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10 Things Christians and Atheists Can (and Must) Agree On

And because Reddy cited the Hobbit earlier. Samwise Gamgee: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo; the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end... because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was, when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something. Frodo Baggins: What are we holding on to, Sam? Samwise Gamgee: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it's worth fighting for.

Around noon, someone called the church phone, and said, “I’m going to kill everyone there. My friend didn’t finish the job.” Church officials tried to keep the caller on the line, asking him to repeat himself. He did, making the same threat in the same words. Yes...he is the exception...not the rule...

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 16, 2012 -> 01:51 PM) Your second response was reasoned. But see what your first response was?? The one that was completely loud, WRONG and full of it? That's what we have in America today. take a look at what you wrote. You didn't consider any of the guy's points about evil. You jumped all over a somber toned article that brought up some points that people like me believe to be true. A dissention of opinion. This is done a million times over in this country. Nobody has respect for anybody else's beliefs. There can be a discussion on NOTHING anymore. For you to get that out of that article, just depresses me because I know there's no hope. It goes on everywhere much worse than even what you wrote. We truly are doomed as a society. This proves it for me. It's going to get so much worse. Please go build your bunker deep underground and stay there, as for this article... ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________ At times like this we are told we must "come together." Yes. When you think about, we don't, as a nation, come together much any more except in tragedy. Ok...didn't he just say we're supposed to come together in times like this? We used to come together as a nation during the Olympics, when we rooted for Americans. But in recent years we are too often lectured about the jingoism in rooting for America. No...we still do that. That's why Shaun White, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and company are superstars. We used to come together as we sent men and women in to space, but we can't much afford to do that any more and we don't. How is that coming together? We can't afford space missions at the moment. How are we supposed to come together on this one? When we come together for most sporting events, we find ourselves divided among friends among teams. Ok, I'm guessing this guy never has been a sports fan. We come together as a nation every four years to inaugurate the President, but it is as bitter and divisive as every. As every? And it's always been "bitter and divisive." You know, back in the God-fearing days when we had a civil war over it. It's been like that forever. I don't know what good old days this guy is reminiscing about. This map will showy you how truly "divisive" this f*** wants us to, but we aren't. About the only time we ever come together as a nation anymore is when savage tragedy happens. When men fly planes into tall buildings or gun down children or shoot up a movie theater, we gather, pray, and cry. Yes...because we need to. Nations don't get unified over everything unless their dictatorships... It is not healthy for a nation that its only acts of coming together are acts of tragedy, or even charity stemming from tragedy. I really don't understand where he wants us to come together. In ways that we haven't...like...ever? Our nation once shared a God who we all prayed to. Increasingly, the loudest voices in the nation are hostile to that God and those who worship him. The conversation at times of evil is immediately drown out by political opportunists seeking to drive their agenda. The news channels meditate on the nature of gun violence and gun restrictions or what other restrictions or laws can ever be used. This is so hilariously wrong. The loudest voices are those who still worship God and want everyone else to. There are plenty of non-Christians who are vocal about not wanting it shoved down their throat though. So who is worse, those who don't want religion shoved on them or those who believe that their religion is right and therefore everyone else needs to follow it in everyday life. Also, both the left and right are guilty of this. People force their agenda and please don't kid me that Christian's never do. We do that, in part, because in times of helplessness it makes us feel like we can do something. f*** us for coming together in tragedy because that's when we really need it...? But we can do nothing in the face of evil until we confront evil itself. Um...what? So we need to become totalitarian? The tragedy unfolding today is not an act of the insane, but an act of evil. That evil may drive the shooter insane, but in focusing on the insanity we lose focus on the evil. Yeah, no, I think we all agree he's an evil son of a b****. There is really real good and there is really real evil in the world. Each time I have written that here on this site a vocal group of secularists and atheists have loudly chimed in to ridicule me for doing so. Probably because he's implying that not believing in God is the reason we have evil in the world. They'll do so again. But in this small window America has a real moment to assess why it is that it is careening out of control morally and socially. In that small window, instead of discussing the politics or the laws, we should discuss the evil and the good and the God from whom we have, as a nation. drifted so far. So, we need to shove our religion on everyone and discuss why Christians are right and everyone else is wrong. Got it. It is not healthy for a nation to only come together at times like this. It is not healthy for a nation to come together at tragedy so far removed from God. Ok, so everyone needs to be Christian. And we shouldn't come together unless God tells us too.