Quote of the day

posted at 10:30 pm on January 15, 2009 by Allahpundit

“Ms. Sherine was joined by Oxford zoologist Richard Dawkins, a leading British atheist and author of ‘The God Delusion.’

He predicted anger from believers. ‘They have to take offense, it is the only weapons they’ve got,’ Mr. Dawkins said as the first bus rolled through the streets of London. ‘They’ve got no arguments.’

But the response by most faith leaders isn’t quite what was expected.”

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“That’s a lot of words to say what I said. God Created evolution.”

http://www.amazon.com/Darwins-Forgotten-Defenders-Evangelical-Evolutionary/dp/1573830933/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232125338&sr=8-1

ebrown2 on January 16, 2009 at 12:02 PM

Her idea to fund a few challenge ads took off; donors sent in $200,000 in two days. Ms. Sherine was joined by Oxford zoologist Richard Dawkins, a leading British atheist and author of “The God Delusion.”

He predicted anger from believers. “They have to take offense, it is the only weapons they’ve got,” Mr. Dawkins said as the first bus rolled through the streets of London. “They’ve got no arguments.”

“The campaign will be a good thing if it gets people to engage with the deepest questions of life,” says the Rev. Jenny Ellis, Spirituality and Discipleship Officer of Britain’s Methodist church.

“Many people simply never think about God or religion as a serious question, and if this prods them a little bit, then that’s great,” says the Rev. Stephen Wang, of the Westminster diocese of the Roman Catholic church.

Moreover, in a secular post-cold-war world, where godless communism is said to be replaced by godless consumerism, a declaration of atheism is hardly a renegade position, some theologians say.

And there’s Dawkins, utterly wrong as usual – as are most people who offer reductivist answers to complex questions. “Look at all the bad stuff in society! It’s ALL RELIGIONS FAULT ZOMG!” Please. Take your ritalin, go read some Nietzsche, and find some better way to tackle your void than by attributing all of life’s problems to an “other” you happen to find threatening.

TheUnrepentantGeek on January 16, 2009 at 12:06 PM

As an agnostic, that ad seems a counterproductive waste of money and space.

I even found myself agreeing with most of Dave Rywall’s posts in this thread. I need to go schedule a CAT scan now.

DarkCurrent on January 16, 2009 at 12:19 PM

Are you one of those “Catholics are idol worshippers” types, or are you seriously accusing a Pope of being biblically illiterate? And what on earth does the Bible have to do with the strength of evolution in the first place?

Neither. The late pope would not have been as credulous of Evolution if he literally translated the Bible. I am sure he was very Biblically literate. I only call into question is interpretation.

What can you use besides evolution or a similar theory to explain the origin of the world if you are an Atheist?

Self confessed ignorance.

justfinethanks on January 16, 2009 at 12:01 PM

Excellent observation. What ever happened to atheists wanting proof for their beliefs? That’s faith as much as anything…

Aronne on January 16, 2009 at 12:29 PM

David Hume should be required reading for anyone wishing to understand human nature and morals, of course an open mind is a prerequisite.

Hume’s Moral Philosophy
First published Fri Oct 29, 2004

Hume’s position in ethics, which is based on his empiricist theory of the mind, is best known for asserting four theses: (1) Reason alone cannot be a motive to the will, but rather is the “slave of the passions” (see Section 3) (2) Morals are not derived from reason (see Section 4). (3) Morals are derived from the moral sentiments: feelings of approval (esteem, praise) and disapproval (blame) felt by spectators who contemplate a character trait or action (see Section 7). (4) While some virtues and vices are natural (see Section 13), others, including justice, are artificial (see Section 9). There is heated debate about what Hume intends by each of these theses and how he argues for them. They are best understood in the context of Hume’s meta-ethical theory and his ethic of virtue and vice.

2. The Passions and the Will

According to Hume’s theory of the mind, the passions are impressions rather than ideas. The direct passions, which include desire, aversion, hope, fear, grief, and joy, are those that “arise immediately from good or evil, from pain or pleasure” that we experience or think about in prospect (T 2.1.1.4, T 2.3.9.2); however he also groups with them some instincts of unknown origin, such as the bodily appetites and the vengeful impulse, which do not proceed from pain and pleasure but produce them (T 2.3.9.7). The indirect passions, primarily pride, humility (shame), love and hatred, are generated in a more complex way, but still one involving either the thought or experience of pain or pleasure.

Speakup on January 16, 2009 at 1:02 PM

The believers didn’t conform to their cartoon notion of what the believer believe.

