1501. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #47972 by Philip1978 on June 6, 2007 at 7:04 am

I have a theory on that, David's god pre-determined everything, unfortunately like most DIY there was a bit left over he didn't know what to do with it so he invented sin. I am now reckoning heaven can only hold so many souls and he was worried the place could well fill up before the Rapture. So he designs some of us gay, some of us to not believe in him etc to tip the balance!

1502. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #47960 by Philip1978 on June 6, 2007 at 6:25 am

My goodness, could it be that I have offended David enough that I am now not one of the chosen few he prevaricates with?

41 messages, pull your finger out David I want answers hehehehehe! Only kidding, when you have time old chap, I hope you read that Constantine thing, I am sorry I haven't had time to update my learning but I am really interested to hear your version of the events leading up to and during 325 AD.

oh and hello everyone, finally got my photo up and running, I love Microsoft Paint!

1503. Sen. Clinton: Faith got me through marital strife

Comment #47908 by Philip1978 on June 6, 2007 at 2:44 am

I thought June wasn't behaving itself here in England but obviously religious people always go one further every time! Why wear black trousers for goodness sake, its so dreary!

I wish to offer my heartiest congratulations to your husband, I can see the hoopy frood clearly knows where his towel is! I am not usually inclined to encourage religious practises but on this occasion I can see your husband is a man of true conviction and honesty.

Don't be jealous of the cats, I am sure there are times when his lap is free!

From his example I see there is actually hope out there for me yet! If I can find myself an equally wonderful and understanding lady who is prepared to cope with such wisdom and intellect then surely there is someone out there for me too, will just have to keep looking! :)

1504. Religion and Child Abuse

Comment #47898 by Philip1978 on June 6, 2007 at 1:55 am

Bizzaro,
I have a woman in my office who has a little 7 year old girl who has just been confirmed as a catholic, now I think that is definitely child abuse because there is no way a 7 year old girl can make her mind up as to whether or not she wants to be a catholic. That has been decided by her mother and her family and she was given no choice to back out of it. I was speaking to a girl in my office who knows her well and asked her the same question, how does she know she wants to be a catholic and the answer I got will never leave me, "she can always leave it later if she wants to".

I thought about it and I reached the conclusion that if she did decide to follow another faith or go the atheist route her whole family would shun her and make her feel terrible. You look at some the post on here from the ex mormon and others who have given up their faith only to be shunned by family and whole communities.

How on earth you can then justify telling that little 7 year old girl, without her permission, that she is a catholic and then when the time comes, when she is ready to think about such things, if she decides to go another way, persecute her for it is beyond me. That's really setting her up for a huge psychological fall and its evil.

I am all for learning about mythology and religion, I find it fascinating. I studied the Greek legends a bit, I have studied medieval history in Europe and found out a load about the different faiths but I always was allowed to look at it objectively. I knew about them but it was not forced down my neck. In telling me what Fredrick the 2nd of Germany believed in and what Odysseus prayed to I learned something about their religions instead of having to believe in it all as well.

Should I have taken up Odysseus's slant on things and started sacrificing to Athena?

1505. Sen. Clinton: Faith got me through marital strife

Comment #47895 by Philip1978 on June 6, 2007 at 1:08 am

Logicel, thank you for that post, I think you have captured it brilliantly. It is just life isn't it!

Speaking of which, yet changing the subject totally and being my usual silly self, how is your husband and his trousers? Its bloody cold where I am sitting, June is not behaving itself in the slightest!

1506. The planet hunters

Comment #47889 by Philip1978 on June 6, 2007 at 12:31 am

James, sorry, I think you are right, I did a bit more reading and found that somewhere in Issiah in the bible it says something about a spherical earth and the 1st Century historian Pliny the Elder also refers to a spherical earth too. I think this is more of a medieval theory that cropped up so no points there for Philip, I admit I got that one wrong unless there is something in the bible actually saying so! (Bloody history students think they know everything! :)) I tend to use the 6000 year argument for the fact that some people take the bible as being the inerrant word of their god. If the bible is to be taken this way then the earth would have to be 6000 years old, about the time people were playing with glue.

If you want a good bible inaccuracy you could go for this one that I read recently, the star of Bethlehem would have had the wise men walking around in a giant circle had they been following it. Due to the Earth's rotation the stars appear to do this so following it would have been a bit silly to say the least. Ok if people want to be picky they could go for comet theory but I definitely remember it being a star in the bible.

