Lets see, Atheist either don't believe in god existence or they are in denial.... How about, Atheist just think differently. Smart people are very good at rationalizing things they came to believe, for non smart reasons. We are not in the stone age anymore, We can't be controlled by the church anymore and people are realizing that.
Thanks for asking, I hadn't checked in a while. It looks like my neighborhood might be off record highs but it's still up over 300% from 10 years ago and we're running out of undeveloped land in Orange County so if you are thinking about buying I wouldn't wait more than a few years. HTH.
There is a slight problem with your theory, and that is Christianity and other religions as well, consist of many smart men. Believing in God requires something greater than brains and that is faith. It has nothing to do with how smart you are, if you possess faith in God you will believe. Religion has been used for control of men, but in true Christianity, Jesus tells us we are all equal, and that if any man is greater than another he is to be our servant. Thats a paraphrase, but its something along those lines.
I agree with you, SB1234. I do not impute a necessary intelligence to atheists, and a necessary stupidity or ignorance to people of faith. Their are moronic atheists, and brilliant theists, of many stripes. I think this thread's thrust, if Tbarr is to be believed, is a question to those of you of faith on whether those of us without it really are without it, or just hold such views, essentially, for public show as it is impossible we believe as we do. I think it's a ridiculous question.
Ah of course there are always smart people in certain things. But right now if some of those people claimed they weren't believers a lot of them would be shunned or looked down upon by all the Christians.. You people are very mean ugly people when you want to be. So much for peace and love when someone decides to walk away from your faith because they know they are believing it for pointless reasons then the whole community (im sure in secrecy damns you to hell). And don't even try and say that it doesn't happen... like 60% of you so called christians don't even go to church. Its one thing to say your Christian and its another thing to say your a true Christian. And i'll put money that 90% of you here who claim you are real christians, that you never stepped in a church in years. So calling your self a believer won't get you into heaven just because you think you believe. Also as far as intelligence goes for religion. Its fact. Go read a history book on the medieval times and the stone ages. The peasants and the low class of those times weren't exactly scholars, Most of them were "dumb" ill say, and im not blaming them for it, I know there wasn't schools back then for the poor but if you read on why those people even bothered to even be alive in those kinds of conditions is because if they worked hard enough and believed hard enough and went to church and did as god said that they would go to heaven in the after life. I don't know about you but that seems like the work of churches controlling the masses, back then if you denied god you were also killed, these are all scare tactics, and why do you think there are so many atheist in the world today? Its not because the world is getting shittier and its coming to an end soon. Its because people who do not believe aren't stupid, i personally believe in a higher being but to worship him and praise him all my life is just "dumb".
the only damnation is that which exsists for all those that do not accept the lord. When someone chooses to leave the church, it is a sad time. We are not to be angered, but saddened. There is no retaliation for an action like that. And to say Christians are mean and ugly, just shows you lack of knowledge on the faith. I will admit some people may be personally offended, and may say things to that person on a personal level which may not be very nice, but if the church found out, then that person would be the one to get dealt with. (I am speaking of my fellowship, not the traditional church) This is true, and its sad because you base most of your knowledge on those that are not true. I am in fact a true christian, we have church several times a week, including a fellowship at a homeless shelter every Friday. And you are correct, to believe is to obey. Believing in God consists of much more than just acknowledging him. You must change your life to hate the sins you once loved. Im not sure what your point is here, we are in much different times now, and there are plenty of educated christians, that are completely capable of discerning right and wrong, but as i said before, being smart has nothing to do with it. It requires faith. You can not use intelligence to understand the glory of the lord. It is spiritual. Saying this implies that christians are stupid, yet that is not true. Therefore your statement is irrelevant. The higher being you are speaking of has asked you to do what you just refused.
i think that they know that there is someone over there controlling everything, one is most powerful and creator. but don't know who?
An extremely good discussion I've come across. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z73ohM_Rjw&feature=related I recommend watching it completely... DISCLAIMER: If you happen to be an atheist watching this thread, please do not be offended. If you don't like what is being said, just take it as another person's view-point. I hereby declare that I am not forcing anyone to change their beliefs. This material is for EDUCATION PURPOSE ONLY.
How can I be denying someone's existence if I don't even believe they exist in the first place???? (On a side note: I find it quite hilarious that when I looked up the spelling of existence at dictionary.com, the contextually based ads were asking "Do you believe in the existence of God?" and "Does God exist?")
One of the most brilliant affirmations of atheism I have seen. When I have had a problem with people whom I would call "religious atheists," it is because they seem to shake their fist at the sky - "THAT doesn't exist!" http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showpost.php?p=4818018&postcount=91 You have framed it beautifully.