Added: 2 years ago
From: SecularAstronomer
Views: 5,333
Sort by time | Sort by thread (beta)

Link to this comment:

Share to:
see all

All Comments (143)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • Silly superstitions and bigoted dogma have no place in the 21st century.

  • but is a test to take every man his right to take his punishment sinned it works well and takes reward to enter paradise

  • , such as the volcano when it comes out comes out the treasures of the earth and also makes the land fertile volcanic earthquake and also the type of vent to the land of Hatta do not explode and the disease makes the body a horse not being exposed to the body has a second time

    The war made ??a major global organizations collected between the world wars and was the invention of penicillin and so it was not the evil of views

    Good and evil, one complements the other land is not the Committee,

  • Cause of evil to exist first, there is evil and there is good in the presence Avatar, whichever is the rule and which one is the exception Health is the rule and the disease is the exception that the earth is a fixed base Hoalasttina devastating earthquake, as well as volcanoes and wars if the rule is good and evil is the exception Evil is not evil, but from all points on one side

  • people that believe in god have either been brought up to or people looking for something good in this life an answer for it all but thats all god is. NOT REAL!!

  • shut the h*ll up because god is real

  • Whatever type of a god you may believe in, notice that he/she/it/they = invisible.

    Get a clue. Your friend is imaginary.

  • "God" is a human construct,an anthropomorphic embodiment of 'goodness',an ideal everyone should aim to emulate. But not a real entity.

  • god is real

  • Its okay to be afraid of something, or even doubt it, just because you do not understand it. Let it go.

  • Man, see some folks say, "All truth is relative, it just depends on what you believe." You know, "hey man, ain't no way to know for sure who God is or what's really true." But that means you believe your own statement; that there's no way to know what's really true. You're saying that that statement is true. You're killing yourself. If what's true for you is true for you and what's true for me is true for me, what if my truth says your's is a lie? Is it still true? Come on man! god is real!

  • I feel your pain brother though I would never say it is against The GOD

    Very touching and poetic,

  • I feel your pain brother though I would never say it is against The GOD

  • Comment removed

  • Comment removed

  • as darkness is the absence of light and dryness is the absence of water evil is the absence of god

  • @alexmathis1

    And what is the absence of food or water? Or the presence of pathogens, like virulent bacteria and viruses? Because those are some of the top killers in this world.

  • @SecularAstronomer eviler and evilest... lol

    

  • ...no matter how he SHOULD be. "G"od isnt' real

  • all i want to know is, who is god?

    and why he never reaveals himself?

    was there ever any pictures of him?

    if he created everything.........

    who created him?

    one must come from another..........i guess........

    if god created the universe , why spit everbody apart

  • god is real he does this cause he wants his children to help if they pass away the will go with their father in peace

  • May God be with you!

  • you are a MORON!!!!!

  • yes video is right

  • After all, nobody has the same exact expierience of life. Maybe you all should go back to school and take a philosophy course and learn to "think for yourself, and question authority." Timothy Leary.

  • However, wasn't Einstien who said that if you believe you are right, then you are, and if you believe you are wrong, then you are. This means that god is most likely what you want it to be

  • Looks like RadiantEclipseBand is listening only to what everyone else tells him a freemason is and has not done any of his own research on the subject. Therefore I would go to say that he is the one who is brain washed.

  • This video is garbage! Stop being in denial, all you are doing is being nothing but a freemason and trying to brainwash everyone!

    I rated this video 1 star, and this even deserved a fight challenge!

  • "This video is garbage!"

    Well, we're all entitled to our opinions. Some like it (myself, for instance), and some don't.

    "Stop being in denial..."

    That isn't remotely persuasive.

    "...all you are doing is being nothing but a [Freemason] and trying to brainwash everyone!"

    I am 'being' a Freemason? I was unaware one could unintentionally join a group. Interesting. And how is reading a poem 'brainwashing?'

  • "I rated this video 1 star..."

    Alright.

    "...and this even deserved a fight challenge!"

    A fight? You are aware this is the internet, aren't you? In any case, I have little tolerance for mindless thugs with violent propensities.

  • She accuses you of trying to brainwash people? Then what has religion been doing since it had begun.

  • GOD IS REAL TASTEY

  • God is so stupid man, i mean come on! I'm 13 and i stoped believing in zombies when i was 5!

