tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post2737890957705460981..comments2023-10-20T08:32:14.040-04:00Comments on Heaving Dead Cats: How You Can Know There Is No GodAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12653141544095753595noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-45844816214477175092017-10-06T00:18:44.393-04:002017-10-06T00:18:44.393-04:00This is quite interesting. For whatever reason, I ...This is quite interesting. For whatever reason, I remembered commenting on this 8 years ago and thought it would be worth looking up (which took quite a while, which is fine when you have insomnia). I too would also like to apologize for my comments. It was very immature of me, and I'm pretty sure I had just got back from church camp. I have matured, not a lot but a little, since then and I still believe in God. I don't try to rationalize it with science or physics anymore since I am neither a scientist or a physicist. I just accept it as my belief and go on about my day and strive to be a good person, and even a good "Christian." I like to believe that a God that created this universe isn't bound by its laws and mathematics, if he was then what use would he be? In short, just wanted to comment on here and see how all of you were doing. GMNightmare, thank you for reading my ignorant post and replying. Going back and reading it, you do have great points that I simply can't argue, and I'm okay with that. Anyways, this "little" comment of mine is already longer than I intended, and no one will probably read this anyways. Just wanted to hop on here and say hello and hope all of you and your loved ones are doing well. Y'all stay safe out there and enjoy the rest of you year!<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />The Chosen One (lol)the chosen onehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05980495396415937056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-34367352573922357992009-07-22T22:21:34.000-04:002009-07-22T22:21:34.000-04:00Very good. I am often puzzled by theist's asse...Very good. I am often puzzled by theist's assertions that God exists 'outside' of time or that God created time itself. Either situation makes God incapable of performing any action, including creating or thinking, since an action is a series of events that occur one after the other in time. Without time nothing changes and therefore nothing happens.Jameshttp://www.anatheist.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-68398006608291557512009-07-22T22:32:41.000-04:002009-07-22T22:32:41.000-04:00I recently wrote a piece called "Prayers for ...I recently wrote a piece called "Prayers for Nonbelievers"- it would be amazing to have a community of people come together and pray and do service and talk about love in action without God--- and UU doesn't count..not the same thing.Maggie Mayhttp://poemsandnovels.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-36812327110610894342009-07-23T00:01:56.000-04:002009-07-23T00:01:56.000-04:00Yes! isn't it so much easier to just be comfor...Yes! isn't it so much easier to just be comfortable with accepting that there is no god? :PNeecehttp://www.heavingdeadcats.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-64641000429049138932009-07-23T00:04:04.000-04:002009-07-23T00:04:04.000-04:00Maggie, why on earth would an atheist pray? Who wo...Maggie, why on earth would an atheist pray? Who would an atheist pray to? For what reason? That is amazingly counter-intuitive to me. I bow down to no man and no god.Neecehttp://www.heavingdeadcats.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-23306427181800224672009-07-23T09:51:43.000-04:002009-07-23T09:51:43.000-04:00???I doubt many would show.First off, a prayer is ...???<br><br>I doubt many would show.<br><br>First off, a prayer is directly for attempting to communicate with a higher being. What would we be praying to and for? There is no reason to it. When you said service, I first thought you meant community work, but it seems you meant more like a sermon. Talk about love in action without god? And how do you suspect to go about this? And why really? I see no point to it.<br><br>I don't understand any of the reasoning behind this.<br><br>Yeah, social gatherings in general would be nice though.GMNightmarenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-82144981834587406612009-07-23T11:58:53.000-04:002009-07-23T11:58:53.000-04:00HA HA HA!!! WOW. THIS IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING...HA HA HA!!! WOW. THIS IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING I HAVE EVER HEARD! