God **** It! (pardon the pun)

[Ryusuta]

Really?
So your parents were really ready to rip your head off?
Asian parents are that extreme. He could get a beating.

I've very clearly stated and stood by my beliefs when my life was on the line, yes.

 

[Man of Popsicle]

"Irl, we use the honor system here."

 

[RyuReiatsu]

I've very clearly stated and stood by my beliefs when my life was on the line, yes.

I guess I've just got **** shoved on my face.
*IN MY FACE*

Props to you, you're brave man. *two thumbs up*

 

[Teran]

Keeping quiet because you fear reprisal isn't the smart thing to do, it's the cowardly thing to do.

No, it really isn't.
This isn't a Disney film, this is real life.

My mum stated her beliefs 20 years ago and all it got was government raids and mutilated and murdered friends.

Sometimes, you just need to be ambiguous in the portrayal of your beliefs, or just keep them to yourself completely. It doesn't harm anyone.

 

[thanortinzak]

Yeah. That's exactly what I'm gonna do (keep it to myself).
Unless my parents find out or somehow I blow it.

 

[Falconv1.0]

It's not complex at all, you're saying he's a coward for lying, I'm saying you're a jerk for thinking like that.

Duh.

 

[Jiggy]

I've very clearly stated and stood by my beliefs when my life was on the line, yes.

Wow. You've got some strong Objectivist beliefs, there. O. o

 

[Falconv1.0]

I find that doing things that could get me killed and not present some kind of reward are, eh, what's the word? Oh right, ********. But that's just me and my strong sense of self preservation.

>_>

 

[mountain_tiger]

Yeah. That's exactly what I'm gonna do (keep it to myself).
Unless my parents find out or somehow I blow it.

Realistically, how mad are your parents going to get? I mean, they aren't going to disown you, are they? It may seem bad for a couple of weeks, but after that I'm sure they'll accept you for who you are.

 

[urdailywater]

Realistically, how mad are your parents going to get? I mean, they aren't going to disown you, are they? It may seem bad for a couple of weeks, but after that I'm sure they'll accept you for who you are.

Like me and probably 4 other people said in this thread, it isn't going to go well. Things can never go well when you have very Christian parents and you tell them you're atheist. And he's TOO young. Parents don't look at a fourteen year old too often and think they know what they're talking about.
I've had an experience like that, I eventually had to lie (well, sort of) and I'm 17.

And I'm sure there were other testimonies in this thread similar to mine.

and I think the OP already answered this too >.<

 

[_Keno_]

Keeping quiet because you fear reprisal isn't the smart thing to do, it's the cowardly thing to do.

In this situation it is neither dumb nor cowardly.

Well, I have been in this situation, and I do know. I'm very much in the position to make the call, thank you very much.

I have too, but there are many different outcomes for this situation.

There's a difference between going out of your way to rub your beliefs in people's faces when they're not relevant and being honest about what your beliefs are when you're asked directly.

Yes, I agree.

If someone asks if you believe in God and you say "Yes," when you really don't, you're a liar and a coward. Rationalize it all you want, but those are the facts.

Yes, that is fairly true, but I wouldn't really care about honor in that situation. In fact, I think honor is completely useless.

/10characters

 

[thanortinzak]

Hehe...
Update: i no longer have to go today cause i pulled off faking sick!

 

[Jiggy]

So this...

was pointless?...

 

[Firus]

What was pointless? The entire thread?

This is just one day that he pulled off faking sick.

 

[Oracle]

Lol you're not atheist

You're 14. Chances are you're just rebelling against your parents because of whatever reason. Regardless of what you think, that's probably the case haha

Besides, you're subconsciously biased towards the atheist side and are probably uneducated about the other point of view. You're basically abusing the fact that they are impressionable children.

Spoiler

Granted, the Christian side's doing of that isn't any better, but it's wrong either way

 

[thanortinzak]

What was pointless? The entire thread?

This is just one day that he pulled off faking sick.

yeah...too bad tomorrow I still have to go

 

[john!]