  • Comment removed

  • Do you have the answers? If you dont SHUT THE FUCK UP you retard troll!

  • This video is a disappointment.

  • But it's real and true at the same time

  • lol by my view god is real,from your view, he isnt, i got my facts, you go your facts, but one question stays neutra.l do any of you have the answer?if you do, answer it,

    what happens when you die?

  • nobody knows. And there is no proof but a book that haz been changed time and time again

  • When you die you don't exist anymore. The so called "soul" only exist because of advance neurons (brain cells). This is what sets humans apart from animals. This is what let us imagine, dream, think, and etc. When the body die, the neurons die, and your so called "soul" dies. In short, you don't exist. A human being is nothing more than a machine. When the machine runs out of battery, every part of it seize to exist, even the mind aka "soul."

  • God is about as real as unicorns and leprechauns. It's a fairy tale

  • Hi Jon. The proposition that God isn't real does seem the explain very well why the world operates as it does. I'm theistic. I can see why many theists become deistic rationalists. It's often very difficult to support the idea of a personal God. I go out of my way to challenge my long held beliefs. Good video. Be well. Tom

  • I think that if you believe in a god, you should keep it to yourself. Churches are wastes of money. No one cares about your god besides you. We're born godless and we die godless.

  • i'll tell you who is god,

    i could tell you that.

    but who knows?

    this is only what i beleave.

    god is god is, what is god?

    from my point of view it's nature but sure, some people wil deny this and say it's a man.

    sure but where does man come from?

  • I can prove to you that GOD is REAL. Let me know if you would like to engage in the debate. Cheers.

  • god isnt real..

  • ill engage in this arguement, god is a load of shite.

  • god gave us the rigth to chose, if u chose to do nothing to help those less lucky than don't blame god for ur laziness

  • GOD IS REAL.

  • @lovelymissalyssa  prove it...

  • @lovelymissalyssa No he isnt

  • there is more to life then just good, look at ur life and the life of ur family and friends, thier lives are good. everyone can't have a good life because there is both good and evil, since the begining of time there was good and evil. u r ignorant because ur mind is too focused on the bad and not spending enough time looking at the good.

  • Sure God is real, and SOON you'll find that out........ we're at the end, this fall and winter is the peak!

  • "Sure God is real, and SOON you'll find that out........ we're at the end, this fall and winter is the peak! "

    Right, SuperboyXX0018 - just like people have been saying for Millennia, now; "it's the end of the world! ...but for real, this time!"

    Get in line. I, my future children, and my children's children will see the dates of your boiler-plate paranoid predictions come and go.

  • No really, Barack Obama(the 4th horseman in Revelations as recent Bible codes confirm) is here, and now is the time for DEATH on the world; starts this month. You're time on this earth is VERY short my friend, don't be a FOOL.

  • "No really, Barack Obama(the 4th horseman in Revelations as recent Bible codes confirm) is here..."

    The Bible code yields any information you look for (both the affirmative and negative forms)... and when you apply it to any large text (as has been done with Moby Dick) the same results are yielded. Falling for such nonsense is the hallmark of a feeble mind.

  • "...and now is the time for DEATH on the world; starts this month. You're time on this earth is VERY short my friend..."

    How short, my paranoid delusional "friend?" I would like a maximum date by which I can be unambiguously justified in laughing at your childish antics, when I find myself still breathing.

  • "...don't be a FOOL."

    Oh, the irony of projection.

  • It depends on WHO performs the Codes. Barack Obama is the death, this is evident because of his plan to depopulate America with the deadly H1N1 vaccine and fema concentration camps.

  • "It depends on WHO performs the Codes."

    The codes are algorithms. There is no "performance," other than simply running them. And, as algorithms, they yield the same results every time - regardless of who runs them. Again, falling for such nonsense is the hallmark of a feeble mind.

  • "Barack Obama is the death, [sic] this is evident because of his plan to depopulate America with the deadly H1N1 vaccine and fema concentration camps."

    It is pure paranoid speculation as to Obama's and FEMA's intentions, in regards to these specific (already speculative) issues. And the H1N1 vaccine is no different than any other flu vaccine that the responsible among us get each year. It is even more important to get the H1N1 vaccine, since we don't have a natural immunity.

