Atheist-Pilot: A Dangerous Combination!

[pilot#476398]

I can't speak for others, but I don't believe anything happens when we die. Same thing that we suspect happens when a squirrel dies. It becomes dead.

 

So you just cease to exist? That's a hard concept to grasp!

[terminal_velo]

Why?

[Tom22]

Well, terminal_velo your last comment is one postulate or belief pertinent to death. However, The University of Virginia’s School of Medicine Division of Perceptual Studies has done research on the topic of life after death that some readers might have not known about and might find interesting.

http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/clinical/departments/psychiatry/sections/cspp/dops

 

P.S. I’m not going argue with anyone about the aforementioned research; I don’t care if anyone thinks the studies and the suggestions are legitimate/illegitimate; and, I know this comment is not congruent with flying helicopters – I’m merely sharing information.

[pilot#476398]

Why?

 

Its hard to imagine what it would be like to not exist, because if I don't exist, then how do I know I don't exist?

[aeroscout]

terminal_velocity quoting WolftalonID...

 

"WolftalonID: Thanks for the definitions! If you read the definition you posted of atheism, you'll see what I'm saying. "denies or disbelieves". You don't have to go as far as to deny that god exists, simply disbelieving makes you an atheist."

 

Disbelieving is the same thing as denying.

I believe there is no God is the equivalent of saying there is no God. It's semantics and polemics, and apologetics. But either way it's a belief, since you can't prove or disprove the existence of God.

 

But please keep reiterating how the rest of the forum can't keep things straight just because they disagree with you. I believe you will eventually come around though.

[terminal_velo]

Well, terminal_velo your last comment is one postulate or belief pertinent to death.

 

Yea, there's nothing wrong or unnatural about belief. Belief is not the problem. Unfounded belief, like theism, is what I take issue with.

 

Its hard to imagine what it would be like to not exist, because if I don't exist, then how do I know I don't exist?

 

I'm guessing you don't know you don't exist, just like you didn't know you didn't exist for the billions of years before you were born. Maybe it's like that.

 

Disbelieving is the same thing as denying.

I believe there is no God is the equivalent of saying there is no God. It's semantics and polemics, and apologetics. But either way it's a belief, since you can't prove or disprove the existence of God.

 

No, it is not the same thing. You are simply incorrect. A person can be unconvinced that god exists without asserting that no god exists.

 

But please keep reiterating how the rest of the forum can't keep things straight just because they disagree with you.

 

Nearly all of "The rest of the forum" hasn't participated in this topic, and out of those that have participated, I'm not the only one that knows you're wrong. Go back through the thread again.

 

And let me make one thing very clear: I do not think that atheism is the justified position just because it is my position, it is my position because I think it is the most justified position.

 

Unlike most theists, I'm willing to cross-examine my beliefs as I'm exposed to more information and ideas.

 

The facts don't revolve around my position, my position revolves around the facts.

[Wally]

I have to fundamentally disagree with the OP in this thread, that an individual's supernatural beliefs reflect the individual's intelligence and capability.

 

terminal_velo

Belief systems, no matter the professed 'brand', come in all shapes, sizes and flavors within whatever umbrella. That includes atheism, or perhaps- especially atheism. What interests me is your arguing that your opinions reflect an orthodox atheist belief structure and all other 'atheist' positions are wrong or ignorant. My thought is that no one can know that without a revelatory experience, which you don't recognize as possible...

[terminal_velo]

I have to fundamentally disagree with the OP in this thread, that an individual's supernatural beliefs reflect the individual's intelligence and capability.

 

Thank you, and I agree completely. And that works in both directions. I know many great pilots and many of them are theists.

 

Belief systems, no matter the professed 'brand', come in all shapes, sizes and flavors within whatever umbrella. That includes atheism, or perhaps- especially atheism. What interests me is your arguing that your opinions reflect an orthodox atheist belief structure and all other 'atheist' positions are wrong or ignorant.

 

Yes, beliefs come in all different shapes and sizes. And these beliefs have varying dependence on rationale. My problem is not with the idea of belief, it is with holding beliefs that have no rationale, like theists are required to do.

