# Soleless Atheists vs. the USPS **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 9, 2013, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220 "2013-04-09T13:17:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/1 "2013-04-09T13:17:29Z")
Atheist, a German shoe company, was getting complaints from some of their U.S. customers about lengthy delivery times. So they did a little experiment… [QUOTE=NPR] For each recipient, one package featured the Atheist-branded packing tape and one used generic packing tape. All packages were shipped the same day. Yet the Atheist-branded packages took an average of three days longer to reach their destinations. And while only one package from the generic-tape set went missing, nine of the Atheist-branded packages went missing. These (statistically significant) results were recently released on [their website](http://www.atheistberlin.com/study). [/QUOTE] This is why atheists have no soles. The post office is stealing them! ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/2 "2013-04-09T13:35:57Z")
That’s…not good. Not surprising, unfortunately. I’m sure someone will be along shortly to defend the USPS and point out the obvious flaws in this pilot study. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/3 "2013-04-09T13:43:50Z")
Oh, damn. I meant to include the link to the [NPR story](http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/04/07/176516961/atheist-shoemaker-loses-faith-in-u-s-mail), in which the author does indeed point out the obvious flaws (or at least, the fact that there _are_ obvious flaws). She applauds it as a great example of “[citizen science](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_science)”, but also expresses concern about “pre-publication science gone wild”. And she notes: [QUOTE=NPR] To their credit, the folks at Atheist have teamed up with an (unnamed) university professor and plan to pursue their research with the aim of publishing in a peer-reviewed journal. [/QUOTE] A lot of interesting things to consider there. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/4 "2013-04-09T14:03:25Z")
It makes you wonder what would happen to packages labeled **Agnostic**. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/5 "2013-04-09T14:12:40Z")
While the disparity in delivery times is troubling, I couldn’t help but wonder about what their shoes were like, so I went and took a look at their product line and I gotta say: those are the shittiest looking and seemingly cheap to make shoes that I think I’ve ever seen selling for US$170. I mean, seriously, I’m an atheist and I’d never support this company because their product looks like overpriced shite. ---
**Author:** ![Tollhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tollhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tollhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/6 "2013-04-09T14:18:35Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > It makes you wonder what would happen to packages labeled **Agnostic**. . Most likely an obscure warehouse somewhere with no defined purpose ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/7 "2013-04-09T14:20:47Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > It makes you wonder what would happen to packages labeled **Agnostic**. > [@Tollhouse](#): > > . Most likely an obscure warehouse somewhere with no defined purpose They really want to be delivered, but they’re afraid of what people will think so they never actually arrive. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/8 "2013-04-09T15:00:10Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > It makes you wonder what would happen to packages labeled **Agnostic**. Nobody knows. Nor can they. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/9 "2013-04-09T15:02:43Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I gotta say: those are the shittiest looking and seemingly cheap to make shoes that I think I’ve ever seen selling for US$170. You really think so? I agree they’re expensive, but they don’t look badly made to me, and I think they’re pretty cool. And I’ll admit, I want a pair in “[Kitten Testicle Grey](http://www.atheistberlin.com/shoes/kitten-testicle-grey-ich-bin-atheist-sole-1.html)”, just so I can mention the name of the color whenever possible. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/10 "2013-04-09T15:14:10Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > It makes you wonder what would happen to packages labeled **Agnostic**. Maybe the package gets delivered, maybe it doesn’t, no one can say. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/11 "2013-04-09T15:37:35Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I mean, seriously, I’m an atheist and I’d never support this company because their product looks like overpriced shite. I know. And I was so looking forward to wearing a pair of Candy Testicles. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/12 "2013-04-09T15:47:50Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I mean, seriously, I’m an atheist… So… you believe that when you die you’ll get thrown down a quarry? _Now_ it all makes sense. As does your “cheap shoes” comment. Even though I’d love to tell people I’m wearing a “KITTEN TESTICLE GREY” shoe, it looks like something thrown together… for €129. ---
**Author:** ![Aizle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Aizle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aizle)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/13 "2013-04-09T15:50:26Z")
> [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > You really think so? I agree they’re expensive, but they don’t look badly made to me, and I think they’re pretty cool. And I’ll admit, I want a pair in “[Kitten Testicle Grey](http://www.atheistberlin.com/shoes/kitten-testicle-grey-ich-bin-atheist-sole-1.html)”, just so I can mention the name of the color whenever possible. They look pretty well made to me. Stitching is very tight and the style is unique. Really the only downside for me is that they are all appear suede which means I’ll destroy them in minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/14 "2013-04-09T16:10:27Z")
Soleless atheists? Shoo! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/15 "2013-04-09T16:21:46Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > While the disparity in delivery times is troubling, I couldn’t help but wonder about what their shoes were like, so I went and took a look at their product line and I gotta say: those are the shittiest looking and seemingly cheap to make shoes that I think I’ve ever seen selling for US$170. > > I mean, seriously, I’m an atheist and I’d never support this company because their product looks like overpriced shite. They’re shoes that make you say “There is no God!” ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/16 "2013-04-09T16:34:53Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > They’re shoes that make you say “There is no God!” You sort of do… they have “Ich Bin Atheist” debossed into the bottom of the sole, so you’ll leave that message in the sand (unless Jesus is carrying you…:rolleyes:). ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/17 "2013-04-09T16:49:24Z")
> [@digs](#): > > You sort of do… they have “Ich Bin Atheist” debossed into the bottom of the sole, so you’ll leave that message in the sand (unless Jesus is carrying you…:rolleyes:). Or Darwin Love. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/18 "2013-04-09T18:53:13Z")
Kitten Testicle Grey? Naughty Schnitzel Pilz? _Nabokov Cream_? What the hell Are we sure this isn’t a joke? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/19 "2013-04-09T18:56:27Z")
I didn’t know the USPS had time to do “godless heathen” sorting. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220/20 "2013-04-09T19:03:45Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > Are we sure this isn’t a joke? The names are supposed to be funny, yes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soleless-atheists-vs-the-usps/655220.md?page=2)