15th October 2010

“Rampant hostility towards non-believers long pre-dates the arrival of the New Atheists. This hostility is the result of mindless religious bigotry. More precisely, it is the result of the commonly held belief that atheists have no foundation for morality. It is not a response to anything atheists have actually done.”

Jason Rosenhouse

16 Responses to “15th October 2010”

  1. tech Says:

    Its my opinion that the Atheist is really just the opposite of what he says he is,He blames god for everything that wrong with the world.Yet he says he doesn’t believe in God.He paints everyone that is associated with any church to all be alike. If your a Catholic and your a member of that Church then what ever scandal within the church, you’re a part to blame for that scandal.I think that a lot of atheists have been deeply hurt over some of these happenings ,because they belong to a church at some point in their life.Well as I said in the past, If we look to mere man to guide us we will most always be disappointed.I look to Jesus He the Truth,the Light and the Way.

  2. teddy........ Says:

    tech….

    there is SOME accuracy in your words….but you’re painting with

    very broad strokes. i DO agree with you about looking to other humans

    for guidance………….a very dicey proposition.

    however, i dont think atheists blame the ills of this world upon a god.

    rather, they question the idea that a supposedly loving and

    benevolent god would allow all the horrors in this world to happen…or

    even exist. i dont think ANY god has anything to do with the evil in this

    world. natural disasters just happen……but the evil that occurs is

    a product of the human mind……………and humans are VERY

    dangerous creatures.

  3. Dan Says:

    LMAO – tech just made my spit out my coffee!!

  4. tech Says:

    It doesn’t take much to spoil your coffee. S O R R Y

  5. tech Says:

    P.S Nothing spoils my coffee. Haven’t seen it yet anyway.

  6. Dan Says:

    Actually Tech there’s not much that spoils my coffee. But claiming that “the Atheist is really just the opposite of what he says he is” is the most hilarious thing I’ve seen on this forum yet, by far. I’m not sure I would ever think to base an opinion on something so incredibly absurd! 😉

  7. Ernie Says:

    It looks like someone is intent on riling up some atheists this morning.

    I don’t really agree with the quote. I do meet theists that claim I need a god to be moral, specifically theirs, but most concede that atheists and believers in other gods can be moral. I think the main stigma, and it is emotionally powerful, comes from certain events in recent history in which tens of thousands of people died under the hands of despots who were also atheists. That will loom over atheism for a long time although I think that all anti-humanist atrocities should be viewed with the whole of humanity in mind and not just by singling out one group because it is quite evident that any group can get out of hand and that many factors come in to play when that happens.

    That is what I hear from theists most often. Most know that the argument that one cannot be moral without God is unsupported and so do not try to use it.

  8. Ernie Says:

    I don’t think tech really believes what he is saying he’s just trying to get some attention and ruffle some feathers.

  9. Dan Says:

    Ernie,
    That would be the definition of a Troll, no?

  10. Ryedo Says:

    “Its my opinion that the Atheist is really just the opposite of what he says he is,He blames god for everything that wrong with the world. Yet he says he doesn’t believe in God.” – Tech

    Tech, atheists don’t believe the claims that a god exists. So it is impossible for an atheist to blame a god.

    “He paints everyone that is associated with any church to all be alike. If your a Catholic and your a member of that Church then what ever scandal within the church, you’re a part to blame for that scandal.” – Tech

    Some may, some don’t. However, those who support the church do help pay the wages of those committing the scandal. Likewise, some – despite the evidence – go into denial and continue to defend those committing the scandal. Technically, it could be said these people are, in part, to blame.

    The above being said, and from your above comments, it seems to be you who paints all atheists to be alike. Condemning atheists for something you do yourself sounds quite hypocritical.

  11. Ernie Says:

    His post has nothing to do with the quote. Ignore him.

  12. Kaptain Says:

    I think Theist attack Atheist because of their insecurities about themselves and are just being defensive. Tech is a perfect example. Why else would he continue to visit this site unless he had some serious doubts about his beliefs?
    If he was absolutely sure he was right, he wouldn’t waste his time or energy.

  13. opleaze........ Says:

    now now, people. let’s not lean on tech too much. if he feels like

    getting in the ring with the atheists…..well, great !! c’mon kid, put

    up yer dukes (argumentatively, that is ) !!

  14. robb Says:

    where is Wat Duino when we need him ?????????

  15. Eric Says:

    sorry in advance for long post.

    It’s funny but I don’t know what I’d do if tech stopped posting. There is something to be said for being brave enough to be the one or two believers posting on the Atheist quote of the day.

    I think most believers distrust us at best and loath us at worst because they’re told to, for one thing, and you have to think about the implications of our beliefs from their point of view.

    Tech should (if he’s a strong adherent) believe that we’re going to burn for all eternity in hell. Hell being a real place and a horrible prospect to him, will do what he can to convince us otherwise (to save us). If a believer were to find out that a teacher was an atheist and knew that said teacher might be educating their children in such a way that they might question their faith and thus risk ETERNAL torture in hell, you can begin to understand why they might have a real problem with us.

    Our point of view that hell and heaven and god and buddah and allah etc are superstitious non-sense doesn’t give them any sort of comfort.

    Kaptain makes a good point too though that we force them to question their beliefs which does get under the skin of most of them given enough prodding. I would like to get the opinion of a reflective believer who is bothered on why having their beliefs questioned is such an uncomfortable thing.

    My goal as an atheist is not so much to get rid of religion, though I posit that it would be a better world do to so, but to limit their power in politics and public policy.

    Tech we are also able to lump all believers together by the common element of faith. My definition of faith is to believe something without or in the face of evidence. This allows us to classify all believers as credulous which for an atheist should be a vice not a virtue. It’s really where one of our fundamental disconnects is in my opinion.

  16. Ernie Says:

    “I would like to get the opinion of a reflective believer…”

    Yes that would be different.