BS: The Atheist Delusion

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: Stringsinger
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 03:59 PM

It was originally a pagan holiday. The yule log comes from the burning of trees as a superstition to bring back the sun when it went down for the night. That's why we have christmas lights.

Mithras, the Persian sun god was born on the 25th of December of a virgin birth, according to superstitious legend. Jesus was not according to superstitious legend.

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: Stringsinger
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 04:05 PM

Oh BTW Merry Mithras.

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: GUEST,pete from seven stars link
Date: 04 Dec 10 - 01:12 PM

bah humbug!

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 04 Dec 10 - 06:19 PM

"bah humbug!" - great album. I used to keep a copy in van so I could play the first track whenever I reversed.

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: GUEST,pete from seven stars link
Date: 05 Dec 10 - 12:44 PM

dont know that album.i was referring to dickens "a christmas carol"
a little playful dig at christmas critics!
the mind boggles as to content of song!

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 05 Dec 10 - 05:27 PM

It came out a few years ago on Greentrax G2CD7007 - Tom Lehrer, Loudon Wainwright III, Eric Bogle to name a few. "A humorous alternative to other Christmas Albums!"

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: Ron Davies
Date: 06 Dec 10 - 10:16 PM

So we've established that not only is atheism the worst thing to ever happen to humanity--thanks to those stalwart atheists Hitler, Stalin, and Mao--but it has also not resulted in any cultural advances, much less cultural achievements.   Always excepting of course, the pinnacle of musical creation which is the body of Frank Zappa's work.

And on top of that, it doesn't even provide much in the way of humor.   Religion on the other hand, has been a wonderful and continuing source for humor.

I just heard yet another sterling contribution to the literature yesterday on Prairie Home Companion--also including Elvis Costello as the "wayward rector.", the Right Rev. Desmond McManness, DD, DVD, DDS, STD, OMG.

Set to a possibly recognizable tune:


I'm slow to anger
Don't covet or lust
No sins of pride, except sometimes I must
Episcopalian
Saving my love for you

The theology's easy
Liturgy too
Just stand up and kneel down, and do what the others do
Episcopalian
Saving my love for you
At St. Michael's we recycle
At St. Clement's we suck lemons
Morning dawns on great white swans on the lawns of St. John's

There's white folk and black
Gay and morose
Some male Anglo-Saxons
But we watch them pretty close
Episcopalian
Saving my love for you.

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: John P
Date: 07 Dec 10 - 09:19 AM

we've established . . . .

Ron, since everyone, everybody, all of us, on all sides of the religion question have disagreed with you in the strongest terms, I have to assume you are using the Royal We. That explains a lot.

Do you remember back about four cycles ago when I said that your habit is to make some unsupported comment, ignore all the rebuttals, and then come back a few days later with the same unsupported assertions, again ignoring all attempts to engage you in a conversation about it? Do you really like proving me right over and over?

Why aren't you embarrassed?

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: Smokey.
Date: 07 Dec 10 - 12:51 PM

Ron, your beliefs are your own business and we've all heard them now. Ad nauseam repetition is pointless.

For the record, although he was probably a genius I'm not fond of Zappa's music, but I recommend you listen to Shostakovich for an example of music composed by an atheist. The 4th symphony is a fairly accessible start. I don't suppose you will, though..

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: Amos
Date: 07 Dec 10 - 08:36 PM

An interesting study asks whether religious people are happier, and why. (Live Science Journal)

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: Smokey.
Date: 08 Dec 10 - 11:02 AM

It just shows how deluded they are :-)

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: Amos
Date: 08 Dec 10 - 11:13 AM

Ron:

I think you are misidentifying causes and correlations. Atheism is not the cause of human tragedies.

It does remove an arbitrary solution to the absurdist quandary of existentialism. But the absurdist quandary is not a big deal, and is simply solved by taking on responsibility as an individual for projecting one's preferred meanings on the world instead of snuffling around like a truffle-pig looking for one that someone else put there.

God is a verbal reflection.   

A

Subject: RE: BS: The Atheist Delusion
From: GUEST,pete from seven stars link
Date: 08 Dec 10 - 02:56 PM

interesting link amos.i was not sure if the study indicated that religious friendship was more fulfilling than other networks or not.i was a little surprised that the emphasis was friendship, as it would be belief in Gods acceptance of repentant sinners that would be more to the fore for myself.
perhaps a further study should be done on members of sceptic society or similar!