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July 3rd, 2012
05:20 PM ET
Tom Cruise divorce raises question: What is Scientology, anyway?By Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor (CNN) - News of Tom Cruise's split with Katie Holmes and questions about any role that Cruise's status as a Scientologist may be playing in the divorce have a lot of people wondering: What is Scientology, anyway? In a series of tweets on Sunday, News Corp. boss Rupert Murdoch called the religion "a very weird cult" and said that Cruise is the "number two or three" man in the church's hierarchy. Here are the basics about the religion. What other questions do you have? What is Scientology? Scientology describes itself as a religion that was founded in the 1950s by L. Ron Hubbard. At the core of Scientology is a belief that each human has a reactive mind that responds to life’s traumas, clouding the analytic mind and keeping us from experiencing reality. Members of the religion submit to a process called auditing to find the sources of this trauma, reliving those experiences in an attempt to neutralize them and reassert the primacy of the analytic mind, working toward a spiritual state called "clear." The process involves a device called E-meter, which Scientologists say measures the body’s electric flow as an auditor asks a series of questions they say reveals sources of trauma. “Auditing uses processes - exact sets of questions asked or directions given by an auditor to help a person locate areas of spiritual distress, find out things about himself and improve his condition,” according to the Church of Scientology’s website. The church goes on to to say, "Science is something one does, not something one believes in." Auditing purports to identify spiritual distress from a person’s current life and from past lives. Scientologists believe each person is an immortal being, a force that believers call a thetan. “You move up the bridge to freedom by working toward being an ‘Operating Thetan,’ which at the highest level transcends material law,” says David Bromley, a professor of religious studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. “You occasionally come across people in Scientology who say they can change the material world with their mind.” Bromley and other scholars say the church promotes the idea of an ancient intergalactic civilization in which millions of beings were destroyed and became what are known as “body thetans,” which continue to latch onto humans and cause more trauma. Advanced Scientologists confront body thetans through more auditing. Bromley says the church discloses that cosmic history only to more advanced Scientologists. The church’s media affairs department did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. In a 2008 CNN interview, church spokesman Tommy Davis was asked whether the basic tenet of the Church of Scientology was to rid the body of space alien parasites. "Does that sound silly to you?" laughed Davis. "I mean, it's unrecognizable to me. ... People should really come to the church and find out for themselves what it is." Who was L. Ron Hubbard? L. Ron Hubbard was the founder of Scientology. Born in Nebraska in 1911, Hubbard was the son of a U.S. Navy officer who circled the globe with his family, according to Scientology expert J. Gordon Melton, a fellow at Baylor University's Institute for Studies in Religion who writes about Scientology on the religion website Patheos. Hubbard attended the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., but left before graduating to launch a career as a fiction writer, gravitating toward science fiction. After serving in World War II, Hubbard published a series of articles and then a book on a what he described as a new approach to mental health, which he called Dianetics. His book by the same name quickly became a best-seller. The success provoked Hubbard to establish a foundation that began to train people in his auditing techniques. In 1954, the first Church of Scientology opened in Los Angeles, with other churches opening soon after. Hubbard died in 1986. The church is now led by David Miscavige. Why is the church so controversial? Many groups and individuals have challenged Scientology’s legitimacy as a religion. Scientologists have faced opposition from the medical community over the religion's claims about mental health, from the scientific community over its claims about its E-meters and from other religious groups about its status as a religion. “It’s part therapy, part religion, part UFO group,” says Bromley. “It’s a mix of things that’s unlike any other religious group out there.” For a long time, the Internal Revenue Service denied the Scientologists’ attempts to be declared a church with tax-exempt status. But the IRS granted them that status in 1993. Many members say the church is largely about self-improvement. “What I believe in my own life is that it's a search for how I can do things better, whether it's being a better man or a better father or finding ways for myself to improve,” Tom Cruise recently told Playboy magazine. “Individuals have to decide what is true and real for them.” What does Scientology teach about psychiatry? L. Ron Hubbard rejected psychiatry and psychiatric drugs because he said they interfered with the functioning of the rational mind. Scientologists continue to promote that idea. The Church of Scientology’s website says that “the effects of medical and psychiatric drugs, whether painkillers, tranquilizers or 'antidepressants,' are as disastrous” as illicit drugs. How many Scientologists are there? That’s a matter of considerable dispute. The Church of Scientology says it has 10,000 churches, missions and groups operating in 167 countries, with 4.4 million more people signing up every year. Scholars say that, despite the global proliferation of church buildings, the membership numbers are much lower than the church claims, likely in the hundreds of thousands. Some of the church's followers are celebrities. soundoff (1,679 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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mmm
I have only two things to say regarding scientology. Their belief foundation is Pure Bunk, and it ain't no religion
which means it has a lot in common with christianity, islam and judaism. totally bunk.
