Religion

[Nosajimiki]

I think her point was not so much that you will certainly fail, but that no attempt to suceed in something can be accomplished without a risk of failure. Even makeing a cup of coffee comes at the risk of putting too much sugar, or spilling it on the floor (or yourself), whatever, and that if you are not willing to risk failure, you can not "endeavor" for a goal to achieve a success

[Mykey]

I apologise, but, in my opinion, you commit an error.

[Elros]

You forgot my name.

[Pie]

wow this thread is like the energizer bunny... I was gonna catch up but nah... prolly just 25 pages of pie and nalaris preaching the holy myth of jesus christ......

after you're done reading, i hope you don't say that jesus never existed too. *sigh*

You're forgetting elros.

[Schme]

He just said that he's not going to read it.

[DELGRAD]

For believers the true religion is the one in which you believe. Not the one taught or forced upon you, but the one that you feel inside.

I read little, but enough to say. Why bother? Why disagree? Why argue? It is an opinion question/poll.
In my opinion I disagree. I am atheist. So therefore your poll is flawed as atheisim is not a religion.

I read the first post and nothing more. Somewhere in the 101 pages there must be flames and arguments. Religion should not be spoken of outside of the church if it will esculate to anything beyond enlightenment.

[saztronic]

Actually, atheism is a religion, if by "religion" you mean believing in something that can't be proven.

You can't prove there is no god, so if that's what you believe, welcome to the world of the religious. There's nachos and ginger ale on the buffet table. The atheists hang out in the back, mostly, but watch out for the holy rollers on your way down there.

[DELGRAD]

Actually, atheism is a religion, if by "religion" you mean believing in something that can't be proven.

You can't prove there is no god, so if that's what you believe, welcome to the world of the religious. There's nachos and ginger ale on the buffet table. The atheists hang out in the back, mostly, but watch out for the holy rollers on your way down there.

Your is means nothing to me. It is only text format.

How can the denial that a god or gods exist be construed as religion.
I was only saying that whatever a person believes is for them true, but only for them.

For me the idea of the existence of a god or gods is ridiculous.

My ,"religion" as you say, is for me and only me and no one else.

Everyone has a differnt way of thinking of things and they are right in whatever way they think. So for whatever you think atheism is a religion and for me it is not.

We are both right and both wrong.

You ever hear an atheist say that? As I said one is for the one.

I will not defend my position as you should not yours, but you will do as you do.

[Chris Johnson]

Actually, atheism is a religion, if by "religion" you mean believing in something that can't be proven.

But thats not a definition of religion - religion is the belief in particular higher power(s) - nothing about proof - the key word is belief - atheism is the belief that higher powers of any kind don't exist - Therefore it can't be a religion - in fact it is the antithesis of religion. What I believe you mean is that Religion and Atheism are both Beliefs

[saztronic]

Actually, atheism is a religion, if by "religion" you mean believing in something that can't be proven.

But thats not a definition of religion - religion is the belief in particular higher power(s) - nothing about proof - the key word is belief - atheism is the belief that higher powers of any kind don't exist - Therefore it can't be a religion - in fact it is the antithesis of religion. What I believe you mean is that Religion and Atheism are both Beliefs

Kind of, but not really. What I mean to say is that Theism and Atheism are on equal footing. Neither can be proved, only believed. So to say that "atheism is not a religion" is really a moot point. The statement is superfluous to a discussion of belief, whether you think belief is inviolably and ineluctably personal, as Delgad seems to, or whether you think belief can be communicated and perhaps even transferred from one person to another.

That being said, I would disagree with your definition of religion as being a belief in a higher power(s). Dictionary definition is as follows:

1. [Religion is] a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects.

According to this definition, which I think is a more accurate one, "religion" requires only a set of beliefs about the cause, nature and purpose of the universe -- especially, but not exclusively, when related to belief in a higher power(s). I would posit that asserting there is no god is a religious statement about the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe -- and therefore, constitutes a religion.

But semantics and a token will take you cross-town on the bus.

[saztronic]

Everyone has a differnt way of thinking of things and they are right in whatever way they think.

Excellent! I'm so glad to hear you say that.

I think you should be kicked off the forums, and I think you should be drawn and quartered -- by me personally, in a slow and particularly excruciating fashion. After which I will then eat a yummy TV dinner and call my grandma to tell her about my day.

I'm sure you wouldn't object to any of this... I mean, we all have our own ways of thinking and all, and neither is any more right or wrong than any other. I admire your tolerance! I'll see you at my place, say, around 8 p.m. then?

[DELGRAD]

Everyone has a differnt way of thinking of things and they are right in whatever way they think.

Excellent! I'm so glad to hear you say that.

I think you should be kicked off the forums, and I think you should be drawn and quartered -- by me personally, in a slow and particularly excruciating fashion. After which I will then eat a yummy TV dinner and call my grandma to tell her about my day.

I'm sure you wouldn't object to any of this... I mean, we all have our own ways of thinking and all, and neither is any more right or wrong than any other. I admire your tolerance! I'll see you at my place, say, around 8 p.m. then?

But I would rather not. Then you would say that I am wrong by my own words and so are you as well as right. Wrong right wrong right wrong right so what is the purpose if it goes round and round?

[saztronic]

Arguing is fun! Sure, it might be pointless -- but so is life! We live it anyway. Don't join in if you don't like it.

[DELGRAD]

Argument where?

[Elros]

Argument where?

The last 101 pages!