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From: TheThinkingAtheist
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  • I started to listen to this yesterday and that night I dreamed that I was talking to my mum's religious friend and I asked her what she thought about the rapture and hell. Weird dream.

  • God burns millions of Jews for (their big sin is not being a Christian) deciding to maintain their Jewish faith that they where burn into, Hitler burned millions of Jews (just for being a Jew) , but Hitler actions were unacceptable! Sorry for my aggressive tone, this topic really gets me angry! Hell is faith based position anyways, another words there is no evidence of hell or after life!

    

  • And who would join someone who left you to die? Also, if you die Christian don't you go to Heaven?

  • I'm 13 and I would say WTF if I saw that film not Jesus I accept you. Although i wasn't indoctrinated.

  • wow, the said> He had written the religion in his certificate of birth!! you have to believe or you could be executed! WOW!!!

  • I could not agree more with the idea of communal atheism. It unites science, logical thinking, and human evaluation. Those are definitely thins in common

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  • Best example of religious child abuse are the jews

  • Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be true! Thomas Paine!!

  • The lies of our forefathers made it Abuse! But if many would opens there eyes to the dang Torah Lies then they would see that right off the bat!

  • Is it child abuse to raise a child religious? Really, it depends on the consequences to the child. If the child is happy and fits in, then it's hard to argue that it's abusive, especially if the parents actually believe what they are teaching. It's a question that I don't see a simple answer to. I would prefer that all of society were secular, but it just isn't, and in general lying to children is not considered abuse, especially if you believe the lies yourself.

  • I did not listen to everything, but YES! IT IS! I have first hand experience!

  • Yes, it can be child abuse. It is not always child abuse, but it can be. Luckily, I never had the fear of hell aspect of being raised Christian, but that is something that can impose long lasting emotional harm to a person. What I struggled must with was depression and religion. Being told that everything will be okay if you pray to God, and dealing with serious depression with no response from God made it worse. I can't blame religion for my depression, but it sure helped it become worse.

  • I grew up in a christian home. I'm still in it, and i've got 2 years before I even have a chance of getting out. My parents know I'm an atheist, and ever since I've told them, I havent felt like family anymore. They still force me to go to church. If there is a hell, this must be it.

  • after watching jesus camp i would say a hearty 'YES' to the question posited by the title of this video. i would almost hazard to say that it is worse than molestation. don't bother flaming me though, not gonna read the response...

  • Excellent show!! I just started listening today. And it has been most excellent so far going over various podcasts. Someone was kind enough to share 22 podcast links with me today during the podcast. What a great day it's turned out to be today! I especially enjoyed the 17 year old caller. This was an amazing conversation. The whole show theme is quite thought provoking.

  • Excellent show!! I just started listening today. And it has been most excellent so far going over various podcasts. Someone was kind enough to share 22 podcast links with me today during the podcast. What a great day it's turned out to be today!

  • @Mogley52 For the sake of our future and intelligence, please don't ever produce offspring.

  • telling a child that is homosexual, and speaking from personal experience I knew when I was very young. That they are evil in the eyes of the creator of the universe and that they are damned to hell for something they did not choose, is child abuse. I grew up in an independent southern baptist home, I attempted suicide when I was 16. Luckily it did not work, after that I felt free to accept myself.

    all religions are utter crap, they all are nothing but fairy tales.

  • Is there possible to make the callers lines not cut out all the time? I think this isn't caused from bad connections in all cases. Maybe this was true in some, but not in all. There must be something wrong within the studio... Good show tho!

  • YES it is child abuse. You wouldn't believe how traumatized I am because of ideas that were shoved into my young, vulnerable brain as a baby and all throughout my youth. Taking advantage of the fact that a kid can't think for him or herself. It's mind-rape.

  • Raising my children as atheists because it's the right thing to do.

  • 9 fucking kids..... goddamn

  • seth should narrate a halloween movie

  • Thats exactly the kind of addoctrination that causes the whole world to be religious. There is absolutely no other way one can believe in something like that in modern life

  • I've met a few people who had the good fortune to grow up as atheists. To me they seem like characters from some advanced civilization out of science fiction.

  • Telling kids that there is no god is as bad as telling them there is. Let children chose there on paths not us.

  • Excellent! This is the first podcast of yours I've heard. I love it.

    Thank you.

