Atheist Manifesto

I am atheist but found this manifesto to be quite abrasive and aggressive... I agree that organized religion holds civilization back but telling a child about God is nowhere near damaging enough to be called "child abuse."

http://www.holysmoke.org/hs00/homosex.htm

I didn't realize this conversation had continued after i stopped paying attention. I got sidetracked debating Solar Wind on another thread. I plan to re-read the whole thread and respond to a few of your comments! It's a great topic for further discussion. Not the manifesto, but atheism, agnosticism, religion, etc.

They can't prove there is a God just as you cannot prove there isn't one.

I'll be an anti-hero agnostic until further notice and not worry about religious or non-religous matters.

I will say that religion has probably brought on more bloodshed in the past 2000 years of human history than
anything else.

Thank you for the discussion everyone! I just re-read the whole thing and it was fun. I learned something from everyone.

Of particular interest was the number of atheists who objected to the manifesto.

Also, I found that some attempt to make their argument by minimizing the issue, This indicates a tension: discomfort with the subject coupled with a compulsion to respond.

Nevertheless, many contributed to the discussion, and I thank all of you.

peace

I think most people on Current would rather delete 10 friends for a free whopper than read another Atheist Manifesto.

all atheists are oppressed. it is time to stop playing nice. stand up and speak truth to power.

Be a hero - Be an atheist!

Haha. Amazing. Though I do wish to reach enlightenment with the aid of this quote "You can believe in stones just don't through then at me."

But this manifesto is the voice of an oppressed atheist. I would LOSE my job if they knew I was an atheist I would not be accept to college (the one I want to attend) if they knew I was an atheist. I just want to say: it I don't believe in your jesus I don't believe in any god. Please don't make me take your Morals class (which is a disguise to talk about jesus and write papers about jesus and how god is good etc.)

All answers can be found through science. There are no coincidences. The universe is simply chaos that we attempt to control when we should all be falling down the rabbit hole.

this manifesto is worse than the bible.

you've officially pissed off a lot of real atheists and i for one don't take any of this manifesto to heart. atheists are free thinkers generally so i doubt you could get all of them to agree on any one thing. typing this was sadly a great waste

As an atheist..

Do me a favor and don't speak for me.

As soon as you have a manifesto you have a dogma. I don't believe in anything that even begins to resemble the Judeo-Christian monotheistic model. This doesn't mean I'm an Atheist. Even if I thought I was I wouldn't want to be associated with you imbeciles. To try to tell other people it's a crime to believe in something is in itself the crime. Your manifesto sounds fascist.

One more thing, atheists are unfortunately for this case a minority in the US and the likelihood of an atheist president being elected based on his religious belief would be doubtful unless he lies which wouldn't be good reason to vote for him/her.

There's a law that we must pray before sessions of Congress? There's a law that provides tax-payer money to religious-based charities? Defacto requirement of religiosity for public office? Where are these laws and were they passed by Congress?

Please don't apologize to me, I'm not asking for a double standard, and never did.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion". Pretty much says it all does'nt it.Praying before sessions of congress, respecting the establishment of religion. Tax-payer money to religious-based charities, respecting the establishment of religion.
Defacto requirement of religiosity for public office, respecting the establishment of religion.

Sorry dude, you can't have it both ways.

I'm wondering how many of you "open-minded" religious believers would be willing to vote for a self-avowed athiest for president who wanted to remove all things related to religion of ANY kind from the public forum. Just curious.

@plusaf and others: I respect your freewill and I can't force you to believe me but I will tell you this. You tell in your story that a missionary converted an Eskimo, who didn't know of God... So the Eskimo who didn't know God (or anyone who didn't know of God for that matter) was converted without free will to make his own decision, thus screwing up his salvation which is not how the Bible explains it. Nobody can make anyone do anything no matter what. That is the beauty of freewill. In the end you will always have a choice. If someone pointed a gun to your head, and demanded you turn over your wallet... IT'S YOUR CHOICE... Lets look at the choice of Heaven or Hell... Do you want to be with God or not? Who wouldn't? Imagine how cool that would be! Finally getting to see God, Jesus, and all the angels in his wonderment! We hear Heaven is a place without sin unlike our Earth and the reason its so great is everyone accepts God and his laws which are perfect and amazing! Nobody dies, nobody lies, nobody hungers, nobody thirsts, ... you get the picture. We all live forever in harmony (something which is impossible on Earth) I can't wait! Unfortunately EVERYONE defies God and his perfect and amazing world and fails to do what he tells us therefore preventing us from being in heaven since everyone is supposed to accept God. Defying God is known as sin. The reason Adam and Eve sinned is they we're tempted by Satan who was thrown out of heaven (heavenly name was Lucifer) because he defied God. Since officially no one can make you do anything, it was our fault even though Satan would seem like the one to blame. So Satan defies God and tempts us into defying God as well and it works. So then of course Adam & Eve realized that they had sinned and God cursed them and all the generations thereafter. A lot happens in between and I need to read so we'll cut to the most important part.

