One Word

RoboGraham comments on Jan 21, 2018:

Learn

One of the drawbacks of having a state religion is a mandatory section of air space on the BBC for ...

RoboGraham comments on Jan 21, 2018:

One reason I'm proud to be an American, no religion is given preference. At least not officially.

Is this the smartest thing Trump has ever said?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 21, 2018:

At the time that Trump said that, the Democrats did not control Congress. Now the GOP controls both legislative houses and the Presidency. So what he said about Obama not controlling his own party is actually much more accurate about himself as a leader.

Sports

RoboGraham comments on Jan 21, 2018:

I have almost no interest in any sport. I'd like an option for no favorite sport in this poll.

With this site now open, do you consider Facebook to be redundant now?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 19, 2018:

I most definitely find myself spending less time communicating on the bookface thanks this awesome community I've found here. Thanks to facebook though for alerting me to the existence of this site.

I am highly impressed by the scientific knowldege of Agnostic.

RoboGraham comments on Jan 19, 2018:

I think you mean that they would, accelerate through your gravitational orbit. Or somethin.

Where do you get yours?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 18, 2018:

A pretty messed up experiment done back in the day. Offspring who receive no love and comfort cannot function in relationships normally. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O60TYAIgC4

If necessary to testify in court would you put your hand on the bible?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 18, 2018:

I would swear on The Constitution.

I find it funny that the Roman Empire is the the reason for the Christian persecution complex, and ...

RoboGraham comments on Jan 18, 2018:

Have you listened to The History of Rome Podcast by Mike Duncan? If not, check it out, it's a must for anyone with an interest in Roman history.

What's Sacred to You?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 18, 2018:

The golden rule.

Lmfao! Ken Ham never cease to crack me up over his pure stupidity.

RoboGraham comments on Jan 18, 2018:

If he wants to give us the credit for the failure of his museum of mythology, we should take it.

What’s the best thing that happened to you today?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 18, 2018:

Borat made me laugh hysterically.

Why do so many on this site use "convert"?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 17, 2018:

Enlightenment

If the Bible Were Law, Would You Qualify for the Death Penalty?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 17, 2018:

I would not be executed under biblical law because I would not be alive under such a regime. I would have died fighting the forces putting those laws in place.

Just thought I'd throw this out there in case I can educate some of you and hopefully clear up some ...

RoboGraham comments on Jan 17, 2018:

Assisting in the death of terminally ill people who are in great pain and have made the decision to end their lives with a sound mind is very different from exterminating people who have poor quality of life. Compassionately helping to end the suffering of dying people is not nazism. The critical point is that the person must choose, the decision must be completely up to the patient. And yes it can be regulated, as many people have already pointed out, it is legal, regulated, and helping suffering people die with dignity in many countries and states where it is legal.

I can't believe it-made it to Level 8!!!!!

RoboGraham comments on Jan 17, 2018:

Hows it feel?

Old habits die hard. Ever manage to kill a bad habit? Or, is there one you'd like to kill?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 15, 2018:

I would like to give up the habit of quitting habits.

A lesson in humility

RoboGraham comments on Jan 15, 2018:

And that is why critical thought and personal reflection is critical.

Any Deadheads out there?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 15, 2018:

I wouldn't describe myself as a deadhead but I love a lot of their music. Particularly Working Man's Dead. Pigpen is the man.

Hey guys wanting to try out some new music, comment some songs please! Thanks in advance!

RoboGraham comments on Jan 15, 2018:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqGh_I74GAg

Martin Luther King Jr said: Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.

RoboGraham comments on Jan 15, 2018:

He was a champion of nonviolent civil disobedience. He showed us the way forward.

The 10 Commandments of Rational Debate

RoboGraham comments on Jan 14, 2018:

I learned this stuff in a logic class in college. It should be a mandatory part of every high school curriculum.

Religion is __________(finish the line)

RoboGraham comments on Jan 14, 2018:

Religion is wack.

