Quotes of the day
posted at 10:30 pm on April 27, 2009 by Allahpundit
“More than ever, America’s atheists are linking up and speaking out — even here in South Carolina, home to Bob Jones University, blue laws and a legislature that last year unanimously approved a Christian license plate embossed with a cross, a stained glass window and the words ‘I Believe’ (a move blocked by a judge and now headed for trial).
They are connecting on the Internet, holding meet-ups in bars, advertising on billboards and buses, volunteering at food pantries and picking up roadside trash, earning atheist groups recognition on adopt-a-highway signs.
They liken their strategy to that of the gay-rights movement, which lifted off when closeted members of a scorned minority decided to go public.”
***
“Among the many extraordinary positions Eagleton takes in this book, perhaps nothing is more startling than the highly original claim that the United States of America is not religious enough. All right, I am paraphrasing — what he actually says is that our nation’s nauseating, wall-to-wall public piety is strictly pro forma. It’s a kind of ideological window dressing for a social and economic system based on the ruthless exploitation of human beings and natural resources, which is about as far from the teachings of that radical Jewish carpenter from Nazareth as you can possibly get.”
***
“Another reason cited by many people who are now unaffiliated is the belief that many religions are partly true but no single religion is completely true. Fewer people, however, say they became unaffiliated because they think modern science proves that religion is just superstition, indicating that the belief that science disproves religion is a less important reason for becoming unaffiliated than disenchantment with religious people or institutions. At the same time that the ranks of the unaffiliated have grown, the Landscape Survey also revealed that the unaffiliated have one of the lowest retention rates of any of the major religious groups, with most people who were raised unaffiliated now belonging to one religion or another.”
Blowback
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Haha, well I never DID say I was a decent person. I just think all this conflict over religion is moronic, thus the people that partake in advancing the conflict are morons. Don’t take too much offense however, I’m not trying to be cruel.
BTW, I’m not wiccan, but ‘pagan’ will do if you need titles.
Spiritk9 on April 27, 2009 at 11:09 PM
It is not the parts that I don’t understand that bother me so much as the parts that I do understand. It’s not nearly as bad as the Koran, of course, but I believe that is called “damning by faint praise”.
MB4 on April 27, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Jibberish … The Oxen are slow … but the Earth … is patient.
HondaV65 on April 27, 2009 at 11:09 PM
If somebody doesn’t want to believe in God then fine, that is their choice. So, why is it they get their panties in a bunch because I do? What is it that scares them so badly about me believing in God that they have to band together to fight and harrass every God fearing member of society? What is it they are afraid of?
boomer on April 27, 2009 at 11:10 PM
Heh. Wonder how Harry is doing…LOL
deidre on April 27, 2009 at 11:10 PM
Lol. So now everytime I see getalife post something I’m going to think of Han slicing open that snow beast and shoving Luke in it.
“How to incubate whales”
1. Get lightsaber
2. Cut spouse
3. Insert whale
Dude, you know it’s true. Plus the SF commander probably built a probe replica to fly over the repair Golden Gate for a photo op.
Spirit of 1776 on April 27, 2009 at 11:11 PM
Someone needs to go to bed.
Relax, Spiritk9. That’s no way to live a “decent” life.
Skidd on April 27, 2009 at 11:11 PM
When I see the word “pagan”, I always think of offerings to Zeus or Diana or something. ;)
ddrintn on April 27, 2009 at 11:11 PM
Heh, wondered if you’d pick up on that… Haven’t seen her around, but I’m sure you have Chap IV ready when she does show up ;)
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:11 PM
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It has come to the attention of the U.S.S. Hot Air,that
there is MORONS typing amongst us,please Morons,all of
you,and you know who you are,cease and desist!
Oh,and ‘Oddballs’you as well are being watched!
That is all,resume commenting!!(Snark!)
canopfor on April 27, 2009 at 11:12 PM
+1000
GREAT
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:12 PM
Rumspringa! Wooo!
ronsfi on April 27, 2009 at 11:14 PM
Didn’t you hear? Ed banned her!! For good this time :)
deidre on April 27, 2009 at 11:15 PM
Don’t wait too long, getaclue got the boot today, thanks to Ed.
Knucklehead on April 27, 2009 at 11:15 PM
For the same reason that the WORST smoker is an EX-Smoker.
Any true atheist who really believes there is no God wouldn’t give a flip about who believes in God or how they express their belief in God. But the fact is – just like a former smoker … they KNOW they can fall so easily off the wagon …
For instance … they know that if they get pinned in a burning car after an accident – they’re going to do one thing …
Pray to get out. Yep – they will pray. They will pray and promise God that they will forever serve him (or her – take your pick – I don’t want to be exclusive and stuff). But yes – they will pray – and they will hope for a GOD … and they will convince themselves there is one.