  • But again, SuperboyXX0018, give me a maximum date by which I must be dead, a maximum date by which FEMA must have created concentration camps, and a maximum date by which the H1N1 vaccine must have killed a minimum of X people (tell me the values of X, as well), so that as those dates come and go, I may laugh at your childish inability to think critically, opting instead to naively believe whatever outlandish fantasy gives your life some perceived excitement and purpose.

  • I can tell you that in 2009( I THINK late October/early November) martial law will be declared as a result of this H1N1 "pandemic", that is for sure. The vaccine is starting to be given out as of today and it will kill millions, but don't expect your news programs to tell you this. Time is VERY short, its never too late to repent.

  • Thank you, SuperboyXX0018. I look forward to the inevitable; either your silence, in lieu of a willingness to eat your words, or your backpedaling, when 2010 comes and goes, and your paranoid prediction don't come to pass.

    And when I soon take the H1N1 vaccine, it will increase my chance of living to see 23, contrary to you childish drivel.

  • You just sealed yourself then...... good day!

  • My next post in this thread will be in 3 months (early January of 2010).

    For future reference, the first 2 comments in this thread were posted on 10-04-09, the next 4 comments were posted on 10-05-09, and the remaining comments were posted today, 10-06-09.

  • Hello, SuperboyXX0018. As was obvious from the start, your paranoid predictions have been proven wrong. You said; "I can tell you that in 2009( I THINK late October/early November) martial law will be declared as a result of this H1N1 "pandemic", that is for sure."

    That never happened. You also said; "The vaccine is starting to be given out as of today and it will kill millions, but don't expect your news programs to tell you this."

  • That never happened either. And when I told you that I took the H1N1 vaccine, you said; "You just sealed yourself then...... good day!"

    As promised, I am here today (2/9/2010) to tell you that I am still alive and well (I didn't get any flu this year) and that your paranoia has been exposed for what it is.

  • The H1N1 staged pandemic failed as it turns out, now Barack Obama is working on something else to get martial law in and he will in 2010......see the Bible code links on my channel. A holocaust is coming to America in 2010.

  • SuperboyXX0018, you are a typical dishonest bullshitter—when one fabricated prediction fails to come true, maintain that it was legitimate, but failed, and immediately make another one.

    Well, the date is 2/9/2010, and I will post my next response that points out your dishonesty in January-February of 2011, when neither "holocaust" nor "martial law" come to pass.

    And yah, yah—I know; "This time, it's for real!"

    You are the little boy that cried wolf.

  • No, it was CLEAR that martial law was coming last fall, but we were wrong because Barack Obama and the government couldn't create the pandemic that they wanted. But martial law WILL come in 2010, and when it does happen, know that the Bible is the TRUTH.

  • You're just restating what you've already said, SuperboyXX0018.

    When you cry wolf, people don't flinch when you cry it again.

    I look forward to 2011, where your most recent cry will be seen for what it is... again.

  • @SuperboyXX0018 regardless of the totalitarian direction the government has been turning. I see no mention of the United States, Martial Law, or any of bullshit your shooting out of your mouth. The bible will be used against u if anything does go happen in the US Romans 13... what a good book you have there. its stock in trade = Submit

  • @SuperboyXX0018

    lol,where in the Bible does it say "marshall law will be declared in the United States in 2010", must've missed that part

  • Bible CODES......see the links on the left side of my channel.

  • @SuperboyXX0018

    you realize that you can find codes like that in every book right?

  • "Bible CODES......see the links on the left side of my channel."

    SuperboyXX0018, those algorithms yield almost any message (including opposite/mutually exclusive messages), and can be found in any large text (like Moby-Dick). Oh, how gullible so many are.

  • Here is an interesting video by cdk007 showing these messages (such as "Nazis won world war," "earth flat square," "sky not blue," "rain is God crying," "Earth second planet from sun," "moon made Swiss cheese," "earth made jello," "Harry Potter real," "Loch Ness monster real," "Santa real," and "gravity lie,"):

    Amazing Bible Code Predictions:

    tinyurl(DOT)com/cdk007BibleCod­e

    or

    watch?v=T79uaP_Kx6E

  • You'll see otherwise in some time.....

  • This guy is amazing

    Stupid God followers

    haahahha

    Makes me smile you still believe in god.

    You don't like me?

