tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post9036429440349616172..comments2024-03-25T04:52:13.319-07:00Comments on BizarroBlog: Believe It or NotPirarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340738828876740970noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-559160151923168142010-04-20T12:51:25.924-07:002010-04-20T12:51:25.924-07:00"The wrath of God is being revealed from heav..."The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." -Romans 1:18-21Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-57775112815280985442010-02-10T12:53:59.753-08:002010-02-10T12:53:59.753-08:00Raydancer,... some measure holiness by the amount ...Raydancer,... some measure holiness by the amount of snakes you can handle, poison you can drink, Jews or non-religious you can kill.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-16637408736392059052009-12-31T13:48:53.121-08:002009-12-31T13:48:53.121-08:00Funny how Atheists (on a general level) think that...Funny how Atheists (on a general level) think that faith is beneath them; that people of faith are less intelligent. (Look at Diane's comment.) However, atheists have more faith than anyone else. It takes faith to see order in nature and deny the existence of an intelligent designer. Atheists are religious. They simply believe wholeheartedly the lie spoken to Even in the Garden: You will become as God. Atheists believe in themselves and believe in no other God, but themselves.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-33012385664175222542009-09-23T19:46:56.949-07:002009-09-23T19:46:56.949-07:00"You have to believe you'll be rewarded l...<i>"You have to believe you'll be rewarded later, atheists don't fall for that."</i><br /><br />We might just as easily say <i>most sane people</i> don't get involved in terrorism. It would be a bit of a "red herring" to blame religious fundamentalism for terrorism, without understanding the greater context of the problem, particularly in many Islamic states. As much as I personally dislike fundamentalists, I won't assume they all intend to murder me for being "the infidel", lol.marine_explorerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03092782038855356359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-72053888467154998572009-09-23T16:22:26.015-07:002009-09-23T16:22:26.015-07:00Right on, man! Right on! You, good sir, deserve a ...Right on, man! Right on! You, good sir, deserve a high five of awesomeness.Candeseamo The Greathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08850950374942242660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-18177596117196999442009-09-20T18:02:55.832-07:002009-09-20T18:02:55.832-07:00Well Leigh, there are atheist suicide bombers in o...Well Leigh, there are atheist suicide bombers in occupied Palestine/Israel. Just a point of clarification. <br /><br />As I mentioned, Atheists are human and subject to actions similar to theists. To point blame of world problems at belief groups isn't very bright. Which was Piraro's point all along.<br /><br />The search for truth is an often elusive. The problem may reside when someone thinks s/he has finally attained 'it' and stopped there. Truth does not seem to be static, like our comprehension--the way is ever-changing as we change. How many times have we read something profound and come back to the text years later and saw something different in it? The biblical Abraham started off as a polytheist on the road for his search. What if he died before he reached his monotheistic conclusion? The result may be incidental, perhaps it is the seach that truly matters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-1055078715584272412009-09-20T08:58:31.633-07:002009-09-20T08:58:31.633-07:00@Kendra
If you want to get into numbers, just di...@Kendra <br /><br />If you want to get into numbers, just dig a little and you will find lists of approximate counts of people who have died because of religion... specifically BECAUSE of religion. It's way bigger than the communist regimes of the past 100 years.<br /><br />Bringing in the people who will do anything for power is really off subject. No one said that sociopaths have to believe in god.<br /><br />Until atheists start up a suicide bombing group and start yanking their kids out of school to avoid them being exposed to the real world of politics... I'm not going to worry too much.L. Erskinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15143717375741148696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-30338948566368993812009-09-19T21:29:41.639-07:002009-09-19T21:29:41.639-07:00here is what atheism has done for the world:
Sourc...here is what atheism has done for the world:<br />Source List and Detailed Death Tolls for the Twentieth Century Hemoclysm: deaths from socialists/communists governments and/or leaders<br /> <br />Russian Civil War (1917-22): 9 000 000 <br /> <br />Soviet Union, Stalin's regime (1924-53): 20 000 000 <br /> <br />Second World War (1937-45): 55 000 000 <br /> <br />Hitler:(a socialist/athiest)) 20,946,000 Stalin: 13,053,000 Chinese Communist: 250,000 <br /> <br />Chinese Civil War (1945-49): 2 500 000 <br /> <br />People's Republic of China, Mao Zedong's regime (1949-1975): 40 000 000 <br /> <br />Tibet (1950 et seq.): 600 000 <br /> <br />1950 massacre in Seoul by North Koreans: 128,936 <br /> <br />Communist regime of North Korea committed 1,663,000 democides between 1948 and 1987 <br /> <br />Cambodia, Khmer Rouge (1975-1978): 1 650 000 <br /> <br />Mozambique (1975-1992): 1 000 000 <br /> <br />Yugoslavia, Tito's Regime (1944-80): 200 000 <br /> <br />Romania (1948-89): 150 000 <br /> <br />Burma/ Myanmar (1948 et seq.): 130 000 <br /> <br />Vietnam, post-war Communist regime (1975 et seq.): 430 000 <br /> <br />East Germany (1949-89): 100 000<br /> <br /> Mongolia (1926-1991): 35 000 <br /> <br />Bulgaria (1948-89): 30 000 <br /> <br />Hungary (1948-89) <br />Communist Regime <br />Rummel: 27,000 democides, 1948-87<br /> <br />Poland (1948-89) <br />Communist Regime <br />Overall <br />Rummel: 22,000 democides, 1948-87<br /> <br />North Vietnam (1954-75): 50 000 <br /> <br />Peru (1980-2000): 50 000 <br /> <br />Albania (1945-91) <br />Communist Regime <br /> 100,000 <br /> <br />Czechoslovakia (1948-89) <br />TOTAL: 11,560 ± 500 <br /> <br /> Cuba (1959 et seq. <br />TOTAL: 73,000 <br /> <br /> Russian Revolution (1917) <br />Eckhardt: 1,000 civ. + 1,000 mil. = 2,000<br /> <br /> <br />Zbigniew Brzezinski, Out of Control: Global Turmoil on the Eve of the Twenty-first Century (1993) <br />"Lives deliberately extinguished by politically motivated carnage": <br />167,000,000 to 175,000,000 <br />Including: <br />War Dead: 87,500,000 <br />Military war dead: <br />33,500,000<br />Civilian war dead: <br />54,000,000<br />Not-war Dead: 80,000,000 <br />Communist oppression: <br />60,000,000<br /> <br />David Barrett, World Christian Encyclopedia (2001) <br />Christian martyrs only: 45.5M <br /> <br />Stephane Courtois, The Black Book of Communism <br />Victims of Communism only: 85-100M<br /> <br />Rudolph J. Rummel, Death By Government <br />"Democides" - Government inflicted deaths (1900-87) <br />169,198,000 <br />Including: <br />Communist Oppression: 110,286,000 <br />Democratic democides: 2,028,000<br /> <br />Non-Democidal Famine (often including famines associated with war and communist mismanagement): <br />China (1900-87): 49,275,000 <br />Russia: (1921-47): 5,833,000<br /> <br />from:http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat8.htmUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01135830545840620546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-790999732021760352009-09-19T02:26:14.209-07:002009-09-19T02:26:14.209-07:00Ayn Rand wasn't an atheist; she just thought G...Ayn Rand wasn't an atheist; she just thought God was Ayn Rand.Douchemaster Numbnutsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-31715045755653520392009-09-17T07:26:38.205-07:002009-09-17T07:26:38.205-07:00@Anonymous: "I often find myself having faith...@Anonymous: "I often find myself having faith that the people who constructed the building in which I am did the job properly, or that the bridge over which I drive isn't about to crumble."<br /><br />I agree that there is a certain amount of trust necessary to function in the world. However, this trust is usually subject to verification. See a few bridges fail, and I might try to get some additional information about the bridges I want to cross before trusting them.<br /><br />In short, perhaps there is a useful distinction to be made between the concepts of "faith" and "trust" in this context.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-89505906204785874372009-09-16T22:37:15.060-07:002009-09-16T22:37:15.060-07:00Jesus H. Christ! Jesus, Joseph, & Mary! I...<i>Jesus H. Christ! Jesus, Joseph, & Mary!</i> I'm glad I don't have any friends, religious or otherwise, so that I can avoid any non- vs -theist discussions on the topic of spirituality and private moments of transcendence.<br /><br />And as for Hell, <i>"L'enfer, c'est les autres.</i> to quote Sartre.La Framéricainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09879118710247405871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-25358062309894028222009-09-16T14:32:24.457-07:002009-09-16T14:32:24.457-07:00@Anony - Sure but faith in the capability of a lic...@Anony - Sure but faith in the capability of a licensed contractor following established building codes is still based on facts that can be supported with a little bit of time dedicated to getting the answers.<br /><br />Some people are more trusting than others. I'm not particularly trusting so it takes me a long time to establish friendships. Basically, I need to see consistent behaviors that involve integrity and intelligence before I trust. I have some really amazing people in my life who I do place faith in but that faith is backed up by knowledge.L. Erskinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15143717375741148696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-42799725805706781722009-09-16T00:03:41.839-07:002009-09-16T00:03:41.839-07:00@Leigh: Believing in people's character requir...@Leigh: Believing in people's character requires an amount of faith. I often find myself having faith that the people who constructed the building in which I am did the job properly, or that the bridge over which I drive isn't about to crumble. Sometimes an amount of faith is needed to live happily, or at least to keep from being drowned in fear.