According to Jessa Duggar, atheists don't exist

[sense and nonsense]

I've still not built up the courage to actually tell my family that I'm atheist, but they know I'm not a huge believer in god.

However, I still go into temples with them when we visit one because it's easier than arguing.

[KnittingOwl]

I don't know if we established if this guy's credentials are legitimate but he at least wrote a thesis for a PhD. Here's the link: http://encore.colorado.edu/iii/encore/r ... ite=cobalt

Is 200 pages short for a PhD thesis??

200-300 pages is pretty average for the people I was in grad school with. I think my dissertation is 297? I'm in molecular biology.

[KnittingOwl]

I have come to call it the "faith" gene, and it skipped my DNA.

I have a really close friend who is very, very religious. We were both raised RC but she is now an EC. She walks the walk.

I need tangibles. Sister Elizabeth in 3rd grade could never answer my questions, except for saying I needed to have faith. It was like telling a blind man to just look harder.

There has been the theory of there being a gene predisposing people to having faith. Dean Hamer wrote a book, but I haven't read it. Haven't read any peer-reviewed papers on it either.

[Miggy]

Back to the subject of whether Ben exists ... No, he doesn't. Every time I bring up Duggars my headship tells me they are actors, not real people. He gently reminds me of the difference between documentaries, which are true, and soap operas like 19KaC, which aren't. As we all know, as a good Christian wife, I should not question anything my headship says. He knows the truth. :lol:

I do think the Duggars and others like them probably turn a lot of people off Christianity. When they say Atheists don't exist, that only Christians have morals, science is wrong or that good Christians don't kiss before marriage, rational thinking people must think we are all idiots. Just for the record, I know Atheists exist, I respect other people right to choose whatever religion they want to follow or to follow none at all, I think morals are completely unrelated to religious belief (I know moral Atheists and immoral Christians), I know science is right because I see it happening all around me, I loved The Selfish Gene and kissing? That's brilliant anytime, whether or not you are married.

[Toothfairy]

In my opinion, the comfort people receive from their religion is the ONLY benefit I can see. I don't have that. I said in a thread in what seems like eons ago that when we lost our second child I did not have any faith to comfort me. I didn't think he was in heaven but it would be very comforting to think we would see him again. But I don't believe that. So, if that helps people, great. Other than that I see nothing beneficial at all. It's a crutch (IMO).

This kinda makes sense to me. When people die we want comfort. We want to believe they're up in heaven with god looking down on us. When people are sick we pray for a good outcome and for them to get better. Itprovides comfort to people. To know that there's someone up there making things better.

*sspeaking from a christian perspective*

[Toothfairy]

:)

If all atheists didn't have morals and had no problem with killing people, trust me Ben, you'd be one of the first to go.

Atheist and non religious people have more morals and compassion than religious people and christians. I'm pointing out christians because they are hateful people with no morals. ( some not all)

[Cactus]

I approach this topic with considerable caution - I am an atheist, while Mr. Cactus is a practising mainstream Protestant Christian. His brother is losing his faith, while his sister-in-law veers fundie-lite. I was raised non-religious but attended Catholic schools. Christianity has intertwined itself with every aspect of my life, despite me not being religious in the slightest.

I know many moral and many immoral people. Some are religious, some are not. Some are open about their faith, or lack thereof, while others keep their affiliations private. Some are surprised Mr. Cactus attends church while I sleep in, while others are outraged by my 'lack of respect'. Many are surprised he and I are together at all - for most people, it seems, religion is a dealbreaker. For us it is a point of difference, but not one so great that it would tear us apart.

The wisest words I've heard on the subject came from my Year 11 Religious Studies teacher, a former Catholic nun, who told me: 'Whether God truly exists or not is beside the point. What matters is how you react to that news.'

Whatever Ben and Jessa are reacting to, they're doing it wrong.

[Fascinated]

Thought y'all might find this interesting.

http://brucegerencser.net/2015/05/jason ... n-atheist/

Lisle uses a huge logical fallacy....circular logic. Pretty bad for somebody supposedly so well versed in using logic.

http://pandasthumb.org/archives/2014/09 ... n-lis.html

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Jason_Lisle

While he does have a legit degree, it seems Lisle has abandoned science.

Man, I hate the old 'no atheists in foxholes' garbage. Give us some credit. I am 100% certain I will not be calling out to any god on my deathbed. I will be thinking about my family. And I will know that once I die my 'existence' will be exactly as it was for the eons before I was born. Just, nothing. And while that's not as appealing to many as being folded into the arms of a presumably loving god, (assuming one has believed correctly and in the appropriate god), it is nothing to be feared. We all 'survived' before we were born, we will be in the same state after we die. So, I try to live for the here and now, and not waste my time worrying about a, in my opinion, nonexistent hereafter. That's a good thing.

