ECF Refugee Thread All welcome

[MyMagicMist]

Sounds like you are more agnostic then athiest

Eh, ... No. I rather know by way of empirical evidence than faith. This kind of runs akin to something I've concluded in living forty four years, inclusive of dying at eleven months and returning to life. We can all think what we like, opinion and thoughts are subjective. Truth is objective and Truth is known, has a universal language. is reproducible, is usually absolute and liberating. So, rather know than think. I have difficulty with blind faith. It is why I also have frustration with the existential nature of life and all the external vectors it brings which reside beyond my control and force me to accept them. You might point out having faith then could be argued as being 'easier'. Well, I do everything the hard way.

 

[The Cromwell]

I was programmed for the 1st 16 yrs of my life in church.
Forced to go to Sunday school, Sunday mid day church, Sunday night church and Wednesday Prayer meeting plus various revivals, etc.
It did not stick.

 

[Rickajho]

True.
The USA's official unofficial religion is Christianity in all it myriad of forms.

why is it though I see so many fear and hate driven christians....

Because it's still so easy to get them to dance to that song.

All religion is based on fear of something.

 

[Rickajho]

How many mosques and synagogues have been bombed, burned or vandalized just because they are Muslin or Jewish places of worship? Now how many churches have experienced the same thing just because they are Christian places of worship? Yeah, I'm not seeing this "hatred" towards Christianity.

Well except maybe for some - ummm how shall I put this? - "very non-white" Christian churches. Yeah, that's been on an up-tick for some kind of trumped-up religious reasons.

 

[USMCotaku]

Eh, ... No. I rather know by way of empirical evidence than faith. This kind of runs akin to something I've concluded in living forty four years, inclusive of dying at eleven months and returning to life. We can all think what we like, opinion and thoughts are subjective. Truth is objective and Truth is known, has a universal language. is reproducible, is usually absolute and liberating. So, rather know than think. I have difficulty with blind faith. It is why I also have frustration with the existential nature of life and all the external vectors it brings which reside beyond my control and force me to accept them. You might point out having faith then could be argued as being 'easier'. Well, I do everything the hard way.

you are still describing agnosticism

 

[The Cromwell]

All religion is based on fear of something.

A big AMEN to that brother.

 

[The Cromwell]

you are still describing agnosticism

a·the·ist
ˈāTHēəst/
noun
noun: atheist; plural noun: atheists
a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.
"he is a committed atheist"
synonyms: nonbeliever, disbeliever, unbeliever, skeptic, doubter, doubting Thomas, agnostic;
nihilist
"why is it often assumed that a man of science is probably an atheist?"

 

[USMCotaku]

https://www.thoughtco.com/atheist-vs-agnostic-whats-the-difference-248040

 

[The Cromwell]

Nice article. Someone who believes there are no gods is an atheist. Someone who believes there are no gods, but does not have the balls to say there are no gods is sn agnostic.
Interesting part on the discrimination of atheists and agnostics.
I figure there are no total reasonably minded atheists. Most would believe if confronted with irrefutable evidence of a god.

 

[USMCotaku]

I think you missed something in that article. It stems to: You believe in a god (theist), you disbelieve in a god (atheist), you aren't sure without empirical evidence (agnostic).....then it breaks down further with agnostic theist, agnostic atheist. All atheists are technically agnostic, but not all agnostics are atheists. Based on MyMagicMyst's posts, they came off more in the agnostic camp of "I'm not saying there is no god, but I won't make a decision either way without the proof"

 

[snake94115]

A bigger problem by far is the general assumption in America that christianity is the only religion there is. It ain't.

If you go by strictly the numbers of deaths caused by a religion.Then Satanism wins (Deaths Caused by Real Satanists = 0).

 

[USMCotaku]

It's all the Illuminati anyways

 

[snake94115]

Well except maybe for some - ummm how shall I put this? - "very non-white" Christian churches. Yeah, that's been on an up-tick for some kind of trumped-up religious reasons.

I doubt those church bombings had anything to do with their parishioners faith.It was more than likely just because of the color of their skin.

 

[AndriaD]

a·the·ist
ˈāTHēəst/
noun
noun: atheist; plural noun: atheists
a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.
"he is a committed atheist"
synonyms: nonbeliever, disbeliever, unbeliever, skeptic, doubter, doubting Thomas, agnostic;
nihilist
"why is it often assumed that a man of science is probably an atheist?"

I'm a skeptic myself -- "question everything" is something I learned in my particular spiritual teaching; I apply it so forcefully that when my own belief system went from calling itself a "way of life" to calling itself a religion, I was and remain quite skeptical. I *know* it's because they get tax incentives that way, so it makes sense... but it still offends me. And something which teaches "question everything" can hardly object to being questioned.