Continued on next comment.

uh, yeah this about as meaniful as anarchists for unity. Devout Atheists are just as annoying as devout believers of any religion or philosophical ideal or political idealogy. I shan't trade one form of dogmatic intolerance for another.

This stuff always raises the hair of the cat!

For me After reading the complete Earth Chronicles series of Zecharia Sitchin, starting with the 12th Planet, put it into perspective for me.

For longer than we can imagine Beings have been creating Beings and evolution continues to rule the tide of change.

The Tao is the power energy source of all the universes. Our universe is inside other universes.

And as Frank R. Wallace wrote about his theories in his writings on Neo-Tech and others; Our universe has a time limit and it is called "The Grand Cycle".

From the Big Bang (white hole) Explosion of our universe racing out in every direction until its power source has been exhausted. And then the white hole turns into a (black hole) Implosion and like a vacuum sucks everything back into itself until every bit of what went out has been collected; then it will rebirth itself again (white hole) Explosion to create - new worlds, new realities, new species, new ?.

Wallace said Irrationality is the only disease of human consciousness. The symptoms of irrationality are harmful dishonesties and mysticisms. Those symptoms undermine the ability to intergrate together the values of rationality and emotions.

Loving Eternal Master Mind Infinite Intelligence

Who can phantom your depth length height and breadth. As a created Being I can only conceptualize who what where when why and how you created all things, but I know man created the concept of God who you may never resemble.

Live Learn Love, Understand Grow Evolve, Mind Focus Concentration Action -Create Greatness and share it with the world...

I'm so totally disappointed unimatrx0 has now taken occasion to change the original title for this post as "Atheist Manifsto" correcting it to read as "Atheist Manifesto" perhaps at my not-so-kind urging.

I rather liked his humorous and telling 'ManIFsto' approach when saying it was "intellectual suicide" to be believer. =D =D =D What a laugh!

There was a time, more than 20 years ago now, when I found myself sitting in a jail cell. I'd been caught trying to grow some of that illegal weed in a bedroom upstairs. John Dillinger, Jr.

During my "residence" came a day when this small Indiana towns preachers visited. There were probably 20 of us & 3 preachers had taken their time to do what they could. I thought it was nice of them. Most everyone else was, "please let their visit be short".

So when the Southern Baptist preacher stopped in front of the cell I was in I went forward to talk to him; to the great relief of my cell mates. I wasn't seeking salvation, but was interested in what he actually had to say.

We got along famously. I gave him my opinions, and he countered with his. We talked about it. The great sticking point, if you want to call it that, was the "born again" part. He was adamant that if one wasn't born again, then there would be no pearly gates for you. I pointed out this wasn't fair. If you were a good man but born an aborigine who'd never heard the name Jesus then surely a loving God wouldn't condemn you to hell for your ignorance.

We didn't argue, we talked. It was a good conversation. I think we both enjoyed it; know I did. Intelligent conversation was in short supply in that cell. No conversions were made but it was a help to me & I think he got something out of it too. I had a belief in the Lord and this helped me solidify my opinions. Looking back, I think the Lord would probably smile on it. If you have a belief in the Lord then the only question is how to get in communication with him. The communication is the important part; the means you use to do is up to you.

Wow, why are atheist so mad. go to church... lol

No srsly though. Talk about a boring scientific, no video game, and pure business world.

Don’t hate religion

Embrace it.
Whatever it may be.

Lack of Religion wouldn't cause most people to become "hostile maniacal murderers"...but excessive Abuse of Power by Law Enforcement Officials just might, if the current trend of arrogant "We're the Police & We can Do what We want" behavior continues...