Thousands of people before you have done the same thing, many of them also having questioned their beliefs at some point or another. There are two possibilities:

1.) You are more perceptive/intelligent than the vast majority of them and, being so sure of your beliefs (yes atheism is a belief) you are willing to be an agent of the same indoctrination that you condemn in others

2.) You are willing to accept that although you don't fully understand/agree with Christianity and Christian principles, they may have sense behind them, and the net result of not indoctrinating them with either system of belief is more beneficial than doing so

If you look hard enough, I guarantee you'll find a way to make sense of what you have to teach without abandoning your skeptical way of thinking. Even by treating Biblical stories as fiction (and some of them may well be symbolic rather than factual) you can still draw relevant lessons and conclusions about life. But by all means encourage them to question what they read and hear, because if they just sit and shut up and try to make sense of it themselves (which it seems you did as a kid) many of them will jump from fundamentalist Christian to atheist without realizing that there is a middle ground.

 

[Darkslash]

A good question to ask is, what section of Christianity did you come from? You just said you were christian, and that's it.

Though if your Asian, get sent to bible camp and have over religious parents...I'm going to guess...


You're/You were Baptist.

 

[MasterWarlord]

My situation is honestly very similiar to yours, except that, y'know, I actually buy into the stuff. While Christianity doesn't exactly have a lot of evidence in it's favor, neither does evolution (Whee mass controversy starts here that I'll get killed for by everyone on SWF), and what are you exactly losing through Christianity? I'm a pretty d*mn bad Christian anyway, so I'm not losing much, so I may as well stick along for the ride in case it's true (Which I do believe it to be). Besides, if I rebelled, my parents would start trying to convert me and I'd be forced to spend all the more time in the faith until I "believed", so resistance is futile.

Oh, and don't think your age matters with this sort of stuff relating to Christian parents breathing down your neck. I'll be 18 at the end of the summer, yet I still have a freaking FILTER on my computer. It's utterly humiliating.

 

[Darkslash]

Also, where's the pun in this title? All I see is Irony.

A pun, or paronomasia, is a form of word play that deliberately exploits ambiguity between similar-sounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect. Such ambiguity may arise from the intentional misuse of homophonical, homographical, homonymic, polysemic, metonymic, or metaphorical language.

By definition, puns must be deliberate; an involuntary substitution of similar words is called a malapropism.

The Irony here is that your asking God to ****...what ever, despite you believing there is no God.

Sorry about being a Grammar Nazi(؟) , its not my style, being ridiculed by some. But your title irks me.

 

[mountain_tiger]

My situation is honestly very similiar to yours, except that, y'know, I actually buy into the stuff. While Christianity doesn't exactly have a lot of evidence in it's favor, neither does evolution (Whee mass controversy starts here that I'll get killed for by everyone on SWF), and what are you exactly losing through Christianity? I'm a pretty d*mn bad Christian anyway, so I'm not losing much, so I may as well stick along for the ride in case it's true (Which I do believe it to be). Besides, if I rebelled, my parents would just go more strict on me and try to force me to believe, so resistance is futile.

Oh, and don't think your age matters with this sort of stuff relating to Christian parents breathing down your neck. I'll be 18 at the end of the summer, yet I still have a freaking FILTER on my computer. It's utterly humiliating.

Actually, evolution has considerably more evidence in its favour than Christianity any day...

 

[MasterWarlord]

Actually, evolution has considerably more evidence in its favour than Christianity any day...

Whee mass controversy starts here that I'll get killed for by everyone on SWF

I have zero plans on getting involved in a religious debate where I'll be severely outnumbered. Most people in my boat get video games forced away in addition to everything else, so there obviously aren't a lot of representatives on my side.

 

[Circa]

I wish I could go to your camp. I would teach them MY belief, which is a form of Agnosticism where you accept that the 1,936,947 different sides of the argument aren't viable and probably never will be, and basically just follow what you feel is right (I'm not talking about a system of beliefs that could be called religion...but just simply morals). Nobody should have to tell you what to do; or at least no one who can't potentially harm you in the life you're in right now.

EDIT: Granted, I also just wish more people had my views. Everyone seems to like to take a side that involves existence, lack thereof, or uncertainty on either point. I don't like it. Why can't other people just accept it that you can't TRULY figure it out and be happy with it? D:

 

[Falconv1.0]

If you don't want to start a debate, don't go around saying lies.

=/

 

[Heartz♥]

Oh hey I am back to counter Alex, but he was banned.