And THIS is why they are so angry with the world – just like ex-smokers are so violently against smokers … and look down their noses at them.
THEY KNOW … that they really don’t believe there is no God. And this is why they go around trying to kill him. :)
HondaV65 on April 27, 2009 at 11:15 PM
Since none of us know IF there is a heaven or a hell, do you really want to take a chance?
I don’t want to take a chance of being wrong. If there is no heaven, then I will have spent my life being good, and worshipping God. I will only die in peace, and turn to dust. End of story.
Offshore_Drilling on April 27, 2009 at 11:16 PM
Really? No…
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:17 PM
You clearly do not fully understand being and existence, nor Clinton for that matter.
Tav on April 27, 2009 at 11:17 PM
Really? What thread or if removed, what prompted that?
I’m not surprised, though. Ed used to bulls-eye womprats in his T-16 back home. GAL wasn’t much bigger then 2 meters.
Spirit of 1776 on April 27, 2009 at 11:17 PM
Yeah, I’m curious too. How did it go down?
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:19 PM
Oh, my. Are you the artist formerly known as So??
capitalist piglet on April 27, 2009 at 11:19 PM
Well, one thing that usually throws me is the anger a lot of atheists express. Anger at a God they don’t believe in anyway? Anger at people for believing in God? I don’t think atheists are being burned at the stake anymore, so it can’t be that.
ddrintn on April 27, 2009 at 11:19 PM
Good evening, sir. Notice these religious threads are the only one’s I partake in? I just wish Allah would post MORE of them.
It’s how I meet nice, God-fearing athiests like you. :)
Kidding aside, whenever I see you responding to a thread, I know there’s a few good funnies that will roll out of you.
I wish you weren’t an atheist, but you never take cheapshots to hurt others.
Skidd on April 27, 2009 at 11:19 PM
BTW, I’m not wiccan, but ‘pagan’ will do if you need titles.
Spiritk9 on April 27, 2009 at 11:09 PM
No offense taken, but calling everyone morons might get you on the ignore list of many.
I don’t need titles because I don’t really have a dog in this fight; I’m a casual Believer with one leg thrust squarely into the skeptic camp. Hard for me to say what I believe exactly.
Bishop on April 27, 2009 at 11:19 PM
On the Iranian thread, earlier today. getalife made some pretty ugly remarks about McCain re: torture.
coldwarrior on April 27, 2009 at 11:20 PM
Thank you, sir.
Spirit of 1776 on April 27, 2009 at 11:21 PM
Were they ever? Yeah, yeah, I’m sure there’s one example, but the stake victims that come to mind are
Witches, Reformers, or those labeled as such…
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:21 PM
I don’t really think that’s the best argument.
Look – there is no doubt – there is a God. Fact is … this huge universe was created exactly the way that most Christians, Jews, Hindus … whatever … believe that it was. In a tremendous explosion of creation.
Scientists can give you all kind of explanations for the big bang – but they can’t tell you where those initial materials for it came from.
How did they get there? You cannot create all this from nothing.
Walk down the street … look at the trees … open your eyes … smell the flowers … this wasn’t an accident.
HondaV65 on April 27, 2009 at 11:21 PM
Why not just spend your life being good and leave it there? This is the part that tickles me; who really thinks that a “god” with such power and might would care if anyone actually worshipped it? That’s egotism on the human’s part if nothing else. But if it makes you happy, have at it!
Spiritk9 on April 27, 2009 at 11:21 PM
Start reading and enjoy.
Knucklehead on April 27, 2009 at 11:22 PM
I don’t understand. She was such a delightful girl.
Oh, I know! That is just a cover story that she talked Ed into going along with. She really did join the U.S. Army or the U.S. Marines and left for BCT today to support her President in Afghanistan, and maybe Pakistan later, and didn’t want to boast about it. That must be it.
MB4 on April 27, 2009 at 11:22 PM
Eh… OK, then
Her stupidity and the jokes they inspired will be missed.
RIP getalife
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:22 PM
an adult was in charge
all is good
Loxodonta on April 27, 2009 at 11:23 PM
I knew the place smelled better. Now I know why. Thanks for the link.