<br /><br />I'd say athiests use faith often. Just not faith in god(s).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-65192101069301478082009-09-15T13:39:20.877-07:002009-09-15T13:39:20.877-07:00@Rob - Atheists believe in lots of things... they ...@Rob - Atheists believe in lots of things... they don't just believe in things that require faith.L. Erskinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15143717375741148696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-13285797094532333162009-09-15T11:28:36.497-07:002009-09-15T11:28:36.497-07:00Isn't a steadfast belief in nothing actually a...Isn't a steadfast belief in nothing actually a belief in something?<br /><br />RobRobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-27863024282148694762009-09-15T09:07:30.567-07:002009-09-15T09:07:30.567-07:00@Pagani - Well stated. I have many friends who are...@Pagani - Well stated. I have many friends who are theists (of all varieties and flavors) and I have absolutely no issue with that. They are good people who get something from their faith. They don't force it on other people. We can even share our ideas and discuss them. I may not believe in the super natural but I still find people's beliefs interesting.<br /><br />I think there is an instant assumption on the part of theists that a person who doesn't believe is judging them. They seem to miss the fact that they themselves are actively judging those who don't believe.<br /><br />I get tired of hearing, "Why do atheists have to talk about being atheists?" when theists talk about being theists all the time. They don't seem to realize that theists have been having their say for thousands of years and that their say is forced on EVERYONE via the laws our governments enforce. <br /><br />To me, questioning an atheist speaking out for their rights is no different than the racists complaining about the the color of the month speaking out... it's no different than straights (mostly religious) complaining about gay people speaking up for themselves.<br /><br />The lack of equality is not yet recognized... not even by many atheists. It's not about trying to remove religion from people's lives who want it... it's about removing it from people's lives who don't want it. That should be an option and right now it's barely just.<br /><br />An open atheist, right now, could not succeed in politics. There are several states whose constitutions still have the "test of faith" in it. Sure, if it came up, they couldn't actually do the test but it shows that in the not so distant past being a theist was mandatory to even be in a position of power in this country.<br /><br />I can go on and on about this. My son is tormented on a regular basis because he admitted to being atheist (his choice) at school. So now he's "evil" and "stupid" and "a bad person". He knows it's not true but I can't help but think that being constantly shown how stupid and ignorant theists can be is going to teach him to be accepting of them (and he's far less tolerant about theism than I am). I would talk to the parents but it would do no good... as the children learned it from their parents.L. Erskinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15143717375741148696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-15752573070672392642009-09-14T19:47:59.251-07:002009-09-14T19:47:59.251-07:00@Anonymous Christian .... Well, for the record, I ...@Anonymous Christian .... Well, for the record, I do NOT automatically think you are a fool because you believe, nor do I automatically think you are evil. I think Dan will agree with me on this.<br /><br />I think it is very difficult for a person to NOT believe in something: It fulfills a need for a sense of meaning and purpose in a way that nothing else can - which of course does not make it real in some objective sense but it does mean that it's pretty natural to cling to something. Live and let live! Judge not! I say. :)<br /><br />On the other hand, it's a problem if you want to impose the elements of your beliefs on others. It is a problem if you use the tenets of your sectarian religious faith to make secular decisions: Voting for President, for example, based on who in your estimation is "the best Christian" or being against science expenditures because something about science is "anti-God" to you ...this is where it is a problem and faith begins to approach the level of evil. Moving on, it then graduates to true evil when you take the next step and start believing that we should "kill all the _____" because they are "against God"/"God hates them"/ "the Bible tells us to" etc.