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 The group Recovering from Religion plans to start a helpline for people struggling with religious doubts.
June 4th, 2013
03:08 PM ET
Atheists to start 1-800 hotline for doubtersBy Dan Merica, CNN (CNN) – Who can people call when religious doubts arise, but they're afraid to talk to their faith leaders or families? A group that helps people "recover" from religion says it's ready to pick up the phone. Recovering from Religion, which has about 40 support groups in the U.S. and Britain, plans to launch a hotline that will offer doubters an anonymous place to ask difficult questions and find communities of like-minded nonbelievers. The group plans to staff the help line 24 hours a day and is modeling it after services like suicide prevention hotlines. Sarah Morehead, executive director of Recovering from Religion, told CNN that the mission is to help people, not convert them to atheism. “A lot of the times they just need someone to talk to," Morehead said. The 1-800 number has yet to be named. Recovering from Religion is trying to raise $30,000 by June 30 to fund "The Hotline Project" with up to 40 counselors. Ideally, the help line would be live by the holiday season, said Morehead, which is often a difficult time for people struggling with religious doubts. Photos: Famous atheists and their beliefs The idea for the hotline sprang up after calls came in to the Recovering from Religion phone line from people who were questioning their faith and needed to talk to someone. Morehead said she gets a few calls every day and hundreds of e-mails a month from people seeking counseling. From there, she said, it seemed a hotline that provided a permanent, anonymous place to talk to someone was the best option. "Coming out" as a nonbeliever - or even a doubter - can often be extremely difficult, Morehead and others say. In addition to the existential worries, budding nonbelievers run the risk of alienating family and friends. The help line’s volunteer counselors will be trained to not engage in religious debate, Morehead said. Instead, they will try to give callers “practical, action-oriented solutions.” When someone first calls the hotline, the counselor will start by simply asking the caller to talk about his or her personal story, said Morehead. Later, the counselor and the caller might work on an action plan. The caller's goals may concern formally leaving religion altogether, but Morehead said that counselors will also offer advice on finding a new faith or connecting with a local community of nonbelievers. Some blogs have questioned the hotline, however, calling it a ploy to increase the number of atheists in America. Headlines like “New 1-800 Number Funded By Liberals To Convert Christians to Atheists,” for example, have cropped up at a number of conservative blogs. Morehead said her critics fail to grasp the point of Recovering from Religion. “Most of the people who contact us are working their way towards disbelief, so of course we are very equipped to handle that,” Morehead said. “That is not the goal, though, or the job of the facilitators.” Photos: 'Born-again' celebrities This hotline is not completely unique in the world of religious "nones" – people who either don’t believe in God or don’t affiliate with any religious beliefs. Atheists have long discussed disbelief in the comfort of online anonymity. “We have seen how important the Internet is, especially young people questioning their faith, and this provides them with another resource with a different focus,” said Jesse Galef, communications director for the Secular Student Alliance. “For people who want more guidance, I think this resource will be very valuable.” Services that help religious doubters have thrived recently. The Clergy Project, an online community for preachers who no longer believe in God, has grown from 52 to nearly 500 people since its founding in 2011, said Teresa MacBain, the former executive director of the project. MacBain, a former pastor who converted to atheism, called the help line "another way for people to contact someone anonymously and discuss the struggles they are having for their beliefs.” “If this project had been around when I found the Clergy Project, I would have used it.” MacBain said she plans to get training as one of the counselors and hopes to be answering calls when the service launches. soundoff (3,878 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 Next »
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After the war, Co rrie set up r eh a b i li t a t i on centers for conce n t r a tio n camp survivors, and also for Du t ch people who had col la bor at ed with the Germans and were unable to get jobs. She spoke everywhere about the need for forgiveness.
In 1 9 4 7, this was put to the t e st . She had just fin ish ed spea king at a meeting in Germany when a man in an overcoat and brown hat came up to her. She reco gniz ed him inst an t ly as one of the guards who had a b u s e d her and Bet sie.
“I was a g uard in Rave n s bruck, but since then, I’ve become a Christian. I know Christ has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there. Will you forg ive me?” And he put out his hand.
