Fate of 'In God We Trust'.

[fuzzypickles]

@Cumberdale

Sorry, but words do mean things.

Well, duh!
But there are many ways to define any word. Some are absolute, some are relative, blah blah blah…

[Der_Trihs]

@fuzzypickles

[QUOTE=Der Trihs]
Jesus is about slaughter…

Under what conditions??
[/quote]
When his followers say he is. It isn’t like he can show up and dispute them.

@fuzzypickles

Never mind God…that’s a separate topic.

No it isn’t. When people on this board use the word “God” they virtually always are referring to one version or another of Christianity.

@fuzzypickles

As for horrible things, that’s relative to the observer’s position in space and time, period. (ref: Nietzche’s hawk/rabbit analogy)

So, basically I shouldn’t criticize the Holocaust because the Nazis were fine with it even though the Jews weren’t?

[Bosstone]

That argument sure seems to be cropping up a lot lately.

“It’s important enough for me to want to keep it, but it’s not important enough for you to fight about it.”

[Cumberdale]

@fuzzypickles

Well, duh!

Brilliant reply. I tried to come up with a proper response but I haven’t been 7 years old for quite a while.

[Raiko]

@Skammer

That characterization is not true of all believers. In fact there are many Christians who are (gasp!) scientists. And I mean real scientists, not young earth/intelligent design “creation scientists.” Plenty of believers - including quite a few on this message board - have no trouble reconciling their belief with scientific evidence.

And please, let’s not make this another thread that turns into the Der Trihs show. His perception of religion and Christianity is more warped than the vinyl records I left in the hot car.

I didn’t mean to imply that Christan’s and members of other religions are barbarians who totally disregard logic. I mean to say that when certain issue comes up such as abortion and gay marriage where the logical and correct path is clear they let religion cloud their judgement.

It affects society not in the least if a person decides to abort their child (the argument that the child would have made great contributions is neither varifiable nor quantfiable) and it is clearly the more appropriate route to leave the option open if and when it is deemed necessary.

[Der_Trihs]

@Raiko

(the argument that the child would have made great contributions is neither varifiable nor quantfiable)

It’s also easy to mock just by reversal. “How do you know your child won’t grow up to be the next Hitler or Stalin? Get an abortion! Are you really willing to risk millions of lives for your selfish desire to have a child?!”

[Locrian]

The sharpie mini I bought means a lot to me when I have cash on hand.

No, “we” don’t trust in a god. Take it off the money, the cold war is over. And from any recent faith news, “we” should distance ourselves from it.

Why look like idiots? If we trusted that, our flag would have a bible or crucifix on it, and why need a military? (Ooops, forgot about Onward xtian Soldiers) Hell, why even a government body?

We do not trust in god at all. If not, why have 911?

Then there’s he Pledge of Allegiance…

[Laudenum]

@Der_Trihs

It’s also easy to mock just by reversal. “How do you know your child won’t grow up to be the next Hitler or Stalin? Get an abortion! Are you really willing to risk millions of lives for your selfish desire to have a child?!”

Not really - in today’s society the chances of someone growing up to be a world-improver far outweigh the chances of them being a dictator.

In fact, most people (IMO) are either neutral or make the world better, so if you are really basing your choice on what might happen to the child, you are better off not aborting.

Either way it’s a silly argument though.

[Raiko]

@Der_Trihs

It’s also easy to mock just by reversal. “How do you know your child won’t grow up to be the next Hitler or Stalin? Get an abortion! Are you really willing to risk millions of lives for your selfish desire to have a child?!”

I was saying that by way of reason just in anticipation of a future argument. I realize it sounds like that’s why I thik children should be aborted I just thought that f left as it was, sure enough there woul be someone to say “but what if your child would have cured cancer?” which is as rediculous a reason as abortng a child that might be a dictator. I think that if you choose to abort your child you’d better have a damn good reaon but if you leave freedomslike that open there are people that will abuse it that doesn’t mean we should make it illegal. Alcohol is a wonderful and exciting part of life but their are the occaisional drunk driving accidents.

[BigT]

@Czarcasm

1. Golly, it would be horrible if atheists took their cues from religionists, wouldn’t it?
2. So it was better when atheists only came out of the closet to politely ask religionists to to go too far when they pushed too hard? Tell me, throughout history how often has that worked?

1. I don’t see any reason to assume that atheism will not eventually reach that level, if we encourage people to become atheists for irrational reasons. That’s why I tend to think of “new atheism” as a religion. The only reason nothing bad has happened is that we aren’t to the point where people are new atheists because their parents are atheists. Right now they are more likely to be reasonable people, as arriving at an atheist position still requires rational thought. But people like Der Trihs make me worry that will change.

2. I guess that depends on your goal. Mine is that atheists will not be persecuted for their (lack of) belief. The (lack of) belief itself are going to be offensive to some people, so it’s best to voice that in as least offensive manner as possible.

My goal is not that atheists will become the predominant (non-)religion. Or even that it will necessarily spread at all. If people come to it because of the strength of the (non-)philosophy, that is fine. It is not fine when people convert out of hatred or any other irrational reason.

The only way I can defend atheism is if it inspires rationality. I cannot defend it if it inspires hatred and devaluing of the worth of other human beings.