Am I an athiest?

[James Vaught]

Actually, the witch executions did not start until 1692* Some were burned, others were hung, others drowned and one was even pressed to death by weights.

Eventually, one brave public official, even though the execution of witches was lawful, at the time, finally said, in effect, "enough already!!" and called them to a halt.

*Correction; I originally typed "1792"

[nomsisa]

I made Tolerance for others my religion.

I like this. But I wonder, where do you draw the line? Anti-abortion? Anti-global warming? Westboro Baptist Church? Nazism?

Over-tolerance can be as problematic as under-tolerance. Balance is key, if that is what you worship.

.

Interbane... Interesting question to my Tolerance. My line is drawn.. way before , Anti Abortion, Westboro Baptist Church, Nazism, Death Penalty, Racism, Injustice... bringing my tolerance streak at religion's door. I have been trying to be a moral, just, fair and objective individual in an often immoral and injust society. Trying, Interbane.... just trying.

nom

[ant]

Hi Katelyn... Having just arrived on these forums. perhaps it is not my place to trying to lure you back . No one here is right, no one here is wrong... Each is right in their "OWN" conviction, and each one of us should honor different views, different beliefs as long as we treat humanity, all of it... with respect. It really doesn't much matter if a comforting, forgiving and just god or 'own soul ( moral compass ) is in charge.

There are no truths, only interpretations.

I respectfully disagree. There are many objective truths supported by empirical evidence that we can accept with a high degree of confidence."

Forgive me. I mostly reply from my IPhone.
Your comment is a fair one to consider. However, consider this:

How long ago was it that Classical Mechanics was considered the pennicle of human understanding, only layer to be replaced by Quantum Mechanics?
Given that, how confident can you be with the current scientific "reason" that espouses evolution by natural selection/ chance as an explanation for the origin of life?

[Chris OConnor]

I definitely think there are truths. Objective reality exists whether we believe in it or interpret it.

[Interbane]

How long ago was it that Classical Mechanics was considered the pennicle of human understanding, only layer to be replaced by Quantum Mechanics?
Given that, how confident can you be with the current scientific "reason" that espouses evolution by natural selection/ chance as an explanation for the origin of life?

Classical Mechanics hasn't been replaced. It is one of two major sub-fields of mechanics. The other is Quantum Mechanics. You'd have a point if you were to say that the two would be replaced by yet another theory. Which I think they will. But it will be an integration, rather than a replacement. To say theories are either true or false is a false dichotomy. They are abstract and conceptual, and are judged by how well they predict observation. Newtonian Gravity, for example, is true enough that we still use it today for some tasks. Newton's theory didn't hit the bullseye, but it definitely hit one of the inner rings.

The point is that theories are judged by how well they predict observation. Evolution has done exceptional here. It takes the observation of the majority of organisms on Earth, as well as microscropes. Once all the data is collected and sorted, it's obvious that if evolution isn't absolutely correct, it's at least extremely accurate. In the bullseye, but perhaps not in the middle peghole. In fact, I doubt if the theory itself will ever change. It matches that closely to observation. It may be reworded, or concatenated with a supplemental theory, but not falsified.

Evolution doesn't explain the origin of life. But it illuminates everything that happened back to that point. At that point, of a simple single cell organism, theories of abiogenesis are developed to explain how it came to be out of the soup of elements on primordial Earth. There are many theories, but they all share the common theme that life arose from from natural chemical reactions. Amino acids and other building blocks of life have been produced from a soup of materials matching what would be found on early Earth.

The fact that evolution leads all the way back to that point, and that we've even made progress from the other side of that point, the two are bound to connect.

[(author) Katelyn]

