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See, I can't be an atheist. Tom Send a noteboard - 19/12/2011 03:53:55 AM
I'm not saying that a traditional religious text has all the answers, or that any person (living or dead) talks to God directly, or that God is something we can quantify and describe in the terms we do.

However, I cannot believe that there isn't something greater. The Kim Jong-il statement is just one in a LONG line of bizarre "coincidences" in my life. Dreams, predictions, etc., that come true with too much specificity for me to say "I'm an atheist". It happens too often and with too much regularity.

This also gets me back to my fundamental proposition: being an atheist is stupid. If you're right you don't benefit and if you're wrong you certainly may suffer. Although God is not a proven quantity, people around the world claim enough divine miracles, and I've personally experienced enough odd things, that stating affirmatively that there is no God is just as silly as stating that he is the inspiration for the Bible, or that he dictated the Qur'an.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.

ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius

Ummaka qinnassa nīk!

*MySmiley*
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Kim Jong-il is dead. Would you become a fervent believer? Tom - 19/12/2011 03:37:28 AM 1523 Views
If I was a Christian, I'd pray that he would burn forever in hell. Great Lord of Chaos - 19/12/2011 03:47:52 AM 935 Views
See, I can't be an atheist. Tom - 19/12/2011 03:53:55 AM 904 Views
I agree about atheism LadyLorraine - 19/12/2011 04:19:02 AM 763 Views
It's an approximation. Vivien - 19/12/2011 05:40:05 PM 783 Views
no, I'm not saying that the sheer number of people alone is sufficient LadyLorraine - 19/12/2011 10:13:09 PM 665 Views
Re: See, I can't be an atheist. Great Lord of Chaos - 19/12/2011 04:25:06 AM 758 Views
No, Pascal's Wager is stupid. Tim - 19/12/2011 03:09:42 PM 765 Views
You obviously misread my comments or ignored them. Tom - 19/12/2011 03:39:59 PM 751 Views
You're answering a different point to the one I was addressing. Tim - 19/12/2011 04:01:54 PM 687 Views
For atheism to be a tenable position, one must assume that millions lie about their experiences. Tom - 20/12/2011 04:11:53 AM 779 Views
Look, doesn't this go against your most sacred principle? jh - 20/12/2011 06:43:27 AM 741 Views
I'm pretty sure he's not saying it's undeniable proof. LadyLorraine - 20/12/2011 09:19:44 AM 703 Views
No, it doesn't. Tom - 20/12/2011 08:30:55 PM 667 Views
Re: No, it doesn't. jh - 20/12/2011 09:21:22 PM 711 Views
This militant atheism is somewhat amusing. Tom - 20/12/2011 09:48:57 PM 732 Views
... somewhat irrational at times too Isaac - 21/12/2011 01:22:54 AM 643 Views
Huh? snoopcester - 21/12/2011 10:47:06 AM 689 Views
That's somewhat unrelated to the intended point of the post Isaac - 21/12/2011 12:41:49 PM 696 Views
My "Huh?" was at your claim that any reasonable definition Kim Jong-il was a millitant athiest snoopcester - 21/12/2011 12:58:44 PM 688 Views
You're objecting to me calling the Military Dictator militant? Isaac - 21/12/2011 03:13:35 PM 727 Views
Is that the long way of saying you can't back up what you said? snoopcester - 21/12/2011 04:06:06 PM 653 Views
Okay Isaac - 21/12/2011 05:03:07 PM 752 Views
Your position isn't rational nor logical Helene - 20/12/2011 12:45:03 PM 714 Views
I never stated it was either. That's the problem with spiritual matters. Tom - 20/12/2011 08:43:46 PM 643 Views
How about a faith atheist? Palatine - 19/12/2011 04:28:59 PM 835 Views
Nevermind. It appears you answered that in your reply to Tim. *NM* Palatine - 19/12/2011 04:32:19 PM 406 Views
Re: See, I can't be an atheist. snoopcester - 19/12/2011 04:57:23 PM 790 Views
It's impossible to tell if worshipping a false god would be worse than worshipping no god at all. Tom - 20/12/2011 04:14:59 AM 601 Views
Sounds like you must be a modern-day prophet beetnemesis - 19/12/2011 05:24:24 PM 636 Views
Well, it's *possible* that he is. Vivien - 19/12/2011 05:49:34 PM 735 Views
Hah, fair enough beetnemesis - 19/12/2011 06:47:07 PM 684 Views
Idiocy. Confirmation bias doesn't explain away external phenomena. Tom - 20/12/2011 04:19:10 AM 762 Views
Well. Sareitha Sedai - 21/12/2011 01:49:36 PM 673 Views
I didn't forget about it. I was getting ready to give up on it. Tom - 21/12/2011 02:27:18 PM 666 Views
That doesn't really make sense. Sareitha Sedai - 21/12/2011 03:04:23 PM 565 Views
No, it does make perfect sense. Tom - 21/12/2011 06:17:02 PM 707 Views
