Comments by Theocrapcy
51. What the New Atheists Don't See
Comment #84320 by Theocrapcy on November 1, 2007 at 6:10 pm
An atheist thinks the religious are deluded.
A faith-head thinks atheists will burn in hell for eternity.
Gee, we're so mean to them.
Comment #84315 by Theocrapcy on November 1, 2007 at 6:02 pm
"Faith is a commitment to a form of motivated belief, differing only from scientific reason in the nature of the subject of that belief and the kind of motivations appropriate to it."
Did someone say rhetoric?
53. Jury Awards Father $11M in Funeral Case
Comment #84063 by Theocrapcy on November 1, 2007 at 5:13 am
Phelps is a closet homosexual.
54. Face to faith
Comment #82856 by Theocrapcy on October 28, 2007 at 3:34 am
no need to waste time reading this, basic conclusion:
goddidit
55. Don't write off religion - it can be the key to a stable family
Comment #82578 by Theocrapcy on October 26, 2007 at 7:19 pm
I find it incredible that people like this simply refuse outright to even attempt to acknowledge the arguments in The God Delusion. Not only that but intentionally misrepresent them.
Why even bother? What is the point of writing such inane piffle? Please, come up with some new arguments or at least stop diggging up old ones without even bothering to explore their history.
Boring, usual trash.
But this is what we have come to expect from the Guardian.
Comment #81692 by Theocrapcy on October 25, 2007 at 3:39 am
The answer is simple.
School uniforms.
57. The God Delusion and Alister E McGrath
Comment #81672 by Theocrapcy on October 25, 2007 at 2:51 am
Netscape? Windows Explorer? Get with the program.
58. Pascal's Wager
Comment #81578 by Theocrapcy on October 24, 2007 at 11:19 pm
At least the Flying Spaghetti Monster gives us something to look forward to, such as beer volcanoes and strippers. So long as the beer is cold and the strippers hot, I'm in.
59. I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist
Comment #81568 by Theocrapcy on October 24, 2007 at 11:02 pm
"Atheism is not lack of belief in God, it is the belief that God doesn't exist."
Again, it comes back to reasonable vs unreasonable faith. The antagonist in this argument is suggesting that bad faith equates to reasonable faith, but is also tarnishing the atheist with the same critical brush leveled at religion.
It is, all in all, a bad argument. It's a bit like Homer saying to Flanders when they both lose a bet and have to wear their respective wife's Sunday dress while mowing the lawn: "...small price to pay to see Flanders humiliate himself!".
http://www.gifs.net/Animation11/Creatures_and_Cartoons/Cartoons_Simpsons/Hommer_mows.gif
Although it's not such a small price for the religious argument.
60. Science and Religion BOTH make faith claims
Comment #81553 by Theocrapcy on October 24, 2007 at 10:41 pm
There is nothing wrong with having faith or belief when it is reasonable. I believe that the light in the fridge will come on when I open the door, but if it doesn't I have faith in knowing the cause of its failure. This is reasonable. However, if I make the claim the Earth is only six thousand years old because the bible suggests it, in the face of all the contrary evidence, I have nothing but faith to rely upon.
Religion requires faith, science delivers us from its necessity.
61. That's not MY God or Religion you're criticising
Comment #81547 by Theocrapcy on October 24, 2007 at 10:30 pm
Then it seems your god is able to morph into any form so to avoid criticism. A rather human characteristic I would submit.
62. Atheism is a religion and you're as bad as the fundamentalists
Comment #81544 by Theocrapcy on October 24, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Define atheism first and see if religion fits.
63. You can't be moral without God!
Comment #81486 by Theocrapcy on October 24, 2007 at 8:20 pm
"Abortion and contraception are the greatest threats to peace in the world today"
How on Earth is that a moral statement? If you read between the lines, Mother Tereza rellay meant to say: "Rape is preferable to abortion, and AIDS is better than using a condom. A reasonable person, atheist or not, would not admit such a thing, as it has no morality.
