The issue then becomes, if we start accepting scientific facts like the big bang and evolution, that moves stories like Adam and Eve, the flood, tower of babel and the like become parables. Which I am fine with, I was fine with that when I was a Christian as that is the most likely scenario, the problem is where do we draw the line at what is parable and what is literal? Why did the creator of the universe make himself known to only one tiny tribe of people in a backwater part of the world some 6,000 years ago, and not to all of humanity around the world, why not have prophets all over? It is either a local deity, like Odin,Athena, Ra and the like, or a racist jerk.

No science will never probably answer what was there before the big bang, time itself didn't exist... That is perhaps the only valid "gap" for a god to fill. We understand how the universe came to be in its present state fairly well, with a few odd issues like dark matter/dark energy to be resolved but those are filling in. Abiogenesis is early enough in the its understanding of life origins to be a small gap, but that is filling, and the process of biological evolution is fully understood and well mapped out.

In the end the problem is that there seems to be no god actively moving on the universe or people's lives. We don't see properly documented limbs growing without science. We don't see a consistent result from praying to only the Christian God compared to praying to some Hinu god to get results (praying itself is slightly better than not, but it doesn't matter to whom is prayed, praying to the flying spaghetti monster is just as effective as praying to Yahweh or Kali). If there is a God, then he is ineffective, and that in the end is a problem for religion... and ultimately what is the point of worshiping a god that only wants people to praise and worship him while giving us nothing in return? Wohoo I believed in God (Yahweh) and now get to spend eternity praising and worshipping him full time with no distractions like work and having fun with the family...basically I get to do the same thing the angels do (and they apparently have a choice in the matter since 1/3rd of them followed Lucifer in praising him over Yahweh)... what's the point of that? To avoid the hell he created for those who chose not to end up being his praise slave 24/7 for eternity? Let me see evidence, let me see him do something for me in my life here and now, then I'll believe.

Tags for this video have been changed from 'LP record, kids these days, what is that, its like a big cd, vinyl' to 'LP record, kids these days, what is that, its like a big cd, vinyl, athena' - edited by Fusionaut

OOhh, I thought her name was Peanut.
>> ^Sagemind:

Athena Responds to Her Critics

This video is by John Scalzi, a well-known SF writer and blogger. Huh.

Athena Responds to Her Critics

Yup, but Artemis and Athena would be the best pair of owls Ever!

..and I think the dog probably just tastes like mouse.>> ^Skeeve:

Considering Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, victory, etc., was actually represented as (or with) an owl, I can think of one name that would be better than Artemis .>> ^Payback:
Artemis: Greek God of Hunting
Never, throughout all time, has a pet owl been better named.

Considering Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, victory, etc., was actually represented as (or with) an owl, I can think of one name that would be better than Artemis .>> ^Payback:

Artemis: Greek God of Hunting
Never, throughout all time, has a pet owl been better named.

This is a classic paper on expertise if anyone is wanting an introduction.

I'd like to know the background, but I doubt the dog was hurt that much.

Could be wrong.

The dog looked like it just wanted to play, and didn't understand the maternal instincts involved.

Don't mess with a mama.

Sometimes I think that was the root of the Athena goddess.

The one that cares so much, she'll kill anybody who harms the one she loves.

i actually liked dark athena.In fact it has proper characters and dialog actually.

-spoiler
do you like dead pussy,Riddick?
/spoiler

And there was this guy named Exbob.He fucking ownz.When i first saw him,he was masturbaring,When was the last time you saw that sort of action in a game?

In fact,heres a video of him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtERiBeWiSs

Looking forward to in Q1-2 of 2009 (PC): Prototype, Braid, Velvet Assassin, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Trine, Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Burnout Paradise, Borderlands, Bionic Commando, Dragon Age: Origins, Tom Clancy's HAWX.
The better part of these really ought to arrive in 2009, even if delayed. Some have solid release dates set for Feb, as far as I can remember.

>> ^shuac:
I wonder if, during the death throes of the Greek gods (Zeus, Apollo, Athena, etc), there were apologists like this guy, trying to convince people that Zeus really was the king of the gods and that Apollo really did pull the sun across the sky riding in a chariot? I do wonder.

A lot of people have the misconception that all the Greeks thought that the myths are literally true. While that was a common opinion among the masses, the educated elite were generally aware that the myths were instructive stories--tales we could learn from, but not necessarily literal accounts of actual events. Anyone with even a wee smattering of astronomical knowledge was aware that the sun wasn't actually pulled by a chariot.

The idea that myths have to be literally true gained ascendancy with Christianity. In fact, assertions to that effect by Christians were the cause of much derision of Christians by intellectual pagans, as Saint Augustine pointed out in his work, "On the Literal Interpretation of Genesis." (He was, by the way, opposed to a literal interpretation of Genesis.)

But yes, there were people who attempted intellectual defenses of paganism in the face of the rise of Christianity, such as Julian the Apostate, the last pagan Emperor. Had he not died so early in his reign, Greek and Roman religion would probably still be around today. The intellectual defenses brought by men like Julian were usually grounded in Neoplatonic philosophy.

I wonder if, during the death throes of the Greek gods (Zeus, Apollo, Athena, etc), there were apologists like this guy, trying to convince people that Zeus really was the king of the gods and that Apollo really did pull the sun across the sky riding in a chariot? I do wonder.

I'm not saying Christianity is in it's death throes, we're a thousand years from that. I'm merely wondering if the classic Greek gods had defenders like this guy. I'm betting "yes."

The thing that theists always get wrong is that atheism is some organization similar to established religions, replete with belief systems and dogma.

WRONG

Atheism is simply a rejection of theist suppositions. Period.

Atheism is the ABSENCE of something, not the presence of something.

Oh, how I wish theists would get that right. Oh, I pray and pray that theists understand that one day. Oh, wait...

Tags for this video have been changed from 'basketball, autism, amazing' to 'basketball, autism, amazing, zone, spree, Rochester, Greece, Athena, highschool, McElwain' - edited by my15minutes

Love this one. It's from my hometown - Rochester, NY.

Greece is the NW suburb of Rochester where I grew up. This happened at Greece Athena High School. I went to Greece Olympia, right down the road.