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chervilant

(8,267 posts)

84. hmm...

Sat Feb 18, 2012, 12:40 PM

Feb 2012

Despite my ability to 'see' how illogical are the various religious myths promulgated by our fearful and adolescent species (I used to think we humans were in our terrible twos, but have since come to believe we are in our "sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll" teens), I do believe there is a Creative Force in this Universe. My "spiritual" nature comes from my recognition of my integral role in this Creative Force, unbounded by my corporeal self (it would be some other Universe were I--or you or anyone else--not here). As an integral part of this Universe, I have a reverence for all aspects of it, including myself. When asked, I do acknowledge being a spiritual being, but I am quite clear that my understanding of "spiritual" is vastly different from my questioner's.

"From whence comes this inchoate part of me which forms thoughts, opinions, behaviors, preferences, etc.?" will always be a most provocative mystery...

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�We Are Stronger�: Atheists To Hold Massive Rally On National Mall Next Month [View all] Great Caesars Ghost Feb 2012 OP

I'm an atheist going on record to say I wish organized atheists wouldn't pull acts like this in blm Feb 2012 #1

Yep. nt onehandle Feb 2012 #2

Why not? Rob H. Feb 2012 #4

Indeed. Why not, blm? Auggie Feb 2012 #9

woot! SammyWinstonJack Feb 2012 #107

You forget... SkyDaddy7 Feb 2012 #148

When would those be? Fundraising never stops in DC any more. EFerrari Feb 2012 #7

Mimicking them doesn't jive in my book. blm Feb 2012 #14

I rather agree, blm. Two dumbs don't make a right. They are already paranoid. Its like poking a bomb roguevalley Feb 2012 #28

I don't understand. Being atheist is dumb? or a rally in the Mall is dumb? secondwind Feb 2012 #55

no. what I am saying probably poorly is that if you poke at a bomb and it blows up in your face roguevalley Feb 2012 #98

Yes, openly stating you exist is exactly the same as JoeyT Feb 2012 #37

Every year is an election year. Hissyspit Feb 2012 #8

Today. In our new, 24/7 news/hype/reponse cycle ... rapid response team Brettongarcia Feb 2012 #18

. rhett o rick Feb 2012 #74

Which other groups should be silent during election years? NAO Feb 2012 #11

I agree completely nt Rob H. Feb 2012 #20

+1000 Canuckistanian Feb 2012 #29

Taking the message to the streets FrodosPet Feb 2012 #32

This message was self-deleted by its author FrodosPet Feb 2012 #34

+1 libmom74 Feb 2012 #54

Well said. I'd like to add, I dont think it is right to ask any group rhett o rick Feb 2012 #77

What act? ChadwickHenryWard Feb 2012 #12

Brilliant for once. Brettongarcia Feb 2012 #19

This Great, I'm tired of being Ignored by my Leaders bahrbearian Feb 2012 #22

OK! Say I'm your leader. I'm here for you. What do you want? Brettongarcia Feb 2012 #25

The right to decide for myself when and on what terms I become a parent. wickerwoman Feb 2012 #42

+ a gazillion chervilant Feb 2012 #81

Come over to Europe ... Nihil Feb 2012 #118

Would do, but I'm already in New Zealand. wickerwoman Feb 2012 #140

Ah, also a good choice! Nihil Feb 2012 #152

I agree, i don't get it at all and have no interest in it, it would be different JI7 Feb 2012 #41

Why not? nt Deep13 Feb 2012 #48

As a self described atheist........ HowHeThinks Feb 2012 #58

hmm... chervilant Feb 2012 #84

Atheism vs. separation of church and state primavera Feb 2012 #102

IMHO chervilant Feb 2012 #143

I am disappointed in this post. Not because of your opinion but because you rhett o rick Feb 2012 #78

I keep it to my self. I get why people do religion and don't care what they believe till it's shoved blm Feb 2012 #91

I understand. But speaking up for oneself is important. rhett o rick Feb 2012 #95

This is not arganized atheism, its organized REASON. cleanhippie Feb 2012 #131

I agree. Gives people who say Atheism is a religion something to point at. bamacrat Feb 2012 #142

They don't need an excuse or a reason to do that DavidDvorkin Feb 2012 #144

or in the 2 years leading up to the election... BiggJawn Feb 2012 #154

WHY NOT? Taverner Feb 2012 #155

Really, legislative equality for what? Obamacare Feb 2012 #3

Recognition as an organized religion? onehandle Feb 2012 #5

Is all "success" religion? Brettongarcia Feb 2012 #23

From reasonrally.org Rob H. Feb 2012 #6

Sure! Probably 80% of Americans are already largely secular; whether they know it or not Brettongarcia Feb 2012 #26

