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Atheism
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What good has atheism done for the world?
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Well really what you are doing chakka, is �breaking the hold� that religion has had over you.
As many people who turn to religion and turn away, it is primarily an individual choice as to which side of the �the fence� you sit. As for what your non-belief in Tarot Cards (crystal balls, astrology, spaghetti monsters etc) has done for the world, I would hazard it has achieved much the same as my non-belief in those things. Although I do read my horoscope occasionally.
I don�t really consider that Lourdes is a cruel exploitation of sick people. Most of them want to be more there and don�t expect to be cured, but hope they might. I would guess that hope would occur wherever they are in the world, but they go there by their own choice and more often feel impassioned by being there with fellow sufferers.
I would consider that his actions were really ridiculing their beliefs, which it his right to do of course, but in any event, to do this to the sick and suffering in any context doesn�t place anyone on a meritorious pedestal.
As many people who turn to religion and turn away, it is primarily an individual choice as to which side of the �the fence� you sit. As for what your non-belief in Tarot Cards (crystal balls, astrology, spaghetti monsters etc) has done for the world, I would hazard it has achieved much the same as my non-belief in those things. Although I do read my horoscope occasionally.
I don�t really consider that Lourdes is a cruel exploitation of sick people. Most of them want to be more there and don�t expect to be cured, but hope they might. I would guess that hope would occur wherever they are in the world, but they go there by their own choice and more often feel impassioned by being there with fellow sufferers.
I would consider that his actions were really ridiculing their beliefs, which it his right to do of course, but in any event, to do this to the sick and suffering in any context doesn�t place anyone on a meritorious pedestal.
I have to confess that I found Dawkins' Lourdes stunt in rather poor taste too.
Such things do rather help to paint him as a man who'd tip-toe up to toddlers and whisper "there's no such thing as Santa you know!"
But he is an important figure-head in a world where religious dogma is well entrenched in politics in the US and is forever banging on the door in secular Europe we can't afford to drop our guard.
Or we'll end up with creationism being taught in British Science lessons
Is that really the case nationally jake? I mean, talking from my own personal experience, I went to an RC school and I was taught about creation in RE, and taught about evolution and Darwin in science.
I have to be honest and say I don�t recall any lessons on the Big Bang but then like with our history lessons we didn�t do much study around WW1& 2 (more medieval history), so in science we didn�t really cover much about astronomy and the planets, beside learning the names, location, features and orbital patterns, solar system etc.
I�m not really up to date with current curriculum any more but I would like my daughter to be educated in a similar fashion to me and leave school with a thirst for more varied learning. Is teaching creationism in science a potential reality or just scare-mongering?
I have to be honest and say I don�t recall any lessons on the Big Bang but then like with our history lessons we didn�t do much study around WW1& 2 (more medieval history), so in science we didn�t really cover much about astronomy and the planets, beside learning the names, location, features and orbital patterns, solar system etc.
I�m not really up to date with current curriculum any more but I would like my daughter to be educated in a similar fashion to me and leave school with a thirst for more varied learning. Is teaching creationism in science a potential reality or just scare-mongering?
Jake - Don't look at Dawkins argument as 123 have shown the only thing that matters is how he looks. That�s it. All atheists are ugly all theist are pretty so they are right :-P
By the by you cannot possibly know what atheism has done for the world because up until the 20th century only death or ostracisicm awaited the none believer, so even if an atheist was say responsible for the Mona Lisa or the statue of David � the building of the Pyramids who knows they couldn�t be honest. So a little thought before getting that old broad brush out there.
Yours in ugliness
By the by you cannot possibly know what atheism has done for the world because up until the 20th century only death or ostracisicm awaited the none believer, so even if an atheist was say responsible for the Mona Lisa or the statue of David � the building of the Pyramids who knows they couldn�t be honest. So a little thought before getting that old broad brush out there.
Yours in ugliness
I have no problems with creationism being taught in an RE lesson.All sorts of myths and legends get taught there.
I have a huge problem when it enters a science lesson.
In this country it's very rare for it to have happened but there some disturbing accounts from up Newcastle way as I recall.
Google: kings academy middlesbrough creationism
and you'll see what I mean
Atheism did not start in the 20th Century - Diagoras lived in ancient greece! But it really got started in the early late 1600s and early 1700s with people like Diderot in France and Hobbes in England.
But 1770 is the big date with Baron d'Holbach the first openly atheist book published.
And the funny thing - this birth of Atheism is Western and coincides with the enlightenment and runs hand in glove with some of the greatest technological and humanitarian advances in Western culture.