All I really have to say is that we all have our demons we must deal with. I'm not Jesus Christ; I am not without sin.

And I am NOT bisexual, so his whole argument was more groundless than Mewtwo.

 

[Circa]

If you don't want to start a debate, don't go around saying lies.

=/

Assuming this is pointed toward me...what lies are those? That beliefs are not truly believable? Every belief that has ever been created dealing with the existence of human beings, or the existence of a diety, is somehow flawed. Not because their point of view is particularly wrong, but because there are so many things that our eyes can't see and minds can't understand that we can never truly come to a full understanding of what really created us, or if this thing that supposedly created us really exists. This is proven, quite simply, by the existence of more religions than you can count with just your fingers and toes, and the fact that there is at least a small number of people who follow behind each of these religions.

How can I start a debate about something that doesn't have enough evidence to carry a decisive debate about? Your logic baffles me.

And on a slightly on-topic note: The only truly factual thing that might have some credibility is evolution, but the theory of evolution doesn't really prove anything apart from the fact that specific religions are feeding us a line of bull on how human beings came into existence. It carries little more than that at this time, and shouldn't be treated as though it does carry anything more.

 

[MidnightAsaph]

Oh my God, a thread about religion. How ever did it get so many replies? Oh...wait...

Here, I'll sum it up. These guys have these beliefs, and those guys have those beliefs. Then, the beliefs clash.

I wish I could go to your camp. I would teach them MY belief, which is a form of Agnosticism where you accept that the 1,936,947 different sides of the argument aren't viable and probably never will be, and basically just follow what you feel is right (I'm not talking about a system of beliefs that could be called religion...but just simply morals). Nobody should have to tell you what to do; or at least no one who can't potentially harm you in the life you're in right now.

EDIT: Granted, I also just wish more people had my views. Everyone seems to like to take a side that involves existence, lack thereof, or uncertainty on either point. I don't like it. Why can't other people just accept it that you can't TRULY figure it out and be happy with it? D:

I'm like you. Don't worry, there are still intelligent people out there. /joking, joking, don't take serious you unagnostics.

You, sir, are smart.


I guess the whole point of the thread has alrady slipped away, but, point is, I wouldn't take advantage of a bunch kids. Hell, I'd say, "They want me to tell you a bunch of stuff, but I don't buy it. Go figure it out yourself," because I'm such a nice guy. ; )

Talking about religion is like deciding which sports team in the world is best.

 

[Falconv1.0]

Assuming this is pointed toward me...what lies are those? That beliefs are not truly believable? Every belief that has ever been created dealing with the existence of human beings, or the existence of a diety, is somehow flawed. Not because their point of view is particularly wrong, but because there are so many things that our eyes can't see and minds can't understand that we can never truly come to a full understanding of what really created us, or if this thing that supposedly created us really exists. This is proven, quite simply, by the existence of more religions than you can count with just your fingers and toes, and the fact that there is at least a small number of people who follow behind each of these religions.

How can I start a debate about something that doesn't have enough evidence to carry a decisive debate about? Your logic baffles me.

And on a slightly on-topic note: The only truly factual thing that might have some credibility is evolution, but the theory of evolution doesn't really prove anything apart from the fact that specific religions are feeding us a line of bull on how human beings came into existence. It carries little more than that at this time, and shouldn't be treated as though it does carry anything more.

No. It was pointed at the foo' before you, the guy who said he didn't want to start a debate. You're silly.

Heartz if you'd like I could relay Alex's words for you/vice versa.

 

[Circa]

No. It was pointed at the foo' before you, the guy who said he didn't want to start a debate. You're silly.

Oh ****, sorry then. D: That makes complete sense now. And here I thought I sounded massively intelligent as I protected my side...

 

[mountain_tiger]

Talking about religion is like deciding which sports team in the world is best.

Probably true. But I figure, if I convert just one person away from religion, it might slowly make the world a better place.

 

[Heartz♥]

No. It was pointed at the foo' before you, the guy who said he didn't want to start a debate. You're silly.

Heartz if you'd like I could relay Alex's words for you/vice versa.

Thanks, but I left it on his V Wall, and I am sure he will still check it anonymously.

Besides, Asaph is completely right. Religious debates do not amount to anything but hypocrisy. You can't change a man's beliefs, only he can change them from within himself, but with the influence and evangelism by others.

