It is surprising how daft some people seem to be.
How do you explain a person who writes
Unbelief comes not from lack of evidence or deficient intelligence, but from arrogance and pride, vehement refusal of anything contrary to personal feeling, love of sin and evil called “gray,” and ultimately hatred of even the very idea of God. This is why Scripture teaches that even when faced with the Truth at the point of judgment, there will be those who gnash their teeth at Him, who loves them.
unless they are willfully daft, ignorant and have not bothered for a moment to understand why someone may not believe there is cheese on the moon.
Random thoughts 
How do you explain the arrogance of someone who writes the extract you quoted? who dismisses the views of others who may (or rather do) have perfectly and well-thought through reasons for not believing in fairy tales? Why assume said people love sin and evil? And as for hatred? Some of us may just be disinterested and have our own lives to lead. But I don’t spend my time incorrectly analysing the thoughts and rationale of believers. They should afford me the same courtesy.
LikeLike
Indeed, they must afford people who believe or don’t believe the same courtesy they are extended.
To begin to say those who do not believe as they do believe in sin, a word that only makes sense in a religious context otherwise it is devoid of meaning.
There are times I ask myself if they just came from some planet full of ignoramuses.
LikeLike
Ha! I did laugh at your last comment. It’s not actually true is it. Some quite bright people are/have been/profess to be religious. But to continue through an adult life, believing in what is quite frankly unbelievable suggests a psychological need for a crutch or a lack of ability to question anything. Which probably brings us back to your last sentence again.
It’s all above my head. Non cogito ergo non sum? I leave it to the rest of you to entertain me. I should get more excited about it because it is insidious and iniquitous (Victoria shared some nasty links with me) but it so isn’t my forte. I’ll stick to animal rights and feminism.
LikeLike
You know, any bright person who believes it is ok to think a donkey talked, a man stayed in whale for three days and a virgin gave birth and remained so has given up the label bright. This person should rightly be called an ignoramus, and here we are being generous.
Victoria’s work paints a grim picture of what happens when people become over religious.
I want to spend time on euthanasia and suicide.
LikeLike
OK you win. I even read that first part out to my chef who happily sniggered away at that one and said how right you were.
That will be interesting. I will have something to add when you do.
LikeLike
It is sad that theists do not take kindly to this and want to argue for hours that even intelligent people believe in fairy tales. Faith is not a virtue – it’s a liability. You are right to point out the stupid things one has to believe to believe in Christianity. Even the mild and moderate forms of it have to deal with the talking snake, donkey, burning bush and so on. It’s something they have never actually offered an answer for that makes any sense outside of a reality where magic is possible.
LikeLike
It is indeed sad! And they can’t escape from the accusation of magic as long as they believe in such things as giants making women pregnant or devils tempting their god
LikeLike
To an empiricist like myself, Joseph Brian Nelms’ musings are so “daft” it approaches the depths of irrelevance. The only considerable aspect of it is the pervasiveness with which that kind of subjective thinking afflicts society.
LikeLike
We agree with you on many things.
Did he think about what he was writing?
LikeLike
Obviously, he was not thinking objectively.
LikeLike
An imbecile if there ever was one.
LikeLike
A fitting description
LikeLike
Ok, challenge time, my friend:
Can you look over previous posts and comments, and tell me how this claim is different than Atheists making the same claims about believers?
I’m not trying to start an argument, I would like an honest review that shows me how it is different when Atheists say these same things; or even better, proof that they do not.
My concern is that something fundamental is getting lost in the debates–tolerance, which we need way more than “proof” if we are to stop the violence and terrible things happening in the name of superstitions and Gods.
My hope is that our tolerance of belief systems will put the need for proof aside long enough to shift the focus to tangible problems like poverty and human rights.
It may not be possible, I might be too idealistic; but i truly believe that if anyone can do it, the atheists can, for they have the capacity to allow things to exist as they are without creating a war over who is right because they strive for a deeper understanding of human nature.
In the meantime, much love and peace to you, for you are a kindness we need 🙂
LikeLike
Challenge accepted dear friend.
I will talk for myself first. On the question of belief, I can’t berate someone for believing as they do for I don’t think there is a choice in what to believe. That said, I believe that it is unreasonable to believe a donkey talked or snakes walked just because it appears in a book. I was brought up a believer and this questions I never asked myself. In was an unexamined life.
Talking of tolerance, I fully agree with you. We must stop talking past each other and talk with each other. To do that we would have to agree that gods even if they exist will do nothing for us and start looking for human solutions to our problems.
Much love to you too. Your presence here is always a joy to my heart.
LikeLike
You are fantastic 🙂
LikeLike
You are awesome, a good friend to have 😀
LikeLike
I think the same of you. I find your patience and viewpoints assets to my learning. I hope you are not too stressed to be hard back at work after your vacation 😉
LikeLike
Work is manageable, a bit too much though.
Have a pleasant day my good friend
LikeLike
Well I’ll be… he took the post down. Seems he couldn’t handle the questions coming his way. Pathetic.
LikeLike
Guess he forgot to put on the whole Armor of God. 🙂
LikeLike
It must be the case Ron.
