Conquer Club

jay_a2j wrote:Can you imagine living in a world where there is a Santa Claus?

I think the discussion should end here. This is classic. I haven't laughed so hard at a forum post for ages. Thanks jay.

jay_a2j wrote:Can you imagine living in a world where there is a Santa Claus?

My children can. I grew up some time ago.

God's our father? That rat bastard never gave me one cent in allowance.

^^^^ haha

Backglass wrote:Want to know how I feel?

• Can you imagine living in a world where 80% of the grownup people actually believe in Santa Claus?
  
• Can you imagine living in a world where 80% of the grownup people think the answer to every problem is to write a letter to Santa Claus?
  
• Can you imagine living in a world where 80% of the grownup people run around telling each other and everyone else that they should write letters to Santa Claus everyday?
  
• Can you imagine living in a world where 80% of the grownup people run around saying everyone should live their lives to please Santa Claus?
  
• Can you imagine living in a world where grownup people who believe in Santa Claus want to kill other people for believing in the Tooth Fairy?

Thats how I feel every day.

When you have an individual in essense comparing God to Santa Claus (see above quote) You see the lack of thought displayed. And if 80% believe in God do you think they might be on to something? Although of the 80% probably less than half of that acctually know Him. "You say you believe in God? Even demons know there is a God and tremble!".
Why don't you start a thread for atheists? So you can sit around and "kick it" with people who think like you do? I know it might be boring with only you, rev_kyle and quee talking to each other but hey stop forcing your non-beliefs down everyone else's throat.

jay_a2j wrote:When you have an individual in essense comparing God to Santa Claus (see above quote) You see the lack of thought displayed. And if 80% believe in God do you think they might be on to something? Although of the 80% probably less than half of that acctually know Him.

Nobody knows how many Americans follow various religions.
Data from faith groups is unreliable, because: It is sometimes padded, It is sometimes kept secret. Different groups have diverse definitions for membership. Public opinion polls are also unreliable, because: A large percentage of subjects polled refuse to reveal their religion. Many subjects will not tell the truth; they will state that they follow a large religion because of fear; their own faith group is heavily oppressed.

Even if accurate data were available, it would rapidly become inaccurate.

Consider:
The percentage of adults who identify themselves as Christians is dropping almost one percentage point per year. 2
Persons of no religion are increasing about a half percentage point per year. 2
The number of Wiccans is doubling approximately every 30 months. 2

Two reasonably reliable sources are listed below:
bullet In 1997, the US Society and Values magazine published an overview of religion in the U.S., using data from the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. 3,4 They reported:
63% of Americans (163 million) state that they are actively affiliated with a faith group:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/us_rel1.htm

References:

1. G. Gordon Melton, "Encyclopedia of American Religions," Triumph Books, (1991) Out of print.
2. "American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS)," Graduate Center of the City University of New York, at: http://www.gc.cuny.edu/studies/aris.pdf You need software to read these files. It can be obtained free from:
3. The Religious Landscape of the United States", United States Information Agency, US Society and Values magazine, 1997-MAR.
4. The Pluralism Project at Harvard University has a web site at: http://www.pluralism.org/. They distribute an impressive CD.
5. Thomas C. Reeves, "The Empty Church: Does Organized Religion Matter Anymore?" Simon & Schuster: New York, NY (1998), Page. 64." Cited in http://www.adherents.com/Na_169.html under the topic "religious - modestly"
6. "One out of three adults is now unchurched," Barna Research Online, at: http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PagePressRelease.asp?

Oh and I forgot about Pilate. He/she could join your thread too.


Nice statistics but who cares?

Who said I was athiest?

jay_a2j wrote:Oh and I forgot about Pilate. He/she could join your thread too.


Nice statistics but who cares?

You brought up the 80% figure, so you should. Otherwise don't post wrong information. I noticed you do a lot of that

jay_a2j wrote:I know it might be boring with only you, rev_kyle and quee talking to each other but hey stop forcing your non-beliefs down everyone else's throat.

Uh huh. Thats why I started this thread. To force MY beliefs down others throats. Oh wait...that was you. Nevermind.

jay_a2j wrote:Why don't you start a thread for atheists?

Because unlike you and most christians, I dont force my beliefs (or non-beliefs) onto others. If you dont want actual free-thinking people to challenge you, dont go spouting off about your superstitions and fairy tales in public.

... I don't get it?

