[quote='RAD' pid='85409' dateline='1281285163']
[quote]Take Bacon, Newton and Locke for example, whom Jefferson called "the three greatest men in the world."
Not to mention many modern scientists, etc who I would guess you know nothing about.
Perhaps they contemplated questions most atheist haven't even thought about yet, e.g, how did fishermen write similies like Shakespeare?[/quote]
Whilst I don't agree that theists are stupid, I think that citing people who were theists is irrelevant, as most people were theists for most of human history. Skepticism about religion has always been most prominent among the most educated and intelligent, though.
[quote]Can we also agree that stupid, narcissitic evil atheists knocked off way more innocent people than all the ignorant, stupid medieval Christians put together?[/quote]
Perhaps, but I have some objections to this hackneyed argument. 1) This was only because they had modern methods of government, which meant that they were better able to slaughter people than, say, the crusaders. 2) Assuming that you're talking about the Communist regimes, there's no evidence that they did what they did becaue they were atheists, rather than because they were fanatical Communists. 3) If you're also referring to the Nazis, there's little evidence that Hitler was an atheist (and some evidence diectly to the contrary), and most of his followers certainly weren't. In fact, the Nazis capitalised on Christian anti-semitism that had existed for centuries (i.e. the 'fact' that the Jews were 'Christ killers').
[quote]Take Bacon, Newton and Locke for example, whom Jefferson called "the three greatest men in the world."
Not to mention many modern scientists, etc who I would guess you know nothing about.
Perhaps they contemplated questions most atheist haven't even thought about yet, e.g, how did fishermen write similies like Shakespeare?[/quote]
Whilst I don't agree that theists are stupid, I think that citing people who were theists is irrelevant, as most people were theists for most of human history. Skepticism about religion has always been most prominent among the most educated and intelligent, though.
[quote]Can we also agree that stupid, narcissitic evil atheists knocked off way more innocent people than all the ignorant, stupid medieval Christians put together?[/quote]
Perhaps, but I have some objections to this hackneyed argument. 1) This was only because they had modern methods of government, which meant that they were better able to slaughter people than, say, the crusaders. 2) Assuming that you're talking about the Communist regimes, there's no evidence that they did what they did becaue they were atheists, rather than because they were fanatical Communists. 3) If you're also referring to the Nazis, there's little evidence that Hitler was an atheist (and some evidence diectly to the contrary), and most of his followers certainly weren't. In fact, the Nazis capitalised on Christian anti-semitism that had existed for centuries (i.e. the 'fact' that the Jews were 'Christ killers').
'We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart.' H.L. Mencken
'False religion' is the ultimate tautology.
'It is just like man's vanity and impertinence to call an animal dumb because it is dumb to his dull perceptions.' Mark Twain
'I care not much for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.' Abraham Lincoln
'False religion' is the ultimate tautology.
'It is just like man's vanity and impertinence to call an animal dumb because it is dumb to his dull perceptions.' Mark Twain
'I care not much for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.' Abraham Lincoln
