Celebrating life beyond belief

[Happy]

Not bad article: Celebrating life beyond belief

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...fe-beyond-belief/story-e6frg6z6-1225840634149


Would be nice if all religion could be only for people who want to believe and not affecting everybody.

Their tax free status is bit annoying too.

 

[Happy]

With more than 140 religions registered in Australia and many more around the World, number of them probably extinct with communities that perished, it always made me wander is it possible that all of them are our creations?

 

[wayneL]

With more than 140 religions registered in Australia and many more around the World, number of them probably extinct with communities that perished, it always made me wander is it possible that all of them are our creations?

Of course they are; all of them.

That doesn't mean anything by itself however. God/Gods/The Force/Flying Spaghetti Monsters/whatever, exist or do not exist irrespective of people's beliefs.

 

[gav]

"Pataki's denser argument - an atheist himself, he cautioned against the prevailing wish to see religion fade away - was received more quietly, with bemusement. He spoke of people's emotional need to be heard and loved by a non-existent personal deity, if no real person could fill the role."

Isn't that what this group has done? They have gathered together like a religious group and celebrated their beliefs (or non-beliefs in this case), to make themselves feel special. They have more in common with the "believers" than they think (or are willing to admit)...

I was actually in the hall next to these nutters on the weekend (the Australian Pro Bodybuilding Grand Prix was also at the Melbourne Convention Centre the same day)

 

[kgee]

Isn't that what this group has done? They have gathered together like a religious group and celebrated their beliefs (or non-beliefs in this case), to make themselves feel special. They have more in common with the "believers" than they think (or are willing to admit)...

I agree, if nothing else it shows the desire for people to connect with other people and ideoligies
Maybe ASF could become a religion?

 

[drsmith]

The only religion I would consider is Jedi.

I've got some rocks in the back yard I want to move.

 

[tech/a]

Let me tell you about Kathy and

Celebrating life beyond belief

Kath is a very good friend
A very young 50 something.
Last June diagnosed with Spinal Cancer.
60 days ago given 3-6 mths.

A week ago Scans show NO GROWTH in the cancer
They are now going to do a 6-10 hr opp to cut out all they can
Tommorow---and then start chemo.
They are No longer talking survival times but looking forward to
treatment which before was not an agenda---taking care of affairs the ONLY agenda.

So who do you think is

Celebrating life beyond belief

You go girl!

 

[bassmanpete]

Isn't that what this group has done? They have gathered together like a religious group

Well no, there weren't any prayers.

They have more in common with the "believers" than they think (or are willing to admit)...

Again no. They have more in common with other humans, no matter what their beliefs, because humans are social creatures.

I was actually in the hall next to these nutters

Well I wasn't in the hall but you can count me as a nutter if you so wish

 

[wayneL]

Let me tell you about Kathy and



Kath is a very good friend
A very young 50 something.
Last June diagnosed with Spinal Cancer.
60 days ago given 3-6 mths.

A week ago Scans show NO GROWTH in the cancer
They are now going to do a 6-10 hr opp to cut out all they can
Tommorow---and then start chemo.
They are No longer talking survival times but looking forward to
treatment which before was not an agenda---taking care of affairs the ONLY agenda.

So who do you think is

Celebrating life beyond belief

You go girl!

Such things remind us all to celebrate life, whether beyond belief, with belief without belief, whatever.... and whatever is, or isn't beyond.

Life is short, our grip on it tenuous, and we waste so much of it arguing over trivialities like religion and atheism and... whatever. We should just spend more time on our intrinsic connection to each other.

Best wishes for your friend John.

 

[trainspotter]

The only religion I would consider is Jedi.

I've got some rocks in the back yard I want to move.

May the Force be with you drsmith.

 

[derty]

I was actually in the hall next to these nutters on the weekend (the Australian Pro Bodybuilding Grand Prix was also at the Melbourne Convention Centre the same day)

Well if I was in Melbourne and had the chance to get a ticket I would have loved to have sat in on the conference with all those nutters (and I would have vastly preferred it over watching a group of oiled up guys flexing biceps and pecks).

