Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Quick Rant mid 2013
Recently I have returned to twitter and you tube to follow what’s going on. And again I get frustrated by idiots.
Why is it religious people are so quick to tell you they love Jesus, and Jesus loves you etc... and generally carry on the bullshit over prayer this and prayer that…..Yet!!! the moment you settle in to challenge them they hit the block button? No they are not closed minded.
It must really annoy the religious people in my workplace and family that they don’t have a “Block” button for real life. While I don’t go looking for arguments about religion I don’t shy away if raised.
Many do just shut down when challenged, don’t want to talk about it and walk away.
One of the annoying things about me is I am not just interested in arguing religion from a theological stand point, I also enjoy learning about the history of religion, the roots of their faith, often knowing more than them.
I remember the complete horror on the face of an Assembly of God follower when I explained that Yahweh (His God) and Allah where the same god. I had to use his bible to show him.
Also my other favorite with the bible is the topic of other gods, many claim theirs is the only god, yet the bible clearly states that their god believed in other gods.
Oh well rant over.
AK
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Welcome to 2013
So, we survived Dec 21st, I think we were all expecting that.
Just thought I would do a quick blog update, It seems 2012 must have been a quiet year for me, as no posts. I will try and make this a different year, I have a number of Atheist issues and topics I want to hit on.
One of the issues is journos who are quick to call "Bull Shit" on governments, local councils, business etc.. but are also out in their devotion to Jesus and religion, how is it these people can take a critical look at the government’s economic policy, social policy what their local big business are up to, yet at the same time sing the praises of a serial mass murderer. I am sure they do not see their god in the same light I do, but that is my issue, have they actually bothered to read the policies of the god they choose to follow?
State funded religious schools is something I also want to look at, Wanganui Collegiate School has joined the ranks of state funded religious schools, but is it faith based? Is it fair to publicly fund a school that is not actually need by the state education system, the area is already well catered for with public schools.
I will also cover the "Bible in Schools" issue that is currently finding headline thanks to NZARH and the face book group https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/KeepReligionOutOfSchoolNZ
I also want to talk about Christian Camps and their impact on NZ Culture, I had the displeasure of finding myself in one recently, I was only there for a few minutes, but the place felt sinister.
Ok, well better get back to work, break over.
Just thought I would do a quick blog update, It seems 2012 must have been a quiet year for me, as no posts. I will try and make this a different year, I have a number of Atheist issues and topics I want to hit on.
One of the issues is journos who are quick to call "Bull Shit" on governments, local councils, business etc.. but are also out in their devotion to Jesus and religion, how is it these people can take a critical look at the government’s economic policy, social policy what their local big business are up to, yet at the same time sing the praises of a serial mass murderer. I am sure they do not see their god in the same light I do, but that is my issue, have they actually bothered to read the policies of the god they choose to follow?
State funded religious schools is something I also want to look at, Wanganui Collegiate School has joined the ranks of state funded religious schools, but is it faith based? Is it fair to publicly fund a school that is not actually need by the state education system, the area is already well catered for with public schools.
I will also cover the "Bible in Schools" issue that is currently finding headline thanks to NZARH and the face book group https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/KeepReligionOutOfSchoolNZ
I also want to talk about Christian Camps and their impact on NZ Culture, I had the displeasure of finding myself in one recently, I was only there for a few minutes, but the place felt sinister.
Ok, well better get back to work, break over.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Tapu Misa's Herald rant in review (23 May 2011)
Origanl Article from the NZ Herald.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10727378
I pulled apart a Garth George article a few months back, now it's Tapu Misa's turn. Why do Christians think that just because they put it in print it must be true.
My Comments in Italics
Tapu Misa writes that the agnostic PM's support is at risk as the Budget makes Government priorities crystal clear.
Some Christians I know who voted for National in the last election because they liked the look of John Key and disliked Helen Clark and her godless gay-loving feminist anti-smacking family-unfriendly Labour Party have changed their minds.
Tapu has said Family Un-freindly with out explaining, she was correct on the other points, but then throws this in, this is standard tactic that if you use some true facts, you can sneak in a false one
A few were under the impression that Key was a believer. He isn't (unless he's undergone a recent conversion), but it was an easy mistake to make given that Key was said to attend church regularly, had been endorsed by a couple of popular Christians (Michael Jones and Va'aiga Tuigamala), and was hard to pin down on the subject.
For example, he'd told one journalist in 2006: "If you're asking me if I'm religious it depends how you define religion. I look at religion as doing the right thing ... I go to church a lot with the kids, but I wouldn't describe it as something that I ... I'm not a heavy believer; my mother was Jewish which technically makes me Jewish ... I probably see it in a slightly more relaxed way."
Which is a very roundabout way of saying Key is an agnostic.
But it's easy to see why he was the darling of conservative Christians. Unlike Don Brash, who'd left two broken families in his wake, and Helen Clark who, despite her own solid marriage, was seen to stand for a raft of supposedly anti-family social policies, including the legalisation of prostitution, civil unions and Sue Bradford's child discipline law, Key was seen as the embodiment of family values: he was a devoted husband and father who had voted against the civil union bill.
Sorry Tapu, prostitution, civil unions, and anti smacking is not anti-family. It may be in your Christian opinion, but really it is not.
And even if he wasn't a Christian, as National Party member and Catholic Terry Dunleavy told the Sunday Star-Times in 2007, "I believe John Key in his life and his values reflects much more openly and strongly the Christian values that I hold. He's still married to the same woman. There's no question about his morality or his dedication to family life."
I am not sure what having the same wife has to with anything, it is well known that non-believers have the lowest devorce rates in the US, and I am results would be similar here in NZ
But is the love affair over? Weeks after getting so much love at Christian music festival Parachute this year, Key was pictured at the Big Gay Out, arm in arm with a semi-naked (male) organiser, talking of the possible return of an annual gay and lesbian mardi gras many thought they'd seen the last of 10 years ago when the debt-ridden Hero parade was cancelled. It felt like betrayal for some.
He is a politician, he will grovel up to anyone.
The Christian family is a very broad church, and I've never understood the preoccupation with homosexuality.
A mark in your favour Tapu. Great Stuff, except in your Bible God calls Homosexuality and abomination, so that could explain the Christian preoccupation with homosexuality.
Last month, the Young Conservatives of America urged other conservatives to stop using the word "gay", which they described as "a left-wing socio-political construct designed to create grounds for fundamental rights [based on] whimsical capricious desires". They favoured a return to words like "sodomy".
This was ironic, as Jay Michaelson pointed out in the Huffington Post, "because 'sodomy' in the Bible has nothing to do with homosexuality. It wasn't until the Medieval period that the word was even invented - as a legal classification for sins of Catholic priests - and in the Bible itself, the sin of Sodom has to do with inhospitality and greed, not sex".
He argued that homosexual rape was the means, not the essence of Sodom's wickedness, which as the prophet Ezekiel declared (16:49) was actually "pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness ... neither did [Sodom] strengthen the hand of the poor and needy".
That seems an apt commentary of our times. The real Sodomites are the increasingly distant and indifferent rich.
While I could agree, it's Bullshit none the less. You have identified a problem demographic, but to call them Sodomites is just plain stupid.
Jesus focused on poverty and justice and helping "the least of these". Yet many Christians seem inclined to see morality in narrow terms. But what is more destructive to family values - the lack of a living wage, or the legalisation of same-sex marriages?
American religious leaders fasted in protest this year at proposed Budget cuts in the United States.
Pointing to the immorality of a Budget that would slash spending on programmes for the poor while increasing military spending and adding unnecessary billions to the deficit by extending Bush-era tax cuts to the wealthiest 2 per cent of Americans, they argued that budgets weren't just about numbers but moral statements reflecting a nation's values.
This is reason to avoid letting religion get to strong a hold in politics here.
