I want your knowledge but only if you interact with me personally

Sapient
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I want your knowledge but only if you interact with me personally

Quote:

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Haggards easin' my misery...
Date: Nov 29 2006 4:53 PM

If you dont believe in god, why are you trying so hard to prove hes not real? Why not let it go and let people who believe enjoy themselves? (Im asking as a serious question)

Quote:
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: RATIONAL RESPONSE SQUAD
Date: Nov 29 2006 11:37 AM

We answer this in our free audio show on our profile.

Quote:
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Haggards easin' my misery...
Date: Nov 29 2006 5:46 PM

Yeah, but I dont want to listen to your show. No offense of course. I'd just like the answer.

Quote:

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: RATIONAL RESPONSE SQUAD
Date: Nov 29 2006 12:00 PM

No offense but an appropriate answer cant be given in the time allowed. We don't have the time to hold the hands of everyone who asks us questions, we get hundreds of questions per day.

Quote:

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Haggards easin' my misery...
Date: Nov 29 2006 6:23 PM

Well in the time it took to respond to me twice, im sure you could of given me a quick answer. Or is it that you do not have the answer?

Quote:

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: RATIONAL RESPONSE SQUAD
Date: Nov 29 2006 1:46 PM

Sure... quick answer...

If you dont believe in god, why are you trying so hard to prove hes not real?


Because I think people should embrace believing in things that we can prove. Religion is divisive and dangerous, and it breeds ignorance and hate.



Why not let it go and let people who believe enjoy themselves?


This is something that you don't even embrace yourself. You ask me to let it go, but why not "let it go" that I am doing what I'm doing. Likely because you disagree with me. That is how society advances, we discuss our differences, even if those differences bring people comfort. If your best friend was addicted to heroin and that brough him comfort and he enjoyed himself, would you say anything to try and help him? If not, I suggest that you might not be a very caring friend. If so, then you are just like me.




Who didn't know that my answers weren't going to lead to more answers requested?

In the next email I only respond to specifics (some of the email is omitted), I really wish these people would come on our forum, but nevertheless....

Quote:

So what does Atheism teach then?


Nothing. It's simply what you are when you aren't a theist anymore.



Is it all about Anarchy?


No more than Christianity is.



I believe in science as well as a creator.


Feel free to use science to prove your creator exists.



I believe that all this stuff HAD to come from somewhere.


Matter is eternal. If you believe it came from somewhere you don't believe in science. The law of conservation of matter and energy tells us that matter is eternal, and there is always an equal amount of it in the Universe. This is the most solid law of science that scientists have.



If its not hard to believe the universe was always here, why is it so hard to belive that there is a god that has always been here?


Or look at it the other way around. Good argument though. The reason would be... because complex beings like Gods can only arise in the Universe after a long set of permutations. We don't just magically start with the most complex being in the Universe, we start with less complex things and move up to such things.



Whos to say that God didnt make it that way?

The people who embrace science who only believe things that can be proven. We know how planets are formed, and no god is needed in the explanation. The moment he/she/it is needed is the moment scientists will embrace it.



When you look at a painting, you know that sometime in history, somone created it, it didnt just poof out of no where.

Yes because we have evidence that all paintings have creators, point me to the Universe Factory so that I can see once and for all evidence that all Universes require creators.


todangst
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Sapient wrote: Matter is

Sapient wrote:

Matter is eternal. If you believe it came from somewhere you don't believe in science. The law of conservation of matter and energy tells us that matter is eternal, and there is always an equal amount of it in the Universe. This is the most solid law of science that scientists have.

There's actually one conceivable way around this that is in accord with physics. If the sum total for energy in the universe is equal to zero, then it would not be a violation of physics for our universe to come from nothing - i.e. a virtual particle via a vacuum fluctuation that undergoes hyperinflation.

And it may well be that the sum total of negative energy - gravity, does cancel out the sum total of positive energy.

Just some conjecture for a possible 'creation' account that is in total accord with physics... no god required.

"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'


Yellow_Number_Five
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A virtual particle is not

A virtual particle is not nothing. A vacuum is not nothing. A vacuum fluctuation is not nothing.

"Nothing" is a bullshit concept. Creation ex nihlo violates every aspect of the universe and reality we think we understand.

You do have a bit of a loose point about gravitional vs. positive energy, but we need to realize that gravitational energy does not exist without mass, and mass does not exist without matter-energy.

Eh, you both know I've gone on about this topic in depth in other places, I'll only rehash it if need be.

I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world. - Richard Dawkins

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Zhwazi
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Sapient wrote: Is it all

Sapient wrote:

Is it all about Anarchy?


No more than Christianity is.

I know some Christian Anarchists (they have a whole different reason for being anarchists from me, something to do with "one man cannot obey two masters", being god and government, gotta serve one, can't have the other), and they're actually very nice people. They don't shove your beliefs down your throat, and all of the ones I know are pacifists. They wouldn't even defend themselves. Even though I would like to see the world atheist, I wouldn't try to convert a Christian Anarchist, it's actually an extremely tolerant belief system, doing away with the violence and hatred of your typical religious nut. One Christian Anarchist's work even inspired Ghandi.

If they must be Christians, and must believe the Bible, we might as well direct them toward the most tolerant and nonviolent kind of Christianity out there. The fewer violent fundamentalists there are out there, the better. Never know, might save an abortion doctor's life someday.


ShaunPhilly
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Zhwazi, Do you listen to the

Zhwazi,

Do you listen to the Hellbound Alleee show, perchance?

Just curious.

Shaun

I'll fight for a person's right to speak so long as that person will, in return, fight to allow me to challenge their opinions and ridicule them as the content of their ideas merit.


Zhwazi
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No, but based on the results

No, but based on the results of a google search I think I might start. I'm listening to Free Talk Live right now, so I'll listen to some at around midnight or so.


ShaunPhilly
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I've been listening to the

I've been listening to the anarchist rants there for some time. I am not always convinced that they are right, but they make some interesting points.

I consider myself more libertarian than anything else, so anarchy can't be far off, right?

Eye-wink

I'll fight for a person's right to speak so long as that person will, in return, fight to allow me to challenge their opinions and ridicule them as the content of their ideas merit.