For those who believe in God, or in a God, praying can't hurt one bit in a time when it seems nothing else is working. For those who don't believe in God, they still need to have some kind of hope that things will get better, the least they can do is to ask those who believe in God to pray for them. I say if it could benefit us all, then by all means do it.

Your blog hurts me. I say that the best 'religion' is Buddhism, but the best religious choice is atheism. Religion is awful, and I'm surprised anyone still follows these terrible control systems.

Also, many people believe that Abraham Lincoln was a closeted atheist. =P

I'm sorry I hurt you.  Didn't mean to do that. 

The best religion is the one which offers salvation. 

I Thank our merciful God we still (so far) have that option available. 

Atheism is awful and most miserable by the atheists not only have  I met but also those I've read about historically.   I can't understand who would in their right conscience chhose it. 

It's just that you say that there is a god instead of just saying that you believe it. I certainly don't believe it. Does that make me miserable? Are my views really inferior to yours? That's elitist and closed-minded. I'm a very, very happy atheist, and I'm disappointed that anyone would believe in some magical god. I've never done anything illegal, never consumed any dangerous or illegal drugs, never had a girlfriend yet(came close, but decided I'll wait until after college for that), and I don't go to parties or anything like that. I do nice things for people before doing nice things for myself most of the time, and I don't feel any need to change my ways.

The best religion is the one that provides absolutely no rules. You don't need your commandments to see if something's wrong or not, and you certainly don't need to worship some invisible god no one has ever seen for absolutely no reason at all.

As I said, clash of beliefs. I hope I can avoid this blog in the future.

Asimov and Sagan didn't seem very miserable at all, but go on, feel free to paint us all with one brush-stroke because you can't fathom our choices.

Though now that you mention it, why is the USA inherently the nation of "God"? From whence did this proclamation come? Why would God specifically favour one group of people over another based solely on their geographic birthplace?

Why are difficult times inherently caused by God angry at people who don't obey him? Why are the people who do obey him similarly punished?

I do not ask these to attempt to dissuade you from your belief; it is your right to believe as you do, just as it is mine to believe as I do. I am, however, insulted at how easily you dismiss atheists as miserable people, and alarmed that you truly believe that "moral" centers (that is, the church) should "aid" in controlling political centers.

As far as national prayer day goes, I'm surprised you don't know your bible.

Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

And one last thing. As far as your little remark about atheists being miserable goes... Matthew 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:.

Nephilim_X? Yeah, I think I love you. for atheism. :B

an atheist is using the bible against a Christian?  Ok.  Let's go there. 

 But you may want to also (to be fair) not only read that above scripture again, this time in context, so you don't escape the true meaning of the passage which has NOTHING to do with public prayer at all and all to do with the heart attitude and put in those other scriptures where public prayer IS used favorably as an example for the rest of us....including Jesus very public prayer (he wasn't in a closet)  in John 17. 

Remember the very first Congress not only started with a three hour long prayer they have done that ever since.  Also, the very first act of Congress was to print 20,000 bibles to convert the Indians. 

While you're reading the scriptures to get the correct context you may want to browse thru some history books as well.

I stand by my statement that Atheists are or come to be very miserable people.  Maybe you're not there now, but you will be.  A person with no hope, and believe that this is all there is is most miserable indeed. 

But that's just my observations not only from those I've met and known over the years but also those very famous atheists in history.  Darwin was very miserable.  Read his life history.   So was Hitler etc. 

Please know this is not any sort of attack on atheism.  I just know there's a better way that gives one hope and a future. 

Here we go again.  Why is an atheist going to the bible anyhow? 

I know this is the very favorite bible verse of Atheists but again....got it wrong.  Read the rest of it.  It used to be everyone knew John 3:16 (in the old days) but now the most recognized verse is this one.....

and I believe it's in Matthew 7 not 6.    IN FACT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A 6:37.   I'm in another state right now with no bible handy, so why don't you grab a bible and check it out yourself! 

We are to make  judgments and we all do everyday.  According to scripture  we are NOT to judge in hypocricy or malice and that's what that verse is saying.  Later Christ said to one of his disciples "you judged rightly." 

We are not to judge the hearts of men, because only God can do that.  But we are to make judgment calls on actions.  That's why it says if we see an erring brother, we are to tell him first (Matthew 18)  and if he won't listen, stay away from him (Corinthians)....not even to eat with him.  The only way we can do this is by making a judgment call. 