This was the most diff icul t thing Co rrie had ever been asked to do, but as she, by choice of will, gave him her hand, the love of Christ flooded her whole being, and she was able to say, “Yes, brother, I forgive you, with all of my heart!”
dodo, don't mention corrie. u r not worthy
u r not worthy to tie her shoe, dodo
It's ironic that scientist, atheist, nor anyone else can provide that smallest piece of evidence PROVING the non-existence of an intelligent Creator. By definition making them people of great faith. Yet they boast around blinded by the pride of their foolishness thinking themselves wise. They say Christians believe in an imaginary fairytale, yet all of their changing theories came from the thoughts and imagination of limited minds. On the contrary Christians embrace the evidence of creation which shows intelligent design. Proving its origin being from a mere coincidence impossible, and clearly pointing to the incomprehensible genius of an Immortal Creator. Q:If life was not created by an intelligent Creator, why are the smartest among the geniuses of the world finding it impossible to figure out the origin of life? If you are open minded to learning visit http://www.theeternalwisdom.com Trusting in finite minds to figure out infinite things is more senseless than a blind mind chasing the wind.
Wow. Are you real? I much prefer the truth to your fictional rantings. Are you totally unable to think?
@Seek,
"pride of their foolishness thinking themselves wise."
Yet you seem to think yourself wise to believe as you do.
It's turtles all the way down...
p.s. There's a heaping dollop of Pride showing there too.
Nobody needs to prove that God doesn't exist. Believers make the case that their god is real and, so far, all those claims have failed to convince everyone. Meanwhile, did you need any "proof" that Odin or Zeus weren't real? The same rules really ought to be used when evaluating all gods, eh?
Seek: Your personal ignorance of science is not proof of god.
Seek
Everything we know about any god comes from the same "limited minds" that give us science, so any attack on human intellect isn't going to help your argument at all. Maybe the Hindus are right and the gods are all just dreams of people.
Bill Deacon sez:
Ei inc umbit probatio qui d icit, non qui negat
It says the proof is required by he who states, not he who defends.
"Trusting in finite minds to figure out infinite things is more senseless than a blind mind chasing the wind."
... so why should atheists trust what believers say about their god?
or are you saying that believers minds are NOT finite?
it is sneseless to figure out god.
Making an appeal to authority Maynard?
" Making an appeal to authority Maynard? "
So your saying you did not say that ? ... or are you saying you're not an authority ?
I would think most people would be flattered that they were quoted
Where in my post have i mentioned God? Clearly you can debate about who's God is the right God but you cannot debate the fact that their is a Creator. Which is why all of you dismissed the fact that i used the word Creator and assumed Im speaking of a particular God to use as a scapegoat.
Seek the Giver,
"Which is why all of you dismissed the fact that i used the word Creator and assumed Im speaking of a particular God to use as a scapegoat."
Nope. Some of us took a gander at your website. You encouraged us to do so.
While there is a *possibility* that there is a first cause to what we call the universe (and existence) - we don't know what we don't know yet; and if you think that primitive Middle Eastern Hebrew men had it figured out, with umpty-ump times fewer facts than we have... well, you're welcome to it. Just don't claim it as fact.
dodo, u had me fooled. i really believed joel wasn't u. how did u do that?
LinCA
@Joel
You said, "My friends, we don't need to be running to these so called support groups for help, because they have nothing to offer us."
They offer support to those that start to realize that gods are no more likely to be real than the Tooth Fairy.
nobody disputes fsm's claims. dodo, o dodo my love, where b ur fanatics disparaging fairy fsm? nowhere? but dodo! fsm is god
"They offer support to those that start to realize that gods are no more likely to be real than the Tooth Fairy."
but dodo, how do they offer support to themselves when the new testament is proof jesus christ is god almighty, born of a virgin, died a criminal's death for no crime and was seen by hundreds and revolutionized korn and dylan and jimmy carter and reggie white and c.s. lewis and malcolm muggeridge and corrie ten boon and the nazi who abused her and killed her sister and hundreds of millions more?
Are you really that stupid? FSM is a JOKE. Satire. An invention to show just. How silly man-made gods are. Nobody really believes FSM is a god, you idiot.
And since you don't know how to read, Joel is a believer. Just like you. But he sounds MUCH brighter.
After the war, Corrie set up rehabilitation centers for concentration camp survivors, and also for Dutch people who had collaborated with the Germans and were unable to get jobs. She spoke everywhere about the need for forgiveness.
In 1947, this was put to the test. She had just finished speaking at a meeting in Germany when a man in an overcoat and brown hat came up to her. She recognized him instantly as one of the guards who had abused her and Betsie.
