tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post4032465733653537138..comments2012-07-14T07:27:13.213+01:00Comments on Apostatical: Atheist/Theist - Are they so different?O. J. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01019750631676250383noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-8310988436083584342012-07-14T07:27:13.213+01:002012-07-14T07:27:13.213+01:00Interesting post, great thoughts and well written
...Interesting post, great thoughts and well written<br /><br />Visit my post on What is God? on<br />http://freedomofexpression-rahul.blogspot.in/#!/2012/07/what-is-god.html<br /><br />Regards<br /><br />R.VAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04166935182865276028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-79831385269308289862012-03-29T23:51:25.934+01:002012-03-29T23:51:25.934+01:00"There is also no real concept of “perfection..."There is also no real concept of “perfection” as there is (nor has been) a being completely “without sin” - this is describing the atheist view.<br /><br />Thanks for taking the time to comment.<br />I am very familiar with the view you present but would have to say that (in my opinion), views like, "if you look at other religions, you will see that they are all about earning their way into God's presence. It can't be done. That's why they are all useless, leading people away from God rather than to him", are very ignorant and possibly quite arrogant.<br /><br />You, like other types of christians, have an idea of what "christian" is. Other christians disagree. How do you work out which of you is right?<br /><br />You may say that you use the bible and/or your conscience. But you have absolutely NO authority to say that others do not or that your interpretation of the bible is correct. What you see as being correct is simply your view, it cannot actually be absolutely claimed to be correct. It may seem right to you, but anything will seem right to anyone if they have faith in it.<br /><br />Atheism (and I) see faith as a disease. It seems to completely blind people of their ignorance and enable people to do things that conflict with what they see to be right.<br /><br />This is not always 'bad' however, as in the blog post, theist can believe whatever they like as long as they're not harming anyone. Unfortunately theism does much more harm than good.<br /><br />The idea JR Nova posted, "One could be a Christian and an atheist, it's possible, why not?" is meaning that you can be humanist AND atheist. Being humanistic (like Jesus) is most defiantly not dependent on believing in a god.<br /><br />If there can be no sin in heaven, and sin is anything that is not in parallel with the will of God, this heaven seems absolutely pointless. There could be no free will, no love, nothing that makes us what we are. How can this God possibly have a 'relationship' with someone who can only do what he wants? The idea is ridiculous!<br /><br />All religions are nothing more than comforting ideas that make no sense to the non-ignorant mind (I don't mean ignorant as in the personality trait). They all make the assumption that we are meant to be happy ALL the time. It's a nice thought, but people like me (atheists) view the truth as far more important than this cheap idea of happiness. (That doesn't mean atheists can't be happy though)<br /><br />I do not see how you can love a god who is perfect anyway. If they are perfect then of course you'd "love" them! Love requires flaws surely? Love is making the choice to make sacrifices for someone despite their flaws. If someone IS perfect, you'd make sacrifices for them without question.<br /><br />Theists aren't stupid, but by the simple nature of being certain about something, they are dangerous. <br /><br />There is no such thing as absolute good and evil. We have evolved to the point where we are able to reason what we think is good for our collective happiness and what we think is bad. That's all. This thought is upsetting to theists, but that doesn't mean it isn't true. What we like the sound of does NOT decide what is true.<br /><br />The terrible thing is that theists seem to have been robbed of the ability to think in different ways about things. If they do so, they take it as being the work of Satan. This more than anything hints that god is man made.O. J. Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01019750631676250383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-86214015129890767112012-03-29T22:01:59.790+01:002012-03-29T22:01:59.790+01:00This statement really hit me: "There is also...This statement really hit me: "There is also no real concept of “perfection” as there is (nor has been) a being completely “without sin”."<br /><br />Actually, there is a concept of perfection. It's embodied in the Holy God of the Bible. And there has been a being completely without sin -- Jesus Christ -- who was without sin because he was BOTH human AND God at the same time.<br /><br />J. R. Nova wrote: "One could be a Christian and an atheist, it's possible, why not?"<br /><br />No, one couldn't. To be a true Christian is to be in a relationship with God through the person of Jesus Christ by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. God has revealed himself as one God who exists in three persons. He has revealed that Christ and Christ alone saves. Why? Because God can't have sin in heaven. All human beings are sinners and we can't make ourselves sin-free. To atone for our sins, a sacrifice has to be made, i.e., somebody has to die. A sacrifice HAS to be without blemish, that is, sin-free. Therefore, we can't die and redeem ourselves, that is, be our own sacrifices. But Christ being BOTH man and God could do the job on our behalf because he was sin-free. That's why Christ and Christ alone saves. He gives us HIS righteousness and takes our sin when we accept him.<br /><br />And the Holy Spirit does more than identify sin. He helps us overcome sin. Each Christian should begin a process of sanctification, that is, a process whereby he or she grows more and more like Christ. It's a lifetime process. You will not find any perfect Christians in the world, but you will find Christians in the process of being perfected.