Or perhaps the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was having a last minute chat with his dad in Mark 14.36,41 and everyone was asleep, so who recorded it all?

Got this all from http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/surfeit.htm if you want to take a read, tell me what you think. I know its only one site but I would simply like to hear yours and others opinions about it, cheers,

Philip

1507. Sen. Clinton: Faith got me through marital strife

Comment #47886 by Philip1978 on June 5, 2007 at 11:59 pm

Roy_H lets hope she used one of the heavier editions!
Prieten and all Americans, I wish you the best of luck in voting, I would not have a clue! Then again I don't have a clue who to vote for over here in England either!
I will never understand how faith can get people through tragedy, it reminds me so much like Stockholm Syndrome in the way their god can keep kicking them only for them to say how much they love him.

1508. The planet hunters

Comment #47666 by Philip1978 on June 5, 2007 at 8:24 am

sgr79 and James,
Apologies, I was too busy frothing at Bizzaro and not backing up my statements, kind of monkey I am sometimes, really must explain.

I read somewhere, cant remember for sure so apologies for inaccuracies. I think during Greek times the world was considered to be flat and this passed on to the Babylonians. They had some theory that the world was flat with a dome shaped filament over the top to let the weather in. Some have said this may have been the ideology of those who wrote the bible, I will have to rummage a bit more to find out when I have time but I hope that adds a bit more to the debate.

Cheers, Philip

1509. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #47605 by Philip1978 on June 5, 2007 at 4:01 am

Good Grief, an estimated 32.9 million versus 10 that Satan was asked to do in God's name, poor old Satan!

Reminds me of Simon Magus in the bible, caught doing the same tricks as big J and then got stoned to death for doing it. His character is then vilified into some greedy little man all because he could do everything big J could! Tis where we get Simony from, I'll warrant he did nowt wrong as well as dear old Satan!

1510. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #47589 by Philip1978 on June 5, 2007 at 3:17 am

Its ok, David's god may have caused my back pain but the devil allowed Ibuprofen to be invented and stuck into Boots chemists. You can tell the devil made it cos it makes me feel better whilst doing other organs like my liver and heart not as much good!!

You will notice when the canon isn't right, the religious seem to then point and fire it at those who questioned them arf arf!

1511. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #47562 by Philip1978 on June 5, 2007 at 1:08 am

Ouch, seems David didn't like what I have been saying and his god has given me a bad back as of yesterday! So in my pain and suffering I cannot make it to the library to go do more research on this. However, I have been thinking about this and I have decided that no matter where I get my info from he will dismiss it all anyway. So just for the rest of you here is a little amusement about The Council of Nicaea

Ok, setting the scene between the 4th and 6th Centuries The Arians and The Catholics were having a civil war, the reason? The Arians were saying that Jesus was a bit less Divine than his dad, a subordinate and not quite as amazing. Arius the leader is quoted to have said

"A creation is less than its creator. The Son is less than the Father that 'begot' him. In the Beginning was the Creator God and the Son did not exist."

Then you have a chap called Athanasius, Arius's political rival, he was more of a belief and experience of "Divine Mystery" kind of chap, none of this fluffy nonsense about subordinates for him

So here you have a situation whereby there was not a proper defined job status for Jesus and people were arguing and killing each other over this lack of proper Orthodoxy, (flare of trumpets, drum roll...) in steps Emperor Constantine

He is fed up with the likes of Arius and Athanasius mucking up his dream of a United Christian Europe (I swear this is Tony bLiar in a previous life hehehe!) In 325AD he demands this thing be settled once and for all over this mere "matter of words"(He wrote letters to the above pleading with them to shut up in 324)

He gathers as many "holy" men as he possibly could and they all met up in Nicaea to finally talk all this through. Funnily enough this debate raged for months and they were getting nowhere. So he sticks his oar in and comes up with "homoousion" Greek for "of one substance".

There you have it ladies and gentlemen, Jesus, if he ever existed, was changed from a carpenter's son into "Divine Essence" in one massive human argument .

However this got even more silly, Constantine had been highly influenced in his decision by a Spanish chap called Ossius. When Ossius fell out of favour an exiled Arius returns and is given the cathedral in Constantinople. So despite there being what is now referred to as Nicaean Creed which the Catholics now revel in, Constantine, when he died in 337 AD, died a baptised ARIAN!

