Alice Cooper Returns to Jesus on the Peoria.com Forums - Page 2

Guys, let's stop the bickering please. I think Joe is right-- people can and do turn to things besides Jesus. Joe, Jesus doesn't mean religion -- I think this is a common misconception. He fought against organized religion--the kind that pushes "I'm better than you because I go to church and follow all the rules."

I'm sure if you dig through this thread you'll find more about this as we've discussed these differences at length here.

But please, let's stop bickering, guys.

Yes, Joe.. Rather than having this discussion again, even though you're new, go do the research yourself because they don't really want to admit that they're wrong.

religion and organized religion aren't the same thing. I never said "organized". But, the debate doesn't interest me.

anyway... other things celebs have been known to gravitate towards: climate concerns, adopting babies from 3rd world countries... lots of things that make themselves feel more fulfilled or have a purpose or make a difference. My posts were not anything anti-Jesus, anti-religion, etc.

You conveniently left out the other part of this definition which also applies to atheism...imagine that-- you're part of a religion, too:

2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.

wrong again. atheism is not a set of beliefs, but rather a lack thereof (specifically related to a God or deity).

Wrong. It is a belief system. Belief that there is no creator or intelligent design. Belief that the end of life is the absolute end and that there is no after life...

not believing in something is not a belief in itself. calling atheism a religion is like saying abstinence is a sexual position, or being bald is a hair color.

If you want to split hairs even further, I can argue that abstinence IS actually a sexual position.

Interestingly, the FBI does consider bald a hair color....

A person can be theistic and not religious as theism is in itself not a religion, but Christianity, Catholicism, etc, are religions. Atheism is not a religion for the same reason theism is not a religion, even though there are in fact atheistic religions such as Buddhism, because Buddha isn't considered a God.

Christians believe in God, and along with that belief you all agree that certain things are true about that God. You believe his name is Jesus Christ, you believe he died for your sins, and you believe that accepting him into your heart is the only way to heaven. You also agree that there is in fact a heaven and that is where you're going when you die. You believe God can hear your thoughts, and you believe in the power of prayer. You believe the bible is his inspired word, etc...

I don't believe in God, but outside of that my beliefs may or may not agree with those of other atheists. Some might entertain the thought of reincarnation, others that there is nothing after death, others might lean towards agnosticism and believe that a deity could exist but it's impossible to know either way. The only thing we really agree on is that "God probably doesn't exist"

Atheism is the opposite of theism, period. We don't follow a shared set of guidelines about "what atheism is" as you do with Christianity.

Any questions?

-Penn Jillette

Ayep, I got one. Wanna go to Church with froggy and
me this Sunday?

is it free spaghetti day?

No but they have free coffee along with the gift of eternal life.

Because one cannot be proven that god exists or doesn't exist, atheism requires faith - it requires a belief in something that cannot be proven.

A more practical position, IMO, is being agnostic...