  • I'm not saying that a good, religious person isn't a good person, since they are still being nice to other people, but if you're only doing it to get into heaven and stay out of hell, you're not being a good Samaritan, you're just letting God foot the "bill" for your actions, so to speak.

  • @AdamX222 - If you understand the scriptures, heaven is not a place where frauds dwell. God knows the hearts of every person and "a kneeling soul, and a broken heart" lead to true repentance. The type of person you're describing is also described by the bible, and God spits them right out until their heart is changed.

  • If anything, adding the reward of heaven or punishment of hell only cheapens the act of being good to other people. Someone who doesn't believe in heaven/hell and is a good person anyways is even better than someone who's being nice for some kind of eternal reward.

  • I personally don't think you need religion to have a feeling that life matters. If you teach your kids to have a sense of empathy, and to enjoy it when other people are happy, then they'll naturally strive to be good people regardless of religious influence.

  • You can't really put a global meaning to religion's effect on the value of current life because not everyone is going to look at it the same way. The fact is that atheists are always going to say that the idea of an afterlife devalues current life, and religious people will say that not believing in an afterlife devalues the current life. Depending on your outlook, you'll think differently.

  • That book "The Eternity of Heaven and Hell" sounds like it should be re-titled "The Divine Comedy: Crappy Ripoff Edition”

  • Funny how the comment sections in every atheist video are all jst giant debate forums :P

  • wait....if we all just came from apes, that mean's we're animals...and emotions are just chemical reactions in the brain...so what does it matter if you abuse children? or kill someone? in the atheist mindset...there's no way to tell what is moral and what isn't. and if we're all just going nowhere, then why does it even matter? (i personally don't believe in any of this, i'm just trying to give everyone a brief overview if the atheist mindset).

  • @ShoelaceTemptation Yes, of course, you perfectly understand the atheist mindset even though you dont share it, bullshit sir. Yes ,we are technically animals, but, we value human life, why? Because we have the gift of sentience. Simply because you are a close minded fool, who believes that without a wizard watching over us, we aree just monsters, doesnt mean we all share YOUR disgusting mindset. Take your ignorance else where, nobody here wants to hear it.

  • @suicidefilming Oh, i understand it...that doesn't mean it isn't complete crap. Look, to assume that there is "evil" in the world is to assume that there is a fine line between immoral and moral. To assume that is to assume that is to assume there is a universal moral law. To assume that is to assume that there is a universal law giver. And just like that, the whole thing self-destructs.

  • @ShoelaceTemptation No,no one ever stated that there is "evil," that is just your finite ignorantthinking. Evil, is the regression of a set of morals we hold to each other to advance as a race. There is NO one set of morals, nor shall there ever be.

  • @suicidefilming I've heard stories of men in other countries that will get drunk on a mixture of liquor and snakes blood. In fact, there was an eighteen month old girl that was rescued from one of them...he was raping her. there was also another little girl who was raped by a group of men. They stuck a twig into her (there's no need to say where) and pushed it in until it pierced through her side...tell me, is that not evil?

  • @ShoelaceTemptation Unfortunatley, you are providing no evidence to its existence, nor where this incident happened. If it was tribal, they simply have no idea of the rlues and regulations of modern society, and wre acting on disgusting urges forwarded by hallucinogenic drugs. No one is born evil. It all is caused by circumstance, drugs, or hundreds of other factors. Albeit, it is disgusting, but, it is no evidence that the men are evil, just severley disturbed.

  • @suicidefilming I do not know the minute details of these occurances (nor do i want to), one i heard from Ravi Zacharias in one of his talks on YouTube, the other was my fathers friend (his daughter was the one raped by the group of men. she was i think around six or seven). These events occured, and the men knew the rules of society. They aren't evil, i agree, but their actions were evil. No person is evil, but everyone is subject to evil actions. It's human nature.

  • @ShoelaceTemptation But, it is not evil, just incredibley disgusting moral regression.

  • @suicidefilming I'm sure it will be fine. We will evolve out of such behavior so we can "advance as a race" right? Sure, everyone has different morals, but is that moral? That's what caused those men to rape those girls, and its what causes wars and causes innocent people to die everyday. The 10 40 window is the area of the world with the lowest living conditions and lowest life expectancy. It is the worst area on the planet. It is also the part of the world with the lowest access to the gospel.

