Atheism vs. Christianity
This isn’t a new video by any means, but it is something I’d like to address.
There’s a common misunderstanding among theists about atheism. The quote on the right is a good representation of what the average theist thinks atheism is. It’s only a wonder they don’t buy into it.
This of course is not at all what atheists believe. There’s nothing “magically” done according to scientists or any rational thinker. The same however, can not be said for theists. The irony about the quote is that they suggest that something happening “magically” is just stupid, but when God does it, it’s okay.
In the video they talk about the death count from Atheism. They suggest that only 2000 people in the history of mankind were killed in the name of religion and that “it happened a long time ago” (as if that makes a difference).
Now, I could go into the death talley and show how religion wins out on the death toll count many times over, but it’s more than that.
Religion is bad because the ideas are bad. They say, “Hey… don’t worry about messing this life up, there’s another one after this.” They teach that you should spend this life preparing for the next. If you honestly believe that, you have diminished this life. You are NOT living life to it’s fullest.
Religion is a bad idea because it claims to draw it’s morals from this God, This God who (according to their book) believes in all manner of atrocities. When a religious person does something good, it’s to gain favor with this God, not just because it’s a good thing, as Atheists do. They live their life repressed and in servitude. This is no way to live.
Religion is bad because it cheapens the true awesomeness of the world we live in by trying to explain it with man made myths. The biblical story of creation absolutely pales in comparison to the true story of how our universe started.
Does atheism have all the answers to life’s mysteries? No. But neither does religion, despite what it claims.
Check out the videos after the break.
Comments (19)
Great post. You've said so many of the things I wanted to say about this very subject, that now i dont need to. I can just link people to your words.
Theist really DO NOT understand logic. They can not grasp the concept of admitting you don't know something. The believe admitting you don't know is a weakness. Until they can grasp the beautiful concept of logic, they will never understand us.
The good news is, I'm living proof that it is possible to change a theist mind with the light of logic and reason.
Thanks. I really do think that for a lot of people "theism" was just "normal". I use my mother as an example. She's taken part in so many religions, everything from Christianity to Scientology. Everyone always called her "confused", but I don't think she ever knew that "no religion" was an option. It just never crossed her mind.
I think the reason she switched religions so many times is because none of them gave her anything that made sense. I'm not saying she is an atheist, but I think now that she's heard the arguments for atheism, that it's not an option that's been totally ruled out.
It will take time, but I think more and more people are going to see that religion is just a silly superstition.
The person who devised the large comment of what atheism is obviously very hard headed or totally ignorant of any views other than their own. This statement has been around for a year or so and is used by the fundies to cause disrespect for people of non belief.
Dinesh D'Sousa has been bleating about his version of christianity for years now. I don't know if the word "simpleton" defines him or not. It does for me.
I've watched a few debates between D'Sousa and Hitchens. I can see how people buy into D'Sousa's arguments. If you can't spot creationist and circular logic like moth atheists do, you can easily be taken in.
I do love to watch Hitchens tear him up though
I have recently read both "God is not Great" and the "God Delusion" and I have to say as an athiest they reaffirm the fact that I should not be ashamed to think differently. Even if a "believer" would be to read these I would hope it would at least enable them to ask the questions they are told not to. Here in the midwest it's few far and in-between that I find many that I can talk to about our shared beliefs as these so called "christains" are the most judgemental and non-accepting people I have ever met. Great site slacker!!!!
I've read the God Delusion and the first part of God is not Great. I liked End of Faith and Letter to a Christian nation by Sam Harris. Both good reads.
First of all, I don't know who made that Atheism picture at the top of the page, but I found it on Google Images and was apalled. Not all of those men were atheists by any means – the picture needs more explanation if it is going to be posted.
Second, I really do believe that blogging reveals human ignorance at its best (or worst), and that it really does invalidate your opinion of your blog post is filled with grammatical errors, misspellings and logical errors.
