My dad and best friend are republicans

[TremblingBluStar]

I don't think it makes me more intellectual or stronger in any particular sense. I'm just saying I don't need it as my security blanket. That's not a comment against others, and we all have our "sacred cows", as it were. I'm just pointing out to Paradon that religion does not a moral person make.

All true. Anybody Christian or otherwise who thinks there are no immoral followers of their faith need to get out more.

I'm pretty sure there is a major difference between relying on friends and family or relying on a being that may or may not exist. Especially given that you have never seen or heard anything from this being.

Not really. People believe they can feel God's existence on an emotional and cognitive level. Why else would they believe in something or someone they haven't seen or heard from?

If there is no God, we have no souls, and everybody is simply a sophisticated chemical reaction - why bother loving family and friends? Because we put faith and belief in the thought that we and our loved ones are more than the sum of our parts.

People with faith in a religion simply take that faith and belief one step further. At least that is the way I view it.

 

[Paradon]

No, but you do have a security blanket.

You have a relationship with family and friends that allows you to cope with life.

Friends? Yes.
Family? ...maybe. I tend to find that family is more the source of my stress and depression than they are anything else.

People with faith have a relationship with their God (whether he exists or not) that allows them to cope with life.

Thus being atheist doesn't automatically make you more intellectual or a stronger individual, unless you are living alone with no contact with the rest of humanity, no television, computer, books, or any other way humans have to feel a sense of comfort.

I don't think it makes me more intellectual or stronger in any particular sense. I'm just saying I don't need it as my security blanket. That's not a comment against others, and we all have our "sacred cows", as it were. I'm just pointing out to Paradon that religion does not a moral person make.

But it does make you a better person... I'm just trying to reiterate.

 

[Squiggy]

No, but you do have a security blanket.

You have a relationship with family and friends that allows you to cope with life.

Friends? Yes.
Family? ...maybe. I tend to find that family is more the source of my stress and depression than they are anything else.

People with faith have a relationship with their God (whether he exists or not) that allows them to cope with life.

Thus being atheist doesn't automatically make you more intellectual or a stronger individual, unless you are living alone with no contact with the rest of humanity, no television, computer, books, or any other way humans have to feel a sense of comfort.

I don't think it makes me more intellectual or stronger in any particular sense. I'm just saying I don't need it as my security blanket. That's not a comment against others, and we all have our "sacred cows", as it were. I'm just pointing out to Paradon that religion does not a moral person make.

But it does make you a better person... I'm just trying to reiterate.

Not if you're David Koresh or Osama Bin Laden.

 

[Amaris]

All true. Anybody Christian or otherwise who thinks there are no immoral followers of their faith need to get out more.

Exactly.

But it does make you a better person... I'm just trying to reiterate.

It might make you a better person, but it doesn't mean everyone is by being religious. I became a better person when I left my faith behind.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Not really. People believe they can feel God's existence on an emotional and cognitive level. Why else would they believe in something or someone they haven't seen or heard from?

If there is no God, we have no souls, and everybody is simply a sophisticated chemical reaction - why bother loving family and friends? Because we put faith and belief in the thought that we and our loved ones are more than the sum of our parts.

People with faith in a religion simply take that faith and belief one step further. At least that is the way I view it.

Or we're a social animal and friends & family are absolutely required due to the way we're wired. We need each other, that's just the way it is. Life is finite and will end eventually, then we cease to exist. But having someone to care about you is what makes it interesting. It may be a security blanket, but at least it is real. You may think you're wrapping yourself up with God, but I see a person shivering in the cold.

 

[iguana_tonante]

But it does make you a better person... I'm just trying to reiterate.

It might make you a better person, but it doesn't mean everyone is by being religious. I became a better person when I left my faith behind.

I became a better person when I joined TNZ.

 

[Awesome Possum]

But it does make you a better person... I'm just trying to reiterate.

It might make you a better person, but it doesn't mean everyone is by being religious. I became a better person when I left my faith behind.

I became a better person when I joined TNZ.

I became a better person thanks to Jewel and Ponies.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

It might make you a better person, but it doesn't mean everyone is by being religious. I became a better person when I left my faith behind.

I became a better person when I joined TNZ.

I became a better person thanks to Jewel and Ponies.

The second part canceled out anything good and decent you gave the world with the first. May you wear it like a mark of shame; a scarlet letter for the rest of your given life.