    PROVE TO ME YOUR GOD IS REAL!!

  • well said

    im so happy i dont believe in god

    my mind would be so...corrupt

  • GOT AND BURN IN HELL ROBBIE FULKS. god is real no doubt about it.

  • and you're so full of love just in His image, right? if God is so real to you show it in your life and in the way you refer to people - hypocrite!

  • i have been showing it dumbass. i am called the hellman for a reason. my life was once a life of hell and probly not worh living. but things are looking better know. and who do i have to thank. GOD MY FRIEND.

  • Do you also have the creator deity to thank for your arrogance, lack of empathy, and abrasive demeanor, Thehellman131?

    Or are you either counting the hits and ignoring the misses, or just outright lacking in appropriate social skills?

  • he will thank me. cause im defending him. if you dont beleave in god thats fine just as long as you keep it to yourself. and im just defending him on videos were pepole worship god and pepole go to that go thier just to post a mean comment about god. but what sort of ignoing jackass would make up a song like this. robbie fulks but be an antichrist or something. other wise he would of kept it to himself.

  • "he [sic] will thank me. cause [sic] im [sic] defending him."

    You think the Christian god wants you to hurl insults at those that insult him? What in the New Testament gives you that impression? And surly you know that you are under the new covenant, so pointing to the Old Testament would be foolish.

  • "if [sic] you dont [sic] beleave [sic] in god thats [sic] fine just as long as you keep it to yourself."

    No, it's also fine if one voices their opinion.

  • "and im just defending him on videos were pepole worship god and pepole go to that go thier just to post a mean comment about god."

    Have you already forgotten where you are? You are in my comment section. You have left your hateful comment on a video I edited together set to a third party's song. And if you want to talk about posting "mean comments," there is little meaner than "burn in Hell, Robbie Fulks."

  • "but [sic] what sort of ignoing [sic] jackass would make up a song like this. [sic] robbie fulks [sic] but be [sic] an antichrist or something. other wise [sic] he would of kept it to himself [sic]."

    This song makes him an ignorant jackass, does it? (sorry; I mean "ignoing" jackass) Are you just going to leave your claim unsupported?

  • what the liveng hell could you possibly know about jesus if your the one insulting him. and your saying voices your opinion. i say fuck your damn opinion. cant have something nice to say dumbass dont say it at all. otherwise a lot of pepole like me are going to get pissed at you. and i bet the last thing you want is a ton of pepole hating you around the world. and thier is nothing meaner than burn in hell. cause thats were hes going to be when he dies!!!

  • "what [sic] the liveng [sic] hell could you possibly know about jesus [sic] if your the one insulting him."

    You are a Christian, and you aren't even aware that the New Testament is the main source of information on Jesus? Or are you not aware that the NT is public access, with millions of copies world-wide?

  • "and [sic] your [sic] saying voices [sic] your opinion. I [sic] say fuck your damn opinion."

    Of course you do; what else would an angry, abrasive, socially inept, intellectually deficient excuse for an attentive follower of Jesus say?

  • "cant [sic] have something nice to say dumbass dont [sic] say it at all."

    You follow your statement, "fuck your damn opinion," with this? Please stop throwing stone in your glass house, lest you find yourself homeless, hypocrite. And you say Im the "dumbass?" Oh, the irony.

  • "otherwise [sic] a lot of pepole [sic] like me are going to get pissed at you. and [sic] i [sic] bet the last thing you want is a ton of pepole [sic] hating you around the world."

    Says the same hypocrite that said, "burn in Hell, Robbie Fulks."

  • "and [sic] thier [sic] is nothing meaner than burn in hell. cause [sic] thats [sic] were hes [sic] going to be when he dies!!!"

    Have you no concept of context? A reference to something "mean," as in unpleasant has no place in a response to "mean" as in the nature of your hateful proclamations. But by all means; wallow in your own self-detrimental mindset. Just don't be surprised when you reap what you sow.

  • what the hell is the sic crap? and dude you must learn that science brings us closer to god every day. go to the pepole at nasa. 95% of them are christans. every day we find a new planet every day we discover somthing new. the question gets bigger and bigger. who created all of this? god is the only explanation.

  • "what [sic] the hell is the sic crap?"