How do you feel about the OP? nm rhett o rick Feb 2012 #72

Hard to take you seriously when you just drop a turd and run. Tell me I am wrong rhett o rick Feb 2012 #97

Did you know that in some states JNelson6563 Feb 2012 #141

Funny how in this nation of "freedom of speech" Fearless Feb 2012 #10

Not the point. I don't think organized anti-religion is the cure for organized religion and it blm Feb 2012 #13

Good/God point. But? As an intermediary step? With some respect to tradition? Brettongarcia Feb 2012 #15

Does organized religion need a cure? Sounds too much like a certain guy from WW2. Kurmudgeon Feb 2012 #30

Yes, the oppression Christians face in this country is absolutely overwhelming. JoeyT Feb 2012 #39

Freedom OF Religion, not for. Major Nikon Feb 2012 #49

Whoever predicted 30 posts in the Godwin's Law pool, you've won Rob H. Feb 2012 #69

I think you misunderstood. He wasnt suggesting organized religion needed a cure. rhett o rick Feb 2012 #80

Looking at guys like Rick Santorum, I'm beginning to think it does primavera Feb 2012 #108

Hahahaha! Says the guy who advocates for a Theocracy. cleanhippie Feb 2012 #136

It isn't 'organized anti-religion'. AtheistCrusader Feb 2012 #33

Organized atheism is generally perceived as anti-religious, and that POV humblebum Feb 2012 #35

I don't care how it's perceived, when the flaw is with the people making the assessment. AtheistCrusader Feb 2012 #38

Yes, you exist. You have rights and you have value as a human being. humblebum Feb 2012 #43

The "several prominent atheists" you referred to range from atheists to anti-theists and not a damn AtheistCrusader Feb 2012 #44

I'm sure they don't speak for all atheists, but they are responsible for the perceptions humblebum Feb 2012 #46

What?!? chervilant Feb 2012 #89

Like I said, good luck with that. nt humblebum Feb 2012 #111

Classic... chervilant Feb 2012 #134

And with folks like you who perpetuate the bullshit, we need all the luck we can get. cleanhippie Feb 2012 #114

So by that logic, organized religion must be anti-athiest Major Nikon Feb 2012 #53

You mean to say that organized religion is anti-non-belief? Boy, that's humblebum Feb 2012 #56

No, I wrote what I meant to say Major Nikon Feb 2012 #61

Yes, you wrote just what I was thinking. But, of course, the poor, lib_wit_it Feb 2012 #65

Good. then we are agreed. Organized atheism is anti-religious. Nice talkin' to ya.nt humblebum Feb 2012 #106

If you think I agreed with you, your comprehension skills must be severely lacking Major Nikon Feb 2012 #109

Agree or not, I specified ORGANIZED atheism, not humblebum Feb 2012 #110

They ridicule and condemn the adverse actions of organized religion. Big difference. Major Nikon Feb 2012 #112

No. As a matter of fact, they do condemn and ridicule religion, and religious belief, as well. And humblebum Feb 2012 #113

So what would those "adverse actions" be? Major Nikon Feb 2012 #122

Only in the way that ORGANIZED religion actively ridicule and condemn non-belief. cleanhippie Feb 2012 #117

Post removed Post removed Feb 2012 #119

BTW, organized atheism has a history of humblebum Feb 2012 #121

Really? Major Nikon Feb 2012 #123

History usually indicates something past, but that can be used as an indicator humblebum Feb 2012 #124

Hogwash Major Nikon Feb 2012 #125

+1000000 cleanhippie Feb 2012 #129

Major, it's not hogwash, it's bullshit. cleanhippie Feb 2012 #130

Right, the number killed in the name of religion is far greater. cleanhippie Feb 2012 #128

Yeah, much bigger than oppressing minorities and building a theocracy. cleanhippie Feb 2012 #127

No, I don't realize that. I don't distrust people without them giving me reason to. Kurmudgeon Feb 2012 #36

As long as shit like this keeps coming up AtheistCrusader Feb 2012 #40

Surely, this rally pisses off the right people. 2ndAmForComputers Feb 2012 #45

In an election year, a very bad idea. I would expect Obama to distance himself humblebum Feb 2012 #57

That's the point. HowHeThinks Feb 2012 #59

Hell, yeah! 'And just when IS a "good time" to broach the subject?' Joseph8th Feb 2012 #60

