# "Athiests Need to Just Shut Up"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [February 7, 2007, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204 "2007-02-07T14:30:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 10
### Author:  [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/181 "2007-02-09T00:33:34Z")
I got called the Antichrist at work again today. After asking exactly why I was watching a video where Genesis was recited in fake astronaut distorted radio tones, then followed by scenes of the World Trade Center falling.
It’s really starting to annoy me.
---
### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/182 "2007-02-09T01:04:18Z")
Damn it. They moved the atheist discussion to tomorrow so they can waste an hour of everyone’s life talking about Anna Nicole Smith.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/183 "2007-02-09T01:30:59Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
Damn it. They moved the atheist discussion to tomorrow so they can waste an hour of everyone’s life talking about Anna Nicole Smith.
[/QUOTE]
Dang, and I was recording it and everything.
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### Author:  [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/184 "2007-02-09T03:41:39Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny Angel]
The whole notion that atheists somehow don’t have moral principles is amusing, something akin to that line from the Big Lebowski. Sure, all these religions encourage killing infidels – but at least they believe in God.
[/QUOTE]
Or to paraphrase something I saw written by a bishop when I was a child in the religious section of the newspaper, it’s better to kill in the name of Kali than live peacefully as an atheist, because at least the Kali worshipper is upholding faith.
[QUOTE=Nutty Bunny]
Can’t you stand up for what you see as injustice without insulting people?
I don’t have a problem with the point you were making, I have a problem with the arrogant “I’m smarter than you crazy Christians” attitude.
[/QUOTE]
No, I can’t without lying, which I’m bad at, and it would make me feel guilty for kowtowing to something I consider immensely evil and stupid; like sucking up to a Klan Grand High Imperial Wizard or whatever the leaders call themselves.
And on average atheists _are_ smarter than theists, not to mention better educated.
[QUOTE=Raygun99]
How does that even make sense? I’m an atheist, so I’m likely to become a Muslim extremist?
[/QUOTE]
It’s quite simple. You are either exactly like her, or demonically evil. She probably sees no difference between an atheist, a Muslim extremist and a Satanist ( of the sacrificing infants variety ).
[QUOTE=Nutty Bunny]
Whether or not there is a God, why not let people have whatever belief they want if that’s what helps them get through life?
[/quote]
Because they won’t stop trying to run _my_ life according to _their_ religion, and they do stupid things like oppose stem cell research.
---
### Author:  [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/185 "2007-02-09T04:02:56Z")
I really don’t have a dog in this fight. I’m an atheist, but not very interested in converting the theists. If they want to believe a load of rubbish, they can knock themselves out.
That being said, there are some things that worry me. Today, while surfing for a radio station in an unfamiliar market I paused on what was apparently a christian station. It’s kind of like a train wreck, sometimes you can’t look away.
A caller and the host were bemoaning the fact that a congressman was going to be sworn in on the Koran, because, and I quote, “If they don’t believe in the bible how can you expect them to believe in the Constitution?” They believe, and from the energetic approval of their listeners are not alone in their delusion, that belief in the christian god is required to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.
I don’t usually worry about this, because I usually assume that christians are simply pretending to believe because it’s expected in our society, but now I’m starting to be afraid that they’re sincere.
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### Author:  [@50million](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/50million)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/186 "2007-02-09T05:01:33Z")
[QUOTE=tdn]
Thanks, **pseudotriton ruber ruber**. I hope you don’t mind that I didn’t find it all that funny. Not offensive – just not funny.
I do have to question the wisdom of keeping your atheism to yourself. By staying silent, aren’t we encouraging misconceptions and prejudices to flourish? When the only people who speak up are often a little brash or rude, that paints us all in the same light.
[/QUOTE]
Oh, how I wish I lived in a place where I could share your view. Of the 4 places I’ve worked since undergrad (10 years ago), 3 of them were openly religious. When your boss and the owner of the company, and everyone else, assume and judge you to be Christian it’s not so easy to say, “Nope, you’re all wrong.” Now, of course, that’s not what I would say, but that’s what they would hear.
I currently have the “Pirate Fish” screensaver on my computer at work. That’s as far as I feel like I can go. Every time someone looks at it too long I wonder, “Do they know what that is?” I hope not, I truly think it could end my career progression.
