Athiesm is not therapy, but restored mental health.

[DrBold241]

"My atheism leaps to life when private belief becomes a public matter, when in the name of a personal mental pathology we organize a world for others. For between personal existensial anguish and management of the body and soul of our fellow human beings, there exists a whole world in which those who profit from human anguish lurk in concealment. Redirecting their own death fixation toward the world at large neither saves sufferers nor alleviates their suffering- but it contaminates the universe. The attempt to avoid negativity merely spreads negativity around like manure- ushering in a whole sale mental pandemic.
In the name Yahweh, God, Jesus, and Allah- those conveniant excuses- Moses, Paul of Tarsus, Constantine, and Muhammad exploit the dark forces that penetrate them, that work so powerfully within them. By projecting their somber visions on the world they blacken it still further- and with impunity. The Patholological Grip of the death fixation does not heal itself through chaotic and magical muckspreading but by philosophical work upon oneself. Well-conducted introspection dispels the dreams and delirium on which gods feed."
~ Michael Onfray


i recently picked up the copy of the Atheist Manifesto and i find myself enjoying it as much as i enjoy reading the work of Nietzsche or Kant.
fresh into it, but has anyone else picked up a copy and has an opinion on it?
or on atheism itself?

[Art Vandelay]

Amen (haha)

[DrBold241]

seriously though, the author stays on point. i highly reccomend the read for anyone with doubt & logic.

[YungSunny]

No.

[Art Vandelay]

↑

i like how believers try to force their books on nonbelievers, but then are too afraid to even read something that might suggest that they're beliefs are wrong.

[DrBold241]

exactly.
but then again he's also 15. so.... lack of credibility as is.
but i lost faith not long before i turned 16.......

[STYLE]

that quote had nothimg to say about the existence of god.

[DrBold241]

not about the existence, but about the belief.
organized religion is full of shit and is evidence that it didn't take long for mankind to learn that he can fool others inferior to him by lying.

[DrBold241]

george carlin bump

[Visionz]

I'm not an atheist but feel free to believe or not believe in what you will. I do think there's a certain amount of short-sightedness to the concept of God not existing, as if the world could only be defined by our own limited collective knowledge. Problems within religion are really problems with people and would still be there even if God wasn't, in concept or otherwise.

[diggy]

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay

Amen (haha)

Do you really know what you wrote?

[Urban_Journalz]

Originally Posted by DrBold241

"My atheism leaps to life when private belief becomes a public matter, when in the name of a personal mental pathology we organize a world for others. For between personal existensial anguish and management of the body and soul of our fellow human beings, there exists a whole world in which those who profit from human anguish lurk in concealment. Redirecting their own death fixation toward the world at large neither saves sufferers nor alleviates their suffering- but it contaminates the universe. The attempt to avoid negativity merely spreads negativity around like manure- ushering in a whole sale mental pandemic.
In the name Yahweh, God, Jesus, and Allah- those conveniant excuses- Moses, Paul of Tarsus, Constantine, and Muhammad exploit the dark forces that penetrate them, that work so powerfully within them. By projecting their somber visions on the world they blacken it still further- and with impunity. The Patholological Grip of the death fixation does not heal itself through chaotic and magical muckspreading but by philosophical work upon oneself. Well-conducted introspection dispels the dreams and delirium on which gods feed."
~ Michael Onfray


i recently picked up the copy of the Atheist Manifesto and i find myself enjoying it as much as i enjoy reading the work of Nietzsche or Kant.
fresh into it, but has anyone else picked up a copy and has an opinion on it?
or on atheism itself?

First of all, all that quote symbolises, is the opinion of someone who has never walked the path of enlightenment and has more than likely judged all religion based upon the actions of those who use it for control, which is a small minority compared to those who DO try to live righteously. Also, to say that the Prophets, wise men and teachers were trying to impress something upon those that they came across, proves that he has no clue what he's talking about and probably hasn't read all, if any of the major texts. They were messengers. Period. What the people did with the message was up to them. Messengers are not babysitters or dictators. His argument, for all of it's bells, whistles and seemingly, "deep" insight, is just as weak as any other atheist's arguement that I've seen thusfar.

If you want to use science as a crutch for this belief, then it would behoove you to study quantum theory, because this scientific field of study is confirming everything that practically every ancient text, religious or not, has always said about A Grand Creator, A Master Plan and a deep and undeniable connection between everyone and everything. It's ironic because the dude's name literally means, "Like unto God". Just studying the etymology of his own name would help him, but oh well. His loss.

Originally Posted by FMJ

Do you really know what you wrote?

Nice one.

[Robert]

Originally Posted by Urban_Journalz

First of all, all that quote symbolises, is the opinion of someone who has never walked the path of enlightenment and has more than likely judged all religion based upon the actions of those who use it for control, which is a small minority compared to those who DO try to live righteously.

Is it really a small minority? I think that is highly debatable.

Also, to say that the Prophets, wise men and teachers were trying to impress something upon those that they came across, proves that he has no clue what he's talking about and probably hasn't read all, if any of the major texts. They were messengers. Period. What the people did with the message was up to them.

I think that is a reasonable point. The problem, it seems, is that a a large number of people use this "message" in the wrong way.

Messengers are not babysitters or dictators. His argument, for all of it's bells, whistles and seemingly, "deep" insight, is just as weak as any other atheist's arguement that I've seen thusfar.

Oh really?

If you want to use science as a crutch for this belief, then it would behoove you to study quantum theory, because this scientific field of study is confirming everything that practically every ancient text, religious or not, has always said about A Grand Creator, A Master Plan and a deep and undeniable connection between everyone and everything.

Perhaps you could provide some articles on the subject because I would be interested to see (I'm sure others would)

Cheers.

[Robert]

I think Urban Journalz does allude to something important, that a lot of atheists do not seem to have a deep understanding of the religion they are criticial of.

The thing is, the concepts of "religion" and "spirituality" are so terribly abstract. Both concepts can mean a whole number of things. The subjectivity of these concepts (and also the concept of "god") makes this whole debate even more complicated.

By the same token, I would say there are many theists who don't understand the science they argue against (this is clear from the vast number of uninformed "creationist" videos on youtube).

[Art Vandelay]

Originally Posted by FMJ

Do you really know what you wrote?

yes. hence the "haha" within parenthesis