14 Responses

1. Bozzz

   16|Jun|2009 1

   I disagree with almost everything you’ve said here. Most true atheists are smart enough to not make ridiculous statements like that. The casual atheist, who is more than likely an “agnostic” and doesn’t even understand atheism makes those type of blanket comments. Knowing that people are uplifted by religion is a truly depressing thing.

2. The Stabbing Pen

   16|Jun|2009 2

   “Knowing that people are uplifted by religion is a truly depressing thing.” That ignorant statement makes me depressed. You are basically no better than a homophobic, because somebody else’s personal choice that doesn’t effect you at all makes you feel depressed for some reason.

   And when God gets pissed he come for the atheists first btw.

3. Napes

   17|Jun|2009 3

   What if you don’t like religion because you believe it is based on “historical” events that may or may not have happened.

   On the whole, religion isn’t the issue at hand. It’s the people who are so fanatical that they are ignorant of others beliefs or take it an extreme. It’s the same reason I dislike politics.

4. The Stabbing Pen

   17|Jun|2009 4

   I agree with Napes.

5. Bozzz

   17|Jun|2009 5

   How is that statement ignorant? I’m not denying the fact that they are uplifted. It’s like saying a movie depresses me but not because it makes me think about how the story translates into my life, instead it’s because I’m sad for what a fictional character had to go through.

6. The Constant Complainer

   17|Jun|2009 6

   This is a very complex topic. But I agree with Napes too. To me, it’s normally the extremists that cause me to shake my head or severely dislike something.

7. fauxtrixie

   18|Jun|2009 7

   I agree with many of the commenters that it’s the fanatics that give religion a bad name. Any religion can appear shitty because of the small few who take it to the extreme. For instance, if you ever actually study the principles of islamic religion, they’re very noble. However, zealots take it one step to far and believe it’s a justification for pouring acid in women’s faces and cutting off hands. Similarly, hardcore evangelicals are freaking crazy and give normal, middle American christians a bad name. (have you ever seen Jesus Camp? Holy shit..)

   I also have to agree that being depressed because people are uplifted by religion is ignorant. You can think that all you like, but honestly, I feel like that’s a pretentious, “I’m better than stupid people who believe in a God that clearly doesn’t exist” attitude used to make everyone think you’re more intellectual than you might be… kind of like really liking a shitty band that no one gets or wearing clothing from the 40s to be ironic. You’re no better than anyone else or more enlightened than someone who is religious.

   Society today is shitty; if someone wants to believe in a higher power to feel a little bit more optimistic when their 401(k) goes to shit or they can’t pay their medical bills, then let them and don’t make them feel shitty because you think their beliefs are ignorant.

   As far as not believing in religion because it’s based on potentially bogus fact, I can see that. I mean, we’re all smart enough to believe Adam and Eve weren’t really created from dirt and ribs and then went on to populate the whole earth. But, as someone who does believe in God (although not fervently; I haven’t gone to church in over 10 years), I like to think as the historical facts as somewhat metaphorical. But then again, I take solace in the fact that maybe there is some cool ass place that I can go to after I die if I’m good…

   Sorry if that depresses you.

   fauxtrixie’s last blog post..Foods That Should Never Be Comingled

8. The Stabbing Pen

   18|Jun|2009 8

   Well said, interesting. Thanks for the feedback fauxtrixie.

   Yup, fanaticism and fundamentalism when it comes to any religion will slow the positive progress of any society.

   There used to be a real golden age of Islam, where it’s members brought about real advancements in math, science, and in other areas too.

   But somewhere along the way things changed, and a predominantly radical ideology (not in the minds of all Muslims of course) seemed to take over.

   I believe human progress prospers most in a society where people have religious freedom.

   In a hypothetical society with 100% atheists, such uniformity could even be a detriment to society. Even if such a place exists in the future, with even stronger evidence for atheism as truth, once people start all sharing the same POV in one area, they’re more apt to be controlled by the gov’t, etc.

9. David Wheeler

   18|Jun|2009 9

   “You are basically no better than a homophobic, because somebody else’s personal choice that doesn’t effect you at all makes you feel depressed for some reason.”

   – This is a deeply homophobic and scientifically ignorant comment that reveals, at the very least, that you engage in some fundamentalist Christian leaning viewpoints such as that being gay is a choice. Your quickness in inserting this talking point into a discussion into religion shows your homophobia to be a very consuming issue for you. One of your word choices (blessed) also indicates your views on religion lean much more towards Christianity than to this absurd Jewish-agnostic combo.