<br /><br />If that isn't you, then we really don't have a problem. :)Chriss Paganihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11644410311763728065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-87266240213387098422009-09-14T06:31:00.923-07:002009-09-14T06:31:00.923-07:00Ah Bigotry, how sweet it is. Now it's hate Ae...Ah Bigotry, how sweet it is. Now it's hate Aethiest's Day. Funny thing, but I have always equated Aethiests along with Mormons, Jews, Muslims, Jehova's Witnesses, and Fundamentalist Christian Cults, as about the epitome of bigotry. But I must be a bigot to think that if I don't think eexactly as they do, I'll fry in heck for Internitty. Oops, Aethiests don't believe in heck. Hell, they don't even believe that the most despicable wacko groups will even end up there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-11314507646028259112009-09-14T02:26:57.256-07:002009-09-14T02:26:57.256-07:00I can't believe I laughed at this comic.I can't believe I laughed at this comic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-8810642164615697032009-09-13T23:59:26.620-07:002009-09-13T23:59:26.620-07:00Bravo! I'm an atheist, but I admit I'm not...Bravo! I'm an atheist, but I admit I'm not terribly open about it in certain circles. I grew up in Texas, and when I was 12 years old I admitted to some classmates that I didn't really believe in God. I was then screamed at and called a Satanist. I've since kept quiet on the issue -- most of the time, anyway. A few years ago I began going to atheist meetup groups, and honestly I've found more compassion in those people than I've found in many (er, most) Christians I've known. For years I called myself "agnostic" just to reduce the sting, but I'm done dancing around it. I don't flaunt it, but I don't try to hide it either. Good thing I now live among the heathens.Zoe Doehttp://modernpoverty.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-28815703961026971252009-09-13T22:16:54.749-07:002009-09-13T22:16:54.749-07:00Wow! Love this post Dan! I think you point out the...Wow! Love this post Dan! I think you point out the truths that people who want to preach the opposite don't want anyone to hear!<br />When you mentioned Ron Reagan-I had to do a double take, then realized of course, it is his son! <br />Why do religious people always think-when atheists are talking about being an atheist that we are being "meanspirited" or harsh to them? When I hear that some person is threatened with physical violence because they don't believe-or that their opinions are not valued whatsoever, isn't that bad? This has been happening for as long as forever and many of those who are religious have not spoken up about that. And to think that this type of thing happens in America. Sad.Micgarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09246675916964797016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-45453820173249602032009-09-13T21:45:40.204-07:002009-09-13T21:45:40.204-07:00Dan, it's times like these that remind me why ...Dan, it's times like these that remind me why I follow this blog. I agree that a person's belief regarding greater beings and any other uncertain area of our existence is a personal thing, and that it shouldn't affect our social impression. I don't hold anything against people for their religious views, unless they're trying to press it on others, or seem like the best. (much like the second God-man comic you linked)Jennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-75767709050730107092009-09-13T21:30:16.641-07:002009-09-13T21:30:16.641-07:00Mostly, I'm just sick of hearing about it. I l...Mostly, I'm just sick of hearing about it. I love sharing ideas, and even a light-hearted debate, but I'm walking away when it turns into an attempt to shove your view down my throat.<br /><br />I'm sick of being told I'm stupid or closed-minded because I'm Christian. I'm sick of hearing about the evils of pagans and wiccans, or the horrors of being athiest. I'm sick of jews being murderers. I'm sick of hearing all the generalizations and scare-tactics being used to force people from their religions (or lack thereof) or to at least scare them into silence.<br /><br />I like to share ideas, and hear what I've not yet heard about others' beliefs, so I don't hide from the topic in conversation. Once, I remember being in conversation with an athiest friend when he did the one thing that will make me drop the topic: he assumed. He asked me what I felt when I prayed, and didn't wait for me to answer. He started laughing and said that it was okay, that he knew I felt nothing and it was okay to say it. I never told him that I do feel something, and that honestly it's that feeling (more than any word in the Bible, or any sermon I've ever heard) that keeps me believing.<br /><br />That really defines what I hear from athiests about Christianity. It's not a one-way road to blame. Christians are labelled evil by athiests in much the same way. The problem isn't finding people who are religious who have intellegence. It's just a matter of listening. I'm sick of being written off as a fool the moment you find out I believe.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-30837624319396393462009-09-13T20:54:19.350-07:002009-09-13T20:54:19.350-07:00Oh, how I loves me some rational thought. Thanks, ...Oh, how I loves me some rational thought. Thanks, Dan.Prosperohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03447141018779024939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7803930806872297256.post-83668922659330809152009-09-13T16:45:57.134-07:002009-09-13T16:45:57.134-07:00I agree with Lori, your own personal beliefs shoul...I agree with Lori, your own personal beliefs should be just that...personal. This is the spiritual precept of AA, which I am a member of. Plus, spiritual matters, however you precieve them, invite a life long journey of discovery...this has been my experience.John23noreply@blogger.com