  • @ShoelaceTemptation Gospel has nothing to do with it. Why is so little of the prison population (somewhere around 0.5 percent) non-religous? Because, religion does nothing to the moral physche, unless, you are under-educated, or simply mentaly defunct. Gospel is not needed for peace, a simple higher understanding of the presciousness of human life, and a want to feel self-worthy. Hence why religion worked so well in the bronze ages, simple mental reinforcement.

  • @suicidefilming the reason so little of the prison population is non-religious is because most people claim to be "religious". you can't account for faith based on a stupid survey. Honestly, I'd love to hear you tell this to a starving child in Africa who has lost their family. Just go play some xbox, down a couple of Monsters, and think about how the world really is, because you obviously don't know. I'm done here, there's no getting through to someone as ignorant as you.

  • @ShoelaceTemptation Yes, of course, I am the ignorant one! Fror a fucking imbecile, you have a gargantuan ego. Despite the fact that you do not try to present a actual coherent argument, you still feel it necessary to spew your idiotic bile to a unwilling audience. My age, and social prediciment, are not henderances to my ability to see a worthless idiotic theist when I see one.

  • @suicidefilming you don't know anything about what the world is like! why can't you get that through your thick skull! the only reason you think theists are stupid is because you think the idea of a God is stupid! if you really looked at the facts you would see how stupid your thoughts on life really are. Only God can open your eyes and save you from hell, and i pray that He will. Have a wonderful life.

  • @ShoelaceTemptation Ugh, I hate dealing with ignoramuses. I don't think Theists are stupid. I think that they are misguided, indoctrinated people, who refuse to pay any attention to science, or even basic logic. I know what the world is like. I've been to Uganda, Mexico, and Sweden. I know the disgusting things pathetic tribal religions cause, I also know the horrors and disgusting acts that are commited in the names of even more pathetic mainstream deitys. I

  • @suicidefilming Look up infinite monkey theorem on wikipedia. Also, i would like you to know that the odds a human enzyme could come together by chance are 1 in 10 to the power of 40,000. King David predicts the invention of crucifixion in psalm 22, and in Daniel 9, Daniel predicts when Jesus will come. Read Temple at the Center of Time by David Flynn. All facts to support Christianity. I am not an ignoramus nor do I blindly follow my faith. I was given all of the facts, and I chose accordingly.

  • @ShoelaceTemptation Your story book is just predicting the actions of its characters. There is no support to it, just circle reasoning. I understand the infinite monkey theorem, but none of the facts ARE there for Christianity. It is just a pathetically covered rip-off of Pagan faiths, like the winter solistices, and even the story of Noah's Ark is simply a re-telling of The Story of Gilgamesh. Your facts aren't there, your weak will, and non-acceptance of death is.

  • @suicidefilming predicting the actions of its characters? psalm 22 was written a thousand years before crucifixion was invented by the romans, and the romans didn't even read the psalms, so there's no way they used it for reference.  You act like all 66 books of the bible were written all together, but you must keep in mind, the bible was compiled much later, and psalms 22 and the gospels had different authors.

  • @ShoelaceTemptation If you are speaking of line 16 in which it says "They pierced my hands and feet," this is only in some manuscripts, some say they are *at* my hands and feet.

  • @suicidefilming And they cast lots for my clothing. that was often done in crucifixion. and...at my hands and feet? that doesn't make much sense.

  • @ShoelaceTemptation Yes, dogs at my hands and feet, and "cast lots for my clothing," was also used in several others situations common in biblical stories, so it's inconsistent evidence.

  • @ShoelaceTemptation And, to top it off, even if non-religous identifed themselves as as a dominant factor of the population, the number would still be vastly lower then any religous sects. Because we uphold our morals, because we WANT to. Not because we HAVE to.

  • I'm so glad that my parents didn't Shove religion in my face.

  • Yes. Especially when they are forced to inherit their parent's religion whether they like it or not. If your parent are Christians then you are automatically Christian or if parent are Muslim then the children are automatically Muslim. These are forcing religion on children. They are not given the chance to make own evaluation as to what is right or wrong.

  • I was raised as a Mormon, and it permeated all aspects of my life in Salt Lake City, including boy scouts, and the sphere of friends I had both in church and school -

    My family ancestory was of Mormon pioneers who were high church officials , and I went along with it , till the time came when my friends were talking of going on their missions for the church - it was then, that I called it all shit, and "self discommunicated" from it, never to return !

    Who needs that shit ?

  • This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius ! That sounded so astrological to me.

