Is anyone else an atheist with BC besides me?

Worry the Pooh...you did not say how you and your family have been impacted by these disastrous fires. Obviously, folks in this group will not send 'thoughts and prayers' however, compassion is definitely an integral part of our human community. As an outsider I get my news online and hope that the Australian Red Cross is a safe, non-religious source for emergency relief. I do believe that dollars to legitimate agencies will do more than prayers.

https://www.redcross.org.au/campaigns/disaster-rel...

What does he mean, Australia wasn't meant for people. It has be inhabited by aboriginal peoples for 65,000 years.

Thanks everyone, where I live we are not in direct danger of the fires, although there is always the possibility of an ember attack setting trees alight.

Wren44 sorry to hear of your friend's plight. The smoke is having a huge impact on our health and ability to do normal things. There has not been much of a celebratory mood in Australia these Christmas holidays, with everyone in horror at what is happening.

Lauren you always cheer me up, 'let's blame the imaginary sky daddy' made me laugh out loud.

Yes ananda8 that shows how ridiculous his comments are, he suggests Australian residents "come home", so in his view the only Australians are of British heritage, completely ignoring the Aboriginal and native people, as well as another 30% of other European ethnicities.

If this is Jeremy Clarkson's idea of God plan -

I know this is a heartfelt and serious thread, but I lmao every time I check in. Thanks for making me smile despite the fact that I offer nothing. Just not as witty and wise as you ladies.

Well said MrOzAtheist.

And very well said magiclight!

Pew Research just put out a Religious Knowledge Quiz. I thought some might like to take it. If you want, tell us your score.

https://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/u-s-religious-kno...

Yep, Catholics can still reduce their sentence in Purgatory by good works and donations to charitable causes.

Those pesky Catholics will do anything to keep the money rolling in! My hubby is one, but he will only donate on a parish level until they clean up the scandals higher up.

12 out of 15. I know my religions. Must be by Osmosis since I havent studied any of them.

Hi I am a reader of this thread. Thoroughly enjoy it thank you all.

OK, I got a problem with one of their questions. They claim that Buddhists believe that the Buddha was perfect and free from sin. Yes when he achieved enlightenment, but not throughout his entire life. He was born a prince and lived a lush and lusty lifestyle. Then he became disillusioned with his wealthy life, renounced his inheritance and status, and turned to introspection and the search for an inner truth. Just saying "Buddha was perfect and free from sin" implies that it was for his WHOLE life, when that is simply not true according to his story.

The fact that he overcame the lure of the pleasures of the material world after knowing just how pleasurable life can be is part of why his enlightenment is so important. He wasn't penniless because he was poor. He was penniless because he chose to not have pennies.

Ananda8 your signature gives you away.

Ah, I did misread it. I thought it said, "Which of the following is NOT one of Buddhism's four "noble truths"?", so I went with the perfection answer.

Thanks!

I have no idea how I got 12. I guessed at most of them.