Please name one religion having a belief foundation that is not pure bunk.
"I can claim your religion is bunk but I love my own religion so it is not bunk."
Yep.. typical insanity of the religious driveler.
Typical for an atheist to ignore the magic and chance they believe in without proof.
@booty wat up,I'm a kushologist highest of the high
Planet Kolob
A flying horse
A man living in a whale's belly
An e-meter that measures a non-existent electric flow
The red sea splitting
A baby being born already talking
A virgin birth
Israelis colonizing America
A talking snake
An eternal pit of fire and torture for sinners
A soul
Thetans, saints, gods, angels and other immortal beings
Human beings being immortal
Human beings being reincarnated as animals or other human beings
Grocery store bread and wine magically turning into flesh and blood
Mind reading (or “prayers being heard”)
Magic underwear
The creator of the Universe caring about how much skin I have on my d.ick
I compiled the above list without even having to give it much thought. It is just a small portion of the utter garbage people believe under the guise of religion, be it Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Mormonism or Scientology.
I fail to see why any particular subset of the above is any less ridiculous than the rest or why people will give credibility to their subset while rejecting the rest, based solely on what religion they were brought up with.
I am sorry, but can you believers understand why we atheists might think you are all nut cases and it is simply a matter of degree as to exactly how irrational you are? But let me guess, YOUR particular subset is the true belief and all the others are simply fooling themselves, right?
I can claim atheists are all nuts.
Ooops I just did!
well said, colin.
they never follow logic to it's own conclusion. you may have notice that obedience is promoted throughout the bible, but the book never praises intelligence or logic.
"circ.umvent your intelligence."
- kirk cameron
words that all christians live by.
Scientific judgment rejects any idols such as Buddha or Jesus? Logic thinking is good, but it seems like inhumanity anyway!
try Humanism, an atheistic ethical system. much more humane than christianity, judaism and islam. no orders to kill anyone. no eternal torture, no invisible friend in the sky, no unchangeable religious dogma. Humanism offers a much more logical and compassionate philosophy to live by.
see atheists think they are special!
What seems like inhumanity to you is common sense to others. You have no need to look to a supernatural authority in order to be a good person. Just be a good person.
Weigh your actions against the effects they will have on others and behave accordingly. It's more honest then letting someone else tell you what is right or wrong, and it doesn't have built-in excuses for why you should treat certain people poorly.
"Good People".
So good people never lied cheated or stole anything in their lives?
Atheists follow a delusion.
special? no. in fact, the opposite. we think all are equal. same thing happens to all humans when we die - we die, that's it. christians think they're special. they have a special god that made the world specially for them and there's a special place they go to when they die. christians fought to keep the earth at the center of the universe. a god made an infinitely large universe but everything special happens on earth. talk about ego...
"So good people never lied cheated or stole anything in their lives?
who said that? do you even think before you start typing? seriously...
But "good people" are "good people" correct? Nothing makes them "bad people"?
See delusion.
"But "good people" are "good people" correct?"
could you be more v.ague? what exactly are you asking? in what context?
That being labeled a "good person" is a lie or truth.
A person labeled a "good person" can kill disproving your argument.
w.t.f. are you talking about? what do you think my argument is that a "good person" can disprove it?
i agree, a good person can kill; a bad person can do something nice. you point?
You don't have to be an atheist to be a humanist, just as you don't have to be a humanist to be an atheist.
Oh, and also, all people are definitely not equal.
not true.
you don't have to be a humanist to be an atheist, true.
humanism, however, is an atheist philosophy. there can be a few exceptions, people can call themselves anything they want at the end of the day. 99% of humanists are atheists, but i guess technically, you're right.
in what sense are people not equal?
"Good people" who are labeled that can be rapists,pedo's or killers.So at the end of the day it just makes us feel better about ourselves..
Wrong. science simple ignores what cannot be disproven. "Ignores" is different rom "rejects".
"That being labeled a "good person" is a lie or truth.
A person labeled a "good person" can kill disproving your argument."
what do you think my argument is?
You said atheism is more humane yet...they can still lie cheat steal or make a bad choice that can lead to murder death etc.
Its a lie to feed yourself so you can make yourself feel better.
True: You do not have to be an atheist to be a humanist.