Budgets "reveal our priorities, who and what is important, and who and what are not", said the Rev Jim Wallis, one of the fast's organisers.
It's not a question of whether we should reduce deficits, but how we reduce them that matters. "It's about choices."
Indeed - and thanks to the Budget the choices and priorities of our own Government are crystal clear. Borrowing so the top income earners in the country continue to get generous tax cuts they don't need. Chipping into Working for Families assistance for households earning as little as $35,000 a year. Tinkering with KiwiSaver, despite the need to encourage more saving.
Curing poverty with "Working for Families" is like trying to kill an ant with a shot gun, you waste a lot of lead where it is not needed.
Expecting a billion dollars worth of unspecified cuts in the public sector over the next four years. And flogging off parts of strategic assets, the money from which has already been "banked".
Is this what we want? Come November, the choice will be ours.
Completely unsure what any of this has to do with being Christian.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10727378
I pulled apart a Garth George article a few months back, now it's Tapu Misa's turn. Why do Christians think that just because they put it in print it must be true.
My Comments in Italics
Tapu Misa writes that the agnostic PM's support is at risk as the Budget makes Government priorities crystal clear.
Some Christians I know who voted for National in the last election because they liked the look of John Key and disliked Helen Clark and her godless gay-loving feminist anti-smacking family-unfriendly Labour Party have changed their minds.
Tapu has said Family Un-freindly with out explaining, she was correct on the other points, but then throws this in, this is standard tactic that if you use some true facts, you can sneak in a false one
A few were under the impression that Key was a believer. He isn't (unless he's undergone a recent conversion), but it was an easy mistake to make given that Key was said to attend church regularly, had been endorsed by a couple of popular Christians (Michael Jones and Va'aiga Tuigamala), and was hard to pin down on the subject.
For example, he'd told one journalist in 2006: "If you're asking me if I'm religious it depends how you define religion. I look at religion as doing the right thing ... I go to church a lot with the kids, but I wouldn't describe it as something that I ... I'm not a heavy believer; my mother was Jewish which technically makes me Jewish ... I probably see it in a slightly more relaxed way."
Which is a very roundabout way of saying Key is an agnostic.
But it's easy to see why he was the darling of conservative Christians. Unlike Don Brash, who'd left two broken families in his wake, and Helen Clark who, despite her own solid marriage, was seen to stand for a raft of supposedly anti-family social policies, including the legalisation of prostitution, civil unions and Sue Bradford's child discipline law, Key was seen as the embodiment of family values: he was a devoted husband and father who had voted against the civil union bill.
Sorry Tapu, prostitution, civil unions, and anti smacking is not anti-family. It may be in your Christian opinion, but really it is not.
And even if he wasn't a Christian, as National Party member and Catholic Terry Dunleavy told the Sunday Star-Times in 2007, "I believe John Key in his life and his values reflects much more openly and strongly the Christian values that I hold. He's still married to the same woman. There's no question about his morality or his dedication to family life."
I am not sure what having the same wife has to with anything, it is well known that non-believers have the lowest devorce rates in the US, and I am results would be similar here in NZ
But is the love affair over? Weeks after getting so much love at Christian music festival Parachute this year, Key was pictured at the Big Gay Out, arm in arm with a semi-naked (male) organiser, talking of the possible return of an annual gay and lesbian mardi gras many thought they'd seen the last of 10 years ago when the debt-ridden Hero parade was cancelled. It felt like betrayal for some.
He is a politician, he will grovel up to anyone.
The Christian family is a very broad church, and I've never understood the preoccupation with homosexuality.
A mark in your favour Tapu. Great Stuff, except in your Bible God calls Homosexuality and abomination, so that could explain the Christian preoccupation with homosexuality.
Last month, the Young Conservatives of America urged other conservatives to stop using the word "gay", which they described as "a left-wing socio-political construct designed to create grounds for fundamental rights [based on] whimsical capricious desires". They favoured a return to words like "sodomy".
This was ironic, as Jay Michaelson pointed out in the Huffington Post, "because 'sodomy' in the Bible has nothing to do with homosexuality. It wasn't until the Medieval period that the word was even invented - as a legal classification for sins of Catholic priests - and in the Bible itself, the sin of Sodom has to do with inhospitality and greed, not sex".
He argued that homosexual rape was the means, not the essence of Sodom's wickedness, which as the prophet Ezekiel declared (16:49) was actually "pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness ... neither did [Sodom] strengthen the hand of the poor and needy".
That seems an apt commentary of our times. The real Sodomites are the increasingly distant and indifferent rich.
While I could agree, it's Bullshit none the less. You have identified a problem demographic, but to call them Sodomites is just plain stupid.
Jesus focused on poverty and justice and helping "the least of these". Yet many Christians seem inclined to see morality in narrow terms. But what is more destructive to family values - the lack of a living wage, or the legalisation of same-sex marriages?
American religious leaders fasted in protest this year at proposed Budget cuts in the United States.
Pointing to the immorality of a Budget that would slash spending on programmes for the poor while increasing military spending and adding unnecessary billions to the deficit by extending Bush-era tax cuts to the wealthiest 2 per cent of Americans, they argued that budgets weren't just about numbers but moral statements reflecting a nation's values.
This is reason to avoid letting religion get to strong a hold in politics here.
Budgets "reveal our priorities, who and what is important, and who and what are not", said the Rev Jim Wallis, one of the fast's organisers.
It's not a question of whether we should reduce deficits, but how we reduce them that matters. "It's about choices."
Indeed - and thanks to the Budget the choices and priorities of our own Government are crystal clear. Borrowing so the top income earners in the country continue to get generous tax cuts they don't need. Chipping into Working for Families assistance for households earning as little as $35,000 a year. Tinkering with KiwiSaver, despite the need to encourage more saving.
Curing poverty with "Working for Families" is like trying to kill an ant with a shot gun, you waste a lot of lead where it is not needed.
Expecting a billion dollars worth of unspecified cuts in the public sector over the next four years. And flogging off parts of strategic assets, the money from which has already been "banked".
Is this what we want? Come November, the choice will be ours.
Completely unsure what any of this has to do with being Christian.
Monday, May 2, 2011
"USA, One Nation Under God"
I saw the news tonight with Barack Obama's speech re Osama bin Laden. While on one hand, yes, it's a good thing they have stopped this nut. But then to go and invoke the Christian God thing, has that not totally bought into Osama bin Laden's Jihad?
My stomach sank when I saw this, I am sure I could hear Matt Dillahunty swear from here in Auckland New Zealand. The McCarthy era nuts have a lot to answer for, but it is time for America to grow up and get rid of God from their nation, the way the founding fathers wanted it. Or is it the fact an election is coming up, and it's an easy voter winner for Barack?
I thought it was great the way he avoided the Christian thing when in Turkey a few years back, but to now do this, was a huge mistake. All I could say was "what a wanker".
While what I think means nothing, my opinion of Barack Obama has plummeted.
My stomach sank when I saw this, I am sure I could hear Matt Dillahunty swear from here in Auckland New Zealand. The McCarthy era nuts have a lot to answer for, but it is time for America to grow up and get rid of God from their nation, the way the founding fathers wanted it. Or is it the fact an election is coming up, and it's an easy voter winner for Barack?
I thought it was great the way he avoided the Christian thing when in Turkey a few years back, but to now do this, was a huge mistake. All I could say was "what a wanker".
While what I think means nothing, my opinion of Barack Obama has plummeted.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Garth Georges rant in review!!
Below is an article that featured in the NZ Herald last week.
I wanted to address some of the points, I would have liked to have addressed the author, but seemed little point. I will put my answers in Italics.
Original Article by Garth George.
"
On February 27, this email arrived in my inbox: "After the Christchurch earthquake last September you informed your readers in your column in the Herald that you had thanked God that no one had been killed. Please tell your readers in your next Herald column what you said to God after last week's earthquake, in which at least 150 people (including two babies under 1 year old) were killed."
