UPDATED: Dallas-based GodTube launches virtual prayer wall and Bible

Pavel Lishin, says:

Crow, there's about a kajillion retarded things the internet is being used for. At least this will probably make grandma feel good after she posts a prayer request for her potted plants, or whatever people do.

Michael McCullough, says:

...those dimwits that are prone to being vulnerable to techniques of brainwashing.

I didn't know that this conversation was about DailyKos, MoveOn.org, the New York Times, The Washington Post, AP, and Reuters.

Chad Jones, says:

I think you mean AllahTube, infidel.

Pavel Lishin, says:

We should make an AtheistTube, where you can post things to rationally consider.

Aaron Johnson, says:

What's the difference between worshiping self, the earth, sun or an unseen God. Praying to an unseen god or relying on self/fate/or mother nature.... No matter what anyone says everyone does indeed believe in a god of some sort that they worship, the only difference is who or what they choose to elevate to that status... Most people just elevate themselves to that status. Atheists are the most arrogant, prejudice, and intollerant people on earth... jeez...

Pavel Lishin, says:

Some are, sure. But so are some Christians. And Jews. And Muslims. And Buddhists. And pretty much everyone.

I, for one, elevate humanity to that status. Much as I hate people, I think we've got some pretty great potential.

Pavel Lishin, says:

How is it unemotional? We still have emotions, you know. We just don't attribute them to a deity.

And yes, there's a billion dumber things on the internet. See my first comment. That sort of argument can be used for anything.

Pavel Lishin, says:

To be fair, I've never had a UFO nut knock on my door at 9 in the morning asking me whether I'd like to talk about my beliefs.

The thing about theists is that most of their religions make it pretty plain that their job is to convert as many non-believers to their point of view as possible, and the overly zealous ones get pretty annoying pretty quick.

Michael McCullough, says:

We should make an AtheistTube, where you can post things to rationally consider.

Pavel, there are plenty of atheist sites on the internet and I visit them from time to time. I even have atheist friends that I correspond with from time to time. But, you know what? I don't have the visceral bad feelings -- dare I call it hatred? -- that you seem to have for people of faith.

I would argue that faith is entirely rational and is not limited to those with room-temperature IQs, as you smugly imply. I have degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering and virtually everyone in my department at work has IQs above or near the genius level, yet many of us are people of faith. All truth is God's truth and I see no conflict between faith and science.

Nevermind the Biblical prophecies that have been fulfilled, once you've seen people's lives changed by God, it no longer becomes a matter of blind faith in an unseed God in the sky, but rather becomes a matter of fact. I can't tell you how many people I've seen who have gone from being thieves, drug dealers, drug addicts and have turned their lives around once they became a Christian. God is no less real in my life than is the keyboard that I'm typing on.

Yes, there are people who have changed their lives on their own without believing in God, but it's much more rare than those who have become better, more tolerant, people after becoming a Christian.

Michael McCullough, says:

The thing about theists is that most of their religions make it pretty plain that their job is to convert as many non-believers to their point of view as possible, and the overly zealous ones get pretty annoying pretty quick.

So, care to talk about the atheistic regimes of Stalin and Mao and how zealous they were to shove their beliefs down the throats of the people that they ruled? If you're not part of the state-sponsored (and watered-down) church in China, then you risk losing your life, your family, and your belongings. Yet, underground Christianity is growing at a huge rate in China. They're finding something in Christianity that fills a void in their life caused by atheism.

Much as I hate people...

So why do you hate people? My job as a Christian is to love people -- all people of all races and cultures. I think that I much prefer my life over yours.

Scott Doyle, says:

Mr. McCullough, I fail to see what believing in any god has to do with being a good person. What's with the causal relationship? People need someone to tell them what's right and wrong?

Sure, some prophecies have been fulfilled...but there have been plenty which were off the mark entirely. Not sure what foresight on man's part has to do with god. Religious wars and conflicts have taken countless lives just like Stalin and Mao. I'd wager more lives have been lost over religion than saved, tbh.

Don't get me wrong, if believing in an afterlife or trying to look good for someone/something makes you a better person...I'm all for y'all doing what you gotta do. I simply don't appreciate y'all looking down on people who don't believe in what you do. To think your life is any better than mine simply b/c I don't "love" everyone is one of the most arrogant things I've ever read...and I think that's one of the things that upsets atheists even when religion isn't being crammed down our throat.

Rick Yost, says:

littlekinder-

It IS non-existent!

Kinda like the 'tooth-fairy'. Yet, we have to listen politely to your endless drivel, and act as if we think you are living in reality with the rest of us.

That's what irritates us to anger- the fact that everyone that 'believes' stops looking for truth and settles for a doctrine they can be comfortable with, and allows them to be socially accepted.

What is certainly not 'non-existent' is the countless, tax-free, corporate entities that the sheep of this world put their faith and money in.

What is not non-existent is the power and influence that organized religions have gained over the political arena of America and most of the rest of the world.

We become angry because we don't think that religion does anything positive for anyone, that in most cases, those faithful couldn't have done for themselves. Life is hard- and some folks just have to have a fairytale read to them before they go to sleep.

Does that help? Just trying to be informative.

Scott Miller, says:

littlekinder,

Atheists are just agnostics with faith.

Scott Doyle, says:

littlekinder, we dismiss plenty. I consider myself apathetic for the most part...I've heard out many different religions and denominations (mostly from friends), inquired about this and that, etc. Apathy has a boiling point, though. I'm not going to run around hurting people over it, but I'm obviously willing to let them know my thoughts.

