There are 300 FEWER ATHEISTS today than there were yesterday.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

1. You wrote "All atheists should convert to being agnostic, as they are a paradox". I'm still not seeing any paradox. Nor the grammatical structure of that sentence, but that's another matter.

2. An atheist is - literally - one without theology. Without religion. One can entertain concepts of a greater power while being firmly irreligious and subscribing to no form of organized religion, and hence an atheist. That's me, by the way.

3. Scientifically there is always a possibility that monkeys will type the Complete Works of Shakespeare. But that isn't a topic that merits much consideration. All you've stated is that inductive logic can't prove a thing true or false. So what. If that were the standard for science we'd be in heap big trouble.

I think I can judge for myself what possibilities I should realistically remain open to, and which I can safely say are outside the realm of my needing to entertain. I don't tell you what to believe in or what to call yourself, and don't particularly feel I need anyone to tell me whether I can be an atheist or not.

Ok a better way to write would have been "All atheists should convert to Agnosticism, as the nature of Atheism based on the scientific method is paradoxical." But I understand not all atheists reject the idea of a higher being from a scientific perspective.

Also webster defines Atheist as: one who believes that there is no deity.

Um no.

I created my own religion. In short, I am your God. You must obey me and worship me. Should you remain open to the possibility that this is true?

Theoretically yes.

Edited November 1, 2011 by Sousuke

[mawilson 2,133]

Also webster defines Atheist as: one who believes that there is no deity.

What's a deity anyway? It's such an anthropocentric concept - it does not exist outside of human belief systems.

[Captain Oates 911]

What's a deity anyway? It's such an anthropocentric concept - it does not exist outside of human belief systems.

My car believes in deities - at least I believe she does and in the world of the religious, no beliefs are so crazy that they can be mocked

The cat has been neutered but I am trying to make her pregnant by pointing my finger at her and wishing it.

Worked with hairy Mary.

If she doesn't have kittens, would that prove I am not god or that she is not Mary ?

ps I cant levitate her either

[Misha & Ira 113]

Religiosity is inverse proportion to education and income - look anywhere in the world and see that correlation

Really? Oddly...my study of engineering, chemistry and physics actually deepened my faith. The one thing I learned in all my years of school is how little one person can actually know.

I think it is the height of human arrogance to sit on our little planet and proclaim with such certainty that we 'know' there is no God.

LI goes on and on about 'science'. Show me scientific proof that there is no God.

Religious people have not cornered the market on foolishness...

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Rereading Scandal's posts, there is also a subtle difference between not believing and denying.

[웃 910]

I think it is the height of human arrogance to sit on our little planet and proclaim with such certainty that we 'know' there is no God.

LI goes on and on about 'science'. Show me scientific proof that there is no God.

It's not my job to prove God doesn't exist. That is a job for the people that believe in the fairy tales and myths.

If you wanted to place the entire universe into a time period of 1 year, starting with current scientific consensus (14 billion years ago).

Then you get each day of the year equaling 38,356,164.4 years.

If you break it down you get 1,598,173.52 years each hour!

Further down you get 26,636.2253 years each minute.

And 443.937088 years each second!

Take it a step further.

1/14th of a second = 29.5958059 years

1/15th of a second = 31.709792 years

My life thus far represents about a 14th of a second before midnight on 12/31...

Christianity is 2000 years old. It sits at December 31st and also at 11:59pm but now we are 4.50514285 seconds before midnight!

Go 1 hour forwards or backwards and go 1.6 million years forwards or backwards.

When Christianity was invented they didn't have a clue how many stars were in the sky, how big the sun was, what the sun was, what an element, a neutron, a virus, a proton, a disease, a bathtub, toilet paper, a towel (I think the bathrobe thing is a lie, I bet they roamed naked with leaves covering their privates!).

Bottom line they didn't know sh!t. They were scientifically challenged. Fast forward 1600 years and these monsters are burning you alive if you have acne because that means you are a witch.

Just look at the time line and think about it.

Primitive people create religion.

The timeline is my proof.