  • I've been looking for a place to go and learn about others like me. I'm agnostic. I suffer from PSTD from years of corporal punishment and bible stories. My loving parents are fundamental, evangelicals. They started hitting us with objects to train us up in the ways of god from the time I was six months old. Do you know if there are others like me who had this horrific evangelical upbringing and now live as adults with the emotional scars?

  • Yes, it is. I've worked with people who've displayed every symptom of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and, speaking with them, it was traceable to religious education. They were led to see themselves a filthy and 'sinful' just because of their basic humanity. One man was particularly intelligent and was still an utter slave to this torture, finally falling into alcoholism. Scar the body, and you can still have an independent mind. Break the heart and mind, and that is TRUE damnation.

  • God loves us so much that he tortures us for ever if we disagree with him!

  • okay, about the rapture helmet thingy. Seth said "incase you need some cranial protection"

    Imagine this, day of rapture comes and everybody is lifted up to heaven. But all the ones in buildings just splattered on the roof!! haha

    "oh, shit" (god)

  • I feel lucky that I live in a place where I can openly be atheist without fear. My heart goes to that guy in Egypt and all other atheists in similar situations

  • I wouldn't say it's child abuse since that would degrade actual cases of children being beaten by their parents but raising your child in any belief or non-belief is wrong. You should teach your children about all religions and about atheism and then let them chose for themselves.

  • Go to Meetup.com and search for your local atheist group

  • I remember this movie. I was very young when I saw it at my brothers church. If I remember correctly you would not be allowed to trade unless you took the "mark". This movie scared me very much and yes religious stories like these are child abuse.

  • @ThePoston24 I remember the same movie! I also remember a lot of other fearsploitation films that showed people dying and going to hell amd the like. All low-budget tripe, traumatic as all hell. I can't imagine the money they made off of those videos!

  • thank you for uploading this :)

    please don't stop making these! or the parody cartoons of ridiculous bible stories!

  • common trollers... if you are atheist its just stupid... use that time to rip the shit out of anyones religious beliefs...

  • The bible is an ANCIENT, FICTITIOUS book of PARABLES meant as a blanket guide for moral, lawful societies at the time. Besides, jesus was just a revolutionary of his time, he did not personally write a single word in the new testament-a book written by his fellow revolutionaries to honor him after his martyrdom. Just as the old testament honored Moses & the qoran honored Mohammed.Modern law today serves the purpose of religion yesterday.

    JUST LOGIC

  • as a child of 8 i was send to church to learn there way but i was kicked out both me and my bro bradley as we asked the wrong questions and were causing decent as if we were some evil thing i was just asking were is god why would he help us how old is god how can god be all 3 if Jesus was god why did he need to ask for forgiveness if he was god and why did he call god father if he was god i asked so many questions that were never answered

    PS the best long term motivator is fear

  • as a child of 8 i was send to church to learn there way but i was kicked out both me and my bro bradley as we asked the wrong questions and were causing decent as if we were some evil thing i was just asking were is god why would he help us how old is god how can god be all 3 if Jesus was god why did he need to ask for forgiveness if he was god and why did he call god father if he was god i asked so many questions that were never answered

    PS the best long term motivator is fear

  • as a child of 8 i was send to church to learn there way but i was kicked out both me and my bro bradley as we asked the wrong questions and were causing decent as if we were some evil thing i was just asking were is god why would he help us how old is god how can god be all 3 if Jesus was god why did he need to ask for forgiveness if he was god and why did he call god father if he was god i asked so many questions that were never answered

    PS the best long term motivator is fear

  • Definitely child abuse that more often then not, stays with the people, menacing their adult lives...

  • Religion teaches children all their thoughts will be evil. “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually” (Genesis 6.5 KJV). This is child abuse; it's also a lie.

  • I think child abuse is teaching children that there's no meaning to anything, that they're simply an accident, and that they are floating in a temporary existence and will soon be nothing. What other reason could there be to not value life?

  • @dogeymon83 Nobody said there was no meaning. And lying to children to make them happy is a tad...creepy.

  • @TheThinkingAtheist - Christians who have faith in Jesus are quite joyful, thank you very much man. You don't have a clue about religious people. Everyone I know who has abundant faith in Jesus believes they have the freedom and power to accomplish anything. Knowing that you have eternal life in the Lord offers peace and joy. I've spoken to many atheists who are very bitter about life and find it to be completely meaningless. That's just what I've observed.

