate censorship) Not an atheist thing for me. And duck dynasty are stupid and I don't watch it. Again not an atheist thing. But if either one of them wanted to promote my porn sites.... we're all good.

Hi Shap,

I totally understand or the need to believe in a higher power. My curiosity stems from the angle of the belief in miracles or that god has some reason to save your kid from dying in a car crash but "choosing" to take another life because he needed them now in heaven. These seem so selfish and far fetched to me.

But in the case of the example you described, is the belief driven by the fear that if they steal they will go to hell? Is that the main reason for not stealing and killing?

Mitch

That's fine. You're saying YOU'LL do business with them, that's great. But it's common knowledge that athiests DID have a problem with both institutions. So you saying athiests will do business with anyone is inaccurate. Athiests can be just as intolerant as christians about the other sides beliefs. That's what I was referring to.

I am not mocking anyone for believing in god and I didn't say that I don't either. I am just curious about the true belief in praying itself and the expected outcome.
I respect all religion and the lack thereof as well.

Yep, atheist are people and do stupid people shit too. I wasn't meaning to be absolute.

:thumbsup

The red part IS one of the biggest differences between athiests and christians.