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Prayer to the God of Atheism
#11
RE: Prayer to the God of Atheism
I feel quite differently about "He's a jolly good fellow" and the pledge of allegiance. I have never felt forced by authority figures to say the former. Encouraged, yes, but not at all the way the pledge of allegiance was expected of one.

It is, as you say, "We should never be compelled to speak someone else's words..." That is enough, and the rest of your sentence can be dropped.

"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
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#12
RE: Prayer to the God of Atheism
(May 13, 2015 at 10:00 pm)Pyrrho Wrote: I feel quite differently about "He's a jolly good fellow" and the pledge of allegiance.  I have never felt forced by authority figures to say the former.  Encouraged, yes, but not at all the way the pledge of allegiance was expected of one.

It is, as you say, "We should never be compelled to speak someone else's words..."  That is enough, and the rest of your sentence can be dropped.

The next time a group is singing, "He's a jolly good fellow", be silent. See how the rest of the group regards you.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.

Albert Einstein
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#13
RE: Prayer to the God of Atheism
(May 13, 2015 at 10:04 pm)AFTT47 Wrote:
(May 13, 2015 at 10:00 pm)Pyrrho Wrote: I feel quite differently about "He's a jolly good fellow" and the pledge of allegiance.  I have never felt forced by authority figures to say the former.  Encouraged, yes, but not at all the way the pledge of allegiance was expected of one.

It is, as you say, "We should never be compelled to speak someone else's words..."  That is enough, and the rest of your sentence can be dropped.

The next time a group is singing, "He's a jolly good fellow", be silent. See how the rest of the group regards you.

It has been a while, but I have done that.  There were no problems that I observed.  That contrasts with the pledge, where I had to mouth the words to avoid having a teacher say something to me.

However, we agree on the broader point, that people should not be compelled to recite things, at least not without some particular reason for having such a requirement.

"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
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#14
RE: Prayer to the God of Atheism
(May 13, 2015 at 9:54 pm)AFTT47 Wrote: Even when I was young, I hated saying the Pledge of Allegiance. I even hated saying or receiving, He's a jolly good fellow. It's because reciting something by rote is robotic - even if you agree with the sentiment. Compelling a human being to act like a robot is disrespectful. We all have our own minds. We are all perfectly capable of speaking with our own voices. We should never be compelled to speak someone else's words - even if we agree with them - like a robot.

I didn't ask you to recite anything. This is just a parody of the 23rd Psalm that I made up for fun.  I guess I took it for granted that people would recognize it since it's such a part of American culture. If you compare what I've written to the original and see it for what it is then maybe you will understand what I was trying to do.  I'm a poet not a scientist and I like to play with words and have fun.  It would be different if I proffered this as some kind of  philosophy for you guys to follow, but I did not.
The god who allows children to be raped out of respect for the free will choice of the rapist, but punishes gay men for engaging in mutually consensual sex couldn't possibly be responsible for an intelligently designed universe.

I may defend your right to free speech, but i won't help you pass out flyers.

Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.
--Voltaire

Nietzsche isn't dead. How do I know he lives? He lives in my mind.
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#15
RE: Prayer to the God of Atheism
I figured that the prayer to the god of atheism would go something like "hello? Hello? HELLO??!?!?"
"Well, evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts don't go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced Newton's in this century, but apples didn't suspend themselves in midair, pending the outcome. And humans evolved from ape- like ancestors whether they did so by Darwin's proposed mechanism or by some other yet to be discovered."

-Stephen Jay Gould
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#16
RE: Prayer to the God of Atheism
Maybe we do need a 'god' of atheism ?

A tall strapping virile manly . . .


Oh, never mind. I'm just horny again . . .
 The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it. 




