|
Post by snow on Jan 20, 2015 12:45:34 GMT -5
That's true dmg. I did a psych paper on him and his cult and he had a weird mixed up combination of beliefs that ran from religious to communist to socialist and came out in a very lethal cocktail that killed a lot of people. He was involved with the Methodists for many years and also the black civil right movement. An interesting person to study in psych class. But he was not an atheist. He was possibly considered to be more agnostic if anything and definitely wanted to make a bundle of money on gullible people.
|
|
|
Post by slowtosee on Jan 20, 2015 19:44:42 GMT -5
That's true dmg. I did a psych paper on him and his cult and he had a weird mixed up combination of beliefs that ran from religious to communist to socialist and came out in a very lethal cocktail that killed a lot of people. He was involved with the Methodists for many years and also the black civil right movement. An interesting person to study in psych class. But he was not an atheist. He was possibly considered to be more agnostic if anything and definitely wanted to make a bundle of money on gullible people. I think he was a "riddle' of sorts but whatever, , sure lots of quotes from himself stating he was an atheist . Please don't consider that proves anything at all about atheists, good or bad. He was what he was. Looks like we all get to "claim" him, whatever "fence" we're riding. Looks like he was all over "the map" according to Wikipedia? "In a 1976 phone conversation with John Maher, Jones alternately stated that he was an agnostic and an atheist.[41] Despite the Temple's fear that the IRS was investigating its religious tax exemption, Marceline Jones admitted in a 1977 New York Times interview that Jones was trying to promote Marxism in the United States by mobilizing people through religion, citing Mao Zedong as his inspiration.[37] She stated that, "Jim used religion to try to get some people out of the opiate of religion," and had slammed the Bible on the table yelling "I've got to destroy this paper idol!"[37] In one sermon, Jones said that, "You're gonna help yourself, or you'll get no help! There's only one hope of glory; that's within you! Nobody's gonna come out of the sky! There's no heaven up there! We'll have to make heaven down here!"[9]"......The Temple's religious message transitioned during this period, to one treading between atheism and the subtle notion that Jones was a Christ-like figure. "I was an atheist even then, and at that funeral parlor they held me up to look at her, and when I got down, I was bitter." - Jim Jones [12] "So on down the road, I became even more alienated by that event. I decided, how can I demonstrate my Marxism? The thought was, infiltrate the church." - Jim Jones
|
|
|
Post by snow on Jan 20, 2015 23:26:23 GMT -5
That's true dmg. I did a psych paper on him and his cult and he had a weird mixed up combination of beliefs that ran from religious to communist to socialist and came out in a very lethal cocktail that killed a lot of people. He was involved with the Methodists for many years and also the black civil right movement. An interesting person to study in psych class. But he was not an atheist. He was possibly considered to be more agnostic if anything and definitely wanted to make a bundle of money on gullible people. I think he was a "riddle' of sorts but whatever, , sure lots of quotes from himself stating he was an atheist . Please don't consider that proves anything at all about atheists, good or bad. He was what he was. Looks like we all get to "claim" him, whatever "fence" we're riding. Looks like he was all over "the map" according to Wikipedia? "In a 1976 phone conversation with John Maher, Jones alternately stated that he was an agnostic and an atheist.[41] Despite the Temple's fear that the IRS was investigating its religious tax exemption, Marceline Jones admitted in a 1977 New York Times interview that Jones was trying to promote Marxism in the United States by mobilizing people through religion, citing Mao Zedong as his inspiration.[37] She stated that, "Jim used religion to try to get some people out of the opiate of religion," and had slammed the Bible on the table yelling "I've got to destroy this paper idol!"[37] In one sermon, Jones said that, "You're gonna help yourself, or you'll get no help! There's only one hope of glory; that's within you! Nobody's gonna come out of the sky! There's no heaven up there! We'll have to make heaven down here!"[9]"......The Temple's religious message transitioned during this period, to one treading between atheism and the subtle notion that Jones was a Christ-like figure. "I was an atheist even then, and at that funeral parlor they held me up to look at her, and when I got down, I was bitter." - Jim Jones [12] "So on down the road, I became even more alienated by that event. I decided, how can I demonstrate my Marxism? The thought was, infiltrate the church." - Jim Jones I certainly agree he was all over the map, and a nutcase. Unfortunately he also had charisma and took a lot of people to their death.
|
|
|
Post by dmmichgood on Jan 20, 2015 23:51:49 GMT -5
Isn't that is what fundamentalist religious factions have very often did?
Is it any wonder that I have became a non-believer in ANY religion?
I can understand your mistrust of ANY religion. A good friend of mine, who considers himself an atheist, used the same argument , that it was because of all the BAD things that religious people do and have done, that he became an atheist. Simple question, well, if I could demonstrate that the same BAD things are being done and have been done by atheists, what would he convert to then or whatever? hmmm Better find some better reason than that. Why do some people seem to purposefully continue to misunderstand what the term "atheist" really means.?
