Atheist Can't Make the Leap

[cosmictraveler]

Druids

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...of_the_sun.jpg

[Cellar_Door]

Buddhism

Then you'll have to set yourself on fire when you need to protest about something

2) Joyous xians prancing around in an orgy of little boys and girls, hosted by god himself

Writing the word 'Xtian' instead of 'Christian' is almost as bad as writing 'G*d' instead of 'God'.

[Tiassa]

Of those four, which one sounds the best? I guess it depends on whether I need to be a sexual deviant if I want to be Christian or perhaps I have to prefer White Phosphorus, TNT or lighter fluid for the other three. Such tough choices.

Seek Sufism if you're interested in Islam, but seek it well. There are plenty of "Sufi" con artists.

Of Christianity, I would suggest the Society of Friends, a.k.a. Quakers. There are vital differences between Quakers and other sects of Christianity—e.g., Original Sin vs. Original Good—that make a difference in how adherents view the world. I've found Quakers to be considerably more rational and logical in their general outlook than, say, Baptists.

Can't make any recommendation about Judaism. You could always do what Madonna did, which is take up Qabalism, but that can be problematic without a proper foundation in Judaic history, faith, and lore.

But that also reminds that if you're seeking a theological perspective instead of a formal church to attend, you might try cobbling together a patchwork outlook. For instance, Perdurabo's (Aleister Crowley) Book of Lies, which will eventually lead you back to the post-Qabalist sorceries of the Golden Dawn and Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO). Add in some paganism, with Starhawk's Spiral Dance and Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon as study guides to understanding the modern implications of Gardnerian and other Witchcraft. The work of Ellen Cannon Reed can help connect those disparate branches.

But, always important to such an endeavor is a practical application. Existentialist literature can be very helpful in this. One possible outcome of such a mix is that eventually the idea of God becomes inconsequential to you, but you are able to speak with people about the subject without getting the atheistic willies some people seem to suffer whenever terminology pertaining to the divine passes their lips.

[Michael]

That chick on the left looks like a Hobbit

[sifreak21]

Dear confused atheist,

I suggest that you kill yourself and settle the question the most direct fashion possible. It should become immediately obvious which religion is right a few moments after your ultimate breath.

You will see one of the following soon after shuffling off your mortal coil:

1) Joyous muslims prancing around in an orgy of virgins, hosted by god himself
2) Joyous xians prancing around in an orgy of little boys and girls, hosted by god himself
3) Somber jews realizing they have no one to prance with.
4) A bright light at the end of a tunnel as you are reborn, Buddhist style, for another go-around
4) Joyous hindus getting manually stimulated by millions of shivas (shiva can service six at once)

wait wait you forgot one..
5) nothing you dont go anywhere your not living anymore your dead and the onlything to remains of you is memories in the livings minds

[superluminal]

Then you'll have to set yourself on fire when you need to protest about something



Writing the word 'Xtian' instead of 'Christian' is almost as bad as writing 'G*d' instead of 'God'.

Really? A lot of people do it. It's just a pain in the butt to write out "christian" all of the time. It's just shorthand.

[Doreen]

Can someone help me? I want to join a religion but I can't make up my mind. All have remarkable attributes. There are Jews whipping Arab butt, Christians sexually molesting children, Muslims blowing up people all over the place and Hindus burning brides. I don't know which one to pick. They all sound marvelous

Of those four, which one sounds the best? I guess it depends on whether I need to be a sexual deviant if I want to be Christian or perhaps I have to prefer White Phosphorus, TNT or lighter fluid for the other three. Such tough choices.

Help me make the leap. All the atheists I know want no part of religion and some peace in the world. All without killing someone to get it. WTF is that? Bunch of freakin' losers

I mean, I do see you are being playful, but you are aware of the really poor logic here, aren't you? You define atheists in a way no one else does so they come off nice and non-violent. You fail to mention that most people are theists so it's going to be likely that theists commit acts of violence. I really wish atheist organizations had come out against some of the recent wars, but they seem to be as gullible as everyone else when authority tells them this or that campaign of violence is necessary. There have been decent numbers of religious pacificsts - think Ghandi, think Quakers, and most conscientious objectors base their claims on religious grounds. But I realize this 'interest' of yours was just part of the 'joke.'

[PsychoticEpisode]

I mean, I do see you are being playful,

I would like to know the truth. These religions are the best choice for billions. So tell me what I should choose, what's so hard about that? Surely there is something more attractive for each that sets them apart from one another. I need someone to tell me what it is.

Suppose I knew nothing of any of those religions, then during my indoctrination would I be informed that children will be buggered by my clergy, I might have to detonate a bomb strapped to myself, kill people, or set my wife on fire?

[lightgigantic]

Suppose I knew nothing of any of those religions, then during my indoctrination would I be informed that children will be buggered by my clergy, I might have to detonate a bomb strapped to myself, kill people, or set my wife on fire?

sounds like you would be setting yourself up for a great weekend

[PsychoticEpisode]

sounds like you would be setting yourself up for a great weekend

No shit! Good for me but not for everyone.

[Medicine*Woman]

*************
M*W: Atheists have already made the giant leap over the false diety they thought was god.

[glaucon]

*************
M*W: Atheists have already made the giant leap over the false diety they thought was god.

You mean the leap to intelligence??

wow.

How lucky we are...





;-)

[superluminal]

I LOVE Druids!

Like that little one in Star Wars, you know? He was sooo cute! All "Beepety-beep" and everything.

[Doreen]

I would like to know the truth. These religions are the best choice for billions.

You believe this?

So tell me what I should choose, what's so hard about that?

Heck, I don't even tell people what ice cream they should eat. Take a little responsibility, Psychotic.

Surely there is something more attractive for each that sets them apart from one another.

Things are attractive to people or a certain person. The quality of being attractive is not a universal quality in the religion.

I need someone to tell me what it is.

You do?

Suppose I knew nothing of any of those religions, then during my indoctrination would I be informed that children will be buggered by my clergy, I might have to detonate a bomb strapped to myself, kill people, or set my wife on fire?

I don't think we need to suppose.

And the OP, despite your not addressing my point, still makes no sense.

[PsychoticEpisode]

And the OP, despite your not addressing my point, still makes no sense.

I just wanted to use the smilies. Wasn't supposed to make sense. But then again, what part of religion does? So yeah, it probably made more sense than sky fairy belief just because it accomplished more. (Aren't they irresistible?)

[Doreen]

I just wanted to use the smilies. Wasn't supposed to make sense. But then again, what part of religion does?

Oh, the OP was part of religion. OK.

I thought it was supposed to be humor mocking religions somehow. My mistake.

[PsychoticEpisode]

I thought it was supposed to be humor mocking religions somehow. My mistake.

Sarcasm requires the little Rolls Eyes Emoticon. Come on Doreen, get with the program.

[Doreen]

Sarcasm requires the little Rolls Eyes Emoticon. Come on Doreen, get with the program.

ah, so you think mocking has to be sarcastic.

[PsychoticEpisode]

ah, so you think mocking has to be sarcastic.

At a time when conventional or schoolyard mocking gets dull it is a refreshing change. Some might consider it a way of testing a detractor's IQ.

[Doreen]

At a time when conventional or schoolyard mocking gets dull it is a refreshing change. Some might consider it a way of testing a detractor's IQ.

I am sorry you have detractors.

Further, to me, one can be sarcastic and point out the illogic of something. In fact to simply be sarcastic and random carries little punch.