It gets worse and more silly as time wonders on but suffice to say I think my point has been made. A group of HUMAN MALES got together and debated, amongst other things, Jesus's divinity. Why? Because Constantine wanted a more Unified Europe, remember the way Roman's ruled was to conquer people but mostly leave people in charge that the populace trusted because policing it was a bit of a bugger otherwise. What better could Constantine do than to grab everybody who had any importance in Europe whatsoever and assert his authority over them debating such an "important" issue


Now I know David is going to whine and bawl and say I went to an atheist website etc and I did hehehe http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/arianism.html

I will go search others when I have the time (and a better back) and see if the story changes but I think the chap, Kenneth Humphreys, whose website I read most of this off of has been doing his reading and quotes his sources at the top of the page.

Apologies for ranting but I felt like it! Please by all means add your own impressions cos I think I will go grab a few books when I have the money and really have a go at this, its very interesting.
Cheers, Philip

1512. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #47315 by Philip1978 on June 4, 2007 at 4:18 am

Ok David, give me a bit of time as I have a bit of book hunting to do, I don't want you to think I am trawling atheist websites or such the like, though I will do some trawling on the internet too. I remember reading about this when I lived with my folks but lost the books and cant remember who wrote them.

Nonetheless before I even venture forth on this subject I want a few things from you, do you actually acknowledge they got together in 325 AD to discuss religious issues and the bible? Did they or did they not discuss religious events such as the Easter Controversy?

1513. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #47310 by Philip1978 on June 4, 2007 at 3:54 am

I think we should all have a competition to see how many times we can get David to call us a) Fundamentalist b) Distorting his lies, I mean, words (See there I go again, its the rascal in me!)
c) him deeming your questions to be not worthy of Him answering them!

Bonus points to be given for getting swear words out of him!

1514. My Road to Atheism, What Took Me So Long and The Aftermath

Comment #47307 by Philip1978 on June 4, 2007 at 3:44 am

I have heard a lot of stories from a lot of people on this site and I still marvel at just how easy I have had it concerning religious experiences. For me religion has never existed in my life as I can't remember a time, even before I stopped praying at school when I was 8, when I actually BELIEVED in a god. Reading this and other stories really emphasises how lucky I am and how I admire people's bravery to revert from a religious background because of how difficult it is.

Philip

1515. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #47302 by Philip1978 on June 4, 2007 at 3:15 am

David, there you go again using the "F" word, I told you to go look it up but you insist on using it in the wrong context. You called me a liar and said you have never used it to describe people who question your religion, I even provided previous quotes and Billy left that fabulous link to the Troll section! Here you are telling your congregation that we are a bunch of Fundamentalists and since we are the ones questioning your religion I get the feeling you think of Atheists as fundies, make your mind up!

"Actually, most of my congregation know about it. In fact I would encourage them to have a look at this website. It would help them to see that it is not only religious people who are fundamentalist. It would also help them to see the kind of foolishness that we are up against."

See, what am I supposed to think of that?

Plus you never told me what type of Calvinist you are, would still like to know

Oh yes, the Constantine thing, I acknowledge the bible was around before he and his mates made a load more stuff up, I just wanted to know what you thought of their actions. I look at it as a bunch of men making more rules for a man made religion

Philip

1516. Atheism shall make you free

Comment #47291 by Philip1978 on June 4, 2007 at 2:06 am

Hmm...,"Being wrong is one of life's most valuable experiences" my life must be priceless by now!

1517. The planet hunters

Comment #47284 by Philip1978 on June 4, 2007 at 12:50 am

DavidJMH et all, leave Mind Rebel alone, he made a mistake, I would recommend more helpful remarks than calling him silly names

Bizzaro the bible contains totally irrelevant information about the earth being flat and it being around 6000 years old etc. I would hardly expect a 1st Century book to have the same knowledge of the universe that we have now 20 centuries later, would you?

1518. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #46704 by Philip1978 on June 1, 2007 at 8:02 am

Hi Stan,
Nice tough question for David, good start mate!

BillySands, God of Biochemistry and Gay Fruit Flies, long may his White Lab Coat shine upon us, has already bet a Mars bar on a stupid answer for his question, this is proving to be a most interesting day!

1519. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #46674 by Philip1978 on June 1, 2007 at 3:57 am

Cheers Billy, I see, so not only have you found god (mitrochondrial uncoupler, it all makes sense now!) but have now started playing god as well!!

