On Sunday, October 25, 2015 at 7:11:04 PM UTC-4, Don Y wrote:
On 10/25/2015 3:46 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Sunday, October 25, 2015 at 12:48:16 AM UTC-4, Don Y wrote:
On 10/24/2015 8:58 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Saturday, October 24, 2015 at 12:24:23 PM UTC-4, Don Y wrote:
On 10/24/2015 9:06 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Friday, October 23, 2015 at 10:42:38 PM UTC-4, Don Y wrote:


I may be an atheist but that doesn't mean I don't believe their
is a Right and a Wrong.

How are those 2 things even remotely connected?

~30 years ago, I had a discussion with a "Holy Roller"
neighbor in which I mentioned my atheism. Mouth agape,
her reply was: "But how do you know what's Right and
Wrong??" -- which left *me* with my mouth agape: if
you need some guy in a fancy robe to tell you Right vs. Wrong,
I'm SURE GLAD you spend a day each week listening to
SOMEONE who gives you that perspective!

So, ~30 years ago some idiot made a comment that made no sense.

Since anyone with half a brain knows that the two items have nothing to do
with each other, why did you feel a need to bring it up?

By your definition, most of the world has less than half a brain.
People use religion to give them their notion of "morality"; the rules
by which they (in theory, "strive to") live their lives.

The 10 Commandments, the Torah, Koran, etc. all offer rules and
guidelines for their followers as they pass through "earthly life".
They define what's Right and Wrong in the contexts of their
teachings.

What role do *you* think religion plays in the world? In people's
lives? Just a reason to "get together" on a regular basis??
A chance to play BINGO?

You really have no clue what my initial comment was all about, do you?

Let me make it simple:

My question had nothing - absolutely nothing - about the role of religion in anyone's life. I couldn't
care less what your religious beliefs are. My question was nothing more than an inquiry into why
you chose to connect 2 things that have no connection

You still don't see it, do you?

It is illegal to drive while drunk. Drunk driving is WRONG. There are
SECULAR laws that state this. Nothing in any religious texts make this claim!

In most jurisdictions, extramarital affairs are not ILLEGAL. Yet, they
are considered "WRONG". Because of religion.

There is nothing illegal about me saying "Christ, what a screw up".
Society says this is OK.

Religion says otherwise.

Society says it's perfectly acceptable to conduct business on Friday evenings,
Sundays, etc. Nothing Wrong about it.

Yet, jews would consider Friday night business to be Wrong. Christians
would consider Sunday business to be wrong.

Clearly, religion plays a role in deciding what is Right and what is Wrong.

For some reason, you chose to make a connection between atheism and knowing right from
wrong.

That's akin to saying:

I may be Japanese, but that doesn't mean I don't believe their (sic) is a Right and a Wrong.

Being Japanese has nothing to do with Right or Wrong.

Neither does being an atheist. Thanks for making my point.


Or

I may be short, but that doesn't mean I don't believe their (sic) is a Right and a Wrong.

Height has nothing to do with Right or Wrong.

Neither does being an atheist. Thank you for making my point.


Or

I may be female, but that doesn't mean I don't believe their (sic) is a Right and a Wrong.

Gender has nothing to do with Right or Wrong.


Neither does being an atheist. Thank you for making my point.

There was simply no reason to make the comparison you made, expect perhaps, because some
idiot made a stupid comment ~30 years ago. Do you honestly think that people need to be
told that atheists know the difference between right and wrong?

Again, don't turn this into a religious discussion. Leave it right where it started, with a
connection between 2 things that had no need to be connected.

RELIGION HAS *EVERYTHING* TO DO WITH RIGHT AND WRONG.

Why are you yelling? You do tend to get overly excited during these discussions.

By extension, LACK
of religious belief leaves open the possibility that there is no "moral
compass" -- no "teachings" to impose that sense of Right or Wrong.

People can learn right from wrong, respect vs. disrespect, being nice vs. being an a-hole without
any religious teachings. When a child is "taught" to be nice to other children, is it done only in
Sunday schools/synagogues/mosques? No, it's done in living rooms, school yards and ball fields
with no mention of anyone's higher power or religion.


I can COVET your belongings, your wife, take YOUR lord's name in vain,
do business on YOUR holy days ... because none of those things are
WRONG (illegal) in the eyes of a secular (non religious) world.

You would be (personally) well served reading some of the writings -- pro
and con -- regarding atheism v theism. See some of the "issues" that
are commonly addressed and how both sides "spin" these -- in an attempt
to claim their opinions are "authoritative". A read through most of the
theistic writings will leave you with the very distinct impression that
these folks believe their theism endows them with this "Knowledge"
(as an absolute -- yet, based on an intangible "belief").

Just because people take sides and claim to be the "authority" doesn't make
either side right. If you have to "spin" things, then you are trying to convince others
of things that you don't truly belief yourself.

When I hear spin, I stop listening because nothing that follows is worth the words that
are spewed.



I'll now ignore your posts.

Which is what most people say when they finally realize that they completely missed the
original point and started arguing about something that was never brought up.

In a day or two of doing so, my server will
spare me the distraction of even *seeing* them. Clearly, we have nothing
to say to each other that the other is willing to hear.

I hear everything you are saying. I just don't necessarily feel that your original comment was
needed or even makes sense. You implied that we think that atheists don't know that their (sic)
is a difference between right and wrong. Take a poll. I'll bet you'll find that most people don't
hold that belief.