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RE: Don't just focus on Islam.
February 11, 2015 at 9:19 am
The moment fanatical Roman Catholics, Buddhists, Amish, Westboro Baptists, or extremists of any other religion/cult start killing civilians for offending their beliefs - we we'll be all over them, like flies on shit.
Sure - other religions have sinister past . But most of the Islamic world lives in Middle Ages - pre-reformation. We can't wait another 500 years for them to catch up and stop killing people for expressing opinions or creating art.
So, yeah - do focus on Islam. We'll deal with people who knock on your door to waste your time, AFTER we've dealt with people who knock on your door to kill you.
Just my personal opinion.
"The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one." - George Bernard Shaw
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RE: Don't just focus on Islam.
February 11, 2015 at 9:26 am
(This post was last modified: February 11, 2015 at 9:29 am by robvalue.)
To me, the enemies are "faith" and the myth that a book can be magically true. If we can get it through people's heads that these are both stupid things then the world would be a better place in my opinion. If the bible and koran were just sitting in the fiction section next to all the other books, and there wasn't a myth being perpetuated that these books were magic, they would hurt virtually no one. And if people learn to use their brain rather than accept any nonsense "on faith" then that would be a major breakthrough.
To me, everyone who perpetuates these bad ideas is propping up the whole problem. They are making it seem valid and acceptable. Because sadly, most people fall for the argument from popularity fallacy. They shouldn't, but they do.
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RE: Tar Heel turns State red.
February 11, 2015 at 2:04 pm
Every group has their crazies. Some more than others.
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RE: Tar Heel turns State red.
February 12, 2015 at 9:41 am
(This post was last modified: February 12, 2015 at 9:47 am by Brian37.)
I have been in a 2 year feud with atheists on another website over agreeing with Hitchens calling religion poison. The absurdity is that Hitchens wrote that book in 07 and these same atheists said nothing back then, and only jumped on me almost 2 years ago when I simply agreed with him.
"Atheist" is as I keep repeating, a position, not a religion, not a moral code. These same atheists wont give me credit, thinking I am a big meany to religion and just like fundies for agreeing with Hitchens. "Atheist" currently CURRENTLY is not treated as a religion, I hope it never gets to that point, but the future is not a given and it could potentially get twisted from the mere position the word denotes, into a dogmatic political entity we call religion.
"Atheist" should always remain a position only. It should never be treated as a moral code, political party and especially not be turned into a religion.
I even when as far as posting one audio Chapter to these fellow atheists to show them that Hitchens indictment of religion was never a call to violence to end it. He even admits that it will not go away in that chapter.
I am anti theist in the same context I am an anti unicornist or anti flat earther. I am not anti human rights. And no sane atheist, including Hitchens or Dawkins ever or should ever condone what this atheist did. Our ability to be cruel or compassionate is in our evolution, our individual actions and completely independent of the labels we assign ourselves or others.
My favorite part of this chapter is where Hitchens pays Homage to Antigone in agreeing with her condemnation of desecration.
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RE: Tar Heel turns State red.
February 12, 2015 at 11:00 am
(This post was last modified: February 12, 2015 at 11:05 am by robvalue.)
I've never heard a (sane) atheist advocate violence, ever. Not that I recall anyway.