    You really couldn't be bothered to look it up? Fine, I'll hand the answer to you on a silver platter. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines 'sic' (adverb) as follows:

    Etymology: Latin, so, thus — more at so

    Date: circa 1859

    : intentionally so written —used after a printed word or passage to indicate that it is intended exactly as printed or to indicate that it exactly reproduces an original

    Ex: "said he seed [sic] it all"

  • If you weren't so inept and/or lazy when it comes to grammar, spelling, and punctuation, I wouldn't need to use 'sic' so often.

  • "go [sic] to the pepole [sic] at nasa [sic]. 95% of them are christans [sic]."

    You are making that up. What's that old saying? Ahh, yes; you don't need to lie to get by. But by all means, if you actually have any studies to back your claim up, please provide them. Speaking of which, studies conducted from 1914 to 1998 show a consistent decrease in prominent scientist that believe in a god or gods (Table 1)

    Table 1

    tinyurl(DOT)com/ojqhj6

  • And look at the actual figures:

    "Our chosen group of "greater" scientists were members of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Disbelief in God and immortality among NAS biological scientists was 65.2% and 69.0%, respectively, and among NAS physical scientists it was 79.0% and 76.3%.

    [quote continued]

  • [quote continued]

    Most of the rest were agnostics on both issues, with few believers. We found the highest percentage of belief among NAS mathematicians (14.3% in God, 15.0% in immortality). Biological scientists had the lowest rate of belief (5.5% in God, 7.1% in immortality), with physicists and astronomers slightly higher (7.5% in God, 7.5% in immortality)."

    Leading scientists still reject God. Nature, Vol. 394, No. 6691, p. 313 (1998) Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

    tinyurl(DOT)com/qpesuk

  • "and [sic] dude you must learn that science brings us closer to god every day ... every day [sic] we find a new planet every day we discover somthing [sic] new."

    Quite the opposite; as humanity learns more and more of the structure function of this universe, fewer and fewer phenomena are unknown, and thus perceived as explainable only by assuming the supernatural. As our examination has increased, the god hypothesis has decreased in support.

  • "the [sic] question gets bigger and bigger. who [sic] created all of this? god [sic] is the only explanation."

    The assumption that it is a 'who' is exactly the hypothesis that has become less and less supported.

  • I have three tips for you, Thehellman131:

    1) The first word in a sentence is always capitalized.

    2) Commas typically go where there would be a pause if the sentence was spoken.

    3) Spell-check is your friend. (Yes, those red underlines actually mean something.)

  • dude god owns heaven and hell. for those that offend him will go thier. those that defend him will go to heaven. as long as im defedning god i can tell you and your song to go eatshit and die for all i care.

  • wat if heaven and hell are not real?

    those things are just made up by people, is there any evidence that heaven and hell are real?

  • i hope hell isnt real. but heaven dude have you looked at the univese. every day we discover somthing new the question gets bigget. what created us? what made this universe? what could make energey appear out of nothing ness. god is the only ansewer.

  • well if there is heaven then there must be a hell, just like there's a good side and a bad side. but in reality heaven and hell are just made up. the universe makes me feel like if humans are just pathetic pieces of shit living in their own little world. if there were a god wouldn't it have a creator too?

  • well first of all. how does the universe make you feel like shit. and if thier is a war between heaven and hell heavan is winning. and thats another big question did god have a creator to? well if he did i guess god is carrying on his reputation.

  • excellent:)... I am a total atheist... to the point that I actually think that any man who has a position of power (political etc) should take a vow to reject religion. It's just not safe. Religions in the government and industry lead to terrible stuff around the world. keep on!

  • Dumb christians. ZERO proof god id real people! God speaking- "What the..? I just came out of nowhere! Well i guess i should create a bunch of stuff by just saying i want it to be there" Therewe go now i will just sit here and never let anyone know i exist ever" because he doesnt

  • i am an atheist but i do believe people have a right to faith. i understand that's not what the message of this video is, but rather the fact that people believe in something that gives them false hope

    well spoken

  • It is easy to look at one side of the coin and determan the existance of God right?

    Yes, there is suffuring in the world and within, but does this determine total existance?

    What about the good that is done every day.

    What about the goodness within yourself for at least caring about the suffering.

    This love and compassion comes from somewhere and we Xtians choose to call this God/Jesus.

    If you on/y look at one side of the coin you miss the whole other side

    U mis Him!

