A Open Letter To All Volconvo Members

[Agent007]

Is it a public service, starboy? I think that it is simply your personal reassurance of your own beliefs--or disbeliefs, for that matter. You always try to preserve your own ontology and not be moved by the proselytizing efforts, no matter how subtle, of others.

[trixmix]

All I can say is that, God isn't a topic that is up for discussion with me.

In regards to religion, I personally feel that 'to each his own'...I don't regularly attend church, but I have a personal relationship with something or someone higher up than me, whom I choose to call God...
I have experienced too many things in my lifetime, that can only be explained as an existance of some sort of higher power or creator...so to speak.

Without preaching or trying to convert anyone, I feel bad for anyone who has to go through life believing that the reason we are even on this earth is due to some sort of scientific fluke...
To me, it's harder to grasp a nonexistance of God...than it is to believe in God.

[Starboy]

Quote by: Agent007 Is it a public service, starboy? I think that it is simply your personal reassurance of your own beliefs--or disbeliefs, for that matter. You always try to preserve your own ontology and not be moved by the proselytizing efforts, no matter how subtle, of others.

You can believe any dang thing you want. But when you think that your religious views should have more credence than any other religious view or no religious view at all then you have crossed the line. At the end of the day your supernatural take on reality has no more basis then that of a voodoo witchdoctor.

Starboy

[The Analog Kid]

Hey if it makes you happy to lump atheists and humanists together then have at it, but then you should not mind if I lump you in with assholes.

Ah yes. Starboy, once again, raising the level of discourse here at Volconvo.

You are way out in the deep end. Next thing you are going to tell me is that humanists are putting fluorine in our drinking water.

I suppose this kind of blather is all you have left.

Where do you live? On the moon? Stem cell research Gay marriage Teaching evolution in the schools Censorship of TV, newspapers, radio, school books in libraries Lobbying congress to pass laws respecting religion in direct violation of the first amendment. Bush's religious test for Judges, also in direct violation of the constitution. Christians holding public office using religious test for appointees. Christians demanding that public money be used for faith based initiatives Government sanctioned national day of prayer

These are weak arguments, many are just plain false as you have no understanding of the first amendment. Point out where anyone has stated that they hold these positions because God told them to hold that position.
In fact, you will find that most will argue for these positions without any mention of God.

What re-education seminars are you talking about?

I guess you've never worked in an office or for a large corporation.
You've never heard of "sensitivity training"?

You don't get it.

Yes, I do.

Our freedoms are not up for a vote. That is the difference between a republic and a democracy. If no one is forcing you to marry a gay or have an abortion then it is none of your dang business. But if you want to establish the precedent that the majority gets to define who is free to do what then if I were you I would be very careful about that. If Christians keep up their asshole ways they will not be in the majority for long and then the shoe will be on the other foot.

How little you, yourself understand the workings of our government. We elect representatives to represent our views. As it stands now in our republic, an overwhelming majority of elected representatives reflect the populaces' views on how marriage should be defined. A republic still represents the views of the majority. The difference is that each citizen is using a representative to cast his or her vote rather than directly voting on each issue independenly. Of course, there are elements of direct democracy in our nation. Every time there is a ballot initiative we are using direct democracy. In many cases the outcome has been good and beneficial.

The state has every right to legislate conditions on the laws it passes as it is their job to create legislation that leads to the benefit and the health of our society. Or do you believe that having the minimum age to receive a is wrong and discrminatory as well?

The legislation can then be challenged for Constitutional legality. This is where it gets tricky. In recent years liberal activist judges have begun going by this "living breathing constitution", reading into it things that just do not exist. For example, the Constitution is silent on same sex marriage. It says nothing for or nothing against. That means the issue should be settled via the legislative process and not by courts.
If you are the true advocate of the Constitution you claim yourself to be, then you must acknowledge this fact and you must also be against courts making decisions on things it has absolutely no business deciding.

That was the point. Do not believe me. Look it up. There is a whole lot more if you just take the time to look. You do not have to be an ignorant superstitious bigot all your life. You can do something about it. You can educate yourself.

You didn't address the issue.
Let me repeat it.

You see, using the courts is definetly "forcing". Leftists want to remove these decisions from the voters and leave them up to a few justices to decide, hence "imposing" their view upon us. That is the only way the left will get gay marriage enacted in the US.