Inter-religious couples?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 14, 2018:

My first serious relationship was with a science major who somehow was also religious. It didn't really affect the relationship because she was very open minded and logical but when I would ask her things like, how can you believe both in evolution and creation? or, how can the myth of Noah's ark be true if there is no evidence of a world flood? She would always respond "I just do" It was a weird dichotomy going on in her head but somehow she balanced these incompatible beliefs and it worked for her.

What do you have faith in?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 14, 2018:

I have faith in progress. We will continue to learn from our mistakes and improve our world.

Chelsea Manning files to run for U.S. Senate in Maryland - The Washington Post

RoboGraham comments on Jan 13, 2018:

I'm happy with Senator Cardin.

This isn't really a question.

RoboGraham comments on Jan 10, 2018:

Word

Good news from N. Carolina.

RoboGraham comments on Jan 10, 2018:

Hallelujah

Fighting for peace is like fcking for viginity.

RoboGraham comments on Jan 10, 2018:

Like praying for rationality.

My mom's religious boyfriend came up with a silly theory he claims 'disproving' evolution.

RoboGraham comments on Jan 8, 2018:

And did you hear about how the myth of Beowulf is proof that early humans lived among dinosaurs?

Does it matter anymore who makes the first move?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 8, 2018:

i Wish more women would make the first move. It would make my life easier.

I want to change my name.

RoboGraham comments on Jan 5, 2018:

My favorite Roman emperor was Julian The Apostate. He was Constantine's great nephew and attempted to reverse the christianisation of the empire. Unfortunately he was killed in battle just a couple years into his reign. I've thought of using the name Julian if I ever decided to change mine so perhaps it could work for you. It also means youthful in Latin.

Scientology

RoboGraham comments on Jan 5, 2018:

His success leads me to believe that any creative charlatan can make up a religion. Perhaps I can create Astrophysictology and have a bunch of gullible fools eating out of my hand. Although it wasn't Hubbard who actually got scientology recognized as a religion. It was his tenacious successor who pressured a bunch of corrupt IRS agents into getting official religious status so they wouldn't have to pay taxes. What a racket they are running.

Do you agree/

RoboGraham comments on Jan 5, 2018:

Cable news networks treat the news like sports. Its all about competition, sensationalism, ratings. I can't even watch that garbage anymore.

The Vermont House of Representatives voted on Thursday to legalize possession and home cultivation ...

RoboGraham comments on Jan 5, 2018:

Conservatives are totally in support of states rights. Unless the states use their rights to do things they don't like. This move by Sessions is folly, like trying to stand in front of an avalanche.

I'm not a psychologist but I sure wish I knew what's inside the mind of the average trump supporter!...

RoboGraham comments on Jan 5, 2018:

I think the common thread of all trump supporters is gullibility. You have to be gullible to buy what he's selling. My mother literally said to me "he wants to help the poor people because he already has sooo much money he doesn't need anymore." As if his entire reason for being isn't to enrich his family and further his self aggrandizement.

What is your plan "B"?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 4, 2018:

I think I'll pray for a miracle.

Religion and school

RoboGraham comments on Jan 4, 2018:

This one is tricky but it certainly seems like violation. If I were you I'd contact the freedom from religion foundation. They are vigilant about these sorts of infractions and would probably be able to give you some insight into the legality of this practice. They may even take up the case themselves.

What theories do religious people in your life present for your agnosticism/atheism?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 4, 2018:

My mom simply doesn't accept it. She is convinced that when I get older and wiser I will of coarse believe. It's very insulting really.

With No God, Would It Still Be Possible To Have A Soul Mate?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 4, 2018:

Soulmate is just the name given to the person who causes your brain to flood with dopamine and serotonin.

I believe our 'God' belief comes from being visited in the past by others who we, at the time, could...

RoboGraham comments on Jan 4, 2018:

I believe our god belief came from basic superstition that developed into complex rituals and eventually, over multiple generations, religious dogma. There was a severe lack of information, a need to fill the void of understanding, add a great deal of creativity and whallah- religion was born. As for visitors, that's an awfully big conclusion to jump to. Unless you know something I don't.

