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Denver, 10:18 PM
Mon Nov 30
53 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/12/09
organized religion needs to disappear, not move into "new mediums". #religion
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11/12/09
But it's not a video game!
Out of touch Fox Host - Sure it is, it's on that Xbox thing for kids. #religion
11/12/09
Also I'm kinda disappointed with all these comments on Kotaku from people disrespecting a belief system that so many hold dear. It isn't cool, and certainly doesn't make you look like a big man. #religion
11/12/09
Actually, atheism is a philosophy, religion is dependant on belief in a supernatural being, whilst atheism means that you do not believe that such a being (or beings) exists.
People should be more respectful of others beliefs, and one of those steps is actually understanding what they believe. #religion
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11/12/09
I have no problem with anyone who follows any religious system. It's their beliefs and they made the choice to follow them.
If you evangelise or assume someone else is a lesser being for not following your belief system, then I would take issue, but otherwise, all's well. #religion
11/12/09
There really is a big difference. Hell, even saying it's a philosophy is wrong.
Atheism is a single belief, that no gods exist. Saying atheism is similar to a religion is like saying that theism is a religion. They are the basis which religions and other belief systems can be formed, but in themselves are not religions.
It's a much broader term than people seem to realise. #religion
11/12/09
No, it's not. No more than not believing in pink unicorns is a religion.
As for respecting religions, to paraphrase an old quote, I respect it in the same way I respect another man's belief that his wife is the most beautiful woman in the world. #religion
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11/12/09
Yeah, you're right. But, what people don't seem to understand is that evangelising isn't because Christians want to harass or irritate you. No, it's because the Christian belief says that the ones who do not believe in God go to Hell. Here's an extract from the Great Commission:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you..."
That is the very basis of evangelising and one should not become angry of Christians evangelising - surely you can reject Christian faith more politely too, right?
Oh, and that other point of "lesser beings"... Yeah, that's annoying. Christian belief doesn't state anywhere (afaik) that Christians would be somehow "higher beings" and that's a thing that Christians need to understand, I agree. :)
(Just my two cents) #religion
11/12/09
Sure, I can reject evangelism politely, but by preaching to me about how their belief system is better than mine (sorry, but by saying I will suffer for eternity if I don't convert makes me believing that this life is all we've got sound pretty shitty) they're not respecting my right to believe what I want.
Intentions be damned, if you're going to tell me why I'm wrong to believe what I believe, I should be given the opportunity to do the same. Fair's fair after all. #religion
11/12/09
Both Christianity and Atheism are founded in Faith, as God can neither be proved or disproved.
A belief in matters regarding faith is a religion.
Most religions make it their business to convert other people, you certainly see this of atheism as well. #religion
11/12/09
Here's the difference though, 90% of the worlds population doesn't believe in Unicorns.
In fact, if you look at the amount of people who do believe in Unicorns as young children, and then look at them when they hit their 30's, you'll find that near 100% of people reject their belief in Unicorns as they study, lean, grow, expand etc.
Whereas if you look at people who do not belief in God as children, but then come to a belief later on in life as they study, learn, grow, expand etc. You'll find a huge disparity in the numbers.
Furthermore, if someone made it their life's purpose to make sure everyone believed in Unicorns, and called everyone who didn't: "uneducated, stupid, narrow minded etc." Then I would say they are in a religion. #religion
11/12/09
If it were someone on Kotaku, then fine. But if not, you cannot judge about a billion people based on the words of a few. I don't judge all Islams because of few bad ones. I don't judge men, woman, gays, lesbians, the French, Germans etc. like that.
Most religious people are profoundly nice, caring, compassionate and kind.
I would hate you think that you are judging them all, because some people think their beliefs are better than yours. #religion
11/12/09
11/12/09
And Obviously I wasn't talking about you specifically, I was talking about the 400 comments below that absolutely rip on people who believe in the bible.
And stop acting as if you are the one negating example that invalidates everything I say. If 99% of people told lies, but you don't, does that mean people don't tell lies? You maybe respect your wife's beliefs, but read any 10 random posts on this thread, and you'll find that you are by far the minority. #religion
11/12/09
You said atheism is a religion - I said it wasn't. Do you consider that bashing?
You're the one who said:
"Furthermore, if someone made it their life's purpose to [...] called everyone who didn't: "uneducated, stupid, narrow minded etc." Then I would say they are in a religion."
...implying that _ all_ atheists call religious people stupid.
Or, are you claiming that the subset of atheists that call religious people stupid are a religion, while the subset of athiests who live-and-let-live aren't?
P. #religion
11/12/09
There, bashing me. In the guise of sarcasm, but bashing none-the-less.
