# It is implausible that pchaos is a lawyer and he should stop claiming to be one **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 14, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316 "2013-02-14T20:34:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/181 "2013-02-15T21:22:44Z")
> [@pchaos](#): > > Look atheists are proud of their intelligence and they should be. But they can’t stop there. > > Ordinary dummies like me, we are faced with a choice. On the one hand we have man’s brilliance and on the other hand we have God’s brilliance. \*\* Since I’m a dummy and I figure other men aren’t that much brighter\*\*, I’ll go with God’s brilliance. so, you think you are smarter than everyone around you? Which town do you live in? I never want to go there. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/182 "2013-02-15T21:25:53Z")
> [@pchaos](#): > > Look atheists are proud of their intelligence and they should be. But they can’t stop there. > > Ordinary dummies like me, we are faced with a choice. On the one hand we have man’s brilliance and on the other hand we have God’s brilliance. Since I’m a dummy and I figure other men aren’t that much brighter, I’ll go with God’s brilliance. Remember that the next time someone you love is cured of cancer with science-based medicine. ---
**Author:** ![pchaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/258eb7/32.png) [@pchaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pchaos)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/183 "2013-02-15T21:26:37Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > So, basically what you’re saying is that you can imagine the existence of a being that is smarter than you. Hmm. Doesn’t seem like that would take much of an imagination. You got it…that’s the reason I’m a Christian. Also, I believe that even though we’ve advanced scientifically by leaps and bounds within the last 50 years or so, we have not advanced ethically. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/184 "2013-02-15T21:35:21Z")
So, in less than a page you’ve gone from “science doesn’t have value” (while typing on your computer talking to people all around the world, for crying out loud) to “OK, we’ve advanced scientifically, but not ethically.” To borrow a phrase: “and you wonder why nobody takes you seriously.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/185 "2013-02-15T21:36:48Z")
> [@pchaos](#): > > Ordinary dummies like me, we are faced with a choice. “With which finger shall I pick my nose today?” And yes, it sounds like your philosophy boils down to “I’m lazy and not very smart and want someone to give me answers.” If so, congratulations: you have found the perfect faith. Other people can do much more with it, but given the limited set of tools you are working with, blind faith in Christianity is where you should be. It was made for people like you. I beg of you: never become an atheist. Don’t even think about it. > [@pchaos](#): > > I believe that even though we’ve advanced scientifically by leaps and bounds within the last 50 years or so, we have not advanced ethically. The history of your own religion (and the others, too) suggests otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![pchaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/258eb7/32.png) [@pchaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pchaos)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/186 "2013-02-15T21:40:05Z")
Religious people do not question the value of technology…they are wondering when it will lead to an advance in ethics or morals. So far it hasn’t, and it also appears that there is no desire to even go in that direction. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/187 "2013-02-15T21:43:57Z")
I find myself wondering if the poster in question could actually define a ‘coherent philosophy’. He apparently has some difficulty with terms and meanings. ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/188 "2013-02-15T21:47:55Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > Remember that the next time someone you love is cured of cancer with science-based medicine. This is exactly what I was thinking. Medicine and hospitals all wouldn’t exist if there was no science. Oh, and how about weather prediction. If there was a huge hurricane approaching your area, you watch the Weather Channel (I hope you do) and evacuate if necessary. If there was no science, then you couldn’t prepare for any natural disaster because you wouldn’t know that it’s coming in the first place. Weather prediction wouldn’t exist without science. Hell, I don’t know what _would_. Saying science doesn’t have value is complete bullshit. I’m not an atheist, but at least I don’t neglect science and logic. They are what makes our world a safer and a better place and allows us to become more educated. **pchaos** , if science didn’t exist, you wouldn’t be able to reply to this thread, because computers wouldn’t exist. How would you like that? ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/189 "2013-02-15T21:50:41Z")
You’re assuming science and technology don’t “go in that direction”. Scientists, doctors, and engineers take the ethics of their technology very seriously - much more seriously than religious people do. One small example would be the morning-after pill. Religious zealots keep branding it as an abortion pill and that it kills fetuses when in actuality, it was designed to avoid abortions. It keeps the sperm from fertilizing the egg altogether, no different than menstruating. The religious right are the ones not interested in updating their ethics and morals. They just think “birth control” and cry foul without any sort of thought. Again, this has nothing to do with religion and atheism. It’s ignorance versus knowledge. Hiding behind God to defend your intellectual laziness is cowardly. ---
