Amigone201

Holy Strawman, Batman! That's the biggest pile of horseshit about atheism I've ever seen!

9/24/2006 7:46:00 PM

WritingIsMyReligion

\"The crusades were GOOD.\"

Unless you're, oh, one of the 1 billion Muslims on the planet.

\"If it weren't for the crusades the Muslim invaders would have conquered Europe and you'd be praying to Allah right now.\"

It's the same bloody invisible sky man! What does it matter what it is called?

\"Advanced, benevolent aliens exist. I really believe this.\"

WTF? How many atheists belive this? No, seriously. WTF? I sure as hell don't.

\"It's kind of like natural selection...\"

I thought natural selection was a crock of shit...? Make up your minds, already!

\"...appeal to a Constitution that appeals to an absolute moral law.\"

Since when has the Constitution appealed to an absolute moral law?

Diagnosis: Definitely fundie. Prescription: Basic 8th grade civics and social studies classes. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

9/24/2006 7:52:01 PM

Ens

\"if you are an atheist, I'm sorry, but you WILL agree with these\"

I doubt that you are sorry.

Rebuttal rebuttal 1: Not all atheists come from Western, Christian communities. And, in the unlikely event that a person identifiable as me was born even in this vastly altered history, I see no reason I wouldn't still be an atheist.

Plus your history leaves something to be desired. Pretty much the only significant invasion of Europe by Islamic forces happened after we were done with the Crusades.

EDIT: Well, I guess that depends on how you define Europe. There really isn't much of a natural border. But it was a protracted middle east conflict. Hardly unusual. Anyway, there's too much wrong here and it should be obvious to most of you, so why preach to the choir?

2 and 3: ...? All atheists believe this? Or all science fiction television shows this?

5: Well, in my case, maybe, but only because it's true.

9/24/2006 7:59:06 PM

ProperJob

My god! Godzilla is dwarfed by the size of this strawman.

9/24/2006 8:20:40 PM

NotMe



We invaded their land, not the other way around. And if the romans did not conquer Europe you'd be praying to Odin, Thor and several other northern Gods. So your argument fails because you only worship a christian god because of tradition.



And what is the problem with this? If all conditions exist, and with an extremely high number of chances, it will happen.



Considering the vastness of space and the number of planets out there, it would seem strange to me if earth was the only ones with \"intelligent\" life.

And if they really do exist, why do they have to be benevolent? They would be like humans, there are good ones and evil ones. But no specific moral absolute for the entire species.



Only the really obnoxious ones. Most of them are just generally nice and normal people who happen to believe in a god.

9/24/2006 8:28:45 PM

Rysith

1. Yep, the crusades were to prevent the Muslims from invading Europe. That's why they had to go all the way to Jerusalem (which is in Europe), and capture it. Then, they had to do it again 100 years later, because the Muslims were invading again. Then, they tried to go on a third, but never go there (the Muslims still didn't invade Europe). Then, on the fourth one, they marched all the way to constantanople (a Christian city), and looted it. That'll show the Muslims! Don't even get me started on things like the childrens Crusade. If you are prepared to define all of that as good, including the fact that the Muslims eventually won and even expended their terretory up through Turkey, then yes, the Crusades were good.

2. I don't believe that. I do believe that there exist other planets with conditions suitable for life of some sort, and it seems logical that on at least some of those planets, life (meaning self-replicating, regulating, and sustaining areas of chemical reactions, exists. We were not created as the one planet with life on it by your deity of choice.

3. What do aliens have to do with atheism? I don't discount the possibility of advanced aliens existing, but I don't see why they would have to exist, or be benevolent.

5. The only thing that I know of relating Christianity with IQ was a study that found that the higher someone's IQ was, the less likely they were to be devoutly religious. I certainly know Christians who are smarter than most atheists (but the tolerant kind of Christian, though, so they are probably satan-worshippers according to you). And the Constitution does not appeal to an absolute moral law. That's why we have these things called amendments.

On the other hand, we could easily rework these to apply to fundies:
1. The Crusades were good.
2. There is a magical \"Divine Law\" to the universe - unproven - but still I believe it that says \"goddidit, and the bible is infallible\"
3. God exists. I really believe this...I *need* to believe this.
5. Xians are superior in intelligence to the inferior minded atheist. I am on a higher plane of thinking than those unsaved atheists. Their puny minds are no match to mine.

EDIT: 5. might need some rewording, given the number of fundies that seems proud of the lack of intelligence they show. Maybe faith, rather than intelligence?

9/24/2006 8:30:32 PM

JustinM

\"tenet\"

Just like \"turret,\" which you probably also misspell.

9/24/2006 8:40:04 PM

Napoleon the Clown

No, you fucknugget. Ad Hominems and lies will send you to hell. Well, would. It has to exist for that to happen.

9/24/2006 8:49:52 PM

Amigone201

I enjoy the phrase \"fucknugget.\" I will start using it from now on.

9/24/2006 8:55:44 PM

Brain_In_A_Jar

#3 is a near perfect description of a THEIST, not an atheist.

Belief in one or more extraterrestrial intelligent entities with greater powers than humanity whose existence has never been proven? What difference does it make if you call it an alien or a god if it fits this description?

9/24/2006 9:02:06 PM

CousinTed

1.) Christianity lost the crusade dumbass!
2.) What?
3.) Once again, what? who the fuck believes this? Have you ever met an atheist before?
5.) You're not even refuting these points anymore, you're just verbally masturbating.

