Hello fellow humans :)

[Gawdzilla Sama]

By developing a belief in at least one god.

Lots of that kool aid around.

My intent, however, was to indicate that you have to become theistic, it's not a natural state of humans.

[luckswallowsall]

Lots of that kool aid around.

My intent, however, was to indicate that you have to become theistic, it's not a natural state of humans.

Indeed. And yet, incredibly, some theists will even insist that we're born with a subconscious belief in God embedded in us. They can never justify such a claim, of course.

I even once had a theist tell me that because I believe in objective moral values then this means I'm a theist because to them all that "God" means is "the highest value"... and when I told them that they had just made up their own definition of the word God in order for them to call me a theist... they insisted that "God" referring to nothing more than "the highest value" is the most standard definition of a deity, and that people who believe that God has to involve a creation of the universe have bastardized the definition . . .

My response was to say: "Oh, wow, all this time I thought I was an atheist but I just learned today that I'm a theist even though I don't believe the universe was created and I don't even believe there's any sort of intelligence or design embedded within the universe! You learn something new every day!".

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The churchmen sell an intangible product (Heaven) that requires no production facility, no resources, and no personnel to produce it. Then they charge people for the privilege of getting a piece of this nothing. They have to keep the demand up or they'll have to go out and maybe do some actual work. The means they've found is to glam onto any other intangible, such as morals and ethics, as being part of their production. It's a sweet system for the quasi-vampiric priests.

[luckswallowsall]

The churchmen sell an intangible product (Heaven) that requires no production facility, no resources, and no personnel to produce it. Then they charge people for the privilege of getting a piece of this nothing. They have to keep the demand up or they'll have to go out and maybe do some actual work. The means they've found is to glam onto any other intangible, such as morals and ethics, as being part of their production. It's a sweet system for the quasi-vampiric priests.

Don't forget Hell... that one comes much more in handy than Heaven when it comes to controlling people. Fear is a great motivator when people are too lazy to work for Heaven.

[Baruch]

The churchmen sell an intangible product (Heaven) that requires no production facility, no resources, and no personnel to produce it. Then they charge people for the privilege of getting a piece of this nothing. They have to keep the demand up or they'll have to go out and maybe do some actual work. The means they've found is to glam onto any other intangible, such as morals and ethics, as being part of their production. It's a sweet system for the quasi-vampiric priests.

Yes.  A brilliant business plan.  Jealous much?

[Baruch]

How does anyone become anything other than an atheist?

Its a big world out there, and we are not at all alike.

[Baruch]

indoctrination ... at any age. It only requires uncritical acceptance. And it takes years of deprogramming to get rid of, at least, it did for me.

But are you now Mac or Windows ... hmm?

[Baruch]

Lots of that kool aid around.

My intent, however, was to indicate that you have to become theistic, it's not a natural state of humans.

The natural state of humans is approximately X hydrogen, Y oxygen, Z carbon etc.  Mix all that in a petri dish and voila ... human.

[Baruch]

Don't forget Hell... that one comes much more in handy than Heaven when it comes to controlling people. Fear is a great motivator when people are too lazy to work for Heaven.

Humans are too lazy to work for a job on Earth.  We are natural slackers.  Starvation cures that.

[Blackleaf]

Oh I'm not a Satanist... I'm just an atheist. I think Satanism is as illogical as Christianity.

What do you mean about the baby part?

As all true unbelievers know, we serve the devil despite not believing in God. Of course, since we lack any objective rules for morality, there's nothing to stop us from raping and killing each other. Babies are a common treat served at atheist gatherings. It's like the donuts and coffee at church, except a bit messier and a lot more screaming. You must be pretty new at this. Don't worry. We'll be here to show you the ropes. BTW, I'm being sarcastic, if you haven't figured that out yet. lol

[Mr.Obvious]

Welcome to our little band of heathens, Luck.

[Cavebear]

How does anyone become anything other than an atheist?

That is the most direct and clearest statement I have ever heard! 

[luckswallowsall]

As all true unbelievers know, we serve the devil despite not believing in God.

Atheism doesn't imply Satanism at all. That is just a non-sequitur.

Of course, since we lack any objective rules for morality,

Atheism doesn't imply non-relativism either. That is yet again a non-sequitur. I myself am both an atheist and a moral realist.

there's nothing to stop us from raping and killing each other.

There's lots of things to stop us from raping and killing each other.

Babies are a common treat served at atheist gatherings.

This is absurd. Atheists are no more cannibalistic than theists. Absolutely nothing about atheism implies cannibalism nor does it entail the consumption of infants. Once again that is a non-sequitur.

It's like the donuts and coffee at church, except a bit messier and a lot more screaming.

Eating a baby would not have to be done messily at all. I can think of many ways a person could consume an infant in a discreetly non-messy way.

But, again, regardless of this... consumption of infants has nothing to do with atheism. Almost zero human atheists and theists alike consume human babies. That is an extremely uncommon practice for humans in general, regardless of their beliefs. If only because one would go to prison after doing so even if their cooked flesh would not cost any funding and would perhaps taste as delicious as pork.

You must be pretty new at this.

New to what? Internet forums? Actually I am a seasoned forumer and have forumed a great deal more posts elsewhere on another forum than anyone else here at this website.

Don't worry. We'll be here to show you the ropes. BTW, I'm being sarcastic, if you haven't figured that out yet. lol

And in case you haven't figured it out, my apparent inability to get your sarcasm and my apparent falling for the simplest and most obvious quips about atheists being baby-eaters was apparent on my part but not actual. I myself was also being ironic and any lack of a sense of humor I appear to have is a lack that is illusory. Not appearing to get obvious jokes can itself be far funnier than the jokes when the jokes themselves have been so overused (or when almost nothing makes me laugh nowadays, not due to a lack of a sense of humor, but due to a brilliant sense of humor that eventually became so desensitized that one's funny bone melted in the cooking pot faster than the stereotypical atheist's first born son).

[Cavebear]

Your appreciation of the snarc is, well, appreciated.  You wouldn't believe the silly things we atheists get accused of sometimes. 

[Baruch]

Your appreciation of the snarc is, well, appreciated.  You wouldn't believe the silly things we atheists get accused of sometimes.

You are even accused of silliness.