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Author Topic:   An atheist just made me feel rotten, help!
QueenofSheeba
Moderator

Posts: 738
From: California, USA
Registered: Feb 2003

posted December 23, 2002 10:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for QueenofSheeba     Edit/Delete Message
paste!!! dammit!!

"The religion of one age is the literary entertainment of the next" -Ralph Waldo Emerson

"All religions are founded on the fear of many and the cleverness of the few" - Marie Henri Beyle

"It may be that ministers really think their prayers do good, and it may be that frogs imagine their croaking brings spring" -Robert Green Ingersoll

Anyway,during my search to find a less depressing signature I found this page full of anti- religion quotes and now I feel rather devastated; I tried to link the page but for some reason I couldn't and so I satisfied myself by typing a few here in the hope that someone will know what to do with them and help me feel a little more sure of my non- atheism. I know it's not the most appropriate thing for a happy spirituality website, but I would like a little reassurance from the more sure.
And if I puncture somebody else's belief I'm sorry, we can all feel lost together.

I've vented now...

See, the way atheists have things set up, believing in god isn't that bad because everybody dies in the end and it doesn't matter whether you were right or wrong when you're dead. So be an optimist and believe, and if you do it right the world will be a better place and then you die and then you find out whether you were right or not and LLLLaaaaaaa!!! I feel much better now.

:O

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No longer mourn for me when I am dead
Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell
Give warning to the world that I am fled
From this vile world, with vilest worms to dwell.
-Shakespeare

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theFajita
Knowflake

Posts: 2007
From: Boca Raton, FL USA
Registered: Sep 2002

posted December 24, 2002 12:42 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for theFajita     Edit/Delete Message
OH Queen of Sheeba don't let them get you down- you are right- who wants to be bitter and cynical and doubting?? Not us! Feelings of gratitude to much for the soul and we have to be grateful for something, and not let our egos get big.

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Food is the only art that nourishes!

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raj_105_2001
Knowflake

Posts: 1219
From: Chennai
Registered: Apr 2001

posted December 25, 2002 02:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for raj_105_2001     Edit/Delete Message
That reminds me of a story. One day an aethist started praying. His friend asked him what was the matter with him, who hims-elf was religious. The aethist answered that whether God exists or not does not matter, after all prayers do not cost anything. I am not still sure whether the story is a comedy or tragedy.

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QueenofSheeba
Moderator

Posts: 738
From: California, USA
Registered: Feb 2003

posted December 25, 2002 10:47 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for QueenofSheeba     Edit/Delete Message
Right on, both of you!

raj: I think it was neither- it's a statement of truth. But rather unkind of the atheist to do that anyway.

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No longer mourn for me when I am dead
Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell
Give warning to the world that I am fled
From this vile world, with vilest worms to dwell.
-Shakespeare

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QueenofSheeba
Moderator

Posts: 738
From: California, USA
Registered: Feb 2003

posted December 25, 2002 10:49 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for QueenofSheeba     Edit/Delete Message
P.S.: do I need to get a cheerier signature?

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No longer mourn for me when I am dead
Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell
Give warning to the world that I am fled
From this vile world, with vilest worms to dwell.
-Shakespeare

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theFajita
Knowflake

Posts: 2007
From: Boca Raton, FL USA
Registered: Sep 2002

posted December 25, 2002 11:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for theFajita     Edit/Delete Message
If you want but don't go looking on those dismal websites again I think I need a new one too..but don't know if I can part with it

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Food is the only art that nourishes!

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Oxychick
Moderator

Posts: 2486
From: neither here nor there
Registered: Jul 2002

posted December 25, 2002 11:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Oxychick     Edit/Delete Message
Hi QueenofSheeba,

I am an a-theist, taht is, without theism. But I don't think I'm any more cynical or doubting than the next guy. And it's weird that people refer to those without theism as "them" because, in fact, peopel without theism may very often have less in common with each other than theists. Theists you see, believe in a deity...so break it down...Christians have their same set of beliefs, etc. But A-theists just don't believe in a god. They may however, (and very often do!) have extermely different sets of moral values or beliefs than other people who are without theism.

Just because someone does not hold the same belief as another person, it does not make them bad. Just because I don;t believe in a god doesn't make me bitter, or ungrateful for anything. Quite the contrary. (and I know all too many Theists who are extremely bitter, but I know better than to think it's because they believe in a god-other factors are a fault).

