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#1: The Atheist thread. Author: Chinaren, Location: https://www.NeilHartleyBooks.com

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:15 pm
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This thread is dedicated to the Atheist, and will be devoted to mockery of all forms of religion.

If you are religious, it would be best to refrain from reading this. You are of course free to start a religious thread, where the conditions will be the same for Atheists.

Firstly, let me state:

I believe that everyone has a right to believe in what they want, as long as it doesn't affect me. I also believe in the freedom to mock religions, and indeed, the freedom of religious people to mock Atheism. Don't dish it out if you can't take it is my POV.

Any claims of 'blasphemy' will fall on deaf ears. As an Atheist, the word is meaningless to me in this context.

By posting in this thread, any non-Atheist types hereby agree to be ridiculed.

You may also be interested in this post on my Blog of Lies.

Thank you for reading.

Last edited by Chinaren on Sun May 02, 2010 2:51 pm; edited 2 times in total

#2: Author: Chinaren, Location: https://www.NeilHartleyBooks.com

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:16 pm
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#3: Author: Chinaren, Location: https://www.NeilHartleyBooks.com

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:16 pm
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An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An Atheist believes that a deed must be done instead of a prayer said. An Atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanquished, war eliminated. He wants man to understand and love man.’

‘I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.’ - Steven Roberts

‘And if there were a God, I think it very unlikely that He would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence.’ - Bertrand Russell

‘Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned.’

‘We must question the story logic of having an all-knowing all-powerful God, who creates faulty Humans, and then blames them for his own mistakes.’ - Gene Roddenberry

‘Without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.’ - Steven Weinberg

‘Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer.’

‘Men rarely (if ever) manage to dream up a God superior to themselves. Most Gods have the manners and morals of a spoiled child.’ - Robert A. Heinlein

‘I have examined all the known superstitions of the world, and I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology.’ - Thomas Jefferson

‘Which is it, is man one of God’s blunders or is God one of man’s?’ - Friedrich Nietzsche

‘Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime; give a man religion and he will die praying for a fish.’

‘Religion does three things quite effectively: Divides people, Controls people, Deludes people.’ - Carlespie Mary Alice McKinney

‘Be thankful that you have a life, and forsake your vain and presumptuous desire for a second one.’ - Richard Dawkins

‘The Government of the United States is in no sense founded on the Christian religion.’ - John Adams, 2nd President of the United States

‘You do not need the bible to justify love, but no better tool has been invented to justify hate.’ - Richard A. Weatherwax

‘They felt that science would be corrosive to religious belief and they were worried about it. Damn it, I think they were right. It is corrosive to religious belief and it’s a good thing.’ - Steven Weinberg

‘It is not as in the Bible, that God created man in his own image. But, on the contrary, man created God in his own image.’ - Ludwig Feuerbach

#4: Author: Chinaren, Location: https://www.NeilHartleyBooks.com

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:18 pm
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#5: Author: Smee, Location: UK

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:04 am
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I just don't understand some people's need to believe in a higher power in order to function/be happy.

Each to their own though - so long as they don't try to help me 'find God'. If such a being really wanted me to find him, I'm sure he'll make himself known.

The film Devil's Advocate, one of my favourite quotes from Al Pacino playing the Devil, always makes me smile :

"Let me give you a little inside information about God. God likes to watch. He's a prankster. Think about it. He gives man instincts. He gives you this extraordinary gift, and then what does He do, I swear for His own amusement, his own private, cosmic gag reel, He sets the rules in opposition. It's the goof of all time.

Look but don't touch.
Touch, but don't taste.
Taste, don't swallow.