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### Author:  [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/187 "2007-02-09T05:23:21Z")
**Bill Door** , that Congressman has already been sworn in. He used Thomas Jefferson’s copy of the _Koran_.
I wonder how much commotion would be caused if someone used Thomas Jefferson’s version of the Bible.
People can be discriminated against for just about _anything_. In our public school system, some teachers were discriminated against if they weren’t the “right kind of Christian.” Baptists and Church of Christ were in. Anglicans and Catholics were out. When does harrassment become persecution?
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### Author:  [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/188 "2007-02-09T13:12:03Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Originally Posted by **Nutty Bunny**
> Can’t you stand up for what you see as injustice without insulting people?
>
> I don’t have a problem with the point you were making, I have a problem with the arrogant “I’m smarter than you crazy Christians” attitude.
[QUOTE=Der Trihs]
No, I can’t without lying, which I’m bad at, and it would make me feel guilty for kowtowing to something I consider immensely evil and stupid; like sucking up to a Klan Grand High Imperial Wizard or whatever the leaders call themselves.
[/quote]
So by insulting someone’s beliefs, you are lying? How about trying to explain to someone why you think their beliefs are wrong instead of using the “pointing and laughing method”? Do you really think that will make them think about how wrong they are or will it put them on the defensive?
> [@](#):
>
> And on average atheists _are_ smarter than theists, not to mention better educated.
Cite? That’s an absolutely ridiculous statement. Are you smarter than Jews and Muslims, too, or is it just the Christians?
> [@](#):
>
> Originally Posted by **Nutty Bunny**
> Whether or not there is a God, why not let people have whatever belief they want if that’s what helps them get through life?
> [@](#):
>
> Because they won’t stop trying to run _my_ life according to _their_ religion, and they do stupid things like oppose stem cell research.
I’m with you on that, but I’m not talking about the assholes. I’m talking about the ones who quietly worship God without trying to convert everyone. Why can’t you “live and let live” when it comes to the Christians you _don’t_ notice? Do you insult them, too? What’s the point? To feel superior?
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/189 "2007-02-09T14:30:38Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs]
Because they won’t stop trying to run _my_ life according to _their_ religion, and they do stupid things like oppose stem cell research.
[/QUOTE]
I’m a theist, and I couldn’t care less what you do with your life, so long as it doesn’t infringe on mine. Stop lumping me in with the fundies.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/190 "2007-02-09T14:45:26Z")
I asked it before, but didn’t get an answer, so I’ll ask it again: Who were those three mental colossi that appeared on that CNN video? Are they supposed to be people that I should know?
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### Author:  [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/191 "2007-02-09T15:10:00Z")
Karen Hunter continues to demonstrate that she is a nitwit:
> **[Atheism and Agnosticism](https://www.learnreligions.com/atheism-and-agnosticism-4684819)**
>
> Learn more about atheism and agnosticism with resources covering the philosophies, skepticism, and critical thinking of the free-thinking community.
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### Author:  [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/192 "2007-02-09T15:49:21Z")
CNN on loop:
> **[Is Anna Nicole Smith still dead??](https://caffertyonannanicole.ytmnd.com/)**
>
> Jack Cafferty reacts to the constant news coverage of Anna Nicole Smith's death. Classy!
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/193 "2007-02-09T15:59:28Z")
The Dawkins interview has now been rescheduled for Monday the 12th. Coincidentally, that also happens to be [Darwin Day](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Day).
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/194 "2007-02-09T16:19:30Z")
[QUOTE=tdn]
I asked it before, but didn’t get an answer, so I’ll ask it again: Who were those three mental colossi that appeared on that CNN video? Are they supposed to be people that I should know?
[/QUOTE]
They were introduced earlier in the show- check the transcript. Smith is a sports reporter and columnist from Philadelphia, and had a talk show on ESPN for a while.
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### Author:  [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/195 "2007-02-09T16:23:49Z")
[QUOTE=Nutty Bunny]
Cite? That’s an absolutely ridiculous statement. Are you smarter than Jews and Muslims, too, or is it just the Christians?
