NY GRAND JURY VOTES TO INDICT TRUMP

[aussenseiter]

Originally Posted by Toxigen [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

YOU GOT EM NOW!!!!11!!!

Only if rob laughs. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[arvidez]

a bumper sticker suggested i should 'follow those looking for God and run from those who find him'. not sure it was good advice, but it is a reflex now.

[Origen]

Originally Posted by arvidez [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

a bumper sticker suggested i should 'follow those looking for God and run from those who find him'. not sure it was good advice, but it is a reflex now.

I have probably mentioned this before, but I like the neatness of "Religion makes good people better and bad people worse."

Originally Posted by aussenseiter [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Only if rob laughs. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Nope

[Ooloo]

Originally Posted by Origen [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I have probably mentioned this before, but I like the neatness of "Religion makes good people better and bad people worse."

Probably true. Also though, (and I'm saying this as an atheist) atheism carries it's own set of dangers. Would you rather a hypothetical dictator be god-fearing, or an atheist? If he's god fearing, that might temper some of his worst impulses because he fears punishment in the afterlife. Of course, it might also make him take terrible actions (see: islamists, christians during the crusades etc..) because he believes he'll get some kind of divine reward.

On the other hand, the atheist dictator is kind of a wild card. The fact that he's a dictator in the first place probably means he's quite a jerk, and if he doesn't fear the afterlife he'll be more likely to indulge any terrible whim he might have, because in his mind nothing matters once he's dead.

So I think on balance I'd prefer my dictators to be religious over atheist, but neither is ideal. As douglas murray put it; when you remove god and religion, that doesn't mean that what fills the hole is going to be something better.

[Origen]

I know what you mean. Even before I began speaking to God again, I was usually cautious enough to call myself agnostic rather than atheist. Atheism seems so sure. I don't think anyone should be that sure about anything, positive or negative.

Smart people improve their ideology by tempering them with doubts, or even changing their minds based on evidence... but idiots are sure

[Sadre Spinegnawer]

Originally Posted by aussenseiter [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

The Roman Inquisition, an agency established in 1542, was designed chiefly to combat Protestantism, which was conceived and defined as heresy in Catholic territories.

Spanish. Spanish Inquisition. It was how Spain de-jewed and de-moored itself. You are talking about a counter-reformation precursor. Because no shit the Catholic Church didn't like Martin Luther. But saying that squabble is where the fires came form, or the image of the burning stake, is obtuse, and incorrect.

This thread needs clarity folks.

[Sadre Spinegnawer]

Originally Posted by Origen [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I know what you mean. Even before I began speaking to God again, I was usually cautious enough to call myself agnostic rather than atheist. Atheism seems so sure. I don't think anyone should be that sure about anything, positive or negative.

Smart people improve their ideology by tempering them with doubts, or even changing their minds based on evidence... but idiots are sure

I've been places and did some things. But a supreme way to mark yourself as the idiot at any philosophy or theology conference I've been to, just say "I'm an atheist!"

Unless you are neo-Miltonian and are writing postmodern religious epic poetry, an "atheist" is the cognitive equivalent of someone who draws a brick wall on a piece of paper, then tapes that piece of paper to an actual brick wall, and proceeds to proudly bash their head against it.

[Sadre Spinegnawer]

I swear that analogy works. Give it time.

[unsunghero]

Doesn’t apply here, but I see this sort of argument a lot

“That doesn’t seem very Christian-like”

“Don’t you think Christianity is a false belief in sky fairies and despise it?”

You have to pick one. Either Christianity is fake/evil or it’s it good, can’t be both at once

[Landroval]

I thank God daily for helping me survive the worst pandemic the world has ever seen.