If I do get uppity, it's not because y'all believe in something non-existant so much as the arrogance toward anybody who doesn't (I'm presuming you're religious since you're specifically addressing atheists). I guess holier-than-though attitudes rub me the wrong way b/c of pride more than anything. I've done pretty well for myself without jesus, allah, buddah, or whoever.

Argument about this stems from having do deal with this crap in the real world, like Yost said. I don't care about the vast majority of stuff on the intertron, but when it hits a nerve from experiences throughout my life I'll take the time to comment.

Also, I'm envious that I didn't think up God-Tube before these cats did. I'd certainly 'convert' if it meant millions in lemming monies.

Rick Yost, says:

Let's talk about a number for a moment- 10,000.

Is this the Guinness record for the most Hail Marys in one day? No.(not even close)

Is it the value in Euros of the Pope's private toilet? No.

Is this how many people starve to death in the world every week- refused assistance from neighboring countries because of religious differences? Close, but no.

10,000 is the estimated number of religions operating around the world today. (According to David B. Barrett, the researcher who compiles religious population estimates for the Encyclopaedia Britannica and World Almanac)

I'm sorry...(LOL), even the most staunch believer has to giggle at what they do after hearing that.

It reminds me of Santa's magical Xmas Eve trip. To know that all you believers, at some time during your lives, have magically traveled the world. And out of all the 10,000 religions you experienced- the religion you chose to live your life by, submit to, kill and die for, what you know undoubtedly to be the one and only-true god... is the one that you found right here in hometown America (god's country). That's pretty impressive.

You certainly didn't take up your chosen god just because it was convenient or familiar. Right?

But you know, there are folks in other places that say that their chosen faith- the story they learned as children, in their hometown- is the only real god- the one true god they would die for, or kill you over. Sound familiar?

I consider myself a human-person. I'm not an 'ist' of any kind relating to your- god.

I do not believe in anything. I either know something to be true, I know it to be false, or I simply don't know. I don't have to have an answer for everything.

I do not believe there is a god in heaven that created me. However, I know that if I jump off a building, I will hit the ground. Unlike religion, I don't have to believe in gravity for it to exist.

(I can hear folks typing now, "Go ahead...jump!")

Scott Miller, says:

Rick

The one point you've made that I would disagree with is: "We become angry because we don't think that religion does anything positive for anyone, that in most cases, those faithful couldn't have done for themselves." I think religion(s) have probably done a lot of positive things for a lot of people on an individual basis.

In fact, I've known people that have benefited from a religious conversion. Some people need order and structure and authority in their life. Even if it's something made up.

Of course they are probably vastly outnumbered by the people who were slaughtered because their beliefs didn't align with whoever held the gun, sword, bludgeon or throne.

I also think Tom Robbins hit on something when he wrote (paraphrasing):

There's a big difference between practicing a religion, which can be a beautiful thing, and literally believing in one.

Rick Yost, says:

Hey Scott, how's it goin'?

I'll have to disagree with your disagreement- although I respect it! (Don't blow me up)

I can't see how anyone believing in or acting like they believe in something 'made up' can be a 'beautiful thing'.
The high from heroin is not a person's natural state either, but I understand it can seem like a 'beautiful thing'.

If a man is hanging off the edge of a cliff, he can either pray to his god for a miraculous rescue, or he can muster the nerve, the strength, and the will to pull himself up to safety.
Without religion, we'd all be just as lost and alone as everyone else- we might feel a little sympathy for each other. Unlike now.

You don't have to go see the 'show' every Sunday (or lie to yourself) to be happy.

Rick Yost, says:

I will admit that through history religion has done more to drive exploration, scientific discovery, and technology than anything else. The greedy, murderous reasons behind this push forward I will leave for another piece.
I'll just say war, and the ever-conquering church has driven human progress.

Scott Miller, says:

Rick

I fully understand and pretty much agree with what you're saying. But I was raised up in a fire and brimstone pentecostal church and I knew some folks who...

Let's just say society as a whole benefits from them being there.

Bill Holston, says:

Seems to me it is fair to tag Religion with the wrongs committed by it's followers. I think it's consistent to give credit where credit is due for the good done by people motivated by their faith. There are many many examples of both through history and presently. Neither of these really prove or disprove the validity of the underlying belief. That remains in the realm of faith.

I'll just speak personally, most of the best things in my life are motivated by a sincere desire to live the way I believe God wants to be behave. My moral failings (primarily derive from a lack of patience) result from a failure to live up to the ideal of Christianity. I think it's a very sad thing that Yeshua (Jesus Hebrew name) would barely recognize the business many churches have turned into, bastions of the harsh intolerance He roundly rejected.

The way Christians have lived has been the cause for much of the lack of respect for religion. I feel badly about any part I've ever played in that.

I have hesitated to respond here. I really enjoy the exchange of ideas, however so often these forums degenerate into ad hominem attacks. Christians are just about the worst at this. This is thankfully a free country. I'm glad that Christian Totalitarians haven't managed to stifle debate. the prophet Isaiah records G-d's words to him,"Come now, let us reason together.."

I understand a purely rationalistic point of view, how can you really argue with it. Still, my faith is an essential component of my life. I'll add this final thing, however. I acknowledge that I could be wrong.

Rick Yost, says:

Bill- I agree- parents get a bad rap for their kids antics sometimes.

I think your last line is a nearly momumental phrase that should be used more often by everyone- including myself: "I acknowledge that I could be wrong."