  • @TheThinkingAtheist - The problem is you're assuming they're lying to children, when in fact, you don't know if they are at all. Many people who study the scriptures for years, who research all the religions out there, who seek God with all their heart without giving up, actually discover Him in some way. You have to be open-minded, like any other person does.

  • @dogeymon83 Why would you think that not abusing them by scaring the shit out of them by threatening them with eternal torture and telling them that an old pervert was watching their every move would then mean that you had to lie to them and tell them another set of lies of your making?

  • @TheTomtompiper - You and I both know this is pointless. You don't have a heart seeking to understand any of this. So you're gonna always read it the way you do. What's the point of this conversation? People go to school for years to study the scriptures, do you know that? When you do something like that, maybe you'll be able to make more sense of all of this.

  • @dogeymon83 The only pointless thing her is you, your only tool is lies and deceit. I suggest you stop making shit up about people teaching children that life without God is meaningless and empty, and that life is an accident when you have not a shred of evidence that either is true. If you want to teach people about your God why not wait until they are old enough to consent to being taught? The reason is that by then thy would laugh at you, you need to get them when they are gullible.

  • @dogeymon83 So if the meaning of life isn't handed to you it's automatically meaningless? Maybe people like you SHOULD carry around a mental security blanket all their lives. The real world is obviously much too big of a place for you if you're not willing to think about the answers to the important questions for yourself.

    You want a reason to value life? How about this- It's all we've got. You have one chance to have an effect on human existence. Don't waste it spreading fear and lies.

  • @dogeymon83 Oh the old "Only believers have morals" spare me.The ego you religious people have, the self righteous attitude that some how you are better then other people because they don't believe in what you do.Honestly you all need to get off you high horse and actually learn something out side of your bible and religious dogma.Whats sad is most of you will never understand life outside your bubble, and that to me is a meaningless life, a wasted life.

  • @dogeymon83

    We and they are not "simply an accident". We are a product of millions of years of natural selection, proving we are the fittest so far, that we deserve to be here, and we are awesome. Though I'm not always eager to quote Dawkins, try this one on for size: "Matter flows from place to place and momentarily comes together to be you. Some people find that thought disturbing. I find the reality thrilling."

    We are not a temporary existence. Our consciousness, however, may be. (cont)

  • @Azaelius and what better reason could there be to live life the best we can here? There is no child abuse in the truth. We are a temporary existence, no two ways about that. We DON'T know what happens after death for sure, and there is meaning to everything: Existence in itself! progress, beauty, discovery, these are the reasons for life. To say we need to apologize for even existing to an invisible man who always watches, punishes, and "loves" us because an age old book tells us so is lunacy.

  • @dogeymon83 There are many YouTube video on that... Check out 'Why Live?' by Qualia Soup, that's a good one.

  • @dogeymon83 Some say we are all just accidents on this earth, temporary existence etc. I for one don't know how we came to be in existence and what our purpose is here on earth. maybe you have it figured out and that's good for you. for me I'm just trying to live day by day, enjoy company with those I care and love, work hard, be courteous, respect those around me, help those in need....that's simply my purpose in life. what will happen to me after I die, I don't know. 

  • @MisterBokeh - That's a perfectly reasonable way to view life. I have sympathy for people who humbly admit they don't know the answers. I can't say I've figured "it" out because in that context, "it" is a very loaded word. There are things I do know, and I think everyone knows. And they start from there. It is that people inherently know right from wrong. They know that everything in nature and existence is painstakingly designed with purpose. They know there is meaning.

  • @dogeymon83

    For the record, your beliefs ARE a fairytale. Fantastical and impossible stories written to teach lessons and entertain. You may believe in them and think they're fact or whatever, but they're still fairy tales.

    As an atheist living in the Southern US, I know that I'll never be able to get a political position, I'm excluded from my community because I don't intend Church. I'm essentially shunned from society because I'm a logical, rational person. You are not the victim here.

  • @dogeymon83 My daughter will be raised to create or find her own meaning and purpose. She'll be taught to value her life precisely *because* of the temporary, one-off nature of our existence.

    Promising her an eternal after-life of perfect bliss on the basis of a myth would be a lot more "abusive" than teaching her to live her life honestly and be loving and decent.

    I think you should re-think your understanding of nonbelief. We DO have values and morals, they're just based on reality.