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THERE IS A GOD? IT'S MUCH EASIER. HOW ABOUT YOU TRY THIS, JUST TRY... SAY THAT YOU ARE RIGHT AND THERE IS NO GOD AND WE DIE AND JUST...DIE...BLACK.LOL...WE DON'T GO TO HEAVEN OR HELL, OR ANY OTHER REALM OF EXISTENCE FOR THAT MATTER. THEN IF YOU HAVE LIVED YOUR LIFE IN SIN THEN IT'S NO BIG DEAL. BUT SAY THAT I AM RIGHT AND THERE IS A GOD AND THERE IS A HEAVEN AND HELL, WELL WHO DO YOU THINK IS GONNA SPEND ETERNITY IN HELL. THATS RIGHT, YOU, THE ATHIEST. WHO DO YOU THINK IS GONNA SPEND EVERLASTING LIFE WITH THE ONE AND ONLY GOD. ME!!! SO WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOOSE. QUIT BEING SELFISH AND GIVE GOD THE GLORY HE DESERVES. I PRAY FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU... AND HOPE THAT GOD WILL TOUCH YOUR LIVES IN SOME WAY. BUT ONE DAY... EVREY KNEE WILL BOW AND EVERY TONGE WILL CONFESS THAT HE IS LORD, INCLUDING THE DEVIL HIMSELF... I'M DONE NOW AND HOPE THAT I AT LEAST MADE YOU CONSIDER A BETTER LIFE. ON ONE LAST NOTE... THERE IS NOT ONE PERSON IN HELL WHO DOESN'T BELIEVE IN GOD... GOD BLESS ALL OF YOUthe saved onenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-45119647828469050112009-07-23T14:01:39.000-04:002009-07-23T14:01:39.000-04:00Very interesting. I agreed with everything except...Very interesting. I agreed with everything except one statement: "All thought requires language."<br><br>Actually Steven Pinker has a great book called "The Language of Thought" where he explains that english, spanish..any language is not the same thing as the inner language of your mind. If you had no formal language (like many deaf people and children who learn creols) they still have thought and think in the same way anyone else would...<br>Think about getting the gist of something- if language were the same thing as thought there couldn't be such a thing as a gist<br><br>Anyway this was awesome thanks-<br>another good article about the problems with an omnicient god: http://www.strongatheism.net/library/atheology/apathetic_god_paradox/Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-74491068719977016072009-07-23T14:26:38.000-04:002009-07-23T14:26:38.000-04:00** what is prayer? -- it’s not about what you want...** what is prayer? -- it’s not about what you want -- it's about what others expect<br><br>The lack of God's direct response to prayer is not a response of 'no.' It's simply a non-response. Moreover, it is really important that “God” never respond directly. To hear God speaking to you makes you a likely schizophrenic, not a saint. (Obviously . . . how could a non-existent being respond?)<br><br>Jesus admonished his followers against prayer as asking-for-stuff -- "consider the lilies of the field" -- or prayer as public performance -- "they have their reward."<br><br>Ritual too often substitutes for religion as Quakers realized making central to their practice heeding an "Inner Light" -- the equality of all believers, without clergy or hierarchy, to be open to a supposed divine presence here and now. (Quakerism seems as mild a non-rational religious perspective as one could find in the West.)<br><br>Getting rid of dead formalisms, prayer amounts to a purported alignment of a person's intentions with "the will of God." (Or Yahweh, Allah, Ahura Mazda. Pick your favorite from the big-4 near eastern traditions.)<br><br>Prayer, basically, is one fat red herring. The word 'prayer' simply gets redefined until the action it points to is rendered into attitude adjustment. All that matters is your attitude -- are you prepared to submit to authority?<br><br>Yes you have a problem with adapting to authority -- it's your problem. Or better yet, you are your problem.<br><br>Religion and psychology are one in creating fictitious "illnesses" for which each offers sham cures at premium prices.<br><br>anti_supernaturalistanti_supernaturalistnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-39539643439588355892009-07-23T16:25:01.000-04:002009-07-23T16:25:01.000-04:00Johnny, that Penn & Teller piece is awesome!Johnny, that Penn & Teller piece is awesome!Jenny Lutesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-52269251317161860222009-07-23T18:22:44.000-04:002009-07-23T18:22:44.000-04:00Let's see here...Actually, I think it's mu...Let's see here...<br><br>Actually, I think it's much easier to not believe in a god. How about you try it? I already tried believing, nearly every atheist has done so.<br><br>Pascal's Wager.<br>Say, what happens if one of the other thousands of religions are right and yours is wrong? Didn't think of that did you? No. Believing in god just to get out of hell is a pretty weak reason to believe. It seems that's the only reason you believe isn't it? Just in case? Well, I'm willing to bet even if their was a god, that he would judge by actions and not just by a stupid belief. I'm quite sure even if their was another god, you've got it completely wrong any anyways. Also, your beliefs harm your quality of life in a variety of ways, which I won't cover here.