Hey, I'm free to offer my services for any other bible verses you have been taught erronously on......my pleasure.    There's so much error floating around out there, I'm not surprised.  Scripture actually teaches that Satan would deceive (and tries to) even the elect if he could. 

Maybe just maybe you don't have a correct understanding on scripture in general.  So if that's the case, and it seems so, why not at least honestly check into the whole thing first before YOUR making a judgment call against it? 

you must be very young and naive.  Come back in 10 years and we'll have a chat. 

Oh, and BTW, the only rule in genuine Christianity is "follow me"  A Christian follows Christ.  There are no rules.....just a relationship.  And when you love someone you do the best you can to please, love and honor them. 

Of course there are rules in your religion. Ten Commandments, etc. In your religion unless the rules are followed, for whatever reason, you are condemned to a pit of eternal torment.

As for the Matthew mixup, yes, you're correct. I did misread; it's Luke 6:37, not Matthew. As for why an atheist references the bible, why wouldn't I be referencing the bible when discussing with a Christian? It's completely relevant to your beliefs, isn't it? Am I somehow forbidden from reading or referencing the bible unless I believe in everything it says? Or is the fact that there is scripture which can be taken in ways you don't prefer somehow threatening?

Now, let's move onto several of your other points. 1, why should I respect Congress for printing off bibles to convert Native Americans? Why is this necessary? Were unfair treaties and campaigns of genocide not enough to demolish their culture, or did they simply want some metaphorical blood on their teeth to go with the real stuff?

2, did your religion actually just tell you to exclude others who you don't deem to be right? What ever happened to turning the other cheek, or to not condemn? To forgive, to give, to love them regardless? Excluding them to the point of not even eating with them over their religion is idiocy. How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

As far as actions go, and your judgements on them, to think one is incapable of good acts because they are not Christian is, again, idiocy. I cannot speak for all atheists, nor all Christians. All I can speak of is myself - and if my blood donations, financial donations to the the Sick Kids Foundation ( http://www.sickkidsfoundation.com/home/ ), the fact that I'm currently training to be a Registered Nurse, and other good acts are all invalidated simply because I don't believe in your god, then frankly I would rather not partake of your religion - it seems to me a petty, trite reason to exclude someone.

Finally, again coming back to your "miserable atheists" statement - Hitlers religion is debatable and I concede it is perfectly simple for a politician to say they believe in something for rhetoric sake; the fact that many of his followers were Christian is not something you can dismiss however. On top of that, between crusades, inquisitions, witch hunts, racial bigotry and homosexual bigotry, it's not hard to be pious and still inhumane. Furthermore, you ignore my examples of Sagan and Asimov as people who were clearly happy while being atheists. As far as Darwin goes, it's entirely true that he was deeply depressed after the loss of his daughter.

What being sad has to do with the validity of ones beliefs is beyond me. Is a sad Christian somehow made more or less valid? A sad muslim? Wiccan? Shinto?

I apologize for the double post, but edit is not working correctly.

You still ignored my questions about why god would apparently see fit to punish the innocent along with the guilty, or why the US is apparently his current favoured nation. Why, if god made every single human on earth as you believe, does he play favourites? Are they not all his children? Would he not, in his omnipotence and omnipresence, understand why we make the decisions we do? Is it not immoral to punish a flawed creation for being flawed?

Additionally, if Hitler could invoke the name of God for the purposes of motivating a population to do what he wants, why could you not consider that Lincoln and Garfield are doing the exact same in your initial post?

Young and naive? Don't make me laugh, you elitist pig. I was saying that religion has no real purpose with that statement. Come back in ten years? Ha! I'm obviously more mature and independent in my beliefs than you. Poor Christian. If you were raised elsewhere you may not be the fanatical Christian you are. However, I am currently living in East Texas, along the BIBLE BELT. I was raised a Baptist, and I didn't question my 'beliefs' or even think about them until around when I turned 14, years ago. Since then I've happily adjusted my views on life, and realized that religion is a control system that should have died as soon as it was created. Everyone seems to have their own religion these days, though, and I hope all of the bad stuff that comes from religion ends soon, or that religion just 'ends'. It seems more atheists are 'coming out' out on the internet than anywhere else, though, and that's makes me proud.

KFC,

Thanks for the quotes from Lincoln and Garfield..they go right to the core... 

I agree and I did...I prayed and pray.