Comment #81119 by Theocrapcy on October 24, 2007 at 7:15 am
ChrisMcL, what the frick is your problem? If you don't like Tabash don't listen to him, if you really are on our side (which I doubt anyway, you seem like a typical xian out-of-the-woodwork troll) then you'll appreciate that every activist for the cause has a different approach and every bit helps.
Now go and crawl back under your bible.
Comment #81053 by Theocrapcy on October 24, 2007 at 1:32 am
What is AAI 07?
66. FFRF 07 Conference Footage
Comment #81050 by Theocrapcy on October 24, 2007 at 1:24 am
That first video link is naff as well.
67. War in Heaven: Hitchens Meets D'Souza on Home Turf
Comment #80999 by Theocrapcy on October 23, 2007 at 9:45 pm
"According to Hitchens, morality is nothing but a chemical reaction in the brain," explained Mr. Sorba. "If right and wrong is determined by instinct, than it means we're nothing more than genetic meat puppets dangling from the strings of our DNA!"
And if you accept that maybe you will start to appreciate the life you have and stop telling others how to live theirs. Nutjob.
Comment #80959 by Theocrapcy on October 23, 2007 at 5:05 pm
"if you are serious about your religion, be consistent and honest and accept the consequences"
Excellent turn of phrase Mr Grayling, bravo. We need to continue to turn the language of secularism back at the faith-heads and remind them that they are beholden to the laws and norms of modern society, not the other way around as they would have us all accept without question or criticism.
69. Downward, Christian soldier
Comment #80706 by Theocrapcy on October 22, 2007 at 5:36 pm
I get the feeling the good General also uses his religion to forgive him the sins of sending soldiers off to their deaths. Must feel all warm and cudly knowing that Jebus fogives him anything.
Comment #80480 by Theocrapcy on October 22, 2007 at 12:19 am
Maybe next time Bibby can ask consider the following issues in a poll about values and qualities held by the religious.
Genital mutilation
Gay discrimination
Refusing condoms to AIDS riddled Africans
Pedophilia in the church
Support for the NAZIs
Fatwahs
Suicide bombers
Al Qaeda
The inquisition
The crusades
Stoning of adulterers
Disgraced televaneglists (is there any other kind?)
the list goes on. I'd love to know just how much goodness his studies would get out of these questions.
But of course, it's the extremists.
Comment #80441 by Theocrapcy on October 21, 2007 at 9:00 pm
Haha, just left the shoes. Waste not want not. Little devils.
72. Does fundamentalist religion cause the rejection of evolution? or is it the other way around?
Comment #80423 by Theocrapcy on October 21, 2007 at 6:52 pm
I think what is intuitive or not is a subjective experience. But let's for a minute accept that to some people, for whatever reason, that evolution requires a leap of intuition. But once that first hurdle is crossed, evolution is intuitive. In other words, it may be unintuitive for some to grasp with, but after the "a ha" moment, it becomes a sweet, simple, and obvious idea.
Same thing with general relativity, you have to shift your mind to understand it, but once it is grasped it seems most intuitive. And there is nothing wrong with that. Just because a theory is or is not intuitive does not make it wrong or right. It seems intuition is a convenient weapon against theories that some people simply refuse to accept, and have no problem living with unintuitive notions that might support their improbable religio-cult theories.
Again, this is all moot if you ask me, and largely a semantic debate that takes away from the real issues.
73. Make Richard Dawkins a Knight
Comment #80417 by Theocrapcy on October 21, 2007 at 6:32 pm
This petition is for Brits only right?
In any case I highly support such a move, and it would make a huge impact for the cause of reason and secularism. I kind of think that the current govt - being as it is so faith-headed - may not be so keen.
74. Does fundamentalist religion cause the rejection of evolution? or is it the other way around?
Comment #80218 by Theocrapcy on October 20, 2007 at 7:47 pm
I think it's counter-intuitive to accept that the theory of evolution is counter-intuitive. To me at least. It seems to be the most accessible, commonsense theory of anything we have come to understand. It just makes sense, in a way that religious beliefs do not.
