Any other religious people supporting Richard Dawkins' efforts?

[mediumaevum]

I am not an atheist. In-fact, I am a firm believer in gods and stuff like that.

HOWEVER: I support Richard Dawkins and his efforts to fight back the evangelicals and other religious extremists (even though I might call myself an extremist in what I am convinced in).

I support him and his efforts, because my beliefs are not tied up to the world we are living in. My religion is more like... let me put it this way:

Imagine someone who has lived his entire life inside a box. He knows what is in it, and how wide it is. But he never knows if there is an entire world outside the box, or, if there IS a world, how it looks like.

But he can imagine one that is. He believe that there is a world outside the box, even though he has no evidence.

This is typical religious thinking though. The difference between me, and militant evangelists though, is that I don't force my beliefs upon others. My religious rules are not applicable to anyone else, only to me. And, btw. I won't accept converts ;)

It's like if there are 3 people inside the box, and one of them has this idea about the world outside the box, but won't let others share his idea.

My religion* dies with me.
That's the difference between me, and other religious people.


* - "religion". It implies something that is ordered and communal. It surely can't be, since its members count as 1. Not even two. But one.

[Solitary]

Welcome aboard mediumaevum! I think that we all here think outside the box. You think you are too, but you are not. In the box, or bubble, if you prefer, is where you are still at in your thinking. I understand what you are getting at, but all you are doing is moving from inside the box to the outside thinking it is something new, it isn't, you are still in the box looking from the inside at a mirror reflecting the inside. I support Richard Dawkins because he has evidence from reality, not just wild speculations with no evidence. I can think like you do and convince myself that UFO's are flying saucers from outer space. Religion, all aspects of it, are still thinking inside the box, with no coinciding with reality outside the box. Solitary

[FlyingSpaghettiMonster]

If you believe your religion to be true why wouldn't you want others to share your belief. I can understand why one might not believe in missionary work. What I don't understand is why you wouldn't share your views and be accepting of those who think your religion is of value.

[mediumaevum]

If you believe your religion to be true why wouldn't you want others to share your belief. I can understand why one might not believe in missionary work. What I don't understand is why you wouldn't share your views and be accepting of those who think your religion is of value.

That is a good question that I would like to answer. But apparently, I shouldn't.
I actually just wrote my entire belief system, and then deleted it all again, before posting this.

My religion is my privacy, and I should NOT reveal my privacy to the public.
My concerns and issues are mine. Not yours.

It also occurs to my mind, that I should stop talking politics and religion, unless it is criticism and source-critics of religions.

[mediumaevum]

Welcome aboard mediumaevum! I think that we all here think outside the box. You think you are too, but you are not. In the box, or bubble, if you prefer, is where you are still at in your thinking. I understand what you are getting at, but all you are doing is moving from inside the box to the outside thinking it is something new, it isn't, you are still in the box looking from the inside at a mirror reflecting the inside. I support Richard Dawkins because he has evidence from reality, not just wild speculations with no evidence. I can think like you do and convince myself that UFO's are flying saucers from outer space. Religion, all aspects of it, are still thinking inside the box, with no coinciding with reality outside the box. Solitary

You have to reflect upon yourself before you can reflect upon others.

[stromboli]

Welcome. Do you believe in the Rapture? If so, can I have your car after you Rapture?

[Solitary]

You have to reflect upon yourself before you can reflect upon others.

What makes you think I haven't? You are a troll and I reflect on your past being here dodo.

[mediumaevum]

What makes you think I haven't? You are a troll and I reflect on your past being here dodo.

I am not a troll.
And I did not say YOU did not reflect upon yourself.

EDIT: It was an error I made. I should have written:

"One should reflect upon oneself before reflecting upon others".

[Solitary]

Please explain who you are addressing this to if it isn't me:

You have to reflect upon yourself before you can reflect upon others.

You're a troll that's been here before, and it will come out sooner or later.

[mediumaevum]

Please explain who you are addressing this to if it isn't me

Me. And just about everyone.
I was refering to the fact that people can't think outside the box if they don't reflect upon their own world view.

I am starting from scratch. Maybe I don't think out of the box right now, but maybe I will in the future.

You're a troll that's been here before, and it will come out sooner or later.

I have not been here before with any other user than this one I am using now.

[stromboli]

Does your spiritual belief include virgins in the afterlife?

[Solitary]

You're not from Turkey are you? Solitary

[stromboli]

Mediumaevum has been on here for more than a year, from September of 2013. I'm not aware of any banishments or warnings. He/she might or might not be a flake, but I think you're being a bit harsh, Sol. I've mistakenly called people trolls, but if so, let them hang themselves. Don't get yourself in a jam with accusations.

[mediumaevum]

Does your spiritual belief include virgins in the afterlife?

No. Well, I don't know what the afterlife includes at all, if there even exist one.
Believing in deities, to me, does not neccessarily mean there has to be an afterlife.

You're not from Turkey are you? Solitary

I am Danish, from Denmark, born, brought up and lived in Denmark my entire life with Danish parents, danish grandparents all traced back to long time in history.
No, I am not from Turkey... how did you get that idea?

Actually, I have never hidden my nationality on this forum, especially in political discussions about welfare or even religion.

If you want further proof of my nationality, så lad det komme:

Rød grød med fløde smager godt, og SKAL laves med ribs og solbær, og må IKKE indeholde jordbær, og skal have en gelé-agtig konsistens!

[Mr.Obvious]

My religion is my privacy, and I should NOT reveal my privacy to the public.
My concerns and issues are mine. Not yours.

That's actually the complete opposite way I look at it. I agree with you in that forcing one's thoughts and way on living on other who would rather not conform is in general a bad thing. Definitely in religious terms.
And you also don't HAVE to reveal your privacy to the public.
But you are more than allowed to, as there is no harm in making your thoughts be known. And if you think your arguments hold any sway or your idea's are logical and can stand on your own, you're definitely more than welcome to. If a conviction you bring forth is totally retarded, you're welcome to put it forth aswell. The public will just debunk convictions like those through honest and open discussion. Actually, if you don't take part in the open market space of ideas, you run the most risk of falling short of personal growth.
It may seem like a fine line sometimes. But forcing others to do what you want them to, I agree; not cool. Telling the public what you are convinced is true, cool.