Last Saturday came the follow-up: "You use your position of power as a columnist in New Zealand's largest newspaper to promote your personal views then - when they are challenged - you refuse to answer. Don't you think you have an ethical responsibility? Don't you even have the courage of your own convictions?"
Now, the author wasn't to know that my wife and I were on a 10-day holiday by the seaside in one of the best-sited motels in New Zealand, about 30m from the whispering sands of Gisborne's glorious Waikanae Beach - and that emails were the last thing on my mind.
I suppose this reader, being a professional man, has accepted the term "act of God", which is a legal term used to describe "those events which are outside of control of humans and for which no one can be held responsible and which cannot be prevented" - one of which is an earthquake.
Since God has nothing to do with the advent of earthquakes - or fires, floods, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions or tsunamis for that matter - I rather prefer the legal term "force majeure", which defines "an event that is a result of the elements of nature, as opposed to one caused by human behaviour".
Actually George, I can not believe you just said that about god? Have you not read the Bible, what god is it you follow? It must be a pretty weak one, the God I used to believe in controlled everything, and that is what I was taught.
So after the latest Christchurch upheaval, I thank God that in a city of nearly 400,000 people, in which an earthquake struck at its busiest time of the day, the death toll is likely to be only about 200 and many square kilometres of the city are still standing and largely unaffected.
Compare that with the Lisbon (population 250,000) earthquake of 1755, in which 100,000 citizens died and six magnificent cathedrals were reduced to rubble, and the Kobe quake of 1995 in which 6700 people perished, and we surely have cause to be grateful. And to whom can we express gratitude, save to the creator and sustainer of the universe?
I am not sure of the point here? Lisbon was before building specs improved, as was Kobe to a point, you fail to mention that Kobe and surrounding area had a population of over 1.5 million. Why Lisbon's Pop, but not Kobe? Because it did not favour your case. You forgot to Mention Haiti, same reason I guess. But to answer you question, we have improved building standards to thanks.
That is not to diminish in the slightest the enormity of the loss of life and property and land damage wreaked on our second-largest city. Every single life lost is irreplaceable and priceless, and those who are left - families, friends, colleagues, neighbours - suffer the worst trauma known to mankind.
For myself, even after reading the millions of words in the newspapers and watching hours of outstanding reports on television, I am still unable to grasp the magnitude of this human calamity. Nor can I find the words to describe what I think and how I feel about it.
If you are having trouble with Christchruch, with a death toll of about 1 3rd New Zealand's yearly Road Toll, Japan must be really mucking with your head. Stop blowing it out of proportion, you are being condescending.
Nor can my cousin, who lives within a few kilometres of the destruction but whose home escaped (for the second time) all but a few breakages, and who is providing accommodation and transport for less fortunate folk. I asked her how she was and all she could say was that she found it impossible to comprehend. I know that the disaster cast a pall over our holiday, a vague feeling of disquiet (I'm not into guilt) (Your a Christian, of course your into guilt) at living and dining and lazing in luxury; every time I go to the toilet or have a hot shower or sit down to a home-cooked meal, I am aware of those who are living without those basic necessities.
A large percentage of the worlds population are living without those basic necessities, are you aware of them too?
So my wife and I found comfort at a special prayer service on the Sunday after the quake at St Mary Star of the Sea church in Gisborne, led by parish priest Pa Yvan Sergy and his assistant, Father Matt McAuslin.
Prayer, completely pointless, except for giving you the false belief you are somehow helping the people you are praying for.
We said to God: "Today so many people are afraid. They wait in fear of the next tremor. They hear the cries of the injured amid the rubble. They roam the streets in shock at what they see. And they fill the dusty air with wails of grief, and the names of the missing dead. Comfort them, Lord, in this disaster. Be their rock when the earth refuses to stand still, and shelter them under your wings when homes no longer exist.
And god answered by killing 10 thousand plus in Japan, hope you feel your prayers were answered.
"Embrace in your arms those who died so suddenly this day. Console the hearts of those who mourn, and ease the pain on bodies on the brink of death.
"Pierce our hearts with compassion, we who watch from afar, as the poorest on this side of the earth find only misery. Move us to act generously this day ... and to pray unceasingly for those without hope.
"For though the mountains leave their place and the hills be tossed to the ground, your love shall never leave us, and your promise of peace will never be shaken. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth."
That's where God is in all this.
Why does god allow 5 week old baby girls and their mothers to be crushed? take wives from their husbands? children from their parents? how can god stand back and watch while thousands die in Japan?
Because there is no God, simple really.
I wanted to address some of the points, I would have liked to have addressed the author, but seemed little point. I will put my answers in Italics.
Original Article by Garth George.
"
On February 27, this email arrived in my inbox: "After the Christchurch earthquake last September you informed your readers in your column in the Herald that you had thanked God that no one had been killed. Please tell your readers in your next Herald column what you said to God after last week's earthquake, in which at least 150 people (including two babies under 1 year old) were killed."
Last Saturday came the follow-up: "You use your position of power as a columnist in New Zealand's largest newspaper to promote your personal views then - when they are challenged - you refuse to answer. Don't you think you have an ethical responsibility? Don't you even have the courage of your own convictions?"
Now, the author wasn't to know that my wife and I were on a 10-day holiday by the seaside in one of the best-sited motels in New Zealand, about 30m from the whispering sands of Gisborne's glorious Waikanae Beach - and that emails were the last thing on my mind.
I suppose this reader, being a professional man, has accepted the term "act of God", which is a legal term used to describe "those events which are outside of control of humans and for which no one can be held responsible and which cannot be prevented" - one of which is an earthquake.
Since God has nothing to do with the advent of earthquakes - or fires, floods, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions or tsunamis for that matter - I rather prefer the legal term "force majeure", which defines "an event that is a result of the elements of nature, as opposed to one caused by human behaviour".
Actually George, I can not believe you just said that about god? Have you not read the Bible, what god is it you follow? It must be a pretty weak one, the God I used to believe in controlled everything, and that is what I was taught.
So after the latest Christchurch upheaval, I thank God that in a city of nearly 400,000 people, in which an earthquake struck at its busiest time of the day, the death toll is likely to be only about 200 and many square kilometres of the city are still standing and largely unaffected.
Compare that with the Lisbon (population 250,000) earthquake of 1755, in which 100,000 citizens died and six magnificent cathedrals were reduced to rubble, and the Kobe quake of 1995 in which 6700 people perished, and we surely have cause to be grateful. And to whom can we express gratitude, save to the creator and sustainer of the universe?
I am not sure of the point here? Lisbon was before building specs improved, as was Kobe to a point, you fail to mention that Kobe and surrounding area had a population of over 1.5 million. Why Lisbon's Pop, but not Kobe? Because it did not favour your case. You forgot to Mention Haiti, same reason I guess. But to answer you question, we have improved building standards to thanks.
That is not to diminish in the slightest the enormity of the loss of life and property and land damage wreaked on our second-largest city. Every single life lost is irreplaceable and priceless, and those who are left - families, friends, colleagues, neighbours - suffer the worst trauma known to mankind.
For myself, even after reading the millions of words in the newspapers and watching hours of outstanding reports on television, I am still unable to grasp the magnitude of this human calamity. Nor can I find the words to describe what I think and how I feel about it.
If you are having trouble with Christchruch, with a death toll of about 1 3rd New Zealand's yearly Road Toll, Japan must be really mucking with your head. Stop blowing it out of proportion, you are being condescending.
Nor can my cousin, who lives within a few kilometres of the destruction but whose home escaped (for the second time) all but a few breakages, and who is providing accommodation and transport for less fortunate folk. I asked her how she was and all she could say was that she found it impossible to comprehend. I know that the disaster cast a pall over our holiday, a vague feeling of disquiet (I'm not into guilt) (Your a Christian, of course your into guilt) at living and dining and lazing in luxury; every time I go to the toilet or have a hot shower or sit down to a home-cooked meal, I am aware of those who are living without those basic necessities.
