Are you certain you are an atheist?
Yep. “Hard” atheist actually. I’d explain but you wouldn’t listen and probably wouldn’t understand anyway even if you did. Basically it boils down to the fact that any being even remotely worthy of being called “God” would be offended by the title.
Blog note: as I took an objective look at the use of the word "god" in the world I came to realize that the only commonality among gods is that they are worshiped. Worship, in this sense, implies that you are not allowed to disagree with them. Sure, Christians will claim otherwise and say, "Look at Job." However, the end result of any disagreement with their God is one of two possible outcomes: you come to realize you are wrong; or you are deserving of the torment you will receive. There is no such being that is worthy of this kind of moral abdication. In fact, it is my firm belief that it is unethical to worship anything. As such, there can never be any such thing as a God no matter what one decides about the question of a super-agent that can do the various things that various gods are purported to do, the existence of which really becomes a moot point to any question of interest.
Are you aware that actual evidence for God does exist?
Our definition of “evidence” obviously differs greatly. The Koran says that Muhammad is God’s prophet. Cinderella says that an old woman made a pumpkin turn into a carriage. You have to convince me that the Bible is somehow different than these others and we both know you can’t. I won’t ask you to try because you’ll just end up lying at some point….happens every time.
Blog note: this one is of course self evident to anyone that is both intelligent and being honest. It just begs the question to claim the Bible is evidence of the claims in the Bible.
Do you know why many people choose to be atheists?
Sigh. I suppose it doesn’t really matter to you that what you’re saying is really quite horrible and judgmental, and you’ll just pass the buck to God if pressed to take responsibility for your words, but it really does say quite a lot about you when you call people “corrupt” because they don’t believe what you do. It’s one thing you’ll not likely find an atheist doing. At any rate, I hope it makes you feel better about yourself to piss on a bunch of people you don’t even know.
As to the question, we both know it’s not an honest one and there’s no reason to actually answer it. I know why I’m an atheist and like I said in #1, you wouldn’t listen if I tried to explain it anyway.
Blog note: It often comes as a shock to many atheists that believers would think they have chosen to be atheists. It's not a choice in the same way that I chose to write this blog, in that I could have done otherwise. Once the decision to follow a certain criteria of evidence to figure out what is believable and what is not, belief in Gods just goes away. I was no more able to chose this than I am able to choose to not believe in gravity. However, I do believe I understand why believers are able to think we do choose to be atheists; it is because they DID choose to believe when they took their "leap of faith". It's the same reason that Pascal's Wager actually makes sense to them.
How much of the Bible have you actually read?
You know, honestly, not a whole lot. It’s a big, thick book with not a lot to say of value. Has some interesting stories but they’re really poorly written. The only part I could ever actually make it through were the Gospels, which are nice but you’ll find similar and better philosophies elsewhere. As to the rest, I have given it a real try occasionally but I just can’t make it much more than a few chapters before I just lose interest. Frankly, there’s not much point. If it wasn’t for the fact that so many people take it so seriously I’d have no interest in it at all. What I have read has mostly struck me as rather childish or downright offensive. I certainly can’t accept it as a moral guide of any kind since what I have read contains way too many moral abuses and it’s delivered as an absolute rather than opinion.
Better to go read better works by more interesting people. Right now, for instance, I’m spending my time reading the works of Popper and Dawkins (his scientific work, not his atheism books). Have you read these? Have you read the Koran? The holy works of other religions? There’s a lot in the world to read, it’s sad to see people take one particular book as scripture without looking at the rest of what some very wise people, both religious and not, have said. For me, there’s just too much of better value to read to spend all my time on what has simply not been able to impress or hold my interest.
Blog note: I don't have to real the entirety of Mein Kamph to know I generally disagree with the contents. I've read what I wanted to of both books.
Do you know the word used in the Bible to describe an atheist?
Yes, I know all about that. I also know what Jesus said was going to happen to those that follow suit: they’ll probably all burn in hell. I have to say I understand Jesus’s point quite well and try to take it to heart. When you call someone a “fool” (especially as it means in the Bible) you are throwing them away. You can’t possibly listen to them or love them with that kind of venom in your heart, and this is what Jesus tells us all to do.
I’ve always found it rather funny that the people who believe in Jesus the least often understand and follow his philosophy the most. I can’t really say I’m one of those people, but it’s quite obvious to me that you are not either…though I’m sure you’ll adamantly disagree and hold up your bible as evidence. Again, it just doesn’t impress me as such. You are what you do, not what you claim to be.
Blog note: *sigh*.
Would you allow me to share how you can know God?
I don’t actually want to know your God. The gods are the best wishes and desires of the people who believe in them. They always hold the same opinions and want the same things. What you have said in this blog speaks many volumes about who and what you are…and I don’t want to know you any more than that. Your God is petty and small and wouldn’t know love if it devoured him.
But yes, I’ve entertained many like you before and it’s always been for naught. People like you speak from ignorance. You read one book and think it makes you more wise than the best thinkers mankind has ever born. In fact, you discard that wisdom and seek your own…all the while claiming it to be your god’s. Nothing that has ever been said by a believer, especially one of your ilk, has been able to change my mind. How can one like you teach me more about God than God himself can? Your arrogance blinds you.
Blog note: It's funny that believers claim we worship ourselves as Gods when in fact the gods they worship are, in fact, themselves.
Would you allow me to pray for you, either now or at a later date?
It doesn’t really matter to me. For your own sake I hope that you do not for your praying is only a tool by which you further indoctrinate yourself. It’s the hot air you inflate yourself with. When you pray, you pray to make yourself feel better. You must really love me if you’re praying for me, right? Even as you hope that I burn in torment forever because I didn’t listen to you. It’s what allows you to say such horrible things about other people without actually looking inward to see where that’s coming from and why you value it so.
