Quote:I've always wondered why religious folk (especially Christians) don't throw massive parties to celebrate the death of a loved one

Because....at the end of the day...they are full of shit.

(September 2, 2011 at 7:21 am)Rwandrall Wrote: Because they think life is a precious gift that should never be removed by another human being ?

But by their beliefs removing the life support should then put it in their god's hands and not man's.

People have a tendency, when in danger, to trust the guy in the room with them as opposed to the one floating above it.

(September 3, 2011 at 5:05 am)Rokcet Scientist Wrote: Playing both sides against the middle, 'reverend'?



A shaman is a witch doctor is a shaman is a witch doctor.
You can't both have your cake and eat it of course.

Do your research on the ULC. It is an organisation which exists primarily to ordain people who want to be ordained free of charge, even if they don't believe in God. And I did it just because I thought, at the time, "Why the Hell not?" Several atheists have been ordained by them, from the Beatles (on one of their three tour stops at San Francisco, possibly before their last concert at Candlestick Park) to Hunter S. Thompson (who do you think gave Raoul Duke his Doctorate in journalism?) to several prominent atheist activists like Madalyn Murray O'Hair and Michael Newdow.

You can get ordained yourself: ulc.net. You don't need to believe in anything supernatural, and you don't even need to have a cent in your bank account. As a matter of fact, this is a case where you can have your cake and eat it.

(September 6, 2011 at 3:58 pm)Rev. Rye Wrote:

(September 3, 2011 at 5:05 am)Rokcet Scientist Wrote: Playing both sides against the middle, 'reverend'?



A shaman is a witch doctor is a shaman is a witch doctor.
You can't both have your cake and eat it of course.

Do your research on the ULC. It is an organisation which exists primarily to ordain people who want to be ordained free of charge, even if they don't believe in God. And I did it just because I thought, at the time, "Why the Hell not?" Several atheists have been ordained by them, from the Beatles (on one of their three tour stops at San Francisco, possibly before their last concert at Candlestick Park) to Hunter S. Thompson (who do you think gave Raoul Duke his Doctorate in journalism?) to several prominent atheist activists like Madalyn Murray O'Hair and Michael Newdow.

You can get ordained yourself: ulc.net. You don't need to believe in anything supernatural, and you don't even need to have a cent in your bank account. As a matter of fact, this is a case where you can have your cake and eat it.

I.o.w. that ordination is plain bullshit. A fraud. Making it look like the ordained is 'special', better than someone not ordained. I.o.w. better than 'ordinary' people. So it's basically simply arrogant elitism. No different from 'regular' priests, ministers, mullahs, rabbis, or any other shaman/witch doctor.

(September 6, 2011 at 10:46 pm)Rokcet Scientist Wrote:

(September 6, 2011 at 3:58 pm)Rev. Rye Wrote:

(September 3, 2011 at 5:05 am)Rokcet Scientist Wrote: Playing both sides against the middle, 'reverend'?



A shaman is a witch doctor is a shaman is a witch doctor.
You can't both have your cake and eat it of course.

Do your research on the ULC. It is an organisation which exists primarily to ordain people who want to be ordained free of charge, even if they don't believe in God. And I did it just because I thought, at the time, "Why the Hell not?" Several atheists have been ordained by them, from the Beatles (on one of their three tour stops at San Francisco, possibly before their last concert at Candlestick Park) to Hunter S. Thompson (who do you think gave Raoul Duke his Doctorate in journalism?) to several prominent atheist activists like Madalyn Murray O'Hair and Michael Newdow.

You can get ordained yourself: ulc.net. You don't need to believe in anything supernatural, and you don't even need to have a cent in your bank account. As a matter of fact, this is a case where you can have your cake and eat it.

I.o.w. that ordination is plain bullshit. A fraud. Making it look like the ordained is 'special', better than someone not ordained. I.o.w. better than 'ordinary' people. So it's basically simply arrogant elitism. No different from 'regular' priests, ministers, mullahs, rabbis, or any other shaman/witch doctor.