A large percentage of the worlds population are living without those basic necessities, are you aware of them too?
So my wife and I found comfort at a special prayer service on the Sunday after the quake at St Mary Star of the Sea church in Gisborne, led by parish priest Pa Yvan Sergy and his assistant, Father Matt McAuslin.
Prayer, completely pointless, except for giving you the false belief you are somehow helping the people you are praying for.
We said to God: "Today so many people are afraid. They wait in fear of the next tremor. They hear the cries of the injured amid the rubble. They roam the streets in shock at what they see. And they fill the dusty air with wails of grief, and the names of the missing dead. Comfort them, Lord, in this disaster. Be their rock when the earth refuses to stand still, and shelter them under your wings when homes no longer exist.
And god answered by killing 10 thousand plus in Japan, hope you feel your prayers were answered.
"Embrace in your arms those who died so suddenly this day. Console the hearts of those who mourn, and ease the pain on bodies on the brink of death.
"Pierce our hearts with compassion, we who watch from afar, as the poorest on this side of the earth find only misery. Move us to act generously this day ... and to pray unceasingly for those without hope.
"For though the mountains leave their place and the hills be tossed to the ground, your love shall never leave us, and your promise of peace will never be shaken. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth."
That's where God is in all this.
Why does god allow 5 week old baby girls and their mothers to be crushed? take wives from their husbands? children from their parents? how can god stand back and watch while thousands die in Japan?
Because there is no God, simple really.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Quick Update
Hi All
Been a while, I know I have flooded with photo's a bit, I have now created a new blog for that at "The Thinking Kiwis" Blog, for Empire Ave.
I will remove some of the photos and try and get back to being mean about religous things. Blasphemy and all.
I want to talk about my Catholic upbringing and how it was actually ok. No one try to molest me, should I be like Bill Maher and take I was not attractive enough? Anyways, that for an upcoming post.
I also want to talk about fighting atheists on You Tube. Also I have another sequal to my Social Media series, as well as a prequal, how cool hah?
Anyways, that's all.
Been a while, I know I have flooded with photo's a bit, I have now created a new blog for that at "The Thinking Kiwis" Blog, for Empire Ave.
I will remove some of the photos and try and get back to being mean about religous things. Blasphemy and all.
I want to talk about my Catholic upbringing and how it was actually ok. No one try to molest me, should I be like Bill Maher and take I was not attractive enough? Anyways, that for an upcoming post.
I also want to talk about fighting atheists on You Tube. Also I have another sequal to my Social Media series, as well as a prequal, how cool hah?
Anyways, that's all.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
ID and Dumb Twats
When you see a creationist, sorry, my mistake, an advocate of Intelligent design try and support their argument, I always find myself asking, "Is this person serious?".
You almost have to feel sorry for them. But then, they are the idiots not me. What has it come down too when the conned think that somehow they are more worthy my conning themselves even more.
Anyways, this is just going to be another rant.
Lets say for argument sakes, (I really hate that), that intelligent design did play a part in all of this. Cool. Awesome. If there is enough evidence to show it then cool. What next? Do you really think that the Intelligent designer would be the God of the Bible? or the god of the Koran? No. Not in a million years. The one thing we can all be sure about is that "Man" created god. Simple really.
If there was any evidence at for ID, it would be investigated by science, and they are, when ever they look to work something out, they ask "How" "why" "when" etc.. if there was any real hint of intelligent design, they would have jumped on it long ago. There is no conspiracy, a scientist does not look down a microscope and go "Oh feck, that could not have evolved, quickly, flush that specimen away."
If the evidence pointed towards ID, then the scientist would just be investigating it anyway, follow the evidence.
You almost have to feel sorry for them. But then, they are the idiots not me. What has it come down too when the conned think that somehow they are more worthy my conning themselves even more.
Anyways, this is just going to be another rant.
Lets say for argument sakes, (I really hate that), that intelligent design did play a part in all of this. Cool. Awesome. If there is enough evidence to show it then cool. What next? Do you really think that the Intelligent designer would be the God of the Bible? or the god of the Koran? No. Not in a million years. The one thing we can all be sure about is that "Man" created god. Simple really.
If there was any evidence at for ID, it would be investigated by science, and they are, when ever they look to work something out, they ask "How" "why" "when" etc.. if there was any real hint of intelligent design, they would have jumped on it long ago. There is no conspiracy, a scientist does not look down a microscope and go "Oh feck, that could not have evolved, quickly, flush that specimen away."
If the evidence pointed towards ID, then the scientist would just be investigating it anyway, follow the evidence.
Monday, October 25, 2010
From FlyingFree333 on you tube.
This is a quick one.
From FlyingFree333 on you tube. I really like this. Made me all warm and fuzzy on the inside. Not sure if it is his, or from somone else, but I love it!!
Cheers AK.
I am the creator and the destroyer,
I am he that defines all worlds.
I bring life to the lifeless,
I rain death on all that lives.
My judgement is supreme.
I encompass all things,
I am the progenitor of good and evil.
I created sin,
I cause its every pain.
Hell is of my works.
I am the source of all gods.
I create gods on a whim,
I destroy gods with a thought.
I am man.
From FlyingFree333 on you tube. I really like this. Made me all warm and fuzzy on the inside. Not sure if it is his, or from somone else, but I love it!!
Cheers AK.
I am the creator and the destroyer,
I am he that defines all worlds.
I bring life to the lifeless,
I rain death on all that lives.
My judgement is supreme.
I encompass all things,
I am the progenitor of good and evil.
I created sin,
I cause its every pain.
Hell is of my works.
I am the source of all gods.
I create gods on a whim,
I destroy gods with a thought.
I am man.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Seeing someone else become an atheist.
Many people can remember the point in time when they suddenly where no longer a believer, that moment when everything becomes clear, when hours of prayer, hymns and being told Jesus loves you finally no longer holds.
Some describe it as like finally getting a joke everyone else already knew the answer too, the penny drops. But it’s like that but to the power of a thousand. You almost want to stand up and yell “Eureka”.
But it is different for everyone. I clearly remember the moment I knew the truth, and that is why I say to people once an atheist, you can not go back.
The reason for today’s blog, is that last week I got too see that look in another person. It was an honour. We were sitting round, and we were talking about religion and gods and stuff and upbringings, there was one particularly religious person who has just found out I am an atheist, an openly one at that. One of the younger members, early twenties, similar background to me, asked what kind of atheist I was. I was not certain what she meant, so I simply said, “I do not believe in an afterlife, I do not believe in a god, that a god is watching over us, or that we are all born sinners etc… As I was saying this the penny dropped for her, I was saying what she already thought, but had not put it together quite like that before.
She smiled and said something to confirm my suspicion, it was quite moving. She also felt in company, it’s still a bit scorned at for being an atheist in New Zealand, so to realise she was not alone was a nice thought. She is not alone, I have discovered many at work are atheists but don’t say anything. The Christians on the other hand are loud and annoying. But until that point she did not know. And then she knew, she saw clearly. She found someone who felt the same as her and was not afraid to say it, and it was what she felt, and it was Atheism.
It made what had been a crap week, a great week.
Some describe it as like finally getting a joke everyone else already knew the answer too, the penny drops. But it’s like that but to the power of a thousand. You almost want to stand up and yell “Eureka”.
But it is different for everyone. I clearly remember the moment I knew the truth, and that is why I say to people once an atheist, you can not go back.