**Author:** ![pchaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/258eb7/32.png) [@pchaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pchaos)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/190 "2013-02-15T21:52:12Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > I find myself wondering if the poster in question could actually define a ‘coherent philosophy’. As much as people despise her, Ayn Rand has a coherent philosophy. So if atheists also dislike her philosophy, they should take a shot on building another philosophy. Right now, it seems like atheists are simply borrowing from other world views and philosophies instead of coming up with their own. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/191 "2013-02-15T21:52:35Z")
> [@pchaos](#): > > Religious people do not question the value of technology… Bullshit. A large chunk of them oppose it at every single turn because they think god doesn’t like it and life is worthless and supposed to be kind of miserable. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/192 "2013-02-15T21:52:37Z")
> [@pchaos](#): > > You got it…that’s the reason I’m a Christian. Also, I believe that even though we’ve advanced scientifically by leaps and bounds within the last 50 years or so, we have not advanced ethically. It’s quite a leap and/or bound to get from “There might be a being smarter than me” to “Belief in an omniscient, omnipotent, personal, etc., creator god, and all the trappings of Christianity.” Especially when you can probably find something/someone a lot smarter than you by wandering into a Starbucks. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/193 "2013-02-15T21:53:45Z")
Anybody keeping score? I have at least one False Dichotomy within the last hour. What have i overlooked? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/194 "2013-02-15T21:54:06Z")
There’s been a lot of intelligent theists over the years who have had a profound impact in many areas of our lives and constantly sought for answers on how their faith could be reconciled with the natural world. Then, there’s **pchaos** to remind us why their efforts may ultimately have been in vain. Futurama’s “A Pharaoh to Remember” has his philosophy down pretty much to a T. Head Priest: Great Wall of Prophecy, reveal to us God’s will that we may blindly obey. Priests: Free us from thought and responsibility. Head Priest: We shall read things off you. Priests: Then do them. Head Priest: Your words guide us. Priests: We’re dumb. > [@DrFidelius](#): > > Anybody keeping score? > I have at least one False Dichotomy within the last hour. What have i overlooked? “Buffer overflow in 0x3FFE1023” Damn. Not enough hardware to contain all the stupid **pchaos** has generated in the last hour. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/195 "2013-02-15T21:56:30Z")
> [@pchaos](#): > > Religious people do not question the value of technology…they are wondering when it will lead to an advance in ethics or morals. So far it hasn’t, and it also appears that there is no desire to even go in that direction. Religion - by and large - is the biggest problem in ‘ethics’ and ‘morals’ - look at all the damage caused by ‘true believers’ - even ‘Christians’ that bomb buildings because they don’t agree with medical procedures that may/may not be happening. How is “Hobby Lobby” ethical in its treatment of employees when it comes to medical insurance? How was “chick-filet” (I know, old news and its different now) “ethical” in its treatment of homosexuals ? The Religous folks do more to harm ethics and morality then they ever do to uphold it - as they get to say “GOD says it must be this way” - even if GOD changes his opinions or what he tells some other group. Take your religious ‘ethics’ and ‘morality’ and shove it… You have no clue as to what you are talking about - ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/196 "2013-02-15T21:58:15Z")
> [@pchaos](#): > > Religious people do not question the value of technology… Sure. Tell me another [bedtime story](http://www.buzzfeed.com/annanorth/religious-groups-struggle-to-contain-technology-us). > [@](#): > > they are wondering when it will lead to an advance in ethics or morals. So far it hasn’t, and it also appears that there is no desire to even go in that direction. Perhaps you could enlighten us: what morals are technology supposed to improve? What lessons can, for example, a hammer teach us? ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/197 "2013-02-15T21:58:57Z")
> [@pchaos](#): > > As much as people despise her, Ayn Rand has a coherent philosophy. So if atheists also dislike her philosophy, they should take a shot on building another philosophy. > > Right now, it seems like atheists are simply borrowing from other world views and philosophies instead of coming up with their own. and again, you prove that reading comprehension is not your strong suit. ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/198 "2013-02-15T21:59:54Z")
“Religion is not a replacement for science, logic, intelligence, or knowledge. It is not a replacement for anything.” - **Anonymous User** ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/199 "2013-02-15T22:06:05Z")
> [@pchaos](#): > > Right now, it seems like atheists are simply borrowing from other world views and philosophies instead of coming up with their own. You are aware that Jesus was hardly the first Bronze Age mythological character to rise from the dead, right? And that many Christian holidays were appropriated pagan holidays? Pot, kettle… ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316/200 "2013-02-15T22:07:24Z")
> [@pchaos](#): > > As much as people despise her, Ayn Rand has a coherent philosophy. So if atheists also dislike her philosophy, they should take a shot on building another philosophy. > > Right now, it seems like atheists are simply borrowing from other world views and philosophies instead of coming up with their own. You have given an example of a ‘coherent philosophy’. You have not defined such a term. There is a significant difference between providing an example and providing a definition. Why, in your opinion, is the following not a coherent philosophy: > [@](#): > > Atheism is a self-reliant philosophy. It makes one intellectually free. He is thrilled to enthusiasm by his mental emancipation and he faces the universe without fear of ghosts or gods. It teaches man that unless he devotes his energies and applies himself whole- heartedly to the task he wishes to achieve, the accomplishment will not be made. It warns him that any reliance upon prayers, or “divine” help, will prove a bitter disappointment. — [Joseph Lewis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_L._Lewis) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-implausible-that-pchaos-is-a-lawyer-and-he-should-stop-claiming-to-be-one/650316.md?page=11)