Keep up the go(o)d work! hehehhe

1520. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #46664 by Philip1978 on June 1, 2007 at 3:36 am

Billy, its no good you smart arse, I can't quite grasp what a mitrochondrial uncoupler does!! Is it something that is involved with the heart or respiration?

1521. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #46651 by Philip1978 on June 1, 2007 at 2:46 am

Woo hoo! David thinks my posts are a waste! My work here is done!!

1522. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #46640 by Philip1978 on June 1, 2007 at 12:53 am

I remember reading a Bertrand Russell book, I think it was Why I am not a Christian, where he examines a particular story of Jesus.

Jesus discovers that there are some demons, who being naughty in His sight have possessed some poor unsuspecting men causing them to cause complete havoc near a farm or something. So big J pitches up, sends the demons off to possess a herd of pigs who then going mad with frenzy go hurl themselves off a cliff. Funnily enough, like Bertrand, I have a bit of a problem with this one. David perhaps you could help with this one as well if you feel up to it.

Now I am no vegetarian but isn't this a bit cruel on the pigs? I mean there they were happily crapping and grazing away as is the wont of pigs and then they are forcibly possessed by demons to go hurl themselves off a cliff

Couldn't big J simply yell an Almighty "Bugger ye off! and cast the demons back to hell without using the pigs? I mean now the poor chap who owned them has to find a new herd, probably was saving them up to get enough money to feed himself or even his family etc Oh but its alright, its Big J, Son of Gawd himself.

What exactly was the moral of this story, if you are possessed and in need of help make sure there is a spare cliff and some pigs nearby?

Was Jesus an anti capitalist? I mean he obviously doesn't approve of Interest Rate fluctuation or he wouldn't have kicked the crap out of the money lenders and here he is ruining the farming economy as well! Then there is the fishing and bread industry, there he is in front of 5000 people and hands out all the fish and bread to those around for FREE!I think I can recall something about him mending the fishing nets and there being one hell of a catch but I still feel he was up to something!

Can anyone help me out here on any other instances of Jesus sabotaging the economic growth of Jerusalem?

1523. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #46430 by Philip1978 on May 31, 2007 at 7:41 am

David,

You laugh at my view of history, fine, I find the fact that you talk to an invisible "god" and have not been locked up for it laughable but each to our own. People who hear voices in their heads claiming Elvis is talking to them have been, I see at as simply swapping Elvis for your god!

I have to ask this one, I did after all make claims to there being a plethora of gods to believe in, so lets concentrate on yours, since you used the name Knox and he was a Calvanist? yes? Sorry about the Catholic thing, but hey ho you grew up in the right area for Presbyterianism, its all the same to me anyway.
Presbyterianism, hmm, being Protestant was too rubbish was it?
So are you a Four-point Calvinist? Neo-Calvinist?(Is that the Matrix version? arf arf!)Christian Reconstructionist? Lapsarianist? Hyper-Calvinist?
I heard something about Scottish Reformist, does the above apply to any of them or is that a different one too
Then I heard some reformists went off and formed unions from others like Congregationalists, Anglicans, and Methodists? Heretics?

Bloody hell the list goes on, so many reforms in Scotland, Ireland, Canada and America and each with their own wild ideas over what amounts to being the same religion!! I mean for goodness sake, how do you end up choosing the right one? Or has your god simply predetermined it and might forgive you for choosing Hyper Calvinism over the Neo one if he is feeling particularly merciful? Or did he predetermine the one you were going for and simply for a giggle is going to kick your backside into hell anyway!

You have read the bible for 25 years? Do you keep missing out on the Old Testament or you just gathering your mates to hunt the rest of us down for a good old fashioned stoning to death cos we told you your god is false?

Who are you going to go for first? My betting is on Steve99 (sorry mate, its his god who hates you, not me I promise!) cos he is gay and obviously the biggest abomination of us all. So what if the guy happens to have the same feelings men that you have for women, the man was predetermined by god to fall in love with men so your religion could persecute him!

Belgium to all of it, like you said, I don;t understand any of it and quite frankly I don't want to. How you can say you have a divine right to sleep with women but he can't sleep with another consenting adult male? Its like me saying you have to support the English Rugby team because I say they have a divine right to win the 6 Nations each year!
I know you were expecting people to have a go at you for this but I don't condone what you think about Steve99 and other gay people, he has every right to decide what he wants and good on him for it.
I'm probably being arrogant again so I will go away and leave you alone, sorry about the rant again guys, I got bored at work!