Countdown to Chemahkuu pony threadbomb spam in t-minus 10, 9, 8, 7...

 

[Awesome Possum]

I became a better person when I joined TNZ.

I became a better person thanks to Jewel and Ponies.

The second part canceled out anything good and decent you gave the world with the first. May you wear it like a mark of shame; a scarlet letter for the rest of your given life.

Countdown to Chemahkuu pony threadbomb spam in t-minus 10, 9, 8, 7...

Once you know the Ponies, you will know happiness and peace. All you need to do is watch it.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

They are the party of fear.. the Dems will tax all of your money away, they will kill your baby and elderly, they will weaken your military and terrorists will kill you, the Mexicans will take your jobs, everyone is out to get America etc and it is most apparent with the Tea Baggers.
Unfortunately the most hard core are also the most fanatical and will not even listen to proven facts trying to weasel out and at times downright disregard proof when cornered.

Unfortunately, if you made just a few substitutions of this issue for that, you'd get a description of the extreme left. Add to that the irony that you're basically engaging in the exact same fear and smear tactics that you accuse Republicans of, and it becomes very clear that the only point you're succeeding in making is that this kind of incendiary rhetoric, no matter who wields it, needs to go or else we really are not going to get anywhere. It doesn't look good on you if you're trying to say that one party is uncivil when you yourself are acting uncivil.

Can we just all agree that people are religious for many many reasons, and others are atheist for just as many reasons and not stereotype each other?

I agree. I find a lot of differences between individuals in both groups and that's why I find broadbrushing completely unfair.

There are atheists who feel the need to rip into a religious person and their beliefs every time they encounter one and other atheists just want to live their lives without troubling anyone.

There are religious people who lash out at anything they see as irreligious or an affront to their faith and others just want to practice their faith in peace and privacy.

Can't we all just get along?

I don't think people should have to keep their beliefs closeted. But some basic civility would be nice; there is no reason to ridicule and belittle others. It's really not too much to ask.

I don't think it makes me more intellectual or stronger in any particular sense. I'm just saying I don't need it as my security blanket. That's not a comment against others, and we all have our "sacred cows", as it were. I'm just pointing out to Paradon that religion does not a moral person make.

All true. Anybody Christian or otherwise who thinks there are no immoral followers of their faith need to get out more.

I can certainly acknowledge it and I know sometimes I fail too. But I don't think that makes the whole faith bad--only demonstrates that I do not live up to my ideals.

 

[Amaris]

I became a better person when I joined TNZ.

Hm. You know what? I think I did too.

I became a better person thanks to Jewel and Ponies.

Amen!

 

[sidious618]

They are the party of fear.. the Dems will tax all of your money away, they will kill your baby and elderly, they will weaken your military and terrorists will kill you, the Mexicans will take your jobs, everyone is out to get America etc and it is most apparent with the Tea Baggers.
Unfortunately the most hard core are also the most fanatical and will not even listen to proven facts trying to weasel out and at times downright disregard proof when cornered.

Unfortunately, if you made just a few substitutions of this issue for that, you'd get a description of the extreme left. Add to that the irony that you're basically engaging in the exact same fear and smear tactics that you accuse Republicans of, and it becomes very clear that the only point you're succeeding in making is that this kind of incendiary rhetoric, no matter who wields it, needs to go or else we really are not going to get anywhere. It doesn't look good on you if you're trying to say that one party is uncivil when you yourself are acting uncivil.

FPAlpha is not being uncivil at all.

 

[Kestra]

I don't think people should have to keep their beliefs closeted. But some basic civility would be nice; there is no reason to ridicule and belittle others. It's really not too much to ask.

That sounds nice on paper, but some religious beliefs seem by their very nature to be uncivil at best. How am I supposed to behave towards someone who thinks that their beliefs are superior to mine and that I am going to burn for all of eternity? Or that the love I share with my partner isn't beautiful, but a sin?

Even if they don't say that to your face, that's the type of thing a lot of religious beliefs boil down to. I'm not saying that it's a reason to be rude, but it's not exactly an even playing ground either.

 

[Gepard]

The second part canceled out anything good and decent you gave the world with the first. May you wear it like a mark of shame; a scarlet letter for the rest of your given life.

Now I'm picturing us all running around with giant red "P"s stitched to our clothes. Such is the pony addiction that we'd be damn proud of it, too!

 

[Amaris]

The second part canceled out anything good and decent you gave the world with the first. May you wear it like a mark of shame; a scarlet letter for the rest of your given life.