   – As for the rest, this anti-atheist, anti-intellectual post is akin to ranting against all black people, or jewish people, or gay people etc, etc. just because one person who happened to be of that race or sexual orientation made an ignorant comment or committed a crime, or is of low intelligence etc….

   – It is sad that you don’t see how religion has uplifted their quality of life at the expense of others that religion strives to tear down and marginalize into the darkest corners of our society.

   – Religion is responsible for the last two wars this country is fighting, three+ if you want to count the ‘war on terror’, or did you forget your president publicly stated that his/your god told him to go kill all the brown people to improve the quality of life and uplift all the fundamentalist white people?

   – Love your blanket statement of “hate people’ in a post ranting, in part, against blanket statements

   – It has been scientifically proven that Atheists are the smartest and most advanced humans. It is the most plausible conclusion to assume a world that is 100% Atheist would be the best possible word to live in in terms of quality of life.

   – Religions are severely flawed mind-control, racial/class dividing social systems AT ALL TIMES and are one of the basic tenants this country was founded on in order to ensure the dominance of the rich white straight male forever. They are not flawed when taken ‘literally’ as you ridiculously state.

   – Everything that Bozz says is correct

   – If you don’t see how it is depressing that people are uplifted by religion than I fear for your safety, because clearly you are not concerned for it. You think it is ignorant to be depressed by the fact that a majority of this country believes there are some invisible, omnipresent deities in the sky controlling everything that happens below and that can communicate with human beings on earth. Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to you that the majority of Americans believe they are able to communicate with invisible people. The rational Atheists, and intelligent humans refer to this as a mental disorder. And in a country that cares nothing for the mentally ill, the untreated mental disease that is religion and whatever undiagnosed disorders the majority of this country have such as bipolar disorder, psychotic depression, schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, could lead to some very dangerous situations for you in your daily life. If a homeless person is talking to imaginary people on the street people will look at him/her with disgust and eventually the cops will come to harass them etc. and they will never get the care they need. On the flip side people that claim to talk to God everyday are looked at from your point of view as being ‘normal’ and untreated mental disorders are VERY DANGEROUS.

   – To tie this all together I’ll come back to the whole religion as a mind-control social construct designed to keep the people who have always been in power in power forever and to create class/racial warfare. This is clearly something that you find acceptable. So let me ask, if you have no problem with religion duping poorer and less educated people into continuing to be poor and less educated, what, if any, causes do you believe in? Do you believe that certain groups of people who have been denied equal rights throughout this country’s history should have been continued to be denied? Should no one stand up for them? Do you want the rich white straight christian male to be in power forever? Because to me this is exactly what this post is saying.

10. The Stabbing Pen

    18|Jun|2009 10

    I’m not going to read all this, at least not now. But yes, personal choice is the wrong term, personal lifestyle is more appropriate.

11. FauxTrixie

    20|Jun|2009 11

    David Wheeler - if you’re going to assert that athiests are the smartest group of people on earth, and everyone else is ignorant, you may want to ensure you are using proper grammar, lest your contentions seem ridiculous and self-serving.

    Also, what I find hilarious about your entire post is that it makes you look like a fanatical athiest. Seriously, I read this and thought, “ol boy should put this in very small print in a composite notebook before he opens fire on a sunday church ceremony.” The whole “people who believe in God are mentally unstable?” I mean, really?

    Just to let you know, when you make contentions that are so completely ridiculously, no one will take you seriously, which I’m pretty sure goes against your whole purpose in posting. Your comment reads irrationally; every point can be easily countered. Perhaps less passion and more logic and education would serve you better.

    FauxTrixie’s last blog post..Your Genius Never Ceases to Amaze Me, North Korea

12. FauxTrixie

    20|Jun|2009 12

    PS. No offense, but all the athiests I know are complete idiots who have done nothing with their lives.

    FauxTrixie’s last blog post..Your Genius Never Ceases to Amaze Me, North Korea

13. blaze1016

    30|Jul|2009 13

    i live with my friends dad who is in fact an atheist. he brings great points to life once such as wars are started because of religion, but he also brings one fact, its started from radical religious beliefs. the bible in its self can be a great guide to live your life. 10 ppl can read the bible and you can get 10 different point of views. its all how you interpret the text of the bible. im a Christian believer but im not a radical Christian who’s gonna get pissed because one person doesn’t want to follow the religion i believe. i personally believe wars are started by religion as well because everyone wants their god to be the one every one follows. the way i see it, ppl can live their life the way they want to, not all Christians are bad ppl.I have never went to war or started a war over religious believes.soooo HOW DOES THAT MAKE ME A BAD PERSON…because i believe in something you dont

14. Tmoney

    09|Aug|2009 14

    I feel that religion is false because it’s not science.