I’m new to this board and I have to say that my initial impression of it (the board) is that there are a lot of really intelligent people here.
And I know I’m going to offend some here, but I believe atheists, for the most part, tend to be intelligent.
(FYI: I don’t consider myself particularly intelligent but I AM an atheist. :D)
Except it wasn’t he truth. I didn’t say what you said I said.
How do you know he isn’t a sky pixie?
The problem is that when a religious person requires me to respect his concept of God in a debate, the debate is over before it has begun. I don’t respect it, and that’s the whole point. If one can’t abide to hear his theories criticized he probably needs to go where everyone thinks alike.
No argument from me. If you’re too thin skinned for snide comments and sarcastic quips you’re in the wrong place. I come here to exchange ideas and hopefully learn something. { I also appreciate the humor} If someone in a debate has little to offer except sarcasm and mockery I don’t sweat it. They’ve shown me I have no good reason to value or consider their posts.
I’d like to see a refrain from highjacking so many discussions on religion into defending god belief in general. If the discussion is for believers to discuss beliefs don’t stop by to crap on their beliefs bcause you can. That said, I think you ought to make some effort to defend your discussion form those hijacks. Otherwise , there are lots of boards where you can hang out and discuss with people who have similar beliefs. I think Uzi summed it up rather well.
Let me add to this that I realized while on this board and partly because of it’s rules , that there is a significant difference between respecting someones right to hold beliefs , and respecting the beliefs themselves.
I think people deserve basic respect and consideration for the right to their belief system because I expect to choose my own. I don’t look for reasons to challenge nice people’s belief system as I go about my day. I judge them by their actions and overall demeanor. If they want a discussion then they should expect me to be honest about what I think and I’m sorry if they interpret my bluntness as a lack of respect for them personally. It isn’t.
My mother told me.
She’s been dead since 92 but I think she’s telling the truth
Zeus?
It’s not like the Christian god was an original idea.
I did? Damn! I wish I did drugs so I had an excuse for not remembering what I’ve said, or not said.
I have passing familiarity with Zen Buddhism. To use your analogy of the Ocean. An athiest would consider your ocean to be a invisible pink unicorn. If you provided details of the beliefs of Zen buddhism it might be less offensive to an athiest than Chirstianity but they would trash about half of what you believe.
You see, here is a large part of the problem-people supposing what atheists “would probably” say, then reacting to the imaginary conversation. This also happens when some religionists react to requests for evidence with “Even if I showed it to you, you would just say it doesn’t count!”
No, to an atheist, the “Ocean” is properly understood as a metaphor. I am an atheist who practizes Zen. Zen contains no magical beliefs (or really any necessary beliefs at all). It’s just a cognitive discipline. All metaphors are understood as metaphors.
Well, unless they contain like or as, I trust.
Because he’s a sky pixel?
Not to mention how they would spell atheism! 
Unless the discussion has morphed into who is “the athiest” of them all, and I glossed over an important post or 2.
You got to expect a criminal to have an alias or two, don’t you?
I believe I have that covered. We can move on.
Now don’t make me go all nucular on you!
post 409 was well put.
btw if you’re thinking about doing drugs I can help. 
So you don’t believe much more harder that others don’t believe?