Notice how many gods you reject.

[Branden Albert's Huge Balls]

Proof #28 - Notice how many gods you reject

There are literally thousands of religions being practiced today. Here are 20 of the most popular, along with an estimate of the number of followers:

Christianity: 2.1 billion
Islam: 1.3 billion
Hinduism: 900 million
Chinese traditional religion: 394 million
Buddhism: 376 million
African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million
Sikhism: 23 million
Juche: 19 million
Spiritism: 15 million
Judaism: 14 million
Baha'i: 7 million
Jainism: 4.2 million
Shinto: 4 million
Cao Dai: 4 million
Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million
Tenrikyo: 2 million
Neo-Paganism: 1 million
Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand
Rastafarianism: 600 thousand
Scientology: 500 thousand

[Source: Encyclopedia Britannica]

If you believe in God, you have chosen to reject Allah, Vishnu, Budda, Waheguru and all of the thousands of other gods that other people worship today. It is quite likely that you rejected these other gods without ever looking into their religions or reading their books. You simply absorbed the dominant faith in your home or in the society you grew up in.

In the same way, the followers of all these other religions have chosen to reject God. You think their gods are imaginary, and they think your God is imaginary.

In other words, each religious person on earth today arbitrarily rejects thousands of gods as imaginary, many of which he/she has never even heard of, and arbitrarily chooses to "believe" in one of them.

The following quote from Stephen F. Roberts sums up the situation very nicely:

"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."

A rational person rejects all human gods equally, because all of them are equally imaginary.

How do we know that they are imaginary? Simply imagine that one of them is real.

If one of these thousands of gods were actually real, then his followers would be experiencing real, undeniable benefits. These benefits would be obvious to everyone. The followers of a true god would pray, and their prayers would be answered. The followers of a true god would therefore live longer, have fewer diseases, have lots more money, etc.

There would be thousands of statistical markers surrounding the followers of a true god.

Everyone would notice all of these benefits, and they would gravitate toward this true god. And thus, over the course of several centuries, everyone would be aligned on the one true god. All the other false gods would have fallen by the wayside long ago, and there would be only one religion under the one true god.

When we look at our world today, we see nothing like that. There are two billion Christians AND there are more than one billion Muslims, and their religions are mutually exclusive. There are thousands of other religions. When you analyze any of them, they all show a remarkable similarity -- there is zero evidence that any of these gods exist.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Literature

This doesn't happen.

I would actually say it does, albiet not weekly visits, only once. They built a new Catholic Church a few months ago and some of them were coming around the neighborhood with flyers and letting people know it was ready.

[ClevelandBronco]

Originally Posted by lewdog

And it is still baffling what these people think they are going to accomplish with such talks? It is right up there with political posts that you think will sway someone's opinion on a political matter.

I don't really give a shit if you want to believe or don't want to. I only ask you to not try to tell me why you believe what you believe...my mind is already made up just like everyone else's.

Put out a sign that explains your position. I'd think that most but the densest of religious folk would respect your decision. They might even be grateful that you'd be freeing up time that could be spent with people who are more open minded on the matter.

You could be doing God's work by putting up a simple cross with a red line through it and the words, "I don't want to hear it. Move along."

[RNR]

Originally Posted by Literature

This doesn't happen.

Several third world countries disagree~

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Literature

This doesn't happen.

That was my main problem with his post. It's hard to believe he has weekly visits from Mormons and JWs, but at least it's something they do. Sticking Catholics in the list calls the whole claim into doubt though.

[RNR]

Originally Posted by ClevelandBronco

Put out a sign that explains your position. I'd think that most but the densest of religious folk would respect your decision. They might even be grateful that you'd be freeing up time that could be spent with people who are more open minded on the matter.

You could be doing God's work by putting up a simple cross with a red line through it and the words, "I don't want to hear it. Move along."

I should not need to~

[La literatura]

Originally Posted by lewdog

I would actually say it does, albiet not weekly visits, only once. They built a new Catholic Church a few months ago and some of them were coming around the neighborhood with flyers and letting people know it was ready.

I hope you called the cops on those creeps.

[ClevelandBronco]

Originally Posted by RedNeckRaider

I should not need to~

I'm not trying to identify what's right and wrong here. I'm simply offering a solution to an annoyance.

[La literatura]

Originally Posted by RedNeckRaider

Several third world countries disagree~

The key to evangelism in the third world is not knocking on doors. It's Hershey chocolate bars.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by ClevelandBronco

Put out a sign that explains your position. I'd think that most but the densest of religious folk would respect your decision. They might even be grateful that you'd be freeing up time that could be spent with people who are more open minded on the matter.

You could be doing God's work by putting up a simple cross with a red line through it and the words, "I don't want to hear it. Move along."

Haha I guess. I use to talk to most of them but I have since stopped at they come at least once a weekend and I never have much to say. I suppose I could argue with them about shit but I don't feel the need, as I try not to put my opinion on them. I have no bad feelings for people who worship whatever God they want to. Would be nice if they respected me the same as I do them.

Again, I have no idea what they want to accomplish. If it is solely to talk about God, that is what church is for. If it is to persuade someone to join their religion, that is just plain stupid for thinking that will work. I think it might just be that it helps them sleep at night to know they spread God's word.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Literature

I hope you called the cops on those creeps.

I think you are missing the point, which is probably too long to explain to you.

But yes, next time I will try the cops. Thanks.

[Dave Lane]

Ummmm...

Heres a recent one. There's lots more too.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=262893

[RNR]

Originally Posted by Literature

The key to evangelism in the third world is not knocking on doors. It's Hershey chocolate bars.

[La literatura]

Originally Posted by lewdog

I think you are missing the point, which is probably too long to explain to you.

But yes, next time I will try the cops. Thanks.

Atta boy!

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Can you link me to the last thread started by a believer who was trying to convince non-believers that they were wrong?

Heres the last one. There's lots more too.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=262893

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

Ummmm...

Heres a recent one. There's lots more too.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=262893

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

Heres the last one. There's lots more too.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=262893

Don't know how you found those through all the Atheists threads cluttering this board!?