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 16, 2012 -> 01:40 PM) You can't have a sane discussion about ANYTHING. Read the article caufield posted and we'll see the reaction. The good, normal people of Soxtalk will mock me for believing in God; they will not consider any positions in that article about "evil." Like the article stated, the loudest voices in our country don't want to hear anything except their own position. And meanwhile? Like the article stated our country can't come together on ANYTHING except feeling grief in times like this. Whatever happened to having an open mind? I DON'T KNOW GREG? HOW BOUT YOU TELL ME? THE ARTICLE IMPLIES THAT WE ARE A NATION LOST BECAUSE WE ALL DON'T FOLLOW THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF. BUT BECAUSE YOU AGREE WITH THAT YOU GLOSS OVER IT. CLEARLY THE MOTHERf***ER IN THE STORY IS A BASTARD. BUT HE IS THE EXCEPTION NOT THE RULE.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 16, 2012 -> 01:40 PM) You can't have a sane discussion about ANYTHING. Read the article caufield posted and we'll see the reaction. The good, normal people of Soxtalk will mock me for believing in God; they will not consider any positions in that article about "evil." Like the article stated, the loudest voices in our country don't want to hear anything except their own position. And meanwhile? Like the article stated our country can't come together on ANYTHING except feeling grief in times like this. Whatever happened to having an open mind? Sigh, greg, CLEARLY the guy is a bastard and a jackass. But you're using one example to define everyone who doesn't believe in God. That article insinuates that by not believing in God, our nation is more fractured. But let's take a look at how our nation would be if the most outspoken religious American's were always right. We'd be segregated. Not just black and white, but black, white, Hispanic, Asian, etc. Gays would be persecuted. Not just no marriage for them, but straight up persecuted. Only people to hold any office would be white, Anglo-Saxon, protestant males. Women would have next to no real rights. Need I go on?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 16, 2012 -> 01:33 PM) THANKS CAUFIELD, You know me better than most cause of my rants in the past. This is exactly what I was TRYING to say. Exactly my position. Thanx. p.s. Did you all see this? A death threat was phoned into today's church service in Ct., and they had to clear the church. Our country is a joke; our country is doomed. There was another sicko out there that thought it appropriate to call in a death threat??? http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/newtow...-182416799.html Yup, time to just kill off all the non-believers. We should force our religion on everyone. That always works. But hey, if makes certain Christians feel right to get rid of everyone else, let it be so.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 16, 2012 -> 10:47 AM) Each one of those teachers, who probably made peanuts, but took bullets for those kids are far bigger heroes than anyone who plays a game for a living.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 16, 2012 -> 06:35 AM) The problem isn't medications. 50-60 years ago, we'd still be doing lobotomies frontal lobotomies on "hyper" girls. The problem is that doctors and clinicians still don't have much control over patients, in terms of making assessments whether they are legitimate or credible threats to society. It's still incredibly difficult to get someone involuntarily checked into psychiatric care. For example, we heard that there was one altercation at the school already this week, on Tuesday, involving the shooter. Clearly, the brother knew something was seriously wrong. On the other hand, we want to be a country of freedom/s. We don't want to have panels where doctors can decide who should or should not be taking medication...what the attendant penalties for someone who refuses to take prescribed medication due to difficult and often debilitating side effects should be, these are immensely complicated issues. Clearly, the first line of defense has to be the families and loved ones, but if there's a break in those bonds and relationships, there's no longer enough of a "safety net" to protect communities. There's much less sense of everyone in a neighborhood or community knowing each other than when I was growing up....now, it seems all the kids are staying at home and plugged into their electronic devices and the internet. There are no simplistic solutions here, no quick fixes. If someone shows signs of mental illness, handcuff them and send them to the psych ward.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 16, 2012 -> 03:25 AM) How many were put on drugs by your parents, though? I think we live in a very very twisted world. I hope somehow it can turn around. Like one. You live in a very twisted world of your own creation.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 16, 2012 -> 02:27 AM) How many of your friends have ADD? How many have been drugged their whole lives by your parents? Both generations are at fault here. It's only getting worse. Like...three...have ADD. Try again. It appears worse because we have 24 hour news and we're now an instant society so we jump on any bad story (obviously this aside, this is bad in any era). It's like the whole rainbow party scare from a few years ago. Which was false. But it got in people's heads.