<br><br>I think that'll do. Turn off your caps lock next time. It makes you seem stupid.GMNightmarenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-25582628732911194002009-07-23T18:39:32.000-04:002009-07-23T18:39:32.000-04:00Language doesn't have to be verbal. Creole is...Language doesn't have to be verbal. Creole is a language. The main thing here, is that thought requires a language, not that thought is only language. Although I can see where you are coming from.GMNightmarenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-32619988393289495012009-07-23T18:43:25.000-04:002009-07-23T18:43:25.000-04:00That was a little hard to read, and I didn't u...That was a little hard to read, and I didn't understand what it was referring to until I read back over the comments again.<br><br>I'll add this rather famous quote from somewhere:<br><br>Praying is thinking you're doing something when you're doing nothing at all.<br><br>Or something like that.GMNightmarenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-40452228608589945582009-07-24T00:58:21.000-04:002009-07-24T00:58:21.000-04:00Well now the caps got your attention didn't th...Well now the caps got your attention didn't they? thats what I was aiming for. and thank you for replying to my comment. I don't want to argue with you first of all, we are just stating our opinions on beliefs. I am your average highschool athlete and was born into a Christian family. My gandmother was very religous and so is my family. So of course I would be too. I am not the greatest christian example for anyone, I make my share of mistakes just like everybody else does. And you can't sit there and say that I have never thought about my religion being wrong because it often passes through my mind almost everyday, but most of them are so stupid it's pointless to risk my faith. And you are way wrong on the "hell is the only reason I believe part". It's actually backwards... I am a christian because I want to sit beside god in heaven. And also... have you looked around you? have you looked at the stars lately? have you imagined the entire universe and what it looks like. how can you say there is not a god. thats what I don't understand. That stuff screams there is a god to me... and thats how I can't help but beilive. You have to have faith... and faith is believing in something you can't see.<br> The worst words a person can ever hear when he is standing in front of god: "You knew me not yesterday, I know you not today"<br><br>Throw the dueces =Dthe saved onenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-43190295945041893272009-07-24T10:54:14.000-04:002009-07-24T10:54:14.000-04:00First off, caps lock didn't garner any more at...First off, caps lock didn't garner any more attention than if you just posted regularly. In fact, I believe Johnny first skipped your post yesterday and ignored it for that reason. I almost did as well, if I could I might have just deleted it for it being such an eyesore.<br><br>Believing so you go to heaven is the same as saying you believe so you don't go to hell.<br><br>There is no difference.<br><br>Pretty things don't prove god. If you think that's evidence for god, then I show all the starving kids, warfare, and the quite ugly side of life as proof of no god... and mine is much more potent than yours. For that matter, I don't have to look at the wonderful world around me and think it's wonderful because something created it. I think it's beautiful because it is. If you took time to understand the world around you, you'd find a creation argument lacking.<br><br>Also, just by your stupid little last quote I can tell you never really think of your religion. It's not like many do. Stand before god? How do you stand before something that is omnipresent? Furthermore, how would god not know me? If he's omnipresent, created me, and omniscient? For that matter, he made me to do exactly what I did.<br><br>a) god knows all<br>b) god knew what I would do before he made me<br>c) god made me, to do exactly what he knew I would doGMNightmarenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-89708878009602011462009-07-24T14:09:35.000-04:002009-07-24T14:09:35.000-04:00You hit the nail on the head in your last few sent...You hit the nail on the head in your last few sentences. Religious people do not think. They regurgitate. They believe that regurgitation IS thinking. I used to be a Christian. I was tinkering with the notion of becoming a minister. I was raised Christian. However, I figured if I was going to join the clergy, I should probably get serious about learning about my faith. The direct result of years of study? Atheism.