i am an atheist

[Cronky]

MOTHER OF PEARL!!!

Clever

[CurdyMilk]

Since you guys are arguing over nothing right now I am just gonna talk...

I never try and bring up religion because I am heavily outnumbered, but if it is brought up, I will force my point upon people. If they want to talk about it then I will almost assuredly win the discussion.

My belief is that when people, or at least most people, realize that science > religion, the world will be a better place.

I have a question for you.  What is the source and meaning of human personality?  Can you think of a way of deriving personality from non-personal sources?  The impersonal view throws this up by chance out of time sequence.  This may be veiled by connotation words, but it makes no difference.  The secular shift from mass to energy or motion- all eventually come back to the impersonal, plus time, plus chance.  If this is really the only answer to manââ,¬â,,¢s personality, then personality is no more than an illusion, a kind of sick joke which no amount of semantic juggling will alter.  Only some form of mystical jump will allow us to accept that personality comes from impersonality.  The answer is only a mystical answer of words from metaphysical magicians.  No one has presented an idea, let alone demonstrated it to be feasible, to explain how the impersonal beginning, plus time, plus chance, can give personality.  Personality has appeared out of the hat?  Either the thinker must say man is dead, because personality is a mirage, or else he must hang his reason on a hook outside the door.  If man has been kicked up by chance out of what is only impersonal, then those things that make him man- hope of purpose and significance, love, motions of morality and rationality, beauty and verbal communication- are ultimately unfillable and are thus meaningless.  Hmmmmmââ,¬Â¦Ã¢â,¬Â¦..

[Cronky]

Is that taken from somewhere?

Sound way too... Good. To be made up on the spot ;)

Can almost swear that I've heard it before...

[Farley4Fan]

Yeah I wrote that.

[Ion.67]

I didn't try and read it sorz

[CurdyMilk]

Is that taken from somewhere?

Sound way too... Good. To be made up on the spot ;)

Can almost swear that I've heard it before...

Yes, I took it from somewhere.  Actually, I was reading the book where it was from, and I combined a few sections into one thought.  I figured I would not say where it was from because nobody would care anyway, but I'm glad you asked  :P.  It is from Francis Schaeffer's book called A God Who Is There.   You can buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Francis-Schaeffer-Trilogy-Three-Essential/dp/0891075615  I highly recommend this book, but I would suggest reading CS Lewis's Mere Christianity first.  http://www.amazon.com/Mere-Christianity-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060652926  Now, before anyone grows in skepticism to this, let me just say that they are good reads for anyone.  They incur profound thought in the reader by starting with the simplest things and slowing expanding.  Now, you might just say that I have been brainwashed by this.  However, I have read sections from books of all standpoints even if I do not initially agree with their views because I want to see the thinking process of various people and how they develop their ideas.  It is quite interesting, and it really helps a person identify what they truly believe by investigating all aspects.

I didn't try and read it sorz

Didn't try to read it?  Hmmm...You have read every other thing I post but for some reason you have not read this one?  This seems quite odd...I guess this must just be a coincidence huh?

[Ion.67]

I didn't want to take the time to try and understand 3/4 of those words. I doubt you even know what it means. Maybe even separate it into separate thoughts? Then I will try.

[tigaer]

I didn't want to take the time to try and understand 3/4 of those words. I doubt you even know what it means. Maybe even separate it into separate thoughts? Then I will try.

The only words I couldn't understand were connotation and metaphysical. Everything else is just basic vocab. How old are you?

[Ion.67]

I didn't want to take the time to try and understand 3/4 of those words. I doubt you even know what it means. Maybe even separate it into separate thoughts? Then I will try.

The only words I couldn't understand were connotation and metaphysical. Everything else is just basic vocab. How old are you?

Let me rephrase: He copied that from a book that was in different parts. The idea doesn't make sense. I don't know what it is asking when it talks about deriving personality form non-personal sources. Sorry for not comprehending.

[Cronky]

I didn't want to take the time to try and understand 3/4 of those words. I doubt you even know what it means. Maybe even separate it into separate thoughts? Then I will try.

The only words I couldn't understand were connotation and metaphysical. Everything else is just basic vocab. How old are you?

Let me rephrase: He copied that from a book that was in different parts. The idea doesn't make sense. I don't know what it is asking when it talks about deriving personality form non-personal sources. Sorry for not comprehending.

