Four Atheist Quotes That Hit Home.

reply to post by badmedia


I do not doubt your intelligence. How would you describe what thought is and the mind?

"I" am the universe observing itself. What else could I be?? - Unknown

Atheists can be as dogmatic in their perceptions as the religious. I prefer a very definite "I don't know"!

Nice thread S&F!

reply to post by Wyn Hawks


Ok. Lets just say someone conquered a nation. Then said," You are all free do as you like. From here forth you have no master." Would that be totally free?

Originally posted by Conclusion
reply to post by badmedia

 

You seem to be a teacher.

Very much a student, there is only 1 true teacher, and that is the father which is found within people. From that comes all understanding.

I am of no authority over others, 1 life to control is plenty for me. So I would never call myself such a thing, but I'll take that as a compliment and thanks for that.

Here is my life philosophy:

"Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. I am not afraid. "
- Marcus Aurelius

reply to post by badmedia


But by revealing the truth you are inadvertently a teacher. And it is a compliment.

Oh yeah, what you said about the truth from inside.....The kingdom of heaven is inside you, and i am sure you know who said that.


[edit on 12-7-2009 by Conclusion]

reply to post by Ridhya


Very much my philisophical belief. It is for this reason that I am no longer a Christian. A God that would allow me to be condemned to hell for not worshiping his son is not the kind of God that would actually care at all about you.

For those Christians that say "But he gave you every chance and you refused to accept it" I just reply that so did the guy with the kool-aid, can't believe everybody.

I like the TJ quote, but the second one listed, from Stephen Roberts, really hits home for me.

I also like the "God does not play dice" quote from Einstein.

Personally, I'm on a quest to prove that ALL belief systems are actually PART OF the "greater" design. Yep, that's right, I said it, DESIGN. I do not subscribe to Order from Chaos, I don't think Einstein or Newton did either. I am starting to believe that social and cultural differences, including religions, are part of a design. Sadly, if I am right, then the designer's motives can only be one of two (IMO): 1. entertainment (this is a big game), or 2. a "scientific" test.

Originally posted by Alaskan Man
I have to agree with you on that, it truly is a sign of intelligence when one is capable of seeing all views with out dedicating himself to one.

i personally try to see the mindset of whoever i am debating with, not only does it help you make your point, but it helps you understand there's, which is even more important.
[edit on 7/12/2009 by Alaskan Man]

The problem is that it is NEXT to impossible to truly not take a side. As an atheist, or as a religious person, your mind really is already made up even before you enter a "debate". In MY CASE, my mind is pretty much made up that this universe exists by design, but it is also made up that the "designer" is NOT a "personal God", and I think ALL of the religions are wrong!

Originally posted by Conclusion
reply to post by badmedia

 

I do not doubt your intelligence. How would you describe what thought is and the mind?

Mind or brain? There are many names for what it is that simple just "is", but we on this earth only have the ability to express these things through communication.

So, if something is a possession, then there is something which is possessing it. And it is that which is doing the possession that I'm really talk about when I say consciousness/soul/spirit. But I am unfortunately reduced to having to express these things as possessions.

So when we define what is "us", we do so by our possessions. It's always: my arm, my body, my brain, my consciousness. But what is the "my"? Whom is it that possesses these things?

So, thinker and thought, spirit and flesh and so forth. The "my" is the father within, and the possessions or what we see ourselves as "us", are what defines our individual experiences.

So, if you mean "mind" in the form of consciousness and that which is it is that possesses, then it is the thinker to the thought. I think therefore I am.

If you mean brain, then it is simply a computer to be used for this experience. We have the most powerful computers known on this planet of course, but it's still not that which is pushing the keys. All the things you can see in the brain I can show you is also in a computer. That is a good bit of what I did in my thoughts and study. But it still isn't talking about that which uses the computer. That is the part that was always missing, and that is the barrier between AI and real intelligence.

Excellent quotes.

I'm Atheist myself and I hope religious people will read these quotes to understand why we choose this path.

And it seems like people don't understand properly what evolution is.

Originally posted by Odessy
reply to post by Alaskan Man

 

While I wouldnt really consider myself an atheist, nor any other name that can be associated with religion, those first two quotes and the "wise man" one you delivered a few posts later were my favorite. I really liked them.

The other two were good, but not like the first ones.

Thanks though, I love a good quote!

I am very glad you liked them so much, thanks for your kind words!

I have been off the computer for a while, just got back and this thread apparently had some rockets under it while i was gone, cause it really took off, it took me a few minutes to read all your guy's wonderful reply's.

Thank you all for making this thread such a pleasure to read, I greatly appreciate that everyone is staying civil with such a sensitive subject, all of you deserve a big pat on the back.