<br><br>You can't study religion seriously with an ounce of intellectual honesty and still conclude that it makes any sense. Once you really dig in, you start finding glaring contradictions and horrible logic everywhere. For me, the whole thing came down like a house of cards eventually. Interestingly, my life is pretty much the same, except that now I don't go around rambling like a damned fool about superstitious nonsense.Michael Rnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-72868077355596875702009-07-24T17:30:53.000-04:002009-07-24T17:30:53.000-04:00I believe in God and I apologize for "the sav...I believe in God and I apologize for "the saved one"s selfishness and ignorance.dth2tr8rsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-23720960637751797652009-07-24T17:39:02.000-04:002009-07-24T17:39:02.000-04:00This article, though eloquent, completely ignores ...This article, though eloquent, completely ignores the parts of creation that are not man-made. Do you know anyone who has created a mountain? or grass (and I don't mean someone who has grown grass...but actually created it)? or a planet? or an arm? I believe that God did and still does create these things. I believe he was the first to do so and though he was omnipotent enough to know these types of things would exist before they did, I still believe anyone would have to agree that if God does exist that this creation of these things is VERY creative.dth2tr8rsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-90152089328026524282009-07-25T01:02:26.000-04:002009-07-25T01:02:26.000-04:00There doesn't seem to be any reasoning. I thin...There doesn't seem to be any reasoning. I think the only reason to get together to pray and "do service" is to be religious and hypocritically call yourself an atheist. It makes my brain hurt to try to find any rationale to it.<br><br>The social gathering thing is awesome. I belong to http://www.morgantownatheists.com/ and we get together every 2 weeks to socialize and talk about books and find ways to spread education and critical thinking as well as show people that atheists are good people. It's very cool.<br><br>Maybe where you are, GMN, you could start an atheist or freethinker group. :)Neecehttp://www.heavingdeadcats.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-72013911820292364982009-07-25T01:14:48.000-04:002009-07-25T01:14:48.000-04:00Just because you don't understand geology does...Just because you don't understand geology doesn't mean that there is an invisible man in the sky that did it. Geology explains mountains quite clearly. It's only magic to you because you are uninformed and brainwashed.<br><br>Just because you don't understand plant biology doesn't mean that grass is magic and made by your invisible sky daddy. Biology is understood quite well. At least scientists are trying to figure out the mysteries of the universe. They didn't just give up and believe ancient campfire stories from the bronze and iron age.<br><br>There is no god. There is no evidence of any gods. Not a single one. Reality is awesome in itself. We don't need to turn to old fairy tales to make us feel better. Especially when those old stories aren't even close to right.<br><br>Every time there is a concession made between religion and science, it has always been religion that has had to back pedal and change their tune. Read up on Galileo, Darwin and Copernicus.<br><br>Plus, if god made everything, who made god? If everything needs a creator, then god needs one too. This is known as The First Cause Argument. Look it up.Neecehttp://www.heavingdeadcats.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-3592743997853909292009-07-25T05:57:07.000-04:002009-07-25T05:57:07.000-04:00You missed the point completely.Your god is omnisc...You missed the point completely.<br><br>Your god is omniscient. He KNOWS everything. He knows everything BEFORE he made them. He didn't "create" anything, because he already knew what he was supposed to make. None of it's creative.<br><br>You can't be creative if you know EXACTLY how everything is made and will be made. It's very much like god was simply some guy on an assembly line. Oop, right here on Earth I know there should be mountain. Grass should be here...<br><br>Nothing creative happened. He only did exactly what he was supposed to because he knew he was supposed to do it. It doesn't matter if he was first, because the blueprints were already made.