Also, look around. People are dumb. People listen to Coldplay and voted for the Nazis. People think the earth is 6,000 years old. People think it's ok to live of the state. People think it's ok to steal my salary and give it to these malingering layabouts. Most people are incredibly stupid and are not equal to the intelligentsia and the hard workers.
That should be off, not of.
I have a four day weekend so I'm just gonna veg out in front of the TV for the weekend and play Zelda. See y'all for some more rational, libertarian enlightenment Monday.
I notice that there is no mention of high-level scientologist Elli Perkins. When young adult son started showing signs of schizophrenia, instead of getting him the help he needed, she adhered to the cult doctrine that psychiatry is evil, and instead began 'vitamin therapy'. This 'therapy' ended when the son murdered his mother by stabbing her 77 times.
If you go past the propaganda, there are a lot of scientology horror stories. While I respect the division of church and state in this country, I can't help but think that our legal system should do a better job investigating what is so obviously a scam.
It seems there is a lot of buyer beware in the country and scams are allowed.
This video covers that, it's been posted a couple times previously.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCGP-0545EU
One thing this article could have mentioned is the staggering amount of money Scientology siphons out of its adherents. It has even Christianity beat in that regard.
per capita it does. but if you go by totals - scientology is left in the dust.
@trolls
serious question, no name calling.
can you prove a god doesn't exist? how?
Can someone prove there is a God? How?
Duh. No. That was the whole point. You claimed there is a god. You have no evidence. You have no proof, just a belief that one exists. That would be fine, except you made the claim the existence of god is a fact. If you're going to make that claim, you can't expect people to simply say, "Oh, well, if Stinky says it, it MUST be a fact."
I made no such claims.
Fail troll fail.
you embarrassed to say you believe in god?
still didn't answer my question: how does one prove the non-existence of something?
So you agree there is no proof god exists?
@trolls
i notice you evaded the question.
HOW DOES ONE PROVE THE NON-EXISTENCE OF A GOD?
tell me hwo and i'll give you the proof.
and i can think of an infinite number of ways to prove there is a god. for one thing, he could appear to everyone on earth. and i don't mean in a dream or your own mind.
see how reasonable atheists are? show us proof and we'll believe you.
@Bootyfunk –
Please google "Russell's teapot".
yeah, love that one. another great way to show religious is b.ullsh.it.
to prove that god (or anything) doesn`t exist would require a negative proof which is a logical impossibility...the burden of proof is, nevertheless, clearly on the person claiming that god (or anything) does in fact exist...i can`t prove that unicorns don`t exist, but it doesn`t follow from that, that unicorns do exist...if you want to convince me that unicorns exist you need to provide some evidence that they exist (or once existed)...it is not up to me to disprove everything the human imagination is capable of dreaming up...i could claim to be god and you would never be able to prove i`m not god...its clear in that example that if i were serious, you would require some evidence for my claim...right?
@Bootyfunk –
Sorry Bootyfunk, my post should have been directed to Get some fresh air atheist trolls!
So, Get some fresh air atheist trolls!...please google "Russell's teapot".
no worries, bro.
Disprove God.We can talk than.
first tell us how that can be done? how exactly do you prove a negative? please, i want to hear an answer. i'm begging you to answer.
So you state that God is not falsifiable? If you are right then there can be no rational basis for belief in a God and such a belief must be based on something other than reason. This is in fact mainstream christian teachings
Here is a statement that is always by definition true: "All scientific theories can in principle be proven wrong." The converse is also true: "If it can not in principle be proven wrong, it is outside the domain of science."
So it is easy to see that there can never be a conflict between a religion and science
I am not sure that Scientology's core beliefs are the issue here. Many religions, including Catholicism have their odd beleifs and require a leap of faith. (That is why it is called "faith") The issue is how Scientolgy enforces that belief. Former members speaking of child abuse, kidnapping, black mail and worse, all in an effort for this organization to protect itself raises concern.
my fiance told her family she was an atheist. now only 1 cousin will speak with her. her own christian mother won't talk to her. christianity is pretty bad on that front, too. and speaking of child abuse, there are literally millions of examples of christian child abuse. so seems like scientology and christianity have more in common than they have differences.
All organized religions destroy innocent people's lives.
One of my Catholic friends said one of her co-wokers who is an atheist,has started to bully her because my friend is very vocal.My friend did nothing wrong yet the atheist acted with hatred and anger.
Care to sweep that under the rug booty?
You have a friend?
nope. i'll answer it directly, like all of your childlike inquiries.
