Exactly! That's my point.
God is not going to help you win your match!
- Thread starter tim913
- Start date
Exactly! That's my point.
Just like the religious people on the other side of the fence, we're not all like that - every group of any type has a few bad apples. According to Pew Research, a well-known, unbiased polling and research organization, in 2012, 20% of Americans categorized their religious affiliation as atheist, agnostic, or "nothing in particular." That's the most recent year the research is available for, and it's grown every year they do the survey. Essentially, if you put 10 average people in a room, 2 of them aren't religious. Along that line of reasoning, AZB has had 2,698 visitors today, so it would follow that roughly 540 of them are non-religious. We've got maybe 5 or 6 pushing atheism here.
I don't believe in god. I can't speak for all non-religious people, but I believe very strongly that you have the right to believe in anything you want to as long as it doesn't impede other people's rights (see the First Amendment to the Constitution, re: freedom of religion), and will support that right 100%. I respect people who support my right to not believe as well, but there are an awful lot who don't. People don't seem to understand how many of us there really are because most keep it quiet - there's a pretty big stigma in this country about what kind of people don't believe in god. Those of us who are open about it tend to not always receive the nicest treatment from people who follow the original speaker of "love thy neighbor." Which is a shame, because he had some pretty good ideas that I try to live by. In fact, I'm probably more in awe of what he said than most religious people... a god is supposed to be wise and good, but a normal person? He should start a club with Ghandi and MLK.
Prayer Shooting is one of three critical mistakes of shooting. It like the other two critical mistakes in shooting which are all from a Lack of Trust. It's important to recognize these patterns so that you get out of that particular mindset as quickly as possible. The shift in the mindset of "I am in control of this cue ball and the cue ball is going RIGHT THERE (to your target), at this speed using this cue tip position and this stroke, make the ball and get shape" to "I hope this balls goes in because it can cost me the game if I miss" is detrimental to the outcome of the shot. As the shooter shifts into this second mindset, they often lose control of their mechanics, their cue acceleration and speed of stroke and this is what makes them miss.
Prayer shooting is rarely effective. The pool gods reward those who take charge of their performance as compared to those who hope for outside intervention.
Remember, a shot made with conviction and commitment is much more effective than one performed with a hope and a prayer.
JoeyA
Prayer shooting is rarely effective. The pool gods reward those who take charge of their performance as compared to those who hope for outside intervention.
Remember, a shot made with conviction and commitment is much more effective than one performed with a hope and a prayer.
JoeyA
That's a good, well spoken, articulate statement. Very nice, very impressive,
but there is absolutely no proof. What if you're wrong?
...just sayin'...
I can't speak for others, but a lot of atheists grew up with religion crammed down their throats by family, friends, coworkers, and elsewhere... so the desire to speak up against it makes sense.
To me, I could pretty much care less what people choose for religion except when it affects me personally. And the worst example of that is when someone in power makes any kind of decision, based on a religious reason, rather than anything rational. Like when George W Bush said God spoke to him and told him what to do. Yikes...
GodIsNotGreat
Registered
Forgive, Oh Lord, my little jokes on Thee
And I'll forgive Thy great big one on me
- Robert Frost
And I'll forgive Thy great big one on me
- Robert Frost
My only proof lies in my own personal experience in pool and the experience of others more learned than I.
I can't say that I have done more sincere prayer than most and seemingly those prayers have been answered but I wouldn't be surprised if I have.
It is up to each person to work out their own salvation.
JoeyA
Show us proof he won't or can't........:grin-angelic:
Well, I suspect that some don't believe, some don't have the faith that some do, and then there are those that simply refuse to put off their failures on someone else be it other human, animal, or deity, or conditions, equipment, lighting, weather, etc.... generally it has been my experience that the majority of poolplayers have a whole list of reasons that they may have played poorly or missed a shot, similar to Jake Blues trying to explain to Carrie Fisher why he didn't show up to their wedding. So why not include god among those reasons.
Consider this : what if God did answer all of your prayers and heard every one of them, what if he was there every time you took a shot and heard you ask for help. ?..
What if the answer was 'no'.
I think they are in the minority Sean. Check out this poll from a few years ago.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=143449&highlight=belief
Of the 50 or so non-believers, about 5 out of 6 claim none of what you might call a faith-like sense of knowledge.
Founding fathers?
Well, those guys who wrote the words you quote owned slaves, believed in child labor, denied women the right to vote, and slaughtered the natives for fun and profit.
And just where is this Heaven that allows only Americans through the gates?
Well, those guys who wrote the words you quote owned slaves, believed in child labor, denied women the right to vote, and slaughtered the natives for fun and profit.
And just where is this Heaven that allows only Americans through the gates?
Atheism is not a religion
Check out any dictionary and you'll discover that atheism is not a religion.
Atheism is *itself* its own religion. That's why his interest. As with politics, part and parcel with any religion is converting others to it -- "go and spread the word." Atheism is no different.
-Sean
Check out any dictionary and you'll discover that atheism is not a religion.
Religion has been pushed on people at the point of a gun or sword for millennia. I don't see anyone here pushing atheism on anyone else, but merely responding to the blind faith of believers.
I'm not saying that. I'm saying that atheism itself is pushed seemingly religiously. The zeal and fervor displayed by some atheists rivals that of religious people.
In effect, anything that is pushed with zeal and fervor -- to try and "convince" and convert people -- is a religion.
That's why I posted that link to George Carlin previously -- he has the best attitude towards all this "one man trying to convince and convert another man" thing that people do.
Me? I share George's views. I don't push religion or atheism at all. It goes in one ear, and out the other. I will, however, point out the flawed stances of atheists that think they are not acting in a religious way.
And that, by the way, is acting in a religious way.
-Sean
Surely you can tell the difference between someone "pushing" atheism, and someone responding to a religious push with atheism. As others said, how often do you have atheists knocking on your door at 7:30am trying to tell you how great their non-beliefs are?
Maybe it's time for that
Surely you can tell the difference between someone "pushing" atheism, and someone responding to a religious push with atheism. As others said, how often do you have atheists knocking on your door at 7:30am trying to tell you how great their non-beliefs are?
Maybe it's time for that
And that also is acting in a religious way. You're hiding behind the "but I'm just responding to the blind faith of believers!" facade.
You could just let it go -- let people express their beliefs, whatever they may be. But the fact that you feel you need to respond, to try and "convince" those folks why they're wrong, shows that your "non-belief" is a little more than just that.
-Sean
How long has earth been here?
And that also is acting in a religious way. You're hiding behind the "but I'm just responding to the blind faith of believers!" facade.
You could just let it go -- let people express their beliefs, whatever they may be. But the fact that you feel you need to respond, to try and "convince" those folks why they're wrong, shows that your "non-belief" is a little more than just that.
-Sean
Who is hiding? If someone makes a comment, religious or otherwise, people tend to reply sometimes. And sometimes not
As for trying to "convince folks why they're wrong", good luck with that. I have never seen posts on a forum alter someone's belief system and I don't expect to see it anytime soon. I just see it as people posting their own opinions and that's fine. This thread has stayed civil, no? Can't ask any more than that.