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  • @dogeymon83

    The idea that you need to find fairy tale "meaning" to enjoy life is quite depressing. I enjoy life because I have a great family, many great friends, and get to do many things I love doing. But I guess you enjoy life because you have some illusion that you're going to go to a big daddy in the sky when you die? I'd rather not have my kids look forward to death.

  • @Kloborgg - I enjoy life knowing that it will only get better. I don't know any christians who don't enjoy life and teach their children to cherish it. Are you going to also teach your children to belittle and mock people for their beliefs?? Is this the example you're trying to set, by being a prick calling my beliefs a fairy tale?? You'll be a REALLY great parent.

  • @dogeymon83

    You mean enjoy lying to yourself AND your children that there's something after death. Don't try to paint me as some terrible guy when you're going to continue the brainwashing your ancestors began ages go. You're taking away any free will those children may have. If you want to be a good parent, don't teach your kids anything about religion, let them decide for themselves. But oops, then they'd almost definitely be atheist! Guess you'll have to impose your beliefs on them!

  • @Kloborgg - Ya know it's the ego-trip that pisses people off by you. You're not the authority about what's the truth and what's the lie. You know as much as your little mind is capable of knowing. That's it. If you're going to sit on this throne like you're the all-knowing God who knows the truth, expect to be disrespected. By the way, children grow up with the ability to think for themselves. And if you think they all become atheists without christian upbringing, you've got lots to learn.

  • @dogeymon83

    "You're not the authority about what's the truth and what's the lie. "

    You're right, I'm not. Evidence and logic are. Religion has none.

    And this may shock you, but a child brought up purely on fact and educated only in accepted history and modern science will NEVER become a Christian. The vast, overwhelming majority of Christians were raised from infancy into their belief system. The rest are just morons.

  • @dogeymon83 With all due respect, if you need a sky diety to give value to your life, and to give you a sense of purpose then I am sorry, but you are a weak minded person. I follow no god yet I give my own life sense of purpose when striving for my goals.

  • @dogeymon83 Are you serious, you think teaching children that there's no god is child abuse.

    NO.. child abuse is when someone tells you that your born bad and you have to repent for shit you never done, and telling you when your parents die youll see them agan when you know that isnt true and when someone force's terrifing lies into your mind and telling them they will go to a pit of fire and live your life in Paine for internity that is child abuse. You are one dumb fuck. There is no god.

  • @dogeymon83 On the contrary. You value your life so much more when you aren't living it for what's going to happen when you die.

  • @7jshelto - That makes no sense. The bible teaches us to value our life and ourselves more than anything. God is often telling us to enjoy the fruits of the land, and enjoy relationships and sex, because we toil so hard in life and we ought to enjoy life. Where you spend eternity is all the more reason to value your life wayyyyyy more and to be an influence in other people's lives.

  • @dogeymon83 I disagree with you. Having an afterlife devalues real life. If you screw up, if you waste your life, it's okay, because you've got the afterlife. Pretend life could be measured in money. 1$ = 1 year. So we live to ~75, so 75$. Afterlife = infinite dollars. So throwing away 75$, not a big deal. But if you only have that 75$, you're going to be careful not to waste it. It becomes so much more important, more valuable.

  • @viruk42 - I can't follow this argument because it's so illogical. The gospel teaches us to cherish this precious short life, and to be in relationships with others, and mainly be in relationship with God. Why would I burn up everything I have and take no care of doing good with this life of mine? God teaches that this life is a training ground for how your heart will be shaped. God teaches that every life on earth is precious. Believing there is nothing beyond encourages selfishness.

  • @dogeymon83 But that's not true. It says at times, but alos says things about keeping slaves, smiting enemies, not allowing witches to live. You are required to kill disobedient children, and so many others are punished for insignificant things.

    I don't believe in gods of any kind. I do not drink, smoke, or do drugs. I live in a modest apartment, with modest possessions. All that matters to me is that I, and my family/friends, enjoy the *only* life we have. Why would I waste it?

  • @viruk42 - I know the classic arguments. Bible teaches you to kill, enslave, murder... not true. There is a significant historical context to learn about all of those things. The first people accepted the rules and laws that God gave them, for they fully understood the severity of sin. We don't treat sin with severity today very much at all. But we see how the small sins that we condone and allow lead civilization down a path of depravity that knows no end. I can't explain this all here.