The reason for today’s blog, is that last week I got too see that look in another person. It was an honour. We were sitting round, and we were talking about religion and gods and stuff and upbringings, there was one particularly religious person who has just found out I am an atheist, an openly one at that. One of the younger members, early twenties, similar background to me, asked what kind of atheist I was. I was not certain what she meant, so I simply said, “I do not believe in an afterlife, I do not believe in a god, that a god is watching over us, or that we are all born sinners etc… As I was saying this the penny dropped for her, I was saying what she already thought, but had not put it together quite like that before.
She smiled and said something to confirm my suspicion, it was quite moving. She also felt in company, it’s still a bit scorned at for being an atheist in New Zealand, so to realise she was not alone was a nice thought. She is not alone, I have discovered many at work are atheists but don’t say anything. The Christians on the other hand are loud and annoying. But until that point she did not know. And then she knew, she saw clearly. She found someone who felt the same as her and was not afraid to say it, and it was what she felt, and it was Atheism.
It made what had been a crap week, a great week.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Me and Social Media (Part Two)
Empire Avenue has been the catalyst to my going all social media. There a great bunch there, and I have met some really nice people.
When I first started on there I was “AtheistKiwi, Pretty much as I am on Blogger and You tube. But then it occurred to me that if I invest in a really religious person they might not like it. And figured they might not invest in me, I was not sure which disturbed me the most, generally I don’t let the risk of offending religious people worry me when I am wearing my Atheist Kiwi hat.
But this was Empire Ave, and I need a good score. Then a person from “Iran” Brought shares in me. While flattering, I was a bit worried. Could me silly call me old fashioned. But hey , it is the “Islamic Republic of Iran” while he did not seem to worried, I felt unhappy about it. So, I changed my name to The Thinking Kiwi. It took a lot of thought to come up with that one. But it could not end there, I had to change on Twitter and then finally face book.
But I have not toned down my content. I am still a bit loud and proud with my stand on religion.
And I refuse to change my You Tube account. So it surprises me when non atheist subscribe to me to help my EA score, god bless them.
I would never sub first, I think that’s a bit mean. Same with Facebook, I very really invite friends, for the same reason, I am hidden behind an alias, they are not, they most likely don’t want “Atheist” splattered on their profiles.
So I guess what I am saying is I am a nice atheist.
To be fair, I have not subbed to overly Religious users on Twitter because “Jesus loves you and died for our sins” tweets would just set me off. So if you are a religious tweeter who has subbed to me, but not I to you, please understand it’s for you own good.
Anyways, that’s part two. There will be more parts soon.
Cheers AK.
When I first started on there I was “AtheistKiwi, Pretty much as I am on Blogger and You tube. But then it occurred to me that if I invest in a really religious person they might not like it. And figured they might not invest in me, I was not sure which disturbed me the most, generally I don’t let the risk of offending religious people worry me when I am wearing my Atheist Kiwi hat.
But this was Empire Ave, and I need a good score. Then a person from “Iran” Brought shares in me. While flattering, I was a bit worried. Could me silly call me old fashioned. But hey , it is the “Islamic Republic of Iran” while he did not seem to worried, I felt unhappy about it. So, I changed my name to The Thinking Kiwi. It took a lot of thought to come up with that one. But it could not end there, I had to change on Twitter and then finally face book.
But I have not toned down my content. I am still a bit loud and proud with my stand on religion.
And I refuse to change my You Tube account. So it surprises me when non atheist subscribe to me to help my EA score, god bless them.
I would never sub first, I think that’s a bit mean. Same with Facebook, I very really invite friends, for the same reason, I am hidden behind an alias, they are not, they most likely don’t want “Atheist” splattered on their profiles.
So I guess what I am saying is I am a nice atheist.
To be fair, I have not subbed to overly Religious users on Twitter because “Jesus loves you and died for our sins” tweets would just set me off. So if you are a religious tweeter who has subbed to me, but not I to you, please understand it’s for you own good.
Anyways, that’s part two. There will be more parts soon.
Cheers AK.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Me and Social Media (Part one)
I was up till a few months ago rather puzzled by this thing called Social Media. I had been to you tube, even joined so I could fav a really cool vid by klfly, he is a very clever Atheist Comedian, I recommend him. Very Funny.
I ended up subbing to others, and then leaving comments on videos of idiots and getting blocked, that was social media, apparently.
I had heard of Twitter, never been there, I had heard of Facebook, ended up there after google searches on occasion, but would never join. I like the anonymity of the internet, I like the fact no one can find me, if I sound like a miserable bastard, you may be right.
And as for this blog, I only started it because I thought I was way cool having the You Tube Channel AtheistKiwi and needed the blog to match.
Then that was about it for a few months, a couple of pointless blogs about the Bible and that’s it.
Then one Friday night, after a few beers and almost ready for bed, just checking youtube to see if this Christian person had replied with more pointless reasons to believe in god when I spotted in my subscriptions a video from Dusty, good vid maker Dusty. A lot of the time worth watching, so I watched. It was about Empire Avenue, wow, we could trade in each other. It was fun. A lot of fun, but if I wanted to do well I was going to have to become a social media person.
But I have stayed anonymous, why? Because I don’t want to be found. But, hey, I got to make friends with others, new people, a global community of like minded people.
I even started to twitter and joined face book. I have now started to flickr, which is great because I have thousands of photos to post.
So far I have about 50 new friends on Face book and 141 followers on Twitter and even my you tube subs has passed 20. And I have got to do something I really love, and that is write. I used to write a lot, I have journals full of crap. I read back sometimes, if I can cope with the cringe, I have tons of letters I wrote to my mother when I was travelling overseas, she lent them back to me a few months after I got back, I have been to chicken to read them. It’s been 20 plus years, I will get round to it one day, before the insects eat them.
Well that’s part one, I will write part two in the next few days, a bit rough, but hey, it’s about traffic and activity on Empire Ave.
Yay, another blog.
AK
I ended up subbing to others, and then leaving comments on videos of idiots and getting blocked, that was social media, apparently.
I had heard of Twitter, never been there, I had heard of Facebook, ended up there after google searches on occasion, but would never join. I like the anonymity of the internet, I like the fact no one can find me, if I sound like a miserable bastard, you may be right.
And as for this blog, I only started it because I thought I was way cool having the You Tube Channel AtheistKiwi and needed the blog to match.
Then that was about it for a few months, a couple of pointless blogs about the Bible and that’s it.
Then one Friday night, after a few beers and almost ready for bed, just checking youtube to see if this Christian person had replied with more pointless reasons to believe in god when I spotted in my subscriptions a video from Dusty, good vid maker Dusty. A lot of the time worth watching, so I watched. It was about Empire Avenue, wow, we could trade in each other. It was fun. A lot of fun, but if I wanted to do well I was going to have to become a social media person.
But I have stayed anonymous, why? Because I don’t want to be found. But, hey, I got to make friends with others, new people, a global community of like minded people.
I even started to twitter and joined face book. I have now started to flickr, which is great because I have thousands of photos to post.
So far I have about 50 new friends on Face book and 141 followers on Twitter and even my you tube subs has passed 20. And I have got to do something I really love, and that is write. I used to write a lot, I have journals full of crap. I read back sometimes, if I can cope with the cringe, I have tons of letters I wrote to my mother when I was travelling overseas, she lent them back to me a few months after I got back, I have been to chicken to read them. It’s been 20 plus years, I will get round to it one day, before the insects eat them.
Well that’s part one, I will write part two in the next few days, a bit rough, but hey, it’s about traffic and activity on Empire Ave.
Yay, another blog.
AK
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Blog Update
Hey Hey all
I had hoped to do 1 or 2 blogs a day, but today was mad. I will attempt to doone latter. Also I want to blog NZ stuff. After all I am in NZ. But I will warn readers with NZ Stuff in the title.
That's it really, and oh yeah, go join www.EmpireAvenue.com if you have not already !!!!
Cheers AK
I had hoped to do 1 or 2 blogs a day, but today was mad. I will attempt to doone latter. Also I want to blog NZ stuff. After all I am in NZ. But I will warn readers with NZ Stuff in the title.
