Comments for michaelnugent.com

Comment on Atheism is a Positive Belief by Sean

Sean — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:04:25 +0000

I totally agree with your comments. It is long overdue that we (as atheists) should embrace the atheist-label with a view to correct the pejorative-baggage the sails along with it. Atheism should be promoted as a positive viewpoint and worn as a badge of honour by those of us that take the time have reached the position using reason and evidence.

Comment on Atheism is a Positive Belief by Michael Nugent

Michael Nugent — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:55:15 +0000

Samuel, I am happy to refine my thinking on this.

How are you defining naturalist and atheist?

And can you give me some examples of belief systems of atheists that would not be consistent with the above quote?

Comment on Atheism is a Positive Belief by Samuel Skinner

Samuel Skinner — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 07:39:06 +0000

“Atheism is a passive label for a positive, radical belief system: the assertion that reality is natural, and that we as natural beings are responsible for interpreting and governing our lives without being directed by imaginary supernatural beings.”

Sorry - that would be naturalism. There are atheists who are not naturalists.

Comment on Did the Historical Jesus Exist? by Michael Nugent

Michael Nugent — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:44:59 +0000

abucs, I have not concluded that Jesus did not exist.

I am just examining the independent evidence that is cited most often by Christians. I have concluded that most of one claim was created by fraud, one claim suggests that someone known as Christus did exist, and three claims are not even claims about the existence of Jesus.

What seems most likely to me is that Paul and other early Christian writers invented the Jesus legend based on a combination of:

(a) exaggerated stories about various different preachers and social activists who did exist (one of whom may well have been called Jesus), plus

(b) archetypal storylines and scenes from the legends of other gods that people believed in at the time, such as the Persian sun-god Mithra.

Then, as time went on, the early Christian religion borrowed more stories and rituals from pagan and other beliefs to make it easier for people to convert.

Comment on Did the Historical Jesus Exist? by Michael Nugent

Michael Nugent — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:18:53 +0000

Ian, thanks for that.

Can you please let me know where I can find any of these contemporaneous Roman records of Jesus?

I have not seen any reference to them, including in articles defending the historical existence of Jesus.

Comment on Did the Historical Jesus Exist? by abucs

abucs — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:41:58 +0000

The claims of Christianity are some of the most well attested claims as far as ancient historical claims go.

Of course if you take out all of the ones considered ‘friendly’, and believe that all the unfriendly sources have been created by fraud - it is not surprising you are going to end up with nothing.

Then it’s quite simple to convince yourself on how rational you are being.

Comment on Did the Historical Jesus Exist? by Mr Ian Maclean

Mr Ian Maclean — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:59:35 +0000

Nice theory but one major mistake. The Romans were meticulous record keepers and since Palestine was under Roman occupation there are numerous accounts of him especially when in contact with the authorities during his crucifixion. Jesus was a living breathing man, no doubt. What I as an atheist dispute is that he was not Divine, not the son of ‘god’, but the leader of a cult/sect of Judaism. Christianity’s rise to such prominence in world history is quite astonishing considering its obscure genesis.

Comment on Did the Historical Jesus Exist? by John McDermott

John McDermott — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:15:38 +0000

Hi Michael,
it is a shame you are winding down your Fianna Fail corruption exposure site.Such sites are needed now more than ever as the nation is awakening to the huge confidence trick that was the “national suicidal” act of re-electing them, in recent decades.
Unhappy their principal opponents are little more than the other side of a bad penny-tought shit-tough times coming for good people in Ireland.
however I will say that I believe your level of happiness will only increase in this world if you follow the words of eternal life which Jesus preached in his lifetime.
If he has the key to what passes for happiness here on Earth-surely he has the answer to all our prayers when we pass from this dark cave,in which each soul is strangely imprisoned, for a brief moment in time; into real Life in Heaven.
“Who will deliver us from the body of this death”
“Death is not the end of the life, rather it is extinguishing the candle-because morning has come”

Comment on But Will It Make You Happy? by Tina Storey

Tina Storey — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:37:46 +0000

Nicely observed.

I am finding that I actually (shock!) am not really worried about the financial downturn/crisis in the stock market. I lived through the 1970s and 1980s already and still have a good life now, as does my family. I never trusted the celtic tiger bandwagon and now am not worried now about falling off.
Everything is cyclical. I heard George Lee comparing the crash to 1929 - sure, that was utterly devastating for very many people - but the human race survived and went on to achieve incomparable wealth in many areas. Within 30 years the USA was the world’s economic leader.

Perhaps I am just naive.

Comment on The Toy Vatican State at the UN by declan

declan — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 11:13:25 +0000

very informative and well written. i enjoyed reading this