  • @dogeymon83 But people don't look at it in context, except as academics or in debate. The average person is told "this is the word of god", and thus accept it as 100% accurate, no ifs or buts. Thus leading to suicide bombs, abortion clinics attacks, homophobia, etc. Try living by the bible, like A.J. Jacobs did. Follow all 700+ rules. Otherwise why bother? If one part of the bible is inaccurate or wrong, the whole thing is suspect. Ex: Why aren't you smashing idols?

  • @viruk42 - well therein lies the problem. If people don't study historical context to something, and yet claim to be experts on what it teaches, then that's a "fallacy". Follow all rules?? What rules, for which people? From which part of history? God gave certain commandments to certain peoples, some only to the Levites, some to the gentiles, universal guidelines to all people, others not for all people. To imply the bible, as a whole, is a completely one-dimensional rulebook is nonsense.

  • @dogeymon83 Objective meaning is not the same thing is no meaning and everything else you said. The subjective meaning of life feels no diffrent except the bullshit is cut out. This is a temporary conscious state that is part of a material body it can't carry on. I know my dog is going to die one day but I don't stay depress all day about it I enjoy time while it's here and the memories, if you have that kind of outlook on life I feel sorry for you.

  • @dogeymon83 Let's see which is better:

    I'll teach my kid that he can make life mean anything he wants it too. That's what's cool about life, is that you can have your own purpose and meaning. Sky is the limit, the kid is free to chisel out his own purpose in life.

    Christianity's view:

    You are born sick, evil and in sin, you must beg and grovel to ask forgiveness just for being born. Your "purpose" is chosen for you. You will never have your own purpose, worshiping god is your only purpose.

  • @2eelShmeal - Cool fantasy. I can make life mean anything I want. Up can be down. Blue can be red. I can make it up as I go along. I'm pretty sure you know the history of mankind. Left to our own understanding and our own idea of what anything or everything means, we see only chaos, destruction, war, pestilence, lust, slavery, ....should I keep going. Those are all started, one way or another, because someone decided that their own purpose and meaning was to murder and kill. We are sick

  • @2eelShmeal - If you can't see that humankind has something desperately wrong with it and needs salvation, you're not really paying attention to history. I have no problem admitting I need a savior. And Jesus has no problem giving that forgiveness and salvation, as long as you want it. That's your mentality is that life is all about you. Would be great if that were true. But that's the ultimate reason for all the misery. The selfishness.

  • @2eelShmeal - Here's a Christian view more in tune with reality: "You are born into the destruction that sin created when it entered the world. The person of God mourns that this took place and loves and wants you so much to be with Him that He gave the penalty of sin over to His perfect Son, the only one who could fulfill it and cover it, simply so that anyone who asks God for salvation with an open heart can have it. Begging and groveling not required. God knows you better than yourself."

  • @dogeymon83 I'll take that as a statement born of good intentions. I know you probably mean well. (Truly and genuinely)

    I was a born again most of my life. I know all about it, I dare say, at risk of sounding arrogant, that I know more about the doctrine, history and thinking of the people of Christianity than you. So please, save it.

    If you would stop and read your last statement then think how it would sound if it were a Muslim telling you something about his religion, you'd know how U sound.

  • @2eelShmeal - Dude, nothing I say is going to prove anything to you. And that's the core orthodox christian viewpoint. People leave Christianity because somewhere along the line, they listen too much to the world which has a warped view of Christ and turns him into anything they want. There are basic truths in life that are obvious, like that we are all products of an intelligent design. Jesus, on the other hand, is something you'll discover on your own if you search.

  • @dogeymon83 You're wrong, it was my study of other religions that made me an atheist. It had nothing to do with a warped view of Christ, rather a SHARPENED view of the rest of the world and history.

    We are not a product of anything that started intelligent, but rather we are the intelligent product that started simple in design. This gives an illusion of design that I agree at first seems very convincing until you begin to break it down.

    I already 'knew' Jesus. I left that illusion, no offense

  • I think there is no question that what Seth spoke of is child abuse. That was psychological trauma wilfully inflicted on children. Abuse isn't necessarily physical. And as for whether the parents' intentions negate that... Well, the road to hell is supposedly paved with good intentions.

  • Its ironic that an advertisment next to this video is for bible games and sunday school -.-

  • Without dedicating the one hour, eleven min. to listen to this argument, I would have to say that it depends on how religion is taught to kids; You can teach religion with charity, OR you can teach it the way Fred Phelps taught his kids. If I home-schooled my kids (I have none) I would teach them religion along with biological evolution so both are not seen as mutually exclusive. Pax.

