Mother kills son with a bullet to back of head at Florida shooting range

[JoeChalupa]

Nah, I'll have some Angel Food cake instead.

[JoeChalupa]

Monk is a funny show.

[Bigzax]

Would that be the same god they don't believe in?

they do. but don't admit it.

when on their knees one day, darkest of times, when nothing is in their control...the words will be spoken.

"why God, why?" or "please God, please!"

take it to the bank my friend. safest bet you can make.

[BacktoBasics]

Going on the idea that there is nothingness after life, why should a human's free will lead them to the "right" path over the "wrong" if they knew they could get away with it under Man's Laws.

If there is no grand reward, or progress in the next life, why should some choose to be honest when they see others getting away in life taking the bad path.

The beauty of choice. People seemingly can't do right for themselves without some kind of purpose or meaning. Its the fallacy of the world around us.

I believe in nothingness. I don't believe in the after life or any grand reward. Yet I manage to find comfort and satisfaction in doing good by my own free will. Free of purpose or reason.

[exstatic]

“The greatest tragedy in mankind's entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion.”

-Arthur C. Clarke

I love the way Dawkins absolutely murdered the idea that our morals are derived from religion. Off the top of my head, his argument was along the lines of:

1) Assume our sense of right and wrong comes from the bible.
2) The bible tells believers all kinds of things like one should stone disobedient children and kill those who pray to a different god.
3) No one in his right mind believes he should kill someone else just because the other person is a member of a rival religion. No one in his right mind thinks he should kill his own kids.
4) Therefore, people are picking and choosing what is moral from the bible.
5) Therefore, people have to get their ideas of right and wrong from somewhere else, or they would not be able to reason that some ideas in the bible are horrifying.

That.

[BacktoBasics]

Hopefully whottt didn't eject before reading this.

She thought her son would go somewhere good...she didn't think she was doing a good act, that's why she said she was going to go to for it.

So if the idea of eternal torment isn't enough to keep someone from doing something like this...what in the world makes you think the idea of eternal oblivion and nothingess will fare better? In all likelyhood, it will fare much worse at preventing these sorts of things.

Eternal oblivion and nothingness has fared quite well for many of us. As far as I'm concerned it liberated me. If she knew there was no heaven would she have still killed him? If there was no better place for him to go and he was better off where he's at would it have still gone down this way?

[Jesus]

The beauty of choice. People seemingly can't do right for themselves without some kind of purpose or meaning. Its the fallacy of the world around us.

I believe in nothingness. I don't believe in the after life or any grand reward. Yet I manage to find comfort and satisfaction in doing good by my own free will. Free of purpose or reason.

Oh what a rude awakening lies ahead of you. Wait until you see what I will do with my own free will. You will know the purpose AND the reason.

[peewee's lovechild]

lol dude, I belong to no religion and have read numerous times the teachings of lao tze. They also believe there is a purpose to life, man does have meaning, and man will be rewarded should he make the right chooses along his path of spiritual progression.

I respect the beliefs of those you listed out of any other religious/spiritual beliefs in this world.

If you've read and understood anything as it pertains to Taoism, Confucionism, or Buddhism, then you would understand that they are all philosophies of life.

Their main purpose is to ensure that you've lived a good and moral life.

Spirituality to the people who follow these teaching means a completely different thing than does the christian spirituality.

[FaithInOne]

Throw out all of the religious babble arguments, and this is just simply fun to think about and talk with others

[exstatic]

they do. but don't admit it.

when on their knees one day, darkest of times, when nothing is in their control...the words will be spoken.

"why God, why?" or "please God, please!"

take it to the bank my friend. safest bet you can make.

I think I'll try Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy first. They've actually shown me tangible, explainable, repeatable results. I could always take what the Tooth Fairy gave me to the bank.

[BacktoBasics]

Oh what a rude awakening lies ahead of you. Wait until you see what I will do with my own free will. You will know the purpose AND the reason.

Don't be jealous that I don't worship you. Many of your "standards and codes" of living mirror my own belief structure. I don't need to kiss your ass to be a good guy.

[Bigzax]

Their main purpose is to ensure that you've lived a good and moral life.

Spirituality to the people who follow these teaching means a completely different thing than does the christian spirituality.

gnostic christians beg to differ.

