Atheists Unite

[Clodfobble]

I don't define "God" as the bearded man in the sky, and many religious people I know don't either. If anything, my concept of a God is of a more scientific, concept-of-infinity, origin-of-energy-in-the-system kind of thing. God's not remotely human-like, and I don't think he's watching, doing, changing, or caring about us in the sense that we use those words. Kind of a "oneness of the whole" is the farthest I'll go, I guess. Maybe that's more in the realm of Zen, I don't know, I've never felt compelled to study any of it.

[Pico and ME]

When couched in human terms like that, then I can definitely go along with a concept of 'god'...but I think there is a much better name for it. There's nothing wrong with having a 'collective group think'. We are social creatures first after all. But that is not a god in the way humans have created it.

ETA: Ummm, I think I may have distorted your meaning a bit, Clod.

[DanaC]

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

Based on the thread title, I think you will end up with a skewered pole.

Originally Posted by monster

This is very interesting. And I missed the skewered/skewed pole/poll last night (and I'm not entirely sure I get it), ...

I guess that that pun will be my cross to bear.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Pico and ME

When couched in human terms like that, then I can definitely go along with a concept of 'god'...but I think there is a much better name for it. There's nothing wrong with having a 'collective group think'. We are social creatures first after all. But that is not a god in the way humans have created it.

ETA: Ummm, I think I may have distorted your meaning a bit, Clod.

I figured you were responding to glatt, not me. But I don't disagree with what you're saying, I'm in favor of most any convention that ultimately leads to people helping other people and building a healthy community, even if the stories justifying those conventions are a little silly when you start to examine them.

[infinite monkey]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

I guess that that pun will be my cross to bear.

Martyr

[DanaC]

Posted before but seems appropriate here :p

[Pico and ME]

eheh...that was good.

[DanaC]

@ Pico: was it the bad vicar one, or the Dawkins one, because I edited and changed the video?

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Being grateful for God for putting food on our tables (in a roundabout way as you suggest) and placing us in a life that allows for happiness and prosperity, carries with it an assumption that God also put those unfortunate people who have less into their positions in life. If we are blessed, then they are cursed.

When there is some kind of disaster or tragedy and someone says, "god saved me", there's this implied, "and he killed all those other losers."

[infinite monkey]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

When there is some kind of disaster or tragedy and someone says, "god saved me", there's this implied, "and he killed all those other losers."

Or "you are so beautiful to me" implies "I don't care if everyone else thinks you're a butt ugly slag."

[Pico and ME]

Originally Posted by DanaC

@ Pico: was it the bad vicar one, or the Dawkins one, because I edited and changed the video?

You changed the Dawkins one? Ah man.

[Pico and ME]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

When there is some kind of disaster or tragedy and someone says, "god saved me", there's this implied, "and he killed all those other losers."

Exactly.

[DanaC]

I'll re-post it here then :p

[glatt]

Originally Posted by DanaC

If we are blessed, then they are cursed.

See, if I *think* about it, then I have to go in the atheist direction.

But I suppose the religious response to you could be that yes we are blessed, and it's our responsibility to help the less fortunate. We can't help them all, but we can help a little. And we do.