Comments on Atheism is Dead: Please tell us about it!

How about almost every time someone finds out I do...

2008-08-27T16:21:00.000-06:00

How about almost every time someone finds out I don't believe in deities
I'm either told I'm going to hell ostracized like there's something wrong with me. If atheism were actually dead there wouldn't be any of us around now would there? I've been reading your comments and many of them are fairly insensitive and frankly stupid. Substitute "atheist" with "black people" and read some of your comments. You're a douche.

How about the way religion perverts the rule of la...

2008-08-26T22:44:00.000-06:00

How about the way religion perverts the rule of law:
Court: Exorcism is protected by law; assault and torture is OK if its done for religious purposes.

Also, we all have to pay higher taxes because of all of the property exempt for worshiping imaginary sky-beings. That millions of it are used to hog the NCE spectrum for fairy tales and political propaganda is just salt in the wound.

Videoevangelists. In general and in particular. By sight, sound and sense they're thoroughly offensive all the way around. Sure, their glossalalia and epileptiform antics can be entertaining, but the novelty of the spectacle wears thin quickly despite the kitsch and gaud. Anyone with sense or empathy feels abused seeing it persist into the 21st century CE.

Sorry shotgun, but your "philosophical objections"...

2008-08-26T11:21:00.000-06:00

Sorry shotgun, but your "philosophical objections" which I did read, went over my head, if indeed they are valid objections.
I just don't understand what you are objectiong to.
It would be entertaing to watch you present these objections to a few non believing elementary schoolers. Perhaps they, with the aid of crayons, can answer your objections?
And I think you replied as seriously as you possibly can.
You are just not a nice person. But what does that really matter, I mean, you are there and I am here.

Well, the worst thing that has happened to me due ...

2008-08-25T10:18:00.000-06:00

Well, the worst thing that has happened to me due to my lack of religion is when the good Christian parents wouldn't allow their children to attend my son's birthday party. It was a severe blow to him when no one showed up. I asked some of the parents why and was told that they didn't want their children associating with atheists. One even used the phrase 'godless heathen'. We didn't stay long in that town.

Thanks for thoroughly responding to, and subsequen...

2008-08-24T14:42:00.000-06:00

Thanks for thoroughly responding to, and subsequently answering my philosophical objections Mr. Bob...

lol

My sarcasm aside, perhaps you could concentrate a little more on my responses (by concentrate more, I mean, "actually read" them)and realize that unless you answer the objections I've raised (specifically my demand for you to present some philosophical basis from which to make claims about historical particulars) you cannot really expect me to take your reply seriously.

Perhaps Hollywood will like your script writing more than I did? I wouldn't quit the ol' day job though.

Maybe this is what they meant by "Atheism is Dead"...

2008-08-24T14:07:00.000-06:00

Maybe this is what they meant by "Atheism is Dead"...it will be dead after they kill all of us? ;)

Yes, I'm joking. Although I'm not sure that Tom Willis is.

Ah well.

"Amen bro, in reality it's Christians who fought l...

2008-08-23T21:41:00.000-06:00

"Amen bro, in reality it's Christians who fought long and hard for the RIGHT OF ATHIESTS TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THEIR SATANIC CRAP. And yet they have absolutely no gratitude whatsoever. If it was'nt for Christians, athiests would be hunted down and killed. It's because of Christians that we have this country, George Washington, Ben Franklin, etc, had a goal in mind with this country and it was a Christian goal.

The day will come shotgun, when God will allow us to cleanse his creation according to his will. That'll be a day."

Wow... I'm actually speechless...

Umm, first of all, Jefferson, Washington, Franklin, etc did NOT intend the United States to be a Christian nation. The Constitution makes no mention of such a thing, nor does it even mention Christianity or any tenant of Christianity. Even if it were a Christian nation, which denomination? Roman Catholic? Southern Baptist? Mormon? Quaker? Jehovah's Witness?

Secondly, without religion, who would "hunt down and kill" atheists? And why should anyone show "gratitude" to a system that promotes genocide in the first place? "...when God will allow us to cleanse his creation according to his will." What a truly offensive and disturbing statement!

Shotgun - I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!Athei...