Now isn't that a coincidence ! - amazing what happens when men's minds are freed
I have a huge problem when it enters a science lesson.
In this country it's very rare for it to have happened but there some disturbing accounts from up Newcastle way as I recall.
Google: kings academy middlesbrough creationism
and you'll see what I mean
Atheism did not start in the 20th Century - Diagoras lived in ancient greece! But it really got started in the early late 1600s and early 1700s with people like Diderot in France and Hobbes in England.
But 1770 is the big date with Baron d'Holbach the first openly atheist book published.
And the funny thing - this birth of Atheism is Western and coincides with the enlightenment and runs hand in glove with some of the greatest technological and humanitarian advances in Western culture.
Now isn't that a coincidence ! - amazing what happens when men's minds are freed
Most of the arguments here in the favor of theism are not the success of atheism. It�s the failure of the false religions or few infiltrated misconceptions into the religion itself.
For example if JW are against blood transfusion then they got it wrong. By proving them wrong with good reasons atheists did not do or create any thing. If someone�s religious belief depends upon crystal balls, astrology, spaghetti monster, palmistry and so on, then their belief was baseless, atheists again did not prove it wrong, but they did it themselves.
My wife once received one of those chain letters which apparently you are supposed to make more copies and send out or something will happen to you. I put that in the bin and said to my wife that even if I die today or tomorrow, then do not believe it happened due to this, it was just my time.
I do agree that atheists are not new and have always existed. One thing I must admit the modern day atheists have given to this world with the help of the media, and that is the thought for the people to reconsider their false gods, and the models of gods. Being a Muslim I do appreciate that.
For example if JW are against blood transfusion then they got it wrong. By proving them wrong with good reasons atheists did not do or create any thing. If someone�s religious belief depends upon crystal balls, astrology, spaghetti monster, palmistry and so on, then their belief was baseless, atheists again did not prove it wrong, but they did it themselves.
My wife once received one of those chain letters which apparently you are supposed to make more copies and send out or something will happen to you. I put that in the bin and said to my wife that even if I die today or tomorrow, then do not believe it happened due to this, it was just my time.
I do agree that atheists are not new and have always existed. One thing I must admit the modern day atheists have given to this world with the help of the media, and that is the thought for the people to reconsider their false gods, and the models of gods. Being a Muslim I do appreciate that.
keyplus, as on so many other occasions you miss the point of my comment on the actual question.
Since neither you nor 123 everton do not expect my rejection of all those other superstitions I listed to have 'done something for the world' why should my equally routine rejection of God have done so?
Atheism is not a cult, a philosophy, an instruction as to how people should run their lives, a political viewpoint or any other mindset that could be expected to 'do something for the world'. It is a simple, routine, everyday, commonsense, matter-of-fact, rational, logical rejection of an absurd idea.
Having done that rejection, theists can then put their minds to more important things, some of which might do something for the world. Surely freeing at least some minds from the tyranny of oppressive superstition is a good start.
Since neither you nor 123 everton do not expect my rejection of all those other superstitions I listed to have 'done something for the world' why should my equally routine rejection of God have done so?
Atheism is not a cult, a philosophy, an instruction as to how people should run their lives, a political viewpoint or any other mindset that could be expected to 'do something for the world'. It is a simple, routine, everyday, commonsense, matter-of-fact, rational, logical rejection of an absurd idea.
Having done that rejection, theists can then put their minds to more important things, some of which might do something for the world. Surely freeing at least some minds from the tyranny of oppressive superstition is a good start.
Why do you assume that my reasons for rejecting the notion of deities is dependent on something as crude as the content of a particular religion's holy text?
I *can* take the Koran to pieces, but that's not the basis for rejecting Islam along with all the other religions. It merely happens to agree with the conclusion from better reasoning.
I *can* take the Koran to pieces, but that's not the basis for rejecting Islam along with all the other religions. It merely happens to agree with the conclusion from better reasoning.
Dave � Your question about the woman age for marriage has been answered so many times. I can answer this again, go on and put a new thread. But before that just answer my question.
Would you allow someone marry someone who is 18 years but mentally and physically not reached puberty yet?
Waldo � If you could take Koran into pieces then you would not be hidden behind a artificial name and that tells a lot to ever one.
Would you allow someone marry someone who is 18 years but mentally and physically not reached puberty yet?
Waldo � If you could take Koran into pieces then you would not be hidden behind a artificial name and that tells a lot to ever one.