<br /><br />Not all people who wear the label Christian really are Christians in fact. They are only nominal Christians. If a Christian confesses the kind of pantheism or anything other than Christ alone saves as I have explained it, then they aren't true Christians at all.<br /><br />And if you look at other religions, you will see that they are all about earning their way into God's presence. It can't be done. That's why they are all useless, leading people away from God rather than to him.<br /><br />As for human nature wanting to be good, I disagree. We are all born with sin natures. We have NO idea what good even is apart from God. Until I was filled with the Holy Spirit, I had no idea what sin really was. Why? Because my sin nature had warped my ability to identify it. Apart from God, we have NO objective moral truths or values. We only have humanity's ideas of what's right or wrong, good or bad, and you'll notice that people argue over them all the time. As Dostoevsky said, if there is no God, everything is permissible. We're left with the "51 per cent rule". The majority gets to dictate how things are. Look at what that has done in places like Nazi Germany. Or we're left with the "he who has the most guns, rules" type of government.<br /><br />And as for love, you would have no idea what that is either if not for God. For this is how we know what love is, that one should die for another. That's what Jesus did and he did it while yet we were in our sins and therefore not deserving of it. Biblical love is called agape love. It's sacrificial and I can guarantee that no one apart from Christ can fully grasp it or live it.<br /><br />There is a way that seems right to a man, but it leads to death. Humanism is one of those ways.MaryLouhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10917008423767928906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-5742016576683867652012-03-11T02:19:27.955+00:002012-03-11T02:19:27.955+00:00Some really great thoughts Oli! I'm really enj...Some really great thoughts Oli! I'm really enjoying your blog. I think it's important that we look for what are common denominators and can help build bridges among people rather than what divides us and erects barriers. <br /><br />I think you say it all when you mentioned that though our thoughts may differ with one another, everyone feels emotions, everyone loves. People might differ in terms of their personal beliefs but we all share a common human experience...We all are born, fall in and out of love, face our own inevitable demises.Jessica Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02450820269367184046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-28063108334313988302012-03-11T02:14:58.470+00:002012-03-11T02:14:58.470+00:00I that documentary Debra....It was really thought ...I that documentary Debra....It was really thought provoking! Definitely made me more interested in quantum physics. There's so much we don't know and that is waiting to be discovered!Jessica Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02450820269367184046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-28580261102258175102012-03-05T07:19:20.549+00:002012-03-05T07:19:20.549+00:00Following you right back! Found you on my site to...Following you right back! Found you on my site today, and thought I’d check you out ;-)<br />My daughter’s boyfriend, Daniel, is the son of a Presbyterian minister. When he turned atheist this year, you’d have thought the world was ending, as far as his family was concerned. His reasoning was because he can’t prove scientifically any evidence for the creation story, and so he is bent on disproving God, period.<br /><br />The science of physics requires physical evidence to admit the existence of a substance. It does not allow for other dimensional causality. It assumes, rather, takes as its primary tenet, that there is no connection between the natural and the spiritual. <br /><br />Indeed, it declares that if something cannot be explained, measured, and understood by the five senses, it does not exist at all. Therefore, anything other than this physical realm, according to scientific principals and law, does not exist. <br /><br /> <br />On the other hand, quantum physics suggests that the seen can indeed be motivated by the unseen; that if something occurs in this reality that cannot be explained by examination using the five senses, there is a good probability that it is affected by a force from another dimension or reality. I am captivated by the way science seems to be increasingly dissatisfied with the explanations that have been widely accepted for many years. Among the most genuine of true researchers are those with the willingness to find truth rather than to find support for a particular theory. This is what separated Albert Einstein from other physicists. His passion was for truth and reality. He was driven to find the truth regardless of what it meant to old and established theories and accepted truth. <br /><br />Did you ever see the movie, “What the bleep do we know?” If so, what did you make of it?Debrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02273349436461781371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-13074101018769631592012-03-05T01:22:08.943+00:002012-03-05T01:22:08.943+00:00Hey John, thanks for the comment. I'm curious ...Hey John, thanks for the comment. I'm curious to how i sound more like an atheist than an humanist? Just wondering. I'd kinda class myself as both.O. J. Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01019750631676250383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-62151991360210060482012-03-05T01:05:53.559+00:002012-03-05T01:05:53.559+00:00Hello and welcome to blogging. I'm a Buddhist ...Hello and welcome to blogging. I'm a Buddhist myself but I have many Atheist friends so it's nice to meet you too. You have very good points - "love is all that matters" - indeed! I hate labeling of any kind but in my opinion you sound more like an Atheist rather than a Humanist. One of my close friends is Humanist and, trust me, she would give her own life for the good of humanity. I'm very selfish in that aspect...but that is another subject of discussion. :-)John Coolvarthttp://alternativenirvana.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-19387131282902892212012-03-05T01:02:13.588+00:002012-03-05T01:02:13.588+00:00Just re-read through this article and fixed a load...Just re-read through this article and fixed a load of typos! I really must check my posts before uploading!O. J. Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01019750631676250383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-62376827210563020392012-03-04T21:24:23.796+00:002012-03-04T21:24:23.796+00:00Hi, Oli! ~