"One of my Catholic friends said one of her co-wokers who is an atheist,has started to bully her because my friend is very vocal"
the problem is your friend, not the atheist. you said they are coworkers. why is your friend preaching at work? the atheist probably got tired of hearing that cr@p and spoke up. christians call logic debate an "attack". tell your friend to keep his religion to himself and he won't have to hear opposing opinions that upset him.
Not sure what your point was Booty. A lot of people with NO religious belief commit child abuse. Criminal behavior, by anyone, is criminal behavior and should be, investigated prosecuted and ridiculed. IIf people want to worship a poorly written story created by a hack sci-fi writer from the 50's more power to them. If someone want to beleive that a man came to earth, promised salvation, died and then miraculously rose from the dead, that is totally awesome. If you want to think that we crawled our way out of evolutionary good and simply turn into dust when we die. That is okay.
When you start kidnapping people, separating children from their parents, braking into people's homes, blackmailing people, lying to children about their parents, violating child labor laws ...at that point, I have a problem and it has NOTHING to do with your faith or lack there of. Even though I think splashing a celebrity divorce across the front pages as news to be "icky", I am impressed that this fairly young, somewhat private woman has decided to do what many large news gathering organizations ( like CNN) or her government has refused to do
Oh no not just attacking.It became harassing,to the point where her boss threaten to fire the atheists because of the atheist hatred and the will to bully another.Her desk has a cross,the atheist did not like it even tho the atheist's office space is in front of hers and there is a wall between them.The atheist acted with rage insulting her with childish name calling and swearing.
She didn't preach to the atheist at all,they spoke once and that was before the atheist knew her faith.
Considering the veracity you've demonstrated on these boards, Stinky, I don't believe a word of this tale.
@Get some...
"One of my Catholic friends said one of her co-wokers who is an atheist,has started to bully her because my friend is very vocal.My friend did nothing wrong yet the atheist acted with hatred and anger."
1. Being "very vocal" about one's religion at work (unless you work at a church) is wrong.
2. Do you have verified evidence that this is "bullying" and not just disagreeing or bristling at being preached to?
"Not sure what your point was Booty"
then you didn't read closely. the catholic church has, for literally centuries, been protecting child molesting priests from prosecution, moving them to another parish where they do it again. that's church policy. you don't think child molestation ranks up there with kidnapping?
"IIf people want to worship a poorly written story created by a hack sci-fi writer from the 50's more power to them. If someone want to beleive that a man came to earth, promised salvation, died and then miraculously rose from the dead, that is totally awesome."
lol. all you have to do is replace " a hack sci-fi writer from the 50's" with "ignorant sheep herders from the bronze age" and that can be an opinion on the bible.
so tell me, what's the difference between christianity and scientology?
Is wrong?
She didn't preach to the atheist at all.By being vocal,she wear crosses and had religious things at her desk.The atheist freaked because of it.The atheist didn't ask,she demanded she take it all down.
Nice try tho.
@trolls
first of all, your only friend is your mom. and truth be told, she doesn't actually like you.
second, i doubt your story. if your friend wasn't preaching at work, no would know she's a christian.
third, i doubt the atheist was bullying. more likely just disagreeing.
basically, it's hard to take anything you say at face value since you've proven time and again that you'll say anything to make your point.
Do you have a clue what "very vocal" means? It doesn't appear so.
Get some...
Sorry, I was typing when you posted.
If your story is accurate, then the atheist was/is out of line.
Get some...
The day after 9/11, my next-up-the-line manager asked me if I had gone to church the night before and prayed for the victims. I simply said, "No, but oh, what an incredible tragedy this is" and left it at that. I could have gotten her in trouble, especially since the owner of the company is and atheist/agnostic. People react differently.
Salvation is not a subject to play with as it means Eternal Life or Death.
St. Paul tells us Galatians 1: 6-9 "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which
we have preached unto you, let him be accursed".See (Deuteronomy 13: 3; 2nd Thessalonians 3: 6 ; ).
i guess the no one told you the bible is a work of fiction.
I guess no one told you that atheists have no proof at all.
BUY BULL.. enough said....
@Get some fresh air atheist trolls!
Here we go again. It isn't up to me to prove anything....you are making the claim..I am not.
Religion IS lobotomy.....
I wish all morons that waste their time with religious dispute and quote logical superiority would give it a rest change the world for the better of the species or shut the hell up! These backwater concepts of God and the godless is a waste of time. If you all spent your time doing something productive instead of arguing the intangible than maybe the oxygen you breath wont be wasted
Why are YOU here?