Ahaha. And while you're jumpin' from one foot to the next, what is he doing? He's laughin' His sick, fuckin' ass off! He's a tight-ass! He's a SADIST! He's an absentee landlord! Worship that? NEVER! "

#6: Author: Guest,

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:28 am
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I hope to claim and say that my friend thought I was a satanist, is that the same as an atheits, ok I just like to say I won't changfe anyone's POV of how they see God, you guys are already to far deep into hating him, I've never tried pushing someone to do something... And I never will. Take it from a christain(who isn't bothered by other religions, but believes that there is a flying spaceship in the bible.... ssss, don't tell anyone... ) I think none will try and change your point of view aslong as you don't change their point of view everything will be A ok... but if the person isn't sure if he has a religion or not, make sure the person feels ok to know what is right for him/her and don't bother them about religion ever again...

#7: Author: Phang, Location: Phang's House of Mints

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:03 am
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Christalnightshade wrote:

I hope to claim and say that my friend thought I was a satanist, is that the same as an atheits

No, Satanism is not the same as Atheism. Satanism, being concerned with Satan*, cannot be compared to Atheism, which believes in none o' that.

As for me, I am certainly not religious but I definitely wouldn't call myself Atheist. Especially as I am a teenager the majority of my experiences with Atheism have been a bunch of bandwagon-thunder 'trolls' and the especially 'controversial' persons who manage to get TV documentaries.

And on that note, it's ok to take the piss but isn't this thread a little mean-spirited? You're not a certain little attention-seeking tagalong in my classes (name changed for security reasons...phht) who has to 'prove' their atheism by declaring it (quite tackily, 'n' all).

*Or so one would presume. Everyone I hear of has a different idea of what Satanism entails.

Caution, comedy option incoming...: I am a Stanist.

#8: Author: Smee, Location: UK

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 6:46 am
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Quote:

you guys are already to far deep into hating him

No - you have it entirely wrong. I don't believe he exists. That's very, very, very different from hating.

#9: Author: Guest,

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 6:50 am
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Thank you for that phang... And why did your name change? and whois the tag along, you can p.m me. I really want ot know what you meant by those words... As I've never hated anyone's religion, I've we've had muslim people come over and we offered them halal or coshuir... Smile

#10: Author: Guest,

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 7:00 am
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I'm sorry for my error in judgement of your use of words Smee...

#11: Author: Phang, Location: Phang's House of Mints

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:06 am
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Christalnightshade wrote:

Thank you for that phang... And why did your name change? and whois the tag along, you can p.m me. I really want ot know what you meant by those words...

My name changed?

And really, the name isn't important. I'd just be a little uncomfortable with posting someone else's name without their knowledge or consent (not like I'd get a word in edgeways to ask her).

If I may ask, Chri, how religious would you say your area is? Just for a little understanding on cultural background, to better explain the sort of show-atheism I have here in comparison to your surroundings.

#12: Author: Guest,

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:43 am
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oh we're normal really, we have atheits and poeple with no religion, mostly we have christains who doesn't care what religion the person has aslong as the person doesn't say anything rude about each others religion, but you'd meet poeple who are really nice and caring and understanding in my area, we've got little Atheits and little poeple without religion. Mostly we worship God through prayer, not to long ago I prayed that my family would be alright, cause I'm a but superstitious really, that is how they thought I was a satanist... I've never met a satanist in my life and I've only met an atheist who was a very close friend of mine, until one day I had confusion and my friends thought I was ignoring them more... Oh dear me I've trailed off into my life in middle school. I'm sorry... I've been a christain all my life and I now have a good friend who has no religion, we really care about all the poeple in this world and we try to learn all the facts and all the doodads before we speak about religion... I hope that made sence... we'll it's mostly how I see my self and how I hope others would act aswell no matter what religion they are... the majority of our poeple are big, but not as big as china, I remember how I never could sing with songs always just open and closed my mouth when I couldn't understand the words... Smile

oh yes we've got alot of cathliks. Smile

WE've got a lot of poeple who wish they know God who has no bibles and they are sarving. About two days ago my friend went to cailitcha to talk about religion to poeple help heal them and make them have joy in their life. which is very noble. But one thing I know is poeple with no religion are very noble poeple...

#13: Author: The Meaning Of Fear, Location: In a deep, dark corner of the universe, plotting.