Today I had a lively discussion with someone about this very topic. Their position was that Religion was necessary or most people would just become hostile maniacal murderers, like the recent "Hostal" Flick. While I argued that I knew many non-religious people who I would consider agnostic or atheists that actually practiced the "Golden Rule" and didn't simply pay lip service to it.

Everything is pointed towards a supernatural force unlike this I took time and read everything i could about your group and anybody who narrows their minds to such a degree are being easily mislead by the bad side
Nobody could have lied this long for so many centuries with documents and such that lead to a better way of living and understanding God is love understanding which is missing here?

PS: He's also merciful repent for a better understanding

I am an atheist when it comes to Religion, but I believe in a higher power or unifying consciousness that exists in all things, perhaps at the quantum level.

I can handle people using words like god to refer to their deity, but I do not like proselytizing and fear mongering, that is where I draw the line on politeness and start bearing my claws and jaws. I used to be a devout religious zealot but I have now seen the light of that deception and delusion.

However, I cannot diminish the power of love. Love has been described by many texts, some would even argue that is indescribable, however, when you are in it, you know it, it is unmistakable. Who can prove the existence of love? or disprove its existence, either?

Well I would not go THAT far in the atheism, but I certainly believe that some religions are just full of crap!

I have left every last religion that i could find on BBC about religions and ethics for every 1 to read. this posting seems cool until you try to talk people into not believing in Jesus and his father then it becomes blasphemy.
Now I say even a Goose knows it's a Divine creator and it will hold its head up in the rain until it drown

This is why so many people became mislead in the first place because before eve shared the forbidden fruit with Adam Satan didn't know Adam and Adam knew nothing but good he knew nothing bad until he ate of the fruit then all these false religions came about in many ways the devil works to make us want to become independent of his rule
He has be maneuvering for centuries upon centuries with his skillful deceit.
I advise all that do not know to research and know and the only way to find the truth is to know the divine spirit that's inside each and everyone of us.

I agree that Religion threatens to destroy the human race. Religions are like the Borg.

Religion being the opium of the masses, a Spiritual belief in a higher power without the sick need to insist "Mine is the ONLY Answer" can provide an inner strength to facilitate consistently standing for fairness & decency towards Our fellow Humans...(& other sentient beings on the planet, some of which are people friendly!)
Atheists have every right to their beliefs & generally are only trying to get Ignorant, Inbred, Pushy Bible-Thumpers the HELL outa their faces ! Organized Religion is 1 of the greatest threats to moral & Intellectual progression!

Reasons
This article is an indepth look at some of the reasons why people choose atheism, and some of the most influential atheist thinkers and their arguments.
Atheist criticisms of religion
Not all atheists are hostile to religion, but many do think that religion is bad. There are a few good things though.
Organ donation
As might be expected, organ donation is completely left to the individual's personal choice.

If the Atheist does not need to prove anything, why the all out anti-god campaign?

Just wondering. Usually, when someone gets pushy, it is to prove something.

More fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97NFNXk8aFc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOxEa4mkPik

I'd also suggest to anyone with an open mind to watch "Zeitgeist: The Movie"

I want the freedom to be a-theist if I choose, and for my children if they choose. I have am no more convinced of the "truth" of the Judao-Christian mythology than I am convinced of the "truth" of ancient Greek mythology.

There is something to ponder, to admire, to observe with joy in all religions, but they are all human mythology.

In the US, people are threatened if you tell them you are not Christian or Jew.

I do not proselethize but I also do not have freedom from religion. That freedom from religion is my human right and I will work for it.

I believe that humanity, if it survives the self-inflicted damage of war and global warming, will not truly realize peace and the fullness of human compassion until we release our fearful fantasies and become responsible for the world we live in and the moment in which we live.

If there was a god or gods, and those dieties created humans, wouldn't they be so pissed that we are so ugly and destructive.

True expression of humanity would mean cherishing every life, human and animal, and cherishing the planet we live on.

Religion is like the game telephone the people to first gain the knowledge had it right and as it got passed down through time is was twisted and mutated to what it is today.

God is just a name that people gave to the magnificence of creation. It is no one man but all of creation. The people of this earth, the earth, the solar system, the galaxies, this universe and beyond is a part of that creation. We as humans are not one living thing but we are made up of many living things. Our bodies are constructed with cells, atoms, bacteria, and much more. If you cut your finger off there is life in that finger that will live on without you.

