Atheism Discussion Thread

[Arkhall]

That had a pretty weak OP and thus, little to discuss from the start.

Lasted 15 pages before dying. My point is, wouldn't it be better to necro it than form a new one? Not sure about the rules there.

No point in necroing when there was no real discussion. This thread has a solid OP, things to talk about, and isn't around the holidays where everyone is somewhat less active.

[Puldania]

Can we talk about atheists who push their beliefs as aggressively as the worst evangelicals. Even atheists know exactly what I'm talking about.

[Big Jim P]

I have yet to encounter a god, devil, angel or demon that can improve my typing.

Gonna leave that on uncorrected though.

Have you tried asking your dad? He knows tools and cars and stuff, so he probably knows how to fix everything else.

Or just any dad, at that point. I'd bet they have like, a Walmart for dads, where you can just peruse and ask questions.

My dads been dead almost forty years. I suppose I could try voodoo, but I don't think there would be much left to reanimate.

[Auze]

Lasted 15 pages before dying. My point is, wouldn't it be better to necro it than form a new one? Not sure about the rules there.

No point in necroing when there was no real discussion. This thread has a solid OP, things to talk about, and isn't around the holidays where everyone is somewhat less active.

Can't disagree with that, was wondering.

[Arkhall]

Can we talk about atheists who push their beliefs as aggressively as the worst evangelicals. Even atheists know exactly what I'm talking about.

Ohhhh yes. Used to be militant myself, figured out pretty quickly that if someone has their own mindset, they aren't going to change it. There's no point, either, to convince someone to denounce/leave their religion. Ego and pride are the only fosters of such behavior, and such behavior only serves as a 'case' against atheists.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Can we talk about atheists who push their beliefs as aggressively as the worst evangelicals. Even atheists know exactly what I'm talking about.

I used to be one of those people, can confirm I was horrible.

[Arkhall]

Have you tried asking your dad? He knows tools and cars and stuff, so he probably knows how to fix everything else.

Or just any dad, at that point. I'd bet they have like, a Walmart for dads, where you can just peruse and ask questions.

My dads been dead almost forty years. I suppose I could try voodoo, but I don't think there would be much left to reanimate.

I hear that touching the thermostat awakens the Dad(tm). Have you tried getting rid of the welcome mat and wearing cargo shorts, as well?

[Ifreann]

I think I've seen four or five atheism threads since the Christian thread started, and none of them lasted very long.

Turns out that when the thing people have in common is not believing in any god or gods, that doesn't give them a lot to talk about.

[Big Jim P]

My dads been dead almost forty years. I suppose I could try voodoo, but I don't think there would be much left to reanimate.

I hear that touching the thermostat awakens the Dad(tm). Have you tried getting rid of the welcome mat and wearing cargo shorts, as well?

I already have younguns coming to me for old-man wisdom. I don't need the curse of Dad as well.

[Arkhall]

I think I've seen four or five atheism threads since the Christian thread started, and none of them lasted very long.

Turns out that when the thing people have in common is not believing in any god or gods, that doesn't give them a lot to talk about.

Most of the more talkative theists tend to avoid talking in them, making discussion about why one does or doesn't believe in a god pretty boring. It'd be nice if there were some here.

[Alvecia]

I think I've seen four or five atheism threads since the Christian thread started, and none of them lasted very long.

Turns out that when the thing people have in common is not believing in any god or gods, that doesn't give them a lot to talk about.

"God still not existing?"
"Yup"
"K"
"..."

[Big Jim P]

Can we talk about atheists who push their beliefs as aggressively as the worst evangelicals. Even atheists know exactly what I'm talking about.

I call them fundie atheists. Pisses them right off.

[Big Jim P]

I think I've seen four or five atheism threads since the Christian thread started, and none of them lasted very long.

Turns out that when the thing people have in common is not believing in any god or gods, that doesn't give them a lot to talk about.

Most of the more talkative theists tend to avoid talking in them, making discussion about why one does or doesn't believe in a god pretty boring. It'd be nice if there were some here.

I'll stick around. As long as the threads interesting anyway.

[FelrikTheDeleted]

Adding to that, if you're keen on podcasts, I'd recommed the Scathing Atheist guys. They also do a show where they review shitty Christian movies. They tackled the newest God's Not Dead film not that long ago.

Bloody hell, those movies are embarrassments, why some Catholics gave it good ratings I will never know.

Also, here's some atheist/agnostic YouTubers;

• Armoured Skeptic
• Aron Ra
• DarkMatter2525
• Counter Arguments (He's good enough to be a Monty Python sketch).
• Rationality Rules
• Vernaculis

>rationality rules

After they put a dunce hat on top of Thomas Aquinas’ head, I can’t say I would recommend them. Vernaculis and Armoured Skeptic are people I’d recommend though, on the basis that they’re entertaining.