What I got out of it is that our personalities aren't explained by science. Why we are what we are. Why we do what we do aside from acts of basic instincts. That there is no chemical formula that makes someone an asshole, or a nice guy. So to that extent you have to open your mind to less rational answers. If we were indeed made by a "Higher Being" then it would make sense of this discrepancy in our own selves. Though that is still a big IF, which just simply has yet to be explained in all our years of living.

An "Answer" to the question first stated. Placeholder for the real answer, or not. It is still an answer to some.

[Ion.67]

Some dogs are nice. Some are mean. Some like people. Some hate people. That all happens within the same breed of dog.... wouldn't that be the same thing?

[Savior20061]

They would take extremely valuable items and stones and use them in burials. Imagine better uses for items like this, and imagine what it would equate to if this happened today.

no dude

not the valuable stones


nooooooooooooooo

No! The Black Rock of Doom! It must not fall into their hands! I must retrieve it, I will need a party.
*looks around*
*looks at Minsc*
*approaches Minsc*
*Boo hides under Minsc's vest*

"Yo Minsc how abouts ya come wit meh and grab that artifact? Ya cant? Fer a woman?
She pretty? Yea lets go grab her and then we move on for the rock, rite?"

*they move out*

OMG! Why does have to be a BLACK rock? Racist......
But seriously, I don't think any of this is necessary. People are becoming increasingly secular or atheistic and soon the Christian right culture warriors will have something real to bitch about. Christianity, Judaism Islam will be considered with the same credibility as Zeus and Minerva coming out of his head. And the best part is, us atheists don't have to do a damn thing. Just let the Jesusfreak fundies scare more children from their church.
In the meantime, just let people believe what they want. As long as they don't hurt anybody, who gives a shit?

[CurdyMilk]

I didn't want to take the time to try and understand 3/4 of those words. I doubt you even know what it means. Maybe even separate it into separate thoughts? Then I will try.

The only words I couldn't understand were connotation and metaphysical. Everything else is just basic vocab. How old are you?

Let me rephrase: He copied that from a book that was in different parts. The idea doesn't make sense. I don't know what it is asking when it talks about deriving personality form non-personal sources. Sorry for not comprehending.

If I can remember right from a few pages back, you said that you had a high IQ, so I thought you would be able to comprehend the semi-complex writing...But anyway...Yes, Cronky has the gist of the idea.  If one claims that man has happened out of basically nothing along with time and chance (which are impersonal things), how has man developed the qualities that make him man such as various personalities, feelings, and character traits that make him unique?  If it true that man has come from the impersonal, then personality is merely and illusion and therefore dead and meaningless.   

[Ion.67]

Maybe part of the reason your posts don't make sense is that your sentences are grammatically incorrect and feature numerous errors? I already explained my thoughts on the topic regardless of your ability of typing.

[Savior20061]

I didn't want to take the time to try and understand 3/4 of those words. I doubt you even know what it means. Maybe even separate it into separate thoughts? Then I will try.

The only words I couldn't understand were connotation and metaphysical. Everything else is just basic vocab. How old are you?

Let me rephrase: He copied that from a book that was in different parts. The idea doesn't make sense. I don't know what it is asking when it talks about deriving personality form non-personal sources. Sorry for not comprehending.

If I can remember right from a few pages back, you said that you had a high IQ, so I thought you would be able to comprehend the semi-complex writing...But anyway...Yes, Cronky has the gist of the idea.  If one claims that man has happened out of basically nothing along with time and chance (which are impersonal things), how has man developed the qualities that make him man such as various personalities, feelings, and character traits that make him unique?  If it true that man has come from the impersonal, then personality is merely and illusion and therefore dead and meaningless.   

I don't know how you arrive with that conclusion. Why would an impersonal origin negate the apparent differences in people's personalities. Why would it become "dead" (nonexistent?) and "meaningless" (unconsequental?). I have to ask because I've debated many creationists/Jesusfreaks/Biblehumpers, not saying you are one. But you all seem to have the same mindset. That if there wasn't a Creator, then nothing ever matters and there is no meaning. Why does everyone always have to look for a fucking all-in-one meaning? Why can't people just live out their lives and scratch together some meaning as they go along?