“However we came to be, there needs to be much more emphasis on the wonder of life. Many people are in dire need of some respect for all life, we are all part of the natural world and must obey natural law. Law's of Thermodynamics, Biodiversity coexisting within an ecosystem, We have to grow our food and keep the soil healthy to sustain growth, life cannot get rid of many man made materials and chemicals. We should be seeking heaven on Earth, we need to help the Earth to become brimming with life again, to provide for us naturally. God, if anything, is nature.

And it's blooming magical!”

“give it a few more years and people like Mick will be spouting scientology as the great faith,if the bible was rewritten and updated it would become what it is, a series of fairy tales and myths”

“TrulyBlessed, quite a lot to respond to there. Perhaps I should start by stating the obvious: "We have no proof either way", not really true, one could bring quite a lot of examples of why there might not be a god, but nothing verifiable that is proof positive. Even if it was true one could use that to justify belief in the tooth fairy or any other supernatural belief. Hardly a solid foundation to ask people to lead their life by.
Perhaps the other thing worth responding to: "people need to remember that science is based on theories". I am not going to spend space trying to explain what a scientific theory is. But I suspect even you with you slightly anti science views, have to admit that the science supporting something like aircraft flight or modern computing is 'factual' enough for you to step on a plane or use a computer?”

“Nobody is saying you can't pray before meetings; what IS being said is that you shouldn't be forced to take part in them. Atheism is not a belief, it's a lack of belief in gods. Not a denial, and not an alternative religion as many (mainly christian) apologists would have us believe. Stop twisting things.
If you want to pray, go ahead; just don't try to force anyone else to do it.”

“Having read through all these comments, I find it fascinating how people claim they don't like to be preached at and have religion rammed down their throats, yet all they are doing is ramming their own beliefs about there being no God down the throats of others. And that's what society is doing each day. By not allowing people to pray before meetings society is forcing an atheist belief on those people. By allowing people to pray, that's forcing a Christian belief on people. What's right? I can't answer that.

But that's where we all need to take a step back and realise that everyone's tag of whatever it is (atheist, Christian, Jew, Islamic etc) is a belief. You choose to believe one thing, someone else chooses to believe something else. It's called freedom of thought and no-one should be persecuted for believing in God. No-one should be ridiculed for not believing in God. Each person has to get to that place themselves and make their own decision.

However, even Prof. Richard Dawkins, the leading atheist in the country, admitted that he has no proof that he is right, but he believes that he is. Believes being the key word. He believes atheism is correct with no evidence for it. We have no proof either way. No one knows for sure that there is God. No one knows for sure that there isn't God. People choose to believe either way. It's called faith when people do believe. They have a faith they are right.

I know many of you will come back with retorts of scientific findings and evidence to support atheism, but it's been proven that carbon dating can be inaccurate (two labs scoring the same piece of material miles apart, one at millions of years old and one at 150 years old) so therefore, I doubt even science has the answers. And people need to remember that science is based on theories and theories are defined as: 'a coherent group of tested general propositions, commonly REGARDED as correct, that can be used as principles of explanation and prediction for a class of phenomena'. Not factual then.

For me, it also seems beyond belief that this complex world that is so delicately balanced and fragile could be accidental and that the world was created by chance and that everything that has happened to date is down to chance. If creation is an accident, then I'm an accident and therefore my life has no meaning other that to survive day-to-day and chase irrelevant things that bring me little to no pleasure until I get old and die. To me that's no way to live. I therefore choose to believe in God and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ as it gives me hope, it gives me meaning and it gives me something worth living for other than money, materials and more money - things I have very little time for! If that makes me stupid, ignorant, weak, feeble or whatever else people want to label me without getting to know me, then so be it. I'm comfortable with what I believe and I have no reason to force people to believe the same or tell people who's beliefs differ that they're stupid, ignorant, weak, feeble or whatever else. We're all unique. We're all amazing. We can all choose what we wish to believe or not believe and how we live our lives. God bless you all.”

“micks best ignored all hes doing is throwing random bible quotes at us hes like the net version of those crazy street preachers you see, mick you may as well be quoting harry potter at us mate for all the factual basis the book those quotes are from has.”

“@MIckbarb

"Whoa mate, learn to think for yourself..."

Do you even realise how ironic that is?”

“OK Mick. You don't have any arguments at all; all you can do is -selectively- quote from an old book that is meaningless to someone who doesn't share your presuppositions of its meaning.”

“BeninLondon quote- "...atheist biblical scholar Robert M Price.... scholars Dennis C. Duling and Delbert Burkett (both Christians as far as I am aware)-unquote

Whoa mate, learn to think for yourself instead of running to so-called 'scholars'..:)
Even Paul had to remind people- "I'm worried lest you be led astray from the simplicity of Christ" (2 Cor 11:3)
Jesus said:-"I thank you Father for hiding these things from the wise and learned,and for revealing them to little children"(Matt 11:25-27)”

“Magical One quote-"Religion is a great resource for the socially inadequate and inept.."-unquote

Not everybody would agree with you mate- "My Christian faith is my backbone"- Bear Grylls”