By Bill O'Reilly
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com

Atheism is chic, it's cool, it's the latest craze. The bookstores are chock full of authors declaring that "God Is Not Great," that God is a "Delusion," that you are a moron if you believe in the Deity.

The secular press, of course, loves these books, and the reviews are largely admirable. Some of the books are also selling very nicely, as it's been a long time since atheists had much to cheer about.

Polls show that about 90 percent of Americans believe in God, but that leaves 30 million folks who just say no to a higher power. If only one percent of that group buys a certain anti-God book, you have a best seller.

But the atheist chic trend is not just on the page, Hollywood is involved as well. According to the book "Celebrities in Hell," a number of big stars may be aligned with the universe, but not with the force that some believe created it.

The book quotes the following:

* George Clooney: "I don't believe in heaven or hell. I don't know if I believe in God."

* Angelina Jolie: "There doesn't need to be a God for me."

* Carrie Fisher: "I love the idea of God, but it's not stylistically in keeping with the way I function."


Indeed. Believing in God is not very stylish in mainstream media circles these days.


The question then becomes is there anything wrong with that? After all, we have freedom from religion in America -- the Constitution makes it clear that no power in this country has the right to impose religion on anyone.

So the atheists have clear sailing, and I say: Thank God.


That's because people of faith should be challenged and think about their beliefs. Critical thinking in all areas makes the mind sharper, and your philosophy stronger.


Thus, I was looking forward to debating the most successful of the atheist authors, Richard Dawkins, who wrote the best seller "The God Delusion." Dawkins basically says that science can explain everything on earth, and no one has any direct evidence there is a God.


But I stopped him in the fourth round with this right hook: "(the earth) had to come from somewhere. And that is the leap of faith you guys (atheists) make, that it just somehow happened."


Dawkins replied: "You're the one who needs a leap of faith, the onus is on you to say why you believe in something ... you believe in, presumably, the Christian God Jesus."


"Jesus is a real guy," I said. "I know what he did. I'm not positive that Jesus is God, but I'm throwing in with him rather than throwing in with you guys, because you guys can't tell me how it all got here."


"We're working on it," Dawkins said.


"When you get it," I shot back, "maybe I'll listen."


But the atheists will never get it. The universe and the earth is so complex, so incredibly detailed, that to believe an accidental evolutionary occurrence could have exclusively led to the nature/mankind situation we have now, is some stretch of the imagination. I mean, call me crazy, but the sun always comes up, while man oversleeps all the time.

So bless you, Richard Dawkins, and all the other non-believers. As long as they don't attack people of faith, I have no problem with them. As my eighth-grade teacher Sister Martin once said: "Faith is a gift."


But not everybody gets to open the box.

Could care less what those wackos THINK.

I happen to have seen that interview between O'Reilly and Dawkins ... sorry Saved2 but I don't think on most things O'Reilly is a wacko (not that I agree with everything he says or believes).
Tara
P.S. Why do Christians get attacked for their beliefs daily but when we answer back we are told to be tolerant of others and their beliefs? Just asking please don't throw anything LOL.

I agree with O'Reilly its the ones that say religion is delusional , its nice to see how fast some people on here will jump on me , but its expected thats what athiest do knock your selfs out I can handle it.--Christian tolerance ???? where do you get the idea that Christians are not to have opinions and are to turn the other cheek , that only applies to some things , we are not a bunch of whimps that walk around looking humble and wont protect ourselves or others and believe it or not we have our own opinions.

No doubt you're allowed any beliefs and opinions you want. Express them all you want. The intolerance remark comes from your willingness to attack, call names and denigrate anyone who doesn't believe as you do. I'm an atheist and I don't care what anyone believes in. I don't understand the need people have to believe in some all-powerful god overseeing the universe but that doesn't mean I think they're stupid.

Better just accept the fact that a lot of non-religious people are just fed up with the names and intolerance from those in certain sects of christianity.

Well I dont see any attack , but the fact still remains I still think Dawkins is a wacko and could care less what he thinks , attack over.

Attack , call names and deingrate people, call them stupid---did I do all those things.