[Counterrotate]

I don't have a problem with nonsensical beliefs, but I have a problem when bigots use them to alienate those that believe differently from them. I have a problem when they are used as an excuse to slaughter those that believe differently. I have a problem when believers try to force their beliefs on others (like the rally in the south to teach creationism in schools).

 

I postulate that if children were isolated from religious beliefs until they reached an age when they could formulate their own opinions based on their own logic (rather than what their parents taught them from day 1 and basically brainwashed them), Religion would not last another generation.

 

As far as teaching evolution, and how religious types view that as a belief system... I can play that game as well. We will leave evolution out of it as well until they reach that age of reason. All I ask is that kids are taught how to observe the world around them, question what they see, and seek answers to those questions instead of being taught that "God did it, it's wrong to question it, and if you do you will go to Hell." What complete and utter BS.

[palmfish]

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. -Mark Twain

[aeroscout]

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. -Mark Twain

I was educated with your post. I hadn't heard that one from one of my favorites. Great quote.

[Trans Lift]

This whole thread is pretty laughable. It's amazing how far it has gone on really. The OP is obviously someone that most of us would never want to work for, but it also sounds like he is not in a position to hire people so I don't think it really matters. His past threads have been as ridiculous as this one too and he shows his true colors on here all the time! Retire already.....

 

As for the other bullshit, this is pretty interesting and hope it has some credibility:

 

http://uk.prweb.com/releases/2013/10/prweb11201273.htm

Edited October 15, 2013 by Trans Lift

[pilot#476398]

That's pretty funny,...and awesome if true!

[nightsta1ker]

This whole thread is pretty laughable. It's amazing how far it has gone on really. The OP is obviously someone that most of us would never want to work for, but it also sounds like he is not in a position to hire people so I don't think it really matters. His past threads have been as ridiculous as this one too and he shows his true colors on here all the time! Retire already.....

 

As for the other bullshit, this is pretty interesting and hope it has some credibility:

 

http://uk.prweb.com/releases/2013/10/prweb11201273.htm

What surprises me is that whatever this document (confession) is was not destroyed by the Roman Catholic church a long time ago!

[Fred0311]

So I've been trying to avoid posting in this one but here goes. I wholeheartedly disagree with what Bob (the OP) had to say, and plenty of other things he has said on here. But he is a friend of mine outside of the internet and have to say he is a great person. He has a wealth of knowledge and goes way out of his way to help fledgling pilots. That being said he certainly deserves some of the grief he gets on here. I'd be pissed if someone told me my personal belief system was BS. But if you take the time to have a respectful one on one talk with him about it you would probably find some common ground. To most of you he's an anonymous poster on the internet, to others a bigot. But keep in mind he is a person who genuinely cares for others and the helicopter industry.

[Counterrotate]

So I've been trying to avoid posting in this one but here goes. I wholeheartedly disagree with what Bob (the OP) had to say, and plenty of other things he has said on here. But he is a friend of mine outside of the internet and have to say he is a great person. He has a wealth of knowledge and goes way out of his way to help fledgling pilots. That being said he certainly deserves some of the grief he gets on here. I'd be pissed if someone told me my personal belief system was BS. But if you take the time to have a respectful one on one talk with him about it you would probably find some common ground. To most of you he's an anonymous poster on the internet, to others a bigot. But keep in mind he is a person who genuinely cares for others and the helicopter industry.

I'm no saint, but I know when to keep my opinions to myself, and I certainly know when my opinions are irrelevant to the situation. Mr. Barbanes clearly needs a lesson on this. To quote Nine Inch Nails: "The foot is deep and the mouth is wide". Something tells me he will be back at it at some point railing against atheist women pilots, or more broadly against the rest of us infidel non-believers. I also know when I am not getting through to someone. The only reason I keep posting is because it's entertaining. And... if guys like him are not countered, impressionable young pups might actually start buying into such rubbish opinions.

[pilot#476398]

I think the only time NR gets on these atheist rants is just after an encounter with that chick in the red 44? I for one do enjoy them!

[Mike West]

These reason why some Atheist responses are long and winded is we are debunking a plethora of religious mythology from the Bronze Age.