2008-08-22T11:42:00.000-06:00

Shotgun - I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!

Atheist - "Yes but..."

Shotgun - I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!

Atheist - "But shouldn't you..."

Shotgun - "I hate you..."

This is what I got out of the conversation. Anyone else?

Shotgun - "You see Mr. John; it is the Christian God, and the Christian philosophical system that you use to solve problems in your day to day life."

I am assuming that Shotgun is doing just that, when he responds to the comments here. Can any Christian please explain to me how I should view the Christian God, after reading what his representative, Shotgun, has displayed here? Is God mean and temperamental? Shotgun is using the "Christian philosophical system" when he makes his remarks. If I don't respond in kind to him, but remain civil, then what "philosophical system" am I using. It does not look like the Christian philosophical system because it does not look like the system that Shotgun is using.

Listen, I know it doesn't matter to Shotgun. I expect, if he responds at all, that it will be more ridicule, but I just have to wonder why a Christian would want to be so venomous toward atheists, whether the atheist is vocal or not. I mean, it seems so obvious that the very last thing on Shotguns mind is "winning the lost". And when a person displays such a hatred for those who disagree with him, can you help but wonder about their ability to offer an honest response to even the most mundane comment or question? People like that are usually so consumed with self preservation that an admission or an apology are so very far from their lips.

Amen bro, in reality it's Christians who fought lo...

2008-08-21T17:57:00.000-06:00

Amen bro, in reality it's Christians who fought long and hard for the RIGHT OF ATHIESTS TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THEIR SATANIC CRAP. And yet they have absolutely no gratitude whatsoever. If it was'nt for Christians, athiests would be hunted down and killed. It's because of Christians that we have this country, George Washington, Ben Franklin, etc, had a goal in mind with this country and it was a Christian goal.

The day will come shotgun, when God will allow us to cleanse his creation according to his will. That'll be a day.

WayneDawg said... *the fact that George Bush said ...

2008-08-21T11:52:00.000-06:00

WayneDawg said...
*the fact that George Bush said he didn't think atheist deserved to be considered citizens.*

No worries. As a Christian, I don't know if Bush is actually a Christian.

Wow! That's just what George Bush said about you.

I AM adorable Mr. Modus, thanks...All your (no dou...

2008-08-20T18:25:00.000-06:00

I AM adorable Mr. Modus, thanks...

All your (no doubt legitimate) psychoanalysis aside;

None of you God-haters have attempted to answer the problems raised.

If a "troll" is someone that shuts you down on a normal basis Mr./Ms. Adonais...then a troll I shall be.

Thanks for the thoughtful response though...I'm sure God can use it for good...although for the life of me, I can't see how.

Oh, and P.S.

Quit crying…

Wups. I think I wrote "Stan". That should be "Shot...

2008-08-20T15:03:00.000-06:00

Wups. I think I wrote "Stan". That should be "Shotgun". While we're on the subject, Stan is also adorable and should never change.

Stan: "God hating"? You're adorable. Don't ever ch...

2008-08-20T13:48:00.000-06:00

Stan: "God hating"? You're adorable. Don't ever change.

Jinx McHue said... Reynold, I don't look down on p...

2008-08-20T09:44:00.000-06:00

Jinx McHue said...

Reynold, I don't look down on people because they are atheists. I look down on people for being stupid and making baseless statements. I've never looked down on anyone I know or have known because they've been atheists. I've had several atheist friends who are a hell of a lot smarter and credible than you idiots and they don't complain that they're being discriminated against because it simply isn't happening.
Baloney Jinx. You've been shot down here by "modusoperandi" and others, whom you've yet to refute, much less justify calling "idiots", and you've been shot down numerous times on TheologyWeb before you had your hissy fit and left.

There, you were complaining of "attacks" on Christians...well, to that I can just point you to what you said to us earlier...Oh, someone said something! Oh, noes! Did it give you a boo-boo?

Get the point, Jinx?

I invite anyone here to go to TheologyWeb, and look at the posts started by "The Laughing Man" or "Jinx32"

No matter how badly you got trounced, you still acted like a jerk.

