There is no god

[OldKingCole]

Inspired by another thread … I was surprised by the level of atheism professed … as I always though I was in a tiny, tiny minority.
would be interested to see the MN response.

IABU - there is a god
IANBU - there is no god

@BarkAscending anyone would think you consider gender ideology the most important thing going on in the entire world, given that you haven't responded to any of the other issues raised. You've just assumed atheists all swallow gender ideology whole - spoiler: we don't. We just don't believe in a god.

My cousin is a theologian, teaches at university and while a christian herself, she is fascinated by world religions, myths etc and doesn't believe the bible literally.
She says her 20 odd years of teaching has convinced her that the homophobes and zealots who do take the bible, and other 'holy' texts ( my commas, not hers), as literal tend to fall into 2 camps - repressed or depressed.
Always looking to judge or blame someone else - gays, Jewish people, Muslims, 'fornicators, catholics or prods, or whoever - to make themselves feel better.

So as in the rest of life unhappy, miserable people are unkind, judgmental, cruel to make them feel better about their own unhappy life.

@Herroyal all the Christians I know are like your cousin. They wouldn't be my friends otherwise. They are also the kind of Christians who do not view themselves as the only 'real' Christians.

Biblical literalism is an ugly look.

TBF most christians I know are like my cousin too. Judge not lest ye be judged and all that. We had the same upbringing, we both studied theology, she believes in god, I believe there's more to this world than we can ever comprehend, but I don't believe in god.
She's straight, I'm gay. We're both married, both have children and get on as well now as we did as kids.
Our very different lives and beliefs have had no effect on that.

A pretty recent phenomenon too isn't it?
Dating all the way back to 1920 when a pamphlet called The Fundamentals was published, following an Evangelical conference in Chicago.

Hardly any Christian has ever believed in the literal truth of the bible.

it's not even like they believe everything literally just the bits that suit them

No one is there complaining that people are wearing mixed fibres on S&B

No is complaining to the people using the pull out method of contraception even though that's spoken against in the bible

No one is on the property form telling people they shouldn't take out a mortgage because the banks take interest.

No one is telling women they shouldn't wear gold, even though we are are not supposed to wear it, or braid our hair.

The main things that seem to be taken literally are gay people and abortion.

Interestingly complaining and arguing is also not allowed as per the bible, but some people who apparently take the bible literally on this thread apparently also choose to ignore that one.

Critical self-reflection; why bother when the entire identity of you and your group is tied up with being right and clever, so, of course, you are never wrong?

This is why people then revert to anecdotes about themselves or straw-manning.
Inventing scenarios or thinking, an exception (Themselves) is the rule.

This is why people then revert to anecdotes about themselves or straw-manning.

This is a bit rich from the person who came up with the biggest straw man on this thread, i.e. the 'what if swathes of the population suddenly turned gay'?

Matthew 7 verses 1 through 5 might be relevant reading here.

'what if swathes of the population suddenly turned gay'?'

not sure the world is ready for that level of fabulousness, TBH...

But also, not very likely

Inventing scenarios like everyone magically turning gay?

Inventing scenarios like everyone magically turning gay? 😂

yup

Notice how in a debate about the existence of God, all that has been discussed for pages is homosexuality. You'd think we'd have moved on, but no. Terror of same sex attraction trumps - I dunno - the trashing of the planet, war or greed.

@Arseulaundress agreed, the whole fixation of religion on who does what in bed with whom is ridiculous when we have so many bigger problems to deal with. If there were a god, wouldn't he/she be knocking some believer heads together and going 'Oi! Focus!'?

@Arseulaundress what I notice is that no discussion ostensibly about God / no God ever stays on topic at all.

It soon becomes about religion and especially Christianity in its various forms.Maybe that's the comfort zone for both sides though.

@Abhannmor it's what people in the UK know most about, but I suspect there's also a fear element there. Personally I have the same issues with the extremes of all religions, Abrahamic or otherwise. Because if you look at them across the piece, they all do the same things: obsess about sexuality and control people, especially women.

‘Notice how in a debate about the existence of God, all that has been discussed for pages is homosexuality. You'd think we'd have moved on, but no. Terror of same sex attraction trumps - I dunno - the trashing of the planet, war or greed‘

i’m gay so it’s not a surprise unfortunately, We get told this ALL the time by religious believers.

The believers are not a great advert for most religion alas. But this is meat and drink to atheists as well.

They'd much rather laugh at some bonkers text from Leviticus than address ontological issues. And who can blame them? But it's a bit disappointing too. The God Delusion is a poor book because Dawkins can't be arsed to do any research or make an argument. It's just a screed of abuse.

Whereas I read the Selfish Gene in two sittings .It's hard to find a good, accessible, book from the other side either. Karen Armstrong is good . An ex nun so not especially orthodox Christian.

This makes me sad. I’m a Christian but gay rights are really important to me. Jesus told followers to treat their neighbour as themselves. True followers of Christ see the grace of God in gay people and gay relationships.

The problem is some people adopt a religion just to treat as an armour plate against all their personal bigotry and hate. Not all religious believers are horrible. Lots of the people at my church spend their time being kind and volunteering in every way imaginable to serve others. Servanthood and humility is what marks out the genuine ones although they are hard to spot sometimes!

@UWhatNow I agree with you. I have many friends who are Christians who are exactly as you describe, the lady I run the support group for relatives of people in addi bction with is one such. She likes to tease me by calling me 'A good Christian' but in fact we agree that believers and non believers have more things in common than things that set them apart, among them a striving to be the best people they can be.

@ValK had gone quiet. Hopefully thrown off for the constant homophobic comments.

@Inspecto
Defend itself from what?

Those protesting not only brought the gay issue to the fore, they also continued the debate.🤣🤣
Personally I quoted scripture. I haven't even given my own opinion on the matter.
There's a clear difference between what the bible says and what the various religions say.

Personally I quoted scripture.

Which. Version. Because if you're going to be a biblical literalist, you need to make clear which version you're being literal about.

It doesn't matter which version. The scriptures are all saying the same thing.

biblehub.com/1_corinthians/6-9.htm
I didn't engage with that point when you mentioned it before.