Hey tom tom if you are better why are YOU here?
No logic,just lies.
Who said I was better? Lying about claims that weren't made again, honeybun?
The comments,even yours posts about logic which you think makes you special.
Aww little troll just wants attention.
I don't think you even know what the word "logic" means, sweetie.
I don't think you do dear.
Punctuation is your friend. Just put a period after the word "think", dundernuts, and your statement will be correct and accurate.
Really, are you this dumb in real life?
Awww little troll getting mad.Little troll shows the immaturity that atheism brings.
Ooo!!! name calling so clever!!
So you're a sore loser, too?
@trolls
glad to see your frontal lobotomy was a success. bet your mom is happy. maybe she'll let you out of the basement now.
"Loser" and other names only prove the weaker side to atheism.
Maybe. With all those cookies he eats, his mom will have to rent a front-loader.
Don't cry, sweetie. It makes your face all red and puffy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z4iaUFSkME&feature=player_embedded
hahaha!
A+++
This article amuses me on so many levels. I find it amusing that Scientology is considered a religion. Hubbard once admitted to creating it to win a bet. I also find the article amusing because a lot of the fundie Christians get so upset when atheists post anything on the belief blog claiming it is there 'for Christians'.
And the con games continue. E-meters? Were they delivered by angels? They were not? How shocking!!!
Angels deliver seer stones.
E-Meters come from aliens.
(I now await a pointlessly inflammatory comment from You Might Be Cap'n Sayin Atheism Isn't An Angry Dismissive Pervert Rangerfield Getting Air)
i met a christian at a party. he was making fun of the "crazy beliefs" of scientology. then i pointed out the "crazy beliefs" of christianity. the bible has a talking donkey, just like in shrek! and a guy lives in the belly of a giant fish for 3 days, just like in pinocchio! somehow, he didn't think those examples were so funny.
The examples are a hoot you however come off as a pain in the ass
Common Sense,
Why is he a in in the ass? Is it only ok to make fun of certain wacky myths but not others?
and the atheists don't like it when people find the flaws of atheism.
Its the personality not the material , it is it that is the problem, that turns people off. You aren't far behind it if you are as dense as you've let on.
"You aren't far behind it if you are as dense as you've let on."
Pot... meet kettle.
"and the atheists don't like it when people find the flaws of atheism."
such as?
You lack proof of "No God" but many atheists claim there is literally no God and its all in our minds.
So many result in attacking mocking hating etc when a person asks an atheist to prove "No God" if they state it.Or ignore it entirely and attack someone else.
*sigh*
it's all in our minds.
you're logic is terrible.
prove i'm not god. you can't. so by your "logic" - i must be god.
you don't have to prove a negative. the impetus for showing evidence is on the person making the claim, not the one listening to the claim.
"extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."
- carl sagan
so i ask again - what is the flaw in atheism?
Flaw with atheism? Your in it seems to be self defining.
You are god? I can eaisly disprove that.If you were you could appear right now naming my name,age,and everything about me.
What is the flaw of atheism? Takes faith to know but you feed yourself lies you "proof" because of logic but in reality you have NOTHING.
That's why atheists try so hard.You know deep down..you got nothing.
you prove my point. you can make ad hominem attacks, but can't be a logic point.
what is a flaw of atheism?
"You are god? I can eaisly disprove that.If you were you could appear right now naming my name,age,and everything about me."
how is that proof?
i challenge the christian god to answer those same questions right now: name my name,age,and everything about me. by your own logic, if he doesn't answer, he must not really be god.
see how terrible your "logic" is?
keep trying. this is amusing.
You have nothing but you pretend this "logic" does.You can't even prove you are correct about anything.
You atheists are so desperate that you create this fairy-tale world while claiming everyone else does and you don't.
You lie to millions of people that can see your comments,misleading them that there is no God but have no proof at all to back it up.
You atheists only say "No God" but won't back it up,leave or attack someone else.
It is you who cannot face reality.You also have nothing on your side and you know you don't.
The flaw with atheism = you are !
"You atheists are so desperate that you create this fairy-tale world"
LOL! that's the funniest thing i've read in a long, long time.
atheism offers proof/evidence for it's claims.
again, i challenge you, what claim do atheists make that is not based on fact, logic and reasoning?
If they claim "No God" without proof by their own standards they now must prove it but many many many many don't.
You ignore yourselves and what you believe and leave the rest to everyone else.
Atheism is weak.
you obviously didn't read my post above:
you don't have to prove a negative. the impetus for showing evidence is on the person making the claim, not the one listening to the claim.
"extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."
– carl sagan
if YOU make a claim, YOU must prove it. use your brain. try it. just once.
you claim there is a god - prove it.
Booty, you obviously don't know the basics of polite conversation...
If some says something stupid about any subject except religion, it is ok to disagree with them, perhaps even stridently.
If some says something about religion that any sane person would see as delusional, you are expected to politely smile at their stupidity, if not say something to make them feel warm and fuzzy about their delusion. :^)
thanks for the christian etiquette lesson. i think you're right, smiling politely at the insane is usually the safest thing to do.
so where's this "evidence" that proves everyone wrong? Come on tough guy..show the world atheism is more logical.Go ahead..come on.Atheists claim to be smart,so if you are so smart disprove every religion as "fairy-tales".Every one throughout history.
Prove there is no God.Go ahead.You demand we prove ourselves correct,I demand you prove atheism correct.
That's right,you actually have none.
For god (any god) to be in a believer's mind, they would have to have one. Belief in sky daddies is evidence of mental evidence – the greater the faith, the greater the disease.
You claim there is no God–prove it.
go to this website and read. explains very well why you can't need to prove a negative and how silly that "rationale" is.
http://www.graveyardofthegods.net/articles/cantprovenegative.html
here's an excerpt:
The rules of logic and science indicate that there must be some kind of basis (either in substance or in thought) for an assertion or else it must be denied. An assertion, without evidence, is not accepted as true. That is the default position, the position that defines what critical thought is. Critical thought means not believing things you are told unless there is evidence to back it up. And without critical thought, logic and science are abandoned, and this is the only kind of productive thought humanity has ever come up with. To reject critical thought is to turn one’s back on thinking and embrace the Dark Ages.
Why? Will it make you go away?
deal with my argument that you don't have to prove a negative, that the burden of proof is on the one making the claim. tell me logically how that is not a true statement.
Why do you ignore yourself? Is that a logical thing to do? Why must others do it but you don't?
Actually that isn't logical.
I sort of hate to admit it, but I sometimes go to Pogo to play a game or two (or 6). The chat rooms there are so overflowing with "God Bless You", "Praise the Lord" "Sleep well in Jesus's arms" and other pap that I almost gag. Woe to me if I would *ever* call them on it. I had to change my screen name to escape their wrath, and I just don't talk anymore.
What the troll doesn't get is that atheists don't believe there's a god. They have no reason to prove anything. They don't need to.
And believers don't have to prove there's a god unless they state for a fact that there is one, which is what the little troll is doing.
You're welcome to believe whatever you choose, Lies. But don't state that god exists and you know it to be a fact if you can't back it up,
"I can't prove a negative".
That's the best you can do? Make up excuses?
Excuses isn't logical nor does it confront reality.
Hey, Stinky Air, learn to read for comprehension, take a course in logic, review the evidence for any god and get back to us, 'cause right now you're failing massively (except at proving the stupidity of believers). You cannot read and comprehend, you don't have any evidence, and you clearly don't understand it's up to believers to prove their claims.
awww nobody is bowing down to the atheist demands.Awww poor little atheists.
Let's all feel sorry for the atheists.They deserve to be treated like kings and queens!
and its up to the atheist believers to prove their claims.
yes, the best i can do is use logic to show you are wrong. not sure how that qualifies as an excuse. you seem to be inferring that logic is a bad thing. inanimate objects show more reasoning skills than you do.
there are plenty of religious writings about 1000s of other gods. prove zeus, ra and odin aren't real - so by your "logic", they are real?
You must be terribly bored if this is the best pastime you can find, Air of Stupidity. With your stellar personality and sparkling wit, you should be surrounded by friends! Are you sure you took a shower today? Maybe you stink.
What claims?
Now watch while the little dweeb lies.
So the standards don't apply to you even tho many atheists make claims they have back up or present evidence with????
Hmm i sense no logic in atheism.
This thread, and many others like it, is a perfect example of why smart guys like Richard Dawkins refuses to debate believers. You cannot have a serious conversation with the severely mentally ill!
I sense you have no sense.
I saw Dawkins on youtube debating a believer and getting his butt kicked by facts and truth. That is more likely the reason old Dawkins shies away now. Can anyone spell...coward
I sense atheists have no evidence and it relay on faith.It would also explain why atheists "debate" with believers to keep trying to "find" evidence but can't find any to prove them correct.
I sense its all lies.
Then you should be able to post a link to this video. Why don't you do that? I want to see what 'facts and truth' were presented by the religious nuts. If they're anything as lame as the crap you post here, only a gnat would lose the debate.