Everything is made of atoms and everything is energy.

We are a very young race still and we know very little when it comes to the knowledge this universe holds.

There is so much we still don't know about ourselves let alone this planet, universe, or anything else that is out there.

We still don't know half of the living things on the planet.

So I leave you saying this, Question everything, NEVER stop learning, come to your own conclusions but never rule out anything. If I may quote an intelligent human "True Knowledge is knowing that you know Nothing" -Albert Einstein

I just thought that you'd like to know: Atheism is a faith too. "Faith" does NOT mean religion. It has nothing to do with religion. "Faith" is just a word for when people believe something they cannot prove. Atheist's cannot prove their is no god. Christians cannot prove their is.

Over the years faith has been warped and twisted by those inside the religious community and out of it. I can have faith that I will be successful, but I can't prove that at all. Maybe before you bash "faith" you should learn what it means. And if being an atheist means being cynical and cruel and hateful-how is that heroic at all?

Obviously, unimatrix0, you have not met any decent christians. I have. However, I do know some freaky ones-I'm related to some actually. The people who see demons in everything and everyone and who think everything is evil and who try to convert everyone instead of simply caring for them. THIS IS WRONG. True Christianity is about tolerance. It is about loving everyone, not condemning them to hell, not persecuting them because of race, ethnicity, religion or culture.

Right now, I am going what some might call a 'spiritual crisis.' I have many questions and there aren't enough answers. But this creed of yours-it isn't converting me. In fact, it is more likely to push me in the opposite direction.

I think it's laughable that people are claiming this is the "truth" and that is the "truth", but can't back any of it up by actual facts.

To claim something is true without having the burden of proof is absurd!

to blindly believe in anything is a dangerous thing, and faith is exactly that. i do believe that religion offers a valuable set of values to live by, but what religious people should realize is that when they are talking to that being above they are really just talking to themselves, everyone is their own god, because the only god there is, its the one that is in your head. use your brain, it is a beautiful thing.

Atheists don't know any more than any of the believers. They propose they know. They dont know. As Carl Sagan said, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. We are all agnostic, most just dont realize it.

Richard Dawkins calls himself an atheist, yet titles one chapter of his book "The God Delusion", "Why there almost certainly is no God".

Almost?

Isn't this why we should respect each other's religion? Even its not a religion?

what is a god people believe in many gods.it is you own
interpretation of what a god is.if we in the US didnt have laws to protect us from the right wing christians it would be like living in the middle east. i personally dont believe
in any of it.and i have a lot of friends that do.the key here
is respect everyones belief.dont push your views on
anyone.

What is the difference between this propaganda and a religious zealot trying to shove his religion down my throat? To tell me that because I have faith in something you can't see that I am unintelligent or ignorant is arrogant. And to intimate that because I may be a Christian that I am a warmonger is really ignorant and intolerant.

I know people who are atheists and they respect the fact that I believe in a supreme being or Gaia force in the Earth and am a spiritual being who believes in peace, just as I respect their right to not believe in anything at all.

This post however, doesn't respect that. It preaches to people just as a religious zealot would while handing me a pamphlet to tell me what a sinner I am, and frankly the pushiness of some atheists on this site of late is downright offensive.

You don't know the truth anymore than I do. Please stop trying to make us all believe you are superior in some way because you don't believe. I don't allow my beliefs to run my life, I use them to enhance it and I don't shove them down others' throats. Your generalizations of all who believe in a power greater than ourselves are way off the mark. You look up into the awesomeness of the night sky and you tell me there isn't something more than this.

And also, Jesus Christ was a great man, teacher, and man of peace whose words have inspired and influenced my life. He is much more than just "some dead dude." I wouldn't think to degrade your beliefs. So sad you choose to do it to others.

what about "bright" - there are a bunch of atheists who call themselves "brights".

I agree w/ most everything you've mentioned. I just don't like the term "athiest". This term was coined by religious zealots, not by non-believers.
I won't live by their rules!!

@ solar wind

the atheist manifesto is just a cut, paste and edit of our discussion - you should be proud of your contribution to the atheist manifesto.

Religion/Mysticism are leftovers of humanity's infancy. It s time we collectively matured.