Well, to be fair, he must have had some when he was like... 1 years old... maybe. Even Satan was an angel once. I mean, I'm sure there was once a time when his face didn't look like a piece of raw steak too.

Hmmm... I do see your point. Plus, wasn't there a Tim Buckley comic that explained why he's insane over video games, anyways?

I don't know. I assume it's because he was once a concerned person who took the misinformation of the media claiming games as poison a little too far and has since turned his false accusations into an unholy obsession because it's beyond his mental capabilities to just hold up his hands and say 'fair enough, I was wrong' so he instead holds onto this notion that games are evil and he no longer has anything else of worth, his fear of being shamed in public (because in his mind being wrong is something to be ashamed of, as opposed to a simple act of being human) driving his life to the point where he turns to the deluded freak-show we know and hate today. That's just my theory though.

Why can't the English language allow smited, ffs. ;4;

Aye that's why I put it as "being busy" as I didn't know any other way of putting it without going into a massive essay about it. I, myself am Agnostic but I went to a christian school

So . . . unorganized religion is better? Hm . . .

Do you know what "cult" means or do you simply attribute the word to it in attempts to demean it because your opinion is that you don't like religion? And I don't mean dictionary.com's definition either. I mean the definition that is real and shows the difference between cult and a simple religion (aka belief system . . . such as atheism)?

Dictionary.com:

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a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.

Your Dictionary.com:

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a system of religious worship or ritual

Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary:

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formal religious veneration

This is one of the definitions of the word "cult", you may not like it, and I don't know what other definition you THINK it has...but it's official that organized religion IS a cult.

Well, I was going by the widely regarded definition, as in a religion that's blatantly stupid and hasn't even a full 1% chance of being correct and is believed by few, an obvious example being Scientology. Whether that's actual definition or not is irrelevant, in the same way many people take render to graphically mean a cut-out when in fact the actual definition of render is create. graphically or not. It's just easier then being a little smart-arse and going by actual, technical definition all the time and having someone show up and go on about what they think it means. Evidentally that ploy has backfired.

Oh, and HisServant, don't refer to Atheism as a religion. Please. I understand you being offended by Seeker's comment and explaining your objections, I really do, I was a Christian for a year myself, but religion is something that involes believing in some sort of sentient being/idea/force of nature. Atheism is not that.

Right, Tiger, I was considering the connotation of the word Cult as opposed to the dictation. However, there is still another definition of the word Cult that is used more widely instead of technicality, that separates Cult from simple Religion.

Though, Tiger, it's not so much that I was offended by Seeker's comment. Simply by the audacity and ferociousness that some seem to attack religion simply because of their oppinions of it. I don't go attacking and belittling atheists/atheism and agnostics/agnosticism around here on gg or neoseeker, do I? I'm all for discussion of it (so long as it's actual discussing and not attack/flame/arguing), I just get irritated with blatant things like the above. As for my comment about Atheism = religion, honestly without getting technical religion is a belief system (doesn't even need a deity really), and Atheism is indeed a belief. It goes with how I say everyone has faith in things, even if it's something as small as having faith that the chair you are going to sit in, will hold you up even though you've never tested it out before.

Faith and religion are COMPLETELY different things though. You can't have religion without faith, true, but you can have faith without religion. Religion isn't just a belief system otherwise the word would be null and void.

Exactly Shin. The belief that there is no God, is indeed a belief system in itself. It's rituals? Well apparently many adhere to the unspoken/unwritten ritual of putting down religion.

I agree, there are indeed some religious people who are the same with atheism/agnosticism, or even anything against their own beliefs.

So you say you weren't insulting religion only to actually do so mere moments later? Is there any point?

You were the one that insulted Scientology since apparently it's "blatantly stupid". You opened the door to "reason" and "logic".

Scientologists believe that aliens dropped our souls into volcanoes because a man wrote it in a book not too long ago, even after he admitted it was all bullshit and he wrote it to prove how stupid people are. So yes, Scientology is blatantly stupid. Anyone who says otherwise is stupid or very misinformed.

You, however, are on some crazy crusade to just be an anti-religious jerk for reasons that are either very silly or just plain malicious. Either way though, it's wholly unnecessary, since the only thing you stand to gain is looking like an offensive little no-man. So I ask again, was there any point?

It hardly matters because you still attacked people's beliefs. Which seems a little hypocritical on your side. My point? Just a couple of corrections, till people wanted to take it a little farther. Now you make it sound like I am flipping the finger at churches, at the very least I'm not going like "*bleep* RELIGION" or some anarchistic shit like that, so get off your high horse, you look a little too smug up there.