And once again, stop thinking to yourself that because there are exceptions, then then rule doesn't apply. You can read 90% of the comments on this thread, all inferring the same thing.
And atheism is a religion. Most people have yet to realize it though. Atheism campaigns, it promotes, it teaches, it lobies etc. (sounds like a religion to me)
You can say that the sky is brown, but that doesn't make it so. #religion
11/12/09
Aw diddums. (Oops, sorry, I'm "bashing" again.)
"Atheism campaigns, it promotes, it teaches, it lobies etc. (sounds like a religion to me)"
First of all, even if all atheists _did_ get organised together and coordinated lobbying and promotion, it would no more make them a religion than the fact that political parties and pressure groups, um, lobby and promote. By this logic, the RSPCA is a religion.
Secondly, not all atheists are organized. There is no Church of Atheism to which atheists sign up. I'm not a member of any atheist group. I've never lobbied for anything. Heck, only after many years do I ever find some of my closets friends are athiests too.
Thirdly, I didn't know the definition of a "religion" was "a body that campaigns, promotes and teaches". That's a new one on me.
I just happened to believe up to the age of 12 that there was a God, and for various reasons, that belief gradually disappeared. It wasn't replaced by another belief. The absense of a belief is not a belief.
Anyhoo, this is a conversation I used to have with fundies on Usenet over 20 years ago. It was old and stale then and it's still old stale. Back to the gaming chat. Feel free to think that atheists are secretly plotting to sap and impurity your precious bodily fluids.
P. #religion
11/12/09
Actually it kind of is. You BELIEVE there is no God. Such a thing cannot be proven, therefore it is rooted in Faith, which makes it a belief. Its really not that hard to understand.
Secondly, thanks for trying to reduce me to tin hat wearing, conspiracy theorists. Nice touch there.
And for the last time (I'm really not sure how to make this any more clearer to you, as you obviously suffer from severe reading incomprehension) That not ALL atheist are dinks. I'm referring to the 90% of people on here who thought it necessary to point out how stupid the people who believe in God are and how offended they are that the bible will be made available on the 360. I never once generalized EVERY atheist on the planet, I generalized the Kotaku community (hence see my first post)
You're one of those people I can tell piss people off by pointing out the obvious.
Me: "Man, I'm so hungry I could eat a horse"
You: "Really? An entire horse? Is your stomach expecting to expand by 1200 pounds in the next few hours? Has your body found out a way to digest hair and teeth yet?"
Or
Me: "Man I hate this company?"
You: "Really, you hate the bricks? The mortar? The receivables? You hate the foundation it sits on? You hate the janitor? #religion
11/12/09
Gosh, I've having flashbacks to alt.atheism, Usenet, 1988. Anyway, please look up strong vs. weak atheism.
kthxbye. #religion
11/12/09
Belief that no gods exist definitely qualifies as faith to me, but faith is an even more broad term and I certainly won't disagree with you if you feel faith alone != religion. #religion
11/12/09
I'm judging those who try and convert me or anyone else. If you believe what you believe and don't push that on anyone else, good for you.
But the idea behind conversion is that what the person you are trying to convert is wrong in their beliefs.
If they are wrong, let them discover for themselves. I didn't choose that the absense of proof of any supernatural being meant that I should doubt and deny because somebody told me. I came to the conclusion myself and believe that anyone who wants an answer to those questions will find it themselves.
Just to be clear, I am not saying that Christians are idiots who believe what they do because they are told, but that most people will come to their own conclusions based on the information available to them.
As for the whole science/atheism is faith thing, it is only a matter if faith if you believe that what can be observed and rationally explained is true to be a matter if faith. Everyone holds that belief to be true for most aspects of their lives, but some seem to struggle with the idea that it is not dogma but our best understanding of how things work based on the evidence we have at this time
I really regret getting into this discussion, it goes nowhere because nobody listens to the arguments made but how they've been made or misinterpret pretty big aspects of each other's beliefs. #religion
11/11/09
Come, and join me in the embrace of the great powers. All rage is unto Khorne, all desire is unto Slaanesh, all despair is unto Nurgle and all hope is unto Tzeentch. You feed them as they feed you. You already belong to them, whether you accept it or not. I mean, hell, Christ was clearly a sorcerer, so you technically worship them already. Take the final step. Carve an 8-pointed arrow star into the flesh of your belly and give praise! The end is near! #religion
11/11/09
KILL! BURN! SLASH!
AHAHAHAHAHA-
Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want us to get fanatical? #religion
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11/11/09
Powers be with you, friend. #religion
11/11/09
Can't we all just accept that we're all goddamn idiots and go back to hating each other over things that really matter, like if they prefer the PS3 over the 360?