“I was a guard in Ravensbruck, but since then, I’ve become a Christian. I know Christ has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there. Will you forgive me?” And he put out his hand.
This was the most difficult thing Corrie had ever been asked to do, but as she, by choice of will, gave him her hand, the love of Christ flooded her whole being, and she was able to say, “Yes, brother, I forgive you, with all of my heart!”
do not discuss corrie.
don't just take what's on the inside for granted – take a good look from the outside as well:
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Evidence_for_the_historical_existence_of_Jesus_Christ
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Why_Won%27t_God_Heal_Amputees
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Failed_biblical_prophecies
On one layer, austin, all Christians are prophets.
"Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See [thou do it] not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
Jehovah Jireh
He provides faith and fellowship.
Thanks bud.
And on the bottom layer, guess what. It's all bullshit.
the methane from the bullshirt comes up through the mouths of the prophets
sam that was deeply.......................uhhh. deeply........................
still digging the DT's, austin?
Austin is a fraud. If he really had the courage of his convictions and the strength of his Jeebus to shield him, he wouldn't be afraid to post the descriptions of his recent dreams, the ones that have yet to relate to anything occurring subsequently in his waking life (as if he's ever really conscious).
He's like the idiot psychics who point to events and tell everyone "I KNEW that would happen. I had this vision, see, way back before anyone had even thought this event would occur. It was a premonition, I tell you. I just didn't tell anyone about it until now!"
Real convincing, Austin. Coward.
Austin's beliefs deserve little respect.
The Real Tom, chill out.
I am not backing down. and I am not speaking for God.
whats the rush here...................are you serious?
what you are telling me i have to do here is not ordinary.
I do trust God. if i was going to try this, i would have to pray about it for a while. at least a few weeks.
set my aside and take the person of Jesus Christ as the center of this. This is the savior and risen Lord of forgiveness, and redemption.
He is worthy.!
Revelation 19:13 ►
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
free people don't need salvation, austin. slaves do
More BS from Austin. Nobody said you were "speaking for god," idiot. You aren't skillful enough to try to dodge the challenge with your lame responses, Austin. You'll either put up or shut up. Either post your dream journal or be called a liar and a fraud. You aren't being challenged to be a prophet. You are being asked to put your claims on the line. If you have any integrity, and I know you don't, you'll post descriptions of your dreams.
Otherwise, you're nothing but a lying POS.
If I had a nickel for every time real Tom spews out an ad hominem, I'd have a shitload of nickels!
Oh, suck my left teat, derp. Get over it or get out. Nobody asked you to read my posts and I couldn't care less if you dropped dead.
lol??
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Ye ol' fashioned appeal to carnality does have a certain sensuousness to it, I believe the consensus is, if you know what the definition of is, is. Those BLUE eyes were quite deep and I played one of the very, very few vids posted. As usual, everything was goin' fine until the A&A's ruined it by opening their mouths.....
My friends, we don't need to be running to these so called support groups for help, because they have nothing to offer us. If we want help in our understanding spiritual things, and a relationship with God, where do we turn? How about turning to God Himself? I am not saying to turn to a religion, or to turn to a church or temple, or pastor or priest or rabbi, I am saying go to God Himself through prayer. Thats what I did years ago, and I am so glad I did. I asked for God's forgiveness through faith in Yeshua/Jesus and His atonement on my behalf. I was flooded with peace and joy and purpose. If you really want help concering life's meaning and you seek direction, it is to God you should turn. Shalom
How did you convince yourself that there was an invisible being that watches over all? I'd love to know how anyone who was an atheist or agnostic can simply suspend all disbelief and miraculously have "faith" that something exists, when there is absolutely no evidence that it does, indeed, exist.
The universe could care less about meaning. It is up to us to make our own meaning.
@Joel
You said, "My friends, we don't need to be running to these so called support groups for help, because they have nothing to offer us."
They offer support to those that start to realize that gods are no more likely to be real than the Tooth Fairy.
You said, "If we want help in our understanding spiritual things, and a relationship with God, where do we turn? How about turning to God Himself?"
That is fine for those that are still thoroughly deluded, but won't work for those that are shedding the nonsense.
You said, "Thats what I did years ago, and I am so glad I did. I asked for God's forgiveness through faith in Yeshua/Jesus and His atonement on my behalf. I was flooded with peace and joy and purpose."
Good for you.
You said, "If you really want help concering life's meaning and you seek direction, it is to God you should turn."
Or you could do away with the fairy tales and focus on reality.