The National Day of prayer is simply a call to pray...it can be done privately or in a public gathering and there is no problem (yet?) with that.  Public prayer for which we assemble together is something necessary and granted for it to have efficacy, for prayer to be holy, it must be done reverently.  

In my town a few years ago, people  gathered in the public park at the gazebo and prayed together for the good of our nation, state and town. Almighty God blesses those who pray together...St.Matthew 18:20

At the same time, public prayer should not displace obedience to this commandment of Our Lord to dedicate private times to pray to the Father.

FACELORD POSTS #4 [quote]It's just that you say that there is a god instead of just saying that you believe it. I certainly don't believe it. [/quote

That Almighty God exists is beyond a question of reasonable doubt. The purer the heart of the person, the clearer his mental vision of Him. When KFC speaks that there is a God, she speaks truth. Truth is in possession. People do not have to persuade themselves there is a God...rather, they have to persuade themselves there is no God. And yet, no one who has attained such a temporary persuasion has been able to find a valid reason for it. We don't grow into the idea of a God; we endeavor to grow out of it.

Your views are not inferior per se. Atheists are just foolish and weak because they purposefully and willingly shirk the duty of rendering to God what is due to God, shirk the responsibility of admitting that they are not infinitely perfect and shirk the greatest reality of life.

FaCELORD #12

Now, here you take your own virtue as a standard and proceed to find others wanting when measured by it. It often happens that those who don't believe in ALmighty God or practice no religion often canonize themselves as models of perfection and regard religious people in the vein as you've described above.

Here's something to consider....

It really would be better for you to take up your religious duties to God...as a matter of fact, it's impossible to be honest without believing in God and being religious...Right or true Religion is the highest form of honesty; a strict duty to God. Look at it this way...Jones owes one man $100.00 and another $1.00. He pays the $1 but not the $100. Smith also owes $100 to one and $1. to another. He pays the $100, but not the $1. Whose is the greater dishonesty? Now each owes a tremendous to God and a lesser one to his neighbor. By your own description, you pay the lesser (man), but neglect the Greater (God).

The person who is just to his neighbor but doesn't bother about his duty of religion to God, is the kind of person who pays the baker for bread he puts in his body, but nothing to God for the body he puts his bread into! religion is a strict duty of justice to God acknowledging our indebtedness to Him. If religious people sometimes fail, and of course they do, I don't justify that.  But their creditors are insignificant compared to Creator God who supplied you with all you have and receive with no acknowledgment from you?

I'd rather be in the position of those whom you condemn. My belief in Almighty God and practice of religion may save me despite my many faults, while your self described goodness will not save you.

Facelord, settle down. You're coming off as rabid. Religion can indeed do many terrible things, but as a cultural factor it's one that won't be going away any time soon, and again, not everyone with a religion is some sort of hateful nutball. Given your age, yes, you are lacking maturity. Make like Bill & Ted and Be Excellent unto one another. Judge them not by their professed beliefs, but by their acts.

Lulapilgrim, there's zero proof of god. Why am I to assume it's your god that "gave" anything? Or indeed how would any of us genuinely know what sort of "divinity" wants? Is it not possible that an entity created the universe, then just sat back and watched it all happen, not actually caring or passing judgement on any of us? On this side note, the entire point of faith is belief without proof. As I've mentioned earlier, you are perfectly welcome to believe as you do, but to condemn others for their spiritual beliefs and solely their spiritual beliefs is massively bigoted.

If your god is so petty and vindictive that he would damn me along with many other good, decent people based solely on the fact that we do not worship him, that in itself is grounds for me not to worship him, as such egotism is repulsive. None of us asked to be given anything; these "gifts" apparently come with a heavy debt, one which I certainly did not agree to. Yet apparently even if I am healing the sick, giving to the poor, and doing the best I can for my fellow humans, I apparently deserve an eternity of torment on the grounds that I did not worship an entity claimed to have created everything.

Again, I ask, if god loves us, why does he punish us for not being sure he exists, or loving a different concept of him? Would it not be a simple matter to give revelation once one has passed on, and then provide rehabilitation? Is god simply too busy? Or does he expect us, in a world filled with thousands of varied takes on divinity, to pinpoint the exact branch of a specific religion where the truth is?

On one final side note, yes, the God of the bible is a pretty vindictive fellow.

Kings 2:23-24 (NIV): From there Elisha went up to
Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of
the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!"
they said. "Go on up, you baldhead!" He turned around,
looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the
LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of
the youths.

God seriously had bears slaughter children for teasing? Suck it up, crybaby.