Let's all stop calling atheism a "scientific viewpoint" because it isn't. Being
an atheist is a specific process of denial as senseless as faith or a child's
wistful belief in the Easter Bunny. According to Websters an atheist is "One
who denies the existence in god." Without evidence to prove beyond all doubt
that there is no god, an atheist must also enable the less than intellectual
elements of faith.
If you want to be reasonable, being an agnostic is the only viable approach. No
matter how silly I find the belief in god, no matter how ridiculous organized
religion behaves, I cannot beyond all doubt refute the existence of god. It's
unlikely a god exists, but not impossible.
In either case, the major component of faith is denial. According to Websters:
Faith: firm belief in something for which there is no proof. To maintain faith,
the individual must deny or refute obvious facts and ideas. In EVERY case this
can only lead to ignorance, the stifling of ideals. No other force on the
planet has slowed the process of social evolution than religion and faith. It
is such an angry, desperate belief system that it promises nonbelievers eternal
damnation and uses our fear of mortality to leverage those with doubt.
As far as the bible is concerned, folks...it's just a book. It has, with little
doubt, been altered many times to suit the times and refine it's control. Dune
is a far better read and includes a far more sophisticated set of ethical
fables for us to follow. Meanwhile, if you need a role model, James T. Kirk or
Spock are far more timely and realistic than the incredibly dull Jesus.
Someday, I hope, religion will go the way of Santa and Zues.
I'm sailing a Laser this morning....have a nice day.


Capt Robert B
See an Alien at....
http://hometown.aol.com/bobsprit/index.html

What do you get if you cross an agnostic and a dyslexic?
Someone who wonders if there really is a dog.

Scotty

"Blob****" wrote ...
Let's all stop calling atheism a "scientific viewpoint" because it isn't.
Being
an atheist is a specific process of denial as senseless as faith or a
child's
BULL**** snipped

Capt Robert B
See an Asshole at....
http://hometown.aol.com/blob****/index.html

If you sail, you're an agnostic in good weather and a devote Catholic in bad
weather.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
Let's all stop calling atheism a "scientific viewpoint" because it isn't.
Being
an atheist is a specific process of denial as senseless as faith or a
child's
wistful belief in the Easter Bunny. According to Websters an atheist is
"One
who denies the existence in god." Without evidence to prove beyond all
doubt
that there is no god, an atheist must also enable the less than
intellectual
elements of faith.
If you want to be reasonable, being an agnostic is the only viable
approach. No
matter how silly I find the belief in god, no matter how ridiculous
organized
religion behaves, I cannot beyond all doubt refute the existence of god.
It's
unlikely a god exists, but not impossible.
In either case, the major component of faith is denial. According to
Websters:
Faith: firm belief in something for which there is no proof. To maintain
faith,
the individual must deny or refute obvious facts and ideas. In EVERY case
this
can only lead to ignorance, the stifling of ideals. No other force on the
planet has slowed the process of social evolution than religion and faith.
It
is such an angry, desperate belief system that it promises nonbelievers
eternal
damnation and uses our fear of mortality to leverage those with doubt.
As far as the bible is concerned, folks...it's just a book. It has, with
little
doubt, been altered many times to suit the times and refine it's control.
Dune
is a far better read and includes a far more sophisticated set of ethical
fables for us to follow. Meanwhile, if you need a role model, James T.
Kirk or
Spock are far more timely and realistic than the incredibly dull Jesus.
Someday, I hope, religion will go the way of Santa and Zues.
I'm sailing a Laser this morning....have a nice day.


Capt Robert B
See an Alien at....
http://hometown.aol.com/bobsprit/index.html

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
Let's all stop calling atheism a "scientific viewpoint" ....

Loose translation of the "Old Man's" Chinese: The Tao I can describe isn't
the (real/whole) Tao. I generally agree with you on that level. But the
cornerstone of Judism, Christianity and Islam is the belief is that God, the
creator of the universe, promised a stone age sheepherder who'd be
considered a criminal today, all of the lands between the two great rivers -
provided that he cut off the end of his dick (Gen:7-10) To them, I am an
atheist.

A friend had an ant farm as a child. Some times he neglected it and many
ants starved. Then he'd overcompensate and provide too much food and the
colony would thrive then become overpopulated. Finally, he got tired of the
project and flushed it. In later years he wondered: Did the ants believe in
a god? Did the wonder what they had done to deserve starvation? To deserve
plenty? Why their world was finally destroyed? Did they have prophets who
created then answered these questions for them. Did they have priests who
claimed to know what he (their god) was doing when he was actually out
fishing or playing ball. Did these priests proclaim that he loved each and
every ant? Did the ants pay these shamen to perform for them, and tell them
these stories? How well ...

Yep. And then he remembered they were ants....

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Vito" wrote in message
...
"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
Let's all stop calling atheism a "scientific viewpoint" ....

Loose translation of the "Old Man's" Chinese: The Tao I can describe isn't
the (real/whole) Tao. I generally agree with you on that level. But the
cornerstone of Judism, Christianity and Islam is the belief is that God,
the
creator of the universe, promised a stone age sheepherder who'd be
considered a criminal today, all of the lands between the two great
rivers -
provided that he cut off the end of his dick (Gen:7-10) To them, I am an
atheist.

A friend had an ant farm as a child. Some times he neglected it and many
ants starved. Then he'd overcompensate and provide too much food and the
colony would thrive then become overpopulated. Finally, he got tired of
the
project and flushed it. In later years he wondered: Did the ants believe
in
a god? Did the wonder what they had done to deserve starvation? To
deserve
plenty? Why their world was finally destroyed? Did they have prophets who
created then answered these questions for them. Did they have priests who
claimed to know what he (their god) was doing when he was actually out
fishing or playing ball. Did these priests proclaim that he loved each and
every ant? Did the ants pay these shamen to perform for them, and tell
them
these stories? How well ...