Now funny thing is go back to 100AD and the most radical guesses were probably that the universe was 5,000 years old. So the time line looked different, the science looked different, and so it may have made sense to believe in the fairy tales. Nowadays it doesn't.

Edited November 1, 2011 by Lord Infamous

[mawilson 2,133]

I blame the hamster in Ciudad Juarez.

[Captain Oates 911]

Really? Oddly...my study of engineering, chemistry and physics actually deepened my faith. The one thing I learned in all my years of school is how little one person can actually know. ]

I think it is the height of human arrogance to sit on our little planet and proclaim with such certainty that we 'know' there is no God.

LI goes on and on about 'science'. Show me scientific proof that there is no God.

Religious people have not cornered the market on foolishness...

The 'gullibility factor' is independent of intelligence and that is why very senior civil servants etc fall for the Nigerian scam. Also, lack of education and the embracing of superstition does go with religious belief. Every Mexican drug gang member is deeply religious.

I am certain there is no god and I am certain that storks don't bring babies and there is no santa claus. What you don't believe in Santa Claus and you have no proof he doesn't exist ?

I will remain certain rather than agnostic until someone can prove otherwise. You are trying to shake my certainty and I am trying to shake yours. You are not an agnostic and neither am I. We both believe firmly in something but a negative demonstrated with 'no evidence' trumps an assertion supported by weak evidence every time.

My belief in no god is total, as is my belief that jesus did not come to the USA. Do you believe he did ? On what evidence , and on what evidence do you dismiss that ? Mitt Romney believes it

Edited November 1, 2011 by Austin Devon

[faust-yusov 103]

Also webster defines Atheist as: one who believes that there is no deity.

Then Webster is mistaken, or merely representing the (inaccurate) majority concensus.

Consider the etymology. As "amoral" means "without morals" (rather than immoral), "atheist" means "without theism". The word, like the position, is reactionary. It asserts no belief of its own - rather it distances itself from existing philosophy.

The religious tolerance article is fairly comprehensive: http://www.religioustolerance.org/atheist4.htm

[Misha & Ira 113]

It's not my job to prove God doesn't exist. That is a job for the people that believe in the fairy tales and myths.

I figured you to say something like that. It's easy to run around mocking what you do not understand....but provide proof....know for certain....that is not so easy.

You do understand that your behaviour is no different than those you mock? Here you are in a public forum, evangelizing your non-belief, mocking those who do not agree with you mercilessly. When there are enough atheists, they will persecute the religious just a viscously as the so called religious have persecuted the atheists...

I disagree Austin, when you go and attack other's beliefs, you should be able to provide a shred of proof to back your claims. And I tell you that your absolute belief that there is no God is just as stubborn and childish as those who believe in flying spaghetti bolognese monsters. It is just the fairy tale you choose to believe.

LI, you are a big proponent of the big bang theory, yes? You want me to believe that the universe just sprang into existance spontaneously? Just because? And what was going on before the universe took it upon itself to create itself?

[mawilson 2,133]

I disagree Austin, when you go and attack other's beliefs, you should be able to provide a shred of proof to back your claims.

You're the one with the crazy claims, why should we have to prove anything?

[Misha & Ira 113]

Really? What have I claimed that was crazy?

[Misha & Ira 113]

You're the one with the crazy claims, why should we have to prove anything?

You know, this is the only position you can really take...because you cannot prove otherwise. To try and prove your position would only lead you to futility. You believe what you believe without proof...without a firm basis...without facts...

And I am the crazy one?

[mawilson 2,133]

Really? What have I claimed that was crazy?

That we should make up stories to fill in the gaps in our knowledge of the natural world and that it is the "height of human arrogance" not to do so.

Then you asked several people to prove a negative existential claim.

[mawilson 2,133]

You know, this is the only position you can really take...because you cannot prove otherwise. To try and prove your position would only lead you to futility. You believe what you believe without proof...without a firm basis...without facts...

And I am the crazy one?

Yes, you are. There is not a single fact or piece of evidence that supports the existence of any god. When there is no evidence or indication of the existence or presence of something, it is safe to assume that something does not exist. Much safer than it is to assume that it does.