http://debate.atheist.net Current events, politics, domestic and foreign affairs. Separation of church/religion and state. en Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:02:38 GMT vBulletin 60 http://debate.atheist.net/images/element/misc/rss.jpg http://debate.atheist.net http://debate.atheist.net/showthread.php?t=3877&goto=newpost Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:46:26 GMT Many countries have laws to protect free expression (freedom of speech has been expanded to include any expression of thought) and seperate laws to... Many countries have laws to protect free expression (freedom of speech has been expanded to include any expression of thought) and seperate laws to protect religious freedom. In this context, religion is nothing more than an opinion and the freedom to express that opinion in speech and/or ritual is protected by the freedom to express.

To seperate religion of other opinions is wrong because it implies religion deserves somekind of special protection (as if religion is somehow more than an opinion). This seperation is used to uphold indefensible blasphemy laws.

An example from my own country, the Netherlands;
In 1966 (the year of his accession to the Roman Catholic Church), Gerard Reve was prosecuted for allegedly breaking a rather archaic Dutch law against blasphemy in a piece of prose that describes the narrator's love-making to God, incarnated in a three year old donkey. He defended himself by stating that this was merely an expression of his love for the one true god. In his final statement (an oppertunity that is rarely used), he demanded the court judged him no matter wat the outcome as he hoped to create jurisprudence to help bring down the blasphemy laws. He was acquitted but the blasphemy law still stands today.

Your thoughts? ]]> Society Dyz http://debate.atheist.net/showthread.php?t=3877 http://debate.atheist.net/showthread.php?t=3852&goto=newpost Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:50:10 GMT Sex: it seems that whatever happens it's put on a pedestal in our society. Whether people are uptight and pretend it doesn't exist or openly shag anything that moves it seems that they all place far too much importance in sex. I'm not saying we shouldn't have sex, or that it's wrong in any way, I just wonder why, if we really are the most civilized people in history, we base our lives around one of our most basic instincts?

What is sex?
Sex is the method that humans and other organisms use to reproduce. To make us have lots of sex our brains have evolved to make sex feel 'good'.

Why are we attracted to other people?
The brain is just hard wired to be. In reality we're all just lumps of cells! Switch some neuron pathways around and you could find people are sexually attracted to elephants!

Our closest relationships in life are arguably with sexual partners. What does that say about us? Perhaps that our main motivation for strengthening that relationship is sex.

Opinions on this idea? I would agree with anyone who said we may as well enjoy life and have lots of sex my point is more to do with people's attitude to sex. ]]> Society spacedog http://debate.atheist.net/showthread.php?t=3852 http://debate.atheist.net/showthread.php?t=3526&goto=newpost Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:51:32 GMT http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1297083/Gay-priest-sex-scandal-undercover-Berlusconi-reporter-films-clerics-gay-clubs.html This... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...gay-clubs.html

This sounds like someone really put together a serious sting operation this time. ]]> Society xcept2010 http://debate.atheist.net/showthread.php?t=3526 http://debate.atheist.net/showthread.php?t=3523&goto=newpost Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:35:44 GMT Hi everyone, this is my first post on this forum. I’ve recently become interested in the subject of atheism. I’ve been gathering up information on... Hi everyone, this is my first post on this forum.

I’ve recently become interested in the subject of atheism. I’ve been gathering up information on the internet, to really grasp what atheism is exactly, and what the common beliefs of atheists are, but so far I’ve been met with quite contradictory results. It seems that some sources indicate something quite contrary to others, as well as some people who claim to be atheist exhibit beliefs opposite to those of others, who claim to be the same thing.

I’m posting here in the hope that someone might be gracious enough to answer some of my questions, or direct me to some resources, that might do that. I’m really looking for answers that represent the “true” beliefs between atheists – I’m sure there must be extremes deviating in any and all directions, by people who claim to be atheist but actually believe something else entirely. I’m looking for the “atheism in a nutshell” list of principles that, if asked to a random selection of people who consider themselves truly atheist, would get positive responses and general agreement. Also, if I’m asking the wrong questions in the first place, please, correct me, I would love to hear your input as to what the core of atheism beliefs is.

So, here’s a list of questions that I was interested in, but have gotten mixed results in my searches so far:
1) Do atheists believe that there definitely is no God, or however you call the supposed creator and master of the world, or other deities, or do they simply not care if there are?
2) Do atheists believe that there definitely are no souls (spirits, or whatever you wish to call them – that which is our conscience, if it were not just a result of the physical processes in our heads), or do they simply not care if there are?
3) While on the subject, do atheists believe that all existence, all life, and specifically humans also, are just subatomic particles playing out a grand show ever since some starting event and state, according to a set of laws of physics?
4) Are there any branches of atheism that deviate from the main ideas of atheism? If so, what are they called and how do they differ?
5) Are there branches of atheism that are actually not opposed to the existence of a God, other deities, souls, etc, but are simply opposed to following any main stream religion, which they deem obviously wrong and unacceptable in its practices?
6) And finally, if you consider yourself a true atheist, what is at the core of your beliefs? I am asking specifically regarding beliefs of the makings of the universe, the human essence, life, and so on.

But, please, only answer if you consider yourself truly atheist, to the best of your understanding of the word in its original sense, as opposed to modifying its meaning under your beliefs, and then labeling yourself atheist anyway, for whatever reason. I’m saying this because I’ve found some extreme deviations in beliefs expressed by people who claim to be atheist, which obviously means that someone is changing the meaning of the word.

Thanks a lot! ]]> Society theInquirer http://debate.atheist.net/showthread.php?t=3523