@Pantera
I said nothing about rising from the dead.
I just said I believe in a "God" within and beyond our universe.

"Atheism just doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps it's just the way I was raised. If you don't believe in God (or any "force" beyond the physical universe,) what do you believe in? "

I believe my knowledge has limits. The ultimate explanation for existence is currently beyond my little brain.

I do *believe* in a many things of course. To paraphrase Ludwig Wittgenstein: if everything speaks for a proposition and nothing against it we may call it true. My most strongly held beliefs fall into that category. Everything else is shades within shades of probability.

Where does God lie within those shades of probability? Define God and might be able to answer the question. If you by God you mean the Universe (i.e., Pantheism) then I believe in God. If by God you mean a man (in our image) then that sort of God is as unlikely as Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy.

typo... Everything else in lies between shades of probability

Sorry to interrupt but does anyone want to play?
gameID=67132

I'm now convinced that spyman is one of the most intelligent people on this site.

@EM, I know you didn't say anything about rising from the dead. i was just pointion out out why it's all bullshit. an opiate to keep people in line if you will.

What the hell...why are you using that site?
"Sell Everything"
He was speaking to this man because he had allowed money a stronghold in his life...way to take the Bible out of context.
"Hate Everything"
The original translation of these words in Hebrew is closer to disown. Like the man above, Jesus was trying to say that you cannot let personal possessions or those people who do not good intentions have that great of a hold on your life.
"Eat Flesh, Drink Blood"
Really?
And the rest is just as idiotic...You should really consider the quality of the sites you post.

Why thank you Yellowjacket :-)
I am really not that bright though (there are some really smart people on this site). I discussed this topic quite a bit over the years, that is all. My first experience of the internet was Usenet in the 1990 via the groups alt.atheism and talk.atheism.

I prefer Universal Utilitarianism. It's basically a religion for agnostics (if that makes any sense). You believe in god only as much as you want to. Our beliefs consist less of stories and myths, and rather a moral code of conduct.

Thanks, KA. Lets assume that it is horrendously taken out of context (I really don't know, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt).... soooo....

Why won't god heal the amputees?

Choices always were a problem for you
What you need is someone strong to guide you....
Like me
Like me
Like me

If you want to get your soul to heaven
Trust in me, now dont you judge or question
You are broken now but faith can heal you
Just do everything I tell you to do

Deaf and dumb and blind and born to follow
What you need is someone strong to guide you
Deaf and dumb and blind and born to follow
Let me lay my holy hand upon you

My gods will
Becomes me
When he speaks
He speaks though me
He has needs
Like I do
We both want
To rape you

Jesus Christ, why don't you come save my life now
Open my eyes, blind me with your light now

what a simplistic way of calling religious people simplistiic

News flash: The religious do question, they question all the time, they come to different answers than you, answers we think are wrong. OK. But to paint billions of people, a portion of which are more brilliant than you will ever be, as mindless sheep is just wrong.

Well stated, Santa. So....

Why won't god heal the amputees?

Think about praying right now. The act of praying itself. Realize how pointless it is and also ask yourself why an all powerful god would give a fuck about you to listen to you whine.

"Why won't god heal the amputees? "

Why would god heal the amputees? their fucking legs/arms got lopped off, god gives man one body, in my religion those limbs would be buried awaiting the rest of the body they came from.

ie the limbs are dead and gone

"Think about praying right now. The act of praying itself. Realize how pointless it is and also ask yourself why an all powerful god would give a fuck about you to listen to you whine."

Maybe... if god didn't explicitly state that he created the universe for man, each and every one of us...

Bah, you dirty heathens. Join the one true church, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster!

there it is... I don't believe there is a god, I follow what parts of my religion i do out of cultural attachment. But I can't stand those who denigrate others intelligence or beliefs without even understanding them.

"in my religion those limbs would be buried awaiting the rest of the body they came from"

That because your a total JACK OFF. Yea, go ahead, keep beLIEving in a false diety. Asshole.

"That because your a total JACK OFF. Yea, go ahead, keep beLIEving in a false diety. Asshole. "

The enlightened Atheist speaks. By the way, the bigger lie is thinking that Heavy Metal is music...

Nice. Try and change the subject to Metal, you limp wristed fuck.

Oh, now he's a homophobe, I guess the danger of religion is that it makes all of us intolerant right? I wasn't changing the subject, I was just pointing to the fact that for someone who believes him above all manner of lies you seem very willing to believe a bunch of banging and screaming has some artistic virtue...

no, you *were* trying to change the subjuct when you brought up "metal", and no, i am not a homophope. It's just that relgion REALLY gets on my last nerve. perhaps i should have not used the phrase "limp wristed", but its a lot like calling a friend a "faggot". Just a figure of speech....don't be so f'n tetchy...damn.

There are a lot of false gods, including self, knowledge, pleasure, another person, duty, even religion as a work ethic or a system of works that leads to heaven. But there is one real God, the living God, the "I AM" of Exodus 2, the one who hears the cries of his people and comes down to deliver them. He does hear, he does care, and he does answer prayer. The amazing thing is that it just requires a suspension of disbelief to check it out by opening your mind to the possibility and then asking him to show you if he exists. On his terms, not yours... because he's God, after all. Ask him.

'no, you *were* trying to change the subjuct when you brought up "metal", and no, i am not a homophope."

In fact I was insulting you just like you insulted me. I should have gone after your reading comprehension though...

"There are a lot of false gods, including self, knowledge, pleasure, another person, duty, even religion as a work ethic or a system of works that leads to heaven."

Or Jesus...

And if the idea of God gets under your skin, ask yourself why. Is it because you can't believe in someone that good, based on past experience? So why let the past limit your future?? Break out and at least give it a try.

Fair enough, Santa, perhaps we could just agree to disagree?