Posted: 3/28/2005 7:06:35 AM EDT
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Anybody care to list the things that atheism has done to make the world a better place? Please, I'm looking for input from atheists on what they believe makes the list. (Examples: Humanitarian charities, hospitals, disaster relief, caring for those in need, etc...) |
ing. We know the answer, thats good enough for me.
Not really. We are told of the superiority of the atheistic view, but I want to see tangible results of how its influence on the world makes it a better place. Sorry if you feel threatened by the question. |
I know what you are trying to accomplish, this ain't the way to do it. My opinion ymmv. |
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Cripes, look at what letting Virginia22 hang around her so long as wrought. I think the mods out to send all of these religious thread to EdSr for his "gut instinct" check of whether they are trolling incitement or not, and the offender receives a month long lock, followed by a life ban if they do it again. This shit didn't happen in GD in 2002 when I started lurking. Place has gone to hell. |
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It's funny when people ignore that some of our own founding fathers and early leaders weren't Christian. "The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma." - Abraham Lincoln, American president (1809-1865). +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "I have found Christian dogma unintelligible. Early in life, I absenteed myself from Christian assemblies." "Lighthouses are more helpful then churches." -Benjamin Franklin, American Founding Father, author, and inventor +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ James Madison, American president and political theorist (1751-1836). "During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, Famous Atheist & Quotessuperstition, bigotry, and persecution." "In no instance have . . . the churches been guardians of the liberties of the people." "Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise." "What influence in fact have Christian ecclesiastical establishments had on civil society? In many instances they have been upholding the thrones of political tyranny. In no instance have they been seen as the guardians of the liberties of the people. Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty have found in the clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate liberty, does not need the clergy." During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ -John Adams, U.S. President, Founding Father of the United States "Where do we find a precept in the Bible for Creeds, Confessions, Doctrines and Oaths, and whole carloads of other trumpery that we find religion encumbered with in these days?" "The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity." "This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it." +++++++++++++++++++++++ "I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religion than it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it." "I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own -- a God, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty. Neither can I believe that the individual survives the death of his body, although feeble souls harbor such thoughts through fear or ridiculous egotism." "I do not believe in the immortality of the individual, and I consider ethics to be an exclusively human concern with no superhuman authority behind it." "If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for a reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed." -Albert Einstein, German-born American physicist |
quote]Quoted:
there is a fifference in posting for discussion and posting to stir trouble or insult other posters. Have there been occasion where the RR guys have done. I am sure there have been. does it occur with the frequency of the others. NO. All will be dealt with as they are found. I pretty much stay out of those topics unless someone alerts me to an issue. |
That's adorable! Hey, P.S.- Next time you whine about someone "shitting" on your Christians only threads, try and remeber not to be a fucking hypocrite yourself, as you feel entirely confortable denouncing those who don't subscribe to your mythology as being less intelligent. Do unto others...remeber that my good Christian brother? Or is it pick-n-choose the virtues de jour? 
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So is this individual things that make the world better? Or net/overall betterment? Like, religious benefits (charity or whatever) minus religious wars/persecution = net negative on world whereas if atheism added nothing but caused no harm it is net neutral effect on world therefore less harm Is that what you mean? Net benefits? I am not atheist but that is the way I've heard atheists describe the advantages. In individual acts you can find where religion can be good but overall it has caused way, way more harm. Don’t know if that's true. |
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+1 |
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Guys, I apologize. The question was asked in good faith, but worded hooribly. A while back I had a thread where I asked atheists what they believed and why on issues of values and morality. I really wanted to understand where they were coming from and that thread was very civil. This was one of my worst attempts at asking a question. Sorry about that. |
That's the nice thing about being an atheist right? You can do anything and not be called a hypocrate. You don't have to believe anything, you don't have to stand for anything, you don't have to believe anything, and you don't ever have to admite your ever made an error. You believe there is no God so you made yourself a God who can do no wrong because their is nothing you stand for. SGatr15 |
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The Salvation Army, St. Vincent DePaul charity, Catholic Relief Services, Alcoholics Anonymous, World Vision International, all the hundreds of "Good Samaritan" or "St. Joseph's" etc. hospitals all around the country, all the early schools, great universities... Oh wait, did you say "atheist contributions"?  Nevermind. |