31st July 2009
“All people deserve respect, but not all ideas do. I don't respect the idea that a man was born of a virgin, walked on water and rose from the dead. I don't respect the idea that we should follow a 'Prophet' who at the age of 53 had sex with a nine-year old girl, and ordered the murder of whole villages of Jews because they wouldn't follow him. I don't respect the idea that the West Bank was handed to Jews by God and the Palestinians should be bombed or bullied into surrendering it. I don't respect the idea that we may have lived before as goats, and could live again as woodlice. When you demand 'respect', you are demanding we lie to you. I have too much real respect for you as a human being to engage in that charade.”
July 31st, 2009 at 5:54
How (appropriately) indignant! This is one of the best quotes I’ve read on this site.
July 31st, 2009 at 13:07
How does someone deserve respect that follows that prophet? My respect for you as a human goes as far as you deserve respect. How does living a life based on superstition (many times cruel superstition) deserving of respect?
July 31st, 2009 at 16:22
The atheist version of “hate the sin, not the sinner.”
July 31st, 2009 at 18:46
Hate the irrational belief, not the irrational believer, eh? Nice Oxy.
July 31st, 2009 at 19:26
Nice one. Mind if I quote that?
August 1st, 2009 at 8:50
The concept of sin is a red herring and is irrelevant. Chris is more accurate in his thinking, although I would go so far as to say ‘hate the propagator of irrational belief, not the irrational believer’.
August 1st, 2009 at 16:22
Admin – please do but it’s not mine. I heard it somewhere, maybe from a speech Sam Harris gave. Anon…?
August 20th, 2009 at 22:36
ooh, i like…