When my son was little somebody asked ...Hi, Oli! ~<br /><br />When my son was little somebody asked him what religion our family is and he replied, "We're my mom's religion." haha!<br /><br />I have found nuggets of Truth in many different belief systems and practices. I investigate what I find interesting, I believe in what I experience to be True. Although, I am very invested in my beliefs, I can't think of a belief I have that's not open to changing when new evidence proves it to be inaccurate. <br /><br />Another important aspect of my personal belief system is that I invest myself in spiritual ideas and practices that would make my life better even if they turn out not to be True. For example I believe in the 'Heaven within' that Jesus spoke of, not the Heaven in the clouds after I die if I'm good that many Christians speak of. <br /><br />Thank you for this thought-provoking and insightful post ;-)Dangerous Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12442306921276302945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-63137572905641165382012-03-04T20:01:51.360+00:002012-03-04T20:01:51.360+00:00I'm also weary of labels which is why i have t...I'm also weary of labels which is why i have the rather drawn out "Humanistic de facto (agnostic) atheist & liberal secularist, passionate about love, truth & justice" as my blog header :-P<br /><br />I don't mind different beliefs at all, in fact i they are essential. Life wouldn't be much fun otherwise.<br /><br />I apply something along the lines of this quote to knowing what the "right beliefs" are, (although I'm obviously an atheist);<br /><br />“The whole world is in chess. Any move can be the death of you. Do anything except remain where you started, and you can't be sure of your end....None of us know our end, really, or what hand will guide us there. A king may move a man, a father may claim a son, but that man can also move himself, and only then does that man truly begin his own game. Remember that howsoever you are played or by whom, your soul is in your keeping alone, even though those who presume to play you be kings or men of power. When you stand before God, you cannot say, "But I was told by others to do thus," or that virtue was not convenient at the time. This will not suffice. Remember that”. - King Balwin IV (Kingdom of Heaven, 2005).O. J. Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01019750631676250383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-52105194696519708512012-03-04T19:47:05.687+00:002012-03-04T19:47:05.687+00:00Very interesting article, Oli. I enjoyed the conc...Very interesting article, Oli. I enjoyed the concepts you presented and I learned a bit more that I hadn't been aware of regarding atheism. While my own thoughts and beliefs align with a different mindset, I always appreciate an educated, fair minded, logical and well mannered presentation on differing expressions of beliefs. If I had to label myself - which I tend to avoid, because labels are limiting and exclusionary - I might fall into "alternative Christian-Buddhist-Cherokee spiritualist". Maybe. What matters to me is that we each attempt to live in such a manner that we strive to be the best version of ourselves daily. I'm not hung up on what organized religion or belief structure brings each of us to that point.<br /><br />Very interesting blog! I will return for more visits. :)<br /><br />- DawnHealing Morninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03236609802381940498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-56591598927189773812012-03-04T18:44:59.753+00:002012-03-04T18:44:59.753+00:00The golden rule is found throughout humanity, in C...The golden rule is found throughout humanity, in China, in India, in the West. It transcends atheism and religion, and just makes sense ;)<br /><br />I'm an atheist-pantheis-Taoist...figure that one out, lol. I shy away from anti-theists like Dawkins and Hitchens (his brother is okay!), but I can really relate to a lot of what you've said here.<br /><br />I'm a very inclusive person. I don't think atheism is negative as many make it out to be. It simply lacks one thing, a belief in a deity. Most people who are atheists don't realize it. Not really a big deal to me. As far as theism and atheism are concerned, I do not even think the two are mutually exclusive. One could be a Christian and an atheist, it's possible, why not? I bet many Christians already are. Just look at God not as a deity, but as a presence, more from a pantheistic point of view.<br /><br />Having said that, it doesn't make much sense to sit around and bash either side for anything they believe. The world is what it is. We believe what we do. To me there's a beauty in all of it.<br /><br />Just stay away from cults, is all I ask :DAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04454406837183787620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3484290436197137048.post-63879000866122679822012-03-04T18:34:10.597+00:002012-03-04T18:34:10.597+00:00Excellent piece. Oli. I can find little to add to ...Excellent piece. Oli. I can find little to add to what you have already said here.Peter Stillnoreply@blogger.com