Recently? The Georgia legislature. Kim Clark. DOUCHE. Saudi Arabia. Iran.
Yes and atheism doesn't try to convince anyone of anything that's for sure. Extremism isn't limited to religious groups numb nuts. Everyone with an ax to grind uses force of some sort. I think the majority of mainstream Christianity doesn't take the fundies serious. At least I hope not. As far as Islam goes, you probably have good reason to be concerned . Kinda hoping religion can evolve eventually into reality which neither you nor I have a handle on either. Just like everything else people put things in a box, wrap it, tag it and call it done.
You clearly missed the part where I criticized imposing fantasies BY FORCE (that's a quote), not by convincing people.
I don't really look at the word Heaven in the same way I guess Motar. When talking about The "kingdom of heaven " Jesus told his disciples that the kingdom of Heaven was "at hand . ". I don't necessarily consider it to be a place but rather a "state of mind". Just like the opposite of Hell. Not a place but a state of mind. That's just my thoughts though .
Infants, the time they change to the next progression they act like 'adults' and the tasks that come with that level of perfection. Have a child and create a heaven and an earth as an inheritance for them. When the child becomes an 'adult' and gets married themselves that task is judged as being done perfectly and rewards are due.
There are certain people I would "fight " with Bones. You're not one of them. I don't think you understand what I'm getting at either so I guess it's a stalemate which is fine.
I don't think "being a good guy" to achieve a "reward" has much merit JLM. Being a decent person because of a good heart is just what we are,,or are not. I don't need a reward to treat others decent. .. And no one has any definitive answer on how things are that cannot be seen. All we have is our beliefs. Nothing more.
Evidence is the only means by which we can judge the truth content of a claim. If there's no evidence, the claim should be rejected.
No evidence is not proof that something does not exist. It is only proof that you have seen no evidence that something does exist. If from that you wish to reject things that others may believe in that is your choice.
Of course it isn't, but it's almost impossible to prove something doesn't exist. If something DOES exist, there will be evidence for it, though it may not be easy to find, if it doesn't, there won't. Doubt logically has to be the default position until evidence is produced.
I reject things on the basis of the evidence, it's not a choice, it's a reasoned conclusion. I freely concede there may be many things I'm wrong about, but anyone who wants to change my mind has to show me the evidence, make the case. I'm interested in what's true, not what others might want to be true, and there are many ways people fool themselves into believing things they want to be true. If they can't make the case for their beliefs I see no reason to accept them as correct.
Insufficient evidence to justify that conclusion.
In this case God would have to hide anything that could be considered to be 'proof' in the time when the gathering is by faith that a book is truthful. So far He is batting 1000 as no 'proof' has been found.