From what I've seen, you give no indication here, on TheologyWeb, or on your own blogs that you have anything but contempt for non-believers and "liberals".

Reynold said...Here's another case for you to cons...

2008-08-20T08:48:00.000-06:00

Reynold said...

Here's another case for you to consider: ‘Christian’ Pediatrician Turns Away Child Because of Parent’s Tattoos or how about denying the HPV vaccine to young women because of the belief that it'd encourage them to have sex?

You've done it! You've proven that the reeducation camps are right around the corner!

God-hating morons? Try "god-disbelieving" for acc...

2008-08-20T08:40:00.000-06:00

God-hating morons? Try "god-disbelieving" for accuracies sake, and also try not to be such a tool next time, eh, "shotgun"?

Dr. shotgun:I would have been inclined to think yo...

2008-08-20T06:29:00.000-06:00

Dr. shotgun:

I would have been inclined to think your contributions here symptomatic of a troll, or possibly false flag attacks, if not for your Wordpress blog.

It would seem that you really are the bellicose ignoramus that you appear to be.

I doubt any Christian on this blog will cover for your asinine behavior, and you should be ignored.

Ahhh,And to correct a previous error...Good ol' St...

2008-08-20T05:15:00.000-06:00

Ahhh,

And to correct a previous error...

Good ol' Stan DID write this blog with persecution by Christians in view.

To open it to all other "religions" would essentially open the initial request to an exposition on ALL evil in the world; a straw man that the God-hating morons who frequent this blogsite would no doubt find very entertaining.

Adonais,The two excerpts you quoted may or may not...

2008-08-20T05:03:00.000-06:00

Adonais,

The two excerpts you quoted may or may not be "hate speech" (any sane person can see that it isn't), but I'll let it slide for the moment, and instead point out how completely pointless it is for you to "harp" on such things.

I mean, the text you quoted (in your worldview) is comparable to waves crashing on the shore, or wind blowing through rocks...it's completely natural...

So stop crying.

And to Mr. John:

Spare me your dime store psychoanalysis and provide some sort of answer for the problems I've raised.

Until you do, then you are doomed to irrelevance.

You then go on to say this:

I am an atheist, but that never enters my thinking. I don't have moments where atheism springs to the fore and resolves some moral puzzle for me. The main reason for this is that atheism is not a moral code, nor does it aspire to be.

Wow, quite the thinker aren't you John?

You're only half right though.

While it's true that it is impossible to utilize your religion of "atheism" consistently for any sort of pragmatic philosophical usage, that still doesn't mean that your hate for God does not consume your fallen mind from sun up to sun down.

You see Mr. John; it is the Christian God, and the Christian philosophical system that you use to solve problems in your day to day life.

This is the ONLY reason you can say "Hey look, I'm a moral person!

Without the aid of the Christian philosophical system of thought you wouldn't be able to say such a thing.

Stick to my suggestion Mr. John...answer the problems as I've posed them.

Golly there, Shotgun. Thats quite a list of things...

2008-08-20T03:42:00.000-06:00

Golly there, Shotgun. Thats quite a list of things to answer, but frankly I don't think it would do me any good anyway. I don't believe that you could ever let yourself accept such a thing, because, and this is important, there would be no god as the absolute morality.

I am an atheist, but that never enters my thinking. I don't have moments where atheism springs to the fore and resolves some moral puzzle for me. The main reason for this is that atheism is not a moral code, nor does it aspire to be.

When I make moral judgements I find I use reason and empathy. It's not a concious decision I made, thats just how it seemed to work. Hey look! I'm a moral person AND and atheist! Why, it's almost like there might be some biological basis to basic morality!

"Since atheists have no foundation for moral law,"...

2008-08-19T21:55:00.000-06:00

"Since atheists have no foundation for moral law,"

"I'm a little surprised that the Christians at this blog would trust the words of you God-hating morons."

Leaving aside the question of whether stuff like this qualifies for the abuse stan was asking for, I have an open question to everybody. Can anyone argue that the ignorant hate speech excreted above is not the result of religious brainwashing? Are these rational people, shouldering the "intellectual responsibility" that is cited on the AiD front page?

I'm a little surprised that the Christians at this...