QUOTE (kev211 @ Dec 16, 2012 -> 02:16 AM) Greg sorry to burst your bubble but the majority of violence in the world right now and in the entire history of the world is BECAUSE of religion. It's because people feared that God wouldn't like them if they didn't make others fear God. So they killed them if they didn't fear their God.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 16, 2012 -> 01:40 AM) I'm just saying in general it would help to have a less p.c. society. Our last two mass murderers here are under 25. Would it hurt to have these guys consider there might be a God? Do you at least recognize the way your generation was raised -- the fact you guys were never wrong; the fact you guys always had to be catered to; the fact you guys were raised to be buddies with your parents might have been wrong? What's wrong with a little God in society? And there are always exceptions. You are probably the nicest guy and best person in the world, but I'm saying the principles of being a God-loving person wouldn't hurt some of these nutjobs. They might choose to be atheist, they might not. None of them are given the chance to decide with them being taught that while a minority of people believe in God, we can't pray in school, we can't even recognize that God thing might exist. Blaming the media is an old crutch. Cmon, Morgan. People want to know what happened and part of the story is the scumbag killer. I do agree there's a bit too much coverage of the killer himself. But we have to learn the facts of the case, we have to. Blaming the media is pretty week, Morgan. No, we were definitely raised "softer" but we were wrong at points. Also, we've lived in more "fearful" world than others in recent memory. 9/11 changed a lot and we grew up in the middle of that fear. Kind of like the Cold War, but in this case something actually happened. However, being friends with my parents is something I cherish. Yeah, we all got trophies in little league but that stopped at like, age 10. What's wrong is that we don't really need it. And LOL. A majority believe in God greg. Holy s*** is that an inaccurate statement. Sure, there are more agnostics/atheists/theists now, but a majority are Christian. People can recognize it. They can pray. They just can't make others be included in it because we're moving away from being Christian-centric. People are given choices on what they want to be Greg. They have Church for a reason. And to act like no Christian person has ever tried to carry out something in the name of God...it's a two way street.

Did greg just glaze over my post about how the lack of strict religion on this generation really has nothing to do with this?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 15, 2012 -> 09:05 PM) Having a multipage facebook discussion with a buddy of mine on the Hobbit. He was disappointed, I thoroughly enjoyed it. As a major Tolkienista (yes, there is a word for those of us), I loved it. Radagast had me in stitches.

QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ Dec 15, 2012 -> 05:18 PM) http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/moments-tha...humanity-this-y I saw this posted on another forum and thought it was appropriate after what happened yesterday. Thank you for this.

1. Get rid of guns. 2. Replace with swords and bow and arrows. 3. ??? 4. Profit!

Knighti accidentally joined a quidditch group on facebook and posted a photo of his dog. I fell out of a chair laughing.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 15, 2012 -> 04:03 PM) I still doubt that they are left-wing, let alone any-wing. They're off their rocker. This.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Dec 15, 2012 -> 03:22 PM) you would think so, but when the background of the shooter is investigated 9 times out of 10 they are a left wing loon. 10/10 times they just turn out to be bat-s*** insane.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 15, 2012 -> 02:44 PM) Rather than ask for you to be banned, I'll say, gee thanks for the intelligent response. I had a scholarship to Northwestern offered to me. I was accepted to two Ivy League schools. Yes I am really a stupid person. I said I might have not explained my position well enough, but rather than discuss it, you go into bombadeer Greg mode. Nice. Thanks. I don't even remember what I said on the Holmes case. This case, I'm trying to point out that those who believe there is a God believe there is justice not only on earth but in the afterlife. If more people feared that, we might be better off. I can't respond to anybody because nobody said what they didn't like about my post, just that I am a dumbs***. I am not dumb. My test scores were off the charts and I was worthy of Northwestern. Greg, I'm an atheist that grew up in this generation. I'm not going to go do heinous acts. Not because I don't fear God, I'm really not afraid of most things (that can harm me personally, I'm deathly afraid of loved ones being in pain). I don't do it because I'm a human being and I don't to put others through pain and frustration. God isn't my motivation for not doing things, love and understanding is. QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 15, 2012 -> 02:48 PM) Bombardier/bombard Just joking with you, Gregster. ALL THE SCHOOL SHOOTING VICTIMS WERE SHOT MULTIPLE TIMES. Just wow. Wow. Just...what the f*** man. What the f***.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 15, 2012 -> 10:09 AM) I never post in the buster but that's truly the dumbest thing Greg has ever said and we all know that's saying an awful lot. What the f*** was that? Seriously.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Dec 14, 2012 -> 03:10 PM) It's just a very complex issue...I wish guns were never created...I really do. :/ +∞

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Dec 14, 2012 -> 03:08 PM) Well s***.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 14, 2012 -> 02:58 PM) Ok, legit emotional reaction, someone tell me I have nothing to worry about. I was planning to go see The Hobbit tomorrow afternoon. I can't get out of my head all the cases of people getting caught with guns on their way to movie theaters after the last one. Someone reassure me rationally on this, please? I'm going tomorrow. You'll be fine. Also, apparently Obama was crying during his statement.