People just don't want to let go of their security-blanket beliefs. And I don't think they care very much how rational or not they are. Religion is taught from a very young age, the indoctrinations are very convincing to a child, especially of catholics. For many people it sticks to them as part of their personality, and no amount of rationale or logic will stand in the way.
Getting into debates over which causes the rejection of what is a distraction. The important point is that we are allowing children to become irrational adults, and in my view if a child is taught religion, in the academic sense, in the same way it is taught about evolution, without being indoctrinated though fear and worship, I think reason will always win out.
And this is what the establishment fears, which is where our efforts should be focused. We protect them from wanton sexual abuse, we should also protect them from (and incriminate those who attempt) mental abuse, which we all know can lead to far worse things.
75. Help Counter the New Atheist Crusade to 'Evangelize' America!
Comment #79475 by Theocrapcy on October 17, 2007 at 11:29 am
Dear Xian,
Skepticism = good
non-verifiability = bad
repeat after me...
76. Debate between Christopher Hitchens and Alister McGrath
Comment #79167 by Theocrapcy on October 16, 2007 at 11:16 am
Alistair McGrath is a nonce. Hitch wiped the floor with him.
77. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams criticizes popular atheist writers
Comment #78595 by Theocrapcy on October 13, 2007 at 5:37 pm
BISHOP IN ATHEIST CRITICISM SHOCKER
78. Muslims tell Christians: 'Make peace with us or survival of world is at stake'
Comment #78068 by Theocrapcy on October 11, 2007 at 5:50 pm
This is all good and well, but the problem is more a clash of civilisations rather than religion. Xianity is only slightly more modernised than Islam, but both need to drag their knuckles out of the iron age and face the fact that faith is the problem, not the solution.
79. The Religious Right's New Tactics for Invading Public Schools
Comment #77379 by Theocrapcy on October 9, 2007 at 6:52 am
I'd love to see the looks on their flabby, palid faces when Moslem call to prayer starts belting out over the PA system.
Protect one religion, protect them all.
80. The Religious Right's New Tactics for Invading Public Schools
Comment #77367 by Theocrapcy on October 9, 2007 at 6:17 am
Yarrrrrrrrrrr!
81. Response to My Fellow 'Atheists'
Comment #77164 by Theocrapcy on October 8, 2007 at 4:05 pm
This is a battle over semantics and one I think is ultimately pointless. I'm surprised Sam is so stuck on this issue, especially when we're trying to encourage people to "come out".
82. A Nation of Christians Is Not a Christian Nation
Comment #76774 by Theocrapcy on October 7, 2007 at 7:44 am
Here's me thinking America was a democratic nation.
83. Interview with Richard Dawkins
Comment #76685 by Theocrapcy on October 6, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Richard, your avatar is too distracting. ;)
84. Norway flourishes as secular nation
Comment #76125 by Theocrapcy on October 4, 2007 at 7:28 pm
"I'm sure Norway is a beautiful country and I'd love to visit, but I think I'll pass giving up my US citizenship and moving there."
Funny thing is a lot of people say that about the USA.
Comment #75525 by Theocrapcy on October 2, 2007 at 11:43 pm
I hear and understand what Sam is saying, and I quite like his warning to us that we may be missing something more meditative on principle. And no, we shouldn't be satisfied as being portrayed as a negative force.
However, this is idealistic and the world is always going to partition people and cultures into groups. At the moment the Atheism label is being thrown at us, and it is sticking. The best we can hope to do to overcome this is to turn the label around (and the N word is a terrible but comparable example). Once the word is diffused it can then be more easily shed, once it no longer is a derogatory term, then we will have something by which to measure progress.
It is unfortunate, but the label will continue to be applied. We have a choice to do nothing and keep taking the flak, or stand up and reclaim the word.
Win the semantic battle first.
Comment #75468 by Theocrapcy on October 2, 2007 at 6:09 pm
"Christian think-tank"
MOTTO: Just pray it.
Comment #75465 by Theocrapcy on October 2, 2007 at 6:06 pm
"Christian think-tank"
MOTTO: Jesus good. Mohammed bad.