[FaithInOne]

If you've read and understood anything as it pertains to Taoism, Confucionism, or Buddhism, then you would understand that they are all philosophies of life.

Their main purpose is to ensure that you've lived a good and moral life.

Spirituality to the people who follow these teaching means a completely different thing than does the christian spirituality.

I guess I am just trying to figure out what is behind the great design of that way of thinking. Living a "good life" leads to less stress and a greater sense of accomplishment in the long run, but why is that.

I think there has got to be something behind the idea that those philosophies on life, tap deep into the design in our brains/thinking that would otherwise not be exercised with the common functions in everyday life.

[Richard Cranium]

If you've read and understood anything as it pertains to Taoism, Confucionism, or Buddhism, then you would understand that they are all philosophies of life.

Their main purpose is to ensure that you've lived a good and moral life.

Spirituality to the people who follow these teaching means a completely different thing than does the christian spirituality.

[Bigzax]

I think I'll try Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy first. They've actually shown me tangible, explainable, repeatable results. I could always take what the Tooth Fairy gave me to the bank.

has love lost has caused your shield to be raised?

[BacktoBasics]

I guess I am just trying to figure out what is behind the great design of that way of thinking. Living a "good life" leads to less stress and a greater sense of accomplishment in the long run, but why is that.

I think there has got to be something behind the idea that those philosophies on life, tap deep into the design in our brains/thinking that would otherwise not be exercised with the common functions in everyday life.

This thread is in serious need of some bud.

[peewee's lovechild]

I guess I am just trying to figure out what is behind the great design of that way of thinking. Living a "good life" leads to less stress and a greater sense of accomplishment in the long run, but why is that.

I think there has got to be something behind the idea that those philosophies on life, tap deep into the design in our brains/thinking that would otherwise not be exercised with the common functions in everyday life.

I'm not sure what you're trying to get at here.

My original response to you was that these philosophies don't follow a "god", yet they know what right/wrong, evil/good is.

You have failed to explain otherwise.

[JoeChalupa]

This thread is in serious need of some bud.

I won't argue with that.

[ALVAREZ6]

Ok...so those that don't agree with you are immoral?

Wow...how very Christian of you.

What??? How can you infer that from what I said??

I said nothing about people that don't agree with me...I simply said that you don't need religion to have morals and a heart, to know what's right and wrong. This doesn't imply that people who are religious (those that disagree with me) are immoral.

[peewee's lovechild]

This thread is in serious need of some bud.

He's ahead of us.

[FaithInOne]

Damn, I don't even know what I am trying to say. I can't even think of the right question to ask LOL

I don't think of God as some old man in the sky, but more as something that has designed the order of the world. Maybe the design itself.

[exstatic]

has love lost has caused your shield to be raised?

I have no shield, nor any need for one. You religiots love to hide behind yours, though.

[peewee's lovechild]

I won't argue with that.

Finally, some common ground.

[Dr. Gonzo]

If you've read and understood anything as it pertains to Taoism, Confucionism, or Buddhism, then you would understand that they are all philosophies of life.

Their main purpose is to ensure that you've lived a good and moral life.

Spirituality to the people who follow these teaching means a completely different thing than does the christian spirituality.

That is the main purpose of Christianity as well.

[Blake]

Well #1, no it's not...b2b said there's no need of god or that sense of right and wrong because all atheists share the same sense of right and wrong...his generalization, not mine. According to him atheists wouldn't have differing views of right and wrong...they all inherently know right and wrong, it's because they are all intelligent enough to call themselves atheists.

I think I've seen enough of B2B's posts to know he wouldn't be stupid enough to say "all atheists share the same sense of right and wrong."

Surely you aren't saying you disagree with him? If so you prove him wrong and me right...no matter what you say about me and my arguments.

I disagree with you.

If you are too stupid to go back and find the post where he did it...well that's unfortunate for you, I'd find it for you but frankly I don't think it's worth that sort of effort since you are stupid and likely to be unconvinced by my efforts.

You call me stupid because I'm not going to do your quote work for you?

How unfortunate for you.

And I never said I wasn't generalizing, criticizing and judging...ih fact, it would be pretty stupid to think I have ever attempted to claim that for myself or presented myself that way.

great. Then we agree you were generalizing, criticizing and judging.

Read more. Post less.

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