That's it really, and oh yeah, go join www.EmpireAvenue.com if you have not already !!!!
Cheers AK
Saturday, October 16, 2010
If god loves us, why do bad things happen?
One of the things many atheists talk about, and I am sure I have mentioned it myself, is the way a theist believes that if they ignore what you said then it will go away. Well it does not.
They believe that if they say something then that’s it. Like for example I am currently debating a Christian who gets grumpy when ever I mention science, he keeps telling me that religion and science are compatible and showing what science has done does not mean anything.
My reasoning is this: If god did make everything, and he loves us so much, why do we have illness like cancer, mumps, scarlet fever etc….
Now to my reckoning many cancers are now curable and treatable, not because of prayer, not because of miracles, but because of medical science.
Our life expectancy has doubled, not because we attend church, but because we go to a doctor when we are unwell. I have been very ill in the past (actually several times), I now take regular medication to treat my illness, so that I can have quality of life. If I had got this 100 years ago, I would have had a very different outcome. I may not have died, but my quality of life would be dismal. A 1000 years ago, I dare not imagine.
If we had had the treatment just 60 years ago that we have today, both my grand fathers would have lived long enough for me to meet them.
I know my “If god loves us why do bad things happen” is a very simplistic argument for no god, and is even raised by the youngest of children, but it is a bloody good one. I have heard many many reasons as to why god does this, but I am afraid they are all mental answers. Cop outs, quick excuses that are meaningless. Convenient passages in the bible. Lots of those.
Science and reasoned investigation has given us the quality of life many of us enjoy. The most religious countries are the ones that have more disease, poor quality of life, lack of education and a lot of corruption.
I know I am not the first to say any of this, many others have and will continue too, lets hope that one day the religious listen, and realise there simply is no god, we are all alone, there is no after life, this is the only life you get, and thanks to science and geographic location, it’s now twice as long as your great, great, great, great grand uncles and aunties.
Another rant over, I feel better.
They believe that if they say something then that’s it. Like for example I am currently debating a Christian who gets grumpy when ever I mention science, he keeps telling me that religion and science are compatible and showing what science has done does not mean anything.
My reasoning is this: If god did make everything, and he loves us so much, why do we have illness like cancer, mumps, scarlet fever etc….
Now to my reckoning many cancers are now curable and treatable, not because of prayer, not because of miracles, but because of medical science.
Our life expectancy has doubled, not because we attend church, but because we go to a doctor when we are unwell. I have been very ill in the past (actually several times), I now take regular medication to treat my illness, so that I can have quality of life. If I had got this 100 years ago, I would have had a very different outcome. I may not have died, but my quality of life would be dismal. A 1000 years ago, I dare not imagine.
If we had had the treatment just 60 years ago that we have today, both my grand fathers would have lived long enough for me to meet them.
I know my “If god loves us why do bad things happen” is a very simplistic argument for no god, and is even raised by the youngest of children, but it is a bloody good one. I have heard many many reasons as to why god does this, but I am afraid they are all mental answers. Cop outs, quick excuses that are meaningless. Convenient passages in the bible. Lots of those.
Science and reasoned investigation has given us the quality of life many of us enjoy. The most religious countries are the ones that have more disease, poor quality of life, lack of education and a lot of corruption.
I know I am not the first to say any of this, many others have and will continue too, lets hope that one day the religious listen, and realise there simply is no god, we are all alone, there is no after life, this is the only life you get, and thanks to science and geographic location, it’s now twice as long as your great, great, great, great grand uncles and aunties.
Another rant over, I feel better.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Love, the gift from god, WTF???
An argument I have heard many times for god and one that I have also come across in debates with theists, is that love is from god, and without god there would be no love, and we do have love, therefore there must be a god.
One person even thought he was making some kind of sarcastic point, maybe even a strawman, I don’t know, when he asked me if I say to my wife on Valentines Day, “Darling I have a strong chemical reaction in side my head for you”. I told him he was actually right, and if he goes and studies the links he will find that much research agrees with him. He did not take that too well can continued to argue that love was from god.
Even when shown clear evidence that love, be it for a lover, or a family member for a stranger or for a member of a different species, is a chemical process, and was probably a big factor in evolution that allowed us to develop into what we are today.
Even with plain clear evidence, a theist will not drop a silly argument for god. Love has allowed us to form groupings, both family and of friends. That grouping allows survival, achievement and for successful outcomes that benefit the whole group.
Ever lost a close pet? man that hurts, and can make a grown man cry. It’s from a bond we form with the animal, a kind of love. Why the f*ck would an all powerful being want me to have such a strong bond with a cat, only so I hurt when it dies. No, the bond is there so that the cat will provide company, catch mice, and hurl fur balls on the kitchen floor and I will feed it and give it somewhere to sleep for 22 hours a day. We both benefit from that bond, though replacement cat might not draw tears when he dies. The new cat (had it four years now) is mean, it bites, attacks and has even been known to head butt you if you move him off his favourite chair so you can sit there.
Well anyways, love is NOT a gift from god, it’s a chemical process that evolved along with us. Feckn closed minded idiots.
“Where did love come from”, “Huh, you don’t know”, “So it must have come from god”.
“Yes, I do f*cken know, and no it did not come from god, now fuck off”
I am glad I got that off my chest.
AK
One person even thought he was making some kind of sarcastic point, maybe even a strawman, I don’t know, when he asked me if I say to my wife on Valentines Day, “Darling I have a strong chemical reaction in side my head for you”. I told him he was actually right, and if he goes and studies the links he will find that much research agrees with him. He did not take that too well can continued to argue that love was from god.
Even when shown clear evidence that love, be it for a lover, or a family member for a stranger or for a member of a different species, is a chemical process, and was probably a big factor in evolution that allowed us to develop into what we are today.
Even with plain clear evidence, a theist will not drop a silly argument for god. Love has allowed us to form groupings, both family and of friends. That grouping allows survival, achievement and for successful outcomes that benefit the whole group.
Ever lost a close pet? man that hurts, and can make a grown man cry. It’s from a bond we form with the animal, a kind of love. Why the f*ck would an all powerful being want me to have such a strong bond with a cat, only so I hurt when it dies. No, the bond is there so that the cat will provide company, catch mice, and hurl fur balls on the kitchen floor and I will feed it and give it somewhere to sleep for 22 hours a day. We both benefit from that bond, though replacement cat might not draw tears when he dies. The new cat (had it four years now) is mean, it bites, attacks and has even been known to head butt you if you move him off his favourite chair so you can sit there.
Well anyways, love is NOT a gift from god, it’s a chemical process that evolved along with us. Feckn closed minded idiots.
“Where did love come from”, “Huh, you don’t know”, “So it must have come from god”.
“Yes, I do f*cken know, and no it did not come from god, now fuck off”
I am glad I got that off my chest.
AK
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The Chilian Miners Rescue
Just a quick one.
It has been interesting following the debate about god’s role in this on Twitter.
One Miner has twitted that there was not 33, but 34 down the mine, because god never left them. My first reaction to this was, "I hope they left him down there".
I think over the following weeks the Theists and the Atheists are going to get a lot of mileage off this one.
The reality is, engineers, Nasa experts, many many different experts in different areas of knowledge and a lot of Chilean currency rescued these men, and putting it on god is really sad and disrespectful.
Six men put their own lives in danger to go down the shaft to be with the miners during the rescue.
Any ways, I am sure the reader understands what I mean.
If god is so wonderful, why did he not save the other 30 plus minors who have died in Chilean mines in the past year?
Fortunately a growing number of people worldwide know the answer to that one.
And another post goes live.
Viva Empire Avenue.
AK
It has been interesting following the debate about god’s role in this on Twitter.
One Miner has twitted that there was not 33, but 34 down the mine, because god never left them. My first reaction to this was, "I hope they left him down there".