[Arkhall]

I think I've seen four or five atheism threads since the Christian thread started, and none of them lasted very long.

Turns out that when the thing people have in common is not believing in any god or gods, that doesn't give them a lot to talk about.

"God still not existing?"
"Yup"
"K"
"..."

Then that Iconclad mod comes in and preaches to us the true glory of our steel master, the Forge.

[The New California Republic]

Can we talk about atheists who push their beliefs as aggressively as the worst evangelicals. Even atheists know exactly what I'm talking about.

Meh. Every movement/belief system has a hardcore aggressive minority, it isn't an argument against the movement/belief system at large.

[Arkhall]

Most of the more talkative theists tend to avoid talking in them, making discussion about why one does or doesn't believe in a god pretty boring. It'd be nice if there were some here.

I'll stick around. As long as the threads interesting anyway.

I'm hoping I'd keep it pretty interesting. I'm working on keeping the snark while lowering the heat, how'm I doin' so far?

[New Neruda]

The first time I started questioning my faith was when I was about 12 or 13, after having read Into the Wild by John Krakauer and Night by Elie Wiesel. After a few months of internal debate I had decided that I couldn't really be Christian anymore, but I didn't (and still don't) consider myself an atheist. So I'm probably more agnostic than anything.

[Big Jim P]

I'll stick around. As long as the threads interesting anyway.

I'm hoping I'd keep it pretty interesting. I'm working on keeping the snark while lowering the heat, how'm I doin' so far?

Pretty decent mix of snark and serious. I haven't noticed any heat.

[Big Jim P]

Can we talk about atheists who push their beliefs as aggressively as the worst evangelicals. Even atheists know exactly what I'm talking about.

Meh. Every movement/belief system has a hardcore aggressive minority, it isn't an argument against the movement/belief system at large.

No human group has a monopoly on assholes.

[Arkhall]

I'm hoping I'd keep it pretty interesting. I'm working on keeping the snark while lowering the heat, how'm I doin' so far?

Pretty decent mix of snark and serious. I haven't noticed any heat.

Neato, Benito.

[Eol Sha]

I chose secular humanist in the poll. I'm not super knowledgeable about the particulars, but its way more of a life philosophy than atheism is or could ever be.

[The New California Republic]

Meh. Every movement/belief system has a hardcore aggressive minority, it isn't an argument against the movement/belief system at large.

No human group has a monopoly on assholes.

Exactly. I mean militant pacifists are even a thing. Go figure.

[Arkhall]

No human group has a monopoly on assholes.

Exactly. I mean militant pacifists are even a thing. Go figure.

*pokes at Vietnam war with 'pacifists' arming themselves to the teeth*

[The New California Republic]

I chose secular humanist in the poll. I'm not super knowledgeable about the particulars, but its way more of a life philosophy than atheism is or could ever be.

But atheism can be far more liberating, but can also be (somewhat contradictorily) a terrible burden as well. Nietzsche's parable of the Madman sums it up pretty well:

Have you not heard of that madman who lit a lantern in the bright morning hours, ran to the market place, and cried incessantly: "I seek God! I seek God!" -- As many of those who did not believe in God were standing around just then, he provoked much laughter. Has he got lost? asked one. Did he lose his way like a child? asked another. Or is he hiding? Is he afraid of us? Has he gone on a voyage? emigrated? -- Thus they yelled and laughed.
The madman jumped into their midst and pierced them with his eyes. "Whither is God?" he cried; "I will tell you. We have killed him -- you and I. All of us are his murderers. But how did we do this? How could we drink up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon? What were we doing when we unchained this earth from its sun? Whither is it moving now? Whither are we moving? Away from all suns? Are we not plunging continually? Backward, sideward, forward, in all directions? Is there still any up or down? Are we not straying, as through an infinite nothing? Do we not feel the breath of empty space? Has it not become colder? Is not night continually closing in on us? Do we not need to light lanterns in the morning? Do we hear nothing as yet of the noise of the gravediggers who are burying God? Do we smell nothing as yet of the divine decomposition? Gods, too, decompose. God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him.

"How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it? There has never been a greater deed; and whoever is born after us -- for the sake of this deed he will belong to a higher history than all history hitherto."

Here the madman fell silent and looked again at his listeners; and they, too, were silent and stared at him in astonishment. At last he threw his lantern on the ground, and it broke into pieces and went out. "I have come too early," he said then; "my time is not yet. This tremendous event is still on its way, still wandering; it has not yet reached the ears of men. Lightning and thunder require time; the light of the stars requires time; deeds, though done, still require time to be seen and heard. This deed is still more distant from them than most distant stars -- and yet they have done it themselves.

It has been related further that on the same day the madman forced his way into several churches and there struck up his requiem aeternam deo. Led out and called to account, he is said always to have replied nothing but: "What after all are these churches now if they are not the tombs and sepulchers of God?"