Come on people, we've got to focus on the important things! #religion
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11/11/09
Forget that, I'd rather have something I can have on the go.
The King James Bible for Game Boy suits just my needs.
*buys $300 reading glasses* #religion
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11/11/09
Reading from a book can be difficult for some older people due to shaking hands, strain on eyes, etc.
On the other hand the price surprises me. If the file is less than 50Mb it can be sold for 80 MS pts. If greater, it can be sold at either 240pts or 400pts.
Perhaps there is more than just the Bible in this App, perhaps it includes commentary as well as lessons or whatever aids are required for students. That would be much more interesting than just the Bible itself (as a 360 App, not talking about the actual teachings or content). #religion
11/11/09
11/11/09
Goin' ta Hayull (15G)- Installed a vibrator app.
Missionary (50G)- Play 100 multiplayer sessions. #religion
11/11/09
If someone's not going to read a bible when it's handed to them in pocket-sized Gideon format then he certainly won't be paying 400 magic points for it to read it on the huge, immobile HDTV format.
11/11/09
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11/11/09
If I had a dollar for every time a theist misrepresented what someone else said (I mean they do it for their own prophets so why wouldn't they do it for "ordinary" people)... sigh... #religion
11/11/09
Forgive me (and mindf1ow) if we're wrong, but the idea of your saying that a fictional game (Uncharted) had a more believable storyline than, of all things, the Bible, may have been what led mindf1ow to conclude that you were saying that the Bible wasn't a true account. #religion
11/11/09
One is just some dude killing some people on a island.
Without the religious connotation, one is much more believable then the other. #religion
11/12/09
As opposed to the other view? Living things appearing out of nothing? #religion
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11/11/09
...Unless you were having me! Then in that case...
IVE BEEN HAD! D: #religion
11/11/09
Regardless, I've generally found the King James Version to be very technical with its word choice. It also seems to be a lot more Latin-heavy than contemporary texts. But considering that they didn't have the source manuscripts available to them at the time, it's still a very impressive piece of work #religion
11/11/09
11/11/09
We had this kind of thinking about religion back in the days of Martin Luther.
I don't get it.Why is religion such an important thing for you guys in the USA?I never understood that,even while i was living in the USA.For me it is an ancient tradition not fit for modern times and a world where we should work to resolve our differences,wherein some people still take the Bible literal.Really?How can you even believe that.Now,come on,hate me.I know someone will.If there is i hell,i shall burn in it,blablablah.Flames are cozier anyway.
Or maybe Europe is ruled by the Antichrist.
11/11/09
11/11/09
@Hymirvetr: Because here in America logic doesn't mean a damn thing in the face of Jesus fucking Christ. #religion
11/11/09
I learned that while living there,that was never the question.
I just don't get it.On one hand,it is such a modern country...but on the other hand,there is a group of people beliving in the rapture....rrrright. #religion
11/11/09
Think of it like this, if you were shipped to North Korea, why would you NOT obey your new glorious leader? #religion
11/11/09
As for knowledge? It might have been a representation of what was known at the time, but most scholars I've read seem to agree that the Bible is largely allegory and we've had a few centuries if scientific advancement since then. #religion
11/11/09
You have a pretty good point there,i have no argument.
But at least my new glorious leader would be a real human being with proof of existence. #religion
11/11/09
11/11/09
DukeOfPwn, I'm sure your a awesome guy. I'm sure you have fairly sensible beliefs, besides those pertaining to Christianity, and I'm sure you can easily dsicern from right and wrong. As a human being, you can realize these things.
I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, and also assume somethings, and say you try your best to help people. I'm also going give you the benefit of the doubt and say that even without God ever being in your life, you would still know right from wrong, and still have a will to help people. (I know I do)
Now I'm going to say, there is nothing the Christianity contributes to you, that makes you act better. Once again, I'm assuming, but I have enough faith at this moment in humanity to say that you help people because you know it's right, and not because of a ride to heaven or anything.
Now I know your not perfect, because your human, and your going to do some bad things. We all do bad thing's, usually fueled by some odd logic. One of the most predominant "logics" in society today that fuels these behaviors is Christianity. Yes, Christians go to other countries to pass out food, and help educate the poor, but so do atheist, and Buddhist, and Jedi. But let me ask you, will a Jedi, any Jedi ever attack a doctor because he is willing to give a girl a abortion she needs, because his scripture drives him to?
No, and that's because all religions except being a Jedi in some way or another promote old illogical, stupid and offensive ideals made from people of horrible times, or are flat out ways to get money from a mass populace.
So be a Jedi. #religion