New School Prayer

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

So America is nothing but a torso?

Yes, we keep our brain in Canada.

[Gemini Cricket]

I guess so, if its facing that way.

[Not Afraid]

I just thought we were anencephalic.

[blueerica]

Jazz, I guess that's where we agree and where we differ on the topic. I appreciate that they were able to kneel and pray, I just hope (I don't pray, because I'm an atheist ) that there wasn't any pressure to. Just that it was heartfelt, as any form of spirituality should be.

I, too, believe in the same intent of the separation of church and state. I am saddened that others' beliefs were trampled on, wrongly, in the name of said separation (your football example). But I feel that given the facts, the poem is incredibly misleading... particularly to a misinformed public. This is just, as I feel most propagandist literature, etc is (to the left, the right (neither of which do I feel a part)) meant to persuade a certain segment of a population to feel outrage, and perhaps to act on it by whatever means (and by those means, I don't mean the most fringe means).

More clearly, I don't like this poem because it treats the reader as though they don't know any better... and sadly, many people don't. They don't know their rights any better than when their rights have been trampled upon.

[Gemini Cricket]

Prayer.
Hmm.
I don't know if I call it actual prayer, but sometimes I find myself talking to a higher power. Kind of like Tevye did in Fiddler on the Roof. Like when I hit my head on a cabinet door in the kitchen, I think "Well, thanks for that, bastard."

To me, and this isn't meant to insult anyone, I find atheism as frustrating as fundamentalist religion. Both are saying they know the definite answer to something. But neither has proof. So, as an agnostic, I say, "I don't know. No one knows. We'll find out (maybe) when we're dead." And move on with life.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

To me, and this isn't meant to insult anyone, I find atheism as frustrating as fundamentalist religion. Both are saying they know the definite answer to something. But neither has proof. So, as an agnostic, I say, "I don't know. No one knows. We'll find out (maybe) when we're dead." And move on with life.

I'm an atheist in the sense that I have seen absolutely no reason to even begin suspecting a god exists and therefore live my life as if this is true.

But I'll readily admit that I could be wrong but that I see no reason to change my views just because, without any concrete evidence indicating so, I might be wrong.

So, while you could technically say this is agnosticism, I would then have to say I am similarly agnostic about whether there are invisible phase-shifted evil robots in my bedroom closet just waiting for me to go to sleep tonight so that they could kill me.

I could be wrong that they aren't there but lacking any positive reason to believe it I'm not going to be putting a padlock on that door. So there really is no functional difference between atheism and my behavior.

[€uroMeinke]

I find dogmatic atheists as annoying as dogmatic Christians - but I claim to be an atheist without claiming it as absolute knowledge but rather as an honest assessment of the way I live my life - with the belief that no God exists. I may be wrong, but that's not changing my behavior in any way. Plenty of Christians lead better lives than me, I have no desire to rock that boat as long as I can keep sailing my own.

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

I find dogmatic atheists as annoying as dogmatic Christians - but I claim to be an atheist without claiming it as absolute knowledge but rather as an honest assessment of the way I live my life - with the belief that no God exists. I may be wrong, but that's not changing my behavior in any way. Plenty of Christians lead better lives than me, I have no desire to rock that boat as long as I can keep sailing my own.

And in no way am I judging anyone. I hope I didn't come across that way. Just me thinking out loud. And, in fact, it was something that kinda hit me while I was driving to the park one day recently.

And, I love the pic in your sig, Chris. It makes me happy.

[blueerica]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

And, I love the pic in your sig, Chris. It makes me happy.

Doesn't it, though? It feels happy, yet sneaky at the same time. Me likes.

[SacTown Chronic]

I often joke that I'm not arrogant enough to be either true believer or athiest. Or maybe, as Stephen Colbert says, I'm an athiest who lacks balls.