[De Maria]

I know of more situations where people have killed in the name of their god than situations where they have killed for the lack of a god.

Atheists in the 20th century alone have killed more people than all religious wars in the history of mankind.

If THAT is your argument--Hitler was Christian.

"Was" is the keyword in that phrase. Just so happens that Hitler was one of my heroes in my youth. So I made it a point to study him extensively.

He was born of Catholic parents. But he did not believe in God. Some said he was a pantheist, a nature worshipper. But I don't believe it. However, the man was shrewd. He disguised his speech with pious sayings. But in the end, he planned to destroy all religion and religious just as he was destroying the Jews.

So was the Spanish Inquisition. So were the Crusades, and those who burned witches in Salem. And you wonder why I don't want kids to learn to be Christian in a public school?

Yeah, I do. A well rounded education would have given YOU the other side of the story on the Inquisition and the Crusades.

The Inquisition
Dave Hunt and the Spanish Inquisition
StayCatholic.com - The Crusades

I'm glad you teach your kids at home--then they are getting EXACTLY the education you want for them, including that of religion. However--the public school system comprises MANY religions, not just Christianity. Would you want ALL of those religions taught, to the detriment of reading, writing, math, and science?

All types of sports are taught without detriment to reading, writing math or science.

All types of science are taught without detriment to the others.
All types of math without detriment to the others.

Personally, I think that the education system is lacking in THOSE subjects--kids today as high school seniors don't know as much in those areas as kids 50 years ago did at the end of 8th grade, though they do have quite a bit more knowledge in more diverse subjects (computer science, as an example). While schools should not undermine the teachings of parents, neither do they have the obligation to teach kids to pray. That's a parent's obligation.

Sounds as though we've come closer to agreement.

Sincerely,

De Maria

[NowWhat]

Well, where he seemingly lacks compassion - he makes up for in passion.

[De Maria]

Comments like that must make the good christians shudder. We now know who we are dealing with. Thank you for outing yourself. And thank you for homeschooling your children.

Apparently your definition of a good Christian is one who agrees with everything you say.

But atheists do give atheists a bad name. Hitler, Stalin, the Kmer Rouge...

Sincerely,

De Maria

[NeedKarma]

Priests who violate young innocent boys, George Bush sending thousands to die, Crusades, Inquisition, suicide bombers, etc. - it's a wash.

[NowWhat]

Has there ever been a christian suicide bomber?

[NeedKarma]

In the name of religion was what I was going for. To kind of counter his "all atheists are animals" theme.

[NowWhat]

Oh, gottcha

[De Maria]

Doesn't matter, the comment was directed at the whole group.

I guess you are reaching for some kind of victory in this discussion. But twisting my meaning to do so is dishonest of you.


The statement "atheists give atheists a bad name" means that the "subset of atheists who have committed enormous atrocities in the history of mankind have given the complete set of atheists who had nothing to do with their enormous evils a bad name."

A complete reading of my messages should confirm what I've explained above.

Sincerely,

De Maria
.

[NeedKarma]

The statement "atheists give atheists a bad name" means that the "subset of atheists who have committed enormous atrocities in the history of mankind have given the complete set of atheists who had nothing to do with their enormous evils a bad name."

You are completely incorrect. Had you meant 'subset' you would have written 'subset' but you didn't.

[De Maria]

In the name of religion was what I was going for. To kinda counter his "all atheists are animals" theme.

Mare fallacious argument from you. Please quote me.

[De Maria]

You are completely incorrect. Had you meant 'subset' you would have written 'subset' but you didn't.

I think I know what I meant.

[NowWhat]

I am about to come off as a bit of a smart a$$, but I can not help it.

So you are trying to say that bad atheist give good atheist a bad name? Or we were supposed to get all of that from what little you said?
Okay...

[De Maria]

Well, where he seemingly lacks compassion - he makes up for in passion.

Please explain what you mean be lack of compassion?

[De Maria]

I am about to come off as a bit of a smart a$$, but I can not help it.

So you are trying to say that bad atheist give good atheist a bad name? Or we were supposed to get all of that from what little you said?
Okay....

Yeah.

[jillianleab]

Is it intolerance? OR is it standing for what you believe?
It seems to me that when christians stand up for what they believe in - we get label with "intolerant". Why is that?

There's a difference between standing up for what you believe in and having a "Christian way or no way" mentality. Some Christians insist THEIR values and morals are the ONLY ones that are correct and as such should be taught or dominate society. Some Christians take the attitude that since they are the majority in this country it must mean they are right, making everyone else wrong. There's no gray area - just my way or no way.

I'm all for Christians having a Christian-dominant household and private life, but what some seem to forget is that not everyone agrees with their point of view, and we have a diverse society. Some appear to have the attitude that other's views and rights are less important that those of a Christian and deserve less attention or respect.

There was a thread a while back about the bible being taught in schools, and several Christians made an excellent point as to why it should NOT be taught in schools - who is qualified to teach it? If you believe the bible is a literal book without error and it is taught to your child as a book of morals and metaphor, that goes against what your view is. The same works in reverse, so isn't it better for YOU to teach the bible the way YOU see fit to your children? To me, that's one of the primary reasons religion doesn't belong in schools, because not all people in any denomination agree on everything 100%, so it would be better to teach it on your own so your message comes through the way you want it.

I also feel school is a place for education not moral lessons. Teachers should focus on the fundamentals - reading, writing, math, science, and in turn socialization plays a part. Schools should teach social morals (not nice to call names, play well with others, etc) but personal morals (no sex before marriage, prayer before meals, etc) should be taught at home.

Standing up for what you believe in (to me) would be fighting for your child's right to pray quietly or silently before a test or meal, their right to wear religious jewelry, and so on. But those things can quickly move to intolerance if the person wants to allow only members of their own denomination those rights and no one else (only Christians can pray, not Muslims or only Christians can wear crosses, no one else can display their icons).

[De Maria]

There's a difference between standing up for what you believe in and having a "Christian way or no way" mentality....

Perhaps some Christians do so. But I didn't. Nor has any Christian whose messages I've read on this forum.

However, something which nonChristians and atheists on this forum have done is t misrepresent Christian argument.

Sincerely,

De Maria

[jillianleab]

Perhaps some Christians do so. But I didn't. Nor has any Christian whose messages I've read on this forum.

I didn't say you and I didn't name anyone on this forum. I said SOME. And if you haven't seen anyone on this forum who has that mentality you haven't been reading very closely. Perhaps they are absent from this thread, but they certainly exist on this site.

[excon]

Not all people are as evil as I was. I know that as an atheist I came to believe those things. And as a Christian, I no longer believe those things.

Hello again, De Maria:

May I suggest that you weren't really an atheist. If you were, you'd still be one today. I know you don't understand that. That's why you never were an atheist to begin with.

I think you may be right about one thing. Really evil people aren't atheists at all. They're just pretenders, like you were. And, it's people like THAT who give atheists a bad name.

Real atheists aren't evil at all.

excon

[NowWhat]

Well he certainly doesn't care to be compassionate in any way.

I was responding to this.

[NeedKarma]

I was responding to this.

Serial killers have little compassion but also have a lot of passion for what they do, so I guess that's good!