Praying for rain

[luckytxn 2,264]

Better late then never.

Batten down the hatches.

[peejay 327]

Better late then never.

Batten down the hatches.

No sh*t! The wind is blowing like a sack full of queers here in Houston. Not much rain out of it so far. Just a little sprinkle as of 10PM. What a disappointment.

[Pooky 3,786]

does this indicate ... that you've had religious experiences?

In the bedroom, crying out "Oh, God ..." with the lights out doesn't count

[luckytxn 2,264]

No sh*t! The wind is blowing like a sack full of queers here in Houston. Not much rain out of it so far. Just a little sprinkle as of 10PM. What a disappointment.

Yeah but we had a pretty good soaking down here near the Boardwalk off the bay where I live. Could use more of course.

[Captain Oates 911]

Here endeth the weather forecast - we will now pass among you to lift your burdens - especially the burden of you carrying all that money in your wallet

Having just finished Chris Hitchen's book 'God is not great', I am almost ready to start a thread on theism versus anti-theism, which, given the history of discussions on the P&R forum, should last for about 4 posts before someone says "I am a christian of exactly the same faith as my ma and pa and I am a proud son of the confederacy and I own a pick up truck and a T shirt under my shirt and I have a goatee beard and baseball cap and a <insert poor country> wife and **** you you **** I would blow your ******* head off if I knew where you lived.

This is the common response of many American christians - especially the more devout and committed to the teachings of Jesus Christ

It's amazing that christians (who are suppose to be tolerant and mild) show such animosity towards atheists whereas atheists just laugh at doorstepping christians and don't get all riled up at all (even though they are supposed to be barbarians and uncontrolled by commandments). Indeed they see it as an opportunity to counter-evangelise these clean well dressed people who have vacant expressions and white smiles and walmart briefcases and who have been day and night brainwashed from the crib..

Christians should pray harder that they never come across anyone who doesn't share their improbable beliefs because they are in great danger of being caused to think about stuff.. and we know where that could lead

Roll on xmas and santa claus and a more believeable story with a nice pair of REAL socks at the end of it.

[BishopM 114]

Here endeth the weather forecast - we will now pass among you to lift your burdens - especially the burden of you carrying all that money in your wallet

Having just finished Chris Hitchen's book 'God is not great', I am almost ready to start a thread on theism versus anti-theism, which, given the history of discussions on the P&R forum, should last for about 4 posts before someone says "I am a christian of exactly the same faith as my ma and pa and I am a proud son of the confederacy and I own a pick up truck and a T shirt under my shirt and I have a goatee beard and baseball cap and a <insert poor country> wife and **** you you **** I would blow your ******* head off if I knew where you lived.

This is the common response of many American christians - especially the more devout and committed to the teachings of Jesus Christ

It's amazing that christians (who are suppose to be tolerant and mild) show such animosity towards atheists whereas atheists just laugh at doorstepping christians and don't get all riled up at all (even though they are supposed to be barbarians and uncontrolled by commandments). Indeed they see it as an opportunity to counter-evangelise these clean well dressed people who have vacant expressions and white smiles and walmart briefcases and who have been day and night brainwashed from the crib..

Christians should pray harder that they never come across anyone who doesn't share their improbable beliefs because they are in great danger of being caused to think about stuff.. and we know where that could lead

Roll on xmas and santa claus and a more believeable story with a nice pair of REAL socks at the end of it.

...awwwwwmmmaaaannn Brother Alan...don't be hatin' on me cuz my Christianity and love of God . Even LI doesn't go haterz on me !

[Captain Oates 911]

...awwwwwmmmaaaannn Brother Alan...don't be hatin' on me cuz my Christianity and love of God . Even LI doesn't go haterz on me !

I dont do hating - I am not religious remember..

Want to see hating ? Go to Afghanistan/Northern Ireland/Bosnia/Nigeria/Darfur/Chechnya/Sri Lanka/Israel/Tibet etc etc to the power one million

Religion is the number 1 source of hate and murder all over the world and has been for at least the last thousand years

What was 9/11 about if not religion ?

Of the haters you see online in the USA, I will guarantee you that the majority are christians, just as I guarantee you that the majority of Mexican drug runners are Catholic

Take religion out of the equation and what would people have to hate about ?

They would hate people in black robes who raped children. You guys need to attend to that in your own churches before you start hating people who don't agree with your beliefs

Edited September 4, 2011 by Alan the Red

[BishopM 114]

I dont do hating - I am not religious remember..

Want to see hating ? Go to Afghanistan/Northern Ireland/Bosnia/Nigeria/Darfur/Chechnya/Sri Lanka/Israel/Tibet etc etc to the power one million

Religion is the number 1 source of hate and murder all over the world and has been for at least the last thousand years

What was 9/11 about if not religion ?

Of the haters you see online in the USA, I will guarantee you that the majority are christians, just as I guarantee you that the majority of Mexican drug runners are Catholic

Take religion out of the equation and what would people have to hate about ?

They would hate people in black robes who raped children. You guys need to attend to that in your own churches before you start hating people who don't agree with your beliefs

mmmmm......o'tay, I will try to fix all that!

I don't hate anybody who doesn't agree with my beliefs.

I just pour out the blessings

Blessings - B

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

And God said in a thunderous voice to the multitudes in Texas, "Be careful what you ask for next time!"

[Captain Oates 911]

mmmmm......o'tay, I will try to fix all that!

I don't hate anybody who doesn't agree with my beliefs.

