Why are atheists so happy?

Originally posted by PsychoPawn
[b]So you're willing to make the charge, but you're not willing to actually back it up.
I'd say that's a claim that has been negated until further evidence shows otherwise.

I don't feel it's worth my time to go dig up the links, no. I don't care what you say. Like I said, I am ok with you not taking my word on this.

If you'd like some inter ...[text shortened]... e atheistic position is that life sucks.

Very smart people can come to wrong conclusions.[/b]

So you're willing to make the claim but not actually back it up? I'm not doing your research for you to back up your claim.
I already have.
Unlike you, I am not saying I could but I'm unwilling to put forth the effort.
I'm saying I have and have the supporting evidence for it.

It's not proof of anything. WHo said that bertrand Russel is the most intellectually advanced person an atheist can point to??
Those words exactly, or does the fact that he's one of the most quoted atheists herein and elsewhere do enough for you?
Can you think of an atheist more qualified, intellectually?

Very smart people can come to wrong conclusions.
And... scene.
We finally agree.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
[b]So you're willing to make the claim but not actually back it up? I'm not doing your research for you to back up your claim.
I already have.
Unlike you, I am not saying I could but I'm unwilling to put forth the effort.
I'm saying I have and have the supporting evidence for it.

It's not proof of anything. WHo said that bertrand Russel is the ...[text shortened]... ly?

[b]Very smart people can come to wrong conclusions.
And... scene.
We finally agree.[/b]

I already have.

No, you haven't. Mentioning studies it that you haven't linked to and telling me to google doesn't count as backing up your case.

I'm saying I have and have the supporting evidence for it.

I know you are saying that you do, but I don't have any evidence of that do I?

Originally posted by FreakyKBH

Those words exactly, or does the fact that he's one of the most quoted atheists herein and elsewhere do enough for you?
Can you think of an atheist more qualified, intellectually?

[b]Very smart people can come to wrong conclusions.
And... scene.
We finally agree.[/b]

Those words exactly, or does the fact that he's one of the most quoted atheists herein and elsewhere do enough for you?

I don't care how quoted he is. Those words exactly don't prove anything other than Bertrand Russell said that.

Enough for me why? Enough as a representation of my views? No, it's not enough because it doesn't represent my views. Bertrand Russell might be a brilliant man, but that doesn't mean that he represents me or that he is an authority as to what I believe.

Can you think of an atheist more qualified, intellectually?

Qualified to do what?

Originally posted by PsychoPawn
[b]I already have.

No, you haven't. Mentioning studies it that you haven't linked to and telling me to google doesn't count as backing up your case.

I'm saying I have and have the supporting evidence for it.

I know you are saying that you do, but I don't have any evidence of that do I?[/b]

And you wonder why folks think you so insufferable.

http://news.discovery.com/history/religion/religion-happiness-social-bonds.htm
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765557545/Religious-people-are-happier-studies-show.html?pg=all
http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/12138/20140113/religion-vs-atheism-religious-people-more-happier-and-healthier.htm
http://www.minnpost.com/second-opinion/2012/04/are-religious-people-happier-atheists

Originally posted by PsychoPawn
[b]
Those words exactly, or does the fact that he's one of the most quoted atheists herein and elsewhere do enough for you?

I don't care how quoted he is. Those words exactly don't prove anything other than Bertrand Russell said that.

Enough for me why? Enough as a representation of my views? No, it's not enough because it doesn't represent my ...[text shortened]...

Can you think of an atheist more qualified, intellectually?

Qualified to do what?[/b]

Carry on.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
Carry on.

You first.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
And you wonder why folks think you so insufferable.

http://news.discovery.com/history/religion/religion-happiness-social-bonds.htm
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765557545/Religious-people-are-happier-studies-show.html?pg=all
http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/12138/20140113/religion-vs-atheism-religious-people-more-happier-and-healthier.htm
http://www.minnpost.com/second-opinion/2012/04/are-religious-people-happier-atheists

And you wonder why folks think you so insufferable.

Because we actually demand that you back up your claims?

http://news.discovery.com/history/religion/religion-happiness-social-bonds.htm
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765557545/Religious-people-are-happier-studies-show.html?pg=all
http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/12138/20140113/religion-vs-atheism-religious-people-more-happier-and-healthier.htm
http://www.minnpost.com/second-opinion/2012/04/are-religious-people-happier-atheists

I skimmed a couple of those (I don't have time to read them all right now) and so far it confirms what I said before -that there are studies, but they aren't absolutely conclusive that the simple belief in god is key.

I give you credit for actually doing the google search and finding the articles though.

Originally posted by PsychoPawn
[b]And you wonder why folks think you so insufferable.

Because we actually demand that you back up your claims?

http://news.discovery.com/history/religion/religion-happiness-social-bonds.htm
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765557545/Religious-people-are-happier-studies-show.html?pg=all
http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/12138/20 ...[text shortened]... key.

I give you credit for actually doing the google search and finding the articles though.