Yeah, it pretty much is. In my view, about the only difference between the SubGenius, the Church of the FSM, the Discordians, and the ULC are that the previous three have an actual doctrine and the latter one gives one the right to legally perform marriages in some jurisdictions. And where have I (or, for that matter, any other known ULC minister) claimed that ordination has made anyone seem "special"? About the only perks that my ordination has given me is the right to perform legally-recognised marriages (which I haven't done at all yet), and the privilege of adding "Rev." as a legal title, which I have only done on internet forums so far.

(September 7, 2011 at 9:48 am)Rev. Rye Wrote: where have I (or, for that matter, any other known ULC minister) claimed that ordination has made anyone seem "special"?

You personally may have not claimed it, but the 'ordination ritual' (even if only administrative; 99% of people don't know that), title, and powers (e.g. to perform marriages) imply it loud and clear, and Joe Blow, Jane Doe and auntie Meredith eat it up, and you exploit that apparent 'authority'.

I.o.w. it is fraud and elitism, cloaked in 'religion'. No different from any other shaman, witchdoctor, priest, minister, rabbi, or mullah.

Also, what on earth moved you to include that 'title' on an atheist forum? Unless you are trolling, in which case you have succeeded, of course.
It won't give you any perceived authority here! Quite the contrary...

(September 7, 2011 at 11:45 am)Rokcet Scientist Wrote:

(September 7, 2011 at 9:48 am)Rev. Rye Wrote: where have I (or, for that matter, any other known ULC minister) claimed that ordination has made anyone seem "special"?

You personally may have not claimed it, but the 'ordination ritual' (even if only administrative; 99% of people don't know that), title, and powers (e.g. to perform marriages) imply it loud and clear, and Joe Blow, Jane Doe and auntie Meredith eat it up, and you exploit that apparent 'authority'.

I.o.w. it is fraud and elitism, cloaked in 'religion'. No different from any other shaman, witchdoctor, priest, minister, rabbi, or mullah.

Also, what on earth moved you to include that 'title' on an atheist forum? Unless you are trolling, in which case you have succeeded, of course.
It won't give you any perceived authority here! Quite the contrary...

Because I like the irony (verbal irony, I think it is) of an atheist using the title "Reverend," and at least one other forumer, one reverendjeremiah, also uses the title in his username, even though he used the title after me, and I don't know if he is there. All things considered, it seems that it's an irony that most members of the forum can appreciate. And, for that matter, the only people I bothered to tell about it are my parents (and the topic comes up only once in a blue moon), a speech class (and if not for the fact that I needed something that I could use as "credentials" to help my credibility for a pro-choice argument in front of an argument of imaginary Catholic priests, I probably wouldn't have used it), and the people of my last few forums, and I've talked more about it in this thread than I have elsewhere. And given that you've managed to derail a potentially thoughtful thread about euthanasia into haranguing me for a username that nobody in the past few years has really found objectionable and calling me a troll because of it, I must say, in the words of Bo Diddley, "Before You Accuse me, take a look at yourself." I may have developed a reputation on the forums, but it's certainly not because of the fact that I'm ordained, but because I keep myself well-informed about what I'm debating and have some wits about me. Because of the fact that this debate is getting personal, I would kindly suggest that we consider the matter closed, for both our sakes, before a mod steps in and closes this thread and possibly takes further action on us.

And besides, If I want people to think I'm great, I have much better things to brag about than being able to marry people, like my record as two-time all-state College Bowl champion, or being an up-and-coming writer of short stories and plays.

BTW, how would you like to be a French, Italian, or German count? Complete with 13th century landclaims in a picturesque rural valley, eh! And of course the remnants of the ancestral castle. With moat. And all the paperwork including the authenticated original noble letter from the applicable monarch. And a real purdy coat of arms!

I can make you a real sweet deal!

As a matter of fact, this little property just came onto the market. The 99 year old dowager duchess died just yesterday, you see. Lived there all by herself, the poor soul. Since her husband the Duke, Großadmiral Ruprecht von Saufenhausen zu Arschlecken, died for ze cause in ze last days of ze war.



It's called Neuschwannstein Castle (in old Saxon: Nu'dikhed castle).
Would suit you to a tee!
The neighbors haven't got that, have they?

If you're quick I can get you right of first refusal...

We go out kicking and screaming, just like we came into this world.