How do you distinguish between the belief in God and the occult?

Quote from achilles28:

Because it's obvious to everyone here you're totally insincere and...
But that shouldn't make a blessed difference to you, one of the saved. Is God's will not that you should spread His word? In fact, even to push forward secular legislation to dovetail with his teachings? (Ask one of your brethren, St. Rick of Perpetual Santorum.) Surely you will gladly take upon yourself the burden of cleansing the great unwashed with poise and equanimity. Onward christian soldier...God's work awaits.
 
Quote from RCG Trader:

There is none of that, FT.

often it seems that way but what is the alternative.

No democratic delusion is more fatuous than that which holds that all men are capable of reason, and hence susceptible to conversion by evidence. If religions depended upon evidence for their prolongation, then all of them would collapse. it is not only that the actual evidence they offer is extremely dubious; it is mainly that the great majority of the men they seek to reach are quite incapable of comprehending any evidence, good or bad. They must get at such men through their feelings or resign getting at them altogether.HL Mencken:
 
Quote from achilles28:

And what "knowledge" is that, exactly?
well, in the case of christianity someone with intellectual curiousity might want to learn by who, why, and how the bible was manufactured. since there is no observable evidence for a god all inspirations of gods come from primitive texts. studying their origins might be useful. of course that might force you to make unpleasnt conclusions that you would rather not face.


Atheism is not a conscious act of turning away from all gods. It is simply the final destination for those who think. You will be pleased to discover that the sky does not fall down on your head. If you still want to pray, you can; the success rate of your prayers is unlikely to change. (Guy P. Harrison)
 
Quote from PHOENIX TRADING:

Maybe you should try the hook-up forum
if are you trying to tell us you are a "tinkerbell" or whatever euphemism you prefer for homosexual, bisexual.
Quote from PHOENIX TRADING:

Oh PUHLEEZE!
 
Quote from stu:

The argument that God cannot be proved not to exist, is just as invalid and pointless as saying, it cannot be proved: that some God cannot be proved to not exist.
Asking for proof of a negative ignores reality, in which affirmatives prove things.




Let's say for instance...
seeing as how you start without religion as you start without politics.

Then someone explains an imaginary religious God belief concept or other to you. Religion.
Then someone explains a means by which purported beliefs in certain policies can use social relations to gain authority and power. Politics.

but nevertheless...
You don't do religion.
You don't do politics.
You do not become theistic. You do not become political. You are not a theist. You are not a politician.
That is not anti- anything.

You are then, where you started. Atheist. Apolitical.
There's no agnostic in that either.

Sure, that's just not where the majority of people in this country are. The most recent surveys indicate that only 3% of Americans claimed to be convinced that God doesn't exist, compared to 73% who were convinced that God does exist. Another 14% strongly believed but had slight doubt. Another 9% were in the "not really sure" category. Actual atheists end up in a very small minority, and a disproportionate number of them end up taking an activist role, just like extreme minority groups in any situation. At that point they are no longer atheist, but anti-theist.

It is a very difficult thing to remain atheist or apolitical. As you are confronted with information, you make decisions. Religion and politics influence everything in this country. To live here and remain unaffected by religion and politics, is like a child growing up in a brothel and as an adult claiming to be unaffected with no opinion. It really does shape your entire existence whether you choose to recognize it or not.
 
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