Christianity is what's wrong with American politics.

What do you have against atheists?

Whirl I am sorry but that article is very biased and not accurate or truthful at all. But thanks for sharing more stereotyping myths about us.

Let me add these religious organizations that go into prisons and jails and tell inmates they will help them legally and once they get out provided they "convert" to Christianity. But that is the only way they will help them.

Again, we give and help because we want to, because we care, because we know it is the right thing to do, not because we think we are going to get some reward in the end for what we do. All in all we are much more humble on this matter than those who believe and want the world to think how good they are because of their beliefs.

A load of crap !

Where is the atheist's equivalent of a charitiable organization like Catholic Charities?

You might not believe in God; but ya all do believe in organizing don't you?

But for some lame reason the atheists haven't gotten it together to create the Atheistis Charity Organization????

WTF is up with that? Originally Posted by Whirlaway

Did you not read the two articles I linked above. Because of the prejudice and stigma's surrounding atheism most organizations run by atheists are done under other names as to avoid some of the things described in those two articles.

Guilty, you are one atheist I'd like to have something against.

Guilty, you are one atheist I'd like to have something against. Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

Not sure how to interpret this..lol

Meant in a nice way - for me. A very boring way for you.

Meant in a nice way - for me. A very boring way for you.

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

That was what I thought you meant but wasn't sure..lawls

I have heard he just lays there and makes quiet moaning sounds.

Ah, Catnip, you remembered!

Ah, Catnip, you remembered!

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

Hahahah...

Well was looking at this thread http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=318798&page=3 where in TTH posted this http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...n_1069406.html

I think this is also what I am talking about to. As an atheist I am seeing powerful religious organizations shaping our laws and policies based on their religious beliefs and it is setting our country back in a lot of ways. Interesting thing is (and meaning no disrespect to Muslims) if we had a huge influx of Muslims whose organizations were as powerful as these Christian organizations and they starting shaping policies and laws based on their faith can you imagine the uproar by Christians? Or even Jewish people? I guess the point I am making simply is this stuff needs to stay out of government. Period.

I am not an atheist, but religious regimes are not lily white. The Spanish Inquisition, for one. The rule of the Church thoughout the Middle Ages, for another. The rise of Islamic extremism, yet another. Nazi Germany, still another. Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

There is an element of truth in every thing you wrote; yet, it is not the complete story. There are at least the following mitigating factors to consider.

The Spanish Inquisition was a political tool of the Spanish monarchy; thus, institutionally separate from the Church in Rome. In many ways, it was not unlike the modern, political use of the IRS to intimidate high profile, "recalcitrant" citizens. While many were imprisoned, very few were actually tortured and executed. Of course, things like that – e.g., the coercive, intimidating use of government force and execution without a civil trial – don’t happen in our modern society today: except maybe in Waco and maybe perhaps at Ruby Ridge, etc.

The Nazis similarly used "religion" to enforce conformity. When priests and preachers spoke against the regime, their churches were closed and the men were imprisoned, executed or "disappeared". Read @ http://www.leics.gov.uk/the_nazi_master_plan.pdf

The Church inherited the “Roman Empire”, it didn’t conquer it and bring it down (unless you believe Gibbons - LOL). After Odoacer kicked down the gates of Rome in 476, the Roman Church was the only Roman institution left standing in Western Europe. Its hierarchy was modeled on Rome’s secular institutions; hence, it stood ready to rule – though weakly – in the absence of secular, imperial government.

During the intervening centuries, it provided charity to those in need. To a large degree, it helped preserve the knowledge from the ancient world, such as Plato and Aristotle. Christian philosophy is highly derivative of one the ancient world’s great scientists and philosophers: Aristotle.

Furthermore, the Church did not develop the geocentric theory of the universe that it dogmatically defended in the 17th century. The Church adopted that theory from another ancient man of learning: Ptolemy, who was a mathematician, astronomer and geographer. And Copernicus, the man credited with proving the heliocentric universe and overthrowing the Ptolemaic theory, was in the employ of the Church when he made his discoveries. The university in Poland where he studied was licensed by the Pope. While there, Copernicus studied Aristotle as preserved by the Church, and his principal teacher held a degree in theology.

So it wasn’t the Church that brought about the “perceived stagnation” of the Dark Ages. It was the absence of civil government (public works: roads, sewers and clean water) and public safety (rampant pillage, rape, murder and packs of highwaymen and medieval robber barons).

And here are two prominent atheists who charitably sought to provide equally for all by making all equal in misery . . . except for those who were in charge of redistributing the wealth –

Cults are cults, and all have the potential for more harm than good. Whether bronze age (or later iron age) myths from the middle east to the myth of AGW and marxism, there really isn't much difference. The goal is always the growth of the cult at the expense of others with threats of dire consequences if somebody doesn't step in line.

Socialism is every bit as much a religion as christianity or islam, and every bit as much BS.

You are right about Marx and Lenin, but they have a great number of Christian followers.

It's Lenin and 'Stalin', and no Christian to date has spilled blood so effusively as Stalin.

LOL! Yes, that was Stalin. Stalin and Lenin hated each other. And be careful what you say, we don't want to turn this into a contest. (Christians, you have killed as many as anyone else, don't get hasty.)