Quote from: BitChick on September 21, 2014, 09:49:49 PM

Rassah, you know you have a soft spot in my heart for whatever reason. Wink

Likewise. You're too nice! Though I feel a bit sad suspecting that maybe the only reason you have a soft spot for me is because you think I am a horribly wretched sinner and you hope to save me Sad

Quote from: BitChick on September 21, 2014, 09:49:49 PM

You seem to think teaching the hypothesis of creation in schools would be a negative thing.

Actually I just think it would be a pointless thing. There is no evidence to support that hypothesis, no tests for kids to do in class, and no history of discoveries related to it to read about. The entire creation topic can just be covered in a single sentence: "some people believe things in nature are so complex that they think only god or an intelligent designer could have created them, and possibly the end of the world." End of chapter, end of lesson, end of day, see you tomorrow kids. Compared to the history of biologists who discovered various species and how they are related, the fossil records of animals and plans showing how similar they looked and how they seem to morph from one to the next in their appearance, the tons of vestigial organs in animals suggesting they lived in different environments before, and the DNA similarities in species, creation would seem like a passing thought, like "I think my house has trolls, because my socks sometimes disappear."

Quote from: BitChick on September 21, 2014, 09:49:49 PM

It seems that you really would prefer that the world would think like you do

Absolutely not! Keep in mind, though, that "God" and "No God" are not the only alternatives. Just on the "No God" side there are tons of conflicting theories and hypotheses about how the world works. Plenty to discuss and debate, even from real world evidence.

Quote from: BitChick on September 21, 2014, 09:49:49 PM

With that in mind, do you really think it is better if the world got to the point where it was completely "Godless?" A world that was free from any religion whatsoever? Where everyone had come to the agreement that there is no God so therefore He should not be talked about or discussed

I don't know. Maybe? We still talk about and discuss Egyptian gods. Mainly from the cool historical context. And we still talk about and discuss historical beliefs about bad vapors and bad blood from an old historical perspective, though it's great that we don't believe in those things any more, and don't bleed people to help them when they get sick. Not believing in made up stories, myths, and lies is generally a good thing, as it keeps you from doing stupid things (like wasting hours every week talking to yourself, or giving money to someone who is very likely just swindling you, or wasting days of your life worried about what some men may be doing with each other). On the other hand, getting beliefs and stupidly following them despite others telling you they are stupid is very necessary, because that's how we explore, invent, and discover new things. Almost everyone didn't believe Satoshi's idea would work. But there is still a difference between believing what may be possible and achievable, and believing what is.

Quote from: BitChick on September 21, 2014, 09:49:49 PM

or taught to children?

God is not taught to most children. I don't mind god being taught to children (which is what I had, where I was given literature on gods, history, Greek myths, bible, and books about other gods). What happens instead is that god is forced on children. They are told that this is how god is, and this is the truth, and they better believe all this, or else they will be sent to hell, where... and at this point the "teacher" usually goes into gory details explaining horrific brutalities to literally scare the kids into believing or else. I think the way god is taught to children is literal child abuse.

Quote from: BitChick on September 21, 2014, 09:49:49 PM

It seems to me that many atheists are convinced that this would become a utopia and a perfect world.

Not at all. Again, it's not a duality, where if it's not A it MUST be B. A godless world will not be a utopia or perfect. Hitler's Germany was an example of a religious world gone horribly wrong, and at the exact same time Stalin's Russia was an example of a godless world gone horribly wrong. This only goes to show that the presence or lack of god doesn't determine how good or ethical something is. It may make the world a bit better though, in the same way that us understanding that the bible should not be taken 100% literally has improved our world since the Dark Ages and made it better. Frankly, replacing any beliefs with actual knowledge makes things better.

Quote from: BitChick on September 21, 2014, 09:49:49 PM

My fear is if this is indeed your hearts desire

Why is it heartless? I truly believe that it will make the world better, will make people smarter, will stop wasting so much of humanity's time and resources, and will stop many conflicts and wars over who's god is right. Am I heartless for wanting a better, more just, and more peaceful world?

Quote from: BitChick on September 21, 2014, 09:49:49 PM

God does promise a day when that will happen and His Spirit will be removed from the earth.

Why would god want that? Or is he powerless to stop that?

Quote from: BitChick on September 21, 2014, 09:49:49 PM

If evil is present now, with death, hate, abuse, sickness and so on, it will only be much much worse then.

Note that much of the hate in the world stems from what people think their god commands them. Hate homosexuals because the bible condemns it. Hate the Jews because Allah commands them. Hate the Muslims and atheists because they are heathens. I would think without god at least half of the hate in the world would have no reason to exist. Also note that things like death and sickness are greatly improved upon every year, with no reliance on god. Lives are prolonged and illnesses cured with science, not with prayer. Imagine if all the time spent in churches and money given to corrupt priests could be used to help cure diseases. Why do you think death and sickness will suddenly start getting worse?

Quote from: BitChick on September 21, 2014, 09:49:49 PM

If God is love, and He is no longer present here, love will be gone. A world without love would not be the world I want to be in.

But if god is not love, and love is love, and love and compassion is something humans do, then love will not be gone. A world without love is easily remedied: just start to love and show compassion.