Atheism is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma

@FragileHeart In Karolinska Hospital in Sweden Of the 440 children who have been treated at the hospital for gender dysphoria issues and were given hormone blockers, 13 have suffered serious injuries as a result.

In one case, a girl who wished to become a boy at the age of 10 was put on a regimen of puberty-blocking drugs at the age of 11 by the hospital. Five years after the treatment, the effects of the hormone therapy are said to have resulted in osteoporosis and damaged the vertebrae in teen’s back, Swedish broadcaster [b][i]SVT reported.[/i][/b]

@Carazaa Could you provide a link for these claims?
I'm sure hormone therapy is not without side effects but you know what is a side effect of untreated gender dysphoria? Self harm, suicide and in general people being miserable cause they have to live in the wrong body.

@FragileHeart There is a lot of research and studies, but sure here is one in English
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/when-transgender-kids-transition-medical-risks-are-both-known-and-unknown/

@FragileHeart Again, you're wrong. You keep believing in your thoughts, and I'll have my own pratical experiences just like bullying is indeed violence and that happens the most to practising believers these days. Almost every month there's somewhere in a church, temple or mosque a violent incident against practising believers. No such luck for practising atheists
(chart Pew Research Center)

PS I'm closer to France than US in both distance and figures 😁

@val70 Individuals religious beliefs are declining in the west that is accurate yet most are still somewhat associated to christianity like being part of a denomination without active participation and it's widely accepted in western societies.
I'm sorry that there is harrassment
There is no such thing as a practicing atheist though but as an openly gay man I had my fair share of religion based discrimination.

@FragileHeart Sorry to hear about that, but then I'm a lesbian librarian. Greyhaired, seen it all and firm in her believes

@Emosaur There still is a state church in Scandinavia that people pay taxes to. "At the beginning of the XVIth century, Scandinavia consisted of two kingdoms : one was made up of Norway and Denmark and the other Sweden and Finland. They both loosely belonged to the same confederation (the Union of Kalmar) which disintegrated at the time of the Reform movement. Lutheranism soon became the main religion and this favoured the constitution of [b]national Churches[/b] which could each retain the use of its own language –[b] they were all under State control. [/b]Today, even if the churches are not full, the influence of [b]Lutheranism can still be deeply felt in the life of these countries" [/b][i]Museeprotetantism,History of Scandinavian protestans 2023[/i].[/b]
[b]Scandinavian flags, [/b]

@Emosaur The constitution of Haiti establishes the [b]freedom of religion and does not establish a state religion,[/b] although the Catholic Church receives some preferential treatment.
Religion in Haiti - Wikipedia
[b]Haitis flag[/b]

@TheOneyouwerewarnedabout you believe in God?!

Huh 🤔, never woulda guessed that .

Hedge my bets… not prepared to mock the idea at the least 😇

@Carazaa That's John 3:19 but I'd rather quote the entire passage here:

John 3:19-21: “This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.”

@val70 What version are you using? The original Greek is more like NIV
This is the NIV (I like it because it is similar to KJV and Hebrew and Greek original but simple English. I don't like paraphrasing versions each word is important and have special meaning)

[quote]John3: 19-21 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.[/quote]

@Carazaa I don't like to quote normally because I like to understand, you know. And in my opinion, a book like the MSG actually helps us with this. It can help you get to the heart of the passage quicker. It's about the understanding of things in every sense of the word at all times

@Dino11 Next you want to take [b][c=1F5E00]"In God we trust" [/c][/b]off the dollar bill!

@bijouxbroussard The problem is that christians want to dictate how everyone lives their lives. If they just kept their beliefs to themselves, there wouldn't be a problem

@FragileHeart I am from Scandinavia. And yes they prospered. under Godly kings, and the governments were loving and based on the Bible and God says "I will bless you and your children for 1000 generations." They left paganism year 1000 AD and all of Scandinavia became Christian with Godly Kings who said "We will serve the Lord" and Christian governments who built Christian churches in every little town and hired Christian pastors who knocked on doors to help people and to invite them to their Christian parish church. Year 2000AD Scandinavia decided to have freedom of religion. But the Christian values to care for people are still there, its ingrained. Until year 2000AD Sweden was blessed, there were less than 8 murders a year and no bike locks were needed because it was very safe; no one locked their door and it was like heaven on earth, my grandma said everyone was reading their Bibles and no one was working on the Sabbath or picking an apple in their yards. Police had no guns but were peacemakers helping resolve conflicts.

But now its going down and if they don't turn back to Christ it will go into slavery to Russia or Syria or some other country, or criminal gangs like in Haiti.
God says
"A COUNTRY WHO'S GOD IS THE LORD WILL BE BLESSED"

@FragileHeart Their flags all have crosses standing for the cross of christ! Here is my home.

@Holidaze Good for you for not caring, but I wasn't talking to you in the first place. Like I've already told two people on this posting already on three different occasions go through the literature and website of the American Atheists for one first. I don't need you to believe me, but I need everyone to accept my basic rights. Moreover, I don't care about anyone lying about there's "zero rational support" either. End of discussion

@Emosaur Blocked. I have the blessing of SW. Peace be with you!