# Atheists! You really need to stop pissing on the parade! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 27, 2011, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515 "2011-12-27T14:39:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/21 "2011-12-28T00:08:05Z")
n/m, **Mangetout** covered it. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/22 "2011-12-28T02:04:46Z")
So, where’s your Non-Messiah now? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/23 "2011-12-28T02:24:44Z")
Easy to debunk: How do we know that 3 billion years ago, there wasn’t 10.5 times the water there is now? (Yes I know the real problem with the argument, and I know that it’s a parody.) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/24 "2011-12-28T03:14:20Z")
Well, that argument certainly doesn’t hold water… ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/25 "2011-12-28T04:01:09Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Says you! **SB** , just be careful, I never argue with gun-wielding monkeys ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/26 "2011-12-28T04:03:56Z")
Against an adversary which is more muscular, more cunning, faster & larger than I am, how can I possibly dissent? “I have come to give myself up on account of I cannot fight no more against such genius. I have only one last request. I have made out my Theistic Testament, but I need a witness to make it official. Would you please sign it with this fountain pen?” ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/27 "2011-12-28T05:57:48Z")
Got to loooove the goats videos. Who knew they were cute, cumulatively! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/28 "2011-12-28T06:42:46Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Easy to debunk: How do we know that 3 billion years ago, there wasn’t 10.5 times the water there is now? > … There was a shitload more water. Remember the Flood? THAT’S where it all came from, and we’ve been drinking the Flood water ever since. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/29 "2011-12-28T07:03:55Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > **SB** , just be careful, I never argue with gun-wielding monkeys I ain’t a-skeered a nuthin! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.pike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Mr.pike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.pike)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/30 "2011-12-28T07:10:03Z")
What is the opposite of learning something new every day? I think that is what just happened to me! ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/31 "2011-12-28T09:34:19Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Just in case anyone reading here doesn’t realise, the linked argument is a parody, created by the folks at Landover Baptist. ([linky](http://www.landoverbaptist.net/showthread.php?t=69985)) > > I mean, there are creationist arguments like this, and equally as stupid as this, but this one is a joke. O.K., honest question(s). If I do not fashion the question well, it is only because my brain hurts after following your link. The linked post represents the original appearance of the info-graphic? How do you know it was created as a parody (parody of what?) and not as something the creator (small “c”) takes seriously? The responses tend to treat it as a well founded argument. With the exception of one guy, the responses tend to celebrate the original post. Is this messageboard just full of cut-ups? Are they all participating in the great comedic romp? The OP (in the linked Thread from the Landover Board) has a signature that lists (partial list) all the people Jesus would damn. The one voice of reason is shouted down with responses like (in regard to his explanation of _evaporation!_) “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I’ve never even once seen water going back up into the sky,” and “Have you never seen water dry up? Water dries up - it’s what it does.” At another point, the guy explaining evaporation is quoted. In the quote box, his text is redacted with the note “heresy deleted.” That board is filled with _either_[ul][li]Some major league CRAZY[/li][li]or[/li][li]A collection of the most brilliant comedic minds of our time![/li][/ul] So, again, how do you know it’s meant as a parody and not meant to be taken seriously? (again, this is an honest question) ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/32 "2011-12-28T10:47:31Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Is this messageboard just full of cut-ups? Are they all participating in the great comedic romp? Yes. For the most part. Anyone with something like 1,000+ posts or a custom title is just messing around. When you see the people with 5-10 posts, those are mostly real folks - just like many upthread - who assumed the whole thing was genuine and waded in to actually argue against it. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/33 "2011-12-28T14:59:55Z")
Or, I assume, to occasionally agree with them. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/34 "2011-12-28T15:02:31Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > So, where’s your Non-Messiah now? Down the drain, in the clouds, evaporated from the puddle on the sidewalk\*, everywhere and nowhere… \*Did you read the linked thread. I couldn’t make it past page one, but The Damned One only had 8 posts so I’m guessing he didn’t make it far either. ---