"20% of the population" - doubtful. Reliable sources please.nt humblebum Feb 2012 #105

Lookie there, more evasion of the point. cleanhippie Feb 2012 #115

You might want to consider displaying something other than humblebum Feb 2012 #120

I find your attitude to be so dishearteningly power-slaving that it borders on dehumanisation stockholmer Feb 2012 #103

Oh, nice one. Crusades. Yeah, you really got us there. And don't tell us to "control" ourselves. lib_wit_it Feb 2012 #66

Atheism is not anti-religion. Fearless Feb 2012 #47

Unfortunately, that's rarely the case. And that is just one of the reasons I am anti-religion. Not lib_wit_it Feb 2012 #68

I think some have different definitions of "anti-religious". You say you are not rhett o rick Feb 2012 #76

I agree. Fearless Feb 2012 #87

Then why do atheists let the anti-religious become their spokesmen. Leontius Feb 2012 #101

People like Hitchens crave the media ... the media crave people like Hitchens .... SomeGuyInEagan Feb 2012 #116

Well, we won't be "mimicking" them skepticscott Feb 2012 #62

Its not ANTI-RELIGION. FFS, man, get a grip. cleanhippie Feb 2012 #135

this is a political rally RainDog Feb 2012 #147

I love the name, Reason Rally. eyewall Feb 2012 #16

Heck, I'm in love with Reason. Is that wrong? Brettongarcia Feb 2012 #17

Reason is never wrong, eyewall Feb 2012 #31

legislative equality? madrchsod Feb 2012 #21

Any that gives preference to religious views and people dmallind Feb 2012 #63

I don't believe it'll happen. RUMMYisFROSTED Feb 2012 #24

The mere fact that a group is discussing it, means it is happening far more than in the past Brettongarcia Feb 2012 #27

I'm opposed to atheism being pushed like a belief system bhikkhu Feb 2012 #50

It's called the Reason Rally.....for a reason. dmallind Feb 2012 #64

Lack of belief? I believe in plenty of things. Just not some made up man in the sky who hates fags. lib_wit_it Feb 2012 #70

I hear you. randome Feb 2012 #94

It's not about believing in not believing, it's about believing in not being oppressed. Scuba Feb 2012 #100

Me too. Let me know when you see that happening. cleanhippie Feb 2012 #137

Probably true - just the way the media puts it bhikkhu Feb 2012 #139

I'm not an atheist, but I support this. Eom tavalon Feb 2012 #51

Richard Dawkins, James Randi, Bad Religion, Dan Barker, Cristina Rad Adenoid_Hynkel Feb 2012 #52

I love Christina Rad's videos stockholmer Feb 2012 #104

Since many are ruled by groupthink, it's impt. to let others know snot Feb 2012 #67

It's about fucking time! pscot Feb 2012 #71

I'm so much of an atheist... sofa king Feb 2012 #73

God bless Atheists. rhett o rick Feb 2012 #79

That would sting more if you were real. sofa king Feb 2012 #82

Did not intend it to "sting" at all. It was intended to be a light-hearted rhett o rick Feb 2012 #96

I'm sorry! sofa king Feb 2012 #145

Ok I get it. A little slow on this end. And I wish Pres Obama would kick rhett o rick Feb 2012 #146

well, I thought you were both joking RainDog Feb 2012 #149

Call it the "Million Mind March" Sabriel Feb 2012 #75

Great Post for discussion on the Topic of Atheism fascisthunter Feb 2012 #83

They "encourage participants to claim their identity". randome Feb 2012 #85

Huh? Skeeve Feb 2012 #88

Huh? randome Feb 2012 #90

Damn, I wish I still lived in Southern Maryland! kdmorris Feb 2012 #86

Atheists and agnostics score higher in knowledge of world religions than "believers" KansDem Feb 2012 #92

I support the recognition of atheist Gringostan Feb 2012 #93

Um? American Atheists, a non-profit with tax breaks.nt humblebum Feb 2012 #126

Non-profit is not the same as 501(c) Major Nikon Feb 2012 #133

Not a RELIGIOUS non-profit, an EDUCATIONAL non-prophet. cleanhippie Feb 2012 #138

I'll be there in spirit. Oh, wait. Scuba Feb 2012 #99

I kinda hope those that are trying to convince atheists not to organize BootinUp Feb 2012 #132

Wish I could be there Onceuponalife Feb 2012 #150

Let's pray for good weather. Bucky Feb 2012 #151

We're booked and going. RussBLib Feb 2012 #153