Our server costs ~$56 per month to run. Please consider donating or becoming a Patron to help keep the site running. Help us gain new members by following us on Twitter and liking our page on Facebook!
Current time: March 29, 2024, 9:37 am

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
A powerful quote
#1
A powerful quote
I read this and was stuned, what do you think?

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful" - Edward Gibbon (Offen misattributed to Lucius Annaeus Seneca or Seneca the Younger) (Thanks to apophenia for the correction)
'I am driven by two main philosophies:
Know more about the world than I knew yesterday and lessen the suffering of others. You'd be surprised how far that gets you' - Neil deGrasse Tyson
"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it." - Mark Twain
Reply
#2
RE: A powerful quote
Nope. Logic requires no rudeness. In fact, it's best served, paired with kindness, or by itself.
Reply
#3
RE: A powerful quote
The size of that image gives tl;dr a new meaning.
Reply
#4
RE: A powerful quote
(January 29, 2013 at 2:15 am)Gilgamesh Wrote: Nope. Logic requires no rudeness. In fact, it's best served, paired with kindness, or by itself.

I agree. Any atheist who is downright obnoxious in their dealings with religious people shouldn't be surprised that some religious people regard atheists as the root of all evil.
Badger Badger Badger Badger Where are the snake and mushroom smilies?
Reply
#5
RE: A powerful quote
(January 29, 2013 at 3:52 pm)John V Wrote: The size of that image gives tl;dr a new meaning.

Agreed. Please, people, give in to the power of the [imgfit] tag!

As to the quote itself, I agree that rudeness serves to undermine whatever point is being made, as well as giving one's opponent an excuse to claim the high ground. On the other hand, sometimes it can feel justified even when it isn't.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist.  This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair.  Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second.  That means there's a situation vacant.'
Reply
#6
RE: A powerful quote
Young children believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy anyway so I don't think God and a belief in the afterlife would do them much harm. As long as you're not teaching them that infidels burn forever in hell or something.
Reply
#7
RE: A powerful quote
I'm rude plenty often, but I'm not going to pretend it's for anything but myself... ever Tongue
Please give me a home where cloud buffalo roam
Where the dear and the strangers can play
Where sometimes is heard a discouraging word
But the skies are not stormy all day
Reply
#8
RE: A powerful quote

Quote:For a lot of people, their first love is what they'll always remember. For me it's always been the first hate, and I think that hatred, though it provides often rather junky energy, is a terrific way of getting you out of bed in the morning and keeping you going. If you don't let it get out of hand, it can be canalized into writing. In this country where people love to be nonjudgmental when they can be, which translates as, on the whole, lenient, there are an awful lot of bubble reputations floating around that one wouldn't be doing one's job if one didn't itch to prick.

My own opinion is enough for me, and I claim the right to have it defended against any consensus, any majority, anywhere, any place, any time. And anyone who disagrees with this can pick a number, get in line and kiss my ass.

Christopher Hitchens

Quote:A common point of contention between atheists and religious theists is whether it's legitimate, appropriate, or advisable to mock, ridicule, or satirize religious beliefs. Religious believers object to this, which is no surprise, but they don't object so much when nonreligious opinions are mocked or satirized. They don't allow that mocking and satire can be legitimate tools of criticism.

Austin Cline, About.com guide to Atheism/Agnosticism

Quote:‘It’s now very common to hear people say, “I’m rather offended by that”, as if that gives them certain rights. It’s no more than a whine. It has no meaning, it has no purpose, it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. “I’m offended by that.” Well, so fucking what?’

Stephen Fry

Quote:“Under certain circumstances profanity provides relief denied even to prayer.”

Mark Twain

And I can't find proper quotations for them, the first likely being anonymous, "If you don't like me laughing at your beliefs, don't have such funny beliefs," and, paraphrasing, "Some ideas are so absurd that the only appropriate response is ridicule."

Oh, and for what it's worth, I think Dennett may be getting over the hill.


[Image: extraordinarywoo-sig.jpg]
Reply
#9
RE: A powerful quote
Rudeness, obnoxiousness, kindness etc are such subjective terms. Some people consider anything but complete acceptance of their views and beliefs to be rude.

For example, my extended family is not only deeply religious, but also very conservative regarding what career I should have, what kind of girl I should marry and what kind of lifestyle I should have. When confronted with these ideas, I always reject them summarily. But according to my mother, doing so to their face is being rude and obnoxious.

My position is, as long as you are being honest, don't give a damn about being polite.
Reply
#10
RE: A powerful quote
(January 30, 2013 at 3:12 pm)genkaus Wrote: Rudeness, obnoxiousness, kindness etc are such subjective terms. Some people consider anything but complete acceptance of their views and beliefs to be rude.

Maybe some of us are defining it as making the kind of comments which are generally regarded as insulting. If others take politeness as rudeness just because we disagree with them there's nothing we can do about that.
Badger Badger Badger Badger Where are the snake and mushroom smilies?
Reply



Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Make up your own atheistic quote Transcended Dimensions 56 9505 October 30, 2017 at 9:04 am
Last Post: brewer
  Great quote from Carl Sagan. Jehanne 0 1005 December 30, 2015 at 9:13 am
Last Post: Jehanne
  Is There an Atheist Groups Powerful Enough to Counter Fox and Protect Gay Rights Rhondazvous 6 1721 September 14, 2015 at 3:03 am
Last Post: Thumpalumpacus
  A quote on the shame/pride angle of Christianity Emcelhannon 3 1095 September 3, 2014 at 11:02 pm
Last Post: The Valkyrie
  Excellent quote about atheism Phil 9 5271 March 13, 2012 at 3:02 pm
Last Post: Voltair
  Comments on A Discussion of the "All-Powerful" Nature of Gods" leo-rcc 7 2988 October 9, 2009 at 6:46 am
Last Post: Ryft



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)