This quote hits home for me. It's from Black Elk, the Lakota Sioux medicine man:

'When I was 10 years old, I stood on a high hill top. I looked around, I saw the animals, the wind in the trees, and the river below, and I knew some great power was responsible for it all.'

Originally posted by badmedia

Originally posted by Alaskan Man
“Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear.”
Thomas Jefferson

Jefferson wasn't atheist. He was a big fan of Jesus and wrote his own bible with just the teachings of Jesus. He was a deist and believed in a higher power, just didn't believe in the church. I don't either.

Jefferson Bible

Thomas Jefferson believed that the ethical system of Jesus was the finest the world has ever seen. In compiling what has come to be called "The Jefferson Bible," he sought to separate those ethical teachings from the religious dogma and other supernatural elements that are intermixed in the account provided by the four Gospels. He presented these teachings, along with the essential events of the life of Jesus, in one continuous narrative.

This means that Jefferson believed for the very works sake(John 14).

“I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.”
Stephen Roberts

In the end, it is only logical that there is only one true god/father of all things. This is quote is a logical fallacy.

“I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world.”
Richard Dawkins

This guy doesn't have a clue at all. I see him mentioned alot, and he only attacks what the church does and preaches. If he had actually read the bible rather than pointing out the flaws in others as his "proof", he would know that the statement is 100% false. The bible constantly talks about the importance of understanding over the acceptance of what men say(church).

"Fear" in the following passages doesn't mean fear in the way we think of it. It means respect, to be in awe of etc.

Proverbs 8

10Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

11For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

Proverbs 9

9Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Psalm 111

10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

So that guy doesn't have the first clue. It is all about understanding things. Does the church reflect that? Not usually. But that he would use the church as an example, only goes to show that he is allowing the church to define the topic for him. Rather than thinking logically, he is accepting they are a representation of god. Clearly they aren't. God doesn't need a religion.

When Jesus is asked why he speaks in parables, his response is basically - to give understanding.

“An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support.”
John Buchan

An atheist is a man who has yet to realize that god is within and that the things the claim to "go by" so much, such as understanding, knowledge and logic is only possible because the father is within him. An atheist doesn't just deny god, they deny themselves.

Maybe someday they will come to understand the father and son relationship, and maybe someday religions will too. Both are the same to me, they only accept and go off what people say, and do not understand for themselves.

[edit on 7/12/2009 by badmedia]

Spoken like a true tv preacher... your kind is what makes me scared and vengeful against religious people, because when you argue you do it in a fashion that shows you as brainwashed, lacking independence and sense of reality.

reply to post by tim1989


That video would be the Final Boss if Creationism was a Video Game.

Evolution is such an impressive example of the Scientific Method in action. I get chills sometimes when I try and imagine being Charles Darwin coming to that conclusion for the first time. Being the first human on Earth to present that idea as a Theory. Simply Awesome.

Originally posted by Conclusion
reply to post by badmedia

 

But by revealing the truth you are inadvertently a teacher. And it is a compliment.

Oh yeah, what you said about the truth from inside.....The kingdom of heaven is inside you, and i am sure you know who said that.

But I could be a false teacher. The only way for one to know would be if they had their own understanding.

I would say I'm more about poking holes in peoples boxes. I think that is really the best I can do. All they have to really do is look and question the hole, and the rest will take care of itself.

When it comes to the religion thing, I kind of figured it was all metaphorical since I was 9.

In college, I took acid for the first time, and I really think we are the universe, as weird as it sounds. Everybody is all one. It's all a singularity. It's all consciousness. Which is why I think eventually we will all become telepathic, because all our brains are connected, even though they look separate.

But whatever. I'm no physics professor. I sort of believe we are God.

Originally posted by flice
Spoken like a true tv preacher... your kind is what makes me scared and vengeful against religious people, because when you argue you do it in a fashion that shows you as brainwashed, lacking independence and sense of reality.

Would you care to back that up by actually debating the points I made, rather than throwing baseless accusations at me and using guilt by association tactics as a way of character assassination?

Originally posted by Conclusion
reply to post by Wyn Hawks

 

Ok. Lets just say someone conquered a nation. Then said," You are all free do as you like. From here forth you have no master." Would that be totally free?

...no - because - emancipation is not true freedom... emancipation is given and anything thats given can be taken away...

reply to post by Wyn Hawks


Ok. lol. Lets say its not taken away. You are free to live, die, scream, cry, what ever it is that you want to do.

reply to post by badmedia


That is true about being a false teacher, but if one's understanding was similarly aligned then the truth could be perceived.