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 3:41 pm
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Well I'm an atheist myself but I'm always open to new opinions.

And I think this thread is a tad overboard. Perhaps we should tone it down a bit.

Going to post some random thoughts in the other thread in a few minutes. Go have a look.

#14: Author: Phang, Location: Phang's House of Mints

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:06 pm
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The Meaning Of Fear wrote:

And I think this thread is a tad overboard. Perhaps we should tone it down a bit.

Oh good, not just me then.

#15: Author: BStheGreat,

Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 11:15 pm
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I'm not exactly an atheist as I recognize the possibility of a higher power. However I don't see any real differences between the polytheistic religions of Rome and Greece to the modern monotheistic religions of Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. I can't help but believe that in years to come they will be just as big of a joke as Zeus is to us now. I simply say that if there is a higher power, if there is an afterlife, may I be judged on my actions and not my beliefs. I would rather be a virtuous man of no faith than a sinner who prays for redemption every Sunday.

But to those of you who do practice and are true to a faith, I truly envy. It is something I wish I could believe.

#16: Author: Guest,

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 11:07 pm
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hello BS, We christains don't practice anything, but we do believe and have faith. I believe anyone can believe something even if their told that. We were in grade 11 we were sunday school teachers. I knew to little of how to talk to them about God, but my brother and his friend was with me on this and so I handeled the restless children and seldom talked about what the meaning in the bible was. So I hope you understand there are many others that can't explain the bible as good as others can and even beliefs can be for anyone. Though for me I don't question the higher power or the bible...

#17: Author: The White Blacksmith,

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:53 am
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How can you be so insistant about your faith and the faith of those around you and yet say that none of you are practising Christians? You confuse me.

#18: Author: Chinaren, Location: https://www.NeilHartleyBooks.com

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 1:38 pm
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Phang wrote:

The Meaning Of Fear wrote:

And I think this thread is a tad overboard. Perhaps we should tone it down a bit.

Oh good, not just me then.

I agree! Out of here you Christians! This is an Atheist thread. Nothing here for you to see.

Crady: Practicing, as I understand it, means doing those strange rituals and obeying the weird 'rules' of your particular cult.

ie: Not eating pork, or cows are sacred, or not wearing condoms, or falling to the floor and facing a certain direction four times a day etc.

BStG wrote:

But to those of you who do practice and are true to a faith, I truly envy. It is something I wish I could believe.

Why on earth would you be envious of blind faith? The person who questions everything is the person I respect, not some lemming who does random and weird stuff* because it's written in a storybook.

As for Sunday school and the like, it disgusts me.

I certainly don't mind people being religious, as I said in the first post, but brainwashing innocent kids into your cult is truly evil. People should be given a selection of choices, if we really must have religion at all, and then they can decide for themselves when they are mature enough.

Better still, learn to believe in yourself.

I believe the US does a lot of crazy and stupid stuff, but taking religion out of schools is one thing it's got right. Something other counties should follow.

*See above.

#19: Author: Fenris,

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 8:06 pm
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...a God who could make good children as easily a bad, yet preferred to make bad ones; who could have made every one of them happy, yet never made a single happy one; who made them prize their bitter life, yet stingily cut it short; who gave his angels eternal happiness unearned, yet required his other children to earn it; who gave is angels painless lives, yet cursed his other children with biting miseries and maladies of mind and body; who mouths justice, and invented hell--mouths mercy, and invented hell--mouths Golden Rules and forgiveness multiplied by seventy times seven, and invented hell; who mouths morals to other people, and has none himself; who frowns upon crimes, yet commits them all; who created man without invitation, then tries to shuffle the responsibility for man's acts upon man, instead of honorably placing it where it belongs, upon himself; and finally, with altogether divine obtuseness, invites his poor abused slave to worship him!
- No. 44, The Mysterious Stranger
Mark Twain

#20: Author: BStheGreat,

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:27 pm
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Chinaren wrote:

Why on earth would you be envious of blind faith? The person who questions everything is the person I respect, not some lemming who does random and weird stuff* because it's written in a storybook.