If atheists had a holiday, what would that holiday look like?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 4, 2018:

I think we should have Separation of Church and State Day on Jefferson's B-day. As for the celebration- a good ole fashion political protest followed by heavy drinking and a night of vigorous sinning while taking the lords name in vain.

Best Friend Defends Islam, Bashes Christianity.

RoboGraham comments on Jan 4, 2018:

I don't think you should have to bite your tongue with her. As long as you are explaining how you feel without being arrogant or degrading she should be willing to hear you out and respect your opinion. If she is so thin skinned that she gets upset then good riddance.

Do you think that population needs to be regulated?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 3, 2018:

I predict an enormous political battle taking place over this issue a few generations down the line. Regulation of birth will probably become necessary and it's implementation will be very tricky.

Is life "fair"?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 3, 2018:

The world is becoming more fair as we continue to build our world on the foundation of enlightened reasoning.

Does it seem like the categories are meaningless?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 3, 2018:

With each level that I climb I feel like I'm a step closer to becoming super skeptic man.

As an Atheist , that is , a person who has no religion , it's interesting how much Christian themed ...

RoboGraham comments on Jan 2, 2018:

Religion can certainly inspire some wonderful music and architecture.

Isn’t it funny when the religious say they will be praying for you?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 2, 2018:

I wonder how often they actually follow through with the prayer? Seems like it would be a real pain in the ass to actually do all of that praying. And does prayer have to occur while on the knees with hands clasped or can you just mutter one out while you're having a wank or something?

I believe in the power of faith.

RoboGraham comments on Jan 2, 2018:

I think that what you call faith, I would label self confidence. Of course those who are more confident in their abilities will be more successful.

Am I living a total lie`

RoboGraham comments on Jan 2, 2018:

An organization that is too bigoted to accept you for who you really are does not deserve to have you. The same applies to relatives and friends.

Do you support Trump?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 2, 2018:

He is a national embarrassment.

Who should be elected president in 2020?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 2, 2018:

Elizabeth Warren. Or Bernie if he is up to the task.

How much of a backlash will the Republicans get in the midterms?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 2, 2018:

Well that victory in Alabama was extremely encouraging. I think disillusionment with this administration and the GOP in general is spreading. People are going to flip out when they realize that, in order to offset lost revenue due to the tax cuts given to the wealthy, republicans intend to cut medicare and social security.

What moral code do you follow now that you are non-religious?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 2, 2018:

The golden rule!

Fellow agnostics, how do you feel about believers joining?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 1, 2018:

I would welcome them with open arms. We do have a good thing going here and it is awesome to have a intelligent group of people who are mostly on the same page as I am to discuss things with but I think that it would be a good thing for theist to join in and possibly see for themselves that we aren't evil terrible people who ought to be burned for our beliefs. Also, I sometimes feel as though I am , pardon the expression, preaching to the choir. For the most part, we agree about stuff so debates would be more interesting if those who think differently were included.

Are you bothered that we count time based on when Jesus was supposedly born?

RoboGraham comments on Jan 1, 2018:

in 1792 French revolutionaries decided to begin counting time from the birth of their republic. 1792 was year 1 of the Era of Liberty. So we are now in year 226 of the Era of Liberty. It was pretty confusing though and Napoleon change it back to the old way soon after. It would be cool to do something like that but what headache it would create. We are all so accustomed to our current system and, like many of you have pointed out, who really gives a shit if the starting point is based on a myth. It works.

In the school I work in, there’s a lot of openly religious people, I usually just blend in the ...

RoboGraham comments on Dec 31, 2017:

Inform the guy that preaching in school is inappropriate and that it makes you feel uncomfortable.

are theyre any philosophies you like? or philosophers?