Joel
Sure, what's God's number?
Joel, related to what Sue said, unfortunately, as far as any of us can show, god has never, ever picked up the phone, despite millions of people trying to get any response from god whatsoever.
Really, what do you think that you should conclude from that? Answer honestly if you can.
joel: why do you feel you need forgiveness?
Yes Joel, amen. I have had a very similar experience. It sounds like your background is also similar to mine. A lot of people think they need to have a go between to reach out to God. That is sad. We are made in His image and we can reach out to Him on our own. The key for me also was coming to God the Father through His Son Yeshua/Jesus. That opened it all up for me. Thank You for your post. Shalom
ELECT JANET RENO FOR PROTHERO'S PASTOR-IN-CHIEF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BURN BABY BURN
It certainly wasn't Reno's fault. GUESS again.
The Waco wackos could have come out at any time unless Koresh wouldn't let them.
Yeah, there was a DEADLINE to meet!!
no kiddin how bout that Janet Reno!
Deadline? Totally irrelevant. Guess again.
Wackos could have walked out at any point unless fellow wackos wouldn't allow it.
A woeman pastor??? RRRrrrrrrriiiiiight,
more like a um, well, a SALTY DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A&A's are soooooooo well, Sodominian!!
lol??
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lol??
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lol??
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lol??
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Well, the hotline has already resulted in death when they muscled out this pair of like minded crooks. No honor amongst thieves!!
New York (CNN) – Two life coaches who hosted a radio show called "The Pursuit of Happiness" apparently committed suicide together in their Brooklyn apartment, police said.
Motivational speaker John Littig, 48, and his common-law psychotherapist wife, Lynne Rosen, 46, were found with plastic bags over their heads and a tube attached to a canister of helium, according to police............"
A&A's are so um, well, evangelical!!!!
And this has some relevance to anything? What?
Let the children rant, Tom. They're irrelevant.
You don't think posting a blatant lie might have something to do with your post getting put into moderation?
And it is a lie. The number isn't in use yet.
Dragon breath sayz,
Call 1-800-SUICIDE
Drown in my flood of carnality!!
check out science's sm.ut garbage film, below.
Yeah, Adam was lonely.
Sorry! The word "lonely" doesn't occur in the KJV.
Go Science Go!
Way to pull the archeopteryx card. what's next?
I wonder if that thang was on Noahs arc?
Penn & Teller; The Bible is Bullshi-t.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RV46fsmx6E&w=640&h=360]
s.mut film allert!!!!!!!!
this is sm.ut.
bob, you are better than this film.
can you not pick up on the satanic who.redom music and brainwashing in this peace?
this reminds me of being in the freak booth at the county fair.
Hey Science!
Post Skeptisketch"s "It works....b!tches" video.
Where's that description of your recent dreams, Austin, dear? Why can't you manage to post even one?
Surely you've had dreams in the past 3 months or so. What were they? Post them. Why wouldn't you? After all, if they're evidence of your gawd, it should be obvious to anyone. Why not fill us in so you can gloat when something occurs later in your waking life you can point to your dream and we'll all HAVE to believe that gawd was manifest!
Secular Humanist from Ohio
Dawkins: Science, "It Works, Bit-ches!"
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wch4ekOEwaA&w=640&h=360]
Thank you, science!
Tom Tom, Dream are dreams you are right.
there is a difference between Nebachadnezzar's vision, and your dreams. or the dreams of a Prophet like Isaac or Ezekiel.............Ezekiel would sleep on one side facing east for three months, ..................
I am not a prophet. And God is all powerful.
Austin-the-coward, you should ask Jeebus to give you better skills in dodging the question, you dolt.
Everyone dreams. You claim you had dreams and then an event that convinced you gawd was talking to you. Why not post all your dreams here so you can later on use them as evidence for your claims, you little lying sh!t? Or are you going to keep yapping and never saying anything?
Secular Humanist from Ohio
You are welcome ..easier than lifting a BIG chondrite...................(tons size )
Peace
sensual satanism.
3Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
ok Tom Tom. ok. ill think about it. Give me a month to prepare. deal?
No. Put up or shut up, you fake. If you had any balls, you would post your dream journal right now.
You're lying about the dreams you said you had and the events that occurred later.
The Penn & Teller video was excellent! Thank you for posting!
Lol, Scitches, I'm quite aware of the "safety" net that is built into religions like Christianity to scare anyone from leaving.
tom tom,
YOU ARE IN FOR THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE
and I can tell you that with tears of joy.