Andria

 

[snake94115]

I think you missed something in that article. It stems to: You believe in a god (theist), you disbelieve in a god (atheist), you aren't sure without empirical evidence (agnostic).....then it breaks down further with agnostic theist, agnostic atheist. All atheists are technically agnostic, but not all agnostics are atheists. Based on MyMagicMyst's posts, they came off more in the agnostic camp of "I'm not saying there is no god, but I won't make a decision either way without the proof"

OMG it seems like the donut argument is back.
(If there is no donut you really shouldn't care what flavor it is)

 

[USMCotaku]

OMG it seems like the donut argument is back.
(If there is no donut you really shouldn't care what flavor it is)

If there is a "no donut", it had better be a maple bar!

 

[AndriaD]

If there is a "no donut", it had better be a maple bar!

Or a kruller. Which are almost as bad in addictive potential as blueberry muffins.

Andria

 

[USMCotaku]

addictive qualities...I'd have to give to fresh, out of the oven Krispy Kreams glazed, or the shop in my towns apple fritters.
Damn, now I want a fritter.

 

[snake94115]

I'd have to give to fresh, out of the oven Krispy Kreams glazed

(DROOL)

 

[AndriaD]

addictive qualities...I'd have to give to fresh, out of the oven Krispy Kreams glazed, or the shop in my towns apple fritters.
Damn, now I want a fritter.

Yeah, I wish I hadn't even thought about krullers.

Andria

 

[USMCotaku]

(DROOL)

We recently had a KK open up near by....I haven't even drove by, cause I know they are the (insert illicit substance of choice) of the donut world. Word is the lines were around the block, hours long wait for the first few weeks.

 

[AndriaD]

I've never been a big fan of glazed donuts, even if they're brand spankin fresh. I like the cake donut type better, hence my fixation on krullers.

And you know those chalupa things at Taco Bell? I farkin LOVE those; the chalupa wrapper is the same type of fried pastry they make donuts out of, except that with donuts, they add sugar to it, and then put a lot of yummy stuff on the outside too.

Andria

 

[Rickajho]

@KadlyDoWrong see above! I'll get some turmeric if YOU get some wta. Deal?

You are absolutely determined to get me to go down the WTA road, aren't you my dear? But you have a deal. I'll give it a try.

@KadlyDoWrong !!!

Dear lord I'm just trying this guys stuff out and it's like having a WTA orgasm:

http://vapingunderground.com/forums/real-extract-vaping-elixirs.516/

Cuban #1 definitely gets a +10. Not cheap but there is a 20% coupon code there.

 

[MyMagicMist]

I think you missed something in that article. It stems to: You believe in a god (theist), you disbelieve in a god (atheist), you aren't sure without empirical evidence (agnostic).....then it breaks down further with agnostic theist, agnostic atheist. All atheists are technically agnostic, but not all agnostics are atheists. Based on MyMagicMyst's posts, they came off more in the agnostic camp of "I'm not saying there is no god, but I won't make a decision either way without the proof"

I decided for myself. Where I get fuzzy is for anyone else. Not my place to decide for them. I will say though empirical evidence in my opinion is valuable.

 

[SirKadly]

Well except maybe for some - ummm how shall I put this? - "very non-white" Christian churches. Yeah, that's been on an up-tick for some kind of trumped-up religious reasons.

Ahhh, but it wasn't because they were Christian churches, it was for other reasons which you already hit on.

 

[Darth Omerta]

Nice article. Someone who believes there are no gods is an atheist. Someone who believes there are no gods, but does not have the balls to say there are no gods is sn agnostic.
Interesting part on the discrimination of atheists and agnostics.
I figure there are no total reasonably minded atheists. Most would believe if confronted with irrefutable evidence of a god.

In Richard Dawkins book The God Delusion, he uses a 7 point scale to show the varying degrees of belief and non belief.

He states that while there are MANY that would fall in to the "1" category, there are almost NONE that would fall under the "7" category. I know of no atheists(myself included) who would deny the existence of a deity if faced with indisputable evidence of its existence.

If you go by strictly the numbers of deaths caused by a religion.Then Satanism wins (Deaths Caused by Real Satanists = 0).

I presume you mean Laveyan Satanism and while I could agree that no deaths have been carried out by Laveyan Satanists "in the name of satan", that does not mean that no Laveyan Satanists have committed murder.

 

[Atchafalaya]

That one always gets me - I mean, talk about a self-inflicted health hazard

And what about the drinkers? They incur all kinds of health costs in the long run

Yea I have a co-worker that's at LEAST 200 pounds overweight and when I smoked, she treated me like a sub-human.

 

[Atchafalaya]

I try to stay abreast of whats going on and from what I am seeing, the fear and hatred isnt coming from the christian religions. What I do see is a lot of fear mongering and hatred torwards christian religion and really it doesnt make sense to me.

Show me one single muslim bakery that was persecuted for refusing to make a wedding cake for a gay marriage. Just one. There is a few youtube videos where people went into muslim bakeries and asked for one and was insulted and thrown out, yet not once have they been persecuted for it. Only the christian bakers or florist. Hatred against anyone christian is starting to run rampant.

I agree 100%. And it warns about this in the bible too.

 

[Atchafalaya]

I've never been a big fan of glazed donuts, even if they're brand spankin fresh. I like the cake donut type better, hence my fixation on krullers.