RoboGraham comments on Dec 31, 2017:

Existentialism is a critical philosophy. To sum it up- If you don't believe that you were created for some sort of purpose, then what is the meaning of your life, why are you here, what's the point? This seems rather pessimistic on the surface but really it gives you the freedom to decide the meaning of your life for yourself. So to practice existentialism, you must do some soul searching and discover what brings meaning to your existence. Whether it be altruism, politics, teaching, farming, surfing... whatever gives your life purpose engage in it with passion so that on your death bed, you can take comfort in the thought that you did the most with the time that was allotted to you.

What movies do you find inspirational as an atheist/agnositc?

RoboGraham comments on Dec 31, 2017:

The Ledge is also a great film that fits this criteria. It's about a guy trying to liberate a lovely woman from a fundamentalist christian who has a strangle hold over her mind, body and soul.

What movies do you find inspirational as an atheist/agnositc?

RoboGraham comments on Dec 31, 2017:

My favorite movie of all time is I Heart Huckabees. It's not so much agnostic but very philosophical and existential in particular. By far one of the most thought provoking films I've seen and I've seen a lot. It's also incredibly funny. They mix a combination of very heavy philosophical ideas with some outrageous characters brilliantly and the result is pure comedy gold. I have watched I Heart Huckabees with people who don't do much thinking outside the box and they are generally left bored, confused and frustrated with it, so It's not for everyone but I'd say most people on here would understand it and get a kick out of it.

What is your response when people threaten you with religious punishments? (i.e. Hell/Jahannam)

RoboGraham comments on Dec 31, 2017:

I say " you wanna get butt naked and wrestle?"

Should I attend a wedding at church as an atheist?

RoboGraham comments on Dec 31, 2017:

I understand where you are coming from. You want to be true to your principals. But you shouldn't let this issue get in the way of celebrating your daughter's special day. A church is just a building no different than any other. It's only "special" to those who believe, which you don't, so no big deal. I actually really enjoy going into churches. The architecture that religion inspires is the best thing about religion in my opinion. The last time I went to a church wedding, I got good and drunk, thoroughly enjoyed myself and was diligently disrespectful of the theist aspects of the ceremony. I'd advise you to do something similar.

Should the U.S. government remove all references to god on monuments, buildings, and money?

RoboGraham comments on Dec 31, 2017:

We should switch back to E Pluribus Unum.

Does it seem like Christians throw Jesus’ death around in everybody’s face?

RoboGraham comments on Dec 30, 2017:

I can think of many martyrs who deserve more reverence than Jesus does. I mean I liked that he rubbed those old orthodox jews the wrong way with his hippie peace and love message but come on Jesus, what have you done for me lately.

How do we get atheism/nonreligion to influence politics

RoboGraham comments on Dec 30, 2017:

Theist have the advantage of meeting with like minded people in there communities on a weekly basis. This gives their leaders ample opportunity to rile them up by preaching about all the bad stuff going on in the world and then tell them what they must do to fix. So they get onto the same page and work together. Perhaps we need to dedicate 1 day a week to meeting at some sort of secularist church. Or just put time and energy into groups like these to accomplish the same ends.

Why are some atheists angry?

RoboGraham comments on Dec 30, 2017:

Anger is an appropriate emotional response to danger. We feel angered by religion because we see the danger it presents. The trick is to channel that anger productively rather than letting it make you act a fool.

There's a lot of well deserved bashing of religion and religious people here.

RoboGraham comments on Dec 30, 2017:

That's a great story. Faith can be really inspirational and can do a lot of good for some people. I'll share one of mine that's similar but kinda opposite. So when I was 15 I had to have my second open heart surgery. It didn't go very well and a few days after, they had to open me up again and fix some things they didn't get right the first time. It was pretty devastating physically to go through two right in a row and when I came around I realized that much of my right hand was really numb and useless because they had damaged nerves while putting IVs in my arm. So I spent a long while in the hospital and almost as soon as I got home my grandmother decided to have me write thank you letters to a bunch of strangers who prayed for me at her church. Obviously, I really didn't want to do this because I was still feeling very weak and shitty and my hand was still in bad shape. They gave me one of those squishy balls but it would take a couple of years for it to get back to normal. My grandmother insisted it would be a good exercise for my hand though and of course we can't have those nice christians go without thank yous after they had acted sooo selflessly. Now at this point, I didn't know what I was because I didn't really think about it but I was ticked off that I had to write these letters for prayers that did no good, I mean if they had worked, I wouldn't have needed that second surgery. Hell I shouldn't have to deal with any of it, nor should anyone else if we actually do have a loving god and all that. Moral of the story, this little indecent did much to teach me that prayer is superstition and religion is false.