My God is Mighty to Save! He loves you.
@Jeanette
I think that safety net could also be described a coersion.
I believe on every bit of faith that the faith that you want, is you want to hear the voice of God. and I believe He wants you to hear it. I believe He will save you. And it's going to be through His word and perfect will.
We are talking about God.
SHfO, you're right, that's exactly what it is.
Austin
Meanwhile, someone else may want us to improve our karma so that we could be reborn in a better form next time. Why should we take one bit of religious speculation more seriously than any other?
ol??
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A man only sees what his god wants him to see. Choose carefully!!
BBBBBBwwwwwahahahahahahahahaha
all mine under moderation to lol.
they are starting back up.
the return of jaws, it pack man hack man
the post eater.
Since we've got HeavenSent dumping quotes on us yet again from her vicious Christian book of nasty AKA the bible, It's appropriate to take a closer look at what's really in there. From both evil testaments:
Numbers 31:17-18
17 Now kiII all the boys. And kiII every woman who has slept with a man,
18 but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
Deuteronomy 13:6 – “If your brother, your mother’s son or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul entice you secretly, saying, let us go and serve other gods … you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death”
Revelations 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Leviticus 25
44 “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.
45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.
46 You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.
Note that the bible is also very clear that you should sacrifice and burn an animal today because the smell makes sicko Christian sky fairy happy. No, you don't get to use the parts for food. You burn them, a complete waste of the poor animal.
Yes, the bible really says that, everyone. Yes, it's in Leviticus, look it up. Yes, Jesus purportedly said that the OT commands still apply. No exceptions. But even if you think the OT was god's mistaken first go around, you have to ask why a perfect, loving enti-ty would ever put such horrid instructions in there. If you think rationally at all, that is.
And then, if you disagree with my interpretation, ask yourself how it is that your "god" couldn't come up with a better way to communicate than a book that is so readily subject to so many interpretations and to being taken "out of context", and has so many mistakes in it. Pretty pathetic god that you've made for yourself.
So get out your sacrificial knife or your nasty sky creature will torture you eternally. Or just take a closer look at your foolish supersti-tions, understand that they are just silly, and toss them into the dustbin with all the rest of the gods that man has created.
Ask the questions. Break the chains. Join the movement.
Be free of Christianity and other superstitions.
http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/
Go splat chad/Austin and lol?? + HS and cookie crumbs. + the bible is BS !
Science wins over creationism in South Korea
Government asks publishers to retain examples of evolution in science textbooks.
http://www.nature.com/news/science-wins-over-creationism-in-south-korea-1.11377
Bob, unbelief and not being well versed in His truth is the reason for confusion in those scriptures you keep posting.
I'll be waiting for your next posting of the same scriptures. Why? It gives you something to do.
Science, why do you drag a tail with your every post? Are you the new billboard advertisement of the Net?
HeavenSent,
What part of the Bible's support of slavery is beyond your comprehension?
HeavenSent,
Sorry you missed the question. Here it is again:
What part of the Bible's support of slavery is beyond your comprehension?
You are full of BS ...........HS
topcat
christianity is a cult of human sacrifice, just like all the false religions before it.
christianity doesnt refutiate human sacrifice. it celebrates one sacrifice as though it were affective. john 3:16
Science
Agree the bible is BS !
Biblical Marriage Not Defined Simply As One Man, One Woman: Iowa Religious Scholars' Op-Ed
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/06/biblical-marriage-iowa-scholars-op-ed_n_3397304.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
https://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/24/has-the-oklahoma-atheist-been-saved/#comments
Science,
HeavenSent doesn't agree with God's version of the "sanct-ity of marriage". Very few people, if any in our country, agree with God's version.
hey bob, is the good guy fighting on the good side of every war, a murderous barbarian just because he is right and a winner?
Matthew 7:14 ►
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Observer,
Isaiah 62:5 For [as] a young man marrieth a virgin, [so] shall thy sons marry thee: and [as] the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, [so] shall thy God rejoice over thee.
Amen.
As far as my other post Observer, you may not see it, but I do. LOL
HeavenSent,
Your comment was irrelevant.
Do you agree with God that marriage should be FORCED on some people? So much for love. No one should ever use God's "sanct-ity of marrage" as an EXCUSE to prevent gay marriage.
marriage is not something that is perverted in God's court. You have mans court, which is below the authoritative court of God.