I think over the following weeks the Theists and the Atheists are going to get a lot of mileage off this one.
The reality is, engineers, Nasa experts, many many different experts in different areas of knowledge and a lot of Chilean currency rescued these men, and putting it on god is really sad and disrespectful.
Six men put their own lives in danger to go down the shaft to be with the miners during the rescue.
Any ways, I am sure the reader understands what I mean.
If god is so wonderful, why did he not save the other 30 plus minors who have died in Chilean mines in the past year?
Fortunately a growing number of people worldwide know the answer to that one.
And another post goes live.
Viva Empire Avenue.
AK
Definitions
One of the major issues when theists attempt to dismiss the arguments of Atheists is that of definitions.
Atheism for a start is one of contention.
This is something many debaters of Christians have struggled with. Some Christians have the misconception that it is a world view, in similar way communism, or indeed Christianity, can be seen as a world view.
With these two examples comes whole works of doctrine and teachings. Even within these world views there is a huge canyon of disagreement on what is and what is not, part of that world view.
For example the creation myth, some Christians fully believe that the world is around 6000 years old and evolution is wrong. Then there are others who are fine with evolution and a 4 billion plus yr old earth.
The inner working of a world view can be debated and discussed.
To keep things clear many atheistic debaters have resolved this problem with a simple defamation of Atheism:
“Atheism is a rejection of a claim, the claim being that there is a god or gods.”
This is a good definition; it’s clear and to the point. So why are there problems otherwise.
Here is the definition from : www.dictionary.com
“One who disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods.”
So what is wrong with this definition?
It’s the use of the word deny. Dictionary.com has 8 definitions for the word deny. See below. 7 of them are very similar. 1 is not.
Christians tend to jump on the most common use definition of deny, which is to deny someone something, or hold back on making it available: e.g. deny an employee a pay raise. A pay rise is possible, it’s just being denied. Parents not letting a child have an ice cream. The ice cream is there, the child is simply not allowed it. And it is here that Christians mess up, they think that because Atheists deny god, that is evidence for existence, in the same way ice cream exists, the child just is denied it, or a person on a diet may deny themselves a hamburger. The hamburger is there, they are just denying it to themselves, and that, sadly, is how most theists see this definition of Atheism. Whereas the first definition of deny is clearly what Atheists mean. “to state that (something declared or believed to be true) is not true”.
And that is the problem with Christian’s belief that our denial is somehow proof. It is not. Simple English. This is why it is important to not use the word ‘deny’, unless you are prepared to educate theists on its many meanings.
1.
to state that (something declared or believed to be true) is not true: to deny an accusation.
2.
to refuse to agree or accede to: to deny a petition.
3.
to withhold the possession, use, or enjoyment of: to deny access to secret information.
4.
to withhold something from, or refuse to grant a request of: to deny a beggar.
5.
to refuse to recognize or acknowledge; disown; disavow; repudiate: to deny one's gods.
6.
to withhold (someone) from accessibility to a visitor: The secretary denied his employer to all those without appointments.
7.
Obsolete . to refuse to take or accept.
—Idiom
8.
deny oneself, to refrain from satisfying one's desires or needs; practice self-denial.
Atheism for a start is one of contention.
This is something many debaters of Christians have struggled with. Some Christians have the misconception that it is a world view, in similar way communism, or indeed Christianity, can be seen as a world view.
With these two examples comes whole works of doctrine and teachings. Even within these world views there is a huge canyon of disagreement on what is and what is not, part of that world view.
For example the creation myth, some Christians fully believe that the world is around 6000 years old and evolution is wrong. Then there are others who are fine with evolution and a 4 billion plus yr old earth.
The inner working of a world view can be debated and discussed.
To keep things clear many atheistic debaters have resolved this problem with a simple defamation of Atheism:
“Atheism is a rejection of a claim, the claim being that there is a god or gods.”
This is a good definition; it’s clear and to the point. So why are there problems otherwise.
Here is the definition from : www.dictionary.com
“One who disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods.”
So what is wrong with this definition?
It’s the use of the word deny. Dictionary.com has 8 definitions for the word deny. See below. 7 of them are very similar. 1 is not.
Christians tend to jump on the most common use definition of deny, which is to deny someone something, or hold back on making it available: e.g. deny an employee a pay raise. A pay rise is possible, it’s just being denied. Parents not letting a child have an ice cream. The ice cream is there, the child is simply not allowed it. And it is here that Christians mess up, they think that because Atheists deny god, that is evidence for existence, in the same way ice cream exists, the child just is denied it, or a person on a diet may deny themselves a hamburger. The hamburger is there, they are just denying it to themselves, and that, sadly, is how most theists see this definition of Atheism. Whereas the first definition of deny is clearly what Atheists mean. “to state that (something declared or believed to be true) is not true”.
And that is the problem with Christian’s belief that our denial is somehow proof. It is not. Simple English. This is why it is important to not use the word ‘deny’, unless you are prepared to educate theists on its many meanings.
1.
to state that (something declared or believed to be true) is not true: to deny an accusation.
2.
to refuse to agree or accede to: to deny a petition.
3.
to withhold the possession, use, or enjoyment of: to deny access to secret information.
4.
to withhold something from, or refuse to grant a request of: to deny a beggar.
5.
to refuse to recognize or acknowledge; disown; disavow; repudiate: to deny one's gods.
6.
to withhold (someone) from accessibility to a visitor: The secretary denied his employer to all those without appointments.
7.
Obsolete . to refuse to take or accept.
—Idiom
8.
deny oneself, to refrain from satisfying one's desires or needs; practice self-denial.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
A UFO sighting.
Ok, I know, two posts in one day.
I am going to relate an experince I had back in the late 80s.
A friend and I were driving back to or small town from the city after having been at the cinima, can not remember what we saw, does not matter.
We pulled off a long country road on to another long country road that run towards the coast. In the distance we could see the flashing light of an aircraft, maybe out over the ocean. As we drove towards the coast the aircraft appeard to be heading towards us.
It was then heading towards us very fast. It shot by very high and very fast. I stopped quickly and we both got out to see if we could spot the aircraft.
To our minds we had seen a high altitude aircraft heading at an extremely fast speed head from the coast, towards us and then past.
We both stood on each side of the car stareing at an arcing electric fence about 30 metres behind the car and up on a bank.
There was silence for awhile, and then my friend said "That was fucken freaky".
So why raise this, well simple, if we had chosen not to stop, instead driving on, we would have seen or fast aircraft disappearing in the mirror. And we would have wondered what on earth was travelling so fast and so high.
Instead we investigated. And a simple explanation was found for what we saw.
Without an explanation, our perception of what we saw would have been so far off as to be rediculas.
Cheers AK.
I am going to relate an experince I had back in the late 80s.
A friend and I were driving back to or small town from the city after having been at the cinima, can not remember what we saw, does not matter.
We pulled off a long country road on to another long country road that run towards the coast. In the distance we could see the flashing light of an aircraft, maybe out over the ocean. As we drove towards the coast the aircraft appeard to be heading towards us.
It was then heading towards us very fast. It shot by very high and very fast. I stopped quickly and we both got out to see if we could spot the aircraft.
To our minds we had seen a high altitude aircraft heading at an extremely fast speed head from the coast, towards us and then past.
We both stood on each side of the car stareing at an arcing electric fence about 30 metres behind the car and up on a bank.
There was silence for awhile, and then my friend said "That was fucken freaky".
So why raise this, well simple, if we had chosen not to stop, instead driving on, we would have seen or fast aircraft disappearing in the mirror. And we would have wondered what on earth was travelling so fast and so high.
Instead we investigated. And a simple explanation was found for what we saw.
Without an explanation, our perception of what we saw would have been so far off as to be rediculas.
Cheers AK.
Quick Update
I was going to do a big rant, but then not much point, I still pretty good about last weeks one.