  • YES!. i am obsessed with aliens and space. i like ur videos alot man.

    and this video is awesome. good job

  • Mr. Lordes,

    My point was that the message in this video is ironic. I don't care if you or anyone here believes that God created man or man God. I am an agnostic, and as such I realize how absurd such a question is to begin with.

    That being said, the more I listen to your inability to grasp the point of my comments, your blanket generalizations, and unverified claims the more I regret engaging you in dialogue to begin with.

    Forgive me, but you'll have to go on alone from here.

  • Technically we are all agnostics. I give each particular supernatural being, mythological creature and god a possibility to exist. But I have to conclude that without sufficient (or indeed any) evidence to support the existence of any such entity, it is reasonable to say that they don't exist. For philosophical accuracy one can add that of course there is a possibility of any thing we can ever imagine to be true.

  • Mr. Valerius,

    If you call yourself an agnostic, then you are a much different kind of agnostic than I.

    A consequence of being an unknowable deity is that one has no way of 'knowing' what constitutes evidence for or against its existance to begin with.

  • I agree with you to and would add that if an entity is unknowable and/or undetectable it then shares all characteristics with an non existing entity. There is no way of determining the difference of an undetectable and non existing entity so I'm content to lump both into the same category as non existing until further evidence is discovered.

  • excellent. Well stated, and well shown!

  • My only complaint is that, even with my volume turned up to maximum, I can barely hear the video.

  • We need to keep saying this, again and again, and say it loud until everyone listens. Scream it from every rooftop in every town and every city so we may cure all the children, men, and women of this world of this medieval mental virus of religion.

    God isn't real... the king of false hopes, false promises and false dreams...god is not real.

  • Sadly for you, Mr. Lordes, the facts are on my side and not yours. If you would care to peruse the website I linked to Mr. Astronomer, you will find that nearly half of American Christians don't believe that Satan exists.

    Also, roughly two-thirds of American Christians believe its is important to maintain  active, healthy relationships with people who belong to religious faiths that do not accept the central beliefs of your faith.

  • Sadly for you, Mr. Lordes, Christians aren't motivated primarily by fear of hell. That may have been the case in the Dark Ages, but Christianity has since moved on. It's time for you to update your critique to fit Christianity as it is today and not as it was over a millenium ago. Until then, have fun fighting a straw man.

  • "I mean more than that, Mr. Astronomer. In the United States, Christians donate over three times as much to charity per person than non-religious folk."

    Then yes, SlyFox616, you do mean ratio; thank you for clarifying. But you have yet to cite your source. Again, I would like to check to see what type of study was conducted that yielded the results you claim, and to see what the sample sizes, demographics, and methods used were, etc.

  • After all, I don't find unverified conjecture to be a compelling reason to believe a given claim.

  • Here is the link:

    tinyurl(DOT)com/cvhdt8

    Upon reading it a second time, they considered donations to church as charitable donations. Nevertheless, if you subtract the church donations from their total donations, you still end up with a much higher donation-per-person with Christians than with the non-religious.

  • "Upon reading it a second time, they considered donations to church as charitable donations. Nevertheless, if you subtract the church donations from their total donations, you still end up with a much higher donation-per-person with Christians than with the non-religious."

    Firstly, SlyFox616, you claim that you "[subtracted] the church donations from their total donations," yet this isn't possible.

  • The Barna study makes utterly no distinction between donations to non-profit churches and other religious non-profit organizations, and any other non-profit organization, in the areas pertinent to "the non-religious." The terminology used is "all non-profit entities [3]." Based on this study, it is simply not possible to determine whether Christians (even evangelicals) give more to any given type of charity (Ex. aid to reduce starvation in Africa, Asia, etc) than atheists and agnostics do.

  • Secondly, although it is a mute point; the study you cited was of "a random sample of 1006 adults selected from across the continental United States [3]." Given that the study you cited was asking something as variable as donation amounts, I hardly find such a sample, yielding a sample of ~40 "atheists and agnostics" (~0.0000033% of the total), to accurately represent the donation habits of ~12,125,851 people [1]. (4% of the "303,146,284" people in the United States, as of January 1, 2008 [2])

  • The study I cited, on the other hand, was of "a representative sample of 35,556 adults living in the continental United States [3]," yielding a sample of ~1422 "atheists and agnostics" (~0.00011% of the total). Not only is that sample is ~33.3 times larger than that of the Barna study, but the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey merely asked which of 35 categories they professed to be in. I find the validity of the Barna study to be comparatively questionable.