Better to die happy and foolish than sad and right.

#21: Author: Chinaren, Location: https://www.NeilHartleyBooks.com

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:18 pm
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BStheGreat wrote:

Chinaren wrote:

Why on earth would you be envious of blind faith? The person who questions everything is the person I respect, not some lemming who does random and weird stuff* because it's written in a storybook.

Better to die happy and foolish than sad and right.

I'd rather die happy and right (such as now) And what difference does it make in the end?

#22: Author: Guest,

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 8:21 am
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*Cpie walks in* I'm not going to continue this chat and I should have never started it. We might pray everyday, but we feel it is the right thing to do, even if some of you think it is a lot of dip* stuff. Understand I however aren't going to fight about this, I thought for once you guys would just accept each others faith or even their religion... but I guess that is just a little girl dreaming away. *and fades away*

#23: Etherealism Author: vgmaster, Location: The City of Angels

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:12 pm
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I'm religious, but my religion is centered around love and happiness. 11 gods all committed to making sure the universe runs with no kinks. There is only one branch too. I don't like religious arguments either. I'll just ignore this thread now.... Bye.

#24: Author: Chinaren, Location: https://www.NeilHartleyBooks.com

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 12:17 am
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A couple more.

#25: Author: Chinaren, Location: https://www.NeilHartleyBooks.com

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 12:21 am
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Christalnightshade wrote:

*Cpie walks in* I'm not going to continue this chat and I should have never started it. We might pray everyday, but we feel it is the right thing to do, even if some of you think it is a lot of dip* stuff. Understand I however aren't going to fight about this, I thought for once you guys would just accept each others faith or even their religion... but I guess that is just a little girl dreaming away. *and fades away*

At the top of this thread I clearly state it's an Atheist thread. It isn't a religious discussion thread, possibly quite the opposite.

I also clearly state I firmly believe people can worship as and what they wish, as long as it doesn't affect me and mine.

#26: Re: Etherealism Author: Phang, Location: Phang's House of Mints

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:03 am
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vgmaster wrote:

I'm religious, but my religion is centered around love and happiness. 11 gods all committed to making sure the universe runs with no kinks. There is only one branch too. I don't like religious arguments either. I'll just ignore this thread now.... Bye.

Come back! Come back! This is relevant to my interests!

#27: Author: BStheGreat,

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 10:30 pm
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Chinaren wrote:

I'd rather die happy and right (such as now) And what difference does it make in the end?

That is a good point. It really doesn't matter how you are feeling when you die anyway. What comes after will come after, if there is an after. And if not, then nothing will occur.

#28: Re: Etherealism Author: vgmaster, Location: The City of Angels

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:27 pm
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Phang wrote:

vgmaster wrote:

Come back! Come back! This is relevant to my interests!

You summoned?

#29: Re: Etherealism Author: Phang, Location: Phang's House of Mints

Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 4:39 am
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vgmaster wrote:

Phang wrote:

vgmaster wrote:

Come back! Come back! This is relevant to my interests!

You summoned?

Yes, indeed I did.

#30: Author: vgmaster, Location: The City of Angels

Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 1:25 pm
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What did you want?

#31: Author: Phang, Location: Phang's House of Mints

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:07 am
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More info on this 11 gods thingy.

#32: Author: Scheherazade, Location: Land of Rain and More Rain (but really southwestern BC, in Canada)

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:56 am
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Just curious... Of those of you who mock Christianity (Christianity in specific, not religion in general), how many have actually read some of the New Testament?

#33: Author: BStheGreat,

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:58 am
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I have read some of it. By why should we need to read their books, when if they read ours its considered blasphemy.