Philip

1524. Another Christian Science Fair embarrasses itself

Comment #46058 by Philip1978 on May 30, 2007 at 5:18 am

Epeeist, am not knocking myself I promise, just don't mind admitting I lack knowledge in some areas! But whilst you have your strengths I bet I could wipe the floor with you playing the guitar! hehehehe

Rock on!

Philip

1525. Would the World Be Safer Without Religion?

Comment #46050 by Philip1978 on May 30, 2007 at 4:35 am

Hehehehe, I concede Billy, you have a marvellous country that has produced some amazing people and still is. Plus, I may be wrong, but I read somewhere that you guys invented curry!

pewkatchoo you are actually not too far from the truth, my mum is amazing at sewing plus she works part time at a doctor's surgery so mending my face after a good Glasgow kiss should be a breeze!

I promise I shall save my "breathtaking arrogance" and my "pure boiling English hatred" for the rugby pitch where it belongs!

Tally ho!
Philip

1526. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #46043 by Philip1978 on May 30, 2007 at 4:21 am

David, whoops, I misread what you said to Adrian and Drive1 when they questioned your religion

"I have never come across a more fundamentalist mindset in my life."

"One thing I have come to understand though, is that the last thing atheist fundamentalists want, is discussion. After all, there is nothing to discuss. You already know the truth."

You have to admit you did type it!

I have asked you to explain how your 1st Century bible claims to have the dearth of knowledge wisdom that you believe in. I explained that your god of the bible and dear old Jesus were all parodies of a multitude other religions, even up to easter being changed from a pagan festival into the suicide mission story of Jesus.

I have asked you about the Council of Nicaea being a group of human men being the ones who knocked the bible together into what it is now and not being the divine inspired word your god.

I have asked about spelling mistakes and mistranslations in the time it got to even be in English.

I asked you why it had to be your god. When I got a useless answer I decided to give you a hint as to why you are a Catholic and not a Muslim, its most probably due to your environment and upbringing.

I asked you to give not praying a go and tell me if there was any difference to your life.


Dammit, I even hurled Epicurus at you! You didn't ask for the quote but I will anyway

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?

Loads of others on here have also been wiping the floor with you, with much better arguments than I have put forward and I still can't comprehend why you insist on swapping magic for reason.

I am with Yorker on this and I will now take his sage advice, I shouldn't bother any more, I am being naive in thinking you could possibly see things even remotely near how I and others view the world of your religion. Look at the debate between Sam Harris and Andrew Sullivan on this site, Sullivan got well and truly defeated yet still clung on his god for protection and comfort just like you are doing now. You are not going to change are you?

Funny, because I am an optimist and I still have hope you will understand the futility of believing in magic and gods over real life.

But for now I will leave you alone to quibble with people's words and not answer anything. Unless of course I get the most amazing post back from you, complete with the irrefutable evidence of your god's property rights to the universe and how he/she/can exist!

bye

Philip

1527. Another Christian Science Fair embarrasses itself

Comment #45989 by Philip1978 on May 30, 2007 at 1:18 am

Nails and all you other crazy scientists, thanks for that, was really interesting. I am a rather rubbish English and History student whose grasp of the Sciences is about as tenuous as my belief in god! Thanks for making what I find very difficult to understand less foggy!
Philip

1528. Would the World Be Safer Without Religion?

Comment #45768 by Philip1978 on May 29, 2007 at 6:54 am

I expect he had the wind knocked out of him by my "breathtaking arrogance"! I know I am a scary man when I get ranting, the pure English hatred boiling inside me etc. I am surprised even you have the guts to swap posts with me, I guess some of you Scotsmen are more brave than others! hehehehe!

1529. Would the World Be Safer Without Religion?

Comment #45720 by Philip1978 on May 29, 2007 at 4:40 am

Its ok Billy, he has been busy calling us fundamentalists on the Professor Winston post!! Seems he is not best pleased to say the least!

1530. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Robert Winston

Comment #45716 by Philip1978 on May 29, 2007 at 4:20 am

David/Knox/Flea

"This really is drivel. You guys are small minded, petty and pathetic."

Say what you really mean David, don't hold back on our account!!

Please look up the word fundamentalist because you obviously don't know what it means, it most certainly does not include everyone who questions your religion and god. A fundamentalist does not change his mind despite evidence to suggest otherwise. I for one simply need PROOF and EVIDENCE to change my mind but since your god is never around to prove his/her/its existence I don't think its going to happen any time soon is it?