Clueless. T’was always thus.

cheeflo on January 16, 2009 at 3:13 PM

When are these brave atheists going to drive their bus through Muslim neighborhoods and declare that there is no Allah, either?

ammo john on January 16, 2009 at 3:16 PM

Christians dont have to worry about these fools

for we know the bible is right..

they SHOULD REALLY WORRY ABOUT
ALL the Islamo nazis in britain..

they wont take to kindly to this kind of offense..
These aethiests may end up meeting GOD
courtesy of the beheading monsters of islam

jcila on January 16, 2009 at 3:22 PM

Allah=God? I’m thinking the God I worship is nothing like Allah.
I prefer to think of the Christian God as a caring, loving, but wrathful individual when provoked.
Allah is out for the blood of infidels. He glories in their deaths.
The Allah of Islam sounds a lot like the Lucifer of the Bible.
But I guess I haven’t been re-educated enough.

Badger40 on January 16, 2009 at 5:15 PM

When are these brave atheists going to drive their bus through Muslim neighborhoods and declare that there is no Allah, either?
ammo john on January 16, 2009 at 3:16 PM

The atheists would get the same reception that a bus with “Jesus is the Son of Allah” would get. Where are the brave Christians?

Pelayo on January 16, 2009 at 6:00 PM

They (atheist): Religion is a bunch of hooey. Go enjoy your life.

Me: OK, I would enjoy killing you.

They: Oh no, you can’t do that (Thou shalt not kill).

Me. OK, I would enjoy stealing your car.

They: Oh no, you can’t do that (Thou shalt not steal).

Me: OK, but can I at least think about stealing your car?

They: I would prefer you didn’t (Thou shalt not covet).

Me: OK, I would really enjoy cheating on my wife.

They: Oh no, you shouldn’t do that (Thou shalt not commit adultery).

Me: Well, I also like running around telling lies.

They: OK, as long as you don’t commit perjury (Thou shalt not bear false witness).

Kafir on January 16, 2009 at 8:06 AM

Brilliant. The atheist doesn’t think twice about this contradiction, and/or ignore it if they do.

apacalyps on January 16, 2009 at 6:08 PM

“There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”

My goodness. This advice is marked by unthinking stupidity; with complete disregard for the danger they are putting people in. The atheist would have to know every single thing about the entire universe to make such a statment and no human being can make this claim. At the very BEST a person can say, “I’m agnostic” (I don’t know) although that isn’t even true as we all have knowledge of God and our conscience bears witness to that (Romans 2:15). There are no atheists.

apacalyps on January 16, 2009 at 6:33 PM

We are created in God’s image. His law is written in our DNA. We know right from wrong even if we try to surpress that knowledge. And it’s the knowing while living sinfully that so irritates the atheist — that someone would dare try to correct what he is trying so hard to deny. Is it not the motto of the satanist, “Do what thou wilt?” Yet even the atheist knows that is wrong and so tries to push down the inhibition and those who espouse it.

Psalm 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

To believe in the God of the Bible and accept His love and his refusal to leave us as He found us provides a life full of meaning, purpose and joy. Christians aren’t bigoted, they just want more people to have what they have. Not by force like the Islamics but simply by sharing what Christ has done for us. If you knew the bridge ahead was out, would it be loving of you not to tell anyone?

Christian Conservative on January 16, 2009 at 6:43 PM

Two people in Loudon County Tennessee are on trial for reckless homicide for resorting to prayer instead of a doctor. There was another recent case in Colorado where prayer instead of medicine resulted in the death of a child. Why did God ignore these prayers?

Pelayo on January 16, 2009 at 7:00 PM

Badger40 just because you’ve picked one of the dozens of variants of Christianity to follow doesn’t somehow change the origins of the other faiths.

apacalyps *sigh* Agnosticism is NOT ‘I don’t know’, it is ‘I don’t think it’s possible to know’. You can be an Agnostic Christian, just as easily as you can be an Agnostic Atheist. Atheism is ‘I don’t believe in a Deity’ it is not ‘I know there is none’. It’s a statement about a lack of belief.
This Lack of Belief usually comes from the complete absence of evidence that any particular one of the thousands of religions out there is actually true.
Try to think of it this way… I, like most of the world, don’t believe in your chosen religious variant, and I, like you, don’t believe any of the others either.

It’s a complete lie that by somehow saying a slogan like “There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” Is all of a sudden a license to commit whatever crime you like. This is why I use the phrase Liars for Christ, religious people ‘the ones who actually believe a god is up above judging them’ are so incredibly quick to lie and deliberately distort the truth about others.
The lie continues pretty much whenever people comment about Atheism like some sort of guide to life, it isn’t, again it’s just a statement about a lack of religious belief, nothing more.

BathTub on January 17, 2009 at 1:06 AM

The lie continues pretty much whenever people comment about Atheism like some sort of guide to life, it isn’t, again it’s just a statement about a lack of religious belief, nothing more.