  • No, We don't need atheist 'communities.'

    thats bullshit, Atheism is a lack of belief, people don't get together to have regular buildings for meetings for their non belief in unicorns,

    just look for fellow atheist/like minded friends and hang the fuck out.

  • @akirosette I endorse a sense of community, as long as it's not some kind of church thing. People naturally seek community...the connection with like-minded people. Atheists are eager to interact with others who share their rejection of superstition. And I disagree that it's unworthy of organized events or other kinds of opportunities. Hell...I'm alone in my own part of the country, and I'd love to have a chance to meet, interact with and engage other atheists.

  • @TheThinkingAtheist

    Maybe this is out of line for me to say, but I don't think Atheists need any sort of thing like that.

    'Atheists' don't live by certain rules or jurisdictions apart from reality itself and, depending on where you live, they are everywhere.

    We don't need a building or event to meet or interact with each other, we've got--

  • @TheThinkingAtheist

    --sports and other hobbies for that. If you really want more connection with 'Atheists' then you're at the right place, the internet is full of them.

    I feel sorry for the lack of free minded people in your region though, so I understand your point of view.

  • @akirosette that's what community is, and life without God is not life without thinking. There is great wonder in embracing the unknown. There is much more out there to behold beyond the unicorns, although they are nice too. Either way, we are all observing the same overwhelming amazing forces in our universe.

  • @akirosette - why can't atheists and christians hang out?

  • @dogeymon83

    they can, that's the point, I don't however see the point in creating a congregation for atheists. if you want to make friends with only athiests, pick carefully, theres plenty of social networking sites to help you, if you want to lobby for some freedom of/from religion activities rallies etc, why exclude the many supporters of such movements who buy into religion.

  • It's so funny how it's OKAY to teach your children about God and Jesus from the get-go yet if you teach them any other religion Christians freak out and call it brainwashing. I believe no one should teach their kids any religious beliefs until they are about 13 or so that way they are of age to actually comprehend and decide unto themselves instead of just hearing mommy and daddy and thinking it's truth without any evidence what so ever. Can i get an Amen? lol

  • @valdemar8 That's what I think too! In 7th grade, the entire social studies class was about world religions. I have no problem with that, but my uber-Christian friend was SO angry. (I had bio with her, and she was mad when they taught us evolution). We spent ONE month on Christianity, and "that wasn't enough time," and she literally tried to preach to our class...

  • @valdemar8

    The Bible teaches that children are to be taught the Word of God at a young age(in their level of understanding of course). I'm not against parents teaching their children the Bible systematically but when it comes to issues like homosexuality or even being in sexual relations, then beating them over the head with the Bible that's what I'm against because God never forced Himself on us nor should we to our children.

  • So when the Gov decides that teaching Religion is Child abuse does that mean that they get to tell you what else you teach your kids?

    Hmn...that doesnt sound at all like Fascism.

    Before you start laughing consider wht YOU teach your kids that someone has disagreed with.

    Sorry they scared you with dumb movie but better that your folks teach you and you choose something else then the Gov decides what you and your kids have to believe.

    Kids get told crap by parents all the time, they grow out of it

  • Just wanted to say that if I wasn't raised in a christian house hold that went to church every Sunday, I think that I would have never been a suicidal 10 year old. Trying to live to the standards of God caused me to start hating myself at a very young age. Questioning my beliefs made me hate myself even more. Wasn't until I accepted that I can't believe in a god or gods that I started to like myself. BTW, My parents named me Aaron Jacob.

  • Well my name is Jacob Daniel Thomas.....

  • I didn't sleep for weeks after seeing "A Distant Thunder." I remember the theme song very well because we sang it at school.

  • christians. they where not called barbarians for nothing back in antic. romans where horified by the belives of jews when they invadet palestian. romans had allready had humanism and kindess towards other people. but christians belived that you are not worth of anything unless you join us. their idea was join us or die.

  • good job

  • I LOL'd at "God works in mysterious ways"

    And I have to say, Christianity hardly works on free will. This is blackmail.

  • I'm inclined to identify such treatment as borderline child abuse (at the very least). The emotional turmoil I am suffering as a result of these teachings in the midst of my break from religion is cruel and unnecessary.

  • @wvguy8258 No fence all athiests are fags, now shut the fuck up.

    And what the fuck is a troll?