And you know those chalupa things at Taco Bell? I farkin LOVE those; the chalupa wrapper is the same type of fried pastry they make donuts out of, except that with donuts, they add sugar to it, and then put a lot of yummy stuff on the outside too.

Andria

Chocolate covered donuts. MMMMMMMMMMMMM. Shipleys. MMMMMMMM

 

[The Cromwell]

I think you missed something in that article. It stems to: You believe in a god (theist), you disbelieve in a god (atheist), you aren't sure without empirical evidence (agnostic).....then it breaks down further with agnostic theist, agnostic atheist. All atheists are technically agnostic, but not all agnostics are atheists. Based on MyMagicMyst's posts, they came off more in the agnostic camp of "I'm not saying there is no god, but I won't make a decision either way without the proof"

Ahh but you must have missed other stuff in the article.
It was a good article and made to linkages to hard core Atheists and Theists. Both are closed minded.
The closed mindedness is why Theists are more down on Atheists than Agnostics.
This is why I think that many atheists are afraid to say they are an Atheist and call themselves Agnostic.

At this time I am 100% sure there is no God, however if faced in irrefutable evidence I could change my mind.
I do not expect nor am I looking for any evidence to dispute my belief though.

 

[The Cromwell]

Chocolate covered donuts. MMMMMMMMMMMMM. Shipleys. MMMMMMMM

Etenmans Chocolate covered Devils food Doughnuts.

 

[The Cromwell]

Yea I have a co-worker that's at LEAST 200 pounds overweight and when I smoked, she treated me like a sub-human.

She must have been an ex smoker?

 

[Atchafalaya]

She must have been an ex smoker?

Nope. Never smoked and actually when her ex-mother-in-law died of cancer, she said: "Well, that's what she gets for smoking. "

 

[The Cromwell]

Nope. Never smoked and actually when her ex-mother-in-law died of cancer, she said: "Well, that's what she gets for smoking. "
View attachment 77337

Ohh just a fat asshole then.

 

[Atchafalaya]

At this time I am 100% sure there is no God, however if faced in irrefutable evidence I could change my mind.

Ah, but that's where faith comes in.

 

[Atchafalaya]

Ohh just a fat asshole then.

OMG lmao!!!!! That was hilarious! It's a she though.

 

[The Cromwell]

Ah, but that's where faith comes in.
View attachment 77338

I just cannot have faith in something that is unproven to me.

 

[JuicyLucy]

OMG lmao!!!!! That was hilarious! It's a she though.

She's just a fat asshole then

GFY this fine Monday morning!

 

[AndriaD]

In Richard Dawkins book The God Delusion, he uses a 7 point scale to show the varying degrees of belief and non belief.

I'm somewhere between 1 and 2. I'd say 1 for certain... except that god has no need of sex organs, thus cannot be a "he." "I do not question the existence of a supreme Being; I know IT exists."

Andria

 

[SirKadly]

Happy first day of spring everyone!

 

[LynnNC]

Happy Ostara!!

 

[The Cromwell]

Happy Ravoli day!

 

[AndriaD]

And it's actually spring-like, here, which may be a first in my lifetime. Usually the first day of spring feels like winter is just being pissy about the whole thing.

Andria

 

[Darth Omerta]

I'm somewhere between 1 and 2. I'd say 1 for certain... except that god has no need of sex organs, thus cannot be a "he." "I do not question the existence of a supreme Being; I know IT exists."

Andria

Id tend to agree with you Andria, if god does somehow exist, then it would most likely be asexual. I copied that image from google so I didnt have to type out the scale and paraphrase my ass off. That said, Im a strong 6 on the scale and like @The Cromwell the only way that will change for me is if I am faced with irrefutable evidence to the contrary.

 

[Darth Omerta]

Happy Ravoli day!

Had you said "Ravioli" Id be asking if you had some pastafarian tendancies!!!!

 

[SirKadly]

Happy Ravoli day!

Wait, what? But I was gonna have spaghetti for dinner tonight, now I have to change my plans.

 

[The Cromwell]

Had you said "Ravioli" Id be asking if you had some pastafarian tendancies!!!!

I can't speel wurth a darn.

It IS national Ravioli day.

 

[The Cromwell]

Had you said "Ravioli" Id be asking if you had some pastafarian tendancies!!!!

A pot based religion. As good of a basis as any I suppose.

 

[SirKadly]

Chocolate covered donuts. MMMMMMMMMMMMM. Shipleys. MMMMMMMM

Never had Shipleys, nor even heard of them. But the basic Krispy Kreme glazed donut just melts in your mouth when warm, and they are addictive.

 

[SirKadly]

I'm somewhere between 1 and 2. I'd say 1 for certain... except that god has no need of sex organs, thus cannot be a "he." "I do not question the existence of a supreme Being; I know IT exists."

Andria

I'll be honest, I've spent much of the last 15 years somewhere between 3 and 4, but even though I would never be able to explain why in a way that would be satisfactory to atheist, I have lately found myself gravitating back towards 1 on the scale.