Also, learn to use the subjunctive. It's "if I WERE a Christian..." Tom - 19/12/2011 03:54:20 AM 754 Views
The sad thing about that comment... Larry - 19/12/2011 04:52:57 AM 883 Views
I'm pretty sure there's plenty of middle ground between those two examples LadyLorraine - 19/12/2011 05:31:13 PM 649 Views
Tom is right. Agnosticism is really the only rational posistion. Urza - 20/12/2011 04:17:08 AM 636 Views
Tom, I think this means you should take up ForEx trading. *NM* Urza - 19/12/2011 04:00:20 AM 357 Views
I might. I'm close enough to it as is. I just did some ForEx ISDAs for clients... Tom - 19/12/2011 04:03:11 AM 819 Views
I really am gonna miss Hitchens...a lot *NM* *NM* Roland00 - 19/12/2011 04:06:50 AM 352 Views
I will miss him, too...a lot. *NM* Tom - 19/12/2011 04:17:05 AM 335 Views
so, hypothetically...if I was to send you a list of people... LadyLorraine - 19/12/2011 04:25:47 AM 710 Views
Let's not try that. Tom - 20/12/2011 04:21:35 AM 668 Views
I'm so ronery 김정일 - 19/12/2011 06:36:38 AM 755 Views
I thought you were asking if I believed in KJ-I, the Eternal Leader Praziquantel - 19/12/2011 06:55:08 AM 658 Views
The article I just read said he died on Saturday. Rebekah - 19/12/2011 08:58:17 AM 732 Views
Yeah, he actually died on a train Saturday morning before Tom made the comment. *NM* TaskmasterJack - 19/12/2011 09:13:44 PM 300 Views
I'm not claiming causality. And, for the record, I first made the comment on Friday afternoon. Tom - 20/12/2011 04:25:07 AM 729 Views
You know what's really weird? Isaac - 19/12/2011 11:32:23 AM 728 Views
It has been there for 6 hours at this stage. Stephen - 19/12/2011 12:34:57 PM 800 Views
don't forget Mugabe (sp) Yunalesca - 19/12/2011 01:06:24 PM 634 Views
Zimbabwe basically is dust by now. *NM* Tim - 19/12/2011 02:52:51 PM 333 Views
They took it down, apparently. *NM* Tom - 20/12/2011 04:40:24 AM 314 Views
Not surprising, still in the revisions if anyone wants to see of course Isaac - 20/12/2011 11:06:05 AM 872 Views
Turns out Kim Jong really was il? snoopcester - 19/12/2011 12:10:15 PM 681 Views
all praise Madokami! *NM* Yunalesca - 19/12/2011 01:03:26 PM 401 Views
He's not dead-dead. Neither is his father. Just ask the North Koreans. Palatine - 19/12/2011 04:23:48 PM 713 Views
Re: He's not dead-dead. Neither is his father. Just ask the North Koreans. TaskmasterJack - 19/12/2011 09:15:09 PM 635 Views
That happened to me too. Nate - 19/12/2011 09:45:48 PM 773 Views
Re: That happened to me too. TaskmasterJack - 19/12/2011 09:48:36 PM 633 Views
Re: Legend Palatine - 20/12/2011 04:54:40 PM 648 Views
I wonder if they're going to embalm him? Tom - 20/12/2011 04:39:33 AM 582 Views
The problem with predictions that come true Vivien - 19/12/2011 05:28:24 PM 751 Views
I don't make a lot of predictions. *NM* Tom - 19/12/2011 08:18:53 PM 453 Views
Well you should start at least journaling the ones that you do make. Vivien - 19/12/2011 08:40:18 PM 701 Views
I actually now do tell my friends when I have dreams that have the "feel" to them. Tom - 20/12/2011 04:36:07 AM 774 Views
Just ones about old, sick guys dying? *NM* Sareitha Sedai - 19/12/2011 09:51:12 PM 301 Views
No, sadly. Tom - 20/12/2011 04:31:44 AM 580 Views
I can attest to the fact that this conversation took place on Facebook Saturday. TaskmasterJack - 19/12/2011 09:19:06 PM 675 Views
Yeah, I thought that reply seemed in the wrong place Isaac - 19/12/2011 09:28:17 PM 672 Views
Re: Yeah, I thought that reply seemed in the wrong place TaskmasterJack - 19/12/2011 09:31:00 PM 661 Views
Yes, TMJ, you also contributed in this case. *NM* Tom - 20/12/2011 04:38:42 AM 304 Views
I am not a dog to be petted! TaskmasterJack - 21/12/2011 02:42:55 AM 645 Views
HAHAHAHA!!!! *NM* Tom - 21/12/2011 05:31:06 AM 389 Views
Coincidentally, I found this site today kHz1000 - 19/12/2011 10:57:36 PM 692 Views
Oh, I liked that site. I found it a few years ago. *NM* Tom - 20/12/2011 04:37:04 AM 304 Views
Jeez, I hope I never get on your bad side ironclad - 20/12/2011 12:06:54 AM 600 Views
Things did change for the better with Stalin's death. Vivien - 20/12/2011 02:51:12 AM 714 Views
Not for Stalin *NM* Tom - 20/12/2011 09:49:39 PM 364 Views
eh, you can't have everything Yunalesca - 20/12/2011 11:08:36 PM 599 Views
So I guess you want me to destroy the voodoo doll I have of you? Oh wait...never mind. *NM* Tom - 20/12/2011 04:37:35 AM 295 Views
Not to downplay your awesomely uncanny coincidence... Avendesora - 20/12/2011 01:19:33 PM 664 Views
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