  • [1]

    U.S. Religious Landscape Survey (2008)

    Tinyurl(DOT)com/3cxdxb

    [2]

    Monthly Population Estimates for the United States: April 1, 2000 to November 1, 2008

    tinyurl(DOT)com/m2tcc4

    [3]

    Study by The Barna Group

    tinyurl(DOT)com/cvhdt8

  • Mr. Astronomer,

    Here is an article by a fellow who has done more research than I and studied philanthropy much more than either of us. He cites over a dozen sources that you can have fun analyzing for statistical relevance.

    tinyurl(DOT)com/mp25j8

    Is it really so hard to believe that the religious give more to charity than the non-religious...given how deeply tithing, zakat, etc are rooted in their respective faiths?

  • According to the Barna study, "Overall, the three segments of the Christian community averaged donations of $1426... Atheists and agnostics provided an average of $467 to all non-profit organizations."

  • According to 'Religion & Philanthropy,' by Thomas Jeavons, "If one combines the gifts made by individuals to other types of institutions with religious roots and characteristics - like some colleges, social service agencies, hospitals, and the like - with gifts to congregations and denominations, it appears that religious causes and activities could be the recipients of as much as two-thirds of charitable donations."

  • One third of $1426 is $475.33. Given the significant margin of error for atheists and agnostics in the Barna study (resulting from the small sample size), this is consistent with atheists and agnostics giving the same amount to non-religious organizations as religious people do.

  • Thomas Jeavons' sources do indicate that the more active one is in his or her temple (church, synagogue, mosque, etc), the more likely one is to donate more. But this too is consistent with two thirds of donations going to temples and other religious organizations, and does not indicate that atheists and agnostics donate less to non-religious organizations than religious people do.

  • "Is it really so hard to believe that the religious give more to charity than the non-religious...given how deeply tithing, zakat, etc are rooted in their respective faiths?"

    No, it isn't hard for me to believe, for that very reason (as speculative as it is). But that doesn't mean that it should be believed - it only reaches that status if it has sufficient evidence to support it. Thus far, I do not see sufficient evidence; quite the contrary.

  • Mr. Astronomer,

    I wouldn't be so quick to discount the donation to religious organizations. The Salvation Army qualifies as one such organization. Furthermore, as Mr. Jarvis mentioned, churches themselves are often the largest sources of donations.

  • "I wouldn't be so quick to discount the donation to religious organizations. The Salvation Army qualifies as one such organization."

    That is hardly evidence enough to believe the very sweeping claim that atheists donate less to non-religious organizations than religious people do.

  • "Furthermore, as Mr. Jarvis mentioned, churches themselves are often the largest sources of donations."

    If they donate to the church, and then the church donates elsewhere, good on the church for choosing to do so. But that has no bearing on the question of how much individual people donate, themselves.

  • There's a big differences from doing something out of your heart, to trying to buy your way into heaven through charity.

  • Yes, GeneticSupremacy, I would definitely question just how altruistic the reasons for donation are in those who believe it is required of them and/or are part of an institution that pressures them to do so, more than I would an atheist or agnostic, without such command or pressure.

    I find the 'Religion & Philanthropy' article, by Thomas Jeavons, to support that when it mentions the relationship between church attendance and donation amount.

  • The great irony of this poem is that the faithful donate much, much more to charity than secular folk.

  • "The great irony of this poem is that the faithful donate much, much more to charity than secular folk."

    SlyFox616, if you mean that the number of people who both profess religious belief and donate to charitable organizations is far greater than the number of those who both profess no religious belief and do so, you are correct.

  • However, that is obviously due to there being far more people professing religious belief than those professing no religious belief (source cited below). And if that is what you mean, then it is not ironic.

    "Atheist, agnostic, and nothing in particular" represents the professed status of 16.1% of the US population, as of 2007:

    tinyurl(DOT)com/d7aosa

  • If, you mean that the ratio of religious who donate to religious who do not donate is greater than the ratio of nonreligious who donate to nonreligious who do not donate, then I hope you won't mind if I ask what your sources are. I would like to check to see what type of study was conducted, what the sample sizes, demographics, and methods used were, etc.

