Comments on: Off to Phil Con http://atheists.org/blog/2005/12/09/off_to_phil_con A Blog of Atheist Thought Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:40:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: reluctantatheist http://atheists.org/blog/2005/12/09/off_to_phil_con/comment-page-1#comment-12192 reluctantatheist Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-12192 HZ, Seeker:<br /> <blockquote> You are not alone. I also had the same issue. Perhaps it's the vengence of God???</blockquote><br /> I ran into a minor problem w/posting yesterday, but it went away.<br /> Maybe God likes me better than you 2? LOL!<br /> (Yeesh, & I talk WAY more smack than either of youse guys, too!) HZ, Seeker:

You are not alone. I also had the same issue. Perhaps it’s the vengence of God???

I ran into a minor problem w/posting yesterday, but it went away.
Maybe God likes me better than you 2? LOL!
(Yeesh, & I talk WAY more smack than either of youse guys, too!)

]]> By: Mesoforte http://atheists.org/blog/2005/12/09/off_to_phil_con/comment-page-1#comment-17769 Mesoforte Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-17769 Seeker<br /> <br /> "America's economic and military strengths can be attributed to its devotion to the Christian ethic."<br /> <br /> Actually, it can be better attributed to individualism. Capitalism works well with individualism, simple as that. There is so much stress on competition in our country that we used to and still do strive to be the best. Though that has faded somewhat in recent days in the education area, we still have that pride of wanting to be at the top.<br /> <br /> Also, as The Noodley appendage pointed out-<br /> <br /> "It's because all the other Western nations ended up obliterating themselves in World War II that gave us the economic advantage"<br /> <br /> This also helped us become the econimic and military superpower we are now a shadow of. Unfortunately, America is now more spread out and that weakens us.<br /> <br /> Right now, America is actually fading from the core (top) to the semi-periphery (middle) type of power. Globalization is slowing our country down. This isn't neccasarily a bad thing, it just a pattern in the shift of power. Look at the UK and Spain, their still operating their countries and the world is okay. (China is going to replace us BTW.) Seeker

“America’s economic and military strengths can be attributed to its devotion to the Christian ethic.”

Actually, it can be better attributed to individualism. Capitalism works well with individualism, simple as that. There is so much stress on competition in our country that we used to and still do strive to be the best. Though that has faded somewhat in recent days in the education area, we still have that pride of wanting to be at the top.

Also, as The Noodley appendage pointed out-

“It’s because all the other Western nations ended up obliterating themselves in World War II that gave us the economic advantage”

This also helped us become the econimic and military superpower we are now a shadow of. Unfortunately, America is now more spread out and that weakens us.

Right now, America is actually fading from the core (top) to the semi-periphery (middle) type of power. Globalization is slowing our country down. This isn’t neccasarily a bad thing, it just a pattern in the shift of power. Look at the UK and Spain, their still operating their countries and the world is okay. (China is going to replace us BTW.)

]]> By: TXatheist http://atheists.org/blog/2005/12/09/off_to_phil_con/comment-page-1#comment-18229 TXatheist Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-18229 Not in our lifetime will religion be gone. In my opinion religion has something to offer, everlasting life. Most people would not dare consider that once they die that's it. The idea of god is unknowable so they hope it's true. They aren't going to give that up for the most part. Many times it's indoctrinated early on and from parents. That bond of trust is strong so a child perceives their parent is being honest and it sticks with most people. But good luck Dave, non-religious folks as a US percentage is growing so I'm optomistic that will continue. Not in our lifetime will religion be gone. In my opinion religion has something to offer, everlasting life. Most people would not dare consider that once they die that’s it. The idea of god is unknowable so they hope it’s true. They aren’t going to give that up for the most part. Many times it’s indoctrinated early on and from parents. That bond of trust is strong so a child perceives their parent is being honest and it sticks with most people. But good luck Dave, non-religious folks as a US percentage is growing so I’m optomistic that will continue.

]]> By: mryder66 http://atheists.org/blog/2005/12/09/off_to_phil_con/comment-page-1#comment-18233 mryder66 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-18233 Sorry to say, but I think there will be a continued strong upsurge in religion globally. Primarily as a effort to identify with a particular civilization, or more accurately differentiate oneself from other civilizations.<br /> <br /> Crazy god-people are going to dominate for the forseeable future. Sorry to say, but I think there will be a continued strong upsurge in religion globally. Primarily as a effort to identify with a particular civilization, or more accurately differentiate oneself from other civilizations.

Crazy god-people are going to dominate for the forseeable future.

]]> By: rainbows4dinosaurs http://atheists.org/blog/2005/12/09/off_to_phil_con/comment-page-1#comment-18248 rainbows4dinosaurs Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-18248 Just begun reading Michael Shermer's "How We Believe." <br /> <br /> In the opening chapter he talks about how Nietzsche and Time magazine got it wrong when they proclaimed that God was dead. The fact is that, in our country at least, theistic belief has actually grown tremendously since Nietzsche. Shermer calls his theory as to why this is happening "Supply Side Religion." Essentially, it is our lack of a government established religion that allows for a sort of free market atmosphere in the realm of supernatural belief. Every church, synagogue, and meditation retreat is competing for new 'customers,' and as a result there are custom religious 'products' to suit the needs of practically every manner of belief. <br /> <br /> Like I said, I just started this book, but it already has me reconsidering a lot of things and reevaluating my own perspective. This "Supply Side Religion" theory presents an interesting dilemma. If one's goal is to minimize the effect that religious thought has on the world, could it be that the Establishment Clause is actually hampering this effort? And on the other side of the coin, could it be that the encroachment of fundamentalism and the push for a more theocratic government may end up having the opposite effect that they desire, eventually resulting in a downturn in church attendance? <br /> <br /> <br /> Just begun reading Michael Shermer’s “How We Believe.”

In the opening chapter he talks about how Nietzsche and Time magazine got it wrong when they proclaimed that God was dead. The fact is that, in our country at least, theistic belief has actually grown tremendously since Nietzsche. Shermer calls his theory as to why this is happening “Supply Side Religion.” Essentially, it is our lack of a government established religion that allows for a sort of free market atmosphere in the realm of supernatural belief. Every church, synagogue, and meditation retreat is competing for new ‘customers,’ and as a result there are custom religious ‘products’ to suit the needs of practically every manner of belief.

Like I said, I just started this book, but it already has me reconsidering a lot of things and reevaluating my own perspective. This “Supply Side Religion” theory presents an interesting dilemma. If one’s goal is to minimize the effect that religious thought has on the world, could it be that the Establishment Clause is actually hampering this effort? And on the other side of the coin, could it be that the encroachment of fundamentalism and the push for a more theocratic government may end up having the opposite effect that they desire, eventually resulting in a downturn in church attendance?

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