I just pour out the blessings

Blessings - B

Sounds serene

The Sri Lankan army who butchered the Tamils were serene, bamboo shoot sucking, rice bowl toting Buddhists

They kill people too, burn houses, loot etc

The good news is there are no reports of them covetting oxes - but they are vegetarian (like Hitler was), so thats not hard

Not sure about the Hari Krishna lot but they are probably plotting religious genocide right now

One thing you can say about individual atheists who have arrived at that positions by considering things - and I exlude false pseudo religions like Stalin/Kim Jing Il, Mao Tse Tung, is that they have never been known to commit genocide against groups of religious peopleor even shot a doctor in the head.

Now isn't that comforting - the only group in history with clean hands as far as burning alive, hammering to death, stoning, bodily disfigurement, genocide in general.

If you want to be gentle and kind, become an atheist because the record is clear

[BishopM 114]

Sounds serene

The Sri Lankan army who butchered the Tamils were serene, bamboo shoot sucking, rice bowl toting Buddhists

They kill people too, burn houses, loot etc

The good news is there are no reports of them covetting oxes - but they are vegetarian (like Hitler was), so thats not hard

Not sure about the Hari Krishna lot but they are probably plotting religious genocide right now

One thing you can say about individual atheists who have arrived at that positions by considering things - and I exlude false pseudo religions like Stalin/Kim Jing Il, Mao Tse Tung, is that they have never been known to commit genocide against groups of religious peopleor even shot a doctor in the head.

Now isn't that comforting - the only group in history with clean hands as far as burning alive, hammering to death, stoning, bodily disfigurement, genocide in general.

If you want to be gentle and kind, become an atheist because the record is clear

It is serene, quite blissful indeed.

Yet, historically, as you have mentioned correctly religion is full of violence. So, nothing I can argue will change that history...where is that 'yawn' emoticon?

Nevertheless, I'm hardly an historian interested (or capable!)of an intellectual debate. I'm a religious practitioner trying to perfect my 'serenity' by loving my neighbor. I'll continue to stay off your lawn and nevernevernever dare ask anyone for their beloved pocket change.

...and I'll keep pouring out the blessings...

Blessings - B

[Pooky 3,786]

One thing you can say about individual atheists who have arrived at that positions by considering things - and I exlude false pseudo religions like Stalin/Kim Jing Il, Mao Tse Tung, is that they have never been known to commit genocide against groups of religious people or even shot a doctor in the head.

Convenient that you exclude the two biggest instigators of mass murder in the 20th Century, Josef Stalin and Mao Tse Tung, as false pseudo religions. Both were Communist dictators and, as such, atheist. Communism, despite often being misinterpreted as such, is not a religion. It is an atheistic political philosophy.

So, it is fair to say, that in the last 100 years, atheists have been responsible for more death in the cause of their philosophy than organised religion has caused in the name of their God(s).

But, on a very basic level, mankind uses many excuses, politics, religion, money, land, race, etc. to kill. None of them should be considered reasonable in the age of civilisation.

[BishopM 114]

But, on a very basic level, mankind uses many excuses, politics, religion, money, land, race, etc. to kill. None of them should be considered reasonable in the age of civilisation.

+1, I was going to mention this earlier...but there really is no reason to bring it up, because that would derail Alan's intended/practiced/perfected rant

People, historically, cling to 'systems' as methods for derailment. If it is not religion, fine, mankind will find some other system to work out their greed...

Blessings

Edited September 4, 2011 by BishopM

[Captain Oates 911]

+1, I was going to mention this earlier...but there really is no reason to bring it up, because that would derail Alan's intended/practiced/perfected rant

People, historically, cling to 'systems' as methods for derailment. If it is not religion, fine, mankind will find some other system to work out their greed...

Blessings

Seeems that one man's explanation of their thinking is another man's rant. Listening to someone set out their thoughts and then describing it as a rant is demeaning and devaluing and meant to be and uses one word instead of a thought out response. It's facile.

So my explanation of my thinking is a rant but the bible, which has more obvious holes in it's wild stories than Bonny and Clyde, is not a rant ? The bible is a ranter's rant - the ultimate rant

Totalitarian regimes like kim il sung are pseudo religions. No individual atheists have banded together in the name of atheism, to murder and commit genocide. Stalin and Kim etc acted from selfish totalitarian motives to gain and hold political power and not because of some doctinaire religious ideas. They killed the religious and atheists alike - anyone who opposed their power grab, not because of their ideas on religion.

I note that my logic trail turns you off to the point where you want to just go back to your faith and not think about it

I think that applies to many people and if that is where they feel safe then OK - so long as their church doesn't try to get into politics and order my life because that is what motivated the 1st amendment - freedom from predatorial and oppressive churches - they haven't gone away and they are on the march again

If you want to do something for me and yourself and the country, then restrain your religion from trying to restrain me - because they did and they still do. There are many laws, ineffective, but still on the State books, that disqualify me from office or even giving evidence in court. If you were truly benign, you would say that these laws should go. The Christians refuse to do that. Work on your brother Christians first to restrict their church laws to their own flock, and get rid of the child abusing priests, and then you can come on all holy and pious and gentle

Until you do that, you are acquiescing in their march on the rest of us and in their abuses.

Non belief is the fastest growing position on religion in the USA. If The churches don't want retaliation one day when non believers are in the majority, (say the withdrawal of their precious tax exemption), then they should quit their offensives against the whole population now.

Edited September 5, 2011 by Alan the Red

[웃 910]

They prayed for Holy Water and got Hell Fire across the state.

A roaring wildfire raced unchecked through rain-starved farm and ranchland in Central Texas, destroying nearly 500 homes during an advance fanned in part by winds from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee. (Sept. 5)