# Is atheism the way to go? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 23, 2001, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-atheism-the-way-to-go/89118 "2001-10-23T16:48:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@Lolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lolo)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-atheism-the-way-to-go/89118/61 "2001-10-25T20:18:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > **Actually no, I had a series of personal and striking experiences of God.** Straw man, bleh! and in conclusion… I still think the “I had a series of personal and striking experiences of God” is a straw man. thank you, all be here all week! G’night! ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-atheism-the-way-to-go/89118/62 "2001-10-25T20:25:31Z")
Wellnow, I’m trying, but I cannot see how **Mangetout** assertion is in any way an example of the [Straw Man Fallacy](http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/straw-man.html). ---
**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:** [October 25, 2001, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-atheism-the-way-to-go/89118/63 "2001-10-25T20:28:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lolo \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > > **Actually no, I had a series of personal and striking experiences of God.** > > Straw man, bleh! > > and in conclusion… I still think the “I had a series of personal and striking experiences of God” is a straw man. > > thank you, all be here all week! G’night! \*\* In that case I think you ought to go and look up the definition of the term ‘straw man’ **Lolo** ; I don’t think you _will_, I just think you _ought to_. ---
**Author:** ![TitoBenito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2acd7d/32.png) [@TitoBenito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TitoBenito)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-atheism-the-way-to-go/89118/64 "2001-10-26T00:01:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Chubbs \* > > \*\*Wouldn’t this stop 90% of the wars today? If a lot of people thinks it is ok to kill in the name of God. Then wouldn’t no God be better? \*\* > > The greatest massacres in the world were performed by _atheistic_ regimes – Lenin, Stalin, Chiang Kai Shek, and Pol Pot, to name a few. > > Don’t believe me? Check the _Guiness Book of World Records_. Also check the following link: > > [http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/apologetics/comparisons/realmurd.htm](http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/apologetics/comparisons/realmurd.htm) \*\* No I don’t. Chiang Kai-Shek was a christian, nor was his regime atheistic. [http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990823/cks.html](http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990823/cks.html) ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-atheism-the-way-to-go/89118/65 "2001-10-26T01:05:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally saith by astorian: > \*\*Just how do you propose to turn everyone on Earth into an atheist? \*\* Pixie dust? Having Captain Midnight say ‘Shazam’? Holy Water? ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-atheism-the-way-to-go/89118/66 "2001-10-26T04:17:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TitoBenito \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > > \*\* > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > \*Originally posted by Chubbs \* > > > \*\*Wouldn’t this stop 90% of the wars today? If a lot of people thinks it is ok to kill in the name of God. Then wouldn’t no God be better? \*\* > > > > The greatest massacres in the world were performed by _atheistic_ regimes – Lenin, Stalin, Chiang Kai Shek, and Pol Pot, to name a few. > > > > Don’t believe me? Check the _Guiness Book of World Records_. Also check the following link: > > > > [http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/apologetics/comparisons/realmurd.htm](http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/apologetics/comparisons/realmurd.htm) \*\* > > No I don’t. Chiang Kai-Shek was a christian, nor was his regime atheistic. [http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990823/cks.html](http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990823/cks.html) \*\* Sorry. I meant to say Mao Tse-Tung, not Chiang Kai Shek. My stupid mistake. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-atheism-the-way-to-go/89118/67 "2001-10-26T04:18:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by TitoBenito \* > > \*\* > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > > > \*\* > > > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > > > \*Originally posted by Chubbs \* > > > > \*\*Wouldn’t this stop 90% of the wars today? If a lot of people thinks it is ok to kill in the name of God. Then wouldn’t no God be better? \*\* > > > > > > The greatest massacres in the world were performed by _atheistic_ regimes – Lenin, Stalin, Chiang Kai Shek, and Pol Pot, to name a few. > > > > > > Don’t believe me? Check the _Guiness Book of World Records_. Also check the following link: > > > > > > [http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/apologetics/comparisons/realmurd.htm](http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/apologetics/comparisons/realmurd.htm) \*\* > > > > No I don’t. Chiang Kai-Shek was a christian, nor was his regime atheistic. [http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990823/cks.html](http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990823/cks.html) \*\* > > Sorry. I meant to say Mao Tse-Tung, not Chiang Kai Shek. My stupid mistake. \*\* I should also add that the point still remains… the greatest mass murders in the world WERE conducted by atheistic regimes. (Chiang Kai Shek doesn’t count, since he was not an atheist and was not guilty of such atrocities.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-atheism-the-way-to-go/89118.md?page=3)