"So the standards don't apply to you even tho many atheists make claims they have back up or present evidence with????"
wrong. the standards apply. anyone making a positive claim must prove it; negative claims cannot be proven. you are making the positive claim that there is a god - but you offer zero proof.
again, by your own "logic", prove Thor isn't real. all hail the thunder god.
"Relays"? Do you mean "relies"?
It's really hard not to laugh at you, pretending to be so put out about atheists not providing you proof. You're so incredibly stupid, I feel really bad when I make fun of you. But not bad enough to stop doing it!
atheists get some sick pleasure of winning a "debate".
Don't debate,their sick pleasure cannot be feed.
An assertion, without evidence, is not accepted as true. That is the default position, the position that defines what critical thought is. Critical thought means not believing things you are told unless there is evidence to back it up.
explain how a negative can be proven. pls. i want to hear your explanation. and don't skip out on the question. give an answer. HOW CAN A NEGATIVE BE PROVEN?
Cannot be feed?
Are you going to set an example and leave?
"I saw Dawkins on youtube debating a believer and getting his butt kicked by facts and truth."
You misspelled "assertions" and "claims"
Lol there you go with your Zeus fetish again just like with your santa clause fetish.
Can you prove Zeus doesn't exist, Stinky?
never laugh at zeus again or he will smite thee!
serious question: proof that zeus isn't real?
I think it's really nice of you guys to respond to "fresh air". This is probably the only social interaction the poor little troll ever gets.
I didn't make that claim.
Nice try.By the standards of the atheists,until I make an actual claim I do not have to prove it.
*Facepalm*
you mean aside from when mommy brings his food tray down to the basement to feed him?
You mean "prove" not "proof" that zeus isn't real?
No one said you made it, dumbazz. The question is, if you don't believe Zeus exists, can you prove it?
Or do you believe he DOES exist?
And yeah, to tally-this poor kid must be unable to leave his room for some reason. I doubt anyone would talk to him if he paid them.
lol, you don't answer the questions you don't have an answer for. scroll up. answer some of the questions put to you.
oh, and i'll bite: do you believe in god? if so, which one? what religious sect do you belong to, if any?
You're right, bootyfunk. I forgot about his Mom.
Come on, Stinky, I believe Zeus exists. Do you think he does or not?
You made the claim so its on you now.
Never said anything about zeus.YOU did.
And YOU made the claim that god exists so you must prove it. Gotcha!
no, i was asking "do you have proof that zeus exists?" that is the question. i left off "do you have" for the sake of brevity. internet shorthand.
but i notice you still don't answer. you try and fail to point out a typo, but don't actually answer what you know the question is. lol.
If I answer them,it helps your delusion grow.
@troll
do you believe in god? embarrassed to answer? which one?
LOL!
"If I answer them,it helps your delusion grow."
stick a fork in him - he's done. can't answer the question, so you throw out that childish excuse - "just because i can't answer your question doesn't mean i don't know the answer."
yes it does.
Game, set, and match. You lost, Stinky. Deal with it.
No logic for atheists.
Just lies,excuses and cover ups.
Go have a glass of milk and a cookie, sweetums, and you'll feel much better about losing the argument.
Better luck next life.
@Get some fresh air atheist trolls!:”You lie to millions of people that can see your comments,misleading them that there is no God but have no proof at all to back it up.”
So if you post that there are no other gods exist except the christen one, you would be lying to millions of people because you have not proof that they don’t exist.
Stinky Air, I'm going to give you one last chance at showing you can have a rational conversation, before I relegate you to the scrap heap of dumb.ass believers such as HeavenScent, Herbie, Chard, Topher, The Clown, Bullsh!t Bob, etc. I'm not even going to ask you to prove your god(s) exist(s). All you have to do is prove the allegations you just made about atheists. What lies, excuses and cover ups are you on about? Enough with the generalizations – be specific and be professional.
Seems that Stinky has gone silent. I'm sure he's working on a stellar response. I look forward to reading it in about 8 hours when I get off a pane in Europe.
So more then 6 hours later and no reply from Stinky. Looks like he's run away to cry to his mommy about those nasty atheists. And none of the uber believers have jumped in to his defense – shocking – NOT!!
I thought religion had to have some sort of god. Is L Ron Hubbard considered a god to scientology?
Who says religions have to have a god?
Hence why atheism is worship of oneself as a god.