**Author:** ![Makeitstop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@Makeitstop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Makeitstop)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/35 "2011-12-28T20:39:48Z")
No, no, please dear sir, you give non-atheists a bad name! You want to know why atheists think most believers are complete idiots? YOU! Unless you aren’t serious, then good on ya for parody, sir. Uh, the more I read, the more my head hurt. Ow, ow, ow… Thanks a lot for the headache. WHY WOULD SOMEONE DO THIS TO HUMANITY? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/36 "2011-12-28T21:35:16Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > O.K., honest question(s). If I do not fashion the question well, it is only because my brain hurts after following your link. > The linked post represents the original appearance of the info-graphic? > How do you know it was created as a parody (parody of what?) and not as something the creator (small “c”) takes seriously? I can’t prove it for sure, but I think it’s fairly obvious. The infographic is (apart from being obviously terribly wrong) actually very well-written as a piece of prose, and (IMO) just ever-so-slightly overplays the smirking and taunting that I would expect for something that was in earnest (it also omits a Jack Chick style call for repentance, which I might have expected if this were genuine). Again, I’ve seen arguments every bit as stupid as this one that _were_ in earnest (just look up Kent Hovind or Duane Gish, for example), but this one doesn’t quite ring true, as it were. > [@](#): > > The responses tend to treat it as a well founded argument. With the exception of one guy, the responses tend to celebrate the original post. Is this messageboard just full of cut-ups? Are they all participating in the great comedic romp? Landover Baptist is indisputably a parody site, but the message board is a funny thing, and it’s hard to discern where anyone is coming from - some members are parody characters (probably multiple sock puppets of the site owners), some people are probably individual members of the public, playing along, and others are almost certainly a mix of atheists and theists who have gotten sucked into the argument and are in varying states of realisation(or otherwise) as to the satirical nature of the place. > [@](#): > > So, again, how do you know it’s meant as a parody and not meant to be taken seriously? (again, this is an honest question) Poe’s Law makes it impossible for me to be certain, but both my gut and my brain are indicating that the water argument is a parody. For the record, I was once a YEC, so I’ve some experience in these matters… ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/37 "2011-12-28T22:19:54Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Landover Baptist is indisputably a parody site, but the message board is a funny thing, and it’s hard to discern where anyone is coming from - some members are parody characters (probably multiple sock puppets of the site owners), some people are probably individual members of the public, playing along, and others are almost certainly a mix of atheists and theists who have gotten sucked into the argument and are in varying states of realisation(or otherwise) as to the satirical nature of the place. O.K., [here’s the Wiki page for Landover Baptist Church](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landover_Baptist_Church). Damn, those guy are _good_. I seriously nearly started to bang my head on the table as I read that message board the first time around. Those guys are damn good. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/38 "2011-12-28T22:39:37Z")
Surely they’re taking the piss… ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/39 "2011-12-29T00:18:41Z")
In my local paper growing up there was a farmer who used to write letters to the editor that were “genius”. My favorite one was an indictment against the metric system and how all of these conversions that were needed “between gallons and leters” were attempts to steal from “the good folks” after all, “if Jesus had wanted the metric system, there would have been 10 Apostles not 12.” Ferd Bogner died a few years ago, but I sorely miss that dude and his letters. I met him once (it was a small town) and he was a very nice guy, but he simply really liked “the way we used to do it” and thought everyone should know. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515/40 "2011-12-29T18:04:10Z")
As I mentioned upthread though, there are plenty enough wilfully stupid young earth arguments to completely excuse the reception of this parody as genuine - here, for example, is an incomplete list of some that have been earnestly put forward by Kent Hovind: [How Good are those Young-Earth Arguments: Hovind's 'Proofs'](http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/hovind/howgood-yea.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-you-really-need-to-stop-pissing-on-the-parade/607515.md?page=3)