I am a Christian, and I do agree with SOME of the things you have said, but just because someone misspells a word, doesn't make what they said about this disscussion untrue. If you're so intelligent, come up with a bit of a better argument than that.
Third, I would like to apologize for Christians who have genuinely been saved by the grace of God in Jesus Christ, but who do a poor job of reasoning on behalf of the Christian faith. Some do end up in a pattern of circular reasoning, but in their defense the Spirit of God converts a soul, and not every convert is skilled in the areas of logic or rhetoric.
To say that a creationist, or that a "theist" only has circular reasoning to fall back on, or to lump Christians together with all other "theists" and saying that they "DO NOT understand logic" is an ignorant statement to be frank. Many religions hold to false ideas of God and can be classified as "theistic," but do indeed fall apart under logical scrutiny. If that is the case for a particular religion, it is due to that religion's assumption of God.
If you are reading, please forgive me if I am boring you. I am trying my best to keep this interesting.
The funny thing about how God created the universe, and logic, is that to deny the existence of the God of the Scriptures (and by this I mean the Bible – not any other religion's ideas of God), is to deny your whole foundation for making a true claim or statement. The God of the Bible is truth itself, love itself, grace itself, holiness itself, justice itself – one must assume this God is true, because without Him you cannot prove anything.
The presupposition (or assumption) that this God exists is so important, transcendent, and necessary that even arguments against His existence rely on that presupposition.
I truly do hope this finds you well, and that God gives light to your eyes to see Him for who He is, and to put your faith in His Son for the forgiveness of your sins.
1 John 5:20
Creationism breaks away from Christianity these days. The former Pope John Paul II decreted that Darwin's theory of evolution was no longer a mere hypothesis.
It's funny when people ignore their religious leader and stick to their nonsensical dogmas, though.
Atheists can't prove a god's unexistance, because it is impossible. The theists need to prove their god(s)'s
existance. And you can't logically explain/prove that, since scientists and Christians are both missing things to prove things. I consider my self a realist, not an atheist. I think religions are fairytales, that help people through tough times. There's nothing wrong with that. But when Christians start to talk about creationism as a scientific explanation to our existence, it's getting ridiculous. Science as a word means just the opposite of religon. (Controversial, don't attack me.)
I don't believe theists are generally stupid, individual people are, but I consider evolution science and creationism a religion. Spirituality is a great thing, but when people are taught about a god/gods when they are children, it's really hard to get out of old habits. I'm generally against Christianity and all religion, but I don't consider myself an antitheist either. I'm also against some atheists and just people, who are trying to prove things with no evidence, and usually this ends in childish moves trying to pull each other down. I can't debate you, (I always lose in debates anyway haha) I can't prove anything.
Debates start to get childish when the "what happened before that, and what about before that???"-issue comes up. We are such a small part of the universe, that there's no way we'll ever no that much about the history of it. It's even too big of a concept to understand for most people.
I just wish that atheists would stop debating, since you will never win, strong Christians will take a cheap shot, like "You're going to hell" or something like this: http://derekstwistedmind.files.wordpress.com/2007...
And I wish that Christians would stop trying to debate against reality, 'cause that's what we live in.
Spirituality is a great thing!. But if you try prove against the existence of man, life, universe and millions of years of developing, not just the evolution of Earth, with an old book, is that really any more real or realistic than science, which helps millions of people?
I'm sorry for any spelling mistakes, I'm from Finland.
Live and let live.
my view on atheist is this if there wasn't a god then how and the hell did we get here just by some divine intervention or universal exchange of some unfamiliar gods
There's actually a lot of information on this. Everything from the Big Bang to Evolution. I would recommend you watch this youtube series. It might answer some of your questions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg1fs6vp9Ok&fe...
"ignorance is bliss" lets leave it at that. We'll all the know that truth once we die.
You are crazy if you believe anything this knuckle head talks about!
If the knuckle head you're referring to is Dinesh D'souza, I agree.
what a load of rubbish. you can't win
what's a load of rubbish?