Atheist, Humanist, and Agnostic-Friendly Programs

I'm glad you admire Jesus, Johann. One problem with Jesus though is that He claimed to be more than a man. He claimed to be God. Yes, lots of people have claimed to be God. One day, we will likely know for sure. And the crusades, etc. ... I hope no group is held responsible for the actions of "some" of their followers.

Keep posting Johann. Enough posts and you might get out of purgatory someday! In the meantime, continue to try to be a "good atheist" and I'll try to be a decent (though not perfect) believer.

 

It's kind of difficult not to, when a leader (Pope) of a group tells "his" warriors that it's a good idea to "kill all the Jews in the Rhineland " -- as a preparation for "Holy War" (Is that really a thing? I don't recall Jesus saying so.) against Muslims. There are plenty of Muslims who hold a "whole group" responsible - and looking at it - I can't say they are entirely wrong. Christians - from the top down, did what they did. Historical fact. And it never changes. I recall a newscast with a statement from an American soldier, serving in Iraq, describing his conflict at close quarters with an enemy soldier. He was a Southerner, (White) so I'll attempt to write exactly what he said:

"We saw each other and Ah prayed to mah God and he prayed t'his God. An' mah God was bigger 'n stronger than his God -- so Ah killed 'im." Nothing has changed in thousands of years --smh

As for posts getting me out of Purgatory - I think they're part of what got me in here. I'm considering options.

Thank you for your kind words, newsongs. I know you're sincere - that's obvious despite our differences - and I will do my best to be a "good atheist." My first step is to determine exactly what makes a "good one." It's not all that easy, but I'm trying. I have no alternative - whatsoever. That part is crystal clear.

 

My favorite Rabbi once told me, "I don't know anything about God."

Whenever someone says to me that they believe in God or don't believe in God, I figure the statement is meaningless. God, whether you believe or not, is undefined and undefinable. Substitute "Phizxle" for "God" and the statement makes exactly the same sense.

What God do such people mean? To borrow from Screwtape, are they referring to the God they've created and maybe done up a corner in?

Fundamental to our lives is the mystery of our own being. We live it every day but we cannot grasp it; like a paramecium might try to tune a Ferrari. And yet our own being is the one experience we have that isn't mediated by our five senses.

I have no trouble at all with atheists trying to come to grips with these issues and listening to others as they try to do the same.

 

Incidentally, Screwtape would have made a wonderful Pastor.

 

I'm assuming, by the way, that all you folks are real. You're welcome.