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Scientologists believe that aliens dropped our souls into volcanoes because a man wrote it in a book not too long ago

And christians believe that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can save your soul and make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master and savor, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a woman made from the rib of a man was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical fruit tree only because it was written in some 2000 year old book.

Does that honestly sound any less ridiculous?

Smug? What, so I'm the kettle and you're the pot then?

The thing is you KNOW exactly what I was getting at when I said cult. What you said originally was just the malicious comment of an obnoxious little boy, it had nothing to do with you trying to correct the technicalities of my statement and you know it, we all know it. You were just thinking you were funny while taking the piss out of religion in general so unless you want to keep lying about it I ask again, what was the point?

And Raziel, you raise a fair point. And yes, I do think both ideas are as ridiculous as each other. But that wasn't my point. My point was the creator of scientology admitted that he made it all up for the sake of proving a point. The creator of the cult himself said it was utter lies, proving it to be complete balls. Other religions, however, haven't had things to disprove them on that level, hence why Scientology is so ridiculous even when compared to Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism etc.

quote

Smug? What, so I'm the kettle and you're the pot then?

Ironically I'm not the one degrading, NOR am I talking down to anyone else in here (until you decided to be a dick, but that's something else).

Secondly, notice how I said my statement. Was it MY fault that you misused the word? Absolutely not, THEN I gave out numerous (and FACTUAL) definitions...for some reason people STILL took offense.

THEN YOU decided that pointing out a "stupid" religion would help establish your point, which I decided to counter-argue that instead. Now unless you have proof otherwise I'd suggest you stop pointing fingers and resume your life.

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And yes, I do think both ideas are as ridiculous as each other

Haha, apparently you just agreed with his (and my) original point as well, when you conveniently decided to change the point.

And to think I flame. At least I look for links and facts. ._.

Religion and Does God Exist 47

You called all religions cults. If you don't consider that degrading then there's no point even talking to you, because we both know you weren't trying to correct the usage of the word and to say so is utter bull. And yes I'm talking down to you because you either are stupid or are just plain trying to piss people off. And me a dick? Again, kettle/pot.

And there's a difference between my opinion on a religion's views and factual evidence for it's existance. My opinion is that no religion is correct and that many of their ideals are silly, yes. But that's irrelevant. However, the FACTUAL evidence that scientology is bollocks is what I was pointing out, not their ideas but the fact that the creator of it admitted it was bullshit, the factual evidence that it's just lies. Ideals and evidence are completely different hence there being no change in my point or view, you're just percieving what I say wrong or twisting it for the sake of your little arguments. Either way this is obviously leading nowhere so say whatever the hell you want, I'm sure everyone's stopped caring by now.

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You called all religions cults. If you don't consider that degrading then there's no point even talking to you, because we both know you weren't trying to correct the usage of the word and to say so is utter bull.

I called organized religion a cult...dunno why you still find it offensive since the definitions are up there, and I do believe that's what organized religion is all about (not a single insult up there). Now if you mean Evil Cults and whatnot, well I guess that's another story, but you didn't say that. Oh I get it! I'm not allowed to correct someone!

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I'm talking down to you because you either are stupid

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are on some crazy crusade to just be an anti-religious jerk

quote

What you said originally was just the malicious comment of an obnoxious little boy

You're definitely on a roll there, and I thought I was the dick? HisServant77 can put up more of a civilized argument than you.

quote

But that's irrelevant. However, the FACTUAL evidence that scientology is bollocks is what I was pointing out, not their ideas but the fact that the creator of it admitted it was bullshit, the factual evidence that it's just lies.

Ok, go convince them how their religion is a sham and spit on their beliefs for all I care, you'll be doing no better than what I (apparently) am doing now.

Well I would hope I can be civilized That's what I prefer, civilized discussion instead of flamatory arguing.

I think above all else, it just comes down to the person themselves. Truth is not relative to the winner of a debate. And you cannot force someone to think or believe one thing (then again, if you do, in the realm of faith, belief, and religion, it is no longer sincere and therefore void and fake). The points can go on and on, but really it's not doing anything for either person, because both are wanting to stand their ground no matter what. Right? Just like if I were to ask you (either one), what would it take for me to prove to you that God exists? Then your answer would probably be along the lines of "You can't." or "Show me God" or something along the lines of things I really can't do for you. So if nothing I can personally do or say will change your mind . . . there's really no reason to continue. Right?