Its an excellent book.

You want a debate?

Try adding some balance to the opening post.

Simply slagging something/some people off doesn't work.

You Are Most Wise

You Need FoxNewsHD
for that.

It was neither. I asked for everyones opinion and stated mine. rather than mark the thread it would be better to state your view or move on.

Imagine for a minute what would happen if someone of faith was on here saying the kind of sh1t that's been posted, about people of no faith. You'd feel pretty attacked if people suggested you're mentally ill simply because you don't share the same feelings. Atheists and agnostics sometimes feel it is their right to be ****ing rude just because they don't share a faith or understand what faith means. I couldn't care less what you believe in... although it's obviously nothing and considering the post above it doesn't exactly fill you with joy. But that's your call. As my faith is my call, and unless you can discuss it like a grown up without being insulting, you should probably keep your bile to yourself.

Praise Livia :worship:

Prayer - the art of feeling good about doing nothing.

Nothing wrong with that if that's what someone wants to do with their life, and I have no desire to indulge in thought crime to prevent it.

The world is a ****** of a place, where the ones you love the most are capable of causing you the most pain. I'm an anti-theist, but in the words of John Lennon - whatever gets you through the night.

You are referring to a post that was removed by I believe Nathan in this thread. I have not called anyone mentally deranged or attacked anyone as you have suggested. In a previous thread I called the use of the term "gone to the angels" etc when a child dies as moronic because its mawkish guff and incorrect but that is again not what you have suggested. Which insult in this thread that I have made do you refer to?

I would add that one of the few lines of defense that religious people have left is to cry persecution when their lies are exposed. This is because they have had a very privileged position in the past and now that this has been removed they feel the effect of exposure.

I have no problems with it either buy when it is taught in schools as a fact then that is a BIG problem

getting people to believe in something you cant prove or disprove, is a wonderful thing.
only in death will you be rewarded!, now that's a great line.

You're making presumptions on a very diverse group of people and insulting people who hold an opposing view/opinion to your own, that's not welcoming them and their opinions when you're pretty much attacking them from the start.

A course in people skills might be of use to you.

Which schools are these?

My religious education in school wasn't about drumming it into you and put across as fact (and I went to a catholic school). It was about all kinds of different religions, their origins, different cultures, the change in the world over time and had a dollop of philosophy thrown in.

All very valuable education if you are at all interested in things beyond your own life.

I was the poster who used the term " mentally deranged" for people who pray , my post was removed as offensive and I later posted that I should not have used that language as it has caused offence where no offence was intended.

As I said later each to their own but praying is not for me.

On a more general note I wonder if we can have a robust debate of this subject as it is quote emotive and views on both sides can become inflamed and slightly hysterical as we saw a few posts ago.

Better to let this subject lie as nobody is going to change their views on the back of a few choice words on an Internet forum....!!!!

:conf: I am quite baffled how calling people mentally deranged did not intend offence?

You went to a catholic school and you were not taught that prayer worked, that hell existed and that you will be punished for your sins?

I note your deliberate irony for comic effect :hugesmile:

I'd had a long day and I hadn't engaged my brain before typing, of course the term is offensive I should have used different language as I explained earlier...!!!

No. We were given "Religious education" which educated on the origins of religion, how they evolved, different religious cultures from all over the world etc.

All very valuable education for anyone interested in learning about things and people outside of their own world view.

The fact that you automatically presume religious education is about trying to drum beliefs into people and force them to believe unprovable facts just shows how ridiculous your points are.

No irony in my post.

I didn't make presumptions about you and commented on what you posted in the OP.

What do you believe in,Catweazle? Apart from the hideousness and irredeemability of existence. I'd call you a Nihilist, but I don't know how far considered your thoughts are. You tend to spout vox pop.

Surely everyone needs something to believe in?

I don't feel the need to either defend or explain myself. Your whole tone is aggressive, and has been previously on other threads any time religion is mentioned. I don't feel people of my particular faith have ever had a privileged position, nor do I feel particularly exposed now. I'm not quite sure what kind of debate you're hoping to have when all you do is insult.

And this kind of comparative religious teaching is a huge benefit to people when considering their own philosophies.

Exactly.

Opening your mind and being less judgemental is hugely beneficial. Imagine what world we'd live in if all the great inventors/philosophers just sat back and said "Oh, that's impossible. What a load of garbage."

Oh god, 08marsh, if only people would let themselves do exactly that.