Finally! a 'definition' of god that I understand.

That's not a poke either. I,ve forgotten the word.

What is it called when someone accuses you of doing what they are doing themselves?

I expressed my liking for an idea. Faith people said it was offensive and poked me. I reacted.

The last one – the whole idea of faith is disturbing. Unfathomable. I guess atheists keep trying to fathom it.

WHICH IS WHAT MY OP WAS ABOUT! It was not a poke, nor is it offensive.

I go back to my original comment; it isn't the Christians on Gransnet who keep raising the topic of God, it's the self-defined nonbelievers. There's a difference between thinking someone is misguided and keeping on poking them with a stick. To get a reaction? To help them see how wrong they are? Because the whole question of faith disturbs you?

I stand by my opening post. I think it's a great way to think of a universal god and clearly some other people think so too.

feetle, that's good if true, but you wouldn't know it the way people whinge.

Anyone who is bored with this thread has dozens more to go at, so that's a daft thing to focus on as well.

Why is religion so fragile?

Of course it's childish and rude, but so is saying "you can't say things like that because someone somewhere might be offended", whichis essentially what the complainers are saying. Look on it as a retort in kind. What else can one say to such moaning?

How many times do we have to say that it's just tough if religious people find something offensive, that it's their problem, that they won't stop others like me from saying what we regard as innoffensive and perfectly good things to say just because someone somewhere might be offended because they WANT to take offence?

If your god can't deal with the idea of a god being called/though of an inert gasbag, he, she or it is pathetic. And if people can't deal with it on their god's behalf (why do they need to? it's a bloody god for god's sake!), they are too.

Bags - "I would abolish blasphemy laws"

I think we have, haven't we? Within the last couple of years. In this country at any rate.

It was always a victimless crime...

And typically Bags. Especially when she is floundering.

I think 'diddums', Bags is childish and bloody rude.

Back to petallus post - It IS the same thing to "insult" someone's belief as to "insult" their lack of belief. In both cases it criticises their judgment in coming to a different conclusion to the one the "insulter" has reached.

HOW they reached that conclusion is usually not considered. In either case it may have been through the patterns set in childhood or through years of rigorous thought and and possibly agonising appraisal.

Ants are known to have a bit of a sting, though!

Going back a bit on this thread - but thinking I may be just an insignificant bit of dust that goes to make up the galaxy, whatever the individual components are, is a good place to be. It takes away the power, the egotistical nature of religion, and of what are called 'god(s)', however benign they are thought to be.
I am here, and will soon be gone, in the grand scheme of things.
Much like an ant. Busy, busy, but so what.
They do have a high organised and controlled existence though. Do they have god(s), or egos?

Must be in a philosophical mood.

PS just remembered: once when I said DH1 was inert, quick as a flash (and smiling) he said: "better than being a bloody halogen!"

Chuckle.

It was an affectionate piss-take. See what I mean about people not getting it?
Du-uh, as Minibags would say!

I LOVE my inert gasbag.

Don't worship it or pray to it though.

There is the odd bag or two of nitrous oxide too, plus a few of carbon monoxide. Naming no names, of course.

I sometimes think the odd poster on here could be the inert gas bag. Naming no names of course.

I thought it quite an affectionate piss-take, to tell the truth.

I remember reading that particular tweet and thought it was brilliant. Very clever. Can't see why anyone should be insulted by it.

I don't think people have 'got it' at all (the complaining ones, I mean). What is wrong with my having such a belief as I expressed in the way I expressed it. That is how I think about such things. I'm just saying what I think. If people don't like what I think, so what? It's still the truth from my point of view.

Complaining, rather than presenting another train of thought, is just a device for shutting someone up. It ain't going to work.

lily, diddums.

Lil' Cutie. pic.twitter.com/2q2s9eIrGi (via @audiopsyence) (https://twitter.com/ThePoke/status/339320258101903362) Someone will tell me that this is insulting to cats next (or maybe to babies)

pet, What's so bad a bout a bit of naughty piss-taking? I reckon it's good for the health of the nation, not to mention the gods! Any god or believer in god(s) who can't take a bit of naughty piss-taking might as well have a Cromwellian puritannical mind set. Maybe they do. The miseries.