Re: Theism is a mind disorder.

[SkepticSage]

Now your just being cryptic and vague. "not an option for humans" WHY? "Lends nothing to the imagination" WHY? It takes imagination to think outside the box and realize there is not god. "Pragmatism is the tool of the oppressor" WHAT? That isn't even a meaningful sentence. How does being pragmatic oppress people. Is there some reason you do not want to put your ideas out there in an understandable form that can be commented on?

[LeatherCowboyCop]

Oh come now Richard. I am really trying to have an adult conversation. I guess you are right. My intuition about you was wrong. You are not wanting to have an intelligent conversation. I would really like to know what you think. Are you afraid to tell me?

[LeatherCowboyCop]

Again a cowardly response to my thoughts with emphasis on my presentation and personal statements about me. Don't you want to debate the issues at hand? Or do you simply want to attempt to be clever. I thought you want an intelligent conversation. How silly of me.

[SkepticSage]

My statements are not based on a lack of knowledge. Quite the contrary. I am a scholar of atheism, psychotherapy, and world religion (I have a doctoral degree). You assume I am not knowledgeable because I disagree with you. What knowledge are your opinions based on? Now why do I suspect I will get no answer to that question but will instead be attacked?

[SkepticSage]

There is nothing self-congratulatory about stating the fact that there is no evidence for the existence of god. Atheists have not solved man's eternal questions. What we are trying to do is shift attention form non issues like "is there a god" to issues like how do we continue on this planet with diminishing resources and global warming.

[SkepticSage]

Now you are just being silly and immature? Who are you trying to impress. You have just made a fool of yourself on youtube. I don't read tea leaves I read science, there is a difference, not that you would understand that.

[SkepticSage]

Whether your a Christian or not is beside the point. I was merely observing your tendency to put people into categories and make whitewashing statements about atheists.there are as many atheisms as there are atheists.

[LeatherCowboyCop]

The last remark is immature, homophobic, and mean-spirited. It also ignores (as usual) the substance of the debate for easy attacks against me. How typical. Christians claim to be holier than thou, then they resort to school-yard meanness and bullying. You have done more to prove the arguments of the atheists on this site than I ever could. You are a perfect example of Christianity at its finest.

[SkepticSage]

Atheists are some of the most educated people I know. Most PhD scientists are atheists. From your comments about atheists, it is apparent that you have not read any books on atheism. So your responses are filled with stereotypes and unsubstantiated claims. How about giving up the name calling and having a polite adult conversation or are you not capable of that?

[SkepticSage]

I never said that the world isn't affected by spiritualism, only that some people wish not to be spiritual and there are many of them in Europe. Why do you find it so hard to believe that there are people out there who are not spiritual? Your constant reference to my "attention" grabbiing is laughable. Again you resort to being mean-spirited and making baseless accusations. How Christian.

[LeatherCowboyCop]

You constantly condemn atheists with wild unsubstantiated accusations and then my comments "ravings." You seem more concerned about name calling than really discussing issues. It is YOUR behavior which is inappropriate for this site. Perhaps you should try being a call in guest on the Rush Limbaugh show. Then you can make all the negative false accusations you want.

[LeatherCowboyCop]

All atheists are vastly different people. We have no core philosophy that we share save the realization that there is no god. No atheists I have ever heard of extol Marx, they condemn him. Most of us do not belong to any atheist organization, do not go to meets, etc. Besides, these meetings are nothing like religious services. Again you make assumptions and lump all atheists in one category like a racist saying all blacks are alike. Why the need to paint us in a negative light?

[psydbound]

Atheists don't worship at all, that is the definition of the word. They also encourage others to stop worshiping as we see worshiping as bad for a person and society. Worshiping is degrading to the person and likely to lead a person away form rationality into irrationality and fantasy. Totalitarianism is the opposite of atheism which is the hallmark of Democracy where we worship no king. The Christian God is a dictator.

[psydbound]

For your information, (not that you are in the habit of consulting information before you speak) I have never worshiped anything nor have ever been spiritual. I am scientific and skeptical in world-view. My world-view makes me perceive the pseudo-scientific world-views of Marxism and Christianity as nonsense and unworthy of any respect. Sorry if that offends you.

[psydbound]

Spelling errors and profanity? You have got to be FUCKIN kidding me. How prudish and immatue of you. You have ignored the logic of my arguments and instead chosen to focus on unimportant things like spelling and have chosen to lower yourself to personal attacks. (How Christian of you). Usually when someone realizes they are losing an argument they resort to personal attacks.

[outlawleather]

The level of church attendance in Europe has been lower than 5% for years in most European countries. You still have not answered my challenge. How do you explain the lower crime rates and greater social welfare programs of countries made up largely of non-religious people? You seem to be implying that being a Christian makes one more moral. I have never in my life noticed this fact anywhere. Most of the Christians I know are mean spirited and condescending (sound like anyone you know?)

[SkepticSage]

For your information, the cathedrals in those countries are empty. The vast majority of the people of Europe self-identify as agnostics or atheists. The current period in European history is frequently called "post-Christian" by newsman and historians. Get your facts strait before you debate!!!

[TheOptimisticSkeptic]

"For your information, the cathedrals in those countries are empty. The vast majority of the people of Europe self-identify as agnostics or atheists"

I lived in Germany for 13 years. My daughter attended elementary school there which was a catholic school (and the only option), they have a the CDP (Christian Democratic Party), but as you rightly point out, religion is for the most part a non-issue.

[TheOptimisticSkeptic]

It's basically a Christian country in name only.

[SkepticSage]

I'm hoping you will read my comment with an open mid. When was the last time you were inside an atheists head? You make bizarre assumptions that have nothing to do with anything I have ever thought or heard any atheist ever say. Sweden, Norway, Findalnd are atheist countries. They are peaceful, generous countries, with no anarchy- how do you explain that?

[bigevasive]

Great vid.

[SkepticSage]

Thanks

[TheOptimisticSkeptic]

Good video, personally I think people who believe in God are more likely to be dysfunctional or at a minimum tend to have a different outlook on life and humanity. for exmaple I hear Christians say quite often say that without a belief in God nothing would stop you from rape or murder. I wonder if for them that is true, and they project that on others for whom it would not be true.

[TheOptimisticSkeptic]

If that is true for them then convincincing them that there is no God might be something we don't want to do. I wonder if they actually believe that or if it's just rhetoric they use to justify belief.

[SkepticSage]

Uh no. People fucking really believe this shit down to the bottom of their deluded minds. Thats the real scary part. I think its hard for those of us who have rationality at our core to empathize with those who have delusion at the core of their being. This is why us psychotherapists exist, if change form fantasy to reality were easy us psychotherapists would not be needed.

[TheOptimisticSkeptic]

I believe they do as well, but do they just think they would rape, and murder if they didn't believe in God, or would they really?

I've read that as much as 5% of people display sociopathic tendencies. Do you think some sociopaths embrace religion because they identify those tendencies in themselves.

[SkepticSage]

Actual sociopaths would not allow religion to stand in the way of their gratification. However, sociopaths are attracted to being terrorists and other violent religious action. I think most people would not be evil without religion. However, we would need to keep morality in our young people and that requires an effort to do so. religion does that now, what will replace it?