Spirit of 1776 on April 27, 2009 at 11:24 PM
Well, heretics in general probably wouldn’t have been treated very well in medieval or Renaissance Europe. An atheist could have been considered a “witch” AND a “reformer”, I guess.
ddrintn on April 27, 2009 at 11:25 PM
Thanks
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:25 PM
People are understandably confused and ill-informed about Christianity and the Bible. The actual gospel is tainted by the social gospel and prosperity gospel movements, neither of which is based on the Bible. Even the traditionally conservative Lutheran Church Missouri Synod is distancing itself from its founder Martin Luther and his scriptural revival. These are flaws of man, but they make it exponentially harder for men to understand the God of the Bible.
The historicity of the Bible is so well-documented that UCLA uses it as a reference book. The Bible is the only religious text with fulfilled prophecy. Jesus spoke of hell more than anyone else quoted in the Bible. Yet these facts probably astonish most readers, even self-described Christians who consider themselves well-informed.
Terrie on April 27, 2009 at 11:25 PM
Atheism takes more faith to beleive in than I have to give. I doubt there is any praying going on, just instinctive reaction reflexes and rememberance.
disillusioned on April 27, 2009 at 11:26 PM
Pardon me? You lost me, which isn’t hard to do.
Knucklehead on April 27, 2009 at 11:26 PM
I like this guy.
saus on April 27, 2009 at 11:28 PM
With everything going on today… I make the mistake of coming to HA in the evening… once again… to see this stupidity… as quote of the day? Time to take another HA vacation…………………………………………………………………………
DCJeff on April 27, 2009 at 11:28 PM
Perhaps… But seriously, I can’t think of a person that openly said there was no god that got burned at the stake.
YES, this is an ignorant statement because they probably would have been punished, but was their a “witch hunt” to find those that didn’t believe in a god? Many of the popes and kings probably didn’t really believe in a god or were at best agnostic.
I think those that were persecuted most were the RELIGIOUS minorities, gypsies, and most importantly, those that challenged the validity of Church doctrine/policies – but not necessarily atheists…
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:29 PM
Did you want to discuss Pig Sickness?
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:30 PM
It is not that the truth isn’t known; to the contrary, our traditional culture is saturated with it. The momentum of western logic, reasoning, and religious Judeo-Christian absolutes are inescapable. The use of sex, drugs, and whatever other distractions are available, provide an escape from those truths. People with remnants of a conscience react with extreme hostility to any reminder of those truths. It is a substitute for admitting error and acknowledging any higher authority.
Feedie on April 27, 2009 at 11:30 PM
On the Iranian thread, earlier today. getalife made some pretty ugly remarks about McCain re: torture.
coldwarrior on April 27, 2009 at 11:20 PM
As much as I detested getaclue, I think his comment may have been misinterpreted.
That being said, he didn’t bring much to the conversation other than the usual four or five word sentences, so I guess it’s no big loss anyway.
Bishop on April 27, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Its the contempt they feel that someone could be so stupid as to not believe what they believe.
(Not all…but a great many)
Saltysam on April 27, 2009 at 11:32 PM
Oh but she did give us ample practice with the /snark and /sarc
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:33 PM
The Hindus believe that each of us IS a part of God – separated from him for a time in this material world. Through worship – they REUNITE with God in hopes that they can reunite with him after life in the material world has ended.
My point is – perhaps you really don’t understand what “Worship” is … or means.
Another point is – perhaps we cannot understand all of God’s motivations.
I’m more of the school of thought of Sri Ramakrishna … he believed that the ultimate goal of humans was to discover God – therefore – any path (any religion) that put one a path to discover God – was the right path. Ramakrishna was a Hindu, a Christian, a Muslim – he explored all of the religions and I don’t think he ever settled on one. Certainly – none of them offended him.
If you are an atheist – you are OUTSIDE of this path. You are not accomplishing the goal you were sent here to accomplish. This is why most atheists are unhappy people.
HondaV65 on April 27, 2009 at 11:33 PM
Tis true. i enjoyed last night thoroughly making fun of her.
deidre on April 27, 2009 at 11:34 PM
Allah, you are getting boring. I can’t even be bothered to read your nonsense anymore. Whatever. We get that you are an atheist. Enjoy it.
echosyst on April 27, 2009 at 11:35 PM
Speaking of conversation, where is DeathToMediaHacks been lately?
Not that I miss it and maybe I should shut my trap or it may return.
Knucklehead on April 27, 2009 at 11:35 PM
As long as it’s not a MegMac post, I’m happy…
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:36 PM
DTMH? Said something about having to go to NYC, take pictures of something, for the White House, was flying up there.
coldwarrior on April 27, 2009 at 11:36 PM
She did say she had died twice. Maybe she’ll run to mom-dad (Janet N.) and get revived again as an O-troll
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:37 PM
Do not say MegMac three times…just do not do that.