#34: Author: Scheherazade, Location: Land of Rain and More Rain (but really southwestern BC, in Canada)

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:10 am
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It... actually isn't. Many Christians do read the books of other religions, and it is not considered blasphemy; it is one of the best ways to increase knowledge about other people's beliefs (the best being, of course, asking them). And you need to have information about something in order to criticize it. If you knew nothing at all about Vicki Huntington, the MLA (political office) my riding, how would you manage to mock her? Your words would have no meaning because you don't know who she is and what she's like. If you tried to write a criticism of, say, Ulysses by James Joyce without having read the book, wouldn't your words mean nothing at all?

#35: Author: Chinaren, Location: https://www.NeilHartleyBooks.com

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:37 pm
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I have read some of the bible, but frankly I've read better. The plot was pretty lame, and the writing was all over the place.

Still, I guess the writing techniques weren't very sophisticated 2k years ago, and it's been translated and whatnot so many times the original story has likely been twisted so much it doesn't even resemble the first print run.

However, to answer your question, I don't have to read a storybook* to mock religion. The whole concept is what I consider ridiculous.

*Bible, Quran or whichever.

#36: Author: vgmaster, Location: The City of Angels

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 6:55 pm
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Phang wrote:

More info on this 11 gods thingy.

More specific please.

#37: Author: BStheGreat,

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:30 pm
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Scheherazade wrote:

It... actually isn't. Many Christians do read the books of other religions, and it is not considered blasphemy;

Being an atheist means you have no religion. And I do seem to remember tales of books being burned by the church many a time.

And as Chinaren has said, I am simply against religion in general. For thousands of years religion has been used as a tool, nothing more, to cause war, justify hate, and cause nothing but pain. Islam, the religion of peace, has a history full of war. Christianity has long since been corrupted, and full of hypocrits. Judaism is simply an excuse for practising segregation.

No, I have not read the entire bible, especially not the new testament. There is only so many blah blah begot blah blah that I can take before I close it. Although, I am currently reading and enjoying The Bible According to Mark Twain.

#38: Author: Fenris,

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:11 pm
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BStheGreat wrote:

Although, I am currently reading and enjoying The Bible According to Mark Twain.

AWESOME choice.

#39: Author: Scheherazade, Location: Land of Rain and More Rain (but really southwestern BC, in Canada)

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:33 am
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*coughs*

Scheherazade wrote:

(Christianity in specific, not religion in general)

I can't speak for any but those who follow (or try to follow) Christ; I don't have nearly enough information.

Just because a few apples - or even most of a tree - are rotten doesn't mean that the whole forest is bad. Although some (many) people screw up and blame it on religion, that doesn't mean that religion is inherently bad; it only means that those people are lazy, don't want to take responsibility for their actions, and/or don't really understand that which they say they believe.

BStheGreat wrote:

when if they read ours its considered blasphemy.

Scheherazade wrote:

Many Christians do read the books of other religions, and it is not considered blasphemy

BStheGreat wrote:

Being an atheist means you have no religion

So then your definition of 'religion' used here seems to be "a set of beliefs based on a deity" - why not expand your definition to something like "a set of beliefs regarding spiritual matters?" That seems far more accurate in the circumstances, and one more more suited to a discussion (sorry C'ren - should this be moved to a different thread?)

I agree that religion has, is, and will be used as an excuse by people to do nasty things. Christianity is, of course, the most famous example (I don't suppose I need to mention Crusades, the Inquisitions, indulgences, etc?). However, that doesn't mean that it is nothing but an excuse. If you would actually look at Christ instead of simply dismissing him because thinking is harder than not thinking, you would see the person who Christians have been trying to be more like for 2000 years - someone who, among other things, spoke out against the hypocritical, tradition-bound practices of the time.

Oh, and as an aside, you'd probably enjoy reading Terry Pratchett 's book Small Gods - he's an excellent writer.

#40: Author: Phang, Location: Phang's House of Mints

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:36 am
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vgmaster wrote:

Phang wrote:

More info on this 11 gods thingy.

More specific please.

I can't, I only know all of one sentence.

Anyway, can someone get a dictionary definition of atheism all up in this thread so I can whine about strawmanning and misguidance with foundation?

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