If I may, I just want to add that 'religion' is not the source of all evil in the world, nor is it a panacea.

Just because one is 'religious' doesn't mean they will become either Charles Manson or Mother Theresa.

Religion doesn't actually DO anything. It is what people DO with religion and their faith that makes the difference.

Originally posted by Suzianne
If I may, I just want to add that 'religion' is not the source of all evil in the world, nor is it a panacea.

Just because one is 'religious' doesn't mean they will become either Charles Manson or Mother Theresa.

Religion doesn't actually DO anything. It is what people DO with religion and their faith that makes the difference.

Amen!

Originally posted by Suzianne
If I may, I just want to add that 'religion' is not the source of all evil in the world, nor is it a panacea.

Just because one is 'religious' doesn't mean they will become either Charles Manson or Mother Theresa.

Religion doesn't actually DO anything. It is what people DO with religion and their faith that makes the difference.

I don't see anything in your post that I have posted anything that contradicts that - at least that I can remember.

I think the common belief of religion has allowed groups to maintain social ties and I think those strong social ties truly are what brings real benefits.

Originally posted by Rank outsider
In the UK, over the years, I have watched/listened/read parliamentary debates on the following issues:

1 Abortion
2 Homosexuality (legalisation and age of consent)
3 Assisted suicide
4 Gay marriage / civil partnerships

On each occasion, some participants in the debate have largely or solely taken their position by reference to what they have b ...[text shortened]... you think someone 'wondering' and 'seeking' is indicative of being unhappy is quite beyond me.)

Yes i know what you mean about trying to have healthy debates, and these are all great subjects for that too. Sometimes the religious are very irritable. They will start quoting all manner of scripture and never really respond to the debate itself.

(my previous post didn't come out the way i ment. The wondering and seeking, for answers they will never find, without believing there may be something else. Spiritual/Emotional/non-physical/ that can not be explained by the typical rational or physical sciences)

Originally posted by sonhouse
That conversion came about around the age of 8.
When I was about 4, we lived in a latino neighborhood and I regularly got into fights and such, scrappy little ukker🙂. So my mom enrolled me in a Lutheran church school in El Monte Calif, the town where I was born.

So went through first to eighth grade there. Meanwhile, my granny was Pentacostal.

She k ...[text shortened]... set up such a system.

Yet here it was. So I opted out.

Never regretted it one bit either.

My Swedish Maternal Grandmother, though not Pentacostal, represented a near equivalent wart on the arse of the spiritual progress for the five of us and two of our cousins during those same formative years. All of us but my dear cousin Rosalie in Massachusetts gradually emerged out from under the suffocating legalism, erroneous biblical applications and empty taboos Grandma was bent on imposing. Within the lonely well intentioned domain of her frontal lobes, she was the self appointed matriarchal moral authority of our family; and we were her mission field. All of us but Rosalie became objective. Let it go.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
My Swedish Maternal Grandmother, though not Pentacostal, represented a near equivalent wart on the arse of the spiritual progress for the five of us and two of our cousins during those same formative years. All of us but my dear cousin Rosalie in Massachusetts gradually emerged out from under the suffocating legalism, erroneous biblical applications and ...[text shortened]... of our family; and we were her mission field. All of us but Rosalie became objective. Let it go.

Of course I let it go, but it is clear to me all religions are man made, creative writers with their own explanation as to what makes up the universe and so forth, but man made nonetheless, no input from a god needed.

In fact if there WAS godly input into the Abrahamic religions, they would all three be a LOT different than what we see now.

Statements like 'I am a jealous god' for instance, tells me the men who made up those religions are just putting mankind's attributes and assigning them to a god.

I refuse to believe a real god would be 'jealous'. EVER. Since the attributes attributed to such a god, like omniscience and so forth, it would know the beginning, midgame and endgame of all humanity and would never feel jealous. Just exactly what would a god need with jealousy of humans?

It is just plain crazy to think a god would have such a human attribute when such a god can create whole universes.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Within the lonely well intentioned domain of her frontal lobes, she was the self appointed matriarchal moral authority of our family; and we were her mission field.

And guess who takes after her.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
[b]Good for you! I have seen it.
I'm glad you're observant.
Since you've claimed to have seen it, and are now claiming again to have seen it, it ought not be too difficult to offer some actual evidence of the ranting and raving.

Well, studies aren't always conclusive and there are also many variables.
Agreed.
But when they constantly are ...[text shortened]... i]"The secret to happiness is to face the fact that the world is horrible."[/i]-Bertrand Russell[/b]

Since you've claimed to have seen it, and are now claiming again to have seen it, it ought not be too difficult to offer some actual evidence of the ranting and raving.

You may not call it "ranting and raving" but there definitely are posts by theists going on about atheists and how ignorant or angry or whatever they are...

Thread 157627
Thread 157678
Thread 157649
Thread 157452

I actually think all of those are posted by one person... so you might want to talk to them about their issues.

Those are some threads at least.