Hopefully her 15 minutes are over.
coldwarrior on April 27, 2009 at 11:38 PM
OK, no more ;)
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:38 PM
Speaking of conversation, where is DeathToMediaHacks been lately?
Hospital. Patient zero for the current swine flu epidemic.
Bishop on April 27, 2009 at 11:39 PM
Up until recently, they were like so uniform and repetitive, how can you forget them?
Loxodonta on April 27, 2009 at 11:39 PM
Or patient -1… The link maybe? The “hospital” is more like the vet’s office.
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:40 PM
Shhhhhhhh, don’t give Allah any ideas!
Knucklehead on April 27, 2009 at 11:40 PM
I don’t see any anger or malic coming from the Atheists. God gave us the ability to rationally prove or disprove his existance in our own being. I don’t agree with Atheists, but won’t discontinue the thought that God has a plan that we’ll never understand in our individual short time here.
disillusioned on April 27, 2009 at 11:40 PM
Ah… last night we had some real fun with her. Ask Deidre.
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:40 PM
I must confess, God help me, that I almost always find these threads very amusing for some reason, even more than the others. Sometimes I just spontaneously start laughing and can hardly stop.
You know what Voltaire said, “God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh.” Obviously Voltaire never met me.
MB4 on April 27, 2009 at 11:41 PM
Damn!! That’s three…
Expect it.
coldwarrior on April 27, 2009 at 11:41 PM
The thing that throws me is how many Christians won’t make the slightest effort to understand atheists or assume good faith. If you’re getting angry reactions from atheists (like this one), it might be because you’re saying things that are insulting. It would be pretty silly if atheists were angry at God. They’re not, though. Again, they’re probably just angry with you for making such an insulting strawman.
RightOFLeft on April 27, 2009 at 11:44 PM
Who?
Saltysam on April 27, 2009 at 11:44 PM
I remember one time I got in an argument with some atheists. Pretty much they were mad because us theists “forced” our religion upon them and told them that they were going to Hell. In addition religion was backward and horrible, it made me less enlightened. I’m not sure where to draw the line. I think it is up to everybody to decide how they feel about religion. For me, I decided long ago that I had enough evidence to convince myself that there was a God and that suited me.
I honestly don’t care about other’s religious beliefs. What bothers me is militant theism/atheism. I don’t like jihadis blowing innocent people up in the Middle East and I sure don’t like it when an atheist Philosphy major tells me, the Chemistry major, that I’m not “enlightened” because of my religion. Really now, Mr. Atheist how are knowing those 20 L-amino acids goin’ for ya, since you are unencumbered by religion? (Obviously these two things aren’t equivalent. One is sure as heck much more horrible than the other.)
Rightwingguy on April 27, 2009 at 11:45 PM
Imagination is a quality given a man
to compensate him for what he is not,
and a sense of humor was provided
to console him for what he is.
– Oscar Wilde
Loxodonta on April 27, 2009 at 11:45 PM
Sorry that was a REALLY long paragraph….
Rightwingguy on April 27, 2009 at 11:45 PM
Or patient -1… The link maybe? The “hospital” is more like the vet’s office.
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:40 PM
Dear Gaia…this is how AIDS started. As Sam Kinnison said, a bunch of guys had to bang some monkeys which then gave us the black plague of the 20th century.
Don’t know if it’s true or not but I’m going with it.
Bishop on April 27, 2009 at 11:46 PM
Or not. This is presumptuous. You don’t know which a/Atheists ddrintn may have encountered.
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:46 PM
Not all theists are in the same “US”-boat. Maybe I should dislike group X because of all of them that I’ve encountered, Y% (Y<100) of them were “mean to me.”
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:49 PM
I thought the evil, small government government created it… /s
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:50 PM
Allah – it would appear – is a standard ‘atheist.’ The modus-d is to issue a very common-sounding but epistemically loaded statement like “there probably is no god” and then run when anyone with half a mind or a semester of philosophical training demands that they make sense of the statement.
I hope Allah has never had the gumption to complain of the “drive-by media.” He’s a drive-by philosopher.
BrotherTheophilus on April 27, 2009 at 11:51 PM
What would happen if somebody accidentally mentioned Carrie Prejean by name?
Loxodonta on April 27, 2009 at 11:51 PM
Good point. It would be like you or me caring if some ant in some ant colony on the other side of the earth worshiped us and it would take some mighty egotistical ant to think that we cared.
