checkmate

The natural goals of such a society can only be greed, might and power.

So atheistic civilizations are all mirrors of the Republican Party?

7/5/2012 2:28:36 PM

Old Viking

You should be nervous with only one god. Polytheism vastly increases the chances of choosing the right power.

7/5/2012 3:37:41 PM

raindrops

The guy who tried to kill his son because his "god" told him to, and we are the crazy ones?

7/5/2012 4:28:45 PM

Philbert McAdamia

@Mystik Spiral
Nobody needs an imaginary friend to know the difference between right and wrong.

They have their secret pal, and still don't know.

-----------

@Nicole
For the record, the Bible's claims that pagans actually and literally worshiped statues is dead wrong. They didn't believe these statues were actually their gods any more than you believe a photograph of your relative is your relative.

I've always wondered about the Golden Calf story - and compared to the churches full of stautues of saints, Jesi, gold crosses, stained glass windows and the other expensive paraphernalia...
But, of course, that's different.

7/5/2012 4:51:59 PM

myheadhurts

and yet the OT people kept whoring around with other deities

7/5/2012 7:03:59 PM

Raised by Horses

@Old Viking

Aye, some of these deities can be mighty vengeful, especially Lord Vengeance McSmite-em-all.

7/5/2012 10:03:17 PM

Morals are fluid and subject to change. This does not depend on the religious views of the society. Certainly, advancement can be crippled by arbitrary prejudices due to religion, but it continues nevertheless.

7/6/2012 7:02:07 AM

John_in_Oz

This is the first time I've heard 'worse' defined as 'more accurate'.

7/6/2012 1:31:44 PM

tmarcl

In an atheistic civilization, morals are intrinsically fluid, and subject to change.

Actually, if you read your bible, you'll find that morals are just as fluid. Don't murder, except in certain situations. Don't lie, except in certain situations, etc. The difference between theists and atheists is that we admit it.

The natural goals of such a society can only be greed, might and power. It is survival of the fittest. He who owns the most, and controls the most, wins!

That's why here in the US, we have what's known as the "prosperity" gospel, taught mainly by fundamentalist Christians. Republicans and Tea-Partiers routinely support no restrictions on businesses, no taxes for the rich (well, Tea Partiers want no taxes whatsoever), as well as no help for those on the low end of the social spectrum. Both of these groups claim Christianity, not atheism as their driving motivation.

Atheism is worse than idol worship. Idol worship is polytheism, the belief in many powers.

No. Idol worship is the worship of an object, either as a symbol of a deity (like say, a cross), or as the deity itself. Polytheism is the belief in many gods, but does not require idol worship, nor does idol worship require polytheism.

It is possible to progress from many gods to belief in one God. The prime example is Abraham. Originally an idol worshipper, he eventually came to the knowledge that there can be only one true Power.

Actually, that's not a bad way to look at it. Well done.

The road from many powers to one power is relatively short, since the individual accepts in principle that there is something directing the universe.

People are not as fickle as you believe them to be. Changing one's beliefs takes time. If someone truly went from believing in multiple deities to only one deity overnight, I'd say they were either lying, or extremely gullible.

7/10/2012 7:01:50 AM

tmarcl

@Philbert McAdamia

I've always wondered about the Golden Calf story - and compared to the churches full of stautues of saints, Jesi, gold crosses, stained glass windows and the other expensive paraphernalia...
But, of course, that's different.

Keep in mind that most modern Christian fundies already consider those things to be equally idolatrous. Pointing it out to them would be meaningless to them.

7/10/2012 7:06:00 AM

Seeker Lancer

Yeah I bet you share the exact same morals as the writers of the bible. Spoilers, you don't.

7/31/2012 5:43:32 PM