If God has made everything, then who or what made God? If God has always existed-... wait. What? How? How would God have always existed? That's impossible. If God hasn't always existed, and he WAS made by some other being, then he isn't the all mighty being that Theists love, and who made the creator of God and the creator of that being, and so on?

I personally think this is the question that will make all theists either explode, or explode on each other for refusing to conform and take the same view as each other. After all, that's why wars happen, right? Some of the popular wars of the world are caused by religion.

It won't make all theists explode. Some theists don't believe in an omni-god.

I hope it's ok to post to a really old thread.

Yes, this is an old post that was amazingly dull and not worth answering, but this did provide an opportunity to clear something up:

This is not the Emily that started posting on the message board years ago. This is someone other than the original Emily. If their name is Emily too - then they need to use an initial or another name. Anyone using the same name that someone else has established as their identity (and were using to post comments under for years) has the right to ask someone else to distinguish posts using the same name from theirs by adding an initial or using another name. Especially when they use the same name that someone else is using on the same thread - as they did one time with my name. I know they wouldn't want other people to get credit for their amazing ideas or comments.

If God was the 'first cause' then what caused God? This is not some new idea. Many people have pointed this out to the Christians and it doesn't phase them. As for religions without a deity - they usually have a philosophy that has aspects involving unsubstantiated claims - they exercise some type of control over the victim etc. They are just another religion among many that serve little or no real purpose. The world would be a better place without religion.

You could solve the problem of people having the same names by using a message board that requires user registration.

Maybe there is a god or family of gods. Maybe the supernatural exists. Humans do not know either way and could make the claims and turn out to be right. I do not believe that this stuff exists but my feelings are not going to be hurt if it turns out that I am wrong.

No scholarly person would pay the slightest attention to religious claims if the believers didn't want to indoctrinate the entire world with a story that a not very smart youngster would find hard to believe. That is the reason scholars have written about the origin of religious myths and the authenticity of the bible. Some apologists do not think that people have the right to write books that do not support their beliefs, and they have tried to discredit their findings since they do not support an earthly Jesus or the authenticity of the bible. Many unbiased Biblical scholars worked very hard to find evidence and they were disparaged when what they found did not support theist claims. If the bible is in question then the three major religion based on these myths are in question.

Atheists are not making any claims; atheists are dismissing theist claims because they are made out of cheesecloth, with no evidence. What actually does matter is that theists expect other people to have faith in things with no supporting evidence. Things that scholars know are not true because they back up their claims with plenty of evidence. It is a simple matter of not wanting the facts brought out into the open for everyone to see. When theist claims are questioned they either deny the evidence or say it doesn't matter. It would be much easier if everyone would just shut up and believe on faith. Someone that forces their beliefs on other people and passes them off as the truth needs to prove something. Not us!

I remember asking this question to a nun when I was 13 and I didn't get a good enough answer. Personally I think this question is alright but the question people really should be asking is what or who is God. If you just say who created God, then who wrote the bible and so forth. It leads nowhere and will not impress the theists because they will just answer with the same lame answer: God has always been.

Linda, are you a scholar and if so what do you do? Every time I read one of your responses I feel like vomiting. You are the exact type of person atheists try not to be like. You are overly opinionated and dogmatic. You call yourself an atheist yet you seem more like a religious theist. The fact that you post responses on these boards in the manner that you do means that you are trying to prove something. Yes, I think we can all agree that you are not original and that you assert as much bullshit as a Christian. Also, we can all agree that you seem to be a conceded bitch. So, get over yourself and stop pretending you are an atheist.

Most people like what she writes except for those as dumb as a sack of rocks. That's why people ask her questions and permission to reprint things she has written. I think the theists would like to post their creationist/intelligent design bullshit while claiming to be atheists. Some of them claim it's science and she calls them on it. They don't like what she does. She has also debunked their Biblical authenticity claims. I'm sure atheists disapprove of all that? That's why the atheists that have written to ask questions have said Linda is amazing and so have some of the theists. There are those that have complained about her and other people for years with the very same kind of statements.

Linda never has to tell anyone that she is an atheist because atheists don't have to. We can always tell what anyone is by what they write. It's not what you say you are. Many other atheists that have written on this board have been attacked and accused of thinking they know everything. This is the same song second verse. They post nasty remarks in various pseudonyms under things written ages ago. Look at some of the nasty stuff written to all the atheists (almost everyone) from the time this board got going.

Fred,

He's back with another name-calling post. Oh my oh my, we are dense aren't we! How do people become this incoherent and unable to sustain a debate without putting words into people's mouths? "Linda" comments were referring to books that have been written by scholars. The comments that this flake is referring to states what scholars have found out about the authenticity of the bible babble. The term scholar covers many fields of study. She doesn't have to "tell" us what she is; it's apparent. We can determine if anyone's comments are valid without wheedling to obtain information of a personal nature. Most of us have the ability to read books that were written by scholars, and some scholars' studies are to determine if the bible or any holy book is fact or fiction. Scholars do not consider ancient myths or holy books reliable proof of god or religion. There is no actual proof of the existence of any god or any supernatural event.

'Caesar's Messiah' by Joseph Atwill is the work of a historical scholar that is filled with actual evidence that a historical Jesus never existed and explains why it was necessary to create the myth of Jesus.

As Linda said, "It is a simple matter of not wanting the facts brought out into the open for everyone to see." It's not about what anyone is; it is about dishonest people who profit from these deceitful practices that disagree. We know that this is true. There are secrets that were held for decades and many are still being held. People have the right to the actual truth of the matter, and they have the right to make decisions based on actual information, facts not fiction.

The last sentence in Linda's post states, "Someone that forces their beliefs on other people and passes them off as the truth needs to prove something. Not us!"

Do atheists think theist own the truth? If theist own the truth they shouldn't mind proving that. It's clear to me that the "Linda" post is criticizing "blind faith" and is pointing out that some of us demand information and facts. Asking questions makes atheists out of believers. Most scholars (meaning all fields of study) have found no evidence that the gospels are anything but fiction, and there is no actual tangible proof of any god's existence. There are all kinds of folks that would be offended by the illogical, twisted, hypocritical nonsense of "extremist religious fanatics" than anything in that post. People that vomit when they are told the truth can't stomach the truth so don't read it. If you could figure out or discuss what was written you would be doing that instead of attacking the person. Go back to watching TV, you can't figure it out, buddy.

Oh! I offend the "atheists". Hey douche! What atheist! What Would Atheist Do (WWAD)? Would they believe what is written in the bible, would they believe in god or Jeebeezus? Remember that we've all seen Santa and he gives us real things. Some of them might believe in Santa, but not Jeebeezus!

I guess it offended the atheists when I busted the dumbass that posted creationist crap. Maybe it's the fact that I know more about the bible than any uneducated fundie faker does. I know real science, history and lot's of other things that people have heard me talk about for hours - puke-head.

Did an air-headed puking bimbo call me a bitch? That's better than a lying scum sucking Jeebeezus whore.

I'm sure you agree with "all" your same comments Puke-head!