I'm a Christian, and am not embarrassed to admit it. I'm embarrassed by these assholes, though. (Atheists often think that Christian == fundamentalist, which simply isn't true.)
I'm not sure it's more logical to say that the universe created itself than it was created by someone, but to each his own, I guess.
I actually saw them today at the con, holding up a Jesus Is Lord sign, as a bunch of cosplaying executioners paraded around. I didn't know it was the Westborough asshats, or I'd have had words with them,
And you also get upset when theists call you asshats, am I right? (Do you never wonder why?)
Honestly, I think the arguments for the existence of God are more compelling than the opposite, but doing your dickwad atheist bit isn't a good counterargument.
Dawkins has made being-an-asshole-to-theists his raison d'etre, but it neither makes him right, nor even sound particularly smart. His arguments are laughably bad when he strays outside the area he knows (evo
Better to be considered an asshat by someone who is clearly delusional, than being delusional yourself - or enabling their delusions at the cost to society as a whole. Religion needs put down, hard.
The best single argument for me against faith has been one posited by Hitchens in part 2 of a debate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYaQpRZJl18&feature=related [youtube.com] (part1) and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkHuvErbpd0&NR=1 [youtube.com] (part 2). The idea that existence of this sort of god being "compelling" is more ab
Neither Stalin nor Mao eliminated religion though. Religionists like to say it did, because they don't recognise the reflection of themselves in what these regimes replaced religion with. For them, it is enough that there was a non-belief. From the perspective of faith as a psychological trojan horse, and religion as a command centre of the resulting botnet, they were little more than beheadings of the current authority to impose another. The difference being instead of necessarily pushing a religious ideol
Who the f* is going to eliminate religion? Would you recommend the Stalin/Mao approach?
Stalin and Mao were both theists who demanded that their subjects become atheists in order to prevent existing religions from threatening their power. Educating people to the fact that religion is false, stupid and damaging to humanity is an entirely different thing.
It doesn't seem to matter if your government suppresses the heretical non-Christians, non-Muslims, non-Atheists, non-Hindus, or non-Pagans - when the government forces a religious viewpoint on people it's all bad.
On the other hand, when people are allowed to practice their various faiths (or none) in peace, it doesn't seem to matter whether it's the Greek Gods (500 BCE Athens), the Muslim God (1000 CE Baghdad), the Christian God (190
It's not an optical illusion, it just looks like one.
-- Phil White
Still doing that? (Score:0, Troll)
Re: (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm a Christian, and am not embarrassed to admit it. I'm embarrassed by these assholes, though. (Atheists often think that Christian == fundamentalist, which simply isn't true.)
I'm not sure it's more logical to say that the universe created itself than it was created by someone, but to each his own, I guess.
I actually saw them today at the con, holding up a Jesus Is Lord sign, as a bunch of cosplaying executioners paraded around. I didn't know it was the Westborough asshats, or I'd have had words with them,
Re: (Score:-1, Flamebait)
No, no, we do not think all of you are fundamentalists, However, we do think you are all delusional.
Re: (Score:4, Insightful)
>>However, we do think you are all delusional.
And you also get upset when theists call you asshats, am I right? (Do you never wonder why?)
Honestly, I think the arguments for the existence of God are more compelling than the opposite, but doing your dickwad atheist bit isn't a good counterargument.
Dawkins has made being-an-asshole-to-theists his raison d'etre, but it neither makes him right, nor even sound particularly smart. His arguments are laughably bad when he strays outside the area he knows (evo
Re: (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Still doing that? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Who the f* is going to eliminate religion? Would you recommend the Stalin/Mao approach?
Stalin and Mao were both theists who demanded that their subjects become atheists in order to prevent existing religions from threatening their power. Educating people to the fact that religion is false, stupid and damaging to humanity is an entirely different thing.
Re: (Score:2)
Would you recommend the Stalin/Mao approach?
No, we have secularism.
It doesn't seem to matter if your government suppresses the heretical non-Christians, non-Muslims, non-Atheists, non-Hindus, or non-Pagans - when the government forces a religious viewpoint on people it's all bad.
On the other hand, when people are allowed to practice their various faiths (or none) in peace, it doesn't seem to matter whether it's the Greek Gods (500 BCE Athens), the Muslim God (1000 CE Baghdad), the Christian God (190