I don't like to discuss anything with you David, all I get is abuse for finding your religion ridiculous and unhelpful. Your best argument so far is "He exists" but after that you simply bawl and make a lot of noise about how much of an idiot you deem me to be.

So stop insulting everybody and provide proper, well thought out evidence and then we might discuss something.

Philip

1531. Another Christian Science Fair embarrasses itself

Comment #44699 by Philip1978 on May 25, 2007 at 7:36 am

If he had done it properly he could have prayed with the right amount of "faith" and got his god to create it for him!

1532. The Blairs' Witch Project

Comment #44651 by Philip1978 on May 25, 2007 at 6:27 am

What they need to do is ban people like that ever getting into office, but such is dear old blighty, hey ho!
Speaking of strange, I have been walking around with a Tazmanian Devil towel around my shoulders to participate in Towel Day in memory of Douglas Adams.

Now, imagine a 6 ft tall ape descendant walking around a supermarket, red towel with Taz and his huge teeth glaring at the world...nobody batted an eyelid. I have concluded that as long as you act completely natural nobody questions anything!! I have been giggling all day long, its great, the only person who noticed was my boss and he laughed his head off!

1533. Creationist Periodic Table of the Elements

Comment #44538 by Philip1978 on May 25, 2007 at 4:09 am

Cheers Billy! Brilliant!

1534. Adult breast-feeding sucks, authorities say

Comment #44536 by Philip1978 on May 25, 2007 at 4:07 am

HAHAHAHAHAHA! So a man with his lips firmly planted on his female co-worker's breast is nothing deemed sexual at all! I am sure you could work together and look each other in the eye after that one!

Reminds me of office parties where people end up sleeping with each other after drinking too much!

Ezzat Attiya, nice try mate, using religion to be a pervert!!

1535. Baby's 'miracle' recovery in British hospital to give Malta its first saint

Comment #44526 by Philip1978 on May 25, 2007 at 3:41 am

Oh my dear dog!

We have something that happened we don't understand yet...ermmmmmm

"GODDIDIT!

1536. Heliocentrism is an Atheist Doctrine

Comment #44523 by Philip1978 on May 25, 2007 at 3:37 am

Erm, I don't understand the author's intention here, it says all this religious stuff and then puts it next to the correct stuff and... I am so confused!!

My history could be a little hazy here but wasn't Galileo FORCED/asked in an Inquisitorial manner by the church to give up his theory?

1537. Would the World Be Safer Without Religion?

Comment #44494 by Philip1978 on May 25, 2007 at 2:01 am

Belgium to this, I have decided I want my questions answered properly before I devote any more time to creating new ones

WeeFlea/Knox?/etc

I would like you to think about this question and then answer it nicely, I am not going to play word games with you because all we seem to be doing is insulting one another and quite frankly its getting us nowhere

When I asked why does it have to be your god and what makes him so special over the cornucopia of other gods I knew straight away what I thought the answer was, I wanted to hear your side of it.

In my opinion its simple, if you had been brought up in Islamabad you would not be a Christian, you would be a Muslim, if you had been raised in Egypt in 2500BC no doubt the Book of the Dead might have been handed to you at some point very much like how you probably got your bible. Ok so sometimes there are exceptions to the rule but on the whole your religion is the product of your environment.

Things could have been different for me, I went to a church of England school and my parents didn't tell me what they believed until I was about 12, they let me decide what to do. I chose when I was about 8 years old to stop praying and things went on from there. I made that choice because I wanted to see what the world was like if I didn't bow my head to the floor like everyone else and I have to say, it didn't change a thing. I really do suggest you give that some thought too but, I want this question answered first, why does it have to be your god?

If I get further abuse I will ignore you, if you want this intelligent chat then fine, I am all ears and ready to type!

Philip

1538. Gay row US Anglicans miss summit

Comment #44308 by Philip1978 on May 24, 2007 at 8:28 am

Daniel Stoker, you might want to denounce the Holy Ghost in front of your local parish or something, that one will keep you out of the churches good books forever! Being gay is pretty bad in the church's eyes but insulting the holy ghost is a sure way to really cement things!

Joking aside I think you have already done what you needed to, do you really think having your head dunked in water and some idiot wiffling with a few latin words means anything?

1539. Would the World Be Safer Without Religion?

Comment #44305 by Philip1978 on May 24, 2007 at 8:04 am

Cheers ghostbuster, will definitely have a good look and I really appreciate the help, I think I have a few books on the subject as well.

