Atheists: What is your motivation? People of other religions such as Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, etc. wish to convert people because those people would go to Hell otherwise. But atheists have no such motivation. If it's because you think their lives would be better if they did not have to pay the tithing, how do you know that they are happier trading a little bit of money for a sense of inner peace and security? Jews: I could be completely wrong on this, but isn't it against the rules for Jews to go out and try to convert others to Judaism? If I am right, then what are you doing if not trying to convert people? Christians and Muslims: I think you know that you cannot convert people or change their minds via the internet, so why do you debate?
Was their seemingly poor personal qualities a deterrance for you being religious?
No, they had nothing to do with it. It's more of how you just grow up and know there's no Santa because, as one science teacher I once had put it..."For Santa to be real and to deliver presents to every child in the world in one night, he would have to go so fast that the reindeer would explode into fire due to air friction". Although it is a reason as to why I think religion can be troublesome.
Yes. I guess in that situation you would feel forced. As a kid I'm sure many kids feel forced. But later you still have the ability to choose. Like he choose to stop beliving. (He's atheist right?)
Was atheist, he's dead now. R.I.P.
But the thing is you can be raised to believe in it and once you reach a certain point with it planted so much into your life, you've forged an unbreakable will.
but if you don't then how is it one?
He said he sees it as an idol threat, but the people who use it INTEND it to be a real one.
To you there is no threat, so why should it matter. Unless it become very annoying. Then you should start a restraining order.
This is the reason I put in the more applicable situation. It would NOT be an idol threat to a child who knows very little in comparison.
No, they had nothing to do with it. It's more of how you just grow up and know there's no Santa because, as one science teacher I once had put it..."For Santa to be real and to deliver presents to every child in the world in one night, he would have to go so fast that the reindeer would explode into fire due to air friction". Although it is a reason as to why I think religion can be troublesome.
Yeah but that isn't something everyone has gone through as a child (like you and I have). That form of ideology doesn't work all that well when it comes to how much it is "used" by younger people.
This is the reason I put in the more applicable situation. It would NOT be an idol threat to a child who knows very little in comparison.
Ah I see. To a child it definitly sounds very bad.
But the thing is you can be raised to believe in it and once you reach a certain point with it planted so much into your life, you've forged an unbreakable will.
Yes I definitly see that happening. But of course there are also others who break free.
Um... I don't really see how though... Maybe they see it as a threat, but if you don't then how is it one? It like if an ant threatened to kill you if you didn't become it slave. To the ant the threat might be very real.
Since I'm speaking conceptually I'm talking about how it's viewed in the minds of those who see it as a real. Many times this is the only way I can talk about religious views as I hold non.
Unless it become very annoying. Then you should start a restraining order.
I can get a restraining order on religion?
This is the reason I put in the more applicable situation. It would NOT be an idol threat to a child who knows very little in comparison.
Ah I see. To a child it definitly sounds very bad.
Indeed, glad you understand. ^^
Yes I definitly see that happening. But of course there are also others who break free.
I think everyone is capable of breaking free of it, although generally people don't want to because of the lack of security or even identity when you dedicate your life under what is facing you as a false idea. :/
Nope XP, on the people who threaten your life with it.
Since I'm speaking conceptually I'm talking about how it's viewed in the minds of those who see it as a real. Many times this is the only way I can talk about religious views as I hold non.
So. You're saying it's bad they think that way? If so then I agree.
So. You're saying it's bad they think that way? If so then I agree.
Well that's not really the point I was trying to get at. I was just wondering what the difference was between these two concepts when they are both issuing a threat against a person if they don't convert. Despite this one is regarded as infringing on free will while the other is not regarded as doing so.
Well that's not really the point I was trying to get at. I was just wondering what the difference was between these two concepts when they are both issuing a threat against a person if they don't convert. Despite this one is regarded as infringing on free will while the other is not regarded as doing so.
Oh. Well then I don't know. I personally think there is still free will involved either way. A terrible choice, and to a point there may be no choice at all. But I think the threat of hell is different from something like physical torture until you admit to joining a religion. in the physical torture your body may just involuntarily decide for you. While during a threat of hell you can choose whether you belive or not, and whether you join or not. (For a regular adult.) So that would be my best guess.
3. I don't like stupidity interacting with stuff that I like.
Debateable. Sometimes it's funny. For example, when someone really dumb does something on a game that you like, (Like when some idiot on COD cooks a greande too long and kills their whole team)
Debateable. Sometimes it's funny. For example, when someone really dumb does something on a game that you like, (Like when some idiot on COD cooks a greande too long and kills their whole team)
Hm, true. 3. I don't like stupidity to go against stuff that I like.
Though the topic was started with atheists in mind the question is general enough for me to add my few bits.
I debate religion because sometimes I see too much harm comming out of people not understanding faith and its elements correctly. As a believer I simply feel it my duty to make things more clear to people who think bad of faith or act even worse with it because of false understanding. The golden thought here is: Many conflicts are caused by misunderstanding. The rest are triggered by some selfish a**holes."
Because debating and /or disproving religion is quite amusing. Just showing the fallacies of religion, how it contradicts itself, and how it screws up sometimes is interesting to observe.
Another reason is that religion (in my view) is a restriction. I like to debate to others that you don't need the restrictions of religion to "enlighten" you or to show what's right or wrong. As far as "enlightenment", just open a book and learn something from it. Common sense can be used to tell us what's good or bad.
In short, my motivation is that it is much simpler to life life without religion.
1. I don't like stupidity 2. I don't like stupidity interacting with me 3. I don't like stupidity interacting with stuff that I like.
By "stupidity" you mean "religion", right? That doesn't make a lot of sense. If you don't want to interact with religion and vice versa, why are you debating it? Debating with it is interacting with it. Why not just leave it alone?