  • I mean more than that, Mr. Astronomer.

    In the United States, Christians donate over three times as much to charity per person than non-religious folk.

  • that is only if you count out atheist like Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, George Soros and the late Andrew Carnegie...

    Makes no difference!!! regardless that xtians donate money or not... does not prove the existence of their version of gods.

  • Very moving poetry and images.

    Quite sobering even to a hardened jaded Atheist like me.

  • The only flaw with this type of video is that the individuals suffering are not going to get any relief from hearing this.

    The writer - amateur poet? - uses these emotional topics to justify his/her opinion, but that makes the whole seem more like self-pity. It's like saying "look at all the sorrow... woe is me world"

  • "The only flaw with this type of video is that the individuals suffering are not going to get any relief from hearing this."

    That isn't a flaw - a poem or song isn't going to eliminate the sources of suffering in anyone's life. And without such action, the suffering will continue. To expect otherwise is unrealistic.

  • "The writer - amateur poet? - uses these emotional topics to justify his/her opinion..."

    The specific god-concept referenced is properly addressed by pointing out human suffering, as it contains statements on the deitys perception of human suffering.

    And he is a country singer. These are the spoken lyrics to one of his songs. I also made a video much like this one, set to this song.

  • "...but that makes the whole seem more like self-pity. It's like saying look at all the sorrow... woe is me world'"

    No, there is no self-pity. Where does it mention the suffering of the writer? It doesn't. It focuses on the suffering of others. And yes, general human suffering is of great importance to many humans (myself very much induced).

  • If we really did remove all scientific benefits from believers (not that we would), how many would de-convert in 24 hours? How many would be left after a week? And in a month there would be just a tiny percentage still clinging to the books, and THEY would be the only TRUE believers. And they probably didn't use "the machines and medicines" in the first place.

  • Beautiful and chilling all at once. Keep up the good fight, brother.

  • Thanks for the poem and the video.

    (although the video was tough to watch)

    It's easy to understand why people would believe in a god. The suffering in the world is so difficult to accept that there's got to be someone powerful to help ease the pain. People just can't handle it.

    So, they pray. Prayer is a way to do nothing but feel like you've accomplished something. It helps them sleep at night hoping that "god" has a plan so they don't have to intervene.

  • 5 stars

  • Thanks for posting this.

    1:06 That's my favorite pic that I like to bring out when I'm being told God has a plan for me or I can do anything if I just ask God to help me. I can see what God's plan for that little girl was! God has blessed the vulture.

  • Nice Strawman!!!

    If the bible didn't describe all the suffering in the world, your argument might actually hold water.

    it really doesn't.

    Note: I don't believe in God per se but I think this atheist argument is a bit weak.

  • "Nice Strawman!!! If the bible didn't describe all the suffering in the world, your argument might actually hold water. it really doesn't."

    What an interesting assumption, and what an odd reaction to poetry, truevoiceofsanity. But perhaps you could elaborate on this argument you assume I'm making, and on how you think it a strawman.

  • Thanks for this.

    I've never heard this before.

  • beautifully spoken

  • beautiful

  • and you're defining beauty as...?

  • "to be both a tremendously selfish and a quite unreliable method."

    The problem is that you're obviously criticizing christianity on emotional grounds.

    But furthermore, how would you respond to someone who holds the pragmatic theory of truth or justification?

  • "The problem is that you're obviously criticizing christianity on emotional grounds."

    If you are implying that showing the proposed creator deity to be apathetic, or even malicious, is not an argument against its existence, then I quite agree. However, doing so does have a strong tendency to make the proposition less appealing.

  • And for those who chose which model to believe most accurately reflects reality based how they think it will benefit them, an unappealing model will likely be shunned. Hopefully, from there, they might adopt a less selfish method.

  • Christianity can offer some hope for those who suffer. What does Atheism offer?

  • "Christianity can offer some hope for those who suffer. What does Atheism offer?"

    Offer, migkillertwo? When you say Christianity (a sentient mind that created reality) or atheism (no such entity) you are referring to models of reality.

    I find the method of choosing which model to believe most accurately reflects reality based how you think it will benefit you, rather than whether or not it likely does reflect reality, to be both a tremendously selfish and a quite unreliable one.