14th September 2010
“It's hard not to take seriously a bizarre collection of antiquated superstitions that are furiously waved in our faces in our schools, on television, in our politics and even on newspaper editorial pages. That we take the intellectually bankrupt beliefs of religion seriously is precisely why we do question it, and will continue to question it, in our boring way: by simply speaking out.”
P. Z. Myers
September 14th, 2010 at 10:42
Exactly. This is why I like PZ so much.
What never ceases to amaze me is that just speaking out rationally is considered by these people to be “militant,” as though words could possibly kill anything other than ideas.
September 14th, 2010 at 13:43
Exactly, Dan. And don’t forget that we are also strident!
September 14th, 2010 at 16:21
You are also, unaware uninformed unfamiliar even oblivious and unknowing.All of which makes you guys the big losers.You don’t know what your missing.
September 14th, 2010 at 17:11
Always missing out. Does a recovering cancer patient miss their tumour?
September 14th, 2010 at 17:52
Thats a silly question,but I’ll play your silly game does he?
September 14th, 2010 at 18:12
Yes, Tech, we ARE unaware, uninformed, unfamiliar, and even oblivious and unknowing. All of which makes us humble, and HONEST in the face of a universe that does not reveal its secrets easily. The thing that you cannot seem to admit is that YOU are ALSO unaware, uninformed, unfamiliar, oblivious and unknowing. EVERYONE is. Scripture does not give you any REAL information about the universe, only the speculations of ancient people who understood the universe even worse than we do today. None of us “know what we’re missing”, until we investigate, research, study, and find the answers on our own. Those who CLAIM to know these things through supernatural means cannot prove or support their claims, and they demonstrate no greater insight about the mysteries of life than anyone else.
September 14th, 2010 at 20:22
LOL
Guys, it’s okay. We probably shouldn’t feed the troll. Just read his flailing attempt to express frustration that we don’t adhere to blind dogma, and laugh at him.
September 14th, 2010 at 21:08
No! Tech is honestly reflecting the theist mindset albeit not very articulately. I’m not sure I can improve on Edmonds comment here. But for me, the beauty of a rational enquiring mind is precisely the questions that it it poses rather than the answers religion presumes. Religion is an intellectual full stop (period); science is a question mark. I know how I prefer my life punctuated.
September 14th, 2010 at 21:15
I enjoy the trivial comments from Tech and Sol (Where has he been by the way?). It really makes my day. Do I hear frustration in your words?? Tech??
September 14th, 2010 at 21:41
tech……i’m not trying to start up with you. however, i think it would be
enlightening if you would explain to me just what you think it is that
i am missing.
also, i would be interested if you would define “faith” in your own words.
requested with respect.
September 14th, 2010 at 23:02
Try ,only you can answer that first question?But God Has a plan for everyone of us, to find that and live it out fully is a wonderful thing.As for faith its something we all have,its trusting in something or someone. every time you get on an airplane. Every day you work your trusting your employer to pay you. That’s Faith . Start up with me , no problem brother I’ve heard most of it before. Any time bro anytime. Nice to chat with you.
September 14th, 2010 at 23:24
I think “try” asked the wrong question. Getting on an airplane or working for anticipated pay are examples of REASONED faith. We’ve all seen airplanes fly BEFORE, so we have REASON to believe they can again. We’ve been paid by our employer BEFORE, so we have REASON to beleive he will do so next week. But religions function on BLIND faith, which is a very different animal, and a bad, bad thing.
This is why, as PZ put it, religion is intellectually bankrupt. There is no reason to believe the claims of religion, without at least SOME evidence. How do you KNOW, Tech, that there’s a god with a plan for us? Because the bible says so? Is that the same bible that says rabbits chew their cud? What is his plan for all the babies worldwide who die in infancy every day from malnutrition, disease, and abuse? Are they just filler for the rest of us?
You can make claims about the gods and their plans, but without some tangible evidence to support what you are saying, you’re not going to convince those of us who have learned to think rationally and critically. We are going to question your claims, and we aren’t going to accept “blind faith” as a path to answers. We like REAL answers that we can be SURE of. Otherwise, you simply come off as yet another adherent to yet another religion like those that have made equally unsupported claims throughout all of human history.
September 15th, 2010 at 0:26
Edmond, you made your mind there is no God and that’s fine.Sometimes I wonder are trying to convince me or yourselves? Hey its fine with what you believe. Take care man, hope you find what your searching for.
September 15th, 2010 at 1:25
No, Tech, I have NOT made up my mind. Like everyone, I have no knowledge about what may exist “outside” our universe, nor about any beings that may exist “there”. I would like to learn more about how other people perceive these possibilities. I was asking QUESTIONS, which have been dodged.
I HAVE made up my mind about the people who make claims about gods, though. Whenever the questions are too pointed, whenever they shed the light of doubt on subjects like errors in the bible, or the lack of action of “all-loving” gods who allow the constant suffering of infants, the only non-answers we have shoveled to us are platitudes like “hope you find what your searching for”. Well, no. Thanks to reticent, assumptive theists like you, I’m no closer.
I hope you find your way out of your blind faith.
September 15th, 2010 at 7:16
AtheistMC,
It’s a matter of preference then I guess. For me, I think Tech is a flailing buffoon here, and it was fun laughing at him. 😉