I can see why you would confuse this with a religious occasion, though it is a conference. Would you consider a psychology conference or a computer programmers conference to be people gathered together like a religious group?

Religious people think it takes some kind of faith to be an atheist, though religious people view the issue from the paradigm of religion. I consider, and assume most other atheists consider their world view much differently. While it is good to know that others with your views are about and it is good to associate with like minded people, the desire to create an organisation to celebrate these views is not what I would want to be a part of.

 

[Ghetto23]

Don't forget that they were hearing from world renowned philosophers, comedians and best-selling authors (read 'The God Delusion' sometime) and wanted to further discuss some pretty important issues.

If I could have I would have been there for sure.

Better a 'nutter' talking intelligently about a subject that affects and oppresses people in everyday life than someone who blindly believes something despite irrefutable evidence to the contrary.

 

[Julia]

Such things remind us all to celebrate life, whether beyond belief, with belief without belief, whatever.... and whatever is, or isn't beyond.

Life is short, our grip on it tenuous, and we waste so much of it arguing over trivialities like religion and atheism and... whatever. We should just spend more time on our intrinsic connection to each other.

Best wishes for your friend John.

That is such a good reminder, Wayne. And John, I echo Wayne's best wishes for your friend. No need to consider the origin of the altered health, just celebrate it and look forward.

Better a 'nutter' talking intelligently about a subject that affects and oppresses people in everyday life than someone who blindly believes something despite irrefutable evidence to the contrary.

But that's the essential point of difference, isn't it? Atheists cannot actually produce "irrefutable evidence to the contrary". No one has ever been able to demonstrate that God does not exist.

Therefore I believe agnosticism is the only logical position.

 

[pixel]

Wise words, Julia:

Therefore I believe agnosticism is the only logical position.

Although I'm convinced that neither of the mainstream deities is for real, I cannot provide proof positive that any one of them cannot indeed be the one exception. Statistically, it is unlikely bordering on impossible that one fictive spirit out of thousands of mutually exclusive contestants should indeed exist. Especially the Soloists among them, who have been invented with a claim to exclude every alternative, make my skin crawl with disbelief. Disbelief how Millions of believers can be persuaded to park their brain at the entrance and reconcile irreconcilably contradictory attributes in a supreme being that is simultaneously all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving, and all-merciful - but gets cranky and petulant like a spoiled brat when one of his subjects fails to pay lots of equally contradictory dues of respect, fear, and saccharine-sweet swooning love and affection. Who in addition has to pervert his peace-loving followers into doing the dirty work for him - remember: the all-powerful, all-knowing Supremo - relying on his minions to violently slaughter those that adore a similar being with all the same incredible attributes, only a different name.
Well - that much I know: It's not a way to run a Universe.

I may have some ideas of how to improve matters, and even a (very mediocre, IMHO) science fiction writer has recently concocted a script to that end; pity he plagiarised the basics from Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land", then embellished it with pulp Fantasy from B and C grade wannabe's.

But in my honest heart of hearts, I have to admit I don't really know either how this Universe ought to be run as a going concern. Which is the literal meaning of "Agnostic", a label I'd be happy to wear - were it then compulsory to wear a label.

 

[Tink]

Let me tell you about Kathy and



Kath is a very good friend
A very young 50 something.
Last June diagnosed with Spinal Cancer.
60 days ago given 3-6 mths.

A week ago Scans show NO GROWTH in the cancer
They are now going to do a 6-10 hr opp to cut out all they can
Tommorow---and then start chemo.
They are No longer talking survival times but looking forward to
treatment which before was not an agenda---taking care of affairs the ONLY agenda.

So who do you think is

Celebrating life beyond belief

You go girl!

Excellent news Tech. Best wishes for your friend

 

[Ghetto23]

I completely agree about Agnosticism Julia.

The irrefutable evidence comment was directed at the creationist argument that is prevalent in religious circles. I need to be clearer sometimes.