Cheryl2 , I'm sorry this has upset you , its just a conversation on the internet , dont let it bother you , we will probably never agree on religion but we can agree on adopting our Grey babys. Dan

cheryl2 ... I have people (my family members) who call me some nasty names and make fun of my beliefs every time we get together (because I will not go to a restaurant or shopping on Sundays, will not work on Sunday, will not miss a worship service for a family get together ect.). Please do not tell me about non-religious people feeling put upon that road goes both ways I think. Be an athiest, your right, really has no bearing on me, and I'll remain a Christian but please DO NOT FORGET tolerance goes both ways. As a Christian I try to be tolerant, respectful and caring of everyone I believe that is what I am called to be but NEVER will I sell out my belief system for acceptance.
Tara
P.S. This is a really good conversation (This whole section). D2P thanks for giving this topic an outlet here ... I think we can learn alot from each other.

Atheist = wacko ? Or the people in the article?

As a person without belief in God as described in the Bible I found this article very interesting. I didn't realize it's popular to not believe in God these days. I may have to change my mind.

To me religion/faith/beliefs is a personal thing. I enjoy learning about what others believe in. The bottom line is to respect each others views, which everyone here has, great job!! I heard the folks going though A.A. are told to believe in a higher being, even if it is a door knob to get them though the ruff times ahead. I wonder some times if people who live in a 3rd world country and are not "Christians" never heard of God/Christ, will they not go to heaven, even though they are good, honest, hard working people? Just wondering. I try to be a good person, I go to church, say my prayers, and live a quiet life. I hope I'll get to heaven.

Patrica I believe everyone on this earth has heard the word or has turned down the chance , there are missionarys everywhere and radio and tv are broadcast 24 hrs. a day.

Really? Maybe. My girlfriend's boyfriend is a Jehova Witness, not sure on the spelling, it is a different belief, totally different way of believing. I remember we responded to a car accident, a small child was hit by a car, was in very serious condition, we did all we could do, took him to Hopkins, Peds. Trauma Unit. he was a J.W. and his family refused to give permission for replace his blood lost, he lost so much and was in shock, plus surgery, the child did not make it. The family was blaming us for working on the child and transporting him to the hospital, they were screaming at the docs., nurses, and us, so I said, "What did you want me to do, let him die in the street?". And the reply from the mother was , if that was God's will, then you need to respect it. The family placed a complaint against us, my Captain threw it out and told the family we were doing our job. That was a crazy night. From time to time they come to my neighborhood, I was walking to the gym on Halloween day and the group said hello and I said Hello, Happy Halloween! Being the little devil I can be at times. The look on their faces, priceless. I just had to say it, plus, I love Halloween, I dress up Toby and Misty and the kids get a kick out of when they come to the door. I feel sorry for them.

There are people who are so wrong on both sides of the fence.
Whippet Talk celebrate your beliefs be firm in them, discuss them, be truthful to yourself but please never condemn someone else for theirs ... that is all I ask and how I try to live. Name calling only leads to anger which leads to resentment which leads to closed lines of communication which is never a good thing. We must remember our thoughts and belief system is not the only one and we have no right to impose ours on anyone else. If the conversation is open we never know how or who the Lord will work in .
cheryl2 ... I believe judgement is for God not me ... I wouldn't want the responsibility I am not a good judge of character and tend to give people the benefit of the doubt one or ten times too many LOL. (I always want to see the good in people). I try to live my life by the "Do unto others as you would have done unto you" philosophy.
Tara

I don't condemn anyone. I just am open with my beliefs and opinions. I have never pointed a finger to anyone here or tried to make anyone feel as if they were delusional or anything. It's one thing to question and learn and quite another to call names and ridicule. So I agree whole heartedly with Do unto others..... because I believe in that.

I guess I'm just tired of people telling me that I will burn in Hell or will cry to God to save me when times get tough. I am good person. I live my life in a caring and good way. I have done nothing to be ashamed of. I do not accept that God would condemn me to Hell because I did not accept him.

Anyway, good conversation here and I hope we can continue to have opinions and conversations without hurt feelings. As they say, "Don't hate, tolerat." LOL