Though thinking about it, I would like an apology from WeeFree/Knox/David if I am going to do this for him, right now I don't think he deserves it

1540. Would the World Be Safer Without Religion?

Comment #44301 by Philip1978 on May 24, 2007 at 7:10 am

My breathtaking arrogance? hehehehehehhe! Ok everyone, who here thinks I have breathtaking arrogance? If I have ever been wrong or mistaken I have accepted it and apologised for my behaviour!

I feel sorry for you, I don't hate you or your god!

Don't question my intelligence, that's even more pathetic, I have insulted nothing but your god and I asked you to go away think about it. Instead you insulted and poured scorn on me and made me out to be someone I am not.

I asked you some simple questions which you have not answered yet, you seem more intent on making me look bad.

By the way, I read other books other than the bible to gain knowledge and this is the only atheist website I visit regularly, I will go and dredge up what I can on Constantine and the Council of Nicaea in 325 and pass it on when I am not so busy

If however, all you want to do is bawl at me, forget it, I don't get intimidated by bullies, I have more important things to do

Philip

1541. Would the World Be Safer Without Religion?

Comment #44273 by Philip1978 on May 24, 2007 at 1:56 am

Right, sorry to go COMPLETELY off the beaten path here but I would like to remind you all that it is in fact Towel Day tomorrow! In memory of that hoopy frood Douglas Adams, an author who has been one of the best influences on my life. Here is a link for all you strags who have no idea as to the importance of knowing where your towel is!
http://www.towelday.kojv.net/
Enjoy!

1542. Shark virgin birth mystery is solved

Comment #44023 by Philip1978 on May 23, 2007 at 7:41 am

Spoilsport!!

1543. Shark virgin birth mystery is solved

Comment #44020 by Philip1978 on May 23, 2007 at 7:32 am

I have just been listening to Marilyn Manson's Disposable Teens song and he claims he is a "survived abortion", surely that is better and far more miraculous than simply being born from a virgin! Should I start worshipping him now?

1544. Would the World Be Safer Without Religion?

Comment #44017 by Philip1978 on May 23, 2007 at 7:28 am

Billy, wasn't there that chicken that lived for a few years after it had lost its head? Some bit of its cerebellum hadn't quite been severed and it trotted around quite happily, became quite the celebrity from what I heard!

1545. The Conversion of the Casual Evolutionist - You can't spell love without evolve

Comment #43944 by Philip1978 on May 23, 2007 at 4:37 am

Ah so that's why I am single and will remain so for a long time, am wearing the wrong genes!

1546. Despite what the scholars say, God isn't dead yet

Comment #43939 by Philip1978 on May 23, 2007 at 4:29 am

mjwemdee, I would suggest you read my posts before you start typing things like that hehehehe!

1547. Shark virgin birth mystery is solved

Comment #43925 by Philip1978 on May 23, 2007 at 4:11 am

Yikes chaps, if nature carries on this way we are on the road to being superfluous! hehehehe

1548. Despite what the scholars say, God isn't dead yet

Comment #43891 by Philip1978 on May 23, 2007 at 3:31 am

Oh bugger, so Rachael is not a man's name then?!!!

Cheers BicycleRepairMan, shows I still have a lot of work to do before I can become the smart arse I am acting like! I wont edit it, I will leave it as another reminder that I should ALWAYS stop and read!

1549. Despite what the scholars say, God isn't dead yet

Comment #43875 by Philip1978 on May 23, 2007 at 3:14 am

HITLER WAS A CATHOLIC!

Oh my dear dog, did this man not do his research?

GOTT MIT UNS? Ring any bells?

1550. Liberty U student plotted to set off explosives, police say

Comment #43871 by Philip1978 on May 23, 2007 at 3:01 am

Yikes, I don't like the Phelps family but that's taking things a bit far!

Joking aside, is it Bizzaro who goes to Liberty U? If you are reading this, did you know this Uhl guy? I only say this because I went to the same school as one of the lads who was involved in the bomb plot last year in England. Like the 9/11 and July bombers these guys are pretty much normal sort of middle class people who have never appeared to be prepared to do this sort of thing. Ok I dont agree with what is taught at Liberty Uni but this is terrible, I hope Bizzaro (if it is you who goes there) that you are going to be safe at this time plus I would like to hear your opinion, take care,

Philip