BathTub on January 17, 2009 at 1:06 AM

No one has a problem with a person who has a lack of religious belief (other than a concern for his eternity). You can narrow the term atheist to that definition if you like, but the issue is with anti-theists who denigrate believers in God (especially Christians) and try to prosylite others to their belief system. It is the anti-theist who call themselves atheists. Theirs is a religion of its own.

Christian Conservative on January 17, 2009 at 2:04 AM

Psalm 14:1

John The Baptist on January 17, 2009 at 2:35 AM

apacalyps *sigh* Agnosticism is NOT ‘I don’t know’, it is ‘I don’t think it’s possible to know’.

BathTub on January 17, 2009 at 1:06 AM

Hey, pal. Try again. “Agnostic,” means one who claims he “doesn’t know” if God exists. This word agnostic comes from the Latin word ignoramus – which is exactly what your are – an ignorant person.

Atheism is ‘I don’t believe in a Deity’ it is not ‘I know there is none’. It’s a statement about a lack of belief.

I find it humorous you feel the need to lecture me on what the definition of athiesm is. Save your breath. I understand it quite well, thank you. As to your statemnt above, atheists say, “I don’t believe in a Deity,” and “I know there is none.” It just depends on the atheist you’re talking to. Atheism is the doctrine or belief that there is no God and this is expressed in various ways.

This Lack of Belief usually comes from the complete absence of evidence that any particular one of the thousands of religions out there is actually true. Try to think of it this way… I, like most of the world, don’t believe in your chosen religious variant, and I, like you, don’t believe any of the others either.

I will give you this. You are able to write so much, yet say so little.

apacalyps on January 17, 2009 at 4:11 AM

Wow, a classic Liars for Christ move there apacalyps, the word agnostic has nothing to do with Ignoramus, besides a general root of ‘gno’, strange that you didn’t link to the definition of the word, even with your rhyming dictionary, instead you just replied with an insult. I’m sure you know quite well that it’s a derivative of Gnostic. Clearly you do need a lecture on the definition of words.
But go on, feel free to feel smug and praise jesus while thinking up a new lie.
Ohh I know why not use the nonsensical term ‘Fundamentalist
Atheist, I don’t think anyone has trotted that stupid phrase out in a few posts, despite the fact that there are no ‘sacred texts’ for non-belief, and no stupid replies like “Origin of Species” or “The God Delusion” they aren’t sacred to anyone.
There are worldviews that can be atheistic, like Humanism, or Rationalism. Richard Dawkins is a Humanist.
I’ll give you this, you write a bunch too, pity it’s the same old tripe.

BathTub on January 17, 2009 at 6:46 AM

Wow, a classic Liars for Christ move there apacalyps, the word agnostic has nothing to do with Ignoramus

BathTub on January 17, 2009 at 6:46 AM

The word “agnostic” comes from a Greek word meaning “I don’t know” and the Latin equivalent is “ignoramus.” Check it out. Do some research. And as far as my attittude towards you, go back and read your very first post to me. You were very rude to me.

apacalyps *sigh*. Agnosticism is NOT ‘I don’t know’, it is ‘I don’t think it’s possible to know’… This is why I use the phrase Liars for Christ, religious people ‘the ones who actually believe a god is up above judging them’ are so incredibly quick to lie and deliberately distort the truth about others.

BathTub on January 17, 2009 at 1:06 AM

I didn’t insult you. You insulted me. Uh, so don’t lecture me on first impressions, thank you. You called me a liar the first time we met. Agnostic is Greek for not knowing. I did not lie in my post below.

At the very BEST a person can say, “I’m agnostic” (I don’t know) although that isn’t even true as we all have knowledge of God and our conscience bears witness to that (Romans 2:15).

apacalyps on January 16, 2009 at 6:33 PM

Now, if you don’t mind “BathTub,” go teach somebody else about atheism and the Bible, because I’m not interested in what you have to say. Besides, if I took the time to answer all your questions you would only ask a hundred more. There are so many people who want to hear the truths about the Bible that it is a waste of time to get distracted answering scoffers like you.

apacalyps on January 17, 2009 at 9:28 PM

The word was created by TH Huxley to mean exactly what I said before seriously you are the one needing to do the research.

Just look the word up. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnosticism

BathTub on January 19, 2009 at 4:51 PM

The word was created by TH Huxley to mean exactly what I said before seriously you are the one needing to do the research. Just look the word up. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnosticism

BathTub on January 19, 2009 at 4:51 PM

Uh, yeah, I’m not arguing that. Originally I posted that agnostic in the Greek essentially means “I don’t know” or in the Latin – “ignoramus”. That is a true. I did not lie. Yet, you said I was lying.

apacalyps on January 19, 2009 at 8:07 PM

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