LikeLike
A Breastplate of Righteousness…. Well that sorts my Christmas Wish List out! .
LikeLike
You sure you may not need sword of the spirit? I don’t know whether it is sharp on the edges though
LikeLike
But I already have an infinite regress ray gun… Consider it the Mark III of Sword of the Spirits.
LikeLike
Are upgrades available? It may become redundant.
LikeLike
It’s special that way… I just have to add 1 to it and its always the best 🙂
LikeLike
Hahaha! Funny really
LikeLike
Good for him. I hope he realized how arrogant and ignorant the post was
LikeLike
My Nairobi brother, be generous. They could very well be under the influence of some illegal hallucinogenic substance for a number of years that has rendered them incapable of any rational thought. Didn’t someone once write that “religion was the opium of the masses?” Much love and naked hugs, my friend! 🙂
LikeLike
I am generous here my friend, very generous 😀
LikeLike
As the Sanctified Holiness of Holy Ones, I know that you are, my friend and Leader! Forgive my lapse into levity! Much love and naked hugs and prostrations! 🙂
LikeLike
…the evil called “gray”
Did he mean to write “gay” or does he really believe that gray is evil?
LikeLike
I don’t know my friend maybe gray is evil and we are not aware
LikeLike
What an arrogant person – that author whom you quoted.
LikeLike
From now on anyone who does not believe a cow has six legs is a lover of sin and rejects this belief because they are proud! How arrogant can people be? I know I am sometimes but this is being vain.
Be well my friend and congratulations, I learnt recently am in the presence of an accomplished author. Am glad that you take time to read my rambling and comment. Thanks Eric
LikeLike
it is amazing how many people want to attach this kind of label to an atheist. Equally amazing is how they seem to actually believe this tripe. I suppose it can’t be all that surprising given how they are being manipulated with this kind of drivel every Sunday, by their foaming at the mouth preachers.
LikeLike
But I think in his case he didn’t think through this properly, that is if he usually does think things through. It is an accusation that is not supportable. Will he confidently say those Buddhists who have no idea of a god are proud and vain? Believers, some, need help and this guy needs all the help he can get
LikeLike
I can’t be certain, can anyone be certain of the mind of a creationist? But, this looks to me to be some sort or projection. Creationists, the true believers, those who have bought into the system up to their eyebrows, hate everything outside of their small minded belief system. All they have is their jeebus, and some misguided hate for everything else that isn’t like them. They are pretty much beyond help, save for a complete deconversion. A smackdown of reality might give them pause for a moment, but then their shields go up and pretty much nothing else gets through.
LikeLike
Well, let us hope they can realize their folly and look to the world as is, not as they want it to be.
LikeLike
Lol! They won’t realise their folly till they wake up dead and notice they have become worm dirt instead of rejoicing in that non existent heaven place they keep jabbering about…
If they could see the world as it is, they wouldn’t be creationists! Of course there have been many who fought through the madness, and have seen their folly, so there is still hope for some, but the odds are not good. Perhaps tomorrow I may be more optimistic…
LikeLike
But don’t hold your breath even with your optimism, we don’t want to lose you.
LikeLike
how do I explain someone who writes such tripe? Well, it comes down to the desperate need for a theist to refuse to acknowledge that there is no evidence for their gods. They can’t accept that someone comes to the conclusion of atheism because of evidence so it *must* be from something, indeed *anything* else. So they must bear false witness against anyone who does not agree with them, showing non-believers that the theist doesn’t believe in his religion anymore than the non-believer does.
In its most simplistic form, it’s just the old “atheists only want to be rebels” trope. Until theists can show that their and only their god exists, that they have some “Truth”, it’s just silly. Each religion claims to have this “Truth” and none of them can produce it. There is no reason to believe any of their baseless claims since they certainly don’t believe each other.
LikeLike
I can’t explain it either.
He brought the post down, maybe his god sent him a message that he was being rude and arrogant.
LikeLike
It’s people like this that should be ignored Mak because they are so full of themselves! Just what I don’t like about ‘believers’. They think they are the only ones that’s righteous and clever. Bleh!
LikeLike
At least in this case he must have realized his error and brought the post down. We would like to ignore them but it is also good to show them they have erred and that they should make an apology
LikeLike
That’s good to hear and you’ve made a great point Mak. 😀
LikeLike
How are you today my good friend?
Just got to work catching up a bit then I see what the day holds for me
LikeLike
No complaints whatsoever dear Mak and how are you?
You’re early at work just like me, except that I didn’t have to drive anywhere. 😆 Also doing some catching up and then the day starts. You must have a stunning day. Don’t work too hard now you hear. 😀
LikeLike
I will not work too hard I promise 😀
Am doing fine, I slept well
LikeLike
Okay, good. If anyone gives you any trouble during the day, just tell them you’re gonna call me and they don’t want me to get my hands on them. They will be very sorry. 😆
So glad to hear that. 😀
LikeLike
Hahahah! That will keep my smiling all day! You are so lovely my friend.
LikeLike
hehehehe! Good! You should keep smiling all day, even at the ones that makes you angry. Makes them wonder what you’re up to. hee hee
LikeLike