No god required for the human,the human is a god
"Hence" means "therefore". The word "why" is not needed.
atheism is a religion like bald is a hair color.
religions require the mystical - this doesn't necessarily mean gods. check buddhism, taoism, hinduism, etc.
atheism requires faith has what many atheists believe has not been proven.
Its a religion.
faith means no evidence. what part of atheism is based on faith?
(i'm baiting the troll - let's see him hang himself with his magic rope of ignorance)
I too am an atheist troll, but because I have a mental illness and drink so heavily I love to make fun of people like myself. God is dead.
God was never alive...
You clearly are the one with the mental illness, maybe you should take the Scientology vitamins?
I used to live down the road from a Scientology center and decided one day to visit.
Instead of taking an e-meter test, I presented myself as a journalist with a few questions (I had an "assistant" in tow, taking notes).
They promptly sent down their head of PR who put on an affable, if somewhat aloof face – until I asked questions.
What did they think of being the only organization to ever be convicted of breaching the public trust in Canada?
Any comments about scientology "Doctors" prescribing vitamins to Mr. Jeremy Perkins instead of his previously prescribed schizophrenia medicine which ultimately led to him stabbing his mother 77 times?
Or the other fellow who was also given vitamins instead of his epilepsy medicine who died hitting his head during a seizure?
When I said the name "Lisa McPherson", I was summarily dismissed and ejected from the premises.
I'm also pretty sure that I had a tail for some time afterwards.
Have you heard the one about the Canadian that minded its own F'n business?
Me either ! The ass hole can't help themselves from interfering in other peoples business, mostly where they are neither needed or wanted
@You Might Be Cap'n Sayin Atheism Isn't An Angry Pervery Rangerfield
Your Troll Quest is impressive in its scope, but it is time to lay down your keyboard and go find something more useful to do.
Dodney Rangerfield
"Have you heard the one about the Canadian that minded its own F'n business?"
Have you ever heard the one about the Christian who minded his own F'n business?
(This article's content is not associated with any particular country)
Dodney Rangerfield
"The ass hole can't help themselves from interfering in other peoples business, mostly where they are neither needed or wanted."
Sounds just like what most "true" Christians do.
God calls for evangelism, what is your excuse?
truth be told
"God calls for evangelism"
Who? The Middle Eastern Hebrew fantasy being?
you think insulting the God of all creation advances your opinion
can be dismissed without proof
You are dismissed Doc Vestibule
Interesting story, Doc. They are a strange cult, and they hide a lot of dirty secrets.
you might be atheist:
atheists cannot insult beings in which they do not believe.
i hope this helps clear up your delusions.
d bag
Scientology is just as credible as any other religion. So there shouldn't be any faithful throwing stones.
its based on what a science fiction author wrote about..its hardly a legit religion.
Legit religion= oxymoron.
you need some fresh air.
Christianity was written by ancient Palestinian men with no knowledge of science, physics or any other region on earth, its hardly a legit religion....
Get some fresh air atheist trolls!
its based on what a science fiction author wrote about..its hardly a legit religion.
Get some fresh air christian trolls!
Christianity was written by ancient Palestinian men with no knowledge of science, physics or any other region on earth, its hardly a legit religion....
If you observe your statements with a critical eye for logic and reasoning you will see how conflicted they are.
It clearly shows how ignorant you are.
Prayer changes things .
oh shut up...
you oppose prayer
We don't oppose prayer, we just think it is a waste of time.
actions make change; prayer wastes valuable time.
"Prayer changes things ."
Amazing how these typos persist. It should be "Payers change things" - sometimes sad, but true.
I'm an atheist and I only oppose prayer when it's used as an excuse to avoid taking action.
Prayer does not; you are such a LIAR. You have NO proof it changes anything! A great example of prayer proven not to work is the Christians in jail because prayer didn't work and their children died. For example: Susan Grady, who relied on prayer to heal her son. Nine-year-old Aaron Grady died and Susan Grady was arrested.
An article in the Journal of Pediatrics examined the deaths of 172 children from families who relied upon faith healing from 1975 to 1995. They concluded that four out of five ill children, who died under the care of faith healers or being left to prayer only, would most likely have survived if they had received medical care.
The statistical studies from the nineteenth century and the three CCU studies on prayer are quite consistent with the fact that humanity is wasting a huge amount of time on a procedure that simply doesn’t work. Nonetheless, faith in prayer is so pervasive and deeply rooted, you can be sure believers will continue to devise future studies in a desperate effort to confirm their beliefs!.
Do it!
get a frontal lobe, christian trolls!
Don't you mean all the non-Scientologists should get some air?