# Atheists, if you found a religious image. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 2, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374 "2008-12-02T18:58:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/41 "2008-12-03T15:10:57Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > WHAT beliefs?? _You’re_ the one religious nuts are always babbling about when they say atheists are believers too? No, I am an atheist\*. I do have a belief. I BELIEVE there is no God. I also believe there is no way the Red Sox can win ever again. And that my little personal website will one day be profitable enough to sustain me and my family. Depending on where you stand on the atheist spectrum, you either don’t believe and don’t care whether others believe, or you believe religion is teh evils and should be fought (or somewhere in between, of course). I think that the more militant atheists would have an issue with somehow fomenting religiosity by providing an image for them to admire/venerate/worship, even if they are doing it for personal gain and laughing at them. \*maybe a deist, but that’s a different discussion ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/42 "2008-12-03T15:13:28Z")
BTW, my answer to my OP is that I would try to make a profit of it. I have no issue with other people believing in what they want. I might run into trouble with my wife who is a soft Catholic, if the image I find is Catholic friendly (and I am stuffed otherwise considering my location as there would be no market for any other religion’s image). But I would try. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/43 "2008-12-03T15:18:37Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Like **Anaamika** I’d probably be too lazy to do anything more. Alternate thought: Instead of dealing with all the work and hassle involved with organizing pilgrimages by believers, how about a contrary approach? Hold the thing for ransom. “Here’s a web site with a live shot of the image maintained by a web cam. If I don’t get X dollars of donations every month I will (scrub the mold off the wall, saw the knot out of the board, eat the magical muffin, etc). Your continued donations keep the web cam operational.” In other words, “Buy this magazine or we shoot your Messiah.” ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/44 "2008-12-03T15:35:50Z")
> [@ratatoskK](#): > > I wouldn’t do it, because I’m not a huckster. Well, I’m not either, but if it’s ok to sell pieces of wedgewood crystal on e-bay, why not a jesus pancake? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/45 "2008-12-03T15:52:24Z")
Only if it’s something I can sell, not something people have to come to my house to see. Unless they want to buy it for an obscene amount of money, then they can see it all they want. I don’t see it as any exploitation or hyping of Jesus other than to some folks who are already quite keen on buying this sort of thing. So it’s not like I’m going to cause there to be more credulous people in the world. I’m sure there are people of all faiths selling Jesuswares at Christmastime, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/46 "2008-12-03T16:02:09Z")
All of you who’d happily sucker religious fanatics through peridolia – what the Hell are you doing on the SDMB? We’re supposed to be fighting ignorance, not helping to spread it. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/47 "2008-12-03T16:15:21Z")
Making money from stupid people, ok, but I’m sure someone else would have to find it and point it out to me. Hell, if you want to hand me money for looking like Budha (sp) ok. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/48 "2008-12-03T16:18:06Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Plus, I’m a terrible liar. I don’t think I COULD do such a thing. Where’s the lie? I have a tortilla. You want to look at it. (well, not _you_, but the generic you.) Well, if you’re going to be coming on my property I’ve got the right to charge two bucks a gander. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/49 "2008-12-03T16:19:50Z")
I’d commericalise it and give the revenue to a charity of my choice. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/50 "2008-12-03T16:21:33Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > All of you who’d happily sucker religious fanatics through peridolia – what the Hell are you doing on the SDMB? We’re supposed to be fighting ignorance, not helping to spread it. You made me google. My examples go beyond peridolia. I have said they are clear and convincing and used an unpublished JP2 manuscript or a perfectly shaped tree branch that smells of roses and bleeds oil. And in any case, I am not the one claiming it is what it seems. When you exhibit a painting of a can of soup you are not saying it solves hunger. People can like it for whatever reasons they want. Things that look like something else have attracted humans since forever. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/51 "2008-12-03T16:42:07Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Hells yes. If I would except anyone to refrain, it would be the religious (though they never seem to.) Why would an atheist have a problem with this? I agree. You’d think someone who believed would have more problems making money off a religious image of who/what they believe in. Plus, they’d probably want to keep it. What do I need with Grilled Cheese Mary? ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/52 "2008-12-03T16:44:49Z")
> [@badbadrubberpiggy](#): > > I agree. You’d think someone who believed would have more problems making money off a religious image of who/what they believe in. > > Plus, they’d probably want to keep it. > > What do I need with Grilled Cheese Mary? Not so quick, it could be a religious person finding an image of a different religion. ---
**Author:** ![UncaStuart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncastuart/32/404_2.png) [@UncaStuart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaStuart)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/53 "2008-12-03T16:52:30Z")
Wouldn’t do anything. It seems counterproductive to reward this kind of credulous believer with another affirmation of their faith, no matter how silly. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/54 "2008-12-03T17:56:23Z")
I don’t have the follow-through to do much, but, no, I wouldn’t have any problem making money from it. People who are religious are wrong, IMO, but that’s fine. When the belief crosses the (imaginary, arbitrary) line into believing that there’s Jesus in the pattern of water stains on the walls, I facepalm, and lose a LOT of respect. It would be exploiting stupidity, not faith. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/55 "2008-12-03T18:03:51Z")
I wondered about how many people would pay for a mold image of Buddha, so I Googled it. 71,000 hits. The market appears [pretty saturated](http://cgi.ebay.com/Happy-Buddha-Mold-Plaster-Cement-Craft-MOLD_W0QQitemZ330262547998QQcmdZViewItem). ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/56 "2008-12-03T18:55:23Z")
> [@Sapo](#): > > No, I am an atheist\*. I do have a belief. I BELIEVE there is no God. See, I just don’t believe there is one. > [@Sapo](#): > > I think that the more militant atheists would have an issue with somehow fomenting religiosity by providing an image for them to admire/venerate/worship, even if they are doing it for personal gain and laughing at them. The more stuffy, maybe. The first time I heard the term militant atheist it was Douglas Adams describing himself. I could see him or his buddy Richard Dawkins getting a kick out of it. And I really wouldn’t see it as fomenting popular religion. People who think Jesus appeared in the snot pattern on your kleenex, and are willing to pay large sums of money for it and/or pray to it, are not threatening to become mainstream. ---
**Author:** ![Necroscopics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ba9def/32.png) [@Necroscopics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necroscopics)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/57 "2008-12-03T20:59:28Z")
> [@Sapo](#): > > This is, I think, the real crux of the matter. By promoting the image (whether you make money or not) you are encouraging religiosity, therefore acting against your beliefs as an atheist. > [@Sapo](#): > > BTW, my answer to my OP is that I would try to make a profit of it. I have no issue with other people believing in what they want. I might run into trouble with my wife who is a soft Catholic, if the image I find is Catholic friendly (and I am stuffed otherwise considering my location as there would be no market for any other religion’s image). But I would try. So you’re one of _those_ people. Also. What is a soft catholic? Did you just call your wife retarded\*? Or is she more like a soft cheese? This is tongue in cheek. I really don’t mean to offend your wife. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/58 "2008-12-04T01:44:18Z")
Soft Catholic as in if you ask her, she will say she is Catholic but she doesn’t know where the nearest church is. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/59 "2008-12-04T01:46:55Z")
Taking money from gullible idiots is offensive behaviour. I would never do any such thing, and it repulses me to even think about it. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374/60 "2008-12-04T09:28:27Z")
I wouldn’t have a problem as long as I wasn’t telling people I personally found it to be spiritually significant. I see it as similar to if I found an image of Elvis. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-if-you-found-a-religious-image/475374.md?page=4)