Austin
"marriage is not something that is perverted in God's court"
FORCING it onto people (like to slaves) isn't "perverted", right?
Get serious.
Austin
No, we have our democratically answerable secular courts that conform to the Const.itution, and then we have speculation about some divine court that ultimately came from a few people who lived long, long ago in a culture completely different from others and with different values. "God's Law" isn't democratically determined at all. In reality, it's dictatorial any way you slice it, and you have no proof that it comes from any god at all.
Observer, you posted "HeavenSent, Your comment was irrelevant. Do you agree with God that marriage should be FORCED on some people? So much for love. No one should ever use God's "sanct-ity of marrage" as an EXCUSE to prevent gay marriage."
Answer: My post was to most relevant in reminding the churches to keep themselves honorable in the eyes of the world and,very dear to God, precious and honorable in His sight.
HeavenSent
THIRD TIME: Do you agree with God that marriage should be FORCED on some people
Still completely STUMPED?
Austin, neither your god nor your religion has legal authority in this country. If you wish to live in a theocracy, you are in the wrong country.
Sue,
Mark 10:5-9
5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Amen.
HeavenSent
Some guy wrote Mark. Therefore, this is his opinion of what God wants, unless you can prove otherwise. Did God happen to sign this docu.ment signifying his approval?
Observer, is this what you are referring to?
Leviticus 20:7
Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I [am] the LORD your God.
Amen.
I hope this post doesn't go to the top of the page.
Sue. Mark 10:5 is telling you that Jesus is speaking.
HeavenSent
Jesus is speaking as a character in Mark, as he does in the other gospels, where often he says different things. Maybe the author of Mark is recalling some oral tradition with this, but it's still coming decades later and the other gospels often don't agree with what Mark's Jesus says. Each gospel can be taken individually fairly well, but when you try to argue that they don't conflict, then you fail.
Looks like "not healthy" and "lol" are competing for nonsense of the day award
they's the same idiot
you'd both be wrong but then again it isn't that unusual for you both to be wrong
It's an anonymous blog. It's occured to me that every last one of you (except for me) could be all the same one person. Unlikely..but entirely possible.
dotty, What am I wrong about? Or did you find proof of your god while I was doing the gardening? Do share.
Consensus is not necessary for beleif. Believe me I speak from personal experience.
It's only because religions are so very popular that they aren't criticized more. That doesn't say much about their "truth".
It's funny how for someone that don't exist, ppl are willing to go so far to attempt to fight against it with such actions!
It's actually not funny and a little scary and I'm concerned about it for the reason you mentioned. Say religion became illegal. Anything and everything could be someones religion, therefore anything and everything could become illegal. You see? There stands my concern.
Yes, ensure that everyone NOT be on the same page. Divide and conquer at it's sneakiest.
Thank you NOT Oprah.
How is establishing a hot line fighting against *anything*?
Censorship
Religion is protected by the Bill of Rights, so why be melodramatic? All this hotline addresses are the many people who have serious doubts about their religion who also know that they probably won't get a straight answer from their clergy. Most often, clergy don't have people's best interests at heart; they will say anything to keep people in the fold.
Larry
"It's funny how for someone that don't exist, ppl are willing to go so far to attempt to fight against it with such actions!"
We do not believe that your deity exists, but "Believers" *DO* exist; and they try to affect society (often detrimentally) with their fantasies and supersti'tions.
Since we've got HeavenStench dumping quotes on us again from her Christian book of nasty AKA the bible, let's take a look at other fine guidance that's in that wicked book of horrors. From both testaments:
Numbers 31:17-18
17 Now kiII all the boys. And kiII every woman who has slept with a man,
18 but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
Deuteronomy 13:6 – “If your brother, your mother’s son or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul entice you secretly, saying, let us go and serve other gods … you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death”
Revelations 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Leviticus 25
44 “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.
45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.
46 You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.
Note that the bible is also very clear that you should sacrifice and burn an animal today because the smell makes sicko Christian sky fairy happy. No, you don't get to use the parts for food. You burn them, a complete waste of the poor animal.
Yes, the bible really says that, everyone. Yes, it's in Leviticus, look it up. Yes, Jesus purportedly said that the OT commands still apply. No exceptions. But even if you think the OT was god's mistaken first go around, you have to ask why a perfect, loving enti-ty would ever put such horrid instructions in there. If you think rationally at all, that is.