9/24/2006 9:03:24 PM

JohnRaptor

Tenet 1: Actually, I use it to show how evil christians (not christianity) can be (not are). Big difference.

Tenet 2: I do not believe this. It's quite plausible that the conditions for life could exist some place without life arising.

Tenet 3: I am skeptical as to the existence of aliens. It's possible, but I don't necessarily believe it to be true, and certainly don't need it to be true.

Tenet 5: I do not believe this. I do think fundamentalists are generally not very smart, but I've known plenty of smart, rational christians. And some atheists I didn't think were all that bright.

9/24/2006 9:18:53 PM

TDR

Yeah, JustinM... I was beginning to wonder who the atheists are supposed to be renting from...

9/24/2006 9:23:43 PM

Kelian

Don't write reviews of books you haven't read! Reading the summary and other reviews does not count as reading the book.

/pet peeve

9/24/2006 9:26:50 PM

Patches


At least atheists can count to 5.

9/24/2006 9:29:12 PM

Libkitten

ATHEIST TENANT OF FAITH #3) Advanced, benevolent aliens exist. I really believe this...I *need* to believe this
REBUTTAL: Yes, my little atheist friend, I know you do. Its ok, I understand.

Dude, between you and me, only one of us believes in a benevolent figure of any kind in the sky without any observable proof. And it isn't me.

Edit:


AHAHAHAHHAHAHA wow. I didn't even notice the lack of a fourth point.

9/24/2006 9:30:55 PM

Axver

Hahaha, wow, this guy clearly has no clue about history. Then again, what fundie does?



There is a fourth point. It was just edited out for the FSTDT post.

9/24/2006 9:42:23 PM

Crosis



Not a tenet (note the spelling) of faith - it's verifiable history and, for the most part, true. The Crusaders committed several atrocities against Jews and attacked Eastern Orthodox Christians as well as Muslims.



The First Crusade was helping the Byzantine Empire fight off the Turks. After that, it was mostly a fight over the Holy Land. And if it weren't for religion, it wouldn't have been a problem in the first place, most likely.



This is simply the Law of Large Numbers: given enough time, any improbable event becomes likely. It's not a guarantee that life will automatically form where conditions for its existence are reasonable ... but given enough time, it's not at all unthinkable. Given the sheer number of planets out there, it's probable that it's happened somewhere.



Also wrong. I don't have any idea how advanced any life on other planets may be. I'm not even certain that there is any ... but given the sheer number of planets out there, the odds that there is life somewhere else out there are pretty favorable.



I know some pretty smart Christians, but in your case this one is self-evidently true.

9/24/2006 10:19:38 PM

Sandman

Hmmmm....rebuttal of the rebuttal of point one:

The Crusades invaded the Middle East. They were wars of aggression, one of which never even made it to the Middle East, but rather preyed on Constantinople, a Christian city. There was no \"invading Muslim horde\" coming from the Middle East and Saladin didn't get pissed at Europe until the Pope ordered a Crusade against him. (There was a quieter Muslim \"invasion\" coming up out of North Aftrica through Spain, but that one was pretty much ignored.) The Crusades were religiously motivated, intended to \"cleanse\" the Holy Land of the \"Infidels.\" They were in no way \"self-defense.\"

And atheists do not use them as a proof that Christianity is \"wicked and vile,\" they use it as a reminder that it is not perfect.

Rebuttal to the Rebuttal of point two:

Atheist do not say that \"wherever conditions for life exist, life will somehow manage to squirm itself out,\" they say that wherever life exists, conditions were right for that life to \"squirm itself out.\" Those are two very, very different statements, and you doing the switcheroo is just a strawman.

Rebuttal to the rebuttal of point three:

About the same number of atheists believe in \"advanced aliens\" as there are Christians who do. I personally believe that life elsewhere in the universe seems pretty damn likely, but I make no judgments as to the relative complexity or technological advancements of such civilizations. After all, even bacteria is \"life.\"

The UFO nuts and the atheists are two very different groups of people. In fact, atheists, by nature suspicious and skeptical folks, tend to be less inclined to search the skies for ET, or at least demand evidence before they accept his freaky glowing finger.

Rebuttal to the rebuttal of point five:

Not a single atheist claims to have a greater level of intelligence than a Christian. What they generally claim is that they exercise that intelligence in a more logical and empirical fashion, relying on evidence and thought rather than dogma and faith.

And that last bit, where you say \"Atheists are emotion>logic\" is completely reversed from reality. Every atheist I know takes the position that logic should trump emotion every time.

9/24/2006 10:29:33 PM

Brain_In_A_Jar

Hmm, \"verbally masturbating\". That's a good putdown, CousinTed! If you don't mind me using it, I'll give you a new coat of cherry red paint some day in return!

9/24/2006 10:30:39 PM

TauRaven

'Scuse Me......did I stop on the wrong planet on the way home again???

9/24/2006 10:31:13 PM

Libkitten



Oops, yeah, I realized there were elipses there after I had edited.

9/24/2006 10:35:27 PM

Archangel_Lucifer

Wow. Just wow.

9/24/2006 10:46:23 PM

John

ATHEIST TENANT OF FAITH #5) Xians are inferior in intelligence to the superior minded atheist.

If he's going to make fun of other peoples' intelligence, you'd think at least he'd make sure he knew the word \"tenet\".

9/24/2006 11:09:56 PM

transient

There is a fourth point. It was just edited out for the FSTDT post.

But number 4 is the best one. Why was it edited out?

9/24/2006 11:54:02 PM