Basic atheism is not a belief. It is the lack of belief. There is a difference between believing there is no god and not believing there is a god - both are atheistic, though popular usage has ignored the latter. Dan Barker More Quotes by Dan Barker More Quotes From Dan Barker Either in or out of time, the decision of a personal agency to commit an action happens antecedent to the action itself. Even if the deciding and the acting happened simultaneously, it would still not be true that the acting was antecedent to the deciding. Imagine God saying, "Oh, look! I just created a universe. Now I'd better decide to do it. Dan Barker agency acting decision How happy can you be when you think every action and thought is being monitored by a judgmental ghost ? Dan Barker action religion thinking The longer I have been an atheist, the more amazed I am that I ever believed Christian notions. Dan Barker atheist christian religion If faith is a valid tool of knowledge, then anything can be true 'by faith,' and therefore nothing is true. If the only reason you can accept a claim is by faith, then you are admitting that the claim does not stand on its own merits. Dan Barker admitting atheism religion To think that the ruler of the universe will run to my assistance and bend the laws of nature for me is the height of arrogance. Dan Barker prayer running thinking I took about a year to fully adjust. Like there's a death at the family or a divorce, you don't just snap your fingers and it's over. Dan Barker divorce atheism years To think that the ruler of the universe will run to my assistance and bend the laws of nature for me is the height of arrogance. That implies that everyone else (such as the opposing football team, driver, student, parent) is de-selected, unfavored by God, and that I am special,above it all. Dan Barker team running football Without "The Law of Moses" would we all be wandering around like little gods, stealing, raping, and spilling blood whenever our vanity was offended? Dan Barker vanity fear blood Even if it is true that all cultures share a common morality, why does this prove a supreme intelligence? After all, don't we humanists sometimes claim that there is a common thread of humanistic values running through history across cultural and religious lines? Dan Barker common-threads religious running Please clean up after your dogma. Dan Barker clean dogma please One of the primary questions in a state-church arrangement is, 'which controls which?' . . . In Norway, for example, the liberal labor government has regularly angered Church officials by making controversial ministerial appointments against the wishes of the clergy. . . . These and other actions have strained the church-state relationship almost to the breaking point. As a result, some of the bishops have advocated disestablishment. Dan Barker point-break government wish You keep accusing me of blasphemy all of the time, but I cannot be convicted of a victimless crime. Dan Barker accusing-me atheism doubt We were blood brothers, pals forever. He was my very best friend. Nobody else could see him. I now know he was just pretend. Dan Barker brother forever blood Most Christians are afraid that people will think for themselves; most atheists are afraid that they won’t. Dan Barker atheist christian thinking For my money, I'll bet on reason and humanistic kindness. Even if I am wrong I will have enjoyed my life, the existence of which is under little dispute. Dan Barker kindness littles religion There is joy in rationality, happiness in clarity of mind. Freethought is thrilling and fulfilling - absolutely essential to mental health and happiness. Dan Barker doubt mind joy Atheists are suffering from bad PR. What if Sesame Street had an atheist character? Dan Barker atheist suffering character The 9/11 terrorist attack was a faith-based initiative. Dan Barker faith-based terrorist initiative It turns out that the word atheism means much less than I had thought. It is merely the lack of theism. Dan Barker turns atheism mean