We did not come from chimps!!! And, yes, I wrote my book. I still am. How am I supposed to publish it without money? Hmm? Oh, don't give me the mess about there being publishers who pay. I know there are, but they are not interested in a small town girl, who could never finish any story. If not for God, I wouldn't have had my inspiration. If not for God, I wouldn't be alive. If not for God, YOU wouldn't be alive. I am taking this personally b/c this is my Father you re talking about. Chris, I WANT TO BE REMOVED. NOW. I do not want anymore of this. I do not have to expose myself to wickedness and disbelievers. I cannot help y'all. I have tryed. What did I expect of adults? They don't listen to what 'kids' say worth anything. The sad thing is, most the time, what the kids have to say is smarter than the adults'. Sad when kids are smarter than authority. You wonder why kids are in jail and prison? Doing drugs? Quiting school? I'll tell you why. B/c NO ONE LISTENS TO THEM. NO ONE CARES ENOUGH TO, or THEY THINK THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SUBJECT. It's terrible, but that's what y'all are doing. If you sat down to think or read a KJV 1611 Bible, maybe you would understand. But until then, you don't. You won't, either. Oh, sure. You think you know everything there is to know about the subject. Right? Of course you do. B/c there is no God. Whatever. You don't know. You don't understand what I feel when someone rejects God. I have 2 grandfathers, both are not Christians. Papa rejected God and cursed him in his earlier years. Now he has lung problems, he can barely breath, and he is on death's doorstep. Grandad never cursed God, but he hasn't accepted him yet. He is a Catholic, and he believes he got saved when he had 'holy water' sprinkled upon him. That's some of the stupidest mess I've ever heard. Grandad is in fine form, but he won't last that way. I often wonder, why didn't they just listen? Why won't they? I have witnessed to them for years, but yet, neither of them has been saved. They don't listen to me. What if your kid goes to church oneday? What if he/she gets saved? Will you disown them? Will you resent them? Will you listen to THEIR witnessing? Or would you simply reject God, and hate your own child? Ponder on that for awhile.

[(author) Katelyn]

Oh, and if we evolved over a period of millions and billions of years, how come we haven't evolved into something else? Hmm? Answer that one.

[Robert Tulip]

I am definatley not a redneck or hillbilly. I am in high school, AHS online homeschool. I'm not sure 'protected' is the word to use. All I have to do is turn on the TV and a cuss word will float out, or really anything could. No one is proteccted from satanic ways. They are everywhere. Yes, my defenses are strong. They have to be in a world like this.

Hi Katelyn, I doubt you will encounter many challenging ideas in mainstream media. Ideas are mostly confined to the internet and books because most people find new ideas disturbing - far worse than sex or violence or cursing. So it is nice to see you engaging in discussion here.

You mentioned earlier that you do not believe in evolution. If you study it carefully, you will find that you have been deceived by your pastors on this question. Evolution provides an accurate explanation of the history of life. We share 98% of our DNA with other apes.

I have heard that the home school movement is sometimes too narrow in what it teaches. If you have been taught to reject evolution that confirms that you are being mistaught. Having faith in Jesus Christ should not mean rejecting science.

[Interbane]

Oh, and if we evolved over a period of millions and billions of years, how come we haven't evolved into something else? Hmm? Answer that one.

That's what the theory of evolution helps you to understand. Whether you believe evolution or not, it's silly to try and villify it. It's an idea that men have. It's an idea supported by 97% of the men in the national Academy of Sciences. Not because it's cultish. Because it simply makes sense, once you learn about it.

There are other ways we could have evolved. A third arm, perhaps, or purple teeth. I don't see anything that would limit such mutations. But such characteristics would be a detriment, and the person would be less likely to pass on their genes.

You wonder why kids are in jail and prison? Doing drugs? Quiting school? I'll tell you why. B/c NO ONE LISTENS TO THEM. NO ONE CARES ENOUGH TO, or THEY THINK THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SUBJECT.

I see there's no way you'll be able to discuss your treasured beliefs without freaking. Imagine yourself in the position of a queen. The queen of England, with the full power of the church behind you. What nasty things would you do to me for my vile godlessness?

If you want to know about them criminal kids quitting school, doing drugs, going to prison. Here is an interesting figure. The percentage of atheists in prison.

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. ... sb1501.pdf
http://bornatheist.com/files/Federal_pr ... istics.pdf



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[realiz]

The sad thing is, most the time, what the kids have to say is smarter than the adults'. Sad when kids are smarter than authority.

I am not sure where you got this idea. Yes, there are some kids who are smarter than some adults in some areas of knowledge, which would most likely be the adult who are set in their ways, think they know all, and refuse to examine their beliefs. Those smarter kids are the ones who question the world and wonder why and how and question the ideas they have been taught and see how they compare to other ideas.

I believe that you are young and smart and that by coming here you are showing that a part of you is questioning and wondering, but you are still at the stage where you are too emotionally attached to your beliefs to consider anything else.

How can you honestly believe that at 12 (almost 13), after a few years of studying a very narrow vision of the world, that you would know more than people who had spent 30 or 40 years of study and experience? Does that honestly make sense to you?

I do not understand your example of your grandfathers. All people die, whether they believe in God or not.