Though for some reason that king reminds of of the evil guy from Wizards and Warriors...

this thread is better with pictures.

reverend_kyle wrote:


this thread is better with pictures.

that's actually a good one kyle. lol! also, if i personally believe that not that many Christians purposely try to shove religion down one's throat. at least not the normal ones. Most do it subconciously, like just randomly start talking about church, or whatever. idk, say what you want about Christians, and Athiests and Muslims, and Jews, and Buddhists,....................................i cant think of any other beliefs. i know im missing something

Pilate wrote:

jay_a2j wrote:Oh and I forgot about Pilate. He/she could join your thread too.


Nice statistics but who cares?

You brought up the 80% figure, so you should. Otherwise don't post wrong information. I noticed you do a lot of that

Try reading all of the post. It was backglass who "brought up"
80%.

jay_a2j wrote:Try reading all of the post. It was backglass who "brought up"
80%.

He was talking about a Theoretical Model where 80% believed in Santa Claus. You turned that into 80% God Believers. Sure he brought it up, but without your influence we would've been able to continue our debate about Santa's benevolence and omnipresence.

It's funny that you can trivialize the belief in a being that can deliver presents to the whole world in one night (while crossing time zones) and see everything you do, yet you use that trivialization to strengthen your belief in a Being that created Everything and nothingness.

Excuse me while I get my irony detector replaced, I think it just exploded.

jay_a2j wrote:

Backglass wrote:Want to know how I feel?

• Can you imagine living in a world where 80% of the grownup people actually believe in Santa Claus?
  
• Can you imagine living in a world where 80% of the grownup people think the answer to every problem is to write a letter to Santa Claus?
  
• Can you imagine living in a world where 80% of the grownup people run around telling each other and everyone else that they should write letters to Santa Claus everyday?
  
• Can you imagine living in a world where 80% of the grownup people run around saying everyone should live their lives to please Santa Claus?
  
• Can you imagine living in a world where grownup people who believe in Santa Claus want to kill other people for believing in the Tooth Fairy?

Thats how I feel every day.

When you have an individual in essense comparing God to Santa Claus (see above quote) You see the lack of thought displayed. And if 80% believe in God do you think they might be on to something? Although of the 80% probably less than half of that acctually know Him. "You say you believe in God? Even demons know there is a God and tremble!".
Why don't you start a thread for atheists? So you can sit around and "kick it" with people who think like you do? I know it might be boring with only you, rev_kyle and quee talking to each other but hey stop forcing your non-beliefs down everyone else's throat.

wut i hate about religion is that its a bunch of hypocrites claiming that they know a supernatural power & that they r right, wen they really have no clue

Sammy gags wrote:

jay_a2j wrote:

Backglass wrote:Want to know how I feel?

• Can you imagine living in a world where 80% of the grownup people actually believe in Santa Claus?
  
• Can you imagine living in a world where 80% of the grownup people think the answer to every problem is to write a letter to Santa Claus?
  
• Can you imagine living in a world where 80% of the grownup people run around telling each other and everyone else that they should write letters to Santa Claus everyday?
  
• Can you imagine living in a world where 80% of the grownup people run around saying everyone should live their lives to please Santa Claus?
  
• Can you imagine living in a world where grownup people who believe in Santa Claus want to kill other people for believing in the Tooth Fairy?

Thats how I feel every day.

When you have an individual in essense comparing God to Santa Claus (see above quote) You see the lack of thought displayed. And if 80% believe in God do you think they might be on to something? Although of the 80% probably less than half of that acctually know Him. "You say you believe in God? Even demons know there is a God and tremble!".
Why don't you start a thread for atheists? So you can sit around and "kick it" with people who think like you do? I know it might be boring with only you, rev_kyle and quee talking to each other but hey stop forcing your non-beliefs down everyone else's throat.

wut i hate about religion is that its a bunch of hypocrites claiming that they know a supernatural power & that they r right, wen they really have no clue

I have far more then "a clue".

trust me u dont

jay_a2j wrote:I have far more then "a clue".

Yes...you have a theory, a guess, a superstition. None of which are concrete.

Backglass wrote:

jay_a2j wrote:I have far more then "a clue".

Yes...you have a theory, a guess, a superstition. None of which are concrete.

Oh my faith is concrete.

jay_a2j wrote:Oh my faith is concrete.

Concrete Faith is an oxymoron.

Right up there with:

• Honest Politician
• Microsoft Works
• Sweet Tart
• Holy War
• Loose Tights
• Peacekeeper Missile
• Pro-Life Smoker
  
  and
  
• Christian Scientist

:lol:

you forgot:

* intelligent atheist