# What atheists think, and why (in re: GEEPERS) **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 27, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150 "2012-04-27T16:57:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/421 "2012-05-09T20:58:37Z")
So **GEEPERS** , a week ago you said you were going to find a better cite for miraculous healing. You’d been complaining that atheists made too many demands for answers from you and you couldn’t keep up. So you didn’t post for a week and the thread went dormant for a while. And here you are without a cite, at least so far, just repeating the same complaints about the mean old atheists. This is pretty typical, really. If you don’t want your faith challenged, you can keep it private or even refrain from making factual claims. But if you make claims about history and genetics and evolution, you can’t reasonably complain that people are trying to destroy your faith when they ask you to post support for your feelings. It seems like you would rather complain about being persecuted attacked than defend your argument. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/422 "2012-05-09T21:02:51Z")
Didn’t you leave for ever and ever? > [@GEEPERS](#): > > If atheists weren’t angry at God, they would not be so fevert in their campaigns to attack and destroy Christianity Think of just how stupid that argument is. Really think about it. Let’s say that a society begins worshiping the Sun God. They think that in order for the sun to rise each day, human blood must be spilled, so they begin sacrificing humans each and every single day upon gigantic pyramids. Someone comes along and says “Hey, the Sun God isn’t real, cut it out.” And to the neighboring town he says “Hey, the Moon God isn’t real either, stop sacrificing people to _him_.” Petey Persecution says “Why do you hate the Sun God so much and why are you focusing on and persecuting his worshipers?!?!?” Unice Uponnacross says “Why do you hate the Moon God so much and why are you focusing on and persecuting his worshipers?!?!” > [@GEEPERS](#): > > Seriously, wouldn’t your time be better spent doing something else to benefit humanity? Eliminating the reign of willful ignorance that’s given us such gems as Creationism is something that’s incredibly useful for advancing humanity’s interests. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/423 "2012-05-09T21:06:26Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > We’re not. You can’t be angry at something you don’t believe exists. Sure you can; plenty of people get angry at fictional characters; sometimes outright enraged. It’s just that the Biblical God isn’t well written enough a character to produce that kind of an emotion if you don’t believe he’s real. ---
**Author:** ![GEEPERS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c89c15/32.png) [@GEEPERS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GEEPERS)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/424 "2012-05-09T21:10:03Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > We’re not. You can’t be angry at something you don’t believe exists. Did you have any luck in finding a better miracle cite? Actions speak louder than words, and atheist’s actions demonstrate a deep hatred of Christianity. You can’t even admit that Jesus teachings are good and pure. As for miracle cites, since you demonstrated clearly a refusal to even consider evidence, it would be pointless. However, Dr. Sean George was kind enough to reply personally to my inquiry: _Thanks for your email. I have not yet published it on a medical journal, however I have my own website www.seangeorge.com.au. On the website you will find all the medical details including the defibrillator logs, ECG, blood test and video testimony of a highly reputed Senior Emergency Physician Dr Steve Dungey from Royal Perth Hospital. I should publish it, and will make every effort to do so. It has been published in the West Australian twice and this is on the website as well. The case has been presented in national and international Emergency Medicine conferences in Australia and Japan. I personally have been interviewed by radio and television. Tomorrow I will be appearing on Channel 9 at 5:30 am AEST on a program called Wesley Impact with Dr Keith Garner._ Again, this is the testimony of a man who was dead for 90 minutes and is alive today. Let me guess, you are going to suggest that he conspired with other medical staff to fabricate the tests and documentation, huh? To deny divine healing is to deny reality. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/425 "2012-05-09T21:15:33Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > You can’t even admit that Jesus teachings are good and pure. Have you ever asked me what I thought of Jesus’ teachings? Last week you asked me if I could “admit” anything in the Bible was true. I did, and then you promptly ignored it so you could continue detailing your persection. ---
**Author:** ![cuberdon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/45deac/32.png) [@cuberdon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuberdon)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/426 "2012-05-09T21:18:46Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > Actions speak louder than words, and atheist’s actions demonstrate a deep hatred of Christianity. You can’t even admit that Jesus teachings are good and pure. How is it that you know how they feel better than they do? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/427 "2012-05-09T21:39:29Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > If atheists weren’t angry at God, they would not be so fevert in their campaigns to attack and destroy Christianity even going as far as to create an atheist Bible mocking scripture vs by verse. Seriously, wouldn’t your time be better spent doing something else to benefit humanity? > > Disgusting to say the least. Would you quit calling me a liar? It’s very uncharitable- you don’t even know me (and I’ve reached out to you on MULTIPLE occasions [by PM]), and you insist that I’m a liar. Do you recognize that calling a large group of people liars might make you look foolish, not to mention crass and obnoxious? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/428 "2012-05-09T21:39:58Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > If atheists weren’t angry at God, they would not be so fevert in their campaigns to attack and destroy Christianity even going as far as to create an atheist Bible mocking scripture vs by verse. Seriously, wouldn’t your time be better spent doing something else to benefit humanity? > > Disgusting to say the least. Being angry at “Christians” for their relentless proselytizing, hypocrisy, sanctimony, mendacity, intolerance, and bigotry is _very_ different from being angry at a non-existent deity of some type. I think we can conclude that the behavior you call “disgusting” is a development from atheists being angry at Christians and Christian institutions, and not the result of being angry at something that doesn’t exist. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/429 "2012-05-09T21:44:42Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > If atheists weren’t angry at God, they would not be so fevert in their campaigns to attack and destroy Christianity even going as far as to create an atheist Bible mocking scripture vs by verse. Seriously, wouldn’t your time be better spent doing something else to benefit humanity? > > Disgusting to say the least. Do you have the actual title, author or ISBN for this book? I’m curious as I have never heard of this verse by verse mocking. It sounds like a heck of a lot of effort to little point. Is this book a parody, or a commentary? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/430 "2012-05-09T21:52:20Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Do you have the actual title, author or ISBN for this book? A better question might be “who the hell cares?” Parodying something doesn’t imply hatred, much less intent to destroy - not that I think we’re ever going to get to that level of nuance. (And once again, Christians did not write the entire Bible.) ---
**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:** [May 9, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/431 "2012-05-09T22:01:23Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > A better question might be “who the hell cares?” Parodying something doesn’t imply hatred, much less intent to destroy - not that I think we’re ever going to get to that level of nuance. (And once again, Christians did not write the entire Bible.) For truth. However, I find it hard to believe I have missed an “atheist Bible mocking scripture vs by verse,” even taking in to account my unfamiliarity with a great amount of atheist literature and commentary. I am pretty sure I would have heard of it, as I do enjoy mocking both ignorance and clumsy arguments on both sides. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/432 "2012-05-09T22:09:06Z")
[It’s possible he’s talking about this]([http://www.amazon.com/Not-The-Bible-Sean-Kelly/dp/0345302494\](http://www.amazon.com/Not-The-Bible-Sean-Kelly/dp/0345302494%5C)). I’m not sure about the description, and it was done by two comedy writers and it’s 27 years old and out of print, which tells you something about the demand for this kind of thing, but there you go. National Lampoon, fervent hatred. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/433 "2012-05-09T22:10:22Z")
That friggin’ atheist Thomas Jefferson wrote his own bible. Took out all the cool miracle shit and everything. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2012, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/434 "2012-05-09T22:41:33Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [It’s possible he’s talking about this]([http://www.amazon.com/Not-The-Bible-Sean-Kelly/dp/0345302494\](http://www.amazon.com/Not-The-Bible-Sean-Kelly/dp/0345302494%5C)). I’m not sure about the description, and it was done by two comedy writers and it’s 27 years old and out of print, which tells you something about the demand for this kind of thing, but there you go. National Lampoon, fervent hatred. Could be it, but knowing GEEPERS, he is probably referring to Higher Criticism, reading the Bible to learn how it was written, instead of the superficial plain readings of Literalists. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/435 "2012-05-09T22:46:54Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > You can’t even admit that Jesus teachings are good and pure. They aren’t. They are the (secondhand at best) “teachings” of someone who was either an ignorant, superstitious man, a lunatic, semi-mythical\*, or a fraud. They are neither good nor accurate nor practical. And what would his teachings being “pure” even _mean?_ - There was probably a real person that the Jesus myth was based on; but how much of what he really did and said resembles what his followers attributed to him is an open question. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/436 "2012-05-09T22:55:41Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > You can’t even admit that Jesus teachings are good and pure. Pft, even Bertrand Russell could do that. I think a few Republicans would have serious issues with his flagrant disregard for property rights though. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/437 "2012-05-09T23:26:52Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [It’s possible he’s talking about this]([http://www.amazon.com/Not-The-Bible-Sean-Kelly/dp/0345302494\](http://www.amazon.com/Not-The-Bible-Sean-Kelly/dp/0345302494%5C)). I’m not sure about the description, and it was done by two comedy writers and it’s 27 years old and out of print, which tells you something about the demand for this kind of thing, but there you go. National Lampoon, fervent hatred. I actually read that, and it does not mock verse by verse. Pretty funny though. One section explains the Jesus walk on water trick. The Reduced Shakespeare Company does a Reduced Bible. Maybe it’s the [Skeptic’s Annotated Bible?](http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/438 "2012-05-10T00:36:58Z")
There’s also Isaac Asimov’s [**Guide to the Bible**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asimov's_Guide_to_the_Bible). It’s not satirical in intent at all, however. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/439 "2012-05-10T01:56:56Z")
I’d still like the Persecuted Mr. Geepers to explain _exactly_ how people who argue that _all_ religions are nonsense are singling out Christianity. For bonus points, he can explain how people who think that God is a made up, human-invented, imaginary construct are angry at something they do not even believe is real. Or, I suppose, his silence can serve as a prime indicator that he has no real answer and is only using such absurd claims as a defense mechanism against cognitive dissonance in order to keep himself from having to analyze atheists’ claims about epistemology. ---
**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:** [May 10, 2012, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150/440 "2012-05-10T10:06:02Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > I’d still like the Persecuted Mr. Geepers to explain _exactly_ how people who argue that _all_ religions are nonsense are singling out Christianity. For bonus points, he can explain how people who think that God is a made up, human-invented, imaginary construct are angry at something they do not even believe is real. > > Or, I suppose, his silence can serve as a prime indicator that he has no real answer and is only using such absurd claims as a defense mechanism against cognitive dissonance in order to keep himself from having to analyze atheists’ claims about epistemology. Silly atheist. 1. Christianity is the only valid and true religion. 2. GEEPERS’ approach to Christianity is the only valid and true way to be a Christian. therefore: 3. Any attacks on GEEPERS’ beliefs is a direct attack on the Supreme Being. Disbelieving in Vishnu, Odin, Ra, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster are irrelevant sideshows since there is no downside to disbelief in a false god. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-atheists-think-and-why-in-re-geepers/620150.md?page=23)