2008-08-19T20:38:00.000-06:00

I'm a little surprised that the Christians at this blog would trust the words of you God-hating morons.

(And yes...you DO hate God. Romans 1:30)

You all will have three problems to overcome before you make another post.

1. You must present some epistemologically conscious philosophical system that will allow you to make positive claims about the past. (How can you talk about what has or has not happened to you if you don't have a worldview that will provide for the conditions of history???)

2. Once you present a philosophical view that will allow you to discuss historical claims; you must then provide some consistent ethical theory that will allow you to designate particular experiences in the past as "good" or "bad."

and then finally:

3. If it happens to be the case that you hold as one of your beliefs that all mankind arose from the lower animals through natural processes, then you must give us all some reason why we should trust you when you talk about the past.

Sound confusing? Think about it...

If you believe on the one hand, that animals have survived by using deception (camouflage or some other similar defense mechanism) and you also believe that YOU are an animal...then it would be completely logical for you to lie to us Christians in this blog about your personal experiences...(you're just trying to get pragmatic results after all.)

Answer these three issues, or...frankly, content yourself with not being taken seriously.

(As a side note, I personally wouldn't have encompassed ALL religion in this discussion, since there are many difficulties in defining and applying the term...also, as a Christian, I say that all belief systems, worldviews, philosophies, or "religions" other than Christianity are at base, Satanic, and serve to promote the "kingdom of man" over and above the "kingdom of God.")

www.shotgunwildatheart.wordpress.com

Since atheists have no foundation for moral law, y...

2008-08-19T18:32:00.000-06:00

Since atheists have no foundation for moral law, you have basically invited people to post lies about Christian abuse. As a Christian who often finds himself in fruitless debates with atheists, I have found that most of them excel at contriving lies about how we Christians are derogatory towards them. Then, they are good at showing us in the very Bible that they do not believe in on how we ought to act.

Most atheists I have found to be annoying, young, loud-mouthed, punks who have one agenda only... cause trouble.

I've been lucky: no really unpleasant run-ins with...

2008-08-19T14:29:00.000-06:00

I've been lucky: no really unpleasant run-ins with Christians so far (I do have a history with Frank Walton, but that is more amusing than abusing; and anyway, Frank is sui generis). But I suspect that part of my luck is geographical: I grew up in Sin City (the SF Bay Area) and now live in Godless Socialistic Europe (Austria). There are atheists to burn (so to speak) in both places, so my worldview is no big deal.

iibelaughing- I, too, liked your comment. Good on you! Stan gave you a bit of advice that I would agree with, as far as it goes:

what standard are you using to measure "goodness" by?
I personally suspect that you are using the standards of our culture, which is derived largely from religious standards. If you are using an atheist standard, which standard is it that you compare yourself to? I urge you to think carefully about the various standards and whether they have a foundation that is constant, consistent, and valid.

That is indeed good advice. I would only add this: while it's true that many of the standards of our culture are derived from, or at least influenced by, religious standards, those religious standards are in turn derived from our biological nature as social beings, and our need to make rules to build societies.

And while you are thinking about how "constant, consistent, and valid" your atheist standards are, think also about how "constant, consistent, and valid" religious standards are. What matters is how people behave, not what they claim to be the source of their morals.

In any case, go well.

cheers from starry Vienna, zilch

iibelaughing, thank you for your comment!One thing...

2008-08-19T07:57:00.000-06:00

iibelaughing, thank you for your comment!

One thing I'd like to point out. Having a religion doesn't mean a person becomes perfect... far from it. What it means is that a person accepts a code of morality, and a source for that code of morality. Then the person either does or doesn't try to behave according to that code. There are many who accept a religious code with their mouths but not with their behaviors.

Living up to the morality of perfection, such as in Christianity, is not possible for us defective humans, but it is a desirable goal.

You have a concept of being a good person, and that brings forward the question: what standard are you using to measure "goodness" by?

I personally suspect that you are using the standards of our culture, which is derived largely from religious standards. If you are using an atheist standard, which standard is it that you compare yourself to? I urge you to think carefully about the various standards and whether they have a foundation that is constant, consistent, and valid.

Thanks again for your comment.