[QUOTE=chappy;393024]For God and Country, doesn't bother this atheist so much. After all the job of an Army Ranger is to kill people and religious types do seem to be better at that than atheists.[/QUOTE]
:tu: :goodposting:

[QUOTE=LaurV;393026]:tu: :goodposting:[/QUOTE]

+2

Not even close to the worst thing G-d asks of his believers...

[QUOTE=chappy;393266]Not even close to the worst thing G-d asks of his believers...[/QUOTE]

But highly significant all the same. One thread in the Dan Simmons "Hyperion" series includes the struggle of a Jewish philosopher with the story of Abraham and Isaac. In his case, he has a recurrent dream in which a voice commands him, in very biblical language, to sacrifice his daughter.

Great cartoon, regardless.

[QUOTE=chappy;393024]For God and Country, doesn't bother this atheist so much. After all the job of an Army Ranger is to kill people and religious types do seem to be better at that than atheists.[/QUOTE]

I'll just mention that separation of religion and state is not just words, it's important.

And their job is not to kill so much as defend.

And defense of the religion clause falls on atheists as much as on the religious believers.

Pope promotes environmental stewardship
 

[URL="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865621523/Pope-Francis-A-Christian-who-does-not-protect-creation-6does-not-care-about-the-work-of-God7.html"]This[/URL] is not really about atheism, but I am not sure where else to put it. Perhaps this can be seen as an exception which proves that theism may do some good in the right hands.

[QUOTE=kladner;395352][URL="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865621523/Pope-Francis-A-Christian-who-does-not-protect-creation-6does-not-care-about-the-work-of-God7.html"]This[/URL] is not really about atheism, but I am not sure where else to put it. Perhaps this can be seen as an exception which proves that theism may do some good in the right hands.[/QUOTE]

It's never their theism (belief in a god or religious faith) but their independent morality
(independent from their religion's teachings) that results in their doing some good.
Theism (religion, God) is fundamentally flawed.

[QUOTE=kladner;395352][URL="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865621523/Pope-Francis-A-Christian-who-does-not-protect-creation-6does-not-care-about-the-work-of-God7.html"]This[/URL] is not really about atheism, but I am not sure where else to put it. Perhaps this can be seen as an exception which proves that theism may do some good in the right hands.[/QUOTE]
Ibid.:
[QUOTE]“We are the lords of creation, not its masters.”[/QUOTE]
lord/lôrd/ (noun):
someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a [B]master[/B] or ruler.
These words are getting squirrelly again.

[QUOTE=only_human;395886]Ibid.:
lord/lôrd/ (noun):
someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a [B]master[/B] or ruler.
These words are getting squirrelly again.[/QUOTE]

Isn't their God also their Lord and master? It abases one to believe such.

Well, if you accept the arguments "resolved" in this thread, then
you accept that atheism is proven and there is no God. But it
takes a scientific world-view to explain the universe without
reference to a god that never existed. For that, we need a
satisfactory cosmology that doesn't require a Beginning or a God.

Any ideas? :smile: :davar55:

[QUOTE=only_human;395886]someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a [B]master[/B] or ruler.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=davar55;397166]Isn't their God also their Lord and master?[/QUOTE]
Oh, I just realized you two are arguing about my wife.. then I am very religious right now...