And then, if you disagree with my interpretation, ask yourself how it is that your "god" couldn't come up with a better way to communicate than a book that is so readily subject to so many interpretations and to being taken "out of context", and has so many mistakes in it. Pretty pathetic god that you've made for yourself.
So get out your sacrificial knife or your nasty sky creature will torture you eternally. Or just take a closer look at your foolish supersti-tions, understand that they are just silly, and toss them into the dustbin with all the rest of the gods that man has created.
Ask the questions. Break the chains. Join the movement.
Be free of Christianity and other superstitions.
http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/
if you become a slave, like Abraham, then instead of fighting back, like God did through Moses,
You should what?
kill yourself or be killed? or ....................fight and win.? so if you are the good guy in a war and you win are you therefore a murderous genecidal barbarian? depends on the strategy? whats at stake?
Describe the most recent dream you can remember, Austintasia.
ripping the unborn out of their wombs =/= good guy
Allowing a place of eternal torture to exist =/= good guy.
Yea the sh-it is happening again hey lol??.............YOU KNOW.............the Christians Be Nice article too.
The pentagram ..............markings of an implosion on a chondrite/stony iron meteorite.
Doobs comment disappeared also that was under post with comment about the pentagram lol??
https://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/04/atheists-to-start-1-800-hotline/#comments
So a person calls the hotline.
Caller: "I'm not sure if God exists or not."
Atheist:"God is a myth created by delusio_nal, moro_nic frea_ks who want to control you."
Caller:"How do you know?"
Atheist: "Because God does not exist."
Caller:"Wait, that is circular reasoning. Can you point me to some evidence God does not exist?"
Atheist:"Can I put you on hold while I talk to my supervisor?"
Caller:"Don't bother. Bye."
1. No god ever traveled where a human didn't take him. It took the christian god 1500 years to get to the New World. He needed humans to build boats to take him.
2. No one god ever emerged simultaneously in unrelated locations. Every god was created to mirror the cultural morals of the societies in which they were worshiped.
3. There is not a single shred of evidence to support the existence of any god.
4. The bible is rife with contradictions, and the new testament was not written until a couple generations after the death of Christ. In fact, the main source of christian dogma comes from a guy named Saul of Tarsus who claimed he met Jesus in a vision, long after Jesus was dead.
These are just a few of the reasons I don't believe in a god. Every atheist has their own reason. Your mockery feels desperate. I suspect you are too afraid to ask questions yourself.
If you want to know what they actually say why don't you just call when it's available instead of making things up? There are pretty standard ways one runs a hotline (any hotline) and using charicature of athiest beliefs would not be one of them nor would having the person at the hotline end of the call dominating the conversation.
Robert sounds agnostic, which is actually more correct than atheism because it leaves room for the unknown. He's pointing out that atheism is an opinion, much like theism. Also the imaginary calls to that 800# are the only reason I'm reading this at the moment, I love a little creativity. Example:
Operator: "God doesn't exist"
Caller: "Which god doesn't exist?"
Have a little joy in your philosophising, if there is nothing there, there is nothing to take that seriously.
Hey Robert
The e word wins all the time creationists ..........no god(s) made US............get over IT
Make sure to highlight above phrase..............then click on the little blue box and search with Bing.
Think out side the box and have fun .
Hey Robert.
Professor Richard Dawkins – "What if you're wrong?"
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beYYZRN1sEs&w=640&h=360]
The Light...is...Science Wins God Loses | Facebook................from the little blue box.........think outside the box.
https://www.facebook.com/ScienceWinsGodLoses
"Creationists make it sound like a ‘theory’ is something you ... are all over it. ... that says I must submit to him or suffer agonizing punishment for all time?
8,000,000 yesterday, today numbers are 27,200,000 results Any time Bing
The e word wins all the time creationists ..........no god(s) made US............get over IT
Make sure to highlight above phrase..............then click on the little blue box and search with Bing.
Think out side the box and have fun .
for those that need youtube to do their thinking for them see science
The person of God has been known to all tribes and peoples in the most remote areas of the planet since the dawn of time. Missionaries have found isolated tribes with extensive practices honoring the one True Christian God all over the world. The peace child of Papua New Guinea being but one example.
God has existed in all societies throughout history. All peoples have a form of worship within their societies all with similar traces of Truth being common knowledge to all peoples but some ancient events have not survived the retelling accurately.The example of Noahs' flood is but one example as it appears in many forms but with basically the same message all over the world.