Now I'm picturing us all running around with giant red "P"s stitched to our clothes. Such is the pony addiction that we'd be damn proud of it, too!

I'd wear it like a badge of honor.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Now I'm picturing us all running around with giant red "P"s stitched to our clothes. Such is the pony addiction that we'd be damn proud of it, too!

The persecution has already started.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

They are the party of fear.. the Dems will tax all of your money away, they will kill your baby and elderly, they will weaken your military and terrorists will kill you, the Mexicans will take your jobs, everyone is out to get America etc and it is most apparent with the Tea Baggers.
Unfortunately the most hard core are also the most fanatical and will not even listen to proven facts trying to weasel out and at times downright disregard proof when cornered.

Unfortunately, if you made just a few substitutions of this issue for that, you'd get a description of the extreme left. Add to that the irony that you're basically engaging in the exact same fear and smear tactics that you accuse Republicans of, and it becomes very clear that the only point you're succeeding in making is that this kind of incendiary rhetoric, no matter who wields it, needs to go or else we really are not going to get anywhere. It doesn't look good on you if you're trying to say that one party is uncivil when you yourself are acting uncivil.

Stating facts is being uncivil, incendiary, and engaging in fearmongering smear tactics? Seriously, you're using the "I am rubber, you are glue" defense and just throwing his comments back at him?

All of those have been major talking points of conservatives, Republicans, and Tea Partiers over the past three years that can be easily sourced with articles. Instead of just deflecting his comment, why don't you tell him why you think what he's saying is wrong and back it up with facts of your own?

 

[Squiggy]

They are the party of fear.. the Dems will tax all of your money away, they will kill your baby and elderly, they will weaken your military and terrorists will kill you, the Mexicans will take your jobs, everyone is out to get America etc and it is most apparent with the Tea Baggers.
Unfortunately the most hard core are also the most fanatical and will not even listen to proven facts trying to weasel out and at times downright disregard proof when cornered.

Unfortunately, if you made just a few substitutions of this issue for that, you'd get a description of the extreme left....

Ah...the difference here is that while the extreme left may partake in that little game, the ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY does it on the right. Every one of their talking points relies on fear to gain support. Nothing is positive. "Take", "death", "weaken"...all negative.

 

[Kemaiku]

The second part canceled out anything good and decent you gave the world with the first. May you wear it like a mark of shame; a scarlet letter for the rest of your given life.

Now I'm picturing us all running around with giant red "P"s stitched to our clothes. Such is the pony addiction that we'd be damn proud of it, too!

I'd wear it like a badge of honor.

Ditto.

 

[TremblingBluStar]

It may be a security blanket, but at least it is real. You may think you're wrapping yourself up with God, but I see a person shivering in the cold.

That is your perception. There is nothing wrong with that. It doesn't give you or anybody the right to tell a person who feels otherwise that their perception is wrong.

You are right we are social animals, but we are also sentient animals. That, in my opinion, makes us far more complex in behavior than a gorilla with his tribe.

Humans have needs gorillas do not have. Religion, spirituality, and the need to find a purpose greater than yourself is one such need.

That sounds nice on paper, but some religious beliefs seem by their very nature to be uncivil at best. How am I supposed to behave towards someone who thinks that their beliefs are superior to mine and that I am going to burn for all of eternity? Or that the love I share with my partner isn't beautiful, but a sin?

I understand what you are saying. However, by that same token some extreme Jewish people think we are all going to hell if we work on the Sabbath or eat pork!

I understand the difference here is Jewish don't have political power or try to base laws on their beliefs.

Which is why it is important to attack the people doing this, and not the entire faith. I know quite a few Christians who support Gay marriage and have no problem with what goes on in other people's bedrooms. Attacking their beliefs is only going to create animosity and possibly change their opinions against yours. It certainly won't change the minds of any anti-Gay Christians!

Ah...the difference here is that while the extreme left may partake in that little game, the ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY does it on the right. Every one of their talking points relies on fear to gain support. Nothing is positive. "Take", "death", "weaken"...all negative.

That is the way I feel as well. However, I don't know if it's true, or just my feelings coloring my beliefs.

After all, when Bush II was in power, the Democrats were accused by his party of using the exact same fear tactics in their effort to regain power.

The real difference, in my opinion, is that these Republican candidates are trying to appeal to the far far right whereas most Democrats today are centrists, or mildly conservative.