Giant thread of convince-me-not-to-be-a-theist

by DS211 243 Replies latest jw friends

  • zound
    zound

    Be brave DS. It boils down with most theists, once you cut through the bullshit, that they are afraid of death - and want to hold on to the possibility of not having to face it.

    You're not alone - you're surrounded by billions of people. Once you drop the imaginary friend you realize just how important those people are - because they are all there is.

    Do I really need to tell you that wanting to believe something makes zero impact on if it is true or not? Self deluding yourself in the shortterm to make yourself feel better is not doing yourself any favors.

    And finally... My own experience with becoming an atheist. I didn't seek out anything atheist related - I never considered atheism a possability - it wasn't until afterwards that I realised "Holy shit, I'm an atheist!"

    Perhaps you should make an honest examinations of your beliefs - and why you beleive them. YOU. I don't know that asking others to try and convince you is helpful.

  • DS211
    DS211

    Giod points!

  • OnTheWayOut
    OnTheWayOut

    TEC, the next time you're chatting with Jesus, could you ask him...

    Your trivial questions might actually get answered.

    I have asked her to ask him waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy more important things like "Why did he stand by when those children died at the tsunamis and earthquakes?" Apparently, Jesus wants a couple of people to know his nickname, and that's waaaaaaaayyyyyyy more important than doing something, ANYTHING about children.

  • DS211
    DS211

    Thats the lesson really...i noticed while i was a believing witness That i had trouble making ANY decisions--where to go to eat, which grocery store to go to, etc...because i was used to them deciding for me. and that has lead me to this site asking other people their thoughts. But the time has to come when you decide for yourself and learn to be a free thinker again...hence my posting THIS thread...it wasnt really so much about convincing me as it was giving me more options to explore...as i am still fading unfortunately certain hopes are instilled in me. So i make it my goal to explore all options, all sides--while also trying to come up with a game plan to get my wife out. Lol

    some things that stick with me is the warning feom the bible not to follow evry wind of teaching but tedt the inspired expression...right now im a baby tossd about here and there...but as i read and listen i hope to gain a more focused truthful view of all things.. Thanks all!

  • zound
    zound

    I'd recommend watching the series "Cosmos" - it helped me to realize just how amazing, precious and beautiful the world is, it was like I discovered the world anew watching it without the tinted glasses of a theist.

    Exploring the "spiritual" (or a better word would be 'transcendent') side of not believing in a god is probably helpful. As an atheist, I get off on reality - seeking to understand the world better and better is incredibly satisfying. Atheists have "transcedent" experiences - we just don't feel the need to attribute them to something outside of reality.

    Here is an excert from a speech in the series 'Cosmos', I hope it gets you interested:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgAnh8OB83U

  • Twitch
    Twitch

    Yea, Cosmos was an early catalyst for thoughts and views that seeded a dissonance and eventual departure.

    The book is better...;)

    RIP Carl Sagan

  • adamah
    adamah

    Oh, on this:

    QC said-

    We agree Einstein did not believe in a personal God e.g. a religious denomination with prayers, ritual, dogma, etc. What's important here is he was not like you, an atheist.

    What's important here is Einstein was not like you, a theist, i.e. he didn't believe in Jehovah, the God of the Abrahamic Bible who was an intelligent being who expressed His "Divine Will" and wanted his son to be BFF with everybody so he could die for your sins; Einstein's god didn't want to have a "personal relationship" with anyone, and more importantly, didn't possess 'intelligence': Einstein didn't believe in a supernatural intelligent being. For him, the Universe itself was God, where God was in everything; studying the principles by which the natural World operated was his 'religion', the scientific lab was his 'church', the place which inspired awe.

    Einstein threw Xians a few vague and nebulous words as morsels, likely knowing that Xians would be content to take the bait and apply their talents for word manipulation (learned by much practice of scripture twisting) and using their confirmation bias in order to create Einstein "in their image" (just like believers do with Jehovah).

    Adam said- TEC, the next time you're chatting with Jesus, could you ask him...

    OTWO said- Your trivial questions might actually get answered.

    I have asked her to ask him waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy more important things like "Why did he stand by when those children died at the tsunamis and earthquakes?"

    Silly me, I misread that the first time through: I thought you asked, "WHERE did he stand when those kids died in the tsunami?" I'd guess Jesus was high above the tsunami flood zone plain, and staying safe and dry, up in Heaven.

    OTWO said- Apparently, Jesus wants a couple of people to know his nickname, and that's waaaaaaaayyyyyyy more important than doing something, ANYTHING about children.

    I suspect that's part of her, "You, too, can be on a first-name-basis with Jehushua-mabobby!" thing, which plays into the believer's egotism and personal narcissism of imagining being BFF with Jesus. It also means TEC's running out of rational cards to play, and has only the emotionally-charged sex appeal of Jesus!

    Adam

  • KateWild
    KateWild

    Here's a video explaining the proper way:-adam

    LOL! This thread is not about Jewish hand washing.

    Lemme guess: your family was reform Jews?- adam (you miss spell "let me") But no I was not in a Reform sect of Judaism. There are probably 5,000 different Ordthodox sects worldwide. I was not in an Orthodox sect either. I have family who are in a range of different Ordthodox sects.

    The tradition of hand washing will be in the Talmud or Mishna I forget now. But it is an oral law. The point being there is no "proper" way to execute this stupid nonsense ritual. I haven't watched your video, but to many sects of Orthodox Jews they would conclude this man is a Reform Jew by his attire. I persoanlly don't give a smurf what he wishes to label himself.

    Doctors hand washing technique is the proper way to wash hands.

    Adam, How will this help DS become an atheist?

    Love Kate xx

  • DS211
    DS211

    Question..did jehovah create ceryain plants to be predatorial? If not they wouldve had to evolve...right? did noah bring all plants on board too? If not did they grow back? Did jehovah recreate them? If he did why did he make them like that? The reason man began to eat animals was because all the vegetation was gone right?howd they live off animals if there were only two kinds And no plants?......whoops

  • zound
    zound

    They ate the dinosaurs silly.

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