They continue paint atheists with other ideologies when atheism is nothing more than a non-belief in any GOD!
It was not because of "all the BAD things that religious people do" that made me come to an atheistic view.
|
|
|
Post by fixit on Apr 19, 2015 15:27:43 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by dmmichgood on Apr 19, 2015 23:35:30 GMT -5
What are you saying with that photo, fixit ?
Are you saying that ISIS is closer to being atheists or closer to being religionists?
|
|
|
Post by fixit on Apr 20, 2015 0:19:15 GMT -5
Nothing in particular.
Just sayin...
|
|
|
Post by dmmichgood on Apr 20, 2015 0:27:59 GMT -5
Nothing in particular. Just sayin... ehum,
Just some more Nothing?
|
|
|
Post by fixit on Apr 20, 2015 0:32:45 GMT -5
Nothing in particular. Just sayin... ehum,
Just some more Nothing?
Just sayin...
|
|
|
Post by bubbles on Apr 20, 2015 0:44:54 GMT -5
It is not unusual, although ironic , for both groups of people in opposing "camps" to have persecution complexes, at the same time. Fear is a great motivator of these complexes, and sometimes legitimate to be afraid and sometimes not. Each group does not understand WHY the other group should be afraid of "us". "We" are the" sane safe" ones , and "you" are the "illogical scary " guys. Many a "war" fought over fear of the "others", religious, ethnic, race etc. etc. Get rid of those "scary" guys, eliminate them. Civil wars are raging this moment over these matters. Alvin ps-Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that people aren't out to get you This atheist support group acknowledges they share the same "complex" as Christians- It is no secret among atheists living in the U.S. that our Christian neighbors have a bit of a persecution complex (i.e., a deep conviction that they are being persecuted in spite of no evidence to support such a claim). They not only have an overwhelming majority in terms of numbers, but they exert stifling control over every branch of government in every state. And yet, it seems like many of them are always whining about how they are persecuted for their religion. But what about atheists? Do we run the risk of developing our own persecution complex?............. When I look at atheism in the U.S., I see some similarities. Survey after survey reveals that we are the most hated minority group in America. This is nothing new. One could easily argue that we share with Christians the feature of having persecution as a key part of our earliest experience. And even though the notion of projection does not seem to fit us particularly well, we should remain vigilant to the possibility. Read more: www.atheistrev.com/2011/06/are-atheists-at-risk-of-developing.html#ixzz2xstnwPi4Interestingly, in New Zealand you can be arrested for saying you're an atheist. We should send all the paranoid Christians to NZ. Thats a first. Didnt know this. You do know that NZ does things ahead of many countries.
|
|
|
Post by maryhig on Apr 20, 2015 0:52:44 GMT -5
Oh what an awful picture, such a beautiful place for something so wicked to happen. How can peoples' hearts be brought so low as to do this to their fellow man? So so sad!
|
|
|
Post by dmmichgood on Apr 20, 2015 0:53:32 GMT -5
ehum,
Just some more Nothing?
Just sayin... Yeh, I know, as you do seem to do; -"Just sayin...Nothing in particular"
|
|
|
Post by dmmichgood on Apr 20, 2015 0:55:16 GMT -5
Interestingly, in New Zealand you can be arrested for saying you're an atheist. We should send all the paranoid Christians to NZ. Thats a first. Didnt know this. You do know that NZ does things ahead of many countries. AHEAD?!
WOW!
|
|
|
Post by BobWilliston on Apr 20, 2015 1:12:56 GMT -5
Interestingly, in New Zealand you can be arrested for saying you're an atheist. We should send all the paranoid Christians to NZ. Thats a first. Didnt know this. You do know that NZ does things ahead of many countries. Yes, I know that. I got in trouble with the workers once because of that. I said in a Sunday morning meeting that the first thing I heard from Sunday meeting was last night. Something like that. Anyway, the worker accused me of having secret meetings on Saturday night with someone kicked out of meetings. When I told him I'd been chatting on line with someone who had already been to Sunday morning meeting over there, he looked at me like I was some kind of smart ass. I don't think they actually arrest people for being atheist in NZ, but I've had a few Kiwis justify it "in case they need it" -- maybe for times when the Christians are looking for a crusade or something.