Comment #75464 by Theocrapcy on October 2, 2007 at 5:59 pm
"Christian think-tank"
MOTTO: Leave the thinking to Him.
89. Logical Path from Religious Beliefs to Evil Deeds
Comment #75462 by Theocrapcy on October 2, 2007 at 5:49 pm
kerrleau, ever heard of THE LAW?
90. Logical Path from Religious Beliefs to Evil Deeds
Comment #75461 by Theocrapcy on October 2, 2007 at 5:47 pm
devolved: "The claim makes no attempt to distinguish between religions. If your leader teaches you to love your neighbour as yourself and to love your enemy then it's hard to see any logical path."
What ever happened to growing up and making up your own mind about things that were tought to you in early life? A lot easier in a westernised culture, which I am assuming you are from (so you are free to release yourself from the shackles of your indoctrination if you wish to), but what about being brought up in a culture where this kind of avenue is impossible.
Ayan Hirsi Ali's book puts it perfectly - there is no choice, particularly for women, so they just go through the motions, and just don't question why - there is no other choice.
If given a choice, I believe humans will always tend to the secular. Religious rule always requires absolutism. The freest nations in the world are examples of this, and you will find are secular not out of some moral lapse in judgement, but because they come to realise freedom means exactly that - to be free to practice, or not, any religion and separation of church and state is crucial to any notion of a free society.
Why is this? because religion refuses to let go of its ancient, outdated mindsets, and catch up to reality.
As Billy Connolly once said: don't trust someone who has just one book, you wouldn't trust someone who had just one CD?
91. Logical Path from Religious Beliefs to Evil Deeds
Comment #75456 by Theocrapcy on October 2, 2007 at 5:37 pm
If a religionist wishes to understand what the humanist, secular world view of morality may look like, simply point them to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)(http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html). A document that is far to often forgotten, ignored, or simply disregarded as quaint.
An interesting thought experiment might be to ask: how would the UDHR look if it were left to the religious to compose?
92. Letters: Theology has no place in a university
Comment #74916 by Theocrapcy on October 1, 2007 at 5:45 am
It can stay on the proviso the subject name is changed to my moniker.
93. Religion as a Force for Good
Comment #74620 by Theocrapcy on September 29, 2007 at 5:46 pm
I have no idea at all the point of this gushing. A weak moment Iam?
94. The Saudi connection that belittles Britain
Comment #73383 by Theocrapcy on September 24, 2007 at 10:58 pm
The police dept in this case should be reprimanded and fined for wasting taxpayers money and the courts time.
95. Talking Action Figure Jesus
Comment #73381 by Theocrapcy on September 24, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Jesus wins every time:
http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=Jesus&word2=Barbie
96. Keeping the faith at school
Comment #73211 by Theocrapcy on September 24, 2007 at 1:01 pm
I think this would be a great opportunity for one of those documentaries that follows these kids through the rest of their lives, just to study the effects of this abuse. It really is abuse, there's no other way to describe it. Inculcating a child's mind with such nonsense - no wonder people like Bush get into the White House.
97. Why are we Muslims so self-destructive?
Comment #73209 by Theocrapcy on September 24, 2007 at 12:59 pm
When you think about it, strict adherence to any religion is dehumanising. In an Orwellian way.
98. Religion advances despite science (and thanks to Dawkins)
Comment #73003 by Theocrapcy on September 23, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Tristan Farrow knows nothing about anything.
Which makes him a perfect religionist.
99. Row Brews Over DUP Call for Schools to Teach Creationism
Comment #72592 by Theocrapcy on September 21, 2007 at 8:01 pm
Holy crap, don't these people ever take the hint?
100. Why Christians should take Richard Dawkins seriously
Comment #72295 by Theocrapcy on September 20, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Wait, don't tell me.
- Dawkins doesn't understand God.
- Christians are thankful for the opportunity.
- Dawkins is not a theologian and cannot speak.
- Dawkins' picture of God is not the god we believe in.
Sound about right?
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