[/QUOTE]
Found on Wikipedia:
> [@](#):
>
> According to a study by Paul Bell, published in the Mensa Magazine in 2002, there is an inverse correlation between religiosity and intelligence. Analyzing 43 studies carried out since 1927, Bell finds that all but four reported such a connection, and concludes that “the higher one’s intelligence or education level, the less one is likely to be religious or hold ‘beliefs’ of any kind.” A survey published in Nature confirms that belief in a personal god or afterlife is at an all time low among the members of the National Academy of Science, only 7.0% of which believed in a personal god as compared to more than 85% of the US general population.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/196 "2007-02-09T16:39:19Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23]
They were introduced earlier in the show- check the transcript. Smith is a sports reporter and columnist from Philadelphia, and had a talk show on ESPN for a while.
[/QUOTE]
Ah. Thank you. It was in an earlier segment which was not included in in the linked clip.
> [@](#):
>
> ZAHN: Time to bring in our “Out in the Open” panel now, Stephen A. Smith, ESPN analyst and sports columnist for “The Philadelphia Inquirer,” attorney and conservative columnist Debbie Schlussel, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Karen Hunter, who is a journalism professor at Hunter College in New York.
---
### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/197 "2007-02-09T16:41:57Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
The Dawkins interview has now been rescheduled for Monday the 12th. Coincidentally, that also happens to be [Darwin Day](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Day).
[/QUOTE]
What the fuck? They pushed it back again? Will this thing ever air?
I just hope that Nicole Richie doesn’t die on Monday, because that would be really inconvenient for me.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/198 "2007-02-09T16:45:44Z")
[QUOTE=tdn]
I asked it before, but didn’t get an answer, so I’ll ask it again: Who were those three mental colossi that appeared on that CNN video? Are they supposed to be people that I should know?
[/QUOTE]
[Debbie Schlussel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Schlussel) (attorney, blogger, radio host, ubiquitous guest on cable news show).
[Karen Hunter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Hunter) (writer, columnist, god-botherer)
[Stephen A. Smith (aka, "Screamin’ A. Smith)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_A._Smith) (sports writer, ESPN host) not sure why he was on the panel. I guess the thinking was, “Are atheists discriminated against? Let’s ask two blacks and a Jew.”
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/199 "2007-02-09T17:55:04Z")
I tire of religious people saying what atheism is. It is not a religion. It has no real spokesmen. It is personal. Dawkins and Harris do not speak for me. They are not chosen representatives. They are intelligent and are good to listen to. I enjoy them. That is all.
When Christians say that when religion is removed all is possible, they are revealing themselves. Once god and religion are removed , you have to define the proper life for yourself. It takes some introspection and a lot of thought. I doubt the crime rate in atheists approach that of our god fearing fiends. I laugh at boxers thanking our lord jesus for helping them almost kill an opponent. We win football games by praying. Get real. You should be embarrased by Pat Robertson, Robert Tilton, Ralph Reed, Ted Haggard and the hypocritical jerks looting the faithful. They have no shame and it rubs off on you. That is where your anger should be placed.
---
### Author:  [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-need-to-just-shut-up/391204/200 "2007-02-09T18:11:03Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax]
I tire of religious people saying what atheism is. It is not a religion. It has no real spokesmen. It is personal. Dawkins and Harris do not speak for me. They are not chosen representatives. They are intelligent and are good to listen to. I enjoy them. That is all.
When Christians say that when religion is removed all is possible, they are revealing themselves. Once god and religion are removed , you have to define the proper life for yourself. It takes some introspection and a lot of thought. I doubt the crime rate in atheists approach that of our god fearing fiends. I laugh at boxers thanking our lord jesus for helping them almost kill an opponent. We win football games by praying. Get real. You should be embarrased by Pat Robertson, Robert Tilton, Ralph Reed, Ted Haggard and the hypocritical jerks looting the faithful. They have no shame and it rubs off on you. That is where your anger should be placed.
[/QUOTE]
And to whom is this directed? Which Christians have said “when religion is removed all is possible”? Do you have a site for the crime rate being higher for theists than for atheists? Haven’t you read enough on this board to know that the majority of theists are embarassed by Pat Robertson and thier ilk? Will you ever learn how to type coherently?
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