[Mike West]

Why is it called belief? Because it's not knowledge. No amount of belief makes something a fact. Claiming to know a god is claiming the impossible. Christian think: "I am a mortal and I know a (thunder and lighting) god!!!!" No Christians, you are delving deeply into wishful thinking and self-delusion. All religions and superstitions are human-made. You either want to live in the Bronze Age or the Scientific Age, which is it?

 

Christians typically pooh-pooh science, evolution biology, the scientific method, logical fallacies and a plethora of scientific discoveries. If you are a Christian and insist on pushing your Bronze Age religious mythology on others, then why are you on a computer? Why are you flying or around high-tech pieces of machinery such as helicopters?

 

Anyone with half a brain knows an important goal of believers of all religions is to recruit others into their religious cult. To successfully convert the rest of the world will require this: Stop all education, refuse to use computers and the internet, get rid of your car and all things based in modern science. Drive society back into the ignorant Bronze Age and poof!!! A society deeply rooted in religious and superstitious mythology. The believers wish has come true.

[Mike West]

Please keep in mind, when Atheists debunk religious belief, we argue, debate, make fun of the religious, laugh at them and tell them how stupid they are. This will be the most terrible thing that Atheists will do.

 

What do Christians and Muslims do? During the Dark Ages Christians burned nonbelievers at the stake and claimed they were being moral. What do Christians do today? They hate everything not Christian. Christianity is an extremely large hate organization. Christian families will withhold love and financial help from their gay children. There are those "Christian" families who kick out their gay children out of their house. Christians try to make their immoral religious teachings into U.S. law--a country when found regarded the separation of church and state an extremely important part of government. These are a few examples of immoral actions by Christians.

 

What do Muslims do? If you don't believe, they will kill you. Muslim terrorists are doing today what the Christians did in the Dark Ages, they just updated the killing part by using explosives randomly in public to prove their religion is a religion of love and peace.

[Mike West]

Ask a Christian what an Atheist is and they can't answer the question. The best that Christians will say is that atheists are immoral people (because Atheists don't believe in invisible friends 'god', 'satan', 'angels', 'demons' etc.). The lies of Christians are omnipresent.

Atheism is not divisive, religion is divisive. Christian/non-Christian. Muslim/non-Muslim. Hindu/Non-Hindu. Religion divides, you are either with us or against us. Atheism is not divisive, Atheist are simply saying that all religions are human-made and shear nonsense.

Churches are the most discriminatory organizations in the world. What happens if you are not a believer? You can't join that particular church. Why do I make the claim that churches are the most discriminatory organizations versus a chemistry or physics club of scientists? Because the religious claim they are moral people or they claim their religious texts are the moral template for society. A Christian claiming their religion is moral--is shear nonsense as their religious organization is blatantly discriminatory.

[aeroscout]

Sheer. As in sheer nonsense, Some of the most famous atheists were quite divisive, and corrupt. Madalyn Murray O'hair.

[pilot#476398]

Now wait a minute! I have an invisible friend!

[Wally]

Please keep in mind, when Atheists debunk religious belief, we argue, debate, make fun of the religious, laugh at them and tell them how stupid they are. This will be the most terrible thing that Atheists will do.

 

What do Christians and Muslims do? During the Dark Ages Christians burned nonbelievers at the stake and claimed they were being moral. What do Christians do today? They hate everything not Christian. Christianity is an extremely large hate organization. Christian families will withhold love and financial help from their gay children. There are those "Christian" families who kick out their gay children out of their house. Christians try to make their immoral religious teachings into U.S. law--a country when found regarded the separation of church and state an extremely important part of government. These are a few examples of immoral actions by Christians.

 

What do Muslims do? If you don't believe, they will kill you. Muslim terrorists are doing today what the Christians did in the Dark Ages, they just updated the killing part by using explosives randomly in public to prove their religion is a religion of love and peace.

 

Adherents to Hitler's and Stalin's dogma were rationally atheistic. (Each had some pretty good aviators.) That was easy...

 

Haters hate.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Wally

[aeroscout]

Why is it that we are having such a profound debate here about atheism, and we don't get invited to the Oprah Winfrey show ? It just goes to show you that pilots are like Rodney Dangerfield, we don't get no respect...

 

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/10/14/i-dont-call-you-an-atheist-oprah-debates-record-breaking-swimmer-on-secularism-and-non-belief/