Christians dying out or..

[hobnob]

I'm saying I find it hard to understand how an intelligent, educated person can still believe in something that, let's face it, is pure fantasy.

I think you're conflating a few different things. People can believe that someone created the universe (whether that's a PhD student running a Matrix simulation or a big beard in the sky) without necessarily believing in an afterlife or a particular moral code.

[Whorty]

I think you're conflating a few different things. People can believe that someone created the universe (whether that's a PhD student running a Matrix simulation or a big beard in the sky) without necessarily believing in an afterlife or a particular moral code.

From my experience of believers, I don't see that many follow a moral code unless it fits in with their particular flavour of religion and suits them personally.

Everyone I know who believes in a 'god' also, 100%, believes in an afterlife. The 2 go hand in hand (happy to be corrected if there are believers on here who don't think that there is an afterlife).

Since I've lost Rach it's what I get a lot of .... "she's in a better place now" .... no she's fecking not, she's dead. Neither she nor I believe in an after life so don't try pretend she's somewhere full of unicorns and fluffy clouds. She knew, as do I, that you get one chance at this ... so make the most of it and don't waste it hoping that you'll come back as a pampered cat or something.

[Zigenare]

From my experience of believers, I don't see that many follow a moral code unless it fits in with their particular flavour of religion and suits them personally.

Everyone I know who believes in a 'god' also, 100%, believes in an afterlife. The 2 go hand in hand (happy to be corrected if there are believers on here who don't think that there is an afterlife).

Since I've lost Rach it's what I get a lot of .... "she's in a better place now" .... no she's fecking not, she's dead. Neither she nor I believe in an after life so don't try pretend she's somewhere full of unicorns and fluffy clouds. She knew, as do I, that you get one chance at this ... so make the most of it and don't waste it hoping that you'll come back as a pampered cat or something.

If there was anything charitable at all left in your cynical and twisted mind you'd accept gracefully their good wishes - some people get a lot of comfort in believing in a better place waiting for them. It is not your place to try and dissuade them from their beliefs and faith.

[vetran]

If there was anything charitable at all left in your cynical and twisted mind you'd accept gracefully their good wishes - some people get a lot of comfort in believing in a better place waiting for them. It is not your place to try and dissuade them from their beliefs and faith.

Indeed anyone who cares enough to provide good wishes is ok in my book. I don't believe in Diwali but I wish people well because that is the kind thing to do, if they believe then don't insult them by refusing the love they are sharing. Even Jehovah's witnesses.

[Whorty]

If there was anything charitable at all left in your cynical and twisted mind you'd accept gracefully their good wishes - some people get a lot of comfort in believing in a better place waiting for them. It is not your place to try and dissuade them from their beliefs and faith.

Hmmmm ... so i have to accommodate others because they believe, yet they can't respect that we don't believe. Tell me, in this scenario, who has lost their loved one? Me, or those trying to force their beliefs on me?

Seems it's always us non believers who have to back down just because you can't accept that there is no god.

[Whorty]

Indeed anyone who cares enough to provide good wishes is ok in my book. I don't believe in Diwali but I wish people well because that is the kind thing to do, if they believe then don't insult them by refusing the love they are sharing. Even Jehovah's witnesses.

I'm absolutely fine with good wishes, but I expect people to respect that I'm not religious so the good wishes do not need to include anything about god or she's in a better place.

Like you, I also wish people a good Diwali, Christmas or whatever else someone celebrates as I respect that is their belief. I would never impose my atheist views on someone so I don't appreciate someone trying to impose their religious views on me.

It really is that simple.

[d000hg]

It is true that on average, atheists are smarter than religious people

They did a study didn't they... IIRC it was of the order 5 IQ points? Though I don't know who they asked. It certainly wasn't a sizeable difference.

No matter how smart and well-educated one is, there is always someone smarter and better educated than you who has the opposite view on religion).
When the real big brains still can't agree, it's quite laughable for armchair academics like me or you or Whorty to arrogantly say "I can't see how anyone sensible can believe X", the real highlight in that sentence is "I can't understand".

[d000hg]

I'm absolutely fine with good wishes, but I expect people to respect that I'm not religious so the good wishes do not need to include anything about god or she's in a better place.

Your personal views don't dictate the reality of the situation. I don't think she's in a better place either but my believing that doesn't make it true or false. It is though rather insensitive for people to keep saying it; as a well-meaning gesture of compassion it's understandable but if someone knows your views they really shouldn't say it. Being dead and erased from existence is not a bad thing for the person - they aren't there to suffer. I think it's just a cultural platitude that people say, not knowing what else to say.

[sadkingbilly]

I would never impose my atheist views on someone so I don't appreciate someone trying to impose their religious views on me.

It really is that simple.

Hear, Hear

[edison]

Its not massive unpopular unmanaged inward immigration sanctioned by consecutive governments with no attempts at integration and a failure to provide sufficient services. Its all them imaginary racists displaying the flag of their country. Do they have a white van as well?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...shadow-cabinet

You are Pennny Mourdant and I claim my £5.

Maybe most British people have decided their God has forsaken them? Mohammed (with all its spellings - there was only one prophet) was again the most popular boys name this year.

The proportion of the UK population who are Muslims has indeed gone up. However, in the context of the fall in the longer term proportion of Christians, that is mostly due to the increase in people who say they have no religion. Since 2001, the proportion of Christians has fallen around 25 percentage points according to the ONS, whilst those with no religion has risen around 23 percentage points.