RRC Archives

pigsteak wrote:Rep. Giffords husband said our prayers are being heard for his wife,and for us to not stop. What do you guys say to this? he is leading the next space launch you realize.

Should we boycott and protest his silliness? tell him that is ridiculous to think prayer is helping his wife...come on you atheists...don't quit now. What do we tell him, and I will pass along your sentiments in a letter.

Pigsteak, you are so off basis on this, let me help you out.

You ask what does an atheist say ABOUT this.... I would say that he is entitled to his own belief system and if he is calling upon people of faith to continue praying for his wife, then wonderful. I wish him and his family the best in this trying time.

Should we boycott and protest his silliness? A person doesn't have to be an insensitive prick just because a person is an atheist. What would be gained by such actions? This question is just retarded.

Should we tell him that it is ridiculous to think prayer is helping his wife? Well how 'bout this... should a Christian tell a dying atheist they are going to hell? The answer is no. Because whether you are atheist or deist, you can have respect for your fellow human being and empathize with their suffering. There is a time and a place for healthy intellectual and spiritual debate. And knowing or not knowing when is a good time does not discriminate based upon spiritual belief.

Here is what you can send in a letter from us atheists:

We are deeply sorry for your tragedy. We wish you, your family and your wife the best. Although we do not believe in the power of prayer, we value life and humanity. We will continue to think good thoughts for her health and well being out of our love and respect. There will be a hater named porkchop that will try to minimize our the value of well wishes for you. Please ignore him. He is sadly confused as to what it means to be an atheist.

climb2core wrote:Well how 'bout this... should a Christian tell a dying atheist they are going to hell?.

This is done all the time. When a non-christian loved one is sick on their death bed what do the christians in their family do? They call in their minister to the hospital to pray for their family member. When death is inevitable they are no longer praying for recovery, but for the soul of that person. I'm sure they don't say "You are on your way to hell", but instead "Here is how to get to heaven".

pigsteak wrote:ynp1...ten years ago my brother died of pancreatic cancer. he was 37. at the time I was still on the fence about god, but preferred to believe in him over nohting at all. in my parents church, there was also a 4 year old girl struggling with cancer. so the church prayed for them both. I also prayed for my brother.

4 months after finding out he had cancer, my brother died. the little girl lived. i never understood 'god's logic"...same people praying for both young people with cancer..one goes...one stays. when I asked beleivers "why", they stumbled and mumbled about god's will, brohter is better off, god knows best, he has great plans....etc

it was at that moment I gave up hope, and I feel alot better.

btw, that little girl died of her cancer at the age of 7. if that isn't a twisted god, what is?

christians either try to explain away god's messed up decisions, or they leave it to the mysterious unknown of the great deity......those with a thinking brain, doesn't that bother you in the least? and I mean that in all sincerity, as someone who has walked in the church as a youth. I now say, I didn't leave god, but if he exists, he left me. don't feel sorry for me. feel grateful that I came to my senses.

Ok porky, I was reading backwards in the thread. (obviously not a good idea) Now I have just read this thread... Now I assume your post after this one was for entertainment. Pot stirrer.

lol core...you'd expect no less from me would you....

but I do have one question about your letter to Mr. Giffords. What the heck does "thinking good thoughts for her health" accomplish? Isn't that as loony as praying..thinking good thoughts? come on..let's be real..there isn't a thing we can do to helpher along..that is up to her will power, rehab, and the docs.

oh yeah, you mentioned not being insensitive, but the used the word retarded. I think the new cool kids call that, um...FAIL:)

the suffering of life is inevitable. Loss of people we care about, our own physical pain, and our own impending mortality-- all of these things are as preserved as the limbic system of our brain that ties together reason and emotion. So too preserved is the need for a belief system to make some rationale for bad things occurring to good and innocent people. I am as susceptible as the next guy. I have the same biology and same culturally normative empathy for others and fear of my own mortality. So what? Some rationally recognize this and struggle with it, some choose to relinquish this struggle and give in to hope. No one can judge.

pigsteak wrote:lol core...you'd expect no less from me would you....

but I do have one question about your letter to Mr. Giffords. What the heck does "thinking good thoughts for her health" accomplish? Isn't that as loony as praying..thinking good thoughts? come on..let's be real..there isn't a thing we can do to helpher along..that is up to her will power, rehab, and the docs.

oh yeah, you mentioned not being insensitive, but the used the word retarded. I think the new cool kids call that, um...FAIL:)

It is the value of the thought in consideration of others belief systems that counts. To me and you (depending on which piggie is the real piggie) it wouldn't accomplish jack for our loved ones. However, for this guy it has value. And I tend to be somewhat humanitarian (I am Canadian) and if this guy thinks it helps in anyway, I will do it. Just did it again. Doesn't hurt me or anyone else, and doesn't compromise my belief system. I will will simplify it for you. I have this crazy girlfriend. She thinks doing the dishes and cleaning the house is good. Me, whatever. But I clean the house to respect her and her value system. Ok, not really true but I was trying to put it on a level you could relate too

Regarding the other, whatever retard.

the lurkist wrote:the suffering of life is inevitable. Loss of people we care about, our own physical pain, and our own impending mortality-- all of these things are as preserved as the limbic system of our brain that ties together reason and emotion. So too preserved is the need for a belief system to make some rationale for bad things occurring to good and innocent people. I am as susceptible as the next guy. I have the same biology and same culturally normative empathy for others and fear of my own mortality. So what? Some rationally recognize this and struggle with it, some choose to relinquish this struggle and give in to hope. No one can judge.

I feel like I should raise my glass in a toast!! Most eloquent...

Maybe people people who were dead on the table and brought back, saw the same thing and met thier maker are the proof you need to believe in god. just trying to get you thinking.
another 22 pages of this might get us into climbing weather.

We all have the same biology/ physiology. Going towards the light in near death experiences is very explainable in a hypoxic hypercarbic brain on its way out. Everyone has the same experience b/c well, everyone has the same common pathway to death- you quit breathing and your heart stops.
"Don't stop believing, hold on to that feeling..."

the lurkist wrote:We all have the same biology/ physiology.

When one is just about to lose consciousness one sees stars. Those little lights rarely get translated to spiritual / religious meanings.