[FloraKitty35]

Man, I hate the old 'no atheists in foxholes' garbage. Give us some credit. I am 100% certain I will not be calling out to any god on my deathbed. I will be thinking about my family. And I will know that once I die my 'existence' will be exactly as it was for the eons before I was born. Just, nothing. And while that's not as appealing to many as being folded into the arms of a presumably loving god, (assuming one has believed correctly and in the appropriate god), it is nothing to be feared. We all 'survived' before we were born, we will be in the same state after we die. So, I try to live for the here and now, and not waste my time worrying about a, in my opinion, nonexistent hereafter. That's a good thing.

To me god has never been more than a figure of speech and I have tried to be religious and it never worked for me. I had to learn to accept me and all my flaws and to take responsibility for my flaws. Also, Ben and Jessa are a pair of indoctrinated, dead behind the eyes, intellectually incurious dipshits who can both eat a bird flu sandwich.

[Keyleigh]

Unfortunately he's legit.

https://aps.colorado.edu/cgi-bin/people/read_alumni.pl

[Fascinated]

To me god has never been more than a figure of speech and I have tried to be religious and it never worked for me. I had to learn to accept me and all my flaws and to take responsibility for my flaws. Also, Ben and Jessa are a pair of indoctrinated, dead behind the eyes, intellectually incurious dipshits who can both eat a bird flu sandwich.

Haha. I would happily serve said sandwich to them on a platter, and would hope that the ridiculous Dr. Lisle would also partake. I am so enjoying this image. Thank you. :lol:

[Four is Enough]

If creationism is a "given" to these people, WHY do they have to research it?

Ben is an idiot; Jessa is a bigger idiot.

I just can't.

[doggie]

Unfortunately he's legit.

https://aps.colorado.edu/cgi-bin/people/read_alumni.pl

So is Ben Carson and look how he turned out.

[doggie]

If creationism is a "given" to these people, WHY do they have to research it?

Ben is an idiot; Jessa is a bigger idiot.

I just can't.

because they are so fearful and have to prove their faith. It is sad really because if you can prove your faith it is no longer faith.

[JenniferJuniper]

Evolution explains moral behavior in humans. Those capable of cooperative and empathetic behavior within their tribe groups stood a better chance of surviving and passing on their genes. Higher level primates even demonstrate rudimentary moral codes.

These nutters insist on a magic entity creating fully formed humans just a few thousand years ago because acknowledging the possibility of anything else potentially causes all their fantasies to unravel.

Maybe deep in their hearts they know it's crazy, and the notion of more and more people not buying it makes them very uncomfortable. The viability of any religion is based on numbers. "This must be true because so many people believe it!" The smaller - and newer- the group, the greater likelihood it will be ridiculed as a cult, even if it's tenets are no more impossible than a human born of a virgin rising from the dead.

[Keyleigh]

So is Ben Carson and look how he turned out.

:lol: and here I thought Australia had the prize for batshit crazy politicians. Wow, you guys have some doozies coming out of the woodwork for 2016 huh? :pink-shock:

[doggie]

:lol: and here I thought Australia had the prize for batshit crazy politicians. Wow, you guys have some doozies coming out of the woodwork for 2016 huh? :pink-shock:

we are good at growing them all the bullshit I guess :o :D

[FloraKitty35]

:lol: and here I thought Australia had the prize for batshit crazy politicians. Wow, you guys have some doozies coming out of the woodwork for 2016 huh? :pink-shock:

We have doozies oozing out of the workwork everyday. Elections, punditry, delusional mental illness are full time careers in America.

[KittenMitten]

Hi, Jessa and Ben and Dr Lisle. :character-koolaid:

I'm an atheist, my husband is an atheist and my son is an atheist. We have 3 atheist cats and one atheist snake. We are all here!!

Come on and visit us some time. We are all quite nice.

[Fascinated]

Hi, Jessa and Ben and Dr Lisle. :character-koolaid:

I'm an atheist, my husband is an atheist and my son is an atheist. We have 3 atheist cats and one atheist snake. We are all here!!

Come on and visit us some time. We are all quite nice.

I would have my doubts about the snake....

[doggie]

I would have my doubts about the snake....

right snakes are evil through and through :mrgreen:

[Fascinated]

right snakes are evil through and through :mrgreen:

Right! So maybe atheist after all. :lol:

[ILoveJellybeans]

Hi, Jessa and Ben and Dr Lisle. :character-koolaid:

I'm an atheist, my husband is an atheist and my son is an atheist. We have 3 atheist cats and one atheist snake. We are all here!!

Come on and visit us some time. We are all quite nice.

Cats aren't atheist. They just think they are Gods.

[KittenMitten]

Right! So maybe atheist after all. :lol:

Indeed she is. She also is reddish and has red eyes that glow (albino corn snake, made up the eye glowing. Kind of).

We also have an apple tree.

[Saoirse]

That's fine. I don't think Jessa Duggar exists.