You could also say similar things for Christendom or Islam or any other religion.

Here is the defense of my statement: In Christendom there is really only one common belief, and that is Jesus=Savior. Look at Eastern Orthodox vs. Catholicism vs. Unitarian vs. LDS etc. Sure there is the Bible and all, but there is so much done and believed by Christendom that is nowhere found in it, and not believed or done that is in it.

As for Islam, it's pretty fractured also. Thanks to Iraq, the western world (Even a Fox News Watcher) now knows about those sects within Islam. See also Islamic Schools and Branches

Much the same for other religions.

Some may argue that Atheism doesn't effect the actions of non-believers in #god, I argue the exact same could be said for much of those who profess belief.

That all being said, I think that to some, Atheism would be their religion; others, just how they were raised; others, a way not to be constrained by a 'moral code' not of their defining others, resultant of revulsion at the idea of eternal torture; and many many other reasons. Depends on the person.

GWB is 'the shining one?' (Lucifer)

kdawson is a brazillian pop star? Makes sense...

I'm 31 and the world is still a magical place. (metaphorically) Isn't life (nature) itself magical enough? And I never said imagination would be verboten.

I didn't know you worshiped the sun...

Like I said before, I knew the truth about Christmas when I was little, including where it came from and how it was 'christianized.'

Every day of the year is a great time to be nice to each other. That's how I try my best to do it. It also sounds like you wish there was something supernatural to the universe. I see that in pretty much all humanity. I wonder why...

As for the joy in childrens lives and sucking it out; Reality is never so harsh as when you just step out of Fantasy. Many people believe knowledge destroys innocence. Knowledge in fact preserves innocence. Innocence will keep you joyful.

Actually Science and the Bible agree that money doesn't buy happiness. And where did you see me say that giving (including gifts) was wrong or bad. 364 other days to do that w/o having to lie. If I have kids, I indeed do plan on giving gifts, year round, to them. Why not try an unexpected time and unexpected gift if you want to see joy on someone's eyes.

I ask you to notice today what actually makes those around you happy. The actual items given, the association of friends and family, the action of gift-giving and gift-receiving, or Santa Claus and flying reindeer.

I feel for your drudgery. I really do. Maybe the drudgery is partly because all non-essential consumption largely revolves around one day of the year?* Is this world too far gone for a person to be unable to find joy in reality? Again, it's almost as if Humans needed magic or the supernatural for happiness or joy.

*Black Friday, closely connected with Christmas.

"magic of Santa Claus" "purer hearts"

I'm sorry, maybe I've been brainwashed, but I always thought that pure hearts didn't believe in/perpetuate lies.

OTOH, the world w/o Christmas would surely put a severe crimp in the economy of said world...

P.S. Why don't you ask experienced LE when is the worst time of the year for crime/Domestic Abuse/etc. Guess what the answer will be?

I am not a parent, but if I ever do have a child, I don't plan on lying to him or her. Also my parents never celebrated Christmas and I never felt left out. I knew the reality about Christmas and Santa Claus since the time I knew there was such a thing.

bah, hard core atheist. really? Why teach (or allow to be taught to) your children blatant religious lies?

I don't do this often, and I did look, but [citation please]

This is what I found in Wikipedia:

"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. The materialism of affluent Christian countries appears to contradict the claims of Jesus Christ that says it's not possible to worship both Mammon and God at the same time."

* As quoted by William Rees-Mogg in The Times [London] (4 April 2005) {not found}. Gandhi here makes reference to a statement of Jesus: “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Luke 16:13); also partly quoted in Christianity in the Crosshairs : Real Life Solutions Discovered in the Line of Fire (2004) by Bill Wilson

There seems to have been something on snopes about this but I couldn't find it...seems to no longer be there.

I'm not trying to pick a fight, if its there, even in a dead tree reference, let me know where. Thank you

That is so what I was going to say. It's almost like they're trying to give Jesus a bad name.

I find Gandhi's quote appropriate: "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

Well, the K-T event tells me that "I will Survive"

All Mammal species survived that event.

Also, GGP is definitely not Hispanic/Latino. (actually I could only vouch for 'native Spanish speaker') Verb tenses don't match subjects.

And I could understand it, being a bona fide white texican, meaning not really Spanish.

One response could be "You're preaching to the Choir" Please read carefully my whole post. Here's a little tidbit, research Mitochondrial Eve and Y-Chromosomal Adam and see how well they line up with Eve and Noah...

Now as to your quote from 2 Peter, don't forget John 12:28,29. "Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, [saying], I have both glorified [it], and will glorify [it] again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard [it], said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him."

People will believe what they want. Even the Bible gives people that option. Deuteronomy 30:19: "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live."

I'm not sure of your personal theology, but I think the best witness a Christian can give, along with oral testimony is 'show by example.'

I'm not sure what you mean. Alexander the Great was not named in the Bible. Referred to here: Daniel 8:20-22 My point was that those people are in secular history *not in the bible* and we believe they existed... Why not discount them too? Maybe you were using satire?

I'm not saying that is how it happened. I was saying that it was *scientifically* conceivable. I do agree that it would have to be God or an alien race that had a 3500~ year jump on us. (a thousand or so Light years to get here)

Umm... Papyrus 52, 100 to 150 CE.

Some interesting facts here.

Also, you said the book was 2000 years old. Maybe for internal harmony with your arguments you want to revise that to 1700 years old?

And pretty uncommon for founders of religions too.

So any person who tries to force the teaching of ID/Creationism by legislation or laws forbidding Gay Marriage or Abortion are not following the example of Jesus Christ as described in the Bible. They also would avoid "mandate from the masses" (could be viewed as Democracy) I know that is not what you see from the vast majority of 'Christians', but that's why I mentioned it.