Or as Mark Twain out it -
Man is a marvelous curiosity. He thinks he is the Creator’s pet. He even believes the Creator loves him; has a passion for him; sits up nights to admire him; yes and watch over him and keep him out of trouble. He prays to him and thinks He listens. Isn’t it a quaint idea.
MB4 on April 27, 2009 at 11:52 PM
Right, I agree. That was what they were saying to me.
Rightwingguy on April 27, 2009 at 11:53 PM
You did fine.
Loxodonta on April 27, 2009 at 11:53 PM
Actually, it was with a tad more finesse than that. getalife popped up, Ed asked her what happened to her noble oath to ban herself, she replied that she was as flip-floppy as McCain on torture, Ed said: Cute. Let me help you keep your promises.
End of story.
John the Libertarian on April 27, 2009 at 11:55 PM
RightOFleft, there are atheists who take the very act of belief to be an insult. They can only resort to ridicule, sneering, huffing and puffing, etc etc. I’ve never told an atheist he/she is “angry with God”. I just wonder where the anger comes from. It’s not my insults.
ddrintn on April 27, 2009 at 11:56 PM
Yeah, so shouldn’t they see the reasoning in giving each “group” a chance? Look there are a lot of Christians or what have you that make mistakes, but I’m not sure I’m ready to judge the movement (or feel all hurt inside) because some people made mistakes. In general, does the movement seem to make life better or worse?
This is why many of us DO have a problem with Islam – the religion of PEACE…
We see NO signs of this ever being true.
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:56 PM
Did you hear, Palin is getting charged with an ethics complaint for starting up a fund to help her pay for the ridiculous ethic complaints. How stinking stupid are people?
deidre on April 27, 2009 at 11:57 PM
Hahaha. Well she got what she wanted.
Rightwingguy on April 27, 2009 at 11:57 PM
I love happy endings!
Saltysam on April 27, 2009 at 11:57 PM
OK. Have fun. Best that you don’t go to Mexico for that vacation though.
MB4 on April 27, 2009 at 11:58 PM
“We” did elect Obama… and when I say “we,” I mean, “we” the tax payers pay for ACORN…
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:58 PM
pay = paid
Upstater85 on April 27, 2009 at 11:59 PM
I don’t know…but I am single…a discussion of faith over dinner might be nice.
I’d probably ask her if she believed in the hereafter.
As in, if she wasn’t here after what I was here after, then she would be here long after I was gone. :-)
coldwarrior on April 27, 2009 at 11:59 PM
This is known as hubris. It’s a narcissistic impulse to prove to others that he is oh-so-clever. Which is atheism in a nutshell. A refusal to surrender.
John the Libertarian on April 28, 2009 at 12:00 AM
to sleep, perchance to dream
disillusioned on April 28, 2009 at 12:00 AM
They’re smart enough to know a threat when they see one.
By the way, RightOFleft, there are also atheists who have nothing but contempt for, say, a guy handing out Christian tracts on a streetcorner. Why is that?
ddrintn on April 28, 2009 at 12:01 AM
Yeah, I hear you on that. I’ve met plenty of Muslims that didn’t want to blow me up, but there seems to be a sort of silent complacency on their part towards those “martyrs”. Personally, I don’t like those get-in-your-face Christians just as much as the next guy. Speaking of which, we get them sometimes on my campus. I always walk by them and ignore them and their talk of Hell-fire, the liberals always want to debate them, which is about as productive as…I dunno… debating a liberal.
Rightwingguy on April 28, 2009 at 12:01 AM
But it’s not presumptious to say that atheists are angry with God. Hey, he doesn’t know which atheists I’ve encountered.
RightOFLeft on April 28, 2009 at 12:01 AM
Axeman on April 28, 2009 at 12:02 AM
True
Yeah, but then again, many progressives would consider them sort of martyr
Upstater85 on April 28, 2009 at 12:04 AM
Isn’t that disheartening?
deidre on April 28, 2009 at 12:04 AM
some sort of
ehhh… can’t do two things at once
Upstater85 on April 28, 2009 at 12:04 AM
infinitely relentless
Saltysam on April 28, 2009 at 12:05 AM
Or the corollary: I don’t believe in the existence of atheists.
John the Libertarian on April 28, 2009 at 12:06 AM
VERY VERY DISHEARTENING
All I can do is “joke” about it. If I go to a Tea Party, I’m an extremist. This government is more polarizing than Bush’s…
There, lefties… I admit it… Obama is more something than Bush…/s
Upstater85 on April 28, 2009 at 12:06 AM
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