So, a quick update. Empire Avenue is going well. I am on there as (e)Kiwi.
Saw a great video on "Openmindedness" I must admit it answered a few questions for me around why some of the christians I debate with think they are openminded and I ain't.
Check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI well worth the time.
I have a couple of unfinished blogs to finish and post, one is on the word "Deny" this is an interesting word because it almost has two distinct meanings. Another is on my Catholic upbringing. My very happy, non-molested, very wonderful experience with the Catholic Church.
Thats about it, I have been off work with a cold, hopefully back tommorow, also, the dam speel check on my Firefox is not working. So sorry for all the spealling mestakes.
All the best AK
So, a quick update. Empire Avenue is going well. I am on there as (e)Kiwi.
Saw a great video on "Openmindedness" I must admit it answered a few questions for me around why some of the christians I debate with think they are openminded and I ain't.
Check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI well worth the time.
I have a couple of unfinished blogs to finish and post, one is on the word "Deny" this is an interesting word because it almost has two distinct meanings. Another is on my Catholic upbringing. My very happy, non-molested, very wonderful experience with the Catholic Church.
Thats about it, I have been off work with a cold, hopefully back tommorow, also, the dam speel check on my Firefox is not working. So sorry for all the spealling mestakes.
All the best AK
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Identity Crisis??
First it was on EA and now on Twitter. Yes I have changed my Names. On EmpireAvenue I am now e(Kiwi) The Thinking Kiwi. And on Twitter, I am not EA_Kiwi. The EA of course stands for “Evil Atheist”.
So why the change?
Simple, I am now following and investing in people not from the Atheist Community. And while an Atheist, I am not just an Atheist, I am also a lot of other things. I am slightly over weight, in denial about some things, have bad taste in clothing and drive an old car, not old enough to be cool, but not new enough to look good.
Anyway, my point is, as much as I do not like Religion being stuff down peoples throats, I do not think I should stuff my non religion down peoples throats.
You Tube and Blog Spot are safe, if people visit these sites, they can expect an Atheist.
So, I hope that has sorted out any identity issues.
I am going to be bogging non religious stuff soon, but I will keep that on here.
So why the change?
Simple, I am now following and investing in people not from the Atheist Community. And while an Atheist, I am not just an Atheist, I am also a lot of other things. I am slightly over weight, in denial about some things, have bad taste in clothing and drive an old car, not old enough to be cool, but not new enough to look good.
Anyway, my point is, as much as I do not like Religion being stuff down peoples throats, I do not think I should stuff my non religion down peoples throats.
You Tube and Blog Spot are safe, if people visit these sites, they can expect an Atheist.
So, I hope that has sorted out any identity issues.
I am going to be bogging non religious stuff soon, but I will keep that on here.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Random Thoughts
Ok, I need to write something, not sure what. So, I am just going to hit keys and see what comes out.
I have been an atheist for about three, maybe four years now. Lately the more interesting thing I have noticed is how "Church Aware" I have become. IF anyone being interviewed on the radio or tv or in a Mag happens to mention Religion, I notice fast. I am sure I notice now more than I used too, that, or people really are talking about it more.
In the last 6 months since being on You Tube I have had the pleasure to enter into debate with several Christians. Some, just out right block the moment you say something they don't like, or more likely something that shows what a load of crap they are spewing.
It has been quite and education in debating, you really do need to be careful what you say. It seems that while most are happy to make wild assertions about who/what did this or that, and that no the bible does not really mean that, you are taking i out of context, the moment you say anything, unless you have fully verified what you said with at least 30 links and/or books references there is no way you can have a point. So, you really do need to say weather you are putting across an opinion or something you know as a fact.
Facts are another great thing, to some, if it is in the bible it's a fact. I mean how dumb is that. Is it not that obvious if someone is making it clear that they are an atheist then there is little point in quoting the bible, because, for me anyway, the bible is really just garbage, and hard to believe anyone actually reads it, let alone goes and pays large amounts of money to study it in bible school.
And unless you can prove that you have also attended a bible study college then you can not possibly understand the meaning of the bible. That is puzzling. Because when it says "Sarahrah took a sharp stone and cut off her son's foreskin and waved it in front of her husbands feet so God would spare Moses's life" (In Exodus) How can you see that as anything other than child mutilation to please God. I mean how the heck could you see that and come up with, "No, that is Gods way of showing how much his Son Jesus will love you" WTF??
And that is another thing that really gets up my goat, this disowning the God of the Old Testament when it suits. I am sorry but that God is one third of the God you pray too. The same one Muslims call Allah, man, how fast they claim NO, Allah is not the same god, well kick me with an ass (not a talking one please), it is. Very clearly is.
Which kinds of takes me on a circle back to where I started this ramble, it's amazing what Christians will disregard/ignore in an attempt to believe. And Straw man arguments, are they nuts, how do they have the stupidity to use them. Though to be sure I can pick them a lot quicker now than I used to. Easily recognised by the "WTF", ""How did you get that from what I said" feeling that runs up your back just as you are about to try and back up the stupid straw man they just tore down.
Straw man is not clever, it's dumb, why can't they see that?
I could go on for ages, but I wont, it's nice to get a bit of my chest ever now and then.
I have run out of steam. I will do this again soon. Just write what ever comes to mind. This is my blog, I can say what I like, and don't need any freak-en evidence to back it up.
Thanks AK.
I have been an atheist for about three, maybe four years now. Lately the more interesting thing I have noticed is how "Church Aware" I have become. IF anyone being interviewed on the radio or tv or in a Mag happens to mention Religion, I notice fast. I am sure I notice now more than I used too, that, or people really are talking about it more.
In the last 6 months since being on You Tube I have had the pleasure to enter into debate with several Christians. Some, just out right block the moment you say something they don't like, or more likely something that shows what a load of crap they are spewing.
It has been quite and education in debating, you really do need to be careful what you say. It seems that while most are happy to make wild assertions about who/what did this or that, and that no the bible does not really mean that, you are taking i out of context, the moment you say anything, unless you have fully verified what you said with at least 30 links and/or books references there is no way you can have a point. So, you really do need to say weather you are putting across an opinion or something you know as a fact.
Facts are another great thing, to some, if it is in the bible it's a fact. I mean how dumb is that. Is it not that obvious if someone is making it clear that they are an atheist then there is little point in quoting the bible, because, for me anyway, the bible is really just garbage, and hard to believe anyone actually reads it, let alone goes and pays large amounts of money to study it in bible school.
And unless you can prove that you have also attended a bible study college then you can not possibly understand the meaning of the bible. That is puzzling. Because when it says "Sarahrah took a sharp stone and cut off her son's foreskin and waved it in front of her husbands feet so God would spare Moses's life" (In Exodus) How can you see that as anything other than child mutilation to please God. I mean how the heck could you see that and come up with, "No, that is Gods way of showing how much his Son Jesus will love you" WTF??
And that is another thing that really gets up my goat, this disowning the God of the Old Testament when it suits. I am sorry but that God is one third of the God you pray too. The same one Muslims call Allah, man, how fast they claim NO, Allah is not the same god, well kick me with an ass (not a talking one please), it is. Very clearly is.
Which kinds of takes me on a circle back to where I started this ramble, it's amazing what Christians will disregard/ignore in an attempt to believe. And Straw man arguments, are they nuts, how do they have the stupidity to use them. Though to be sure I can pick them a lot quicker now than I used to. Easily recognised by the "WTF", ""How did you get that from what I said" feeling that runs up your back just as you are about to try and back up the stupid straw man they just tore down.
Straw man is not clever, it's dumb, why can't they see that?
I could go on for ages, but I wont, it's nice to get a bit of my chest ever now and then.
I have run out of steam. I will do this again soon. Just write what ever comes to mind. This is my blog, I can say what I like, and don't need any freak-en evidence to back it up.
Thanks AK.
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