bollocks
that is like saying "Christians are OK but Christians who go around promoting their faith are wankers"

Just because you are credulous enough to believe this beardy fairy bollocks is no reason I shouldn't feel smug about having a functioning brain.
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:38, archived)

'ded

(qdamik, Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:39, archived)

Because only people of your vast inteligence
Can realise that there is no God. And be absolutely, 100,000% certain of this fact, because, for Crying out loud, you've gone through further education, and the rest of these proles are dumb.
(Willboy:, Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:43, archived)

it has nothing to do with higher education.
it's called logic. take a minute or 2 to just think about the whole situation and think about it with even one iota of reasoning.
( rawr isn't really here., Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:47, archived)

oooh, a debate on religion
*grabs popcorn*
(1, Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:49, archived)

Ah yes. 2 minutes later
I have solved the greatest question ever posed to man. Thankyou for your tutorship, master. I go now in peace.
(Willboy:, Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:50, archived)

you solved the caramilk secret?

( rawr isn't really here., Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:51, archived)

the point is
it isn't the greatest question ever posed to man
it isn't even a good question
it isn't even a question that makes sense

it only becomes an interesting question if you accept that the answer is "god exists" ... if you don't accept that answer then it is about as meaningful as "what colour is the teapot that orbits mars?"
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:53, archived)

Well, it doesn't take more than two minutes or require any intelligence
to see that religious questions do not, and are not expected to, obey ordinary logic.

I appreciate that the question of whether you want to be religious entails more than this, but it should be easy to see it's a personal choice and you're not going to go to hell* if you don't take it. Then you have to ask yourself whether it's a good idea to start giving up logical thinking, and why it shouldn't apply to a certain class of question.

* the most insulting concept imaginable
( Newington, Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:54, archived)

A silly argument.
How does "You can't be certain there is no god" extrapolate to "you should follow Religion X"?

Whether there is a god or not is not the question. It's not even a question, since it's not expected by anyone to stand up to ordinary logic. That's why I reject religion.

That and that if you're not a fundamentalist, you don't really need it; you're just helping to make something socially acceptable which has resulted, when it's taken to extremes*, in unspeakable oppression and suffering all over the world throughout all human history.

*wipes off foam*

* i.e. actually practised as the holy books seem to demand
( Newington, Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:48, archived)

Ok
I get your point.

I deal with some of them on a daily basis. Of course this is my interpretation, they could be what Jung called archetypes, or theycould be hallucinations. They could also be parts of my own personality that I see as seperate individuals.

I dont say I am right, and everyone else is wrong. It's just a personal observation.

I was told by an Anglican Vicar that 'we couldn't both be right'. I agreed, but did mention that it was entirely possible we could both be wrong...

Edit - and I don't see it as a religion. It's just natural to me, is all.
( Wicca'd Witch needs ideas for a new sig on..., Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:52, archived)

I'd say "you don't harm anyone so I don't mind"
but after what I said up there, that'd be hypocrisy.
I do think you're wrong. But I do think it's absolutely fundamentally important that you're allowed to be religious (or whatever you call it) if you want.

I've also met you and, like a number of theists I know, you're not stupid, so there may well be something else I'm missing.
( Newington, Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:59, archived)

yes ... that's exactly what I said
only with all the words, the context, the subtext and every shred of meaning changed
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Wed 12 Jan 2005, 16:51, archived)