Yes Chris, you’re absolutely right, thanks for the correction.

A quick check on youtube would show you all of those labeled New Atheists by the media have entered debates with religious believers.

You’re probably getting confused on Richard Dawkins stance on not debating creationists. Which makes sense because debating creationists is equivalent to debating flat earthers and although the evolutionist will win on facts, just getting publicity is a win for the creationist.

“But even if I did believe there is some sort of shared aliveness that alive things have, that’s not the same as praying to this force and expecting it to be able to hear you, or something silly like that.”

Believing in the interconnectedness of all living things is a little too “hippy and theistic” for my tastes, sorry.

“I mean you can see a worm is alive and a rock isn’t, it’s perfectly scientific.”

Superfluous. That really has nothing to do with anything you said preceding or following it.

“this sum of these living things”

What is this sum of all living things of which you speak? What is this “shared aliveness that alive things have”? Could you please elaborate?

“Hanging out amongst nature and getting a feeling of spiritual awareness and well being doesn’t mean you’re as loopy as theists.”

Well-being, yes. Spiritual awareness? Um, no. I don’t believe in anything spiritual and the word is meaningless to me. I’ll offer two definitions of the term ‘spiritual’ here and you tell me if, as an atheist, you’re comfortable using that term..

Spiritual:
1. of, pertaining to, or consisting of spirit; incorporeal.
2. of or pertaining to the spirit or soul, as distinguished from the physical nature: a spiritual approach to life.

I can see from the various internet pages about you (http://polsong2000.tripod.com/kevin_madford.html ) that you have had a rough life. You’ve been pretty screwed up. And I can see that religion has been a way out for you.

But face it. Your background hardly helps you tell the difference between reality and fantasy. You are not the best equipped person to tell others how the universe works.

You should keep your religion to yourself if it works for you, but stop spreading your messed-up worldview to others.

I don’t know that believing in some all pervading force is such a strange thing and I don’t think it has to be all hippy and theistic, it just might be that you think there is some reason some things are alive and some things are for all intents and purposes not alive, like rocks.

This doesn’t need to be a faith, I mean you can see a worm is alive and a rock isn’t, it’s perfectly scientific.

But even if I did believe there is some sort of shared aliveness that alive things have, that’s not the same as praying to this force and expecting it to be able to hear you, or something silly like that.

Sharing a kinship with the fact that you are surrounded by living things, doesn’t mean you feel that as a whole this sum of these living things is conscious and you can talk to it.

Hanging out amongst nature and getting a feeling of spiritual awareness and well being doesn’t mean you’re as loopy as theists.

Based on your post, I would guess you are a Christian. I am happy you have found meaning in your life and if your beliefs keep you out of prison thats great….There are a lot of Atheists who have never been to prison as well, so maybe our lack of faith is just as good

Re critising Atheists for not believing…
I love the idea that if I dont worship or believe in god, I am going to hell…
What kind of loving God is that? not much loving I say

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I don’t think that all of us atheists together could have done a better job of convincing the average man or woman in the street that all religious types are barking mad. May whichever god you’re worshipping today (and whichever recreational drup you’re on) be with you always and please, please, please post more of that crap on this blog because it’s just superb evidence for our case.

Oh, by the way, you might consider reading a book called ‘Eats, Shoots and Leaves’, which is a great introduction to the use of English grammar. You know the sort of stuff, capital letters, commas, apostrophes (those things that hang in the air (‘) and full stops. (One of those). Just goes to prove you don’t have to be educated to believe in god.