Reply #15: I will answer your queries. [View All]

"1. Why are there so many atheist posts/threads in R/T?
There is an Atheist Forum. "

There is an atheist group, not a forum. You gotta donate to post, and maybe some of the people here can't afford it? There is also a christian forum but, unlike the atheist forum, its barely used. Besides, why would you just restrict yourself to people like you?

"2. Do atheists post in R/T simply a mode to justify their own position?"

Look, if atheists don't post in this forum, it LITERALLY dies. No one, even though they try to convince themselves otherwiese, wants this forum to just include theists. Again, look at the christian group. Why aren't there more disccusions there about theology? Most of the threads in that place (though I haven't checked it recently) are Pray For Me threads.

"3. Why is it that Christianity is the target of the vast majority of of these posts?""

Um, because its christianity we deal with almost exclusively in real life. Most of the things I talk about apply to other religions as well, but we have no represenatives here, so to cut down on typing time, I say Christian. Actually, a lot of time I simply say theists anyways.

"4. Why can't people from all sides, just allow others to believe what they feel is the "truth"?
These are personal decisions made after thought and reflection. People should be far more tolerant."

I hope this doesn't just apply to the atheists. In the past week, I've been told I'm closeminded because I don't believe in god. I've been "taught" how to CONVERT atheists. I've been told my position is based on fear, and not rational examination. Respect is a two way street. You can't have a flame war with one side. We all allow others to believe what they want, atheist and theist both. However discussing ideas requires some amount of conflict. IF we all agree with everything the other says, what kind of discussion would we have? And you can't have a proper discussion without intellectually challenging other people.

E.g

Theist: I believe your position is based on fear.

Atheist: I disagree. I believe your position is based on fear.

Theist: Hmm...I disagree. Okay....um....goodbye.

Atheist: Goodbye


"I must reiterate that I am not posting as a Moderator. I look into this Forum occasionally and see that there is a lot of animosity, from all sides I might add, and that does not appear to me to be the best way to resolve conflict."

There is no animosity on my part. Truth be told, I like a lot of the christians here. Some of them may hate me, I don't know. I hope not. But no one has to be here...there are groups for people who want echo chambers. Now, as a mod you may have an opinion on this. What would you think if we kept the religion/theology forum, but also started a forum called "Atheist/Theist Discussion"? Lol..which one do you think would have more posts ;)


"The beliefs of one should not necessarily interfere with the beliefs of another. When there is no empirical evidence that shows either side as "correct", this all becomes a charade, a place where people are seeking justification of their personal views, because there is a shallowness in the position taken. "

There can be a lot of flame wars here, but no more than in GD, I'm sure. This is not a charade, its more of a fleshing out of opinions. You may not visit enough, because there have been many times a consensus has been reached. It takes time, and it takes discussion. You could say the same thing...why talk about Israel/Palestine. Is that a charade? Does anybody EVER change their opinion? Why do we have discussions at all? Its because, every now and then, there comes a post that informs us and gets us thinking....maybe hes right about that. I didn't know that. That post has a point. That post has taught me something.

"I have had 2 NDE's, and both occasions, I have had profound 'revelations' that have cemented my views into what I believe to be reality. I ask no one to accept what I believe, and I respect others for their beliefs. I think that these arguments have little purpose other than as an ego booster for either side."

Dude, I'm glad your not dead! Really. There has been some research into NDE..are you aware of it?

"Does the arousal system contribute to near death experience?
Kevin R. Nelson, MD, Michelle Mattingly, PhD, Sherman A. Lee, PhD and Frederick A. Schmitt, PhD

From the Departments of Neurology (K.R.N., M.M., F.A.S.) and Education and Counseling (S.A.L.) and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging (F.A.S.), Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, Psychology, and Behavioral Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington.

Address correspondence to Dr Nelson, Department of Neurology, Kentucky Clinic L-445, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, 800 Rose St., Lexington, KY 40536-0284; e-mail: knelson@email.uky.edu

The neurophysiologic basis of near death experience (NDE) is unknown. Clinical observations suggest that REM state intrusion contributes to NDE. Support for the hypothesis follows five lines of evidence: REM intrusion during wakefulness is a frequent normal occurrence, REM intrusion underlies other clinical conditions, NDE elements can be explained by REM intrusion, cardiorespiratory afferents evoke REM intrusion, and persons with an NDE may have an arousal system predisposing to REM intrusion. To investigate a predisposition to REM intrusion, the life-time prevalence of REM intrusion was studied in 55 NDE subjects and compared with that in age/gender-matched control subjects. Sleep paralysis as well as sleep-related visual and auditory hallucinations were substantially more common in subjects with an NDE. These findings anticipate that under circumstances of peril, an NDE is more likely in those with previous REM intrusion. REM intrusion could promote subjective aspects of NDE and often associated syncope. Suppression of an activated locus ceruleus could be central to an arousal system predisposed to REM intrusion and NDE."

See. I'm not argueing with you about NDE's. But trying to discuss it by posting some science about it. Is this intolerance? Is this a disrespectful discussion?


"Make Peace and Understanding your goals...seek wisdom as if it were golden...always seek for the truth, use the tools we have, science, religion, knowledge. Come to ones own conclusions about life and the universe. Rest easy in the path you have chosen, do not set snares for others....You will live to be happy.... "

Agreed!