 

[|RK|]

Probably true. But I figure, if I convert just one person away from religion, it might slowly make the world a better place.

Even though religion is the basis of this country and the freedoms you have today and all of our Presidents are religious, love 'em or hate 'em. Whether you are Christian or not, you know that the preceding are facts. Please stop religion bashing. Please.

 

[SuSa]

Lol you're not atheist

You're 14. Chances are you're just rebelling against your parents because of whatever reason. Regardless of what you think, that's probably the case haha

Besides, you're subconsciously biased towards the atheist side and are probably uneducated about the other point of view. You're basically abusing the fact that they are impressionable children.

Spoiler

Granted, the Christian side's doing of that isn't any better, but it's wrong either way

I decided I was Atheist when I was 11. I haven't changed since then, I'm 16. I've just become more and more informed about even more conflicting details of the Bible and such.

Also I'd rather see children getting both sides of a story. If people did that more often maybe we'd have less.... uneducated adults? (for lack of a better way to describe it...)

 

[Oracle]

I wish I could go to your camp. I would teach them MY belief, which is a form of Agnosticism where you accept that the 1,936,947 different sides of the argument aren't viable and probably never will be, and basically just follow what you feel is right (I'm not talking about a system of beliefs that could be called religion...but just simply morals). Nobody should have to tell you what to do; or at least no one who can't potentially harm you in the life you're in right now.

Well then you have to question why you feel why X is right and why anyone else's viewpoint is more valid and blah blah blah

jk jk

But that's not agnosticism. You just said that you don't believe in a god, therefore it's atheism.
You can have morals independent of religion, or you can follow a religion's moral system (or at least part of it) without believing in everything in the religion.


EDIT: at above post
Chances are you'll change your religious views at some point at your life. Eventually people get more life experience and build their spiritual beliefs around that.

 

[Circa]

But that's not agnosticism. You just said that you don't believe in a god, therefore it's atheism.
You can have morals independent of religion, or you can follow a religion's moral system (or at least part of it) without believing in everything in the religion.

I actually question Atheism as much as I question any religion. I don't believe in God, but I also don't believe in a lack thereof. This 'God', after all, could just be something completely different than what we think and may fit on a scale larger (or even smaller) than any of us could ever imagine. But he could also just simply not exist, and we may simply live in a void of nothingness that carries such intangible reality that everything you think is tangible is really just your imagination. You don't really know about any of it, because we have no real proof of any of it. And because of this lack of proof, I refuse to believe any of it. Thus, Agnosticism.

And I actually think the system of morals is more or less a mix of genetics and what you learn as you grow up and all that jazz. Thus why everyone has at least a slightly different set of morals.

Even though religion is the basis of this country and the freedoms you have today and all of our Presidents are religious, love 'em or hate 'em. Whether you are Christian or not, you know that the preceding are facts. Please stop religion bashing. Please.

lolwut? No. Just...no. The majority of the freedoms we have today were to keep us from getting ****ed in the *** by our government like they did the European government. I'd love to see you look through the Bill of Rights and tell me otherwise.

I mean hell, we even have the FREEDOM OF RELIGION, meaning WE CAN BELIEVE ANYTHING WE WANT. Doesn't sound very Christian-like if you ask me, considering they have the whole 'Believe in this religion or burn in hell' thing.

 

[Falconv1.0]

Also btw, I don't give a **** what this country was based on, we also had racism and sexism, why not get rid of ALL the ignorance instead of just SOME OF IT.

>_______>

 

[Remzi]

Probably true. But I figure, if I convert just one person away from religion, it might slowly make the world a better place.

Did he really just say this?

Wow, you are a douche.

 

[Virgilijus]

Any more insults or flaming and this will be immediately closed.

 

[Oracle]

I second the motion. Nothing worthwhile has happened in this thread besides religion bashing.

 

[M.K]

Random Question:

Do Atheists participate in any sort of ceremonies or ANYTHING? Do they follow any sort of moral code? Because saying that you don't believe in God might not make you an Atheist, but just a non-believer. I may be wrong, but the whole "I'm an Atheist, I don't believe in God" thing I'm hearing from the 9-year old down the street is really starting to make me wonder.