How would everyone feel if I posted that a Theist made me feel terrible? In fact, my born-again Christian coworker tells me I'm going to hell and that she'll pray for my soul. But you know what? I am comfortable in my outlooks, and I truly believe there is no hell, so someone telling me that rolls off my back. If you are comfortable in yourself, other people with opposing views will not have such an impact and make you feel badly about anything.

just my views.

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"What lies behind us and lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Oxychick
Moderator

Posts: 2486
From: neither here nor there
Registered: Jul 2002

posted December 26, 2002 12:02 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Oxychick     Edit/Delete Message
I would also like to add...

so you found A page of anti-theistic quotes. Wha's the drama for? I see THEISTIC propoganda EVERYDAY and yes, it makes me sad to feel so many people buy into it, but I don;t feel bad or question those beliefs I have, those beliefs I feel strongly about and am comfortable with.

Without attacking anyone, I would like to say that if ONE simple page of QUOTES is making you less sure of your "non-atheism" (btw, that's using a double-negative), then you can be sure there's soemthing else at fault. If you feel strongly about soemthing, it should take a lot more than a few simple quotes (amongst the THOUSANDS-literally!-of Theistic stuff on the web) to lead you to question yourself.

One of the wonderful things about this era is that we are able to open our minds to understand, intelligently, the views of others. A few simple quotes aren't harmful; in fact, they should engage you into trying to see somethign from someone else's viewpoint. If your beliefs are challenged, then think about it. It's good for the mind. That doesn't mean you'll change your beliefs, you may go back to them. But isn;'t it better to believe something (or to not believe something) because you've really thought out the issues, explored them as best you could, and arrived at a conclusion (or not!) thoughtfully and intelligently?

But trust me, listening to a theist complain about a webpage of a-theistic quotes is like a wealthy person griping over their paycheck being 1 penny off...

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"What lies behind us and lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

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theFajita
Knowflake

Posts: 2007
From: Boca Raton, FL USA
Registered: Sep 2002

posted December 26, 2002 03:20 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for theFajita     Edit/Delete Message
when I said "them" I meant those who wrote on the website.

I think Queen of Sheeba is very open-minded and he is at the age in life where he is forming alot of views on life and challenging and learning what to keep and what to toss, and that is why he had a strong reaction- but that is just my take on it. I know he speaks very well for himself so I'll shut up!

I am truly sorry Oxy, I have been so ignorant. I'll be honest with you- I don't have much experience with athiests so I never realized not to generalize (hello, fajita, humanitarian- du-uh) (note to self!)I admit that I was thinking athiests tended to be doubtful cynical people
But I KNOW that is not true because you are not like that at all! SORRY

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Food is the only art that nourishes!

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Oxychick
Moderator

Posts: 2486
From: neither here nor there
Registered: Jul 2002

posted December 26, 2002 06:32 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Oxychick     Edit/Delete Message
I know that you meant whoever was making Queen of Sheeba feel bad is bitter, etc. And I know Fajita, that your natural humanitarian inclinations are to help people (as is evident throughout this entire board)

It's just that I hear bad things about being a-theistic a lot...and I'd like for people to be able to understand what it's all about and know that people without theism in their lives are not bad people. I don't go around posting about the evils in the world that are due to religion, lumping theists together. (But I know that if I wanted to, I could)

Ah, Fajita, it's Thursday (but why does it feel like a Monday) and there is snow outside...oops, not in Florida I guess. I'll get my share of Florida weather (bleh too hot) in April (my brother in Miami is getting married then).

(that;s me sometimes -----> )


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"What lies behind us and lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

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theFajita
Knowflake

Posts: 2007
From: Boca Raton, FL USA
Registered: Sep 2002

posted December 27, 2002 01:06 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for theFajita     Edit/Delete Message
Oh Oxy, that is me too!

Hee hee
Well I can't wait until you come down to Florida! I am part of this thing that holds open bar and free admission in clubs in South Beach but I don't know how long you will be here or if you would be interested, but nevertheless, we will get some good food together

Thanks for understanding me and I will understand you!

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Food is the only art that nourishes!

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theFajita
Knowflake

Posts: 2007
From: Boca Raton, FL USA
Registered: Sep 2002

posted December 27, 2002 01:09 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for theFajita     Edit/Delete Message
And thanks Oxy for helping me to see!

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Food is the only art that nourishes!

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StarLover33
Moderator

Posts: 1987
From: King Arthur's Camelot
Registered: Jun 2002

posted August 14, 2003 05:49 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for StarLover33     Edit/Delete Message

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