It's the left that wants to remove the most important issues of the day from the legislative process and allow a few judges to make these decisions for us.
This is not the mark of a democracy or a republic.

That is where most people are confused. It is not as if our government as it is currently constituted and run has much of anything to do with the form of government that is outlined in the constitution. And that is taking into account that the current administration is "conservative" as well as both houses. Up until the turn of the eighteenth century for all intents and purposes we had a very secular government. And it was fine with everyone. The power grab by Christians is a recent phenomenon. But do not believe me. Go find out for yourself.

Nonsense. The nation is becoming more and more secular. Look at all the court rulings of the past 50 years.

So god is not your lord?

You need to prove I am his slave.

For some reason you think that I am a liberal. I think that both the liberals and the conservatives are a bunch of morons. They have historically worked together to undermine our rights and the constitution.

Whatever. You are displaying the thoughts of an extreme leftist.

Equal treatment under the law. Not respecting the values of a particular religion as a guide for making laws.

I asked you which rights. Pay attention.

Hey I was being nice.

Obviously not.

[Starboy]

Quote by: The Analog Kid Ah yes. Starboy, once again, raising the level of discourse here at Volconvo.

Let me see. I have told you several times now that I do not consider myself to be a humanist. I have pointed out to you that humanist are an even smaller part of our society than atheists but for some reason you insist that I am one. And you think this represents a high level of civility?

I am done with you. Sean can handle you.

Starboy

[Gorgo]

Quote by: trixmix Without preaching or trying to convert anyone, I feel bad for anyone who has to go through life believing that the reason we are even on this earth is due to some sort of scientific fluke... To me, it's harder to grasp a nonexistance of God...than it is to believe in God.

This is what I've been saying. You don't want to be a fluke, you want to be more important than that. You think a fluke isn't worth very much, so you need to create a world that gives your life worth. So, you create gods and demons and such. Not speaking of you in particular, just speaking in general of the need for the supernatural world view. It's about self-worth and self-worth doesn't exist. That is, it's irrelevant unless you think you don't have it. There is no one or nothing outside of you that you're going to get it from.

[MerlinsByte]

Let me see. I have told you several times now that I do not consider myself to be a humanist. I have pointed out to you that humanist are an even smaller part of our society than atheists but for some reason you insist that I am one. And you think this represents a high level of civility?I am done with you. Sean can handle you.

Well, I never! My wrist just got taped to my forehead! STARBOY! I wasn't trying to insult you it was my (wrong)? opinion that a secular humanist was on par with an atheist. Would it hurt your feelings if I just called you secular? And when insinuating an implied insult could you give me the post that you claim to be harmed in? Puleleeeeeeeaseee?

mb
ps.... about the time I regain my Civility (after an attack by the usual suspects) and try to patch things up and apologize for my bad behavior (read the original thread "an open letter to all volcano members) where I apologized to you and everyone else in this forum where have you said you are sorry for the venomous filth that you spew out on a regular basis?

[MerlinsByte]

This is what I've been saying. You don't want to be a fluke, you want to be more important than that. You think a fluke isn't worth very much, so you need to create a world that gives your life worth. So, you create gods and demons and such. Not speaking of you in particular, just speaking in general of the need for the supernatural world view. It's about self-worth and self-worth doesn't exist. That is, it's irrelevant unless you think you don't have it. There is no one or nothing outside of you that you're going to get it from.

Merlin writes...No, no, NO! pooey you miss the point every dang time. Some people (scientists, lay people, god people, etc etc) see the world as too complex to just happen. They see life as too complicated to arise from chemicals. They see sentiency (self awareness) as something that is too beautiful to "evolved." They (the religious) are right, you, and the other atheists (starboy) and secular God hating people are wrong. Its as simple as that.

mb

[The Analog Kid]

Quote by: Starboy Let me see. I have told you several times now that I do not consider myself to be a humanist. I have pointed out to you that humanist are an even smaller part of our society than atheists but for some reason you insist that I am one. And you think this represents a high level of civility? I am done with you. Sean can handle you. Starboy

Copping out. Weak Starboy.

As far as equating atheists with humanists, that hardly compares to directly being called an asshole.

[Gorgo]

Quote by: MerlinsByte They (the religious) are right, you, and the other atheists (starboy) and secular God hating people are wrong. Its as simple as that.

That wasn't pooey. I don't know any god-hating people. There would have to be some evidence of a god to hate it.