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#17
RE: Prayer to the God of Atheism
Reminds me of the flying spaghetti monster prayer

Our pasta, who art in a colander,
Draining be your noodles.
Thy noodle come,
Thy sauce be yum,
On top some grated parmesan.
Give us this day our garlic bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trample on our lawns.
And lead us not into vegetarianism, but deliver us some pizza,
For thine is the meatball, the noodle, and the sauce, forever and ever.
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#18
RE: Prayer to the God of Atheism
(May 14, 2015 at 10:39 am)vorlon13 Wrote: Maybe we do need a 'god' of atheism ?
[Image: 20070422.gif]
How will we know, when the morning comes, we are still human? - 2D

Don't worry, my friend.  If this be the end, then so shall it be.
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#19
RE: Prayer to the God of Atheism
(May 14, 2015 at 9:47 am)Rhondazvous Wrote:
(May 13, 2015 at 9:54 pm)AFTT47 Wrote: Even when I was young, I hated saying the Pledge of Allegiance. I even hated saying or receiving, He's a jolly good fellow. It's because reciting something by rote is robotic - even if you agree with the sentiment. Compelling a human being to act like a robot is disrespectful. We all have our own minds. We are all perfectly capable of speaking with our own voices. We should never be compelled to speak someone else's words - even if we agree with them - like a robot.

I didn't ask you to recite anything. This is just a parody of the 23rd Psalm that I made up for fun.  I guess I took it for granted that people would recognize it since it's such a part of American culture. If you compare what I've written to the original and see it for what it is then maybe you will understand what I was trying to do.  I'm a poet not a scientist and I like to play with words and have fun.  It would be different if I proffered this as some kind of  philosophy for you guys to follow, but I did not.

Naw, people are just reacting to the thought of institutional atheism and the idea of a prayer .. ugh, yucky.  But I thought it was clever word play and fun.  You might have to toss in the occasional emoticon next time but please do keep sharing.
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#20
RE: Prayer to the God of Atheism
(May 14, 2015 at 10:39 am)vorlon13 Wrote: Maybe we do need a 'god' of atheism ?

A tall strapping virile manly . . .


Oh, never mind.  I'm just horny again . . .

No, don't stop. Why not have a whole pantheon of tall, strapping, virile, manly, determined-minded, soft-touching, strong-thinking, loud-loving, pretty-smiling, big-eating, gentle-teasing, honey-kissing, eyes-twinkling gods?

(May 14, 2015 at 10:41 am)Mental Outlaw Wrote: Reminds me of the flying spaghetti monster prayer

Our pasta, who art in a colander,
Draining be your noodles.
Thy noodle come,
Thy sauce be yum,
On top some grated parmesan.
Give us this day our garlic bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trample on our lawns.
And lead us not into vegetarianism, but deliver us some pizza,
For thine is the meatball, the noodle, and the sauce, forever and ever.

This is hilarious. Thanks.

(May 14, 2015 at 11:38 am)whateverist Wrote:
(May 14, 2015 at 9:47 am)Rhondazvous Wrote: I didn't ask you to recite anything. This is just a parody of the 23rd Psalm that I made up for fun.  I guess I took it for granted that people would recognize it since it's such a part of American culture. If you compare what I've written to the original and see it for what it is then maybe you will understand what I was trying to do.  I'm a poet not a scientist and I like to play with words and have fun.  It would be different if I proffered this as some kind of  philosophy for you guys to follow, but I did not.

Naw, people are just reacting to the thought of institutional atheism and the idea of a prayer .. ugh, yucky.  But I thought it was clever word play and fun.  You might have to toss in the occasional emoticon next time but please do keep sharing.
Institutionalized atheism? As likely as a flock of eagles.
The god who allows children to be raped out of respect for the free will choice of the rapist, but punishes gay men for engaging in mutually consensual sex couldn't possibly be responsible for an intelligently designed universe.

I may defend your right to free speech, but i won't help you pass out flyers.

Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.
--Voltaire

Nietzsche isn't dead. How do I know he lives? He lives in my mind.
Reply



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