<br><br>You seem to have ignored the rest. Which is funny...GMNightmarenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-69801733174213183562009-07-25T06:00:22.000-04:002009-07-25T06:00:22.000-04:00Should he apologize for your selfishness and ignor...Should he apologize for your selfishness and ignorance? Tell me, how has he got it wrong? Is he not a "true Christian"? We like actual backup when we make completely inane and very much rude comments.<br><br>I don't think I'd find your reasons any more compelling than his.GMNightmarenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-61455186936566842202009-07-27T20:17:21.000-04:002009-07-27T20:17:21.000-04:00The "true Christian" does not gloat abou...The "true Christian" does not gloat about how he is going to heaven and shove it and everyone else's faces that they are not going to heaven. The Bible, if you've read it, never once condones such behavior. In fact, God is seen, even in the Old Testament, struggling to turn his back even on his chosen people (especially in the book of Hosea) because of their selfishness, pride, and ignorance. That's why I am apologizing, because you, based solely on your response to what I said, proved that this is where Christianity has gotten...where those that believe differently expect for Christian to be jerks...to shove hell down their throats because "we" Christians are safe in our churches and couldn't care less if the rest of the world were to burn and go to hell. I am sorry I did not explain myself earlier...it just bothered me because I completely and totally understand why people who aren't Christians would never ever want to be one. It makes me sick to my stomach that so many people don't give God or Jesus the light of day because of the way we portray ourselves. I wouldn't blame anyone one bit for reading a prideful ALL CAPS post from a Christian, who was bragging about how he's going to heaven and didn't really seem to care if anyone else was, and then never wanted to hear another word again. So...to reiterate my previous post...I apologize.dth2tr8rsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-51492311281275029082009-07-27T21:03:35.000-04:002009-07-27T21:03:35.000-04:00Let me get this straight, so your view of Christia...Let me get this straight, so your view of Christianity is the only way it is right? Your not making a better argument than him, you're making the SAME illogical flaw.<br><br>Your saying your view of a Christian is the only true Christian way. That he's not a true Christian simply because he doesn't conform to your interpretation. Your being a jerk still, your just being a jerk to "the chosen one" instead of us.<br><br>You're being a complete hypocrite.<br><br>Let's put your argument into consideration here:<br>1) No Christian gloats about heaven and hell.<br>2) But "the saved one" is a Christian and he's doing it.<br>3) "the saved one" is not a true Christian.<br><br>The Bible, as I've read it, DOES condone such behavior. Maybe you should read it critically. What do you think any of the prophets are doing when they say everyone who believes goes to heaven and everybody else goes to hell? What do you think your faith says? Oh, so he's blunt about it. Big deal. How he portrays it doesn't change what it says. It's not any less worse. Pascal's Wager is used a lot, and sure, it's not blunt like that all the time, but what is said does not change.<br><br>You sit there and say god doesn't turn his back on his chosen people, yet you then say that "the chosen one" is not a true Christian. Do you not understand how this is hypocritical?<br><br>Who are you to decide who is a "true Christian" and who isn't? What makes you so superior to the rest? You are no different from him, your incredibly haughty to even say those things. Is their more? What else must a "true Christian" be? Your probably one of the ones who says slavery, rape, and such wasn't condoned in the Bible. That all the good parts cancel those out and nonsense like that. Let me guess, "true Christians" ignore those parts and only listen to fluffy happy parts.<br><br>How about this, you aren't a true Christian. Now what do you have to say to that?<br><br>Besides, were not Christians because it's completely illogical... not just because of the people. You should read the deconversion stories for more understanding of why people don't believe. Or, I mean, even read the article...<br>http://www.heavingdeadcats.com/testimonial/gmnightmare/GMNightmarenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2352648376305239677.post-28632615659850405552009-07-27T21:22:00.000-04:002009-07-27T21:22:00.000-04:00That last part about Antony Flew appears to provid...That last part about Antony Flew appears to provide evidence that in some cases where there is a concession made between religion and science, that sometimes science "has had to back pedal and change their tune." Just a thought.dth2tr8rsnoreply@blogger.com