I realized that I was an atheist when I first started learning about mythology, did anyone else have...

RoboGraham comments on Dec 30, 2017:

Learning about ancient mythologies as well as evolution and the origin of man early on in life didn't immediately cause me to challenge my religious beliefs but it did make it extremely easy to shed them in my later teenage years when I began to feel the need to find the meaning of life and started exploring all sorts of options. This is why it's so super important that such subjects be taught to children. On a side note, I was putting together trivia questions for a local trivia night a few years ago and one of my questions was banned by the establishment because I referred to religion as the Abrahamic mythology. Now I like to call it that in most situations to get people to think about it. And just to piss them off as well.

Should we create a lexicon for words that can replace common expressions like OMG, with a ...

RoboGraham comments on Dec 30, 2017:

I think that using these originally religious expressions in everyday nonreligious speech can make those words sound less sacred and more common and will therefore help people realize that religion is no big deal and not something to be revered.

Are you 100% certain that there is no god?

RoboGraham comments on Dec 30, 2017:

There is also the issue of what a "god" actually is can be ambiguous. I can say with 100% certainty that I do not believe in the christian/islamic/jewish etc. god but when people say that god is nature or god is the great beyond or god is something really complex that we haven't even discovered yet, well then it gets a bit more complicated. However, I think that calling these big picture things "god" is really just a way for skeptical yet spiritual people to let go of tradition religion without taking that final scary step of admitting that there is no higher power.

Hi everyone.

RoboGraham comments on Dec 30, 2017:

What an interesting story you have. You are open minded enough to truly give religion a genuine try but logical enough to see it for what it really is. I would describe the bible/quran as books of mythology rather than morality. Sure there are some morals to be learned but they are the morals of bronze age people who knew very little about their world. I think that one of the great tragedies of history was the usurpation of morality by religion. Religious people claim that there can be no morality without religion, which of coarse is false. Morality derived from religion is archaic and flawed, we can do much better and our world has been much improved by the separation of church and state.

Am I missing a "search by match percentage" option?

RoboGraham comments on Dec 30, 2017:

For those of us looking to find compatible people on here, it would be very useful.

What is the non-theist replacement for "I'll pray for you?"

RoboGraham comments on Dec 30, 2017:

How about, I feel empathy for you and am willing to help you however I can.

How do you deal with going to churches for funerals, wedding, baptisms and etc.?

RoboGraham comments on Dec 29, 2017:

I went to an uncles funeral a few years ago and felt a strong urge to get up and walk out when the priest started blathering about nonsense. But I just sat silently instead. Partially because I felt too much anxiety about making a scene but mostly because I thought it best to just let my family receive whatever peace of mind this guy could offer them.

Should religion be taught in schools?

RoboGraham comments on Dec 29, 2017:

Yes. All of them, with no favoritism.

UFOs and Atheists

RoboGraham comments on Dec 29, 2017:

I'm an atheist. I think it pretty likely that there are life forms on distant worlds out there but I have never come across any valid evidence to suggest that any of them have put any unidentified flying objects in our sky. So I am inclined to believe that UFOs have nothing to do with aliens.

Are you an open or closet agnostic/atheist, and why?

RoboGraham comments on Dec 29, 2017:

It's so much easier to simply keep it to myself but I feel that it's important to display to the world that we are around in large numbers and we are good moral people. However, it can be super discouraging to waste your breathe on people who just assume that you are evil because you reject their dogma so I am generally not very outspoken unless I am conversing with someone who seems capable of critical thinking.