Colin, please provide a reference for your claim that isolated tribes knew of some alleged god figure known as jesus.
Creation declares the hand of God not to mention the millions of personal testimonies of people who have met God over thousands of years. God chooses those He loves, apparently their are some not worth choosing.
If you mean God or Jesus say God or Jesus otherwise you will be ignored.
Colin, I assume you will have no problem providing objective, independent, verifiable and factual evidence for your, or any, alleged god.
Hey ass always.............bing works too so does http://www.ted.com/talks
The"contradictions" in the Bible are misrepresentations and desperate attempts by lost persons to bolster their misinterpretations. Never forget the English Bible is not the original language. Thorough study of the Holy Scriptures prove the so called contradictions to be wrong.
hot air ass is a useless piece of foreign sh it and can not accept any evidence as presented it is much too full of itself
"accept any evidence as presented" explains how religion became so widespread. Doesn't mean it's true! And it's an abuse of the word evidence.
Colin2, as I said all cultures created gods to reflect their society's morals. This is nothing new. All your excuse making doesn't make it the same god.
Robert
I can't claim for sure that no god exists. One might, but the Christian God is so illogical and contradictory I really can't see how it could exist. Probably, the most that this hotline would do is expose the lame attempts of pastors to use word salad as an explanation for why they "know" God does exist.
So Colin, if the original material is consistent, and the bible christians use to day is not, why don't you true christians rise up and demand an honest translation? Millions of christians are reading their bibles and mistakenly believe it to be the inerrant word of god?
Colin,
There are many reasons why humans over the eons chose the deity explanation for things they don't know or understand.
People are sometimes sort of insulted by the fact that humans are social mammals. They seek a leader (of the pack, if you will), who has qualities of wisdom, benevolence, and the power to protect them from harm. They range from leader of the tribe, to leader of the nation, or some other group unit. Sometimes these human leaders were considered gods. Since humans are aware that their lives will end, and they are not at all thrilled by this fact, they then seek an imaginary leader who will provide the same wisdom, benevolence and protection in a much hoped-for afterlife. It is not surprising that they envision this leader with human-like characteristics of love, anger, wisdom, benevolence, etc. Also, much of nature was a mystery to them and this fantasy filled the huge gaps in their knowledge.
The supersti'tions dreamed up over the eons regarding what these gods liked, hated, rewarded, punished, etc. fill many books. The shamans, whether they believed the supersti'tions or not, found a great mechanism for power and control of the populace.
Robert, Can you prove that Odin does not exist? Yet you do not believe in him. An atheist believes in one fewer gods than you. There is no evidence for any god; the religious make the claim of a god, they are the ones that need to provide evidence to support that. Science shows that the foundation of all religions (their creation myths) are not correct so that undercuts any validity of the religious texts.
Mark 11:29
And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
Amen.
Since we've got HeavenStench dumping quotes on us again from her Christian book of nasty AKA the bible, let's take a look at other fine guidance that's in that wicked book of horrors. From both testaments:
Numbers 31:17-18
17 Now kiII all the boys. And kiII every woman who has slept with a man,
18 but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
Deuteronomy 13:6 – “If your brother, your mother’s son or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul entice you secretly, saying, let us go and serve other gods … you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death”
Revelations 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Leviticus 25
44 “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.
45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.
46 You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.
Note that the bible is also very clear that you should sacrifice and burn an animal today because the smell makes sicko Christian sky fairy happy. No, you don't get to use the parts for food. You burn them, a complete waste of the poor animal.
Yes, the bible really says that, everyone. Yes, it's in Leviticus, look it up. Yes, Jesus purportedly said that the OT commands still apply. No exceptions. But even if you think the OT was god's mistaken first go around, you have to ask why a perfect, loving enti-ty would ever put such horrid instructions in there. If you think rationally at all, that is.
And then, if you disagree with my interpretation, ask yourself how it is that your "god" couldn't come up with a better way to communicate than a book that is so readily subject to so many interpretations and to being taken "out of context", and has so many mistakes in it. Pretty pathetic god that you've made for yourself.
So get out your sacrificial knife or your nasty sky creature will torture you eternally. Or just take a closer look at your foolish supersti-tions, understand that they are just silly, and toss them into the dustbin with all the rest of the gods that man has created.
Ask the questions. Break the chains. Join the movement.
Be free of Christianity and other superstitions.
http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/