|
|
|
Post by fixit on Apr 20, 2015 2:00:06 GMT -5
It is not unusual, although ironic , for both groups of people in opposing "camps" to have persecution complexes, at the same time. Fear is a great motivator of these complexes, and sometimes legitimate to be afraid and sometimes not. Each group does not understand WHY the other group should be afraid of "us". "We" are the" sane safe" ones , and "you" are the "illogical scary " guys. Many a "war" fought over fear of the "others", religious, ethnic, race etc. etc. Get rid of those "scary" guys, eliminate them. Civil wars are raging this moment over these matters. Alvin ps-Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that people aren't out to get you This atheist support group acknowledges they share the same "complex" as Christians- It is no secret among atheists living in the U.S. that our Christian neighbors have a bit of a persecution complex (i.e., a deep conviction that they are being persecuted in spite of no evidence to support such a claim). They not only have an overwhelming majority in terms of numbers, but they exert stifling control over every branch of government in every state. And yet, it seems like many of them are always whining about how they are persecuted for their religion. But what about atheists? Do we run the risk of developing our own persecution complex?............. When I look at atheism in the U.S., I see some similarities. Survey after survey reveals that we are the most hated minority group in America. This is nothing new. One could easily argue that we share with Christians the feature of having persecution as a key part of our earliest experience. And even though the notion of projection does not seem to fit us particularly well, we should remain vigilant to the possibility. Read more: www.atheistrev.com/2011/06/are-atheists-at-risk-of-developing.html#ixzz2xstnwPi4Interestingly, in New Zealand you can be arrested for saying you're an atheist. We should send all the paranoid Christians to NZ. Perhaps its on the statute books but it will never happen. However it's not uncommon in Islamic-majority countries... www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-2959027/Egypt-jails-student-Facebook-atheism-page.html
|
|
|
Post by dmmichgood on Apr 20, 2015 4:11:07 GMT -5
Wouldn't be too sure of that! I was doing research for a book once and going through old newspapers.
I ran across an item where a man had his neighbor arrested for working on Sunday. Obviously the police magistrate didn't know any better, but the judge through the case out.
That was here in the good old US of A!
|
|
|
Post by snow on Apr 20, 2015 12:00:18 GMT -5
Just lately in the States Fox news were talking about atheist pilots and how they should be allowed to not hire them. This was in response to a law Madison, Wisconsin passed that protects atheists. So when you see laws having to be made by secular government to protect atheists and gays you know there is a problem. When people declare they are atheists, marriages end, they are sometimes not allowed to see their children, and if you want to be president of the US, you definitely can't say you're an atheist. So don't be too sure it will never be used. The religious freedom bills in the States are being used to target groups that Christians believe they should not serve because of their religious beliefs. Right now gays are the major target, but as seen above about pilots, atheists get it too. The 'Godless in Dixie' blog tells of a man that told his wife he was atheist and she divorced him, his school found out and he got transferred out. So yes there is a prejudice by Christians against people who don't believe as they do.
|
|
|
Post by BobWilliston on Apr 20, 2015 16:44:35 GMT -5
Fixit has his needle stuck.
|
|
|
Post by BobWilliston on Apr 20, 2015 17:02:26 GMT -5
Just lately in the States Fox news were talking about atheist pilots and how they should be allowed to not hire them. This was in response to a law Madison, Wisconsin passed that protects atheists. So when you see laws having to be made by secular government to protect atheists and gays you know there is a problem. When people declare they are atheists, marriages end, they are sometimes not allowed to see their children, and if you want to be president of the US, you definitely can't say you're an atheist. So don't be too sure it will never be used. The religious freedom bills in the States are being used to target groups that Christians believe they should not serve because of their religious beliefs. Right now gays are the major target, but as seen above about pilots, atheists get it too. The 'Godless in Dixie' blog tells of a man that told his wife he was atheist and she divorced him, his school found out and he got transferred out. So yes there is a prejudice by Christians against people who don't believe as they do. And people forget, or ignore the fact, that the Oklahoma City bombing was religiously motivated as well -- in retaliation for the botched takeover and killings of non-conformist believers in Waco, TX. Shouldn't the whole society take some responsibility for that? Or is that only when terrorists are Muslims? ?
|
|
|
Post by BobWilliston on May 3, 2015 21:26:42 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by fixit on May 4, 2015 4:46:05 GMT -5
Two more jihadi heroes go to have lunch with Muhammad.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 4, 2015 5:03:15 GMT -5
Most, if not all, the wars and battles in the scriptures were connected with religion in some way, so what makes anyone think they will cease on earth now? Religion was, has always been, a contentious issue, involving persecution, strange isn't it? Rev. 12:7-13, War in Heaven.
|
|
|
Post by BobWilliston on May 4, 2015 17:05:38 GMT -5
Two more jihadi heroes go to have lunch with Muhammad. The Lord must have been with the security guard. I wonder who won the prize for the funniest Muhammad cartoon.
|
|
|
Post by rational on May 5, 2015 22:32:58 GMT -5
Two more jihadi heroes go to have lunch with Muhammad. The Lord must have been with the security guard. Maybe the lord should arm himself so he does not have to have some human commit homicide and carry that for the rest of his life. Or maybe be preemptive and prevent these things from happening. But it does bring out that christian spirit.
|
|
|
Post by BobWilliston on May 5, 2015 23:16:01 GMT -5
The Lord must have been with the security guard. Maybe the lord should arm himself so he does not have to have some human commit homicide and carry that for the rest of his life. Or maybe be preemptive and prevent these things from happening. But it does bring out that christian spirit. Keeps one humble when you can play bait and kill, huh?
|
|
|
Post by fixit on Aug 8, 2015 0:23:36 GMT -5
Just sayin...
|
|