Why are athiests so hated in the USA?

[Blake]

A passing observation, no more. Did I strike a nerve?

So you weren't really trying to converse with me about the topic.
I didn't think so.

I already admitted it's possible I've been abusive to the board christians, so no, no nerve struck.

My passing observation is that you are a hypocritical asshat.

[LnGrrrR]

Moreover, the inauthenticity of belief you refer to is easily glossed as "fallenness" and sin. Paradoxically, the remoteness and implausibility of (theistic) belief is precisely what recommends it as the crucial act of piety.

I think you bring up a good point here WH. To me, belief without uncertainty is useless, a copout. If you know God exists 100%, then how strong is your faith? I would argue that those who don't have sureness must have even stronger faith.

[Winehole23]

So you weren't really trying to converse with me about the topic.
I didn't think so.

Tried. Many times. You weren't up to it.

[mouse]

My passing observation is that you are a hypocritical asshat.

Now that is the Blake I remembered from back in the day!



And the asshat card is old school gotta luv it.

So as long as no one tries to claim we evolved from a snail please continue this interesting topic......

[JoeChalupa]

I think you bring up a good point here WH. To me, belief without uncertainty is useless, a copout. If you know God exists 100%, then how strong is your faith? I would argue that those who don't have sureness must have even stronger faith.

God have mercy on the man, who doubts what he is sure of.
-The Boss

[mouse]

God have mercy on the man, who doubts what he is sure of.
-The Boss

First you must prove there is a GOD

[SAScrub]

The government gives special benefits to marriages and not to others for good reason. It’s not because they involve long-term, loving, committed relationships. Many other relationships qualify there. It’s because they involve children. Inheritance rights flow naturally to progeny. Tax relief for families eases the financial burden children make on paychecks. Insurance policies reflect the unique relationship between a wage earner and his or her dependents (if Mom stays home to care for kids, she—and they—are still covered). These cir stances, inherent to families, simply are not intrinsic to other relationships, as a rule, including sexual ones. There is no obligation for government to give every human coupling the same en lements simply to “stabilize” the relationship. The unique benefits of marriage fit its unique purpose. Marriage is not meant to be a short-cut to group insurance rates or tax relief.

It’s meant to build families

[baseline bum]

So you're fine with gays who adopt being married then?

[Blake]

Yep.

Blake's just a super pussy.

Oh noes! Now Wild Cobra is trying to pile on!

I can take being called abusive, but super pussy is crossing the line.

[Blake]

.....that there have been very few (perhaps no more than a handful of) Christians since the beginning. The rest of us are inauthentic pretenders. There is no being a Christian, just becoming one.

now I see where the original nerve was struck.

Rofl.

[rascal]

The government gives special benefits to marriages and not to others for good reason. It’s not because they involve long-term, loving, committed relationships. Many other relationships qualify there. It’s because they involve children. Inheritance rights flow naturally to progeny. Tax relief for families eases the financial burden children make on paychecks. Insurance policies reflect the unique relationship between a wage earner and his or her dependents (if Mom stays home to care for kids, she—and they—are still covered). These cir stances, inherent to families, simply are not intrinsic to other relationships, as a rule, including sexual ones. There is no obligation for government to give every human coupling the same en lements simply to “stabilize” the relationship. The unique benefits of marriage fit its unique purpose. Marriage is not meant to be a short-cut to group insurance rates or tax relief.

It’s meant to build families

Marriage is not meant to build families.
You don't have to plan to have kids to be married and you don't have to be married to have kids.

[rascal]

How will an aborted fetus appear in Heaven?

[Blake]

Tried. Many times. You weren't up to it.

You already admitted to posting a passing observation of me in particular instead of staying on topic. Hard to take you serious when you start out with abusive posts.

That said, I think I responded to every serious question you directed towards me. If there's anything else you would like to discuss, just bring it up.

[SAScrub]

Marriage is not meant to build families.
You don't have to plan to have kids to be married and you don't have to be married to have kids.

What is marriage meant to do?

[Winehole23]

now I see where the original nerve was struck.

Rofl.

Your laughter is audible, but the object is unclear. What are you laughing at, Miss Jelks?

[Winehole23]

You already admitted to posting a passing observation of me in particular instead of staying on topic. Hard to take you serious when you start out with abusive posts.

The abuser complaining of abuse. Classic.

That said, I think I responded to every serious question you directed towards me. If there's anything else you would like to discuss, just bring it up.

You had one or two straight responses, which I noticed and appreciated. Thank you.

[Winehole23]

The last temptation in "The Last Temptation of Christ" is Christ descending from the cross to become a small landholder with a family, or something like that.

Jesus meets St. Paul in the act of evangelizing (or something like that) and introduces himself, the historical Jesus. Paul denies him to his face and says (by heart, right?)

"You're not the Jesus I believe in. You're not my Jesus! My Jesus has nothing to do with you!"

[Wild Cobra]

First you must prove there is a GOD

How do you prove a spiritual experience to someone else?

[Winehole23]

Judas with a Brooklyn accent was pretty hard to take. JMO.

[Winehole23]

How do you prove a spiritual experience to someone else?

You can't. If it were susceptible to proof it'd be an object of reason, rather than belief.

In any case, they judge you by what you do next.

Judge ye by the fruits, William James, blah blah blah, etc..

[ElNono]

What is marriage meant to do?

As far as government is concerned, marriage is a contract between two people, which receive certain mutually beneficial benefits as long as they remain in that contract.

The whole procreation argument stopped being relevant a long time ago, at the very least since IVF and surrogacy have become real options.

[Winehole23]

Matthew 5:43 into Matthew 6 sets a mark: be perfect, and don't be a about it.

[Winehole23]

The Christ of The Gospel of Matthew is an angry Christ. Scared me less first time I read it and I didn't even believe in it.

[SAScrub]

As far as government is concerned, marriage is a contract between two people, which receive certain mutually beneficial benefits as long as they remain in that contract.

The whole procreation argument stopped being relevant a long time ago, at the very least since IVF and surrogacy have become real options.

So, our government recognizes marriage because they want two people who love each other to pay LESS taxes and recieve MORE benefits at a cost to the govt.?

[Blake]

The abuser complaining of abuse. Classic.

Which I pointed out was actually you in page 2.

No complaints from me. Just a passing observation.