# Knee-Jerk Atheist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 2, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-jerk-atheist/604851 "2011-12-02T16:07:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![James\_Polichak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a698b9/32.png) [@James\_Polichak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Polichak)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-jerk-atheist/604851/61 "2011-12-30T12:11:06Z")
“In short, calling someone a knee-jerk atheist seems a bit like saying someone has a knee-jerk PhD” It’s a PhD in Sports Medicine, not knee-jerking. Elbow and wrist jerkings are also relevant. ---
**Author:** ![Theophane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@Theophane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theophane)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-jerk-atheist/604851/62 "2011-12-30T13:19:33Z")
> [@James\_Polichak](#): > > “In short, calling someone a knee-jerk atheist seems a bit like saying someone has a knee-jerk PhD” > > It’s a PhD in Sports Medicine, not knee-jerking. Elbow and wrist jerkings are also relevant. Why should your PhD in sport medicine disqualify you from being a knee-jerk atheist? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-jerk-atheist/604851/63 "2011-12-30T13:30:46Z")
> [@Theophane](#): > > Why should your PhD in sport medicine disqualify you from being a knee-jerk atheist? It was a joke concerning the terms “knee-jerk” and “sports medicine.” ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-jerk-atheist/604851/64 "2011-12-30T15:08:03Z")
Speaking of [knee-jerk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3qgiNPVpSM) metaphors… ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-jerk-atheist/604851/65 "2011-12-30T15:18:09Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > And what happens when you point that bullshit detector at the idea that you know what answer I was expecting? Or that I believe one would have to be an ignorant savage to believe such drivel? > > You can try to cram all the words into my mouth you want, but if that’s the only approach you have, I don’t believe you’d be able to cut anyone off at knees. Please try to address the issue at hand which is not the article itself so much as the idea that finding fault with the approach of calling a first cause God is a knee-jerk reaction. Then this should be moved, because this forum IS, after all, “Comments on Cecil’s Columns.” If the column is merely a jumping-off point for debate – which is what it looks like from here – this is really Great Debates territory. Let me do that for you. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-jerk-atheist/604851/66 "2011-12